ROB HEYMAN - PORTRAITS

A COLD DAY IN ROBE.

2012-01-31T23:57:00.000+10:00

This is the latest in a series of portraits I have made over the last four years of the people of Robe in SA.
The afternoon was extremely cold and the wind was 35kmh, but these two little girls were real troupers, ignoring the cold and smiling on command.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FISHERMEN

2012-01-18T11:59:00.002+10:00

We will leave soon on our annual trip to photograph the people of Robe. We have made this journey for the last four years and the pictures we get!! There are more characters per square metre than I have found in anywhere I've ever been. From the Grays that I met on my first trip (Mr Gray flew bombers in WW2), to 100 yr old Annie Wright and these cray fishermen; and then there's Steve, the grumpiest man in town (and the nicest man you'll ever meet). I think Steve has left town now; he stayed just long enough to get a street named after him. About thirty years. Apparently that's not long enough to become a local, though.

All have a story to tell.

I wonder who we'll find this year.

I LOVE B&W KIDS PORTRAITS!!

2011-12-05T23:04:00.001+10:00

Every year since 1993 I photograph the same family for Christmas. Right from the wedding and the first anniversary and as each of the three boys was born I have been there for the yearly portrait.. Every year we find a new location and design a new portrait that means something to the family. This year the boys are 10, 11 and 12. The youngest has learned to weld, so it was time to do some portraits in their dad's workshop. Chrissie (mum) bought overalls for the boys and some dark t-shirts and we worked around the machinery and benches in the shop, always looking for the perfect light. (The boys and I decided we liked the more serious portraits, but we did some smiling ones for mum, too).

All these were shot within a hour and is an example of what can be done when people prepare for a shoot and are willing to go to that little bit of extra trouble to make the session a success. This family is well practised now and the boys usually come up with some of the ideas themselves. I have not shown them these yet. I hope they like them.

SOME IMAGES FROM THE ATTENDEES OF THE LIGHTING COURSE

2011-12-05T14:16:00.001+10:00

Our Lighting Course is now finished and we now have a group of very accomplished portrait photographers out there working to present people at their best. Some of the assignments were a bit rough on the students but they came through with flying colours. One task was to approach a total stranger in the street and gain permission to photograph him/her. A daunting task for some.

All of the images on this post are by the course attendees. Space and time (my time) limits the number of images in the post, but you will get the idea.

Two Champions

2011-11-07T20:47:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I made a second session for a family for whom I had made some family portraits earlier in the week. It had not been possible to do both sessions on the same day, so I made another time for the sons who are both champion cyclists. They are heading overseas to Germany and Columbia for more competition so they may not even get a chance to see their portraits for some time. This is one of my favourites from the session.

Thought there would be a storm.

2011-10-31T00:14:00.000+10:00

I thought there would be a storm today, so I started the portrait session indoors. Their house is newly renovated and extended so I had beautiful bare walls in large rooms as backgrounds. These are just some of the images from this session. The expected rain did not eventuate, so we finished off outside in the garden with their new little dog, Tilly.

Today's Beach Session

2011-10-17T22:55:00.000+10:00

Today was a dark and stormy one, with heavy clouds and even heavier precipitation. At the start of the session, after we had made our way carefully over sharp rocks, I found a spot that would suit the portraits admirably. It was then that large lumps of cloud made its way downward and forced a rather rushed family portrait. We then moved around the cliff to a more sheltered spot and photographed the smaller groups within the family while we waited for the weather to clear a little.

All of these were photographed within a few yards of each other at the base of a cliff and were all made without the aid of any artificial light or reflectors. If I had asked someone hold a reflector they would have been blown into the surf!

It is always a pleasure to re-photograph a family because they know that the more effort they put into the portraits, the better job I can do. I guess it's just a confidence thing. With the weather we had today most people would have been on the phone asking to re-schedule but these repeat customers know that I do my best work under difficult conditions. (It always helps to have two beautiful young ladies in the family, too)

Man's Portrait 2009

2011-10-17T14:08:00.000+10:00

This is a portrait from two years ago. I have a 20x30 copy of it in my personal collection printed on the most beautiful portrait paper. And yet there is something about this image that most people miss. Can you see the anomaly?

Andrea.

2011-10-14T15:30:00.004+10:00

Yesterday was the first day of a six week lighting course that I am giving for Brisbane photographers. We started with a day of studio lighting so that all could see how each light acts upon a face, and went through quite a lot of theory on exposure etc. Next week we may venture outside if everyone behaves and finishes their homework! This means you too, Melissa! :)

Below is the final of a series of photographs that shows much of what was taught.

Pizzas ain't just pizzas

2011-10-09T23:30:00.000+10:00

Today it was my great pleasure to photograph the great Ian Wilkinson's family. I have known Ian and Sandy for years. I even remember Ian with hair!
The original idea was to photograph the family with a pizza theme since Ian has built a two and a half ton pizza oven in his back yard, but things got a bit out of hand and I just went with the flow.
I'm convinced that kids will give you more co-operation and better expressions if they think they are doing something naughty.
Lesson for parents: put the flour away when you have finished with it.

One of the Greats... Yousuf Karsh

2011-10-08T17:45:00.002+10:00

After over thirty years of photographing people, I have yet to find very many modern portraitists that can match the quality and artistry of some of the photographers from previous decades. Photographers like Karsh of Ottawa and Arnold Newman are two of my favourites. Their portraits are carefully controlled, beautifully posed and exquisitely lit and perfectly printed. Some say that this type of portrait is not relevant in the twenty-first century, however if today's photographers can learn the lighting, exposure and composition techniques of these Masters, I'm sure their portraiture, in their own style, would take a great leap forward.

Here are some examples of the work of Yousuf Karsh, an Armenian photographer, born in eastern Turkey, whose parents fled the massacres of the early twentieth century. I'm sure you will have seen some of these iconic portraits without realising who made them. Look him up on the internet and read the stories of how these portraits came about.

