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The start of the year is a great time to consider updating your professional headshot or creating a new image of yourself.
I invite you to come to my comfortable and relaxed studio in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Lilyfield, where we can create your new image together.
We can discuss what options are best. I am happy to tailor the shoot to your specific needs – this may be a corporate headshot, something more relaxed, or an actor’s headshot. You may want to use the images for your portfolio, your CV, your social media profiles such as linked-in, facebook and instagram … or you may have other intentions. We can create a number of different eye-catching looks. I am happy to advise you on what direction we could take.
Above all, we will make the process as fun and rewarding as can be.
Give me a call on 0419 619 161 or contact me via email: john@johnmcrae.com
I was approached for a new commission by Samantha Leith, who I have photographed several times before. Samantha is a powerhouse of creativity, known as a performer, business strategist and motivational speaker. She comes from a performance background and in the past, I had photographed Samantha in relation to shows/presentations that she was staging.
Samantha Leith
This occasion was a little different. In the studio, we would be photographing a series of women to produce imagery that will be used to promote the new skin care range Samantha is involved in launching. These women have agreed to become ambassadors for the brand, including her friends and colleagues Amanda, Angela, Monica, Sarah and Yvonne, as well as Samantha herself.
The skincare range is called “Let’s Be Frank Skincare”. It is an Australian-made skincare range specifically formulated for women who are experiencing some of the skin concerns associated with peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause.
It was a great day. These women were such fun to work with and they all made sure that they were going to enjoy themselves during our photo-shoot. From the moment they walked into the studio to prepare for make-up and hair, got dressed in the glam attire they chose to wear and then took up their positions in front of the camera, until it was time to skip out the door, it was a magical experience to portray women full of confidence and joy.
I was asked to visit the offices of KPMG at their Sydney head office at Barangaroo to capture images of an in-house conference that was taking place with a number of their executives. I have featured a few of the images captured on the day as part of this blog.
I also managed to capture head shots of a number of the attendees. We set up a temporary studio in a section of the space to achieve these portraits.
It is always a great experience for me to work in these kinds of highly professional corporate environments.
For several years I have photographed for the team working in the HIV space, NAPWHA (National Association of People Living with HIV Australia). NAPWHA is a peak body which spans advocacy, representation, policy & health and promotion for people living with HIV. Each year, for the annual report, I am asked to update their staff photos, individual portraits and group shots.
This year, as a point of difference, I decided to create an alternative representation of the individual images by creating composite portraits of three images of the same person … also as a way of showing the idea of diversity
As in previous years, we head into the back streets of Newtown, where the NAPWHA office is located, to find an interesting urban backdrop for the portraits. It is not hard to find a laneway or street lined with bold, colourful graffiti. A big thanks to the local street artists for helping us with the artistic direction of the shots
Just prior to the Christmas break, I was asked to photograph a large group portrait of the entire team who worked at the Prince of Wales Emergency Department at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick. This might well be the largest number of people I have photographed in one portrait.
However, it was not in one sitting, nor was it in a single frame. Understandably it would be almost impossible (nor ethically sound) to ask all the doctors, nurses and allied healthcare professionals to “tools down” at the same time and head outside for a photograph. I’m sure there would have been a few complaints from the patients, to say the least.
Therefore we decided to shoot various smaller groups at staggered times over the period of an afternoon. In the hospital carpark, I set up a make-shift studio. When people were available they could head outside to get their portrait taken.
As a solution to create one final image, I “composited” all the various groups together into one extended image of 120 people (example of separately captured groups, below) with the entrance to the hospital as the background (see background image of the Emergency Department entrance, below).
Image used as the background for the group portrait
Re:Form Construction is one of my construction clients. As a highly skilled, boutique building company, they are a joy to work with.
Gerard Murphy, the director of the company, decided that each year Re:Form would produce a calendar featuring members of its team, as a give-away at Christmas time.
