The Batblog by Photobat

Shooting A Python.

Some of the more attentive readers may have noticed the addition of Michael Palin to my Portrait Challenge last wee. For those of you who don’t know who he is i recommend you have a go hire a Monty Python video, the movie “A Fish Called Wanda” or even watch his travel documentaries.

He was in town to promote his new travel series Himalaya and was doing some book signing and a talk at the Theatre Royal. I had managed to get in contact with his publisist for the tour and he said he would put my request for time for a portrait to Michael. I didn’t hear anything back, so i just turned up to the talk and with help from Clive at Fullers i managed to get backstage and hand about for the talk, the book signing and then i managed to get some time to take a picture.

While the book signing was taking place after the talk i did a bit of a location search and found some just outside the theater in a lane way.

When word got out amongst my friends that i would probably be doing a portrait of Michael, there were a lot of offers of assistance. I ended up using Craig Wellington who just happened to be at the tlk and had helped me before in Melbourne. I really should have used Lindy, cause as she said, the main difference between her and the other offers was that she “puts out”. Another time… maybe.

So, i did a test shot with Craig, got everything lined up and ready to go and then waited for Michael to appear. I had been given a heads up by his publicist that he “doesn’t like having his photo taken”. So i was going to shoot it quickly, i expect i had about 5 minutes, which is heaps of time. I didn’t use 5 minutes, i didn’t use 2. From the time i shot the first frame to the final frame was 46 seconds (the digital camera tells me exatlyt what time i took the photos so that isn’t an exaggeration).

That was it, no messing about, only 5 shots were taken, the minimal amount of word spoken and then he was off.

It’s strange, i know a lot of people who would have loved to have a bit of a chat, but i really didn’t have much to say to him. I am a bit of a fan, i enjoy his work, but really, apart from gloating over someone saying how much you like their work, what else is there to say? I did say “Can you please turn this way” and “thank you very much for your time” but nothing rally engaging. I think my lack of words could have been mistaken for awe, but it really wasn’t. I just didn’t have anything to say to him.

So, i’ve got a Python in the folio, now i just need a Goodie.

Why do I do Wedding?

At the end of the wedding season in May, we have the professional photography awards. These awards normally inspire me to want to take more photos, especially wedding photos. But i can’t as the season is over and i have to wait about 5 months before it restarts. This is a bit frustrating, but it keeps me motivated to book weddings and then get excited about them in their lead up.

I’ve done 2 weddings so far this season, a small one for a couple from Canberra and a friends cousin from the Goldcoast. Both have been good in their own ways.

Yesterdays was Hayley and Caleb from the Goldcoast. Some things went wrong, like it was a 30 degree day, i don’t like that kind of weather when i have to wear a suit, or what is close enough to be a suit. I had some issues with my portable hard drive but managed survive. Some good shots and some shots that have a lot of potential. I’m looking forward to getting them onto the computer so i can play with them.

So yesterday was hard, but when i think about it, i was taking photos, i enjoyed taking the photos and it didn’t feel like i was working. I guess I’m at that stage where I’m happy as what people think is my work is just something i really like doing, so I’m not really working at all.

So stay tuned for some cool photos.

Melbourne Again,

Yes, Melbourne call once again, this time I have had a few calls to return, and one from Sydney too. Time to go take all those comedy festival poster shots I’ve been trying to take for years. There are not a huge amount of people wanting them, but the ones that are asking are very quality. There should be about 10 to 12 posters next April.

Things are underway for my exhibitions, lots to organise and just as I get one under control, I get offered another place and city to put some photos up. Some people in Sydney want to put up an exhibition as part of their Comedy Festival, would be a great place to exhibit, may cause some issues with costs and logistics, but I’m sure something will get arranged. It may mean I catch the Spirit to Sydney in late March and then drive the exhibition to Melbourne. Perhaps I could find a comedian and give them a lift from festival to festival.

Work Contrasts

It’s s busy time. It’s getting to the pointy end of the year and once the year finishes, my real work starts. I have 9 weddings booked for the first 3 months of 2005 plus the Falls Festival, Hobart Comedy Festival and my little exhibition. As soon as all that dies down I’m going to be off in Melbourne doing the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

I did a shoot for Channel 10 the other day. It was a promo shoot for Rove, images for use in magazine and general publicity for 2005. It was good to have some real time to take some photos, it also made me realise how fast I work now. The shoot had a length of 2 hours, which I thought was good, but I realised about an hour in that 2 hours is a long time. We got a bit relaxed and it was a good shoot, it just makes me realise that the quick shoots I have been doing are as good as this long one. I guess that’s another thing that comes from weddings and kid photography.

To compare to the nice shoot in Melbourne, I came home and did the Uni Education Ball, it’s kinda like putting 180 fairly drunk people in front of a camera and hoping they don’t knock things over. It didn’t go too badly, I guess I was just tired and the fact that it also went for longer than it was supposed to, meaning more people had had more to drink. There is probably a point in the night where the colour images should turn into black and white, just so people don’t look as if they have had a bottle of wine or 6 beers in quick succession.