Josef Chromy Vineyard – Special Guest Jonathan Wherrett.
Note, Vee and I had the cake…. Jonathan didn’t, even if it looks like he did!

If you don’t know where Zeehan is, well it’s on the west coast and is well known for it’s mines. Not a lot seems to happen there but it’s an interesting little place.

My Grandparents used to own the Central Hotel in the middle of Zeehan and my dad, aunts and uncles grew up there. Last year we were passing through and saw the door was open. After wandering in and introducing ourselves the new owner gave us a look about. It’s interesting to wander the building that my Dad used to run around in.

I took some shots which is what this post it all about. The Hotel had fallen into disrepair over the last few years but is now on the way back up. Apparently there was a swamp where the kitchen was.

Look out for some misspelling and also the original licence that Vikashni spotted with my grandparents names on it.

I’m really enjoyed working with Michael and Camille, they are a nice Melbourne couple who decided that Tasmania would be a really great spot to get married. And a couple of weekend ago they did just that. Almost everyone at the wedding was an import and Tasmania put on a great bit of weather for them all.

The day started off with some guys getting their fill at Zum, where Michael’s son met us then off to Zero Davey to get all dressed and pretty. I took one of my favoutie ring shots ever there and enjoyed watching four grown men attempting to tie the same tie at the same time.

We found Camille all pretty in pink hanging out with some family and friends at the IXL apartments. I’d never been to the apartments, quite a spectacular entrance. The girls all chowed down on various nice things before being ushered out so Camille could get ready with her Mum. I like a different coloured wedding dress, Zakk describes this one as fairy floss pink, which is a little better than my descriptive attempt red pants left in the wash with the whites. It was a great pastel pink colour that really suited Camille.

When everyone was ready it was time to meet up before the wedding. Michael and Camille arranged some time for family photos and come couple shots before the ceremony. Of course, the family shots were slightly interrupted when Michael’s dad got into a spot of bother we a few thousand bikers (he got stuck in the toy run traffic). We found a heap of different spots around the water front and took some of my new favorite wedding shots. I really liked the portrait I took of Michael’s son Zak sitting on the floor in T42. We then met up with everyone to get on board Peppermint Bay II and head down to the ceremony at Peppermint Bay.

I’m lucky that in my job I get to spend heaps of time photographing people like these guys, they are so nice! Congrats again Michael and Camille

The last few weeks have been a little crazy, seems like I’ve only spent a couple of days in the office. Actually, I have only spent a couple of days in the office. We have been all over the place, started off with a bit of speaking over in Perth WA. Great place, great photographers, great people, great food, great wine, great coffee and great grates too (you know I love urban shots!).

The whole reason for the trip was to do a presentation to about 80 photographers along side David Oliver, Christian Fletcher and Ric Syme. I really enjoyed the event and had heaps of good feedback. While out west I finally got to visit Jorgensen Albums, this is the place I get all my wedding and portrait albums hand made by a team of skilled and passionate people. I’ve been using these guys for about 6 years now, talked on the phone, emailed and sent Christmas cards to, but never met them in person. They were all taller than I expected.

I must have said a funny. Christian Fletcher, Me and David Oliver doing a joint Q and A at the end of the presentatioin, photo by Vikashni Moyle, she is talented!

It was fascinating to see all that went into making the albums and the amount of staff working away. I’ve got some images I’ll post soon. Then it was time for not working time. Summer is coming and I can see it’s going to be very busy so any time I can get at the moment is spent with Vee.

We managed to pack a lot in 2 day, both in things we did and things we ate / drank. There was catching up with photographers, checking out galleries, drinking wine, tasting cheese, waiting for sunsets that were always obscured by clouds, and then also some more wine tasting. The Margaret River / Dunsborough area were incredible, and I am looking forward to heading back there one day.

Some Holga action north of Margaret River

Clooney at Barwick Vineyard

Voyager Vineyard

Vikashni shooting the sunset, somewhere south of Perth

Then home for a couple of days and just as I got back into the swing of things it was off to Hobart. Hobart was a mix of Vee time, client time, learning time and speaking time. It was all based around a presentation I did for the Tasmanian Division of the Australian Institute of Photography. Vee also managed to into the talking spirit, doing a presentation to the happy snappers on social media. I was proud of her little talk! My talk was about evolving in photography from shooting body parts to shooting weddings and other stuff.

When that was all wrapped it was off to home for a few hours, a quick trip to the office and then on a big metal bird to the home of iconic music houses and water crossing structures. Yes, Sydney. A few days up there learning things, getting inspired and hanging around with some awesome photographers.

