Earl Gray

Trawling through the archives.Shot in my old bathroom in Chippendale in 2007.

Sian Honeywell (shot for Valerie Tolosa)

Here are some more pics of the beautiful Sian

Lily Allen

I had the pleasure of shooting the lovely Lily last week. Firstly for MCM Studios, where she had an interview with Ruby Rose for MTV and performed a few of her latest songs, and then the next day, across the road at the Horden Pavilion for her live show.

The last time I saw her play was some 4 years ago, at a secret gig at Club 77. Since then she has kicked off her sneakers and slipped into slinky heels. Although I resent her glamming it up a bit (i loved her sneakers and frocks, and fuck-off attitude), I guess we have all grown up sometime. She was a sweetie in the interview, very witty, and that voice of hers is just as juicy as ever.

Anyway, here are some shots from both events.

Lady Gaga

I don't think I should write anything for this blog. She seems to have a pretty serious crew of heavies and lawyers surrounding her, so.... enjoy the pics.

Love her or hate her, she puts on a good show.
























Shot @ Live Lounge, Sydney 11th May 2009

Valerie Tolosa Summer 09/10

Val and I had another shoot. This time with a stunning model from Perth, Sian Honeybell. She was just beautiful. So young, and yet really fit into the luxurious look we were aiming for on the location shots.

We started in the studio, shot something crazy like 50 looks, and then headed to a speedboat down at Woolloomooloo wharf, care of Jamie Wright, whose boyfriend just so happened to own the FASTEST boat on Sydney Harbor. What are the odds really!

So we headed down and raced against the setting sun and looming clouds. It was actually a lot darker than it seems in the photos, at times the clouds so thick, there was next to no light what soever. So, hopefully we have pulled off a summer feel despite the dreary Autumn day.

Magdalena Part II

Another chapter from the Magdalena Duma shoot. Later in the day. It was freezing!

Magdalena Duma

Here is the first batch of shots from the Magdalena Duma campaign. They were shot to be converted to B&W, but I like the bleached out treatment in these. Reminds me of the 90s.













It was a very windy day, poor Imogen was almost being blown off the cliffs, her eyes were watering and the wind was forcing me to shoot at 1/250 shutter speed, just to avoid lens movement. We shot in the National Park between Cronulla and Kurnell, a hot spot that I have used for quite a few shoots, including the FBI cover shoot, St Augustine for ACFM and a recent shoot for Short Stack (Pics to come).

Anyway, many more pics to come. It really is handy having a muse as my

Model: Imogen Stuart
Hair and Makeup: Jeanne
Styling: Yvette Herbert

Photographing the photographers at RAFW

I turned my camera onto the photographers at RAFW, to show the frenzy that goes on behind the scenes at a show. There were at least 20 photographers backstage at one time, all scrambling for the same pic. Generally most were well behaved, though as you can read in the well practiced Sonny's blog, it ain't what it used to be.

Out in the pit at the front of the catwalk, there were at least 50 photographers and videographers. To get a good spot, you have to arrive hours before a show, and mark your spot. Luckily I got to share a spot with the Rosemount TVC crew :)

Anyway, here are some pics, to give you an idea of what it was like working at this years RAFW. Only 340 days till next year.



I just loved watching the girls posing for other photographers.







Photographers checking their levels, while others check out the clothes



Some serious get-up



The guerrilla of the paps, Charlie Bruer.



Guests at Romance was Born snapping away






Eye spy Isaac




The wall of photographers in the OPT

Konstantina MIttas

First show of day 3 at RAFW. Amazing clothes, matched by the hottest gold leaf eye make-up and crimped flat-top hair. So many pics to upload! So little time....

Backstage at Dion Lee RAFW

Maise Show

Well, we are coming into the thick of another fashion week (one of my favourite weeks of the year), and last night I shot the amazingly talented designer, Claire Greaves's label Maise. It was held in the old chocolate factory on Cleveland St (I used to live next door coincidentally), a great space, seating 250 people in bleachers, there was a real 1980s high school gym vibe. From the mini basketballs, spiked in the models heals (Ms Fitz is the mastermind behind the styling), to the bleachers, the football inspired shoulder-pads and the coach whistles squealing over the music.

















Check out some of my favorite pieces here. There is a kooky mix of sport and femme. Kind-of like if the teacher's pet got knocked up by the school jock at the prom, this would be their child, some 20 years later.








