Fishy Fun

As cool as fish eye lenses are I have never been able to justify forking out the cash when there are so many other things on the wish list but that is one of the advantages of working as a press photographer and having a supplied kit of lenses to play with.

Firstly a test shot with the beautiful 16mm Nikon f2.8 fish eye on a D3 so ya get that full frame goodness. Hand held with available light taken in The Advertiser editorial office. I do apologise for the close up of my ugly mug.

So then I set off into the real world to shoot a portrait of an academic doing research into the way bees fly and view the world and how we can use that information in the construction of robots so that they have the same sight and flying capabilities. The fish eye was the perfect lens to give a bit of a bee’s eye view spin to the image.

While I had the lens I thought I would give it a decent work out and took a quick snap of local film maker Matt Squire. This is shot in my kitchen using available light from the window behind me. Just like a Tony Mott band portrait stick someone in a doorway, window frame or alley, get them close to the fish eye lens, snap snap snap and you’re done.

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing a few of my favourite shots from my time at The Advertiser, I also have a few projects in the pipeline at the moment and more info on those will be announced in good time my dear friends.

until then………

Cheers

Carty

Hey.

Well it is quite an exciting time. Due to a number of reasons that I will not burden you with right now, I have decided to end my employment with The Advertiser.

The main reason for the sudden change in my career is that I am at the stage that I want to push my business to the next level and tackle full time self employment.

I am looking forward to the challenge of running a full time business as well as the joy of being my own boss.

So here I go on my next adventure, specialising in weddings, portraiture, commercial, fashion and event photography, check out my galleries and drop me a line if you require my services.

Stay tuned a new website will be online soon with easier to view galleries and much more!

All the best and thanks for your support.

Cheers

Carty

I Know You Got Soul

Hi

It’s good to know my images are getting a hard work out. Yet again the groovy cats from The Hiptones have used one of my photos from our Wheatsheaf Hotel shoot. Check it out here (see the rest of the images from the shoot here). While you are at the venue-tix site buy a ticket and come along to see the show.

Cheers

Carty

I’m A Soul Man

Hey

Late last year I was lucky enough to photograph some of Adelaide’s best muso’s perform a tribute to many great soul and blues artists at The Gov for the ‘I Know You Got Soul’ music review. The night was organised by the rockin duo, Snooks La Vie and Brother T from The Hiptones, Mo’ Roots and Los Tonos and featured among others, Nick Kipridis of The Streamlinersand Los Tonos, Jayne-Anne Power and Zkye.

Being a blues fan it was definitely one of my musical highlights of last year so here are a few pics to celebrate a love of great music. If you happened to miss the gig don’t despair as the next I Know You Got Soul review is coming up on Saturday the 25th of April, see ya there!

Cheers,

Carty

Love Is In The Air

Hey

Back in November I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of my good friend Josh Doyle and his wonderful bride Jessica.  The wedding was beautiful and I had such a great time photographing Josh and Jess and their lovely wedding party.

A few of my favourite shots are here for you enjoyment.

Cheers,

Carty

World’s Greatest Shave Part 1, Mono Wax.

Hey

For those that are eagerly awaiting photos from my participation in the World’s Greatest Shave here are some pics from the first step, the mono wax. Oh and by the way sorry for the close up of my face, hope it doesn’t scare you too much.

The shave will take place this Friday so stay tuned for more pics soon! If ya still want to donate please visit the site and lay some money down for this worthwhile cause.

Cheers

Carty

You’re Not Thinking Fourth Dimensionally Marty!

Hey

I’m a bit of a film nerd.

For a lot of people i know grabbing a DVD or going to the movies is something to fill the time when there is nothing better to do but I absolutely LOVE movies and get great enjoyment from seeing a really good film.

So when my mate Matt Squire started film school last year I was thrilled and turned my hand to shooting film stills. I have photographed quite a few of his films  and the stills for these can be found in my film stills gallery but just for the fun of it here are some shots from his time travel short film, Temporal.

Ya gotta love a good time paradox!

Cheers

Carty

I’ve been lovin’ you too long!

Hey

Last year The Hiptones did a gig at the Bacchus Bar at Henley Square and I was there to capture some sweet moments of rock and roll goodness.

It’s been a long time coming but I have finally mangaed to get them organised for the web so here they are.

Good intentions vs lack of time!

Hi

Long time no post but…. busy, busy, busy!

A quick little plug to tell ya to check out my work in some of the press you would be running into around Adelaide but if ya too lazy to leave the computer and have a look at the pics I have linked to the online versions.

Firstly check out the Garden of Unearthly Delights guide not just because there are some AWESOME shows coming up that are worth checking out but ALSO because one of my Hiptones shots has been used, it’s good to see the pic used well yet again.

Also check out the guide to the 2009 Adelaide Film Festival and the use of one of my stills from the film Kind of Man, which was shot in Hahndorf and if ya get a chance make sure ya get along to see that film because it is well worth checking out.