A shot of the back of a guys head with some kind of iconic bridge in the background

So I’m back now fully inspired and ready for action. There will be some changes about the place, nothing too major and all very cool. It may even involve some new products and saying good bye to some old ones. Looking forward to new ways of processing my images, getting new things up on the website, getting back to some old ways of shooting and catching up with all the clients who are coming back for their Christmas photos. Anyways, hope you are well and things are moving at a manageable pace in the right direction for you.

Oh and Congrats to Deb F for being the latest random Batblog comment prize winner! Some cool things are heading your way once I find out where to send them! Remember, big prize of limited edition art print will be drawn at the end of the month for a person who comments on the Batblog. Why not leave one now???

Looking for somthing to do this weekend? It’s a nice time to go visit the monkies in City Park, and then swing by the Design Centre on Tamar Street and check out the Van Wonderland exhibition. It’s still on for another couple of weeks. Go on, it’s quite good!

Here are the details, the second part of my contribution to the exhibition.

Helen lives just past the TinPot Café in Melbourne, I did managed to get lost finding her place, but I always get lost in that little cluster of streets. Once I found Helen’s place I got to have a close look at her bird creations. They are all hand made and mostly produced on the comfy couch where she is sitting in the portrait. At the moment Helen is studying to be a librarian and has an impressively sorted bookcase too.

For Van Wonderland, Helen has created a pair of Native Hens. I did manage to see these half created when I photographed her and I’m really looking forward to seeing them completed.

You can see examples of her birds in the bookshelf and you can buy some at her etsy store.

Van Wonderland is an exhibition of work by contemporary crafts practitioners exploring a mysterious world of not-quite-real objects and creatures, based upon historic western perceptions of Tasmania (‘Van Diemen’s Land’) as a distant and little-known island at the far reaches of the globe.

This ‘new world’, full of strange and exotic flora and fauna, could be by turns beautiful and sinister – just as the strange Wonderland explored so famously by Lewis Carroll’s Alice.

Step into Van Wonderland and explore the mysteries within. And don’t forget to take your teacup.

Participating artists include Tara Badcock, The Purple Finch, Erin Tappe, Hideyo, Cat Badcock, Ghostpatrol, Megan Perkins, Omar Misa, Helen Goninon, and Anita Dineen with accompanying photography by Alan Moyle (Photobat).

Come to the opening, Friday 18^th September 2009 at 6 pm, Design Centre, Tamar Street, Launceston, RSVP by email or by 6331 5505. Exhibition open until the 18^th of October.

I ventured over to Melbourne to photograph Ghostpatrol. It’s not the first time, but it was the first time I had visited Mitten Fortress Studio studio. Another eclectic collection of bits and pieces everywhere, it is a fantastic space to get inspired. We even climbed out the window and took some photos a few floors above Elizabeth Street.

Ghostpatrol is doing something special for Van Wonderland, something that hasn’t been done at the Design Centre before. He is doing illustrations straight onto the wall of the gallery. Check out some of his work at ghostpatrol.net

Van Wonderland is an exhibition of work by contemporary crafts practitioners exploring a mysterious world of not-quite-real objects and creatures, based upon historic western perceptions of Tasmania (‘Van Diemen’s Land’) as a distant and little-known island at the far reaches of the globe.

This ‘new world’, full of strange and exotic flora and fauna, could be by turns beautiful and sinister – just as the strange Wonderland explored so famously by Lewis Carroll’s Alice.

Step into Van Wonderland and explore the mysteries within. And don’t forget to take your teacup.

Participating artists include Tara Badcock, The Purple Finch, Erin Tappe, Hideyo, Cat Badcock, Ghostpatrol, Megan Perkins, Omar Misa, Helen Goninon, and Anita Dineen with accompanying photography by Alan Moyle (Photobat).

Come to the opening, Friday 18^th September 2009 at 6 pm, Design Centre, Tamar Street, Launceston, RSVP by email or by 6331 5505. Exhibition open until the 18^th of October.

I seem to be going through Huonville a bit more than usual the last year or so. Wedding, just out driving and now looking for Megan Perkins’s studio. It’s situated at her parent’s phenomenal place, I know I’ve written it before in blog posts, but I really could have spent many house photographing details in this house. Megan lives in the city and escapes down here to do her artwork. I don’t blame her, the place is inspirational inside and out. Huge trees out the window, her dad (Kevin Perkins, furniture designer and artist) being creative with wood out the back, and all the paraphernalia through out the house. I quite liked finding out more on how her viterous enamel are created.

Megan has produced a series of broaches for Van Wonderland, and as expected, they are really great pieces.

Van Wonderland is an exhibition of work by contemporary crafts practitioners exploring a mysterious world of not-quite-real objects and creatures, based upon historic western perceptions of Tasmania (‘Van Diemen’s Land’) as a distant and little-known island at the far reaches of the globe.

This ‘new world’, full of strange and exotic flora and fauna, could be by turns beautiful and sinister – just as the strange Wonderland explored so famously by Lewis Carroll’s Alice.