Thanks to the beautiful Nicole at Under The Wing :)

Tim Fite

I shot Laneway Festival 2009 for Drum Media, with one instruction from the editor, Mark. 'Make sure you get Time Fite, we hear he is something else on stage.' His show was quite remarkable. Nothing I had ever seen before. Tim and his brother Greg



After the show we chatted, and I thought it would be great to do a shoot with him. He has the charisma and presence that is a photographer's dream. I sent through some reference shots of the infamous 1930s photographer, Weegee. Tim wrote back, saying he loved Weegee, and I knew this was going to be a great collaboration.



I studied Weegee for my HSC in art, and the above shot has stuck with me ever since. Below is a photo of the quirky New Yorker.



I spent a day or so sourcing props, getting over-sized suits and shirts from op-shops, fake blood and 'wound putty,' and some amazing specs from my friends at Eye Candy Optics on Oxford St. The wonderful Felicia Yong came on board for hair and make-up, and my friend Will Reichelt put his hand up to assist. When Justin and I did tests with the blood splatter down at Glebe Point we had a few funny looks. We also tested the lighting method; I wanted to stick as close to the 'Weegee look' as possible.

Anyway, here is the final result. We started off in the studio, then wandered the alleys of Camperdown. The 'whodunnit' lighting in the studio was achieved using a Fresnel light.



Tim and Pushkin striking a pose







In the first street set-up I staged Tim as Weegee, Greg as the faceless victim.

Weegee would always show up to crime scenes before the cops, flashing away. For a while he was suspected as the killer! The idea of this shot was a play on the idea of a photographer shooting people. Bang bang your dead. Sometimes when I race around, firing away, staring through the lens, ready to fire as soon as the shot comes into focus, it can feel like a hunt of sorts. I wanted Tim/Weegee to look as though he had been busted.




I shot with my D3, and synced my Nikon flash with another Nikon flash which was placed on the Mamiya Press 6x7 which Tim is holding. This meant that my flash would light Tim's face (I used a soft box on my flash) and Tim's flash fired in unison, illuminating the dead Greg in a harsh glare





The second street setup was more of a traditional take on Weegee; voyeuristic documentary. Using a similar light (on camera flash with a reflector dish to emulate a bulb flash). Tim went above and beyond, smearing his bloodied face into the gravel, swallowing a questionable amount of the fake blood, bending his limbs into unfathomable positions.








Since the shoot the images have been featured on Antirecords blog and LA Eyeworks

Oh, and Tim has since got free glasses for his modeling

Tato Y Memi

The beautiful Nicole Glavin from Under the Wing organized this shoot with the girls from Tato. We decided to stick with an elegant and simple format for the lookbook, getting a few hero shots on location after the studio shoot.

When we were setting up in the studio I was unrolling the paper-roll, and sun was streaming through the door behind onto the floorboards. It was beautiful. I mimicked this with studio lighting, placing a bare head behind the paper-roll to recreate the effect. I have since used this trick in a music shoot (The Model School).

Once we had finished in the studio we raced to a warehouse in Surry Hills, to get the hero shots. Location shoots are always my favorite part of the day; you never know what you'll get.



Label- Tato Y Memi
Assistant- Jef Yiu
Post Prod- Justin Malinowski
Hair and Makeup- Rachel Montgomery
Stylist- Bec Caratti
Model- Michella @ Chadwicks
Studio: Blue Murder Studios

Culture Magazine

Fernando Barazza, Karen Hopwood and I have worked together on many shoots over the past year. We decided to to do a submission that had a strong focus on a really stripped back and elegant look, with little distraction from the hair, make-up and styling. We submitted to Culture mag. Here is the spread.



















Thanks to the beautiful models Charlotte, Camille and Ruby @ Chic. So gorgeous! And thanks to the team, Karen, Fernando, Justin, Rachel, Vicki and Michael.

If anyone wants to know what the threads and accessories are, ask I I'll put them up.

Sound Relief

The Sound Relief concerts, the biggest concerts Australia has ever held (120 000 people combined), held in Syndey and Melbourne on Saturday 14th raised 5 million dollars for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal.






The SCG was filled to the rafters with a particularly friendly crowd. There were your die hard fans squished at the front of the pit, but there was minimal pushing and shoving. The crowd-surfers weren't your standard larrikans or first aid patients, but teen-bopper girls smiling away as they were hand delivered within spitting-distance of their idols on stage.

