Provenance
Painters, Printers, Sculptors, Photographers, Sound Engineers and Poets ... we can often become familiar with artists' work but not the indivuals themselves.
With Provenance I wanted to create portraits of artists behind the art. I chose to present them decontextualised from their art practice so as not to influence or distract you, the viewer, from the presence of the person in front of you.
The portraits were created through a combination of medium format film photography and modern digital techniques. My first major show for 2017 is on now at the Huw Davies Gallery, Manuka Arts Centre until the 10th of September. Thank you to everyone at PhotoAccess who has been fantastic in the preparation for this show.
The Portraits
The Artists (and the Backs of Their Heads)
The Invitation
Cell Block 69 - Live at The Basement
The incomparable Cell Block 69 performing live at The Basement - 16th December 2016 ... what a show!
Shoot: Cell Block 69
Cell Block 69 ... 80's synth-pop masters and mainstays of the Canberra and Sydney music scene are once again gearing up for their annual 'Final Show Ever!' series of 2016 gigs. I had the great privilege of photographing their promo shots for this year. Featuring a Delorean (complete with a functioning Flux Capacitor) and the use of my new studio space. There were two basic outfit changes for this shoot... the first was a future-tech white series.
The second, denim, denim and still more denim ... double denim too. There were the studio shots in a Calvin Klein inspired wall shoot.
And the series featuring the Delorean. That car was hot! Literally hot as the polished stainless steel threatened to peel any bare skin laid upon it. Thank you to Callum for loaning his car for the shoot!
I also did a series of individual portraits of the band members.
Some blurb from Moshtix where you can purchase tickets for their end of year shows.
69 is number 1! Let the nine Corey’s of Rock (and to a lesser but not to be undermined extent, synth pop) take you to the year Two Thousand and Nineteen Eighty Sixteen for a performance of hit songs of unfathomable proportion.
Always surfing on the curtails of their latest dazzling Rock (and to a smaller but not to be undermined extent, synth pop) stadium performance extraordinaire, CELL BLOCK 69 return to the recently voted most playable city in the world, Canberry.
Duanne Le Corey-Michaels and his 8 Coreys of Eighties Awesomeness, return direct from generic Europe for their annual "Final Show Ever ". CELL BLOCK 69 are number one and they will show you why.
Read more at http://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/cell-block-69/89523#z8B2Mk0ExKBD1Zke.99
afterDARK at the Botanic Gardens
afterDARK at the Botanic Gardens (the Australian National Botanic Gardens) is a series of night time walks through the gardens. Participants get to make their own tea-light lanterns and go on educational, guided walks with the rangers. I was commissioned to take some photographs this year of the evening walkers.
Future walks in the afterDARK series are being held on;
Special National Science Week events
Saturday 13 August - Book Now
Saturday 20 August - Book Now
Spring Scavenger Hunt Dates:
Saturday 3 September - Book Now
Saturday 24 September (School Holidays) - Book Now
Saturday 1 October (School Holidays) - Book Now
Saturday 8 October (School Holidays) - Book Now
Saturday 5 November - Book Now
Time: 7.00 pm
Cost: $30 adult | $25 concession
- See more at: http://www.parksaustralia.gov.au/botanic-gardens/do/whats-on.html#sthash.xriLxB4H.dpuf
Model Shoot: Casey Edwards
- Model: Casey Edwards
- HMUA: Deni Jordan Hackett
- Styling: Lydia Downe
- Photographer: Geoffrey Dunn
Shoot: Lisa Richards
The wonderful musician Lisa Richards recently engaged me to create an image for the back cover of her new CD release A Light From The Other Side. Lisa had seen a moody montage I published using a photograph of Marina ... she loved it and wanted something in a similar mood for the cover. I explained that it was a montage and I would be happy to shoot some studio images of her and simply place (I say simply but successful montages are never really ever simple) her into the existing montage. I had to adjust the document to fit in the dimensions provided by the graphic designer but we were very pleased with the result.
