I'M BACK!

Covered my first show in 11 months this week!

To be honest, it was pretty overwhelming… I’ve been working busy retail this entire time so I isolate at home regardless of restrictions easing. Shows have been happening in Melbourne for about a month now but I haven’t been in a huge rush to get out because I’m around so many people every day. It’s been weird to say the least!

So to go from 2-3 shows a week, to absolutely nothing for almost a year, well, it was a LOT. But a last minute booking on the day of the show left me no time to get in my head about anything or convince myself I no longer knew how to take photos and I went to the show. Even just a small thing like getting my wrist stamped felt so familiar and foreign at the same time. I’m glad I still had my earplugs in my bag, because it was so loud compared to what I’m used to now. And I cried of course haha.

It was emotional for a couple reasons. I’m more than my photography, but it’s something that’s given me community, my best friends, a creative outlet, a super fulfilling life. And to have all that just stop so suddenly lead to some real feelings of loss that I know anyone else in the music industry can relate to. Covid has been stressful for every person in different ways, but to have your industry shut down, with absolutely no idea when it’ll return… it’s rough, and I’m sending so much love to everyone feelin’ it.

It was also emotional because I got to do the work for one of Melbourne’s incredibly talented singer songwriters Mareya. Full disclosure: we were roommates a few years ago but I’m a huge fan. To have been there hearing her work in the garage at home each night, and see the evolution to what she’s become was such a privilege. I’m so grateful to be surrounded by such inspiring women making their voices heard. I LOVE TO SEE IT!

So here’s a few shots from the night, our first show back. Hope you like them and let’s hope that people here continue to be safe and considerate so we can get to more shows. And that wherever you are, you get to experience the magic of live music sooner rather than later.

xxx

ORVILLE PECK

Having listened to Orville Peck’s album non stop over the summer of 2019/20, I bought a ticket immediately once the Australian tour was announced. The venue ended up getting changed to a larger one due to demand and in the midst of all the trauma of the bushfires (Which Peck created a specific tour poster and donated the sales to bushfire relief) he put on a beautiful show which was a joyful celebration of love and acceptance and left me happy and so grateful to have witnessed it. I wasn’t officially covering the show, but took my camera along because he’s so visually captivating. The photos speak for themselves.

A NEW VISION

About 18 months ago, I noticed that I had a collection of photos that weren’t perfectly focused portraits, but more these ethereal figures emerging in front of me. It sparked a whole lot of ideas and these are now some of my favourite photos. The photo above is Greytomb, shot at the Bendigo Hotel, Melbourne 2016.

I’ve always tried to capture emotion, or that intangible feeling of the magic of live music in a still image, and I’ve come to really love these hazy, colourful silhouetted shots. The blue and the yellow shots are the iconic Sunn O))) photos taken at Psycho Las Vegas in 2018. The red photo is Wolves In The Throne Room at the Psycho Pool Stage, also in 2018. Below, we have Drab Majesty at Howler in Melbourne 2020 - the last show I got to shoot before lockdown!