Speaking of idols....



Coldplay started the day. Which was great, the whole crowd was there as soon as the concert kicked off.


John Farnham joined Chris Martin on stage to sign "Your the Voice." 40 000 people chanting along, I was surprised the kids knew it! None the less, they loved it. Sentimental for an era long before their time.



Wolfmother followed, with their new line-up. Andrew Stockdale pulling the same charismatic Zeplin moves as before. They really amped the crowd up.





The keyboardist had a rather Jesus-like look about him



Hoodoo Gurus. My oh my! The way they held the crowd and moved on stage was incredible. I can only but imagine them some 20 years ago. On fire. The guitarist was like a Fabio of the rock world. Tight white pants, red shirt and some of the oldest and greatest moves in the books.





Architecture in Helskini were as quirky as always. There was a flood of girls crowd-surfing and doing the whirlwind.




You am I followed. Tim Rogers was looking mighty fine. Though something was wrong. I turned around, and the kids who had been screaming two minutes ago were standing there, staring at the ripped Tim, mute. I asked them if they had heard of You am I, and they harmonized a no. Unbelievable. After a bit of encouragement from me, the girls started cheering and dancing around, screaming 'we love you!' that was my good deed for the day.





The gorgeous Josh Pyke came out next, excited to play to the largest crowd he had ever performed to.


I actually spent more time wandering around the crowd shooting whatever caught my eye...







And then suddenly the sky opened up and the entire crowd ran for shelter (bar the 50 die hard fans of Marcia Hines who stuck it out at the front).





The clouds then parted as Taylor Swift pranced on stage.



At first clad in loose jeans and t-shirt, I thought that I would try and look past her music, and give her a chance. But then, off with the modesty and on with the show....



I turned around and spoke to my teen friends whom I had earlier educated in You am I, and asked them what they thought. They said they loved her. I asked why. They said she was sweet. I asked them if they knew what feminism was, and lets just say, I did my second deed for the day. Budding little Germaine Greers I made out of them. Swift's fanbase is down by ten.

Then some great Aussie rock started to heal my ears and eyes.

Jet were restyled and looking as great as they sounded.





And Eskimo Joe seemed to have the same stylist on board; Kav wearing a gypsie vest and white jeans with rocker finesse.



All in all it was a great day. The crowd was one of the best crowds I have ever come accross (might have something to do with the 'no alcohol policy' in the pit, and I still have a treasure chest of shots to upload. So keep tuned.

Study of a girl in the crowd

Josh Pyke take iii

I have had the pleasure of photographing the lovely Josh Pyke once again, this time for Drum Media. After shooting him twice for Ivy League, we know the way we both work, I know what he wants, he knows what I want, so it was cruisy. In and out within 20 minutes.

Naturally much more time was spent in the preparation for such a shoot. To-ing and fro-ing between Drum, the label and myself, coming up with an idea that we were all happy with. We settled on a dark and moody shoot, moving away from the seaside references in his previous press shoots. I needed to do something simple, elegant. Something that conjured up his creative journey.

Once that had been agreed on, then it was off to the prop shop, (conveniently located next door), to find inspiration. I found a typewriter and smoke machine. Perfect!

It wasn't until the morning of the shoot that I came up with the idea of dropping pages from an old book from the background sky. Not of course implying that his ideas come from thin air! So my assistant (Cara) and I raced to my bookshelf and carved up a Daphne Dumaurier book. Thanks Daph.

I'll put some older Josh pics up soon.

The Drones

I first met The Drones last year, for a Drum Cover. This was a pretty speedy shoot, where we had set up all the lighting. In and out. Bang bang.



Next time I saw the band, up in Splendor*, this time for Jmag. It was another speedy shoot. The shot was a bit of an homage to the first shot. Pretty close......

I had a studio setup backstage and photographed all the acts after they were interviewed by Triple J. Some bands raced in before they jumped on stage, others hung around for ages, (I had them draw their band names on white card. The most impressive was Sigor Ros. Amazing. Each band's drawings got better and better as the festival went on. Everyone trying to up the rest).

The Drones had a plane to catch, to the US. As it happens, I saw them in New York. It was a great night. Ex pats style.





These last shots are from Laneway, Sydney 09.