Ernest Hemingway by Karsh

Sir Winston Churchill by Karsh

George Bernard Shaw by Karsh

Albert Einstein by Karsh

Helen Keller by Karsh

Pablo Casals by Karsh

Now think of the very sorry examples you see on the billboards and newspaper ads of numerous real estate agents and banks around your city. Not one of them has remained in my consciousness!! Where has the quality portrait gone? In most cases the pictures (I hesitate to call them portraits) were commissioned by someone who had no idea of the value of an exceptional portrait and was swayed by the accountant to put a nominal price on the images. As they say, "you pay peanuts, you get monkeys."

That last statement is probably not fair to the photographers. There are still a number of magazines that do commission photographers and pay them well, but they are few and far between. Annual reports and some of the local newspapers also produce some exceptional portraits. Why not have the same standard on the walls of our homes? There seems to be feeling in Australia that it is somehow UNAustralian to have a portrait of oneself on a wall for everyone to see. Family portrait, OK, but a single portrait?..... Naaaah! "Someone might think I'm up meself!"

New Book on Group Portraiture!

2011-08-14T19:46:00.001+10:00

Yahoo! My new book, to follow up on "Location Lighting" is finally finished!! After a year of agonising over the content it will be ready for August Exposure, where it will be officially launched.

This book has been compiled in response to many requests for information on group posing. Most of the available books are either slanted towards formal posing or are totally out of date. I have written it with a view to helping photographers develop a more casual posing style suited to the modern family.

It will be launched at AUGUST EXPOSURE but you may make an advance order by email with the subject line "Photographing Groups" The cost (more of an investment, really) is $95 +P&P. If you order both books together before AE you receive the "Location Lighting" book for $80.

The presentation of this book is the same as the last and lies flat for easy study. Content covers everything from initial client contact to final print.

In Brisbane city.

2011-07-09T16:09:00.000+10:00

Last week I went into the city with Gundy to wander around with our cameras. This is a street portrait taken in the mall around midnight.
After a bit of colour correction and some artwork, plus a frame downloaded off the internet, this is the result.

An Istanbul Portrait.

2011-06-23T12:42:00.000+10:00

A face full of character is irresistible to me. This gentleman was sitting on his step in Istanbul and we started chatting. Those tired eyes have seen a lot of living.

Greece, Turkey and Amsterdam.

2011-06-03T05:44:00.002+10:00

In between portraits and scouting around looking for seminar venues, We have had a little time to take a few shots for ourselves. Here are some of the images from various places:

Last year we made a quick trip to Mykonos to see if it would be suitable for one of our workshops and, lo and behold..... it was. So this year we took a few photographers and friends to Greece for a six-day workout! These are some of my shots of Mykonos, Santorini and Paros; the others will be putting theirs up on their own sites.

This poor old horse was worried by flies and was a bit worse for wear, but he was a friendly old thing and loved having his neck scratched and the flies brushed away, if only for a few minutes. We found the location on a drive out of the crowds at Mykonos to the country areas. The island is a web of stone walls and fences, which to us, is unusual and very photogenic. To the locals, its probably just home.

There are many unfinished houses in the most inaccessible places! I have heard a few different accounts of the reasons for the delay, but I really think it is just that no-one is in a great hurry to do anything!

The island is a mass of these tough little poppies. They grow just about anywhere; they sprout from the tiniest crack at the edge of a footpath and in masses in the the open paddocks. Mix them with a liberal dose of yellow and purple and you have a spectacular landscape.

The rock-wall-lined roads are really narrow. There is a rule, apparently; the one coming downhill should give way, but as with all the other road rules, no-one seemed to bother with it. There have been many door handles scraped and mirrors knocked while trying to maneuver around each other. and that also applies in the towns in Greece, not just the country.

On one of the high points of Mykons there is a lighthouse with spectacular views. This mist-enshrouded, widlflower covered area is fabulous for casual portraits as well as personal landscapes.

The faces and places of Istanbul are many and varied. I was about to take a shot of this lady when a flock of pigeons darted across. I managed to catch one in just the right position.

The city is so totally different to anything we have at home. You only have to wait a few minutes and everything changes. I had been trying to get a good shot of the Aya Sofiya and they all tended to look like boring postcard shots. As the sun set on our second last day I managed this. There you are Jacquie, beat that!

Father and son, a most important memory.

2011-05-17T07:10:00.000+10:00

Since I lost my dad recently I have come to realise how important this shot is. I don't have one single shot of me and my dad.
This young man will not have that problem.

These were all taken in France near Strazbourg.

Dad's portrait was made at a beautiful old monastery on top of a sheer cliff .

A very simple, but effective family portrait.

In a little shop near Colmar, France.

2011-05-17T02:41:00.001+10:00

Yesterday I photographed a lovely little lady and her grandmother in a beautiful little shop in Colmar. During the shoot, the little girl's mum arrived, so what could I do but include her to make a three generation shot.

I LIKE RED!

2011-05-06T11:30:00.000+10:00

I found this wall while I was out shooting Arwen and Vickie's wedding last weekend. Just the right shade of red.

Beautiful bride, handsome groom; what else can a photographer ask for?

SPECTACULAR WEDDING VENUE!

2011-05-06T01:51:00.001+10:00

I have just completed a wedding at O'Reilly's on the Lamington plateau south of Brisbane. The preparations were at the guest house, but the service was at Luke's Bluff, about two miles via 4 wheel drive through the rainforest and rocky paddocks. The drive is absolutely worth it.

Lukes Bluff is an area above a 1500ft sheer cliff. One of the instructions to the guests was"don't step back!"

The only difficulty with photographing the wedding was that it was full sun with very contrasty light. These things are sent to try us!

These are some of the images from the day.

SOME FROM ARMIDALE LAST WEEK.

2011-04-19T21:19:00.000+10:00

These are a few from a workshop we held in Armidale last week. Unfortunately, we missed the autumn leaves by about ten days. Would have been nice with all the colours. Living in Brisbane means we don't get seasons. However, the visiting attendees had a great time shooting in unfamiliar surroundings for three days. Armidale is probably one of the nicest towns in Australia to visit.

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD RAIN!!

2011-04-18T16:05:00.000+10:00

It rained on the way to the session; it rained on the way home. That's twice in a row now. Same thing happened to my last session. Fortunately, on both occasions it cleared for the shoot.

