Tell us a little bit about yourself…

Hi there! Chris is my name. I currently reside in Adelaide, South Aust.  I’m a qualified medical imaging technologist, or put simply, a radiographer.  I spend my working hours using x-rays to image patients.  In my spare time, I’m an amateur photographer.

How and when did you discover your love for photography?

The first photographs I remember taking were at Jetsprint competitions at Currency Creek using an instamatic camera.  I was part of the safety crew to push the boats back into the water after running aground. This allowed me to take a great shot of a boat that had launched itself over the course. The next day, a similar shot was in the sports section of the Adelaide Advertiser.  That was first taste. My passion really developed about 5 years ago with coming of more affordable digital cameras. 

My first purchase was a 4MP Canon G2 which, for the time, was a great camera. I learnt a great deal from just playing with different settings and situations. It also helped that I married into a family with a professional photographer.  Ian, my uncle, noticed that I had been taking some quality shots and started to guide me in ways of making them better.  He’s converted from film to digital and we’ve learnt a lot from each other as we went along. I’m hooked now. I simply enjoy just getting out and about to snap whatever catches my eye.

You seem to have a wide and varied range of subjects for your photos, do you have any favourite style of photo?

Can I say that I really enjoy every opportunity that arises.  I only consider myself as an amateur that has been luck to get some great experiences.  I have a passion for motor sports, especially the V8 Supercars.  There is nothing better than capturing the attitude of a car as the driver is trying to push it at 110%. Unfortunately, media passes are not available to everyone and so I have to be content to shoot from the stands and around the track.

Maybe one day, someone will aide me in my dreams.  Recently, the majoring of my photographic work has been modeling competitions, catwalk, and glamour. It has been a great experience and I have been the envy of many who know what I do.

How much of your talent lies with intuition as opposed to training?

Most of my, so called, ‘talents’ have been acquired through just getting out there, doing it and learning from my experiences and, most of all, my mistakes. I suppose It could be considered on the job training. I haven’t attended any formal photographic courses apart from high school years ago. I have great intentions of participating in some formal training so hone my skills, it’s just a matter of finding time.

Which subjects inspire you the most?

Honestly, the most satisfying work has been working with the models in the catwalk competitions.  Last year I was privileged to photograph the state heats and finals of Best Model Australia, Miss Indy and Ralph Australian Swimsuit Model.  The girls were amazing, so co-operative, friendly and respectful.  They showed me a completely different side to the competitions. The effort that these girls go to, It takes a huge amount of courage to confidently walk in front of a room full of people in some of the best swimwear I have ever seen.  These are the people who inspire me the most.

What is your favourite time of day to work?

I have never been a morning person. I come into my peak time after lunch and then can continue into the early hours of the morning.  During my uni years, I spent a lot of time out clubbing, raving and working at a community radio station. My body clock hasn’t really changed in all these years.  I just manage to pull myself out of bed to go to work in the mornings.

What cameras do you use to produce your work?
As mentioned before, I started with a Canon G2 and have progressed over the years to using the Canon 20D.  I quickly became frustrated with the speed of my first camera which was then compounded after using a DSLR.  I couldn’t go back. 

The DSLR has seen some amazing changes in the past few years making them more accessible to the average person.  This means to be competitive in the photographic market, you have to be one step up. I’d love a full frame, professional camera but until I start making a return on my work then I’ll have to be content with what I have now.

Do you have a favourite? Why?

I’ve been exposed to several different brands of cameras but I keep coming back to the Canon. I suppose the familiarity with the platform, reliability and I the fact that I have a series of Canon lenses.  I want to make sure I get the best quality from the best combination.  If and when I upgrade, all I need to do is change the body, my lenses will hopefully always stay focused.

Do you prefer film or digital?

Digital for sure.  I haven’t had much experience with film photography over the past few years. Personally, digital is the way of the future and film will become ‘retro’, similar to the evolution of music formats. We’ve had the vinyl, 8 track, DAT, CD and now MP3. We live in the digital revolution and there is no point in fighting it.  Even digital radiography is the way of the future. 

Our clinic has just converted from wet processing to a complete digital suite.  It has dramatically changed our workflow making it better for the patients, radiographers and clinicians.

How would you describe your style?

I would have to say that I am yet to consciously develop a photographic style of my own. I see myself as a freestyle, freelance photographer, being relatively inexperienced, I am keen to do anything for anyone.  In the past, I have found myself adapting to the situation and going with the flow. I suppose it could be described as spontaneous and unpredictable in some cases, composed and thoughtful in others.


What is the most important element to capture in your photography?