And here's the completed cover.
Since we were in the studio we took some publicity type pictures as well.
The album is pre-selling now. I really like it. Do yourself a favour* and grab a copy. Do visit Lisa's website too and have a listen to her previous work ... great listening :-)
*apologies to Molly Meldrum ;-)
Model Shoot: Deni Jordan Hackett
A series of images from a recent model shoot with model Deni Jordan Hackett. The shoot team was put together by HMUA Caroline Cresswell and was intended to feature a theme of 'Veiled'. It was a fun afternoon. I'm working with Deni again this weekend though this time she's doing creative ... can't wait, stay tuned.
The full team
- Photographer: Geoffrey Dunn
- Model: Deni Jordan Hackett
- Make Up: Caroline Cresswell
- Hair: Amelia Olsen
- Creative: Caroline | Marina T | Geoffrey
Rapturous and RAW Artists
Recently did a shoot for Liza Alwast of Rapturous who is putting together a show for RAW Artists here in Canberra. Liza collects and works with fine textiles to create stunning dresses and couture. The show is one component of the TREND show presented at the Belconnen Arts Centre from 6:30pm on Friday 17th June 2016.
The shoot was conducted in a studio setting with Marina modelling. I have created a number composite images (substituting background images et al) to create a more interesting setting. These one's aren't particularly hard to pick ;-)
Thankfully, Liza has provided me with a ticket to the event and of course I'll be taking my camera so stay tuned for more from Rapturous ad Raw Artists :-)
Links
2016 Lights! Canberra! Action!
So, following on from the success of being shortlisted for our entry in the 2015 Lights! Canberra! Action! Marina and I set about making an entry for this year's short film festival. The film is titled '237' (after the hotel key that must appear as one of specified objects).
The format of the festival stipulates that entrants have 10 days to shoot and submit a film. The film must contain 10 specified objects or places and be somehow linked to a nominated theme ... this year's theme was 'Chance'. The ten objects or places for this year's film were:
- A deck of cards
- PJ O'Reilly's - either southside or the city
- Weather Report 'Chance of rain' - this item can be audio
- Weetangera Cemetery - MAP
- A question mark
- The National Film and Sound Archive
- Dice
- The Police Box on Red Hill by Geoff Filmer - MAP
- A raffle ticket
- The key to room 237, Avenue Hotel
We managed to include all ten ... see if you can spot them!
Our movie is largely a meditation on the nature of freedom, it's a kind of love story and it's narrated beautifully in Italian by Marina.
And since we were shortlisted and made the Final Twelve we got to attend the public screening of all twelve shortlisted film at the Rose Gardens, Old Parliament House.
Here's a picture of Marina and I accepting our finalist certificates from Chris Bourke MLA
Please let us know what you think of the movie in the comments below :-)
Back & Forth
'In Sequence'| PhotoAccess members' exhibition - Back & Forth
I have a new piece in the first Member's Show of 2016. Entitled Back & Forth, the work comprises a sequence of 7 images looped and presented in a digital frame. It looks mesmerisingly cool. The opening is next Thursday (28 January) at 6pm at the Huw Davies Gallery.
Some gallery blurb about the show
The first PhotoAccess members’ exhibition for 2016, 'In Sequence' presents works creatively addressing the notion of sequence and narrative in photography. For many artists, photography is not only about single images, but relationships between multiple images. A sequence of images can tell a particular story or narrative, create a sense of visual poetry, or suggest movement and time passing. 'In Sequence' aims to showcase a variety of approaches to the notion of the photographic sequence, using traditional, experimental and digital photographic techniques.
• Opening: 6pm 28 January 2016
• Where: PhotoAccess - Huw Davies Gallery, Manuka Arts Centre
• When: 28 January – 21 February 2016
Pigman's Lament
Yesterday morning I shot a series of promotional photographs to support an upcoming production at The Street Theatre. The production is called Pigman's Lament and stars Raoul Craemer in a taxing solo performance. The story revolves around a man who is physically haunted by the memory of his dead grandfather. Raoul, who you may remember from the Beard/No Beard headshot series from earlier in the year, plays both roles.