Again this is a former client who was last photographed a bit over a year ago and decided that the grandparents should be included this time. We went to an old farm and the dad found an old Morris Minor in the grass. His father then advised him that he was brought home from the hospital in just such a car when he was born! We had to get a shot with father, son and car. We also included mum in some of them but I haven't finished those yet.

Portrait session on Saturday

2011-03-31T14:38:00.000+10:00

Last weekend I went to Spring Hill and photographed a family in the streets. I have not been there for years and it hasn't changed. You see all sorts of people up there. This lady was walking (?) her dog when I was photographing the family. The mixture of dog, dress, headphones, backpack and tattoos makes her unique

Don't you just love Spring Hill?

And now to the Family. I tried it with colour, I tried it with B&W. Finally we all decided that a desaturated look worked best.

Hats at the cattle sale

2011-03-08T10:32:00.001+10:00

Last Saturday I went with the Toowong Rotary Club out to Silverdale to photograph a cattle sale. The Toowong Club joined with the Fassifern Club for a fundraising venture and this gentleman was one of the attendees. I was struck by the hats surrounding his gaze.

On the way out to Fassifern I noticed this stand of trees on a hill. One of my friends has said, "I wonder what they're waiting for?"

This shot of a pen of cattle reminded me more of a landscape,

Boudoir with a difference

2011-02-23T23:44:00.000+10:00

On our way back from S.A. we called in to see some friends in Armidale. Their dog, Khobe is NOT allowed on the bed but I convinced them that it was necessary...... just this once. This is where all the good pictures come from, people; taking the plunge, making an exception. Doing something different. Khobe's expression in some of the earlier shots showed that she KNEW that she should not be on the bed. Most families have pets. Let's show them off. Put them in the family portrait!

Paul and Kiri's Little Ones

2011-02-23T12:48:00.002+10:00

Paul and Kiri's two energetic little ones. I have to get fit! Keeping up with these two is enough to collapse a lung!

Robe is not famous for Robes.

2011-02-22T18:37:00.010+10:00

As part of a portrait session in South Australia, I did a few shots for Paul and Kiri, who own a restaurant called The Wild Mulberry in Robe. No day starts properly without a coffee at the Mulberry! Paul needed a shot of himself for the paper. Paul is to be the presenter for Simon Bryant from "the Cook and the Chef" show at the Mundulla Show.
I won't tell you of the shenanigans we got up to on the shoot, but we managed to embarrass his mum, Anne.

This is one of the images. I will post more when I have them finished.

OK, Anne, you can be embarrassed again. We were just bummin' around after the family shoot and decided to have a crack at some different looks. I didn't want to post this because I did not want Paul to be the butt of any distasteful jokes. Paul assures me there is a reason for the long apron.

PURCHASE "LOCATION LIGHTING: A Manual for Portrait and Wedding Photographers"

2011-02-18T12:35:00.001+10:00

Two years ago I finished my "LOCATION LIGHTING: A manual for portrait and wedding photographers" and it is continually out of stock. It is in the third printing now and if anyone wants a copy please email me and order. It is $95 +p&p.

To use the book I suggest you start at page one and spend a week on each page working to find that same type of light and then putting what you have learned into practice. Then move on to the next page, etc.

I have made it spiral bound (see image) so that it will lie flat when on the seat of your car and can be left open at a page when in your bag.

The follow-up volume will be titled "PHOTOGRAPHING GROUPS" and is the same format as the first book. Not available yet, but I will post when it is. Price will be the same.

I would also strongly suggest that you wish to learn more about lighting, posing and composition you buy a copy of Wayne Radford's eBook, "Portrait tips and Techniques" http://www.portraittipsandtechniques.com/e-book/

AUTUMN IN ARMIDALE PORTRAIT WORKSHOP. Plus GREECE IN MAY

2011-02-17T12:49:00.002+10:00

Maaaany years ago Shirl and I lived in Armidale in NSW. Although we moved to Brisbane for business reasons, I still call Armidale my second home.

Quite a number of photographers have asked when we will hold a workshop in the Northern NSW area. With all the other things we have to do it has not been possible .... UNTIL NOW!

This is a sample of the area in mid-April. We are giving a workshop in probably the most beautiful Autumn city in Australia. I will post a link to the brochure and booking form in the next couple of days, but phone me if you would like to reserve a place. We are teaching location selection, lighting and posing of portraits and heaps more. The brochure will explain it all.

DATE OF WORKSHOP.
4th, 5th, and 6th of April 2011

...... THEN IN MAY 16TH - 26TH WE ARE IN GREECE.

COME WITH US!

We have people from everywhere joining us for a portrait workshop similar to Armidale , but in the Greek islands.

Learn to recognise portrait locations, lighting and posing the Rob Heyman way. It will be hard work but it will be in SPECTACULAR LOCATIONS! Family is quite welcome to come with us and there will be plenty of free time in the mornings. The learning starts after lunch most days to take advantage of the afternoon light.

LOCATIONS:

A full day in Athens visiting the historical sites, practicing travel photography (friends and family too) and end the day with a typical Greek dinner.

Three full days on Santorini, the tourist and jewellry mecca of the Greek Islands.
Three days on the more peaceful island of Paros.
Four days on Mykonos.
Return to Athens.

By that time you will be tired of each other and just about Ouzoed (?) out.

These are just some of the shots I took with my trusty Canon G9 compact camera on Mykonos last year.

The light there is spectacular! Full detail in shadows AND highlights in full sunlight.

REDHEADS ON THE FARM.

2011-02-11T14:31:00.000+10:00

We have been down to South Australia and photographed a few families again. I let people know that I am coming by placing a notice in the "Rubbish Bin News", a local bulletin that is delivered with the bin collection each week. Great system. The locals didn't have a newspaper that catered to their little town so they made their own.

One of the families consisted of four redheads and mum who isn't really, but I think she wants to be.

It was raining so I knew that the portraits would be good. They always are when it rains. Beats me why people want to cancel because of the rain! Makes everything more interesting. Colours are cleaner and the kids usually love it!

Special Ed.

2011-02-11T13:43:00.000+10:00

Sometimes you just have to go with the flow!
It all began when I offered to photograph a young lady who looked after the catering at our exhibition in Robe. We decided that the portrait was to be of her and her man. Then, after another glass of wine Celine told me she had a pet sheep. His name is "Special Ed". They have another pet sheep too, named "Laconic Lennie", but Ed really is special.

