Portrait for Good Weekend: Writer Drusilla Modjeska

This was one of those shoots where the subject, Australian writer Drusilla Modjeska, wasn't really too keen on being in a photoshoot. She gave me all sorts of warnings about how she's not a good subject, the camera doesn't like her etc. and I just said, "Don't worry. Let's just hang out and chat for an hour and I'll take some pics over the course of the conversation. That's it." She had a gigantic library, covering most of the walls of the house from floor to ceiling as well as a large collection of Papuan tribal art from her visits to Papua New Guinea in the 50's and 60's. It was a breeze talking to her and she's one of those people that I wish I could meet every week for a brief chat just to keep my brain stimulated. We talked about families, authors, history and tribal art. When I was sure I got the shot I told her I was done and she seemed surprised that what we had just done was a photoshoot. It doesn't have to be an intimidating thing with lights and stylists and the whole circus. Sometimes a shoot can be two people having a nice chat.

Good Weekend Magazine crew rowing story

A few months ago I was asked by Good Weekend Magazine to go down to Canberra and shoot images to go along with a series that they were doing about a few writers trying their hand at training for a day in an Olympic sport.  I followed writer Mark Dapin as he went through a light version of the incredibly intense daily workout regimen and technique routines of the crew rower.

Good Weekend Cover and Story

A story I shot a few weeks ago for the Sydney Morning Herald's weekend magazine, Good Weekend, just appeared this past weekend as the cover story. It was one of those happy instances where printing on matte newspaper stock made the pictures look fantastic and I was really happy with the end result.

Cover and leading story for Good Weekend

I shot the images for the cover story of this past weekend's issue of Good Weekend, a major Australian magazine distributed in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age every Saturday. It's Australia's equivalent of the New York Times Magazine. I'd like to say it was a challenging shoot but getting teenagers to look like they're playing video games is just about the easiest thing in the world. It was my first Australian magazine cover and my first time working with the people at Good Weekend and I had a great time.