The brief for the promotional image called for the expression of the duality extant in the central character ... to somehow combine the rational present character with that of the man beyond the grave. I chose to take two shots and merge them together to form this dualistic one ... Raoul's hand reaching from behind his head and contorting his face emphasises the extension of this nasty force from the past. The picture will appear on all promotional materials for the production and I'll post a picture of the poster when it gets printed.
There were, predictably some outtakes too ;-)
The production details
Pigman's Lament - The Street Theatre - Early 2016
- Starring: Raoul Craemer
- Director: Paulo Castro (Stone/Castro - Portuguese National Theatre, Schaubuehne Berlin, Chunky Move)
- Playwright: Raoul Craemer
New Show: Barriers - Break or Breakthrough
I'm very pleased to announce my next show Barriers: Break or Breakthrough opens next Wednesday at the Belconnen Community Center. A collaboration between myself and Marina T, the show explores our different reactions to change. Our working proposal:
Change is a fundamental part of the human experience. Often our difficulty in accepting change can stem from our inability to understand it. Barriers explores the the transitional processes involved in interpreting change.
The exhibition revolves around the centerpiece of a glass-encased clay sculpture of a human skull, which acts as both metaphor and motif of change. Meditations upon the centerpiece take the form of sculptures, and poetry.
The skull, which we have nicknamed Eno was made by Marina, features in each of the photographs. Each of the photos explores a different emotional response to change ... these comprise Anger, Fear, Denial, Delirium, Mourning and Acceptance. Here is a selection of the photographs from our shortlist for the show.
The show also features several poems written especially for the show and a number of new clay sculptures from Marina.
We made a flyer advertising the show too ;-)
Along the way we have also established domain for our working collaborative artistic endeavours 2 Tens & A Tomato under which we exhibit and also produced a short film (shortlisted at the 2015 Lights! Canberra! Action! short film festival. The site is a little lean at the moment as we concentrate on getting things together for the show and really only shows a copy of the flyer for the show but please stay tuned on that front.
Links
- About 2 Tens & A Tomato
- 2 Tens & A Tomato
- Sexy monochrome flyer version
If you're in Canberra next Wednesday evening (18th November) at 5:30pm ... please come along and say hello to us :-)
If Canberra is simply too far to come ... please wish us well :-)
#gdphoto #2tensandatomato
Time-Motion Study: Dance
On Saturday night I had the opportunity to photograph some of the show events at the 2015 Canberra Latin Dance Festival. The festival organisers had engaged a photographic team from Sydney to do formal coverage of the events and dance exhibitions and I volunteered on the day to offer to take some creative arty pictures. The event started at 8pm and was very well attended. There was a stage and seating and a large(ish) (too large I think) area in front of the stage where no-one was permitted ... not even the formal photographers!
I had imagined that I would be able to get quite close to the action and to this end I had packed my Lensbaby and wider primes to get as you say creative. Seeing as I couldn't get close my wider selection was almost no us ... I mean I was simply to far away from the action. I did have my 70-200 with me and I ended up using this for most of the night. As I was taking pictures of the performers I began extending the exposure time to deliberately blur their movements and flow. I had my tripod with me and so I zoomed to an area of the stage with black background and set about tweaking until I got nicely lit 10 second exposures. I got a lot of duds ... but we won't talk about those today ;-)
I was impressed with the way they came out. The ones above show flow and transition and a closer examination reveals faces and hands and the ever-present specular highlights of sequin and spangle. It's almost as though you're capturing the essence or the spirit of the dancers with these ghostly images. I think I am going to have to do some of these ... perhaps under more controlled conditions.
Here are some featuring spins and twirls...
The conversion of some of these into monochrome lends an ethereal feel too I think.