I had the pleasure of capturing individual and group shots of different members of the Re:Form Construction team while they worked on-site at their respective trade skills. I visited one of their sites in Castlecrag in Sydney, and then on another occasion, I traveled to the Megalong Valley where another team of workmen were engaged in the construction of a large tourist project.
The calendar is a fun and inclusive publication, and it was an enjoyable process to capture these outdoor and working portraits. The men also get a kick out of having their “15 minutes of fame”, plus the idea of appearing as a month on the calendar.
I traveled to Victoria to photograph the wedding of Georgia and Luke in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.
Many years ago I lived along Sydney Road in Brunswick, and I have very fond memories of this quintessential “Melburnian” urban landscape. The weather for Georgia and Luke’s wedding was perfect, so what more could you want for a successful and joyful event.
The wedding took place along Lygon Street. The ceremony was held at a great space called the Noisy Ritual Urban Winery. The reception was also held here, so there was no need to move great distances to find the reception … you just sat down. Actually it wasn’t too “noisy” at all. It was a lively space that was perfect for such a celebration, with attentive and generous staff on hand.
During the ceremony at the Noisy Ritual Urban Winery
Brunswick Bowling Club entrance
We also made great location shots in the general area. We didn’t have to walk far to find colourful graffiti-covered laneways which provided the best backdrops and perspectives for location images. The bride grew up not far from this area. Georgia has a particular affinity for the Brunswick Bowling Club grounds, so we staged a couple of shots of the newly-weds at the entrance gate. The East Brunswick Hotel also holds a special place in her heart, so we included this iconic venue in the background of a few shots for good measure. I enjoyed the tour of the back streets as we made our way from one brightly coloured spot to the next.
I visited the Megalong Valley in the Blue Mountains near Sydney to capture mid-construction images of a large hospitality complex for a building company known as Re:Form Construction. Apart from documenting some of the recently constructed buildings, including a high-end restaurant, I also individually photographed several of the workmen.
Pictured above is Kurt, a talented carpenter with Re:Form. He asked to be shot in front of a refurbished shed that he had worked on. This barn was completely ruined, then after extensive rebuilding it was brought back to life (pictured below), with added character.
Trevor as one of his creations. Dress made and designed by Angie White. Wig by WigsbyVanity & Kellie Ritchie (wig stylist)
Watch this space!
There’s more new ideas and creations coming from Trevor Ashley as we approach the Australian spring, if the recent shoot at my studio is anything to go by.
Trevor is one of Australia’s most creative musical talents with a string of hits and accolades under his belt, including singing, acting, directing and writing. As well as performing in some of the countries biggest musicals such as Hairspray, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and more recently as Pharaoh in Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat, he also creates his own, original brand of cabaret and musical performances (in his spare time), inventing characters larger than life.
Many of you will have seen his brilliant live singing productions as part of the recently televised “Queen of the Universe” where he slayed both the judges and the audiences.
Trevor creates the character
Prior to leaving to Europe for work we organised a shoot at my studio to record some of his new characters. Angie White (costume designer) and Kellie Richie (hair/makeup/wigs) were there to lend a hand with WigsbyVanity. Angie is a talented costume designer who has created many of Trevor’s extraordinary looks over the years. Kellie is a wig expert and makeup artist, known for weaving magic with hair.
There’s no stopping Angie as she applies the finishing touches to one of Trevor’s costumes
As always, I really enjoy working with Trevor. He brings a great energy to every shoot as he unfolds each new character in front of the camera. From femme fatale to ditsy heroine, it’s a joy to watch and document each emerging look.
Keep an eye out for his next adventure when he returns from Europe.
Flick through the slideshow below for more out-takes of the preparation:
A snap of Charles looking on, in the reflection of the window, as I set up for the shotA photo of Charles looking on, as seen in the reflection of the window, as I set up for the shot of his latest work
Charles Cooper, artist extraordinaire, has brought his talents out from his studio to create contemporary works of art in public spaces.