He was trampled as a lamb and suffered damage to his legs and some pretty bad nerve damage. Celine and Jeff decided they would take care of him and spent the next months giving the sheep physiotherapy. He is up and moving now.... a bit wobbly, but moving.

We decided we would make a lead and take Ed down to the beach to do some "family" portraits. There is a long story here, but I don't type fast, so suffice it to say that getting him into the back seat of their car and driving to the beach was an adventure in itself. It is amazing how many comments you can generate by taking a sheep for a walk along a beach. A fair proportion of those at the beach gathered around our celebrity sheep and made him feel even more special.

Every year since their parents' wedding. This year's portrait.

2010-12-15T15:49:00.003+10:00

When I photographed their parents wedding in 1993, I did not realise that it was the beginning of a loooooong friendship. As each baby was born and as they were all growing up I have documented their progress. Three young tearaways that challenge me to do something different every year.

2011 Workshops for Professionals

2010-12-15T12:11:00.001+10:00

Just a quick link to advise the dates of our professional workshops and seminars for 2011.
These include our interstate events and a workshop in Greece. Hope you can join us.

Yesterday's session on the Gold Coast

2010-11-25T10:37:00.001+10:00

I have photographed members of this family for many years and this time it was to update Tina's family portrait. They now live on the Gold Coast so Shirl and I made the trip down for the afternoon. We started at the house and as the clouds came over we moved outdoors to the beach. As usual the weather was on my side and we arrived at the location with absolutely the best light and dramatic clouds imaginable. The images presented here are just a couple from a very pleasant and successful day.

When I first photographed this young guy he was only two years old. He has grown to be a very confident and well mannered young man.

The family portraits for my repeat customers are always much easier because they have an understanding of what the final portrait should be. The clothing is always the right colour and they are willing to go to great lengths to help me get the shot; even to the extent of walking over sharp volcanic rock in bare feet to reach the required spot. Thanks Tina!!

Beaches are for country people too.

2010-11-13T15:13:00.000+10:00

A couple of years ago I photographed some families out at St George, 500km west of Brisbane. The resulting portraits are some of my most favourite ever. Recently the parents of one of the families celebrated their ten year anniversary and spent a few days on the Gold Coast. I went down and photographed them on the beach and around the streets of Broadbeach, which is a far cry from the wide flat land at St George.
This is part of their selection.

One more from the same session.

2010-11-13T14:30:00.001+10:00

Just as a follow-up from the last post, this family came in to make their order and this was their favourite family shot. It is to be printed as a large wall portrait and will feature in their lounge for the next many decades. This is the great thing about a family portrait. While gravity sets in with we mere mortals, the portrait remains unchanged to remind us that we were not always so saggy.

Just Missed the Rain

2010-11-05T23:12:00.001+10:00

It looked a bit bleak this afternoon when I was driving to the farm, but the weather cleared up nicely and left a lovely overcast sky, just right for this family portrait session.
The two kids were fantastic and looked great. The little girl was concerned that her bandaged arm would spoil the shots, but her fears were unfounded.

Parking in Rome

2010-11-03T15:14:00.000+10:00

I have not posted any pics from Rome before, mainly because I was so impressed with Venice that Rome became just a secondary memory. It is so noisy and crowded that we never felt content. People park ANYWHERE! Take a look at this film I captured at a street corner. IT is no isolated occurrence.... this happened everywhere. Cars park on pedestrian crossings, footpaths and in doorways. NO parking space is too small. Just take a deep breath and the car will fit. :-)

Down at the farm.

2010-11-03T13:23:00.000+10:00

Of all the places I photograph, farms and country areas are my favourite. Everyone always manages to feel comfortable and relaxed. Must be the fresh air. (Or the cow pats)

Yacht Club Portraits.

2010-11-03T13:17:00.001+10:00

Always fun to go to somewhere different to photograph a portait. In this case we used the Royal Qld Yacht Squadron at Manly.

Venice: Portrait session

2010-10-29T08:45:00.001+10:00

As promised a couple of posts down, this is part of a session I did in Venice. The parents are Aussies who were in Venice at the same time that we were there so it made sense to photograph them in an exotic location, however I had to be careful that the city did not overpower the people.

Dallas, Texas Portraits

2010-10-24T21:24:00.000+10:00

These are a couple of shots I did just for me in Dallas. The stunning black girl was the next door neighbour of our friends and the boy is one of her friend's sons. It is very relaxing to photograph for oneself without the expectations associated with paid sessions.

TASMANIA PORTRAITS

2010-10-24T11:48:00.000+10:00

I have just received a very nice email from a family I photographed in Tasmania a couple of months ago. I was down there to give a workshop/seminar for the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and I photographed these two boys and their dad. The lighting was kindly supplied by the setting sun while I positioned the boys on an outcropping of rock in the water.

The boys have sent me a shot of the two portraits as they arrived.

I love photographing in locations that are totally unlike our home areas. Shirl and I are off to South Australia again in February to photograph more families. This is something we have done for the last couple of years and some of the images have been posted previously. I will post some from a family portrait session in Venice as soon as I can.

Having a Quiet Day

2010-10-22T19:45:00.000+10:00

Not a lot to do today so I spent some time going through the images from Venice. I still think it is the most beautiful place in the world so I want to share some of it with you. Not only is the city fabulous, but the people we met there, the tourists and the general ambiance of the place are all part of the overall feeling of the city. We were there in April and it was not peak tourist season, so that may have been to our advantage. It is very quiet until around 10am. The only movement was the workers setting up their shops and the street sweepers with their brooms. Yes, brooms! There are no mechanised sweepers or garbage trucks and no traffic noise! We were able to walk around early in the morning with very few other people in the street.

Venice is usually depicted as a terracotta and pastel-toned city but in most of the following images I have removed some of the colour to allow other factors to dominate.

above: St Marks Square with almost no tourists.

...in the window of the dry cleaner/laundry.

At breakfast we had to put up with this view!!!

ASSORTED NEW YORK PORTRAITS

2010-10-18T17:08:00.001+10:00

THE ARTIST IN HIS STUDIO.
In the Meatpackers district of New York there are quite a few galleries and studios inhabited by artists and photographers. I photographed this man in front of one of his artworks with the light coming in from a window on my right.