Girl in the crowd.


* More splendor pics to come

The Ting Tings

Innocence Lost

Photographed by Cybele Malinowski

Styling by Alvin @ Academy for Men

Make-up Jasmine Lo

Hair Steven Juni

The Lost Innocents Mischa, Kubi, Felix (Pricillas) and the beautiful Imogen Stuart

Published in Academy for Men, Issue II

Pushkin

My new muse





Pushkin and her buddy the stag

Franz Ferdinand

The Lucky Lucky boys played at Enmore on 6th January. Amazing. Lots of kicks, jumps and general Franz antics. They are so tight.

Byron Bay. Pretty in Pink

Dash & Will

Two of the sweetest girls to come into the music industry this year; Dash & Will, Charlie and Josie have toured with the Kooks, and are creating a following around the perimeter of Australia, aaaand that's just the beginning. They are pretty much right out of school, and have a hell of a lot ahead of them.








I also recently shot Charlie with Tim Rogers for a Drum Homebake cover.

LA for 3 days.

Flower Power

A (microscopic) walk through Pin Mill, in the British countryside.

I was immersed in the happenings deep within the grasses of the fields, the ants impersonating the black taxis in London, shiny skins racing around in haphazard order, lady beetles strolling along the promenade, parading their new red threads, bees tramping their way around town, from one flower to the next, a lad out on the prowl, flowers aching for the sun, the last chance at sunbathing they will get, on this unseasonably warm late September day.

Red Rock, Nevada

We drove down the Las Vegas strip, past the thousands of people swarming around the dream of a big win. Fake tans, fake smiles.

Heading straight into the sunset, we headed to the canyons. Perfectly manicured green lawns, triple garages, footpaths as wide as Sydney roads, roads as wide as Sydney harbor.

The final row of houses back onto the canyon. Green, swimming pool, plastic toys, fence, and suddenly red. Just like that. We are out of Vegas.

We arrive at Red Rock, sign our lives away, and wait in line with the 50 other city slickers in need of some respite from the neon glow in the not so distant distance.

Here are some pictures from the amazing sunset ride. (I am amazed my camera survived the bumpy ride!)

swan lake

dial tone

bob ellis- a day in the park

Bob Ellis, named after the beloved political writer, Bob Ellis the first, a wise old old romantic fool (to quote George Negus).








and then we get home. a stretch is in order

sam sparrow @ mtv

Photographed at MTV gallery for a Blackbeery launch on Tuesday night.

Academy for Men

My two personal favorites below. Check it out at academy for men. This is the first issue of this new online magazine. I have a great series of shots based on The Lost Boys, coming out next issue.







Photography Cybele Malniowski

Models Ben W and Daniel McMillan @ Viviens
Joel Rosenveig @ Academy for Men
Joshula Crocombe @ Scene
Adrian Africa & Charlie Taperell @ Pricillas
Stylist Fernando Barazza
Hair and Make-up Felicia Young @ Look

'love triangle' 20th September 2008, Mission St, SF

three mannequins. two shop windows. one broken heart.



tracy. haughty and proud. The scent of mothballs and lavender waft out to the street below. Passers by breathe in this melancholic fume.




Marge watches from the shadows in JC Penny. The San Franciscan Indian Summer, searing into her plastic glare.



Buck's got it all. the girls. the suit. the specs. which girl will this plastic hearted man pursue? which one's heart will he break?

Catcall

Some pictures I found in the Blue Murder archives of the lovely Catcall. You may remember her from my exhibition at MTV galleries in April. She was the pinup girl of the show.

These were taken early this year, after I had photographed Catherine for the FBI magazine. Since then, Catcall has joined forces with Levins, as they set off to tour through the US shortly.





The idea for this shot was to set up a cyclorama in front of a suburban home. I bought the material at spotlight, and we basically taped the cloth up in front of a garage in Randwick. I used a long lens for this shot. So I was on one side of the street, screaming out directions to Catherine, as cars whizzed past. We had many inquisitive onlookers.

Backstage at Valerie Tolosa

One of my favorite regulars, Valerie Tolosa asked me to shoot backstage at her AW09 Collection Launch @ Piano Room on Tuesday night.

I love shooting backstage, it's when the models are not in 'photo' mode, or they are just to busy to give a shit about me, so I just roam around with my camera and take candid pics.