It is difficult to pinpoint just one element that is important.  All elements require some consideration.  The quality of light in an image; is there a feeling of texture that should be conveyed; is the subject in focus and is the depth of field appropriate to the image; can the image be improved by using a different angle of view; is there any natural framing that can be utilised; and most of all, are the colours appropriate, is there enough saturation or would it be better black and white?! 

I suppose, with each of these elements in mind, I would hope that a quality photograph can be produced.  However, what one person would consider a quality capture; another can think that it’s an average piece of work. Everyone sees things differently and that is what makes photography so versatile.

Which photographers and artists do you admire?

There are couple of people who I admire greatly.  From the model/glamour perspective, Wayne Daniels is an amazing person.  He has a natural, almost instant, rapport with any model he works with.  He is able to extract every essence of beauty from anyone.  Combined with a great support crew and some of the best equipment, his work would be envious to anyone who shoots glamour photography.

Secondly, the guys from SAM media: Scott Wensley and Mark Horsburgh.  These two produce some of the best motor sport photography I have ever seen.  They are able to capture the passion, the excitement, the highs and the lows of any event they attend.  They are privileged to go where most can’t to capture some of the most intimate moments of a weekend’s motor racing.  



What inspires the subject and theme of your photography?

The modeling work is easy: to provide the most spectacular glamour shots of the girls doing what comes naturally. These photographs include head, upper body, and full length shots. To do all that in about 60 seconds is hard work especially if the girls don’t pause and pose. 

My motor sport photography is only basic as it is difficult to get great shots being a spectator, especially here in Adelaide. I like to show all facets of the sport: the fans, the teams, the grid girls, the technical side and, of course, the racing.  All of my other photography is for personal satisfaction.  Photographs of people and places I’ve visited.  I like to capture the moment just like any other happy snap.

If I see a shot or a scene I like, I take it.

Where do you live and work?

My wife and I live in the city square of Adelaide. We’ve been in our current residence for over 2 years now and it has simplified our lives immensely. Work is just around the corner in one of the private hospitals here in Adelaide. 

I now have so much more time for other activities outside of work.  I’ve found myself using my computer and the internet a lot more. I’ve become a DeviantArt addict. I love to compare, critique and learn from others. Even my wife can’t believe how much time I spend lurking around that site.  It’s my main outlet for my photography...





In what way do your surroundings influence your work?

I’ve been in some interesting surroundings whilst doing my work, the most scary being a death threat from a very drunk teen at schoolies week last year. I’ve had to push my weight around to make sure I can get the shots. Dealing with crowds in a nightclub can be lots of fun.  A lot of my work is spontaneous so it’s a matter of making the most of the position and surroundings at the time, get the shot I want or need and then move on.



What interests do you have outside of photography?

If you haven’t been able to tell, I love my motor sport. I will make every effort necessary to see a round of the V8 Supercars or a Formula 1 Grand Prix.  Before photography, I was heavily into DJing.  The passion for the music continues to exist. I still have my decks and records and I have even ventured in the world of digital DJing with CD’s and MP3 files. Most of all, I love spending time with my wife.  We have a great relationship and love spending time together.  We share a lot of common interests which makes life very simple.



What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do? The most frustrating?

Professionally, it’s the ability to help people in need.  Patients are referred to us to help diagnose their illness and to know that you are one step into gaining a diagnosis and helping them recover is very satisfying.  Unfortunately, the most frustrating aspect is dealing with people who don’t realise that there are others in this world who are worse off than themselves and that they will just have to wait a little longer to be seen.

Photographically, the most rewarding time is receiving appreciation from others.  The ultimate recognition would therefore be being published in a well known magazine.  The down side would be having a great image and no one taking any notice of it at all.

What would be your favourite subject/s to photograph?

I couldn’t pick just one favourite. I enjoy the model/glamour work. I love the sports work I’ve done.  I like being out at night and using long exposures to capture cityscapes and reflections.  Landscape work is a bit of fun too.



Do you have any new projects coming up that you can tell us about?

There is possibly a fashion shoot for an online clothing company.  I have been approached for some information regarding photographic options open to them.  I hope to be able to hire some of the models I’ve worked with previously and have a bit of fun in and out of a studio. Will know more later this month.




What do you hope to be photographing in 5 years time?

I’d like to get out and photograph the world.  Experience other countries and cultures and capture it in my own way. Landscape photography has a real appeal to me currently so I’d like to see where that takes me.  To display my work, a website is a necessity sometime in the near future as I can’t rely of web hosting sites all my life.  

Within 5 years, I’d like to be published and recognised for any of my work but ultimately my motor sport photography would be my preference.  Only time will tell.



Any words of advice for those pursuing their creative goals?

Everyone has to start somewhere so begin simple and then expand.  Just get out and there and do it and remember that what one person thinks is just a photograph, another may think that it’s a piece of art. Happy snapping!