I photographed with Ian for three days from 8 o clock till about 9 o clock. There were three sessions each day of gymnastics with an hour break in between. In each break we would go and upload our photos onto his computers (which the athletes and parents could view and buy images from). Then we would get ready for the next session by charging our cameras and getting fresh memory cards. Ian and his crew shot on Nixon cameras with 200mm lenses and I used my humble sony camera. His images were so much clearer and sharper than mine as his camera was so fast. My images improved drastically over the first day as Ian showed me some points on how to get the least grainy images whilst keeping a fast shutter speed. I ended up with about five thousand images! It took me a good three days to edit them and then work on the good ones in photoshop.

During the holidays I arranged for myself to assist a professional sports photographer in Brisbane to photograph the National Mens Artistic and Women’s Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. It was an amazing experience, I learnt so much about the sports photography industry. I also learnt a lot about the technical side of the sports photography such as which lenses the professionals use and many more tricks of the trade. I assisted a man called Ian and his team of three photographers from his company “Sports Action”. He travels around the country photographing amateur and elite sporting competitions. He makes his money by selling his photographs to athletes and parents. The industry he works in is competitive and he has to work hard to ensure that he gets the big jobs such as national meets.It was a great experience that I will never forget. I got some amazing images that I will definitely use on my website.

YAY! My story went to press two days ago! i didn’t even know till one of my friends showed me. I am very happy with the photo. above is a snapshot of it on the Byron Shire Echo website. This is hopefully the first of many to come!

A few days ago I was Given my first payed job as a photographer! My friends mum is starting up a business and wanted to have a photo of herself and her business partner on the packaging for their lentil products! I took the photos and proofed them and once the best ones were selected I have been adjusting them and making them look professional. I have been enjoying the process very much.

I have finally finished my website! As it took a lot less time as I had previously thought I am going to make a second one and then choose the best of both as my final major work.

This is a photo I took of a band called ‘The Medics’. I think I will use it on my website.

Professor Mick Dodson talking about his want for more dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

I have just returned from the Dreaming Festival in Woodford. I was lucky enough to get a media pass through a friend so I was able to get a good insight into the photo journalism industry. I was allowed into the media room and was allowed to attend a few interviews and photograph some amazing people. It was interesting to see some professionals at work with their massive cameras and photo gear. I was asked to hand some images into the local paper ‘The Byron Shire Echo’ so I had to upload my photos everyday and edit them so I can send them to the paper before they go to press. I haven’t heard yet if they will include them but I am hoping they will. It would be great to get my name out there.

Photographing at the festival was amazing, there was so many interesting performers and dancers that photographed so well. I brought my long lens with me so I was able to get some nice shots of dancers without being intrusive. As most of the performers were Indigenous people I had to ask the stage manager before I photographer every performance so as not to be culturally insensitive. All the performers were fine with being photographed which was great.

I was lucky enough to photograph Professor Mick Dodson, Australian of the year 2009 whilst he was getting interviewed by journalists from SBS and other film and radio crews. he was really great to photograph and a few times he looked right down the lens of my camera, he was clearly very media savvy. I could totally see myself working as some sort of journalist in the future. It was so fun and interesting.

The above photo is one I took of the Burundian dance group from Africa.

This is another photo I have been working on in photoshop. It is of my sister in her swimming cap. I will use it in the Portraits section of my website. I have increased the contrast, desaturated it and altered the white balance.