Step into Van Wonderland and explore the mysteries within. And don’t forget to take your teacup.

Participating artists include Tara Badcock, The Purple Finch, Erin Tappe, Hideyo, Cat Badcock, Ghostpatrol, Megan Perkins, Omar Misa, Helen Goninon, and Anita Dineen with accompanying photography by Alan Moyle (Photobat).

Come to the opening, Friday 18^th September 2009 at 6 pm, Design Centre, Tamar Street, Launceston, RSVP by email or by 6331 5505. Exhibition open until the 18^th of October.

email2friend]]> http://www.photobat.net/batblog/2009/09/16/megan-perkins-van-wonderland/feed/ 0 http://www.photobat.net/batblog/2009/09/15/tara-badcock-van-wonderland/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tara-badcock-van-wonderland http://www.photobat.net/batblog/2009/09/15/tara-badcock-van-wonderland/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:32:39 +0000 Photobat http://www.photobat.net/batblog/?p=819

A couple of years ago, Tara dropped by the office to see if I could take some photos of her tea cosies. Artistic tea cosies on people heads. From then on I have photographed a heap of her artworks, and I am always impressed with what she puts in front of my lens.

The day we photographed Tara was just another nice day out in the country side. As usual, Tara was frantically pulling together a large amount of work for a mainland show. Her pieces take ages to make and are mostly hand sewn, but she is pretty handy with the free hand stitching with the sewing machine too.

Her home is full of interesting details and lots of cups of tea. I really like visiting, for the company as well as the tea and artworks.

You can see many examples of here work here and also buy some here at her etsy store.

Van Wonderland is an exhibition of work by contemporary crafts practitioners exploring a mysterious world of not-quite-real objects and creatures, based upon historic western perceptions of Tasmania (‘Van Diemen’s Land’) as a distant and little-known island at the far reaches of the globe.

This ‘new world’, full of strange and exotic flora and fauna, could be by turns beautiful and sinister – just as the strange Wonderland explored so famously by Lewis Carroll’s Alice.

Step into Van Wonderland and explore the mysteries within. And don’t forget to take your teacup.

Participating artists include Tara Badcock, The Purple Finch, Erin Tappe, Hideyo, Cat Badcock, Ghostpatrol, Megan Perkins, Omar Misa, Helen Goninon, and Anita Dineen with accompanying photography by Alan Moyle (Photobat).

Come to the opening, Friday 18^th September 2009 at 6 pm, Design Centre, Tamar Street, Launceston, RSVP by email or by 6331 5505. Exhibition open until the 18^th of October.

email2friend]]> http://www.photobat.net/batblog/2009/09/15/tara-badcock-van-wonderland/feed/ 5 http://www.photobat.net/batblog/2009/09/15/anita-dineen-van-wonderland/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=anita-dineen-van-wonderland http://www.photobat.net/batblog/2009/09/15/anita-dineen-van-wonderland/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:52:05 +0000 Photobat http://www.photobat.net/batblog/?p=821

Anita is one of those people that I have kind of known for a while. I kind of met her through various people and heard rumours of jewellery creations. I head talk of tea pot rings and tea tiaras made of exquisite metals. I finally saw some of these creations and was amazed at the detail and uniqueness of them.

We photographed Anita in her little studio, which is nicknamed the “chook shed”.  This was another place where I could have spent a long time drinking tea and photographing quirky little details.

I had a sneak peak at what Anita has made for the Van Wonderland exhibition, the pieces are quite stunning and detailed. You have to come and check them out,  or maybe even buy them?

Van Wonderland is an exhibition of work by contemporary crafts practitioners exploring a mysterious world of not-quite-real objects and creatures, based upon historic western perceptions of Tasmania (‘Van Diemen’s Land’) as a distant and little-known island at the far reaches of the globe.

This ‘new world’, full of strange and exotic flora and fauna, could be by turns beautiful and sinister – just as the strange Wonderland explored so famously by Lewis Carroll’s Alice.

Step into Van Wonderland and explore the mysteries within. And don’t forget to take your teacup.

Participating artists include Tara Badcock, The Purple Finch, Erin Tappe, Hideyo, Cat Badcock, Ghostpatrol, Megan Perkins, Omar Misa, Helen Goninon, and Anita Dineen with accompanying photography by Alan Moyle (Photobat).

Come to the opening, Friday 18^th September 2009 at 6 pm, Design Centre, Tamar Street, Launceston, RSVP by email or by 6331 5505. Exhibition open until the 18^th of October.

Last years wedding season was fantastic, I really pushed what we do here and as a result, came up with some really cool shots. So in getting ready for the next wedding photography season in Tasmania. We don’t have very many over winter, so it kinda starts in October and winds up in late April, early May.

Here are some of my favourite detail shots from the last wedding season.