A corner of every painter's studio. It doesn't matter who's it is, it always looks the same.

A DIFFERENT SORT OF OFFICE, BUT STILL AN OFFICE.

Walking back from the Meatpackers district, I spotted this man in a trench. He was engrossed in his job and did not notice me at the time.

I photographed this man and his family in Central Park in NY. There are some bridges and tunnels in the park that allow light to be shaped beautifully and allow portraits such as this. I particularly like the frame within a frame.

Just one more from the previous session.

2010-07-15T13:18:00.003+10:00

This was taken a few minutes before the moon shots.

It is this sort of portrait that our customers like to see, but not necessarily what will go on their walls. I don't mind, as long as they are happy with their final choice.

How lucky can one photographer get?

2010-07-13T22:04:00.001+10:00

Every now and then I go to Caloundra to photograph someone and I can usually count on something happening to make the resulting portraits memorable. As I drove into town I was watching the clouds forming overhead and I hoped that they would build up to something spectacular. The family I photographed was keen to do whatever was needed to ensure some 'different' portraits. With four good-looking kids the job was made a lot easier, but because of that extra bit of enthusiasm and the willingness to try anything, we came up with these images. The moon was full and in the proper place, so I just had to take advantage of the opportunity, didn't I?
I am only posting a couple for the moment because the family has not yet seen the results.

Singapore Visit.

2010-06-25T20:38:00.002+10:00

Shirl and I just got back from Singapore where I photographed four fabulous families whose hospitality is unequalled and their co-operation with the portrait sessions made for some beautiful images. Each family was photographed in a different type of location which made each one unique. The first day was in a city location beside Clark Quay. the second was at an island resort, the third was in the colourful, crowded area around Arab and Haji streets and the last was in a palatial home near the botanical gardens. The only downside was the stifling heat and humidity. I was warned about it and was partially ready, but it still came as a shock. Moving from the heat of outdoors to the dry air-conditioned rooms of the Swissotel where we stayed, caused me to arrive back in Brisbane with a cold......but it was worth it!

Here they are in no particular order.

I'm really looking forward to going back to Singapore soon to photograph some friends of this lovely group.

The Late Rob Heyman!!

2010-06-25T19:56:00.001+10:00

The following portraits are some that I made weeks (months?) ago and have never got around to posting. So since I am left sitting here waiting for a man from Wetpac to deliver our new wireless eftpos machine that we have been waiting for now, for five months (Grrrrr.) I will throw some images up so that you can let me know that you are still out there. Five dollars says the Westpac guy will not arrive today either.

I love using beaches and wide open areas where possible because it keeps the portraits simple and uncluttered. Simplicity can also be found in the most complicated areas. It all depends how the portrait is made and finished. This young family has returned after about five years for their second session so instead of using Mt Tamborine we went to the mud flats of Wynnum. The stark black of their clothing contrasts beautifully with the light tones of the area.

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Here we have an extended family that I have now photographed four times over the last six or seven years. On farms, at the beach and this time on their own property. They're more like old friends than customers! Every time there is a change to the family, someone is leaving or someone comes back, new kids, kids growing up too fast. All are reasons to have some more portraits.

Ina has two dogs that are probably spoilt, but both are totally loveable...... and part of the family.

2010-06-12T07:51:00.002+10:00

Now in Mykonos, Greece, with mixed results.

Mykanos is a great place in itself, but it is also a great stepping stone to other fabulous Greek islands, but we will also have a not-so-fond memory of it. On the night we arrived, Shirl and I went to dinner and on the way back to our room Shirl tripped over some uneven pavement and broke her leg. The next couple of days was spent horizontal in our hotel room. I finally was able to get her into a wheelchair and down to the town, so she could experience at least some of the island. We sat at one of the beautiful and charming restaurants along the waterfront and sampled their beautiful coffee and Greek salads. Pics of this last day will follow in the next few days.

These are some of the shots I did of the town after I finally rejected the big Nikons and decided to use the little Canon G9 compact camera. All of these are taken with this terrific point and shoot camera. My shoulders have finally recovered and I don't walk with a lean to the left anymore!

This is the reason we are not answering our phone

2010-06-12T07:28:00.001+10:00

Shirl and I have been in Prague for the last couple of days, after a week in Paris and a week in New York. We have been with a number of Australian photographers taking them to a few interesting places in the word and enjoying every minute of it. If you would like to see these images a little larger, please click on the image. Prague was suggested to us as a possible location for a seminar in the future and we will definitely be doing this after the fabulous time we had there. It has to be one of the most picturesque places in the world. Next year we have a number of photographers from several countries meeting us in Greece for a workshop/seminar to invigorate their imagination and add to their worldly experiences. I will add some images from Greece in my next post, probably tomorrow.

This panorama was from the Charles Bridge in Prague and is made from seven images stitched together.

The only problem with Prague is that it is almost wall to wall people, but this is one of the least congested shots that I managed to get in the time we were there. There are many more images but I have to go to bed sometime VERY soon.

This is another of Shirl's images of Prague, taken in one of the back streets on the way back to our hotel. By the way, if anyone would like to know a great place to stay in Prague, try the Opera Hotel or contact me for the full address.

Now the family is complete.

2010-05-31T16:44:00.003+10:00

A couple of weeks ago I photographed an almost family in Brisbane. I say almost because there was one missing. The last time I photographed them, they were intact, but one of the daughters now lives in New York. No problem! I was in New York last week and was able to meet with the missing family member and photograph her with her new husband. For most of the portraits we used the streets of NY, but we ended up in Central Park dodging horses and carriages.

Portraits from last week.

2010-05-18T21:53:00.002+10:00

As of tomorrow Shirl and I will be out of the country for a few weeks. Two workshops in New York and Paris, a side trip to check out Prague and a couple of Greek islands in preparation for next years seminars, then off to Singapore for a number of portrait sessions, then home on 22nd June.

We had a very busy week completing portrait sessions before we leave, so here are some of the results.

