The path that led me to photography started in 2006 when I began working in the video production space as primarily a DP for directors, agencies and directly with business owners. I worked on commercials, music videos, promos and corporate gigs with some event work sprinkled in.

I enjoyed this for several years, but found that I increasingly wanted to work directly with clients, handling the whole production process myself.

So in 2016, I moved from New Zealand back to Australia, landing in Melbourne and establishing a small studio in Footscray to achieve this goal.

Around that time, mirrorless cameras were becoming a thing for video production, and I started flirting with photography with my new hybrid cameras.

Lighting has always been one of the most rewarding aspects of both video production and photography for me. Creating a vibe with lighting has never lost that element of surprise when creating new worlds within the frame.

With lighting, I’ve always found myself instinctively drawn to deep shadows with contrasty dramatic pockets of light. This is something I’ve doubled down on with my photography.

I increasingly found that shooting stills in a studio setting is where I’m happiest, so in late 2023 I made the somewhat painful decision to walk away from the video production side of my work and concentrate solely on portraits, fashion and product photography.

You might wonder what the connection between people and products is for me? Well, it’s the visual amplification of what is in front of the camera. Because we all see people, nature and objects as they naturally exist in the world everyday, I find it rewarding to mix that natural authenticity with a heightened sense of drama and intrigue. Studio lighting allows me to achieve that.

Photography also brings a slower, less pressured pace compared to video production. I can slow things down for both myself and the sitter as we work to create a moment in front of the camera. Creating an environment that is conducive to this process despite my nervous attempts at humour is important to me.

I look forward to discussing potential future projects with you.