Based in Sydney, Charles is a well-known, mid-career artist with a long and impressive exhibition history. Click on this link to his website address. Another link is to the page of Charles Cooper at Annandale Galleries, where his works have been seen in different exhibitions for the past two decades. Charles is also a resident lecturer at the National Art School in Darlinghurst.
Charles’ drawing at Nurse’s Walk, the Rocks
It has been my pleasure to photograph the development of Charles’ paintings, drawings and installations over many years. This time it was a little different … recording his artworks on public display, as part of two outdoor installations. This situation brought its own technical hurdles in terms of light and reflections, particularly as his drawing at The Rocks was displayed behind a deep-set glass window, which was also unevenly lit (a challenge for any photographer)
Installation at 42 Botany Road, Alexandria
However we managed to get good results and Charles’ large-scale works have now been properly documented. If you are near either Botany Road in Alexandria or Nurse’s Walk at The Rocks, look out for his two installations.
On a recent trip to Sydney from his home city of Adelaide, prior to his departure on a working tour of Europe, performer Michael Griffiths came to my studio for a photoshoot. We worked on creating a new series of imagery for the promotion of upcoming shows on which he is currently working. .
His pedigree is recognized. For example, in 2016 Michael Griffiths won the Helpmann Award for best cabaret performer for his Cole Porter tribute. As a graduate of the well-known West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), he is a talented singer and musician who has been performing non-stop since his graduation in 1999.
It is always a joy to work with Michael. Not only is he a talented musician, piano player and performer but he’s got a great sense of humour. This helps to make any shoot good fun. He usually brings a quirky idea or two to the studio, and we go from there.
Michael has recently been performing at El Piano cabaret club in Sitges in Spain (see this link). If you happen to be in that part of Europe, check out his schedule. For the rest of us … we’ll have to wait until Michael returns to the land of Oz.
Photographing at the Sydney Opera House is always a great pleasure. No matter what the occasion, the view is always amazing. One is always struck by the beauty and grandeur of this impressive structure.
Virginia Braden OAM (Chairman) & Gerard Willems at the media wall prior to the start of the concert.
I was commissioned by “Piano +” to photograph the media wall and VIP reception. Piano + is the entity that has been newly formed to organise and stage the long-standing Sydney International Piano Competition, a program that has been operating annually since 1977. Every four years a competition is held, open to international performers, to compete for a prize money purse. Held in July/August, the prestigious competition is broadcast nationally and internationally.
This year’s competition was won by Jeonghwan Kim (article here:). Kim takes home a $50,000 cash award, as well as being invited to perform at different concerts, a national tour of Australia, a digital and CD release of his performances during the competition, and further recording engagements.
In summer, Pride marches happen all around the world … you can catch one soon in a capital city near you. Well, not only in the capitals, but everywhere where activism and politics make a difference.
Rome is no exception. I was so lucky to be in Italy with my trusty camera for the RomaPride March on June 10. You couldn’t miss such a colourful event, especially when it’s a once in a year chance to walk the streets of Rome from Piazza della Repubblica where the parade has its genesis, through the majestic streets, as the crowd finally descends on the area around the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia. The appearance of this giant amphitheatre as you walk down the Via Labicana towards the Piazza del Colosseo, is breathtaking. What makes the experience entirely “inclusive” is the way the RomaPride marchers, the deejays, the floats, the friends and the general public all mix, to form a general melee of colour and movement and happiness. This year, special attention was paid to fighting against the new social limitations imposed by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
What would Rome Pride be without drag queens and a Colosseum
There’s a happy participantA gender fluid statement by this participantProfile of my friend Jonathan who loves to bring out a cowboy hat on such occasions.
I had an amazing time walking through the ancient streets of Rome in the late afternoon, with more than one million other participants. It was also great to be with my close friends Marvic, Davide, Samuele and Jonathan, who’d all agreed to meet up together in Rome for the week. There was a discreet and friendly police presence, and some very advanced sound systems on the floats. As dusk approached, the light in this beautiful city took on a luminous pink glow. There was a shared feeling of celebration, not only with the other people in the parade, but throughout central Rome as we headed back to our apartment in Trastevere. And the beat goes on.
