Juli’s work is truly breathtaking. With an awe-inspiring body of work that spans over 20 years, her attention to detail and patience to create images that are truly pieces of art, leaves me astounded at what it is possible to achieve.

Stephen Dupont – the Award winning Australian & International Photojournalist – captured my attention the most. Not only for his confronting images – and much of his work is incredibly confronting as he’s spent over 20 years covering the cultural atrocities and indignation’s of the people of Afghanistan, but for his belief in himself and his journey. His work produced is well beyond the capabilities of most human beings & his belief that these people’s stories need to be told, & the way in which he has told them bares witness to a rare individual. An individual that has risked his life to tell the stories of those who can’t or are forced not to.

What struck me most about Stephen though was his incredibly relaxed nature…which I soon found came from his unwavering commitment to his personal beliefs…..on all levels. His commitment to excellence in everything he does, his embodiment of photographic standards to levels most of us can only admire – he is a Canon Master photographer, he still shoots in Positive/Negative Polaroid film…and he does this in the most challenging environments, and his ability to tell a story through his images. I personally believe that still images are the most powerful…..leaving the viewer to question what is going on.

His photojournalism work not only bares witness to the societies he’s covered but in contrast also borders fine Art in its production. From his work he produces very expensive & beautifully hand-crafted books, some he’s etched personally, he prints his images on silver gelatin paper, believes in the lost art of film, and back’s himself personally & financially to chase projects he believes in…like the Raskols project, where he shot the rampant gangs of New Guinea in 2004…..

Silver Gelatin Prints from his exhibition in Australia

Or the Axe Me Biggie, (or Mr Take My Picture) series he shot: Anonymous Polaroid portraits taken on the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2006
….the list goes on.

On Monday I was fortunate enough to get up-close-and-personal with Stephen at a Master Class he was taking here in Auckland at Kingsize studios. A rare opportunity to be part of an an active discussion around his work and who he is.

An Image from the ‘Raskols’ exhibition/book.

Stephen Dupont (and Ann Orman) at the Master class he gave at Kingsize Studios in Auckland

So what did I walk away from this with?

Never compromise on who I am, the dream I have, or what I believe in. That anything is possible when you believe – and I mean believing to a level where its unquestionable where you are going. Stay true to you. Have an unwavering commitment to your personal journey. Don’t be afraid to stand out from everyone else and committ to producing the highest quality work you possibly can. Keep learning and pushing your own boundaries. And never do anything to impress anyone else….do it to for yourself.

It put into perspective a saying I read recently:

‘Happiness is when what you think, what you say, & what you do are in harmony’. I believe this goes hand-in-hand with my experience this weekend.

And most of all…be patient…good things take time. When you truly want something….be patient. Particularly when you’re a photographer….this is a long journey….so enjoy the ride….this is the next part of my journey.

After a long walk around the Blue Lake (in Rotorua) through the beautiful Redwood and large fern trees, grounding myself in nature….I realised that although I may have found my passion in photography, I felt like something was missing. Having a passion for something is wonderful & exciting, but is that really enough?…

In my previous role in recruitment I was profoundly affecting peoples lives on a daily basis. I was questioning their sense of being here, what their purpose was in life…until one day – after 7 years in the industry, in a career I could truly say I was passionate about & felt I had a sense of purpose in – I asked myself the same question. I had given so much to others to help them change their lives – what about me? My time in that role had expired. And my journey into photography began…

I found this incredibly interesting as I thought finding my passion was enough. I also wondered today – as we age does our sense of purpose in the world change? (I’m sure Freud would have an answer to this question). I don’t have an answer yet, but my journey over the next few months is to start discovering it. What is my purpose? What I do know is this…a sense of purpose keeps me connected to myself. And as I mentioned in my last post, stops us on ‘filling up’ with activities that are not connected to ourselves. Its not about how much money we earn but intrinsically why we do what we do. And not just to feed our egos.

My purpose in life, and something I’ve always known, has always been to affect other peoples lives in such a way that they see themselves and their lives differently…that they experience something about themselves that they didn’t believe was possible. I always believed my photography was about challenging what people saw and making them feel something. But I’m just not sure that’s enough anymore….

This will be an interesting journey….

I feel I’m one of the lucky ones. I found my passion for photography about 8 years ago. A passion that keeps me connected with my soul. Over the last few months however, I’ve been traveling through remote parts of NZ with a very good friend of mine, to places that fill me up…the mountainous landscapes, the long hour-less drives between small rural towns, the wide open landscapes with nothing but a scattering of animals. The quietness & stillness. Long days filled with moments where I never spared a thought for the bustle of the big city. What occurred to me today was that up until about 3mths ago, I thought my life was full, or so I thought, with friends, exhibitions, ‘things to do’. A consummation of a city.  I hadn’t been truly connected with myself even though I thought I was. & I was still measuring certain parts of my life to what others were doing. But its the open landscape that has connected me back with myself. Back in March I did the Tongariro Crossing – that was the beginning of realisng what I was truly missing from my life. When I came back to NZ from Paris I had the same revelation – just the mere thought of going home to NZ, home to walk through Whakarewarewa Forest (The Redwood Forest) in Rotorua, sent an incredible sensation through my entire body. I feel like I have truly come home.