On the way……

• Photos from The Hiptones gigs and Josh and Jess’ Wedding that I still haven’t had a chance to get ready for the web but they are on the way, I PROMISE!
• Images and video from the Nullisecundus project i shot on Kangaroo Island last year, which are filed under “when am i going to find time to do THAT!”
• More news about a joint exhibition with the creative minds of Are/Why? and Adelaide film maker Matt Squire when we actually work out what we are doing!

As if I wasn’t flat out enough already!

I have decided to start a project to photograph all of my friends in magazine style shoots. I really don’t have a lot a really good pics of my mates and they are so important to me that it is a shame not to have some great shots of them hanging around my house. This will ultimately lead to yet another exhibition and for the time being will be a work in progress gradually photographing each friend till I have a range of shots I am happy with.

So to my mates that are reading this don’t be surprised if you get a begging call soon hitting you up to be a star!

World’s Greatest Shave 2009

For those that haven’t heard I am going to shave for a cure but not only am I shaving my head and sideburns but I am also waxing my crazy old mono brow so I will have two eyebrows for the first time ever! So it should be worth a few bucks to see some of those pics! To donate visit http://my.imisfriendraising.com.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=272643 

In the meantime here is a pic of the offending mono brow taken by the very talented Nat Thompson. This pic was taken a while ago, the sideburns are much longer now, more pics to come soon!

Cheers

Carty

Hurry up and wait!

It’s either drought or floods in the newspaper game, one week you are so flat out that you don’t have time to scratch yourself the next you are sitting in the office on late shift, bored watching the ice hockey on FOX (ahhh ya gotta love News Ltd) It reminds me of something an Army buddy told me once, the old hurry up and wait routine, up at the crack of dawn and ready to go in next to no time only to sit around for half an hour and wait for the transport to arrive.

I have been flat out lately, starting my new job at The Advertiser has left little time to devote to updating my site so sorry about the lack of sweet blog lovin.

Firstly I am loving my new job, keeping busy and getting the opportunity to shoot some fun and interesting jobs.

However starting a job at yet another newspaper has reminded me of one very frustrating constant, photos not being used as well as they should. Oh so often I witness the groans and moans of a grumbling photographer, “why did they run THAT photo out of all the options I gave them they chose THAT shot” or “wowsers check out the crop on that pic, YIKES!”. Unfortunately it is just how things go with newspapers. The image has to tell the story and support the theme of the article while fitting a particular shape crammed in between adverts that seem to take over the page more and more each day. Sometimes the best lit or most creative pic may be the photographers favourite but if the editor or subs don’t feel it effectively portrays the story that needs to be told, the “safe” pic is the one that gets used.

Why am I rambling on about this mind numbing subject you ask? Well recently I have been lucky enough to see some of the pics from my freelance jobs being used very effectively in a DVD cover for the film ‘Kind Of Man’ and on the Hiptones ‘I Know You Got Soul’ promo poster and it reminded me of just how wonderful it is to see my pics used well.

It also reminded me of the importance of shooting outside of the daily paper grind so that I can keep my inspiration and motivation peaked and be reminded of why I deal with so much crap, for the love of photography, the joy of capturing light in a new and interesting way and the constant pursuit for perfection.

It is for this reason that I shoot bands, film stills, fashion and portraiture outside of the newspaper work, it allows me to have fun and try something fresh, funky and exciting without all of the demands and requirements that pic eds, eds and sub eds place on press photographers.

(click on the pic above to view the full image)

YET TO COME………

LOVE IS IN THE AIR!

I recently had the extreme pleasure of photographing my good friends Josh and Jess’ wedding and the pics will be online very soon for you all to have a look at. It was an absolute joy shooting the wedding and I am very thankful for the opportunity to be involved in their very special day.

THIS IS HIP PRETTY BABY, part two

Soon oh so soon my little sweethearts I will have some pics from The Hiptones gig that I shot quite a while ago online for your viewing pleasure as well as some shots from the recent ‘I Know You Got Soul’ gig that Brother T and Snooks from The Hiptones were involved in. It was a great gig that payed tribute to many brilliant soul singers and the muso’s that played were superb, one of the best gigs i have seen for a very long time. Good work guys!

ONLINE EXHIBITION!

My good friends are/why?are also running an online exhibition of my work at the moment, follow the link and click on ‘clothing’ and then go through the ‘why?’ door. While there you should check out some of their awesome shirts and hoodies.

The are/why? crew along with local director and film maker Matt Squire and myself are also talking about holding an exhibition in early 2009 so we will leak more rumours about that to you gossip hungry kids very soon.

LASTLY

I am currently working through hundreds of pics from my September trip to Kangaroo Island to shoot my nullisecundus project (for more info refer to my earlier posts). I will have those pics online in the new year so stay tuned for that little ditty.

Until next time my friends have a good one and all the best

Cheers
Carty.