One of the more colourful participants. He was popular for photos.
For more photos click through the following slide-show (below)…..
I captured images of a recent installation at Allianz Stadium, at the head office of the Sydney Roosters NRL team. The designers at Sydney Commercial Interiors created an impressive display with furnishings to house the many trophies and important football memorabilia collected by the club over the years.
Sydney Commercial Interiors is a Sydney-based company which leads the field in commercial interiors, spanning a broad spectrum of activities designing for office, hospitality, industrial and medical projects, as well as sports and recreation.
The glamorous Kitty Glitter came to my studio to update her promotional imagery before she heads to Toronto as part of her ongoing tour one of Australia’s most successful international DJs.
Conchita Wurst performs on the Booking.com stage along Crown Street
During the recent Sydney World Pride festival, I was commissioned by Booking.com and CSM to photograph events along Crown Street, to document the installation that Booking.com had created as part of their “Travel Proud” initiative.
Travel Proud has been created as a way of making travel for the LGBTQA+ community more inclusive. Companies, organisations and people who offer travel and hospitality experiences have been encouraged to take a short course to understand and connect more effectively with LGBTQA travellers. This reduces any barriers or uncomfortable situations for LGBTQA+ patrons and has been welcomed by Booking.com’s partners.
Passers-by were encouraged to share “travel proud” messages of goodwill and anecdotal travel stories by recording them (usually on their phones), then uploading them to the “giant suitcase” containing a large LED screen which then played them back.
Men at work
Construction almost completed
I enjoyed capturing the atmosphere in Crown Street during this event. I started early on a Sunday morning to document the construction and reassembling of a giant suitcase which was to become the central focus for the Booking.com promotion. Alongside the suitcase, a stage was built with lights and sound gear, ready for the line-up of local and international talent.
Almost finished….the giant suitcase with large LED screen
Baylee and Emily hand out Booking.com suitcase tags
Nick Pes on stage
Onlookers included Festival Artistic Director Daniel Clarke
And the artists, at least in the shows I experienced, were really magnificent. There was Nick Pes wooing the public with his dulcet tones (and a stunningly ripped midriff clearly on display).
Greg Gould had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Trevor Ashley gave Shirley Bassey a run for her money.
Conchita Wurst
Trevor Ashley takes the stage
Of course the big draw card on the night was the Austrian winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, Conchita Wurst. Conchita was in town as an ambassador for Booking.com and the Travel Proud program.
Verushka Darling on stage
There were fabulous drag queens from interstate, including Big Thick Energy, Vassy, Haiku Hands and Chela, as well as drag queens well known to the Sydney crowd such as Verushka Darling. Plus there was a string of DJ’s from Sydney and beyond, including James Tobin who I had photographed many years previously.
DJ
DJ James Tobin
Paul Capsis creates his unique brand of electricity on stage
The night closed with a stunning performance by Paul Capsis who would have blown the roof off, if there was a roof in the first place. I loved watching the faces in the crowd during Paul’s performance. One comment I noted was, “Capsis is a creature with incredible force. His screams can be heard from Mars.”
The faces in the crowd says it all…..
All in all it was great to see Oxford Street and the neighbourhood come alive with a great feeling of celebration and sharing over this period. Bravo to the organisers for creating a really successful new event.
Scroll through more photos by clicking through the images below:
“Moulin Scrooge” has opened at the Seymour Centre in Sydney to wild laughter and much merriment, both on-stage and off. I have had the pleasure of photographing the various stages of the production, including the poster and the dress rehearsal, which gave me a sneak preview of Trevor Ashley’s latest parody. This pre-Christmas spectacle features the iconic Carlotta, known as The Queen of Kings Cross, who shares the stage with Trevor, Jakob Ambrose, Stephen Madsen and Jarrod Moore. The mood is fiery and fierce.