So my revelation today was this – not to measure your life by what other people are doing, or what they have done, by what you read, or what you see, but to go out and experiment…..pick your way through you’re own life and connect with what works for you…& be patient. It’s a journey, some people get it early, & some people never get it at all. But if you trust your heart, it will always tell you where you need to be……always.

Stay open, stay present, and stay true to you…

A little taste of my NZ….

Click to view slideshow.

I’ve been fortunate enough to be working as an Executive Producer/Business Development Manager for a boutique Production Company – Digital Masters – in Parnell Auckland. In line with an earlier post about being patient and ‘good things take time’…I knew I had to supplement my photography income with some other work…and decided rather than go back into the corporate sector (as lucrative as it can be) I knew thats not where I needed to be heading. I still hedged my bets though & lined up a couple of interviews back in the recruitment sector. But knew I needed a role in the creative sector & immediately found a role working for a production co. I rang Andy Tyler – the MD – and told him he had to interview me! 3 interviews later…and 3 mths later I have been immersed into the world of TV Commercial production. The skills I’ve learnt managing a production shoot have definitely given me the confidence to apply these to my photography.

The other thing that happened was a very good friend of mine convinced me to start taking my Canon 5D II out with me….he was tired of seeing a photographer only taking photos with her iPhone. Funny, I got so immersed in the ease of my iPhone as a camera I had almost forgotten how wonderful the resolution is on my commercial camera. And the SI truly hasn’t looked so stunning…

The view from Mt John - Lake Tekapo

Sunrise over Lake Tekapo (on a freezing cold & VERY windy morning!)

I suppose what this blog is really saying….

….is stay open to the opportunities around you….

I find it fascinating that it always reminds me that we do actually live on a planet…….& in NZ, or more specifically in Auckland as I walk along the waterfront past the Ports of Auckland looking West in early Autumn, the sky often has an eerily but stunningly beautiful sci-fi look about it. Like a scene I could imagine out of Pink Floyd’s ‘War of the Worlds’. It often makes me stop and catch my breath.

And yesterday seemed to be more poignant than ever…..just lately as I’ve had the opportunity to work with a production company…..I have been really trying to understand why it is I love stills photography as much as I do. I mean I love movies….another obsession of mine….beautifully well shot movies….but I keep coming back to photography. And then it dawned on me….a single still image makes you stop……it forces you to contemplate and be with a single moment in time. A moment captured that will never be experienced again. It makes me stop & feel something. Maybe that is why so many people are fascinated with photography? I wonder if the really know why?

When I had my first exhibition back in 2004 this is what I wrote on my promotional material….it still stands true today…maybe its time for another exhibition…..

“My photography is a reflection of my soul. It is how I feel… how I see the world.

Each image represents male and female in some way. I look for fluidity, rhythm, form, movement and light. Photographs to me are like music – as the heart sings to a piece of music, a photograph should do the same.

I am a purest. Each photograph was taken exactly the way you see it now. You see the image exactly as I saw it.

Photography to me is about the moment when you are taking the photo, about the light, form, structure and interpretation.

I trust my camera and trust what I feel.”

And again, my i-phone 4 allows me liberties my large SLR does not….it doesn’t interrupt the moment for me but allows me to enjoy it. I wouldn’t be able to capture these as often as I would like with out it.

So if you love clouds, this beautiful planet we live on, and being in the moment……..enjoy…..

Aprox 95% of the business I’ve generated in the last year has come from networking, and led to some very exciting projects. The meeting of like minded people on similar journeys to produce results conducive to both parties, has lead to me having the great fortune of an amazing client base who allow me to generate work that leaves my creativity in tact to produce images representative of who I am.  That’s not always an easy thing to achieve as an artist in a commercial field. I love that….and don’t take any of it for granted.

One recent opportunity was to shoot the cover (& my first published cover shot  so very exciting!) and 2 editorial articles for the inaugural Parnell magazine: The Pulse – a new magazine launched by the very talented Ellie Van Baaren of EVB Media. Ellie is a little powerhouse, young, driven, focused and with a passion to deliver a unique and extremely polished product. She is also publishing the stunning Trade magazine for the Hairdressing industry and has a vision to create a unique product for that community. I met Ellie while attending the Parnell BizHub – a networking organisation which has just been established by another very talented woman – Carmel Murphy.

