I am so inspired when I meet someone who is truly going above and beyond for the benefit of others and the greater good. Kids in regional areas of Australia aren't always given the opportunities that exist in the cities and metropolitan areas. Nancy Pattison, entrepreneur behind Indii Swimwear is passionate... Read More
Papua New Guinea has been up the top of my Travel Wishlist for years. Despite it being Australia’s closest neighbour (only 170km from Queensland), it isn’t a very popular travel destination – hence the appeal. A few years ago when I learned about PNGs rugged beauty, rich indigenous cultures and distinct lack of tourism, I started looking into how I could get there. Simply travelling or being a tourist is never enough for me – I always look for a way to add another dimension to any journey, and I love my profession so much that turning a travel opportunity into a Photo Trip is usually my first preference. I pasted photos of PNG onto my “Dream Board” – the digital pinboard where I gather inspirational images surrounding my dreams and goals. While I was busy making other dreams come true (making a sea change, getting married and building my strawbale cottage with my husband), plans for Papua New Guinea fell into place on their own. I was ecstatic when I received an email from Cool Earth, asking if I’d be available for a photo shoot in PNG. Cool Earth is a UK based NGO (Non Government Organisation) that […] Read More
Some days I walk out of a photo shoot and know that the world just became a better place. Not better because of something I've done, but better because my own little world has been touched by something positive and truly beautiful. I was on assignment to shoot an editorial for The Salvation Army Creative Magazine... Read More
In my past life, working as a freelance photographer in Sydney, I had the pleasure of working with the wonderful creative team at Tree of Life, shooting their bohemian fashion, jewellery and homewares. We had so much fun at head office and on locations around the city, photographing their pretty bohemian products from India, Napal, Thailand and other exotic locations. I recently guest posted on the Tree of Life Blog about my transition from working 80 hour work weeks in the big city, to slowing down, moving to the country and building my dream home in the incredibly beautiful coastal town of Crescent Head, with my fiance, James. You can see images from the post below. To see the full post on the Tree of Life blog, click HERE! You can see more photos on my Instagram feed. Thanks for reading!! Read More
Fashion is a fun industry to work in. It’s fun to wear, it’s fun to style and it’s fun to photograph. For me, it’s very important to make sure the fashion I’m involved in is “clean” – good for the environment and good for the fashion industry workers, ie. Environmentally and socially sustainable. Following recent disasters like the Rana Plaza Disaster, in which thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh were killed and injured, and yesterday’s footwear factory fire in the Philiipines in which 72 were killed, the industry is shifting and consumers are beginning to demand more transparency of the supply chain and more ethical fashion industry practices. Fashion Revolution is one organisation doing amazing things to advance this important movement. Photography plays a major role in promoting sales of products in the fashion industry. Being an Eco Photographer is important to me. It means I support the ethical brands that are part of this fashion revolution. These are often new, grass roots labels who are building a name for themselves from the ground up. Australian sunglasses brand, Chief Eyewear are one such brand that I had the pleasure of working with. Their bamboo sunglasses are high quality and […] Read More
My friend Paul Martin has been rescuing injured, native animals since he was a teenager. He is on call to rescue wildife in Crescent Head and the surrounding Mid North Coast area. I had the opportunity to meet a gannet which Paul rescued, and witness its transformation from a weak and vulnerable animal, to a rehabilitated sea bird, ready to take on the world again. I captured these photographs at my favourite local beach, Racecourse Beach, where Paul read the winds and picked the right time to release this little guy. Paul wrote the article below about the animal rescue. Today I am happy to see the article land on the front cover of both the Port Macquarie Independent and the Mid Coast Courier. It’s always great to see a good news story being shared. Gannet returns to the wild Gannets are often seen diving spectacularly for bait fish off local beaches. This young one, however, was found by Jess Tout on the Crescent Head Back Beach on 14/4/15. It tried to go into the water but was not able to navigate the rough surf, and sat back down on the beach. Jess, who lives locally and is keen […] Read More
There are some labels in the fashion industry that go to extreme lengths to ensure that the products they are offering consumers are as ethical as possible. My most recent discovery of a brand of this kind is Wild Tussah, a grass roots label creating high quality products with great care and respect for all involved in the production process, from artisan to customer. As stated proudly on their website, “Wild Tussah was started with one idea in mind; to preserve traditional weave cultures through art and design for our modern day world.” On receiving my gorgeous Day to Night bag in the post and removing it from it’s protective canvas bag, it was clear that this product has a story to tell. So I asked Danica, Wild Tussah’s Sustainable Fashion Designer and Founder, to answer a few questions. What is the story of the Day to Night bag, from how you selected the artisans to how it is made? The Day to Night bag was designed to incorporate a Lu weave I found in Saigon. When I first came across the weave, I didn’t know who made it. All I knew was that I had never seen such […] Read More
