The Batblog by Photobat | Portrait and Wedding

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.

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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.

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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.

For the first time in many years I have created a series of Limited Edition Fine Art Prints. These five images are some of my most popular from the last couple of years and are now avaliable to be purchased. They are in editions of 25 and each print is printed using pigment inks on fine art photo rag paper. There are two sizes currently avaliable for each image and . you can also purchase the whole collection at a great discounted rate. Click here to download the order form and find out information on sizing and prices

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While on the way home from Sydney, I did the usual flick through some magazine in the newsagent. Unfortunantly i was between Vanity Fairs (as in i had the latest one already). So in a mission to find somthing desent to read (I bought Men’s Style on the way up, first time ever, had a story about a guy getting mauled by chimanzes…. weird, but kinda the reason I bought the magazine).

Anyway, Esquire. I pick it up, flip through it and then the sudden regognition of one of my images of UK comedian Chris Addison. This was shot a few of years ago in Edinburgh, Chris is a lovely lovely guy (yes, double lovely) and i’m glad to see the shot still getting some use for his markating.

Read the whole article here

I first entered the Australian Professional Photography Awards in 2001, and got nothing. I had no idea what I was doing back then, I had talked to a photographer and sent in what I had. So nothing came of it, the next year I was a bit more on the ball and picked up a couple of awards, and have been getting some ever since.

This year I received the honour of Master of Photography with 1 Gold Bar from The Australian Institute of Professional Photography. I was presented during the awards ceremony in Sydney with a gold bar to be added onto my Masters ribbon.

How this all works is that for every silver award you get one point and ever gold award you get two points. If you receive 5 points with in 4 years you become an Associate, I received this in 2003. The next step is that if you receive 10 additional points within five years you become a Master of Photography, I received this in 2006. From then every additional 10 points gained within 5 years gets you an Gold Bar.

So after my name I get to put, Alan Moyle M Photog I

Just as a trip down memory lane I’ve put together a podcast of many of the award images over the years. These aren’t only APPA ones, they include images that have received awards all over the place.

Enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA9F1gqW7aU[/youtube]

This is Rob Burnett, I’ve known him for a few years and the story goes as follows…

When I finished Uni I moved back to Tasmania and focused on doing the Dombrovskis Award. Once all that was finished it was time to get a job assisting another photographer. In Melbourne, it seemed that everyone when they finished uni went off to work as an assistant. I visited many Tasmanian photographers who I admired with the view to assisting them. Tasmania isn’t like Melbourne or Sydney. No one used assistants. So there was nothing there for me to do. I joined the AIPP and prepared to go it by myself.

I went off to my first AIPP event, youngest there by quite a few years and only know one person, and not very well. Weekend went past, say in on the seminars, met other photographers and then just as I was heading home I introduced myself to Rob. To be honest, I had never heard of him. I put this down to him not doing wedding or portrait and spending a bit of time away doing commercial jobs. We got talking and made a time to catch up the next week.

All the photographers I met initially did spend some time with me, about 2 hours on average. Now I’m out working I realise that was a fantastic amount of time to put aside to speak to a young and inspired photographer and am thankful for the opportunity. When I went around to Rob’s I didn’t leave for 6 hours. The next day I came back, then the day after, day after, and so on for a couple of years.

I didn’t get paid, I did bits and pieces and I learnt a lot about real world photography. I don’t do commercial, but Rob does it fantastically and over time I slowly picked up my own jobs and clients in wedding and portrait, always getting critiqued by Rob and pushed to do better.

He also introduced me to many of the top photographers in the country and took me to my first APPA awards in Sydney in 2002 (I was on the fold out couch, I didn’t know about the tradition of first in the hotel room puts their undies on the pillow and claims the main bed).

Even now we will catch up and talk shop, he is still as frantic as ever and a real pain in the bum to get in touch with, but when it happens, it is always good.

So thanks to Rob, the best real world photography teacher I have had and I wish him luck in claiming a good bed in Sydney next week.

His website is here, book him to shoot some commercial stuff anywhere

Another of the lost posts, this one comes from humid Brisbane. When I was up there presenting earlier this year, I met a heap of really nice, fun, interesting and friendly people. Todd and Alyda are two of those. These guys are a very cool and fun photography team as well as husband and wife team. We got talking and I asked the question about when the last time they had some photos together was… the response was their wedding! Ages ago! So I instructed them to come and pick me up early one morning and go exploring and take a heap of photos. Which we did! Lots and lots of fun photos. These guys are so fun. And i mean fun like awesome fun. You can see how good they are at photography too by checking out their website here. 

 The great thing about going to conferences, workshops, awards and other places you find photographers, is that you meet people who you can see yourself being friends with for along time. These guys are about to storm Europe with their cameras, so make sure you keep up with them on their blog!