Playing the role of club-owner Astrid Zeneca, Carlotta is a force to be reckoned with. As Australian entertainment royalty, Carlotta is an original cast member of the long-running Sydney-based male revue Les Girls cabaret show, which established an international following starting in 1962. Although best known as a cabaret performer, Carlotta appeared in the television series “Number 96” in 1974 as Miss Robyn Ross, in a storyline where she reveals that she is transgender. Her ground-breaking appearance in the show is the first time a transgender actress played a transgender TV character anywhere in the world. We need to applaud our true legends.
Carlotta takes the stage
Meanwhile Trevor Ashley is known for his irreverent revues which include the likes of “The Bodybag”, “Little Orphan Trashley”, “Fat Swan” and “The Lyin’ Queen”, some of his long line-up of stage hits. Now, together with Phil Scott, Ashley has written a madcap adults-only panto as a satirical twist on a beloved Dickensian tale.
Here are a few images from the fast-paced show, with choreography by Rhys Bobridge, costumes by Angie White and lighting design by Sam Wylie. Book a ticket and treat yourself to a hilarious evening of stirring musical extravaganzas, purposely bad jokes, salacious dance numbers and lots, lots more.
Laura Hart was the recipient of the Arts & Entertainment Award, presented by SGLMG Association, with my cover for the Sydney Star Observer.
More than 300 people came together at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney on 17 August to celebrate LGBTQ community members whose work has made a difference to the lives of sexually and gender diverse people in NSW.
The Sydney Star Observer printed my portrait of Laura Hart, winner of the Arts & Entertainment Award, on the cover of the September issue of the magazine. Laura was acknowledged for her contribution to nurturing and developing “drag king” culture in NSW. After the ACON award presentations, I photographed Laura and several other winners in a make-shift studio I set up in the foyer area of the Ivy.
Jason Om recipient of the Media Award, presented by OUT@NBCUniversal Me… testing the lighting at the Ivy before the shoot. It is really cool that I can now trigger the camera from my phone.
Courtney Act and Vanity are at it again. Following their very successful first season of the NOVA podcast of Brenda, Call Me, where our two partners in crime would meet each week to “chew the fat” on what had got them all fired-up, Courtney and Vanity will be back on the airwaves from this Thursday, May 19, 2022.
In mid-April, we shot these promotional images at Sydney Props with the team from NOVA, as well as Stephanie Liebeck (On-site Stylist) and Russall Beatie (Head Stylist), both from Giant Panda King, who were responsible for the concept, set design and additional photo re-touching.
But wait…..there’s a narrative!
According to Courtney’s instagram (@courtneyact), while she was exploring the planet Octopoda, Courtney “has gotten herself into trouble” while on an Intergalactic Lady Grindr date gone wrong.
“You don’t look anything like your picture! You have 9 arms instead of 8! BRENDA, CALL ME!”“Don’t worry Brenda, I’m coming to save you.!”
While aboard the USS Brenda, in orbit around the planet Octopoda, Vanity hears a distress call from Courtney, whose intergalactic Grindr date has gone horribly wrong. “Don’t worry Brenda, I’m coming to save you!”
Vanity finds Courtney hand-cuffed to a Chick-Feather-Boa Tree and tells the 9 armed catfish, who looks more like an octopus, to scarper before she zaps him with her stun-ing gun.Courtney and Vanity beam back up to the “USS Brenda” to relative safety.Finally, the two friends celebrate in the safety of the mother-ship.
Catch these two characters from this Thursday on a weekly basis at NOVA Podcasts (Brenda Call Me). As Courtney states….”Vanity and I are bringing you more astounding honesty, friendship and some queer history!”
If you’re looking for a perfect place to get-away, a short-term rental for any reason, look no further than Maisonnets.
I’ve been shooting for some time now the various properties that become available under the Maisonnet banner. Maisonnets is a company that manages properties for owners in the short-term rental market. They manage a concierge, cleaning and maintenance service, a kind of middle man between the owner of the property and the various clients decide to rent the properites.
It has been interesting to see the interior of all the homes I have photographed.