The feature article is with Mike Swan, Proprietor of the Red Brick Kitchen & Bar, 46 Parnell Rd in Parnell. A modern, cosy & intimate place for stunning food and beautifully selected wines…..esp French wines!

Click on article to enlarge

The second editorial was with the wonderfully eccentric Russell Green from Shanghai Lil’s. An infamous nightspot forced to relocate to Parnell from the historical Birdcage, located at the bottom of the Franklin Rd, due to the development of the new Northern motorway Tunnel . Russell is just gorgeous and comes with a wealth of knowledge  of Auckland’s socialites from the 60′s to now. And the quirky, darkly moody environment he is well known for is an experience not to be missed!

Click on article to enlarge

So here’s a few things that I’ve learnt….

1. Firstly……CHILLOUT: (and yes I’m going to shout it!). Rome wasn’t built in a day, so chill out and allow your business to grow by osmosis, good planning, & good networking.
2. Have faith in your abilities: Make sure you take the time to celebrate your successes and milestones. You are probably doing better than you thought. And again…..things take time
3. Get Real: talk to people in business, particularly those in businesses of a similar size to you, so you can keep perspective on what you are doing. And don’t measure yourself by others…learn from others but measure yourself by you.
4. Remain Fluid: Some of the best opportunities come up when we’re not looking and were planning for something else. (I know…I’ve heard that said before and never really understood it either!)
5. There is no such thing as an unrealistic goal, only unrealistic time frames. THIS for me was a key one. You can dream as BIG as you want…everything is possible…just set some realistic timeframes…and have a good plan to follow.

If you're going to build something...make it outstanding!

To me Le Tour Eiffel is testament to achieving a goal. The iconic symbol of French culture, liberty, and progress, was completed in 1889 for the World Fair. From the numerous designs submitted as part of a national competition, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel’s design won, and he became responsible for constructing the Eiffel Tower in the heart of Paris. After it was completed many thought it was an eyesore and wanted to tear it down…now it is considered one of the most symbolic structures in the world today. The Tower took 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days to complete. It is 324 meters tall, is 9441 tons of wrought iron and made up of 18,038 pieces of wrought iron and 2.5 million rivets.

My Personal Rules for Success:

I thought I’d also share some of my rules for personal success, that help me keep it real and maintain some balance:

• Find a mentor – someone who’s values mirror yours, & someone you trust
• Always speak the truth……your truth
• Believe in what is right – even when no-one else does
• Make your own rules
• Treat others as you would have them treat you
• Love & respect who you are everyday
• Exercise everyday
• Be true to yourself and keep it real

Ceramics seem to have a softness about them, a femininity, regardless of what has been created, there is an energy about each piece that sets it a part from any other sculptures. Something I find is similar to the kind of photography I like….

Being an artist is not easy. It is a long road, often traveled solo, reaching into the depths of your emotions to find the profanity of the world we live in. Then finding a way in which to express it, without listening to either your internal chatter or the publicly external critics. In doing so the Portage Ceramic awards are a clear celebration of those who trust in their creative journey, to produce stunning and outstanding pieces of work. Many thanks to Kate Wells.

The Portage Ceramic Awards are on every year in Nov.

Below are images of the beautiful & intriguing works that were on display….

Whether it was the sexy new LeicaS2 from Lacklands you wanted to drool over (or any of the Leica’s for that matter!), or test drive the new portable Elinchrom D-LITE-IT 2 To Go Kit from Apix (at just over $4k) & shoot one of the gorgeous RedEleven models….you had all the latest technology at your fingertips. Paul from Progear brought out their big guns with the Canon 600mm lens (which was no surprise really!), Voigtlander, and the Orbis Ring Flash designed by New Zealander James Madelin. Apix had the latest in Epson printers, Gary Fong camera flash accessories, & Nikon Cameras & lenses;  Canon had their full range of professional lenses; Sony with their latest in camera & video technology; & Photowarehouse with a foray of Profoto studio lighting gear.

With a constant stream of photographers checking out the latest gear  and preparing their New Year wish-list for 2011, it was a great day. Most left a little deflated that the depth of their pockets and the size of their dreams weren’t quite in sync yet! Roll on 2011 with a new season of opportunities….

So if you missed the Gearfest this weekend, AIPA are planning to make this an annual event…so start preparing your budget for next year. The great thing about having all these suppliers under one roof is you get to test drive and compare everything all in one day…… Oh…and if you haven’t checked out the facilities at Kingsize Studios….you don’t know what you’re missing…4 multipurpose studios to shoot in and all the gear you need + a crew of photographers on hand.

(All images were taken on the new i-Phone 4G)

Photographers and AIPA members: David Austin & Jocelen Janon, and Aaron K – Executive Directer of AIPA