This is part of a set of portraits for a family who were last photographed by me in 2005, so they were due for an update. Things have really changed in the last five years. The two little scamps I photographed five years ago are now big scamps! The best thing about repeat customers is that they are already "in the zone" and their portraits are often more adventurous. These were taken at low tide on the mud flats at Wynnum and looks like something you would find at the English seaside.

Last Sunday I took a trip to Caloundra to photograph a family whose last portrait was two years ago, but I also photographed the parents' wedding some years ago, so we are old friends.

Since it was Sunday and Wayne Radford M.Photog. lives on the way, I swung by and picked him up to act as second shooter and to have a drink with later. (I told him I had to throw all his shots away, being under par as they were, but really, they were too darn good to admit to him.)

SYDNEY THIS TIME!

2010-03-27T22:27:00.002+10:00

I have just been to Sydney for a few days and photographed some families in the Sutherland Shire.

Wow, you guys have the most spectacular locations for photographing people. I usually spend my first day in a town finding locations and this was no exception, but this time it was so easy, it was (almost) a pity to take the money!

Two little guys of this age are not going to stay still too long so I had to follow what they did wait for my moment.

Dad was a little apprehensive about letting his baby too close to the water by himself, especially since he was in his clean clothes for the portrait.

Two terrific kids who really enjoyed their session at the beach. I found this location near Cronulla and really loved the textures in the rocks.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA AGAIN

2010-02-04T16:58:00.005+10:00

We have spent the last week in South Australia photographing families and characters in a small town. Some of the images are printed here and I will be adding more over the next week or so. Tonight I am to photograph a family on what is called a beach by locals and a rocky shoreline by most other people. At the moment it is overcast and the seas are fairly rough, so I have no idea what these will be like, but I love a challenge!!

I may have overdone the drama in this portrait but I couldn't resist.

2010-01-12T14:46:00.004+10:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing a couple and their family on the Sunshine Coast. Twenty years ago, I first photographed the parents at their wedding in Brisbane. Their four children were a real pleasure to work with.... unlike most teenagers, they actually seemed to like each other! They have not yet seen the results but I'm hoping they are as happy with their images as I am.

I really overshot with this one and it took all day just to number and correct all the files ready for viewing.

The Bambi Fambly

2009-12-15T22:39:00.003+10:00

Last weekend I photographed Bambi Wixon's family on their farm at Biggenden, west of Maryborough. Absolutely everything went like clockwork and I think this is the first time I have ever had such a large group, photographed over a period of four hours, where everyone was was where they should have been at photo-time. We had parents, grandparents, kids, in-laws, outlaws and visitors.

These are the first of a number of portraits I will post in the next few days.

This is Grandfather....

...and the missus.

Dad in his shed...

Bambi and Andy in the same shed.

Granddad and Grandson.

.... and a couple of family groups.

Wedding in Tennessee USA

2009-09-08T13:38:00.005+10:00

I am back in the US again to shoot a wedding in Tennessee. At the last moment I asked a friend, a fellow photographer from Newcastle if he would like to accompany me as lackey. Within three days he had organised himself and Steve Scalone met me in Knoxville. These are some of the images from the wedding on Saturday. (These are mine, Scalone can do his own.)

The Red Car

2009-08-09T00:12:00.004+10:00

Last session for today was in a windy paddock near Bundaberg which made a perfect backdrop for mum's new red car. It was also bloody freezing.

OK, SO I STAYED UP A LITTLE LATER!

2009-08-08T00:46:00.002+10:00

We MUST have exhausted the supply of cute kids in Bundaberg by now! Every kid session has brought us the best looking families on the planet. Look at these two cuties.

SECOND OF TWO MORE BUNDABERG SHOOTS WITH SUSAN WALL

2009-08-08T00:33:00.003+10:00

Today was a 2 shoot day with this three generation group (and dog) on the farm.

John (dad) was a cattle man and brought his dog, Jack, for the occasion. His hat, whip and Driza-Bone added some personal touches to the portrait. I wish more people would put the same amount of effort into their sessions. I will post some of the first portrait session tomorrow.

I'm off to bed, it's 12.40am!

2nd DAY IN BUNDABERG

2009-08-07T13:34:00.008+10:00

We arranged to meet this family on the beach, and were astounded at the beauty of these two young ladies. Our only problem was keeping them within camera distance...... they were all over the place and thoroughly enjoying the experience.

2009-08-06T10:24:00.002+10:00

I am in Bundaberg at the moment photographing a number of families with photographer Susan Wall. This is yesterday's family; mum, dad and three little scamps.

We all had a wonderful time playing, exploring and laughing. The two little guys came armed with their trains, and we were told that our little princess here had puffy sleeves like Snow White - and we agree! What a great way to spend a beautiful winters afternoon.

We have four more to photograph before the weekend and then back to the big smoke.

MORE OF CHRIS AND MICHELLE.

2009-07-20T21:15:00.002+10:00

You can see more of the San Fran wedding here.

My perfect bride in San Francisco.

2009-06-16T17:27:00.002+10:00

This was photographed at the top of Lombard St, (the world's most crooked street) in San Francisco last Thursday. I will post more in the next few days. Probably after we arrive back in Oz.

Brides of Venice

2009-05-15T09:52:00.002+10:00

As part of Yervant's seminar each photographer was asked to go away with one of the brides and photograph her as we wished. This was a beautiful Russian girl whose natural elegance made her a joy to photograph.

This is an Italian girl studying languages at Padua University just outside Venice. She was great fun and very vivacious.

VENICE: DAY TWO (OR THREE)

2009-05-15T09:42:00.003+10:00

We stayed at the beautiful Palace Bonvecchiati right on the Grand Canal. This is what we had as a view while we had breakfast on the terrace each morning. Tough Life.

This is just a tourist snap from the Rialto Bridge, but I couldn't resist it.

VENICE: DAY ONE

2009-05-15T09:27:00.003+10:00

Shirl and I are in New York at the moment after a couple of weeks in Italy. Venice is the most beautiful and interesting place I have ever been to and it was a pleasure to take part in a workshop there with "the Great Yervant". These are some of the shots of and around Venice before Yervant arrived. We have not even sifted through most of them yet, because I took about a thousand shots a day and preferred to go to a restaurant and sample the Venetian fare than to catalogue, number, convert and correct images. Over the next year or so that little job will be attended to.

