Since returning from my Tasmanian journey life has been pretty hectic with a very full tour schedule and then a new range of photography opportunities coming up. 

Working on the photography more so than the tours has been a bit of a wake up and reminded me that it really can be more like a real job than I had previously imagined while setting myself up. Maintaining a level of survice that does justice to myself my business and most importantly the customer is for lack of a better word... work. I started out just having fun with my camera and learning everything I could about the art and the business that goes along with reaching for the stand of a photographer but now that the business is moving a few things have become very real.

The pleasure of getting the camera out and making photos is still very much there and I have no problems getting to the jobs and providing the customer with everything they need. It's more the balance between the photo work and the time when I would just go into the west MacDonnell ranges and spend an afternoon finding a spot and making photos. 

Finding that time to get away with no particular goal and no particular destination just to make great photos is getting to be a very small amount of time in comparison to my "work". I don't believe that I can't find this time it is just the simple fact that I will have to plan to have this raw time to find a new place or idea.

Sunrise on Mt. Sonder

Its good to be back in the desert after an extended holiday down to Melbourne, Tassie and Brisbane.  I was feeling pretty down when I first arrived back two weeks ago but as soon as I left town on my first tour of the year I was back into it in a big way.

The Centre had changed dramaticly while we were away with the summer rains drenching the landscape and the rivers flowing. We left a dry dead desert and returned to a very green living desert with the West MacDonnell ranges that surround the town of Alice Springs covered in Green spinifex. On my last tour we visited Ormiston Gorge which was still full of water which was quite unbelievable. I really do have to get out there and spend a few mornings getting those once a year photos that I will regret if I don't.

The touring schedule is pretty manic tho and this is preventing me from getting out there while its in its prime. The alarm was set for 3am this morning but after a 2am wake up call the day before to climb Mt. Sonder I just didn't have it in me.

Still the opportunities continue and all are waiting for the camera, next week we have forecast rain so I'll be sure to get out to the spots and spend the early hours having some fun.

A few iPhone shots of the start of our Tassie times.

Getting around Melbourne the last few days has been an experience that I've wanted. As we drive closer to the city I became strangly nervious about being in a big city again. To be more accurate it was the simple fact that it was an Australian city.

I had no problem visiting numerious larger cities while on Europe earlier this year because they are forigen in so many ways which I strangly found more comforting. The prospect of visiting a city which was so familure in language and culture yet forign in location and orientation daunted me.

Melbourne has so far proven to be nothing but a bunch of fun.

As I become more accustomed to the city of Melbourne and it's busy nature full of traffic, noise and concrete I look back at the desert. I think of the space that offers freedom like nowhere else and the open horizons which belittle the ego.

I'm very much enjoying my time in Melbourne but the desert is my home.

Yesterday morning I was inspired enough to wake up early and head to the Ilparpa clay pans for a sunrise session. It was my first visit to this mysterious place and the climate was purfect for making amazing photos.

I arrived at around 4:50 giving me plenty of time to explore and to find my shots for when the sun did get over the range. The weather was very mild with a range of clouds and very little wind to diturb the reflective surface on the water. It couldn't have been a better morning for pleasing soft colours and even lighting through the whole scene.

One of my Faves at the moment

I'm really happy to now be including event and commercial photographs in the homepage gallery which is a big step away from the total focus on landscape that I once had.

Later today I'll be working for a new client in Alice Springs as well as filling in some gaps for a collection that I've recently submitted to another client. Wednesday will be another big day with an afternoon shoot for Wayoutback which I am quite excited about to say the least. A few chalanges with this shoot will be reflections on the trucks from both me and the sun as well as the geometry of the shot because I'd really like to step away from the usual close up wide angle shot.

I'm also working on a review of my newest piece of equipment the Pocket Wizard Flex TT5 and the Mini TT1 which are remote flash triggers as well as a review of the newest lens in the bag the Canon 50mm f/1.4. 

I've spent the day reorganising and creating new content that reflects what and where I'm taking my photography. I've redesigned the events page and added a new commercial page the features my recent work in these areas. Through the weekend I'll be adding more content and have a goal of getting it finished by the end of the weekend but it is one of those things that is never finished if you get my drift.

In the future who knows where the website will be but for now I'm very happy with the presentation and delivery of the information. Thanks for checking in.

Dane & Sha's Wedding - BrisbaneIts been a while since my last blog and to be honest it hasn't bothered me too much as life has just been too busy and it's been hard to find the time. We have recently moved house and we are now effectively staying in Alice Springs for the long term which is a big change,

My photography has been a very enjoyable part of my life over the last few months and it has also been providing a modest income which I've been investing straight back into my photography. 

I'm out on tour tomorrow so this is just a short update and I'll try to keep posting.