It is such an honour when my photos are published in one of my favourite magazines. I am attracted to publications that are stylish, environmentally conscious and full of awesome content. Peppermint Magazine is all of these things, which is why I’m so excited to see my fashion photography on their beautiful, textured (recycled paper) pages! These photos are part of the first collection by one of Australia’s most prominent Eco Fashion Warrioresses, Carlie Ballard. Carlie recently received the Fashion award at the Green Lifestyle Awards in Sydney, and deservedly so. As well as being one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet, she is completely dedicated to the pursuit of bringing ethical fashion into the spotlight, and making it more accessible to Australians. Carlie’s label is dedicated to supporting fairtrade artisans and using sustainable fabrics which have a minimal carbon footprint. The gorgeous garments are designed to last many seasons. Check out the article in the current issue of Peppermint, and see more of my images from the Carlie Ballard shoot here. Read More
It is important to me to be able to offer my clients photo prints that are on the cutting edge of sustainability. As more people move towards a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, companies are able to deliver green options to consumers. As I come across outstanding products, I will be sharing these with you, here on my blog. I was seeking out the most eco way to print my photographs, and this bamboo product sounded fantastic. I decided to try out this new eco style of photo printing. The quality of colour and contrast in this bamboo print really make the image pop What I love: – The print looks really good. The texture of the bamboo has been maintained, so the finish has a beautiful, natural texture, reminiscent of art paper. The edges have a beautiful, unique look, and the keyholes on the back make it easy to hang. – It is made from bamboo which is incredibly sustainable. Bamboo grows fast, can sequester more carbon than trees and generally doesn’t require pesticides or herbicides. – The prints last for decades (or longer) due to the durability of bamboo, and the satin laminate protects against dust and UV […] Read More
Junkies magazine is a fantastic new Australian publication celebrating the concept of rethink, reuse, reduce and recycle. It’s jam-packed full of articles and photos of creative ways to help the planet, your own way. I’m thrilled to have this wonderful write up about my photography included in the Spring issue of Junkies magazine. These images are from my project Portraits of The Disappearing Amazon, for which I had the privilege of visiting and photographing tribes in the Amazon jungle over a 3 month period. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Please enjoy the images. Read More
I’ve had a fantastic time shooting these two campaigns for Australian bohemian fashion brand Tree of Life. The campaign above is titled Gyspy Wanderer. I’m in love with the styling, which in a way, bridges my fashion images with my travel photos from around the world, through the inclusion of vintage Afghani accessories, and the “Gypsy Wanderer” theme that somewhat represents my life pre-Sydney. Below is a photo of one of my posters in the shop window of Tree of Life at Bondi Junction, followed by photos from the shoot. This campaign was “Midnight Garden”. While planning and shooting the images I took inspiration from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which I have loved ever since I studied it in high school. You can see additional images from these shoots on my Facebook and Instagram, over the coming week. Read More
We had an amazing turn out to the opening night of Pachamama Exhibition on Thursday, 26 June. Art lovers from all over Sydney came to view images of indigenous peoples of Latin America, by five photographers including me. Each photographer’s set of images illustrated a theme relating to the people’s relationship with Pachamama: Tradition by Alicia Fox Displacement by Rodrigo Llauro & Natalia Cartney Reconnection by Guillermo Rossi Adaptation by Armando Vega Relationship by Toril Pursell All photos were for sale, with a percentage going to NGOs assisting the people in the photographs. Images (framed and unframed) are still available for purchase, so feel free to contact me if you are interested. Below is a short excerpt from a call out by Survival International, an NGO working to protect isolated tribes in regions including the Amazon. It explains why rapid action to help vulnerable tribes people is important. “An alarming number of uncontacted Indians have been sighted fleeing Peru and entering Brazil. Brazil’s Indian Affairs Department has warned that they face imminent “death” as they enter into the territory of other uncontacted tribes and settled communities. Rampant illegal logging in Peru is believed to be at the heart of this impending disaster. There are only about 100 uncontacted tribes left in […] Read More
As Sustainably As Possibly (ASAP) invited me for an interview to share my story behind running an eco photography business. I was the second to be interviewed for the Pledgecast series, following NSW Greens MP, John Kaye. I felt quite honoured. Through this short interview you can hear how travelling made me realise, in an unforgettable way, that how I live in Australia affects people all around the world. As part of the interview, ASAP asked me to make an environmental pledge. Fast fashion is a serious problem in today’s world, and working as a fashion photographer, this is something I am very conscious of. Sustainable fashion expert, Lucy Siegle estimates that each year, 80 billion garments are produced throughout the world. The conditions under which most of these are made are dangerous, both for garment factory workers and for our environment (during production and at the end of fast fashion’s short life when the clothing is sent to landfill). I pledged to stop buying new clothing and consumables. Since I made the pledge, I have had a fantastic time discovering beautiful and unique clothes in second hand stores (from the Salvos to fancy vintage stores). There are even websites dedicated to helping Australian’s buy and swap pre-loved fashion. Buying second hand clothing […] Read More