It was a bit rushed at this show, as I set up a shooting area and shot all 24 looks while the girls were preparing. I'll put some of those shots up soon. As much of the collection is velvet, and I used a crushed velvet background, it has a rather 80s romantic feel to it.

I can't wait till this range comes out. It's darker and sharper than her previous floral feminine looks.

Genevieve

The Vines- jmag july 2008 issue

excerpt from the article:

"Once in the studio, Craig puts the Super Fury Animals on the stereo while photographer Cybele, towering in knee-high boots, cranks up her alternately gentle and dominatrixy technique. 'Hot' she murmurs, pinning each wandering Vine against the wall between her legs.

Craig's barely visible behind hte massive flash contraption she's homing in on him with, like a crazed b-movie scientist with a laser gun....."

-Jenny Valentish
( Jmag editor)

hair expo 2008- Romance was born

Here is the first installment of pics from Hair Expo 2008 Sydney.

I had the incredible opportunity of being the official photographer. There was a team of three of us from BMS in total, and I must say, I was stuck at the computer most of the time just trying to file the millions of beautiful shots from the shows.

A press photographer whom I have seen around the traps made the bold claim of it being bigger and better than Fashion Week. I have gotta say, it was impressive. There is A LOT of money in hair! I mean we (mostly) all have hair (and mostly) all wash, colour, care for our shiny manes.

Anyways, here are some pics backstage from a show featuring the clothes and designs of Sydney label Romance Was Born

The hair was amaaazing, but I can't recall the name of the hairdressers....

Time Out- Style Issue

Check out this article on me in timeout for the style issue!



As I was requested to take a self portrait, the pressure was on... being the style issue!

I decided to use similar lighting to many of my studio portraits in bands, and play with the simple concept of layering.

Joel Peter Witkin

Check out the photography of Joel Peter Witkin. He uses cadavers to create darkly imaginative images which, once you look past the macabre spectacle, are just magical.

Witkin claims that his vision and sensibility were initiated by an episode he witnessed when he was just a small child, a car accident that occurred in front of his house in which a little girl was decapitated.

"I could see something rolling from one of the overturned cars. It stopped at the curb where I stood. It was the head of a little girl. I bent down to touch the face, to speak to it -- but before I could touch it someone carried me away."

Essay on JP Witkin

LOUDlight opening

LOUDlight opened last Thursday night, and it was a huge! Over 500 people came through the doors at MTV gallery, in fact it was so crazy that I almost missed my speech.



I lost my notes for my thank you speech, so I would like to quickly say thanks now.

A huge thanks to HDALLAS who designed and made the beautiful lightboxes.

Thanks to all sponsors and those who helped make this show happen:

MTV
Jamesons
Tooheys
Preece Wine
Workshopped
Whirlwind
Inpress
Fringe Bar.

PhDJ
Catcall
Michaella Solar-March
Justin Miller
Anne Wall
Povel Torod
Caroline Paidasch
Mai Mai
Kristy Bradly
Timeout
Daniel Boud
Helen Malinowski (my mum)
Troy Barrott
Nancy Siler
Matt Weston
Kate Hurst

Dave Rennick, Sarah Kelly and Curse Of Company. You guys were just incredible! I can't wait to hear more. It was an honour to have you play on the night. Thank you thank you thank you!

and a MASSIVE thank you to my brother my inspirer, Justin who with the help of the Elle Mcarthy who have made this whole thing happen. Justin, without you, I would not be here. I have you to thank for everything.

AND of course all of the amazing bands whom I have worked with, and a particular thanks to those exhibited in the show. You are the stars of tonight, and I owe it all to you. Thank you so much!

and thanks to the beautiful Marieke, Lindsay and Robbie! You guys rock.

See pics from the night.

Damn Arms in LOUDlight

Josh Pyke & Pnau

Two more additions to the LOUDlight set.

LOUDlight invite

18-30 April 2008

Opening Night 17th April

Doors open @ 6.30pm

Marieke and the Doctor from Triple J will be officially opening the night, followed by an exclusive preview of Dave Rennick's new musical venture Curse of Company!

