The Lost

Found February 2005. Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth. Sandals - 1 boys, 1 girls

There was something comical and sad about this sight that just screamed out for a photo. I like to think that the owners are brother and sister, and imagine the mother's reaction when they get home and realise that they've both lost one sandal each. Oh the laugh they'll have ...

The Autobiography

Distilling my life (incompletely) down to thirteen photos.

I shot these in 2002, possibly inspired by (or indeed inspiring) my work around this project - which itself is an incomplete (and somewhat fictionalised) distillation of my life.

It would be interesting to grow this - throw in Thackeray Street, Lord Street, Anderson Park, Birdwood Grove and any number of other locations relating to moments of varying significance.

The Country

The Flowers

These shots have been sitting in my 'to blog' folder for months and I'm sick of them. So here they are for your viewing pleasure.




They're pictures of flowers. Shot a couple of years ago. As an idea. That went nowhere. Like most ideas of mine.

The Bleak

What is it with me and umbrellas?

The Painting

A few weeks ago, I had a wee gathering at my place and suggested somewhat cheekily that people bring along an artwork for my walls. Most people ignored the request - bastards!!

One friend, Andre Young, did bring along a work, and for reasons I'm not entirely certain about I keep being drawn to it more than any other work on my walls.

Possible reason one. It was a gift.

Possible reason two. It hasn't actually made it to me wall, and is standing up on my kitchen table.

Possible reason three. I can't connect the image to any gallery or show, and consequently I have arbitrarily given it a different value.

Possible reason four. The image is absolutely beautiful.

Possible reason five. It's a very me image.

Possible reason six. It may have something to do with the direct gaze.

It is strange that many of the works I have purchased have become decorations rather than works to return to. Part of that is the fact that I live with them, and a certain complacency exists. Also I feel that by actually treating them as Art i.e. framing them, hanging them on the wall, they have lost some of their immediacy.

Last year I bought a couple of Andre's etchings, got them home, framed them, hung them on my bedroom wall, and haven't paid them much attention since.

The works I do keep going back to are my big (1.5 x 2.5m) Naga Tsutsumi drawing above my bed, the drawing by my front door (cos they're by the front door and the bathroom door, and childish), and another 'drawing' directly opposite my office door (cos it's directly opposite my office door, and kooky).

Everything else gets the occasional moment of attention when I notice/re-discover it again.

It's a strange wee goings on this art thing.

Oh, and if you're interested, Andre's work can be purchased from Roar! Gallery in Wellington.

The Canyon

Up the Ahuriri Valley, on the left, after a bit of a walk there's a canyon. One that looks rather similar to that portrayed in these images. It's nice up there. Bloody nice. Especially when you've got the whole valley to yourself, the river's icy cold, and it's lunch time.

The Cliches

The Dough

Often my photography references other photographs or other photographers, generally in subject matter more than style. This shot references a Hong Kong based photographic artist I came across a few years ago - in fact around the time of my first solo show.

The Dingle Burn

There is very little that compares to spending a couple of hours slogging it out uphill, not quite knowing where you're going or what you're going to find, only to find beauty in bucketloads. In an instant you completely forget the climb and bask in the magnificence, the Sublime. And it is good.

The CEO

I got a rude email today from a 'friend' (a true friend would be understanding and not rude) asking "Well what's the point of reading your blog if you don't update it!!!". (That's more of a statement than a question really, but you get the point.)

I admit I have been rather tardy of late. But I'm a busy man. A very busy man.

After an 8am start last Wednesday to set up a shoot, I picked up a car at 3pm and drove to Te Awamutu - cos that's where I decided to stop as it was late and getting near stop driving time. Early Thursday I drove to Auckland, had a meeting with my gallerist up there, and met some colleagues to pick up some cars for a shoot, and headed to Hamilton - cos that's where we decided to stop as the weather wasn't suitable for photography.

Friday we drove back to Wellington cos the weather wasn't suitable for photography, and had the excitement of having one of our cars hit by a falling branch and smash the windscreen. This on a car that we collected straight off the boat and had only done 350km when the branch hit. Black car! Friday the 13th!!

Saturday, back in Wellington, we spent thirteen hours in the studio trying to shoot the damned cars. Sunday, I had a day off, which was taken up with hockey (2 games), and a bush walk with a friend. Today, I've just done ten hours in the studio trying to shoot the damned cars (very trying).

So anyway, now that I've explained my absence, here's a picture.

It was taken a couple of weeks ago by my friend and colleague Dean (here's his old website which is waiting to be updated). It was for a CEO shoot. I'm a CEO too, but we were shooting a different CEO that day. I was just the stand-in.

Are you happy now lady?!

The Blur

I've no idea why I took these shots. Don't even know where they were shot. I'm guessing Leicester Square. Maybe it had something to do with this. It was a long time ago. You can't expect me to remember everything. Anyway, they're quite cool.

The Homely

Yeah okay so I know all these images are on my website, but seeing as it was the start of something much bigger, i.e. my conceit, I thought it was worth posting them here too. And also unless you've looked at my website you're unlikely to have seen them cos I didn't exactly advertise the show they were in.

The title itself was a bit of a piss take slash homage slash art wank attention grabber. It didn't really work as the latter though seeing as it garnered me no art wank attention. But as all the images were made in my then home, it made perfect sense really.

The Bruise

Seeing as I got absolutely no sympathy from anyone regarding my earlier posting regarding the amount of pain I had recently suffered as a result of having too much fun, and considering that there is now some physical evidence of said pain I had recently suffered as a result of having too much fun, I decided I should post an image of said physical evidence just to prove that when I said "Usually it is fun. Today, however, it hurts." I meant it bloody hurt!! So much so that I was considering a trip to the hospital, although I knew that it wasn't anything major (like something broken) and the pain would go in time, and while it hurt whenever I tried doing, well, anything being the staunch guy I am I knew I could ride out the pain and come through the other side a stronger person.

I have to say it's a little bit confusing due to the nice summer tan line, but the reddish circle on top of my shoulder is where the ball hit. Why the bruise is so intense further down the arm I have no idea. It looks cool though.

And just in case you were wondering (and you almost certainly weren't cos otherwise you would have sent me some sympathy) the pain did go away, and now it only hurts when I push on it, or lie on it the wrong way.

I like hockey season cos I get to collect lots of bruises. It's fun.

The Snowpark

Down south there's this snowpark place.

When you go there at the end of summer, there's a distinct lack of snow. Instead they turn it into a mountain biking park.

But if you ask nicely, as we did, you can drive your Pajero around the trails and take some cool shots.

The Rocks