Today is National Sorry Day. This week is Reconciliation Week in Australia. I show my respect for all those who have suffered and those who continue to heal as a result of our country’s past, and the continuing inequalities between black and white Australia. Australia prides itself on being a place of fairness. But our government doesn’t always reflect the values of it’s citizens. Our Constitution still does not recognise the first Australians, and it still allows the States to ban people from voting based on their race. I was shocked and disturbed when I heard this. I support changes to recognise Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution. RECOGNISE (the people’s movement to recognise ATSI peoples in our Constitution) says that “National Sorry Day is a time to recognise and remember the trauma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities affected by the Stolen Generations policies.” Please take a moment to visit the RECOGNISE website here. Photos I shot at Chill Island Festival, 2008. Read More
I love working with sustainable brands, creating beautiful images to help promote inspired and cutting edge products. It’s important to me to see these positive grass-roots businesses prosper. I recently had the pleasure of photographing for Cocoze Shoes, a fantastic new Canadian company making eco shoes from coconut fiber and natural rubber: an alternative to the highly disposable synthetic thong that we Australian’s love to wear. Below is a quick Q&A with Wayne Seto, Managing Partner at Cocoze Shoes. What are the best 3 things about Cocoze Shoes? There are so many good things about Cocoze Shoes that choosing only 3 things was difficult. So I consulted the founder of Cocoze, Pierre Thomson, for his input. In the end we both agreed upon the following, if it had to be only 3: 1) Our shoes at Cocoze naturally and gently exfoliate the soles of your feet, making your feet soft, healthy and beautiful. 2) Coconut fiber (coir) used to make our shoes is 100% natural, sustainable and biodegradable. Thus good for people and good for the planet. 3) Cocoze Shoes are all hand made in Thailand in a small eco-friendly factory. No chemicals, dyes or toxins are used […] Read More
Indigo Bazaar is an ethical fashion company providing beautiful clothing that is made in a way that is good for the environment and for the garment workers and artisans who are part of the production. As consumers become more aware of the dangerous and unfair working conditions involved with fast fashion, entrepreneurs like Carlie Ballard, founder of Indigo Bazaar, are providing alternatives for those of us who want to know that our clothing comes with good karma. I photographed these natural portraits of Carlie wearing Indigo Bazaar, for her promotions and online profiles. It was a wonderfully fun afternoon with Carlie and Make up Artist Emily, from LittleFox Makeup Artistry. Read More
After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. My love for tea began on the beaches of Sri Lanka where I drank sweet, milky black tea because it was easier to come by than clean drinking water. Living in Japan, I gained a deep respect for green tea and sacred Japanese tea traditions. In Latin America, I learned about the medicinal benefits of an endless variety of herbal infusions. I have a thing for tea. Half of my kitchen shelves are allocated to food, the other half to teas and herbal “tea” blends. I appreciate the variety of textures, tastes, colours and aromas, as well as the healing effects of each different blend. So you can imagine how much fun I had photographing these images. All blends were lovingly created by Amber at T Totaler. “Tea” includes black, green and white tea from the (Camellia sinensis) plant. “Herbal infusions” are beverages that are prepared by adding herbs to hot water, usually between 70-100 degrees celsius. Read More
Just because you live in Inner City Sydney, doesn’t mean you can’t live out your eco homesteading dreams. I do my best to be as green as possible in every aspect of my life, from growing my own organic vegetables to living in a chemical free home. I do what is best for our environment, which includes what is best for my own health. After all, we humans are part of the eco system too. The Kitchen Above 1. Each Sunday I walk down to Addison Road Markets in Marrickille, to buy my chemical-free fruit and veges (my own garden is only 2 months old so just produces salad greens so far). I talk to the stall owners to find out about that week’s produce. The delicious, gluten free bread is freshly made by the lovely folks at Common Ground, a commune not far from Sydney. 2. My first crop of (giant) home grown mushrooms. They were the sweetest mushrooms I’ve ever eaten. 3. My seeds, nuts and dried foods come from Alfalfa House Co-op (Enmore), my favourite place to shop. The stock is as organic, local and ethically produced as possible. I love the co-op so much that I volunteer […] Read More
Being an Eco Photographer means reducing the environmental impact of every aspect of my business, and working with (i.e. producing photos for) clients that have a positive impact on the environment. I was trying to formulate an explanation as to why I’ve decided to be an “Eco Photographer” and what this actually means. Then one day three things happened to me and I became so impassioned that I did what anyone would do… I got on my soapbox (i.e. my personal Facebook wall) and shared what I was feeling with my friends and family. I received such an overwhelmingly supportive response that I decided to include my little story on this blog. It gives you an idea of how I live my personal life, which crosses over into my business life. So here it is: I don’t often put unhappy things on Facebook but I feel the need to share this today It has 3 parts, and hopefully is inspiring: 1. James came home and told me, with a smile, that he had a song stuck in his head all day, the song of some beautiful girls from the Ashaninka tribe we stayed with by Ene River, in […] Read More