Dj set by PhDJ


After party @ The Fringe Bar, Oxford St Paddington (9-late)

My beautiful girls Michaella Solar-March and Catherine Kelleher (aka Catcall) will be on the decks, as you sip on half price cocktails alllll night

Karina, Young and Restless

One of my favorite portraits taken last year. Karina has such an incredibly cheeky look, she is made for the camera. SO glad to include this in the exhibition

I did a re-shoot of Y&R the other week, as two member have left the band (which I will blog about). In only 6 months Karina's look has not so much changed, but developed. A little less demure, a little more feisty. She is one hot gal

Teenagers in Tokyo to replace Bernard Fanning and Daniel Johns

I am sad to say that I have been asked to remove the image of Fanning and Johns, front men of the eminent Aussie bands Powderfinger and Silverchair.

This change however has made space in the exhibition for me to exhibit a personal favorite shot that I have taken since the final selection. It is of the cool kids from Sydney's Teenagers in Tokyo, who have just recently had the honor of being signed with the UK label Backyard Recordings (who look after the likes of The Gossip and Cromeo)!!!



Here are some more pics from the shoot.

LOUDlight: my first solo exhibtion

NWalton@acpmagazines.com.au

2007 was a busy and exciting year for commercial photographer Cybele Malinowski and the the time has come to exhibit her very personal selection of photographs for all the music hungry world to see.

Cybele spent the best part of 2007 shooting Australia’s great musicians, bands and entertainers for album covers, magazines and label promotion. She has travelled all over this vast nation meeting and capturing the talented array of music stars that Oz has on offer.

Cybele’s solo exhibition “loudlight” will display massive translucent life-size prints on custom light boxes in a blacked-out MTV Gallery creating an out-of-this-world experience. Some of the artists featured include Daniel Johns, Bernard Fanning, Josh Pike, Dapple Cities Fly, Ben Lee, Young and Restless, PNAU, Muscles, Midnight Juggernauts and Catcall.

Most of this work has been shot in studio with her dramatic and unique lighting techniques. Location shoots were undertaken with equal technical complexity and prowess, pumping out brilliant romantic imagery. It is this ardent commitment to her own lighting style that sets her apart from the rest and lays her future claim to a place in art history.

Valerie Tolosa Shoot

Here are a few shots for a great shoot I had earlier this week for Valerie Tolosa's newest range.

More to come, this is just a sneak peak....








Thanks to all those involved

Stylist: Nadene Duncan (Summer/Winter)

Hair and Makeup: Nancy Siler

Model: Carla (Chadwicks- thanks Joseph Tinni!)

Agent: Nicole Glaven @ Paul Maloney Fashion Agency

teenagers in tokyo

Here is a press shot taken at BMS last Friday night of Teenagers in Tokyo.

Like the Catcall shoot, this shoot came about after shooting the FBI music fashion feature late last year. Sam, from TIT was the stylist on the mag spread.

I have not posted the catcall shot yet, as it is the feature of my upcoming solo exhibition, which I will post about very very soon

This shot was a direct take from an image I found of Picasso (I think it's Picasso...)




...more pics to come

The Veronicas @ MCM

Taken earlier this week, this was the first live show photographed on my new Nikon D3, and it truly went a breeze. Most of these shots were taken at 3200 iso, an unimaginable range on my old d200 (I would never go about 800 iso, in an emergency).

The D3 has opened up a whole door of choices now, often while shooting now, where I once would have been pulling the flash out, I simply find a nice source of natural light, up the ISO and bang, there you have it. Shooting gigs, conferences, portraits, the whole spectrum of jobs, has become so much easier.

I feel as though now that I can get shots at a much faster rate, I have time to search for more obscure or obtuse images. I really think that this revolution for Nikon will shape the way we shoot.











This drummer was 100% pure 80s rock. Mesmerizing to watch, could have been an extra in Wayne's World

Cut Copy -jmag cover shoot March 08

My second cover shoot for jmag, (the first being the Powderfinger/Silverchair shoot last year, where I had a total of ten minutes to get the shot).

This was a much more casual and rewarding shoot, where I was given a week to style and organize the shoot; plenty of creative freedom.

Myles from Wolfmother was kind enough to lend his amazing and geeky sound equipment you see the Cutters playing around with on the cover, and thanks to ksubi, somedays and orson&blake for the great clothes and accesories. (geek specs purchased for $4.95 each from the Cleveland St party hire shop.

This one is my personal favorite, an homage to the beautiful Ladyhawke*







And here is the final product!
(The design team at Jmag have taken out the photographic auto-poles that Justin so painstakingly placed in in photoshop...