Sydney Harbour - 5:50am
The view of Sydney Harbour from our hotel one morning this past weekend. I don't want you thinking I've become some kind of early-bird ... I mean you can if you want to but it's just not true ;-)
This was taken leaning out of the window a ways to get the left pylon of the Harbour Bridge in shot. It's also shot handheld at 1/30th of a second with an aperture of f/2.8 and ISO 6400... I mention this only because it demonstrates my laziness in that I didn't use my tripod which was sitting on the table next to the camera ... mind you the tripod wouldn't have got the camera out the window so anyways ... err.. was there a point to this story?
Here's a second picture taken at sunset the previous afternoon from the ferry between McMahons Point and Circular Quay. There must have been a bushfire burning inland which brought the smoke across the sun and created the haze visible beyond the Sydney Opera House in the sunrise picture.
In an interesting aside I posted this image on Google+ on Saturday afternoon and by last night it had been viewed over 60,000 times ... I guess people like it :-)
The One Project
Toward the beginning of the year I had lunch with my friend Hilary Wardaugh, an accomplished photographer around Canberra, and she described a project she was putting together. Hilary explained that she had a Nikon FM-2 manual film camera with a 50mm f/1.8 lens laying around and was planning to load a film into it, compile a list of photographers and pass the camera to each photographer and ask each one to take a picture. Once the picture has been taken, it became the photographer's responsibility to contact the next person on the list and arrange to get the camera to them. At the end of this process, about 3 months, Hilary will get the film developed and scanned. Each photographer will their digital negative and can process it as though preparing a print in the darkroom ... that is curves and levels and filter colours but no pixel based PhotoShop edits et al. The processed negative will be passed back to Hilary who will then arrange printing of the image for the purposes of exhibition. Two shows are currently lined up for the prints, one local (at the Huw Davies Gallery in Manuka) and one in Sydney (as part of the Head On Photo Festival).
The camera travels in a box containing the list of photographers, a cable release and a book in which the photographer is encouraged to write a short piece about their picture. The project is called The One Project.
So far so good... the only stipulation was that our picture had to be a portrait!
No pressure... it's only a single frame... I mean it's not like the other twenty-odd photographers are all accomplished photographers (they are!) and will be doing their very best as well... reading through the book I smiled when I saw that everyone else was obsessed with light, exposure and focus ;-)
I wanted my portrait to be of my artistic collaborator Marina. I have photographed Marina extensively over the past two years and together we came up with the idea that often you only have an impression of someone through the images you see of them. So I put together a grid of photos I have taken of Marina and projected them digitally across her face and arms and splashed across a dark background the pictures resemble stained glass. I set my digital camera to emulate the manual settings of the FM-2 and to act as a light meter for correct exposure. The effect is one of an essentially dark shadowy image with bright pictures shaping contours but ... visible upon closer inspection ... you see Marina illuminated and looking out from the shadows. It looks great.
Then it was swap the camera over on the tripod, recompose and recheck the settings (and recheck them again!) ... I re-posed Marina and got the composition right and while she was looking perfect I felt it was right pressed the shutter release ... pa-tchang! Done! In my excitement however I had failed to warn Marina I was about to take the picture and she thinks she may have blinked but can't recall where the blink may have been in relation to the exposure. I'm sure it'll be fine! I do feel like a goose though! My main concern is that given the dark nature of the photograph (light-wise not emotionally-wise!) and the different response of the film to shadow and highlight my contribution to the project may in fact just turn out to be a black frame! But then that's the risk you take in trying something less safe I guess :-)
The photos I took with the digital body look great and I would include them in this post but I don't want to publish anything until I see how the film version came out which won't be until November. I'll do a contrast and compare then as a separate post :-)
But I would like to thank both Hilary and Marina. Marina firstly for being my muse and sharing her art, ideas and vision so freely with me ... my world simply wouldn't be the same without her in it. And Hilary for coming up with the idea of The One Project and making it happen, for the necessary artistic angst and discipline (well OK maybe I didn't take home all of the discipline lesson) this project inspired in me.