Portrait on the Gold Coast

2009-04-25T10:24:00.002+10:00

Last week I had tbe pleasure of photographing a family at a Gold Coast location We almost didn't make it because the mum thought that it was too overcast and it might rain. Luckily she believed me when I explained that my best shots happen in bad weather. If it had actually rained I was all ready with three umbrellas in the car. These are some of their portraits.

WE'VE BEEN TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA!!

2009-03-05T23:28:00.003+10:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to South Australia to photograph some families and this week we are back to deliver the final portraits.

The country people have always been willing to go all out to help us get the portraits we want, and this town is no exception. All I had to say was " bring your $30,000 dressage horse down to the dangerously rocky beach and ride her flat out through the surf" and it was a done deal!!..... or "let's get out of bed really early and we'll meet at a farm ten minutes out of town so we can get some sunrise shots".

OUR GOONDIWINDI WEEKEND.

2009-01-22T22:50:00.006+10:00

My wife and I joined a few other photographers for a jaunt out to Goondiwindi last weekend to spend some time with Wayne Pratt, Goondiwindi's premier photographer. At the close of the first day we were on a riverbank enjoying the solitude when Jan and Mark asked if I would take a shot of them. I stood them in the grass and this is the result.

A couple of local boys and their horses met us at the river and there was a little drama when one of the horses lost its footing in the soft river-bottom. These are some of the images I captured as the horse struggled to regain its footing while the rider was under the water! Looked a little dangerous there for a while.

Not everyone came unstuck.

JAMES STREET

2008-11-28T23:48:00.003+10:00

Last week I was at the James St Markets, with my camera of course, and found this gentleman enjoying his coffee. He may not look it, but I think he owns the whole place.

CALOUNDRA DURING STORM

2008-11-24T11:06:00.005+10:00

Last Sunday I had a portrait session to photograph in Caloundra, about an hour away. The appointment time was 5:00pm but because it looked as though it may storm we decided to start early at 4pm. Lucky choice, that!

This was the day of the biggest and most damaging storm in Brisbane in 35-40 years. The sky gave us a background to die for and these images of the family will be a very real reminder of that day. The decision to go with the green tone and the wind blown look was something the client and I agreed on, because of the nature of the day and the green tinge to the hail filled clouds.

The look and attitude of their son reminded me of the old sailors from the days of sail, so I have added to the effect with sepia and blur.

2008-07-26T18:54:00.007+10:00

In New York city you are likely to see just about anything!

We were right in the middle of it all, staying just two doors from Times Square.

Little Italy, on a day when there was a soccer match between Italy and, I think, Germany?

Some of the pigeons in Times Square. They don't like being chased by a camera!

These are just some of the disreputable people we had the misfortune to meet at our workshops. Actually, they're not too bad, they're just American. :-)

More of the same.

Oh dear!! I have just been chastised for not including any pics of the Florida group.

Maybe it was just that they were less disreputable than the others and did not qualify for the honour! However, here is one of "Rob and his girls" (quote from Dotti)

These few shots are "happy snaps" from our recent trip to the US. This is an old house at a place called Cades Cove in Tennessee and was made from seven different exposures, then converted in HDR to reveal all the detail in the extremely long tonal range of the scene.

We were on a street walk in Dallas, searching for light and interesting subjects. This man happened to be on the same street, so he was fair game! As it happens he is a poet and orator and put on a performance while we photographed him.

Joe, you will do anything to get that shot, won't you?

We're baaaack!!

2008-07-21T21:19:00.007+10:00

We have just come home from a tour of the Southern States of the USA, giving a series of workshops to photographers. Here are some of the images. Most of them are taken of members of the workshops, plus a few of people we found in the streets of Dallas, Fort Lauderdale and Knoxville. We would approach some people in the street and without exception they all agreed to be photographed by the group.
The image below was photographed in an old warehouse in Knoxville TN. The group decided to do a street walk and find suitable locations and people to photograph. It was an education for all, and a memorable walk.

Some people are just born Photogenic! In a studio in Dallas TX there was a window with the most beautiful, useable light flooding the room. One of the delegates, George, had that kind of presence that just cried out to be photographed.

Shot in a car park in Dallas.
A mother and daughter in Ft Lauderdale. Photographed in the median strip of the main street.

Good Friday Portrait session. 23 PEOPLE

2008-03-22T22:43:00.002+10:00

This is one of the larger family portrait sessions that I have done recently. It consisted of Granddad, Grandmother, their 5 children, their husbands/wives and their children. I began at 4pm with individual portraits and smaller family groups, then as the sun disappeared behind a hill I was able to go out into the open areas for the large group. This is one of the (almost) full family photographed on a jetty. There are probably better ones of this particular group but that is something the family will choose. They are coming in tomorrow to view and order their portraits, but I promised some people I would post today.
The second image is one of the cute little kids from the same family.

2008-03-08T09:39:00.000+10:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting a fellow photographer in a small town about an hour's drive from Brisbane. One of her two lovely little daughters was very co-operative, resulting in some beautiful portraits. The youngest......... NOT so co-operative! She decided (at the age of 2.5 yrs) that she did not want photographs. After an hour of watching her older sister dressing up and having a great time, she suddenly leaped in front of the camera and shouted, "I'm here now......SHOOT" Needless to say, neither of us could photograph her from where we were...... rolling around on the ground laughing.

YESTERDAY AT WOODFORD

2007-09-19T13:28:00.000+10:00

Yesterday Rob and Shirl took a much deserved rest from the studio to travel to Woodford, about an hour and a half from home, to photograph a family on their property. Besides the parents and grandparents, there were two little boys, one about three and the other less than one year old. They were photographed at the house, on the road, in the creek and around the sheds. The following few shots were the tip of the iceberg with many, many beautiful portraits to choose from.

RAIN, LOVERLEY RAIN!!

2007-08-21T14:27:00.001+10:00

The last two days have been raining and/or overcast at various times of the day, so everyone is very pleased at the moment. We are on severe water restrictions and have been for the last year or so. Without substantial rains, Brisbane will be out of water within twelve months. What this rain has meant to me is that we have had lovely soft light instead of the usual harsh, contrasty light that Queensland is known for. The following images were taken at my last two portrait sessions using that soft light. Many people mistakenly think that overcast weather means that their portrait session will be cancelled. Nothing could be further from the truth! This is the weather I hope for.

KATOOMBA WORKSHOP

2007-08-17T16:14:00.000+10:00

Last month Rob and his wife Shirlene gave a portrait workshop at the Mountain Heritage Hotel and Spa a beautiful old hotel in the centre of Katoomba. Although we expected it to be cool it was a bit of a shock and we really needed those open fires in the rooms. We only had a limited time to explore the town, but we did of course, make the obligatory visit to the Three Sisters.

Part of the seminar was teaching photographers how to find suitable locations for portraits and there were plenty of them around the hotel.

As part of the journey we called in to see a photographer friend, Kelly Munce, in Muswellbrook. Late one afternoon we went to a hill on the outskirts of town and photographed her daughters, Abbie and Brooke. (Tayler wouldn't be in it!) This is Abbie but I can't show you Brooke because I may want to put her portrait in the awards. I don't want the judges to know whose image they are judging.

AN ASSORTMENT OF FAMILY PORTRAITS.

2007-08-14T11:38:00.000+10:00

I have just realised that although I am a photographer specialising in family portraits, I don't actually have many on the blogs. To rectify that, here are a few from the archives to fill out the empty space.This is a recent family portrait session photographed down by the Brisbane river. This family is very keen to keep their memories intact, so they have a portrait of the family made regularly. The following shot is of the same family about three years ago, photographed at Wynnum during low tide, hence the boats high and dry behind them. Something that a lot of people don't think of is a three or four generation portrait. Bring the grandparents along for your portait session. It takes no longer and you have those cherished memories preserved.
One of the common questions I am asked is, "what if the weather turns bad?" The best answer is that I have made some of my best portraits in the rain and wind. They have an excitement about them that can't easily be shown in fair weather. I don't really need to say too much about this image. Two cute kids, sand and sunset........ Can't go wrong.

Black cat in a coal cellar

2007-08-13T22:05:00.000+10:00

One of the exercises in photographic exposure is to correctly expose a black cat in a coal cellar and a white cat in a snow storm. This is half of it. The cat belongs to my sister, but I could not find a coal cellar, so I used her lounge room instead.

Paris in the Springtime.

2007-08-13T21:58:00.001+10:00

2007-08-13T21:52:00.000+10:00

I have a friend who has a scallywag of a daughter who has her own ideas on how she should be photographed. Can't say that I disagree with her. Can you?

Sabrina

2007-08-13T21:33:00.000+10:00

Sabrina is a young 13yo aspiring model who needed some shots for her comp card. My wife and I met Sabrina and her mum at Park Rd, Milton and after our coffees we used the surrounding area to produce stacks of beautiful images. Could not go wrong with a model like this, though, could I?

I'VE BEEN REALLY LAZY.

2007-06-19T23:35:00.000+10:00

I should have put these images up ages ago, but you know how it is.
This young couple needed some unusual pregnancy shots and we went to a railway overpass in the city. I love the silhouettes with the splash of light to give it colour.

Riverside walkway

2007-06-19T23:06:00.000+10:00

I have just finished a portrait session for a young family in the city. They have chosen this full face shot as a 30x40" for their foyer and the other one of his sister in a similar size for their lounge room. Great kids to work with and they really deserved the treat their parents bought for them after the session. (If they didn't buy them one, they should have.)

TARA RODEO

2007-06-07T17:22:00.000+10:00

Last weekend we packed our bags and headed west to Tara, a small town about 80km west of Dalby, to shoot some images of the Queensland rodeo championships for the stock library. This is one that I particularly like. Let's call it a portrait of a rodeo.

2007-05-25T21:13:00.000+10:00

A few weeks ago I photographed a lovely lady just a couple of days before her little girl, Asia, was born. My personal favourite is the B&W image, but my wife prefers the colour. How do you vote? Comment if you feel inclined.

Very young family at Shorncliffe.

2007-05-25T21:01:00.000+10:00

This afternoon I photographed a young couple and their 5months old baby. Autumn in Queensland is quite mild and we waited until the sun almost set to get this shot of the young family. The slight breeze gave me a little trouble with the mum's hair, but I think the final image is beautiful.

2007-04-22T22:22:00.000+10:00

I had finished a portrait session with a family of Greek boys and the sun had gone. Too dark to do anything. Thought I'd try something anyway and left the shutter open to capture the movement of the boys collecting crabs on the beach. Love the colour and the movement that resulted. Again these were done for me, not necessarily for the customer but as often happens, they also liked my games and purchased one of these for themselves.

2007-04-22T21:46:00.000+10:00

Again, I have photographed this family for many years. The first time was when the father was about 6 years old. Since then I have photographed the entire family a number of times, including James' wedding, his sister's wedding and various family members' weddings.
One this particular day, the weather was atrocious! My windscreen wipers were at full speed and the oncoming cars had their lights on. James, however, knew what I could do with bad weather and continued on his way to the appointed meeting spot. Which is a good thing because on this particular day there was a film crew from the UK also in attendance to photograph yours truly in action. I think they got a bit more action than they had expected. They also got a bit damp, but they were not alone in that.

2007-04-22T21:16:00.000+10:00

It is often quite difficult to come up with a new and different way to sensitively depict a pregnant lady. I have photographed this family since the wedding in 1995 and have some beautiful portraits of the entire family over the years. For this instalment we decided to go to King Island near Wellington Point. The three boys were also there and a nanny came with us to care for the wardrobe and to look after the kids.

Why have you been directed to this blog?

2007-04-22T19:59:00.000+10:00

Many people who phone to book a portrait session, have family who have not seen the type of work that we do. Most are of the opinion that a portrait session means sitting on a box in a dark studio, and being surrounded by lights.

Nothing could be further from the truth when you engage Rob to preserve forever, this time in your life. A portrait session is usually planned at an outdoor location that suits the lifestyle of your family. If you live and work in the city, you may prefer to be photographed in the city; or maybe you prefer to break out of that mold and have your portraits made at the beach or waterfront. Tell us a little about yourself and we will find a location that will suit your requirements/lifestyle/needs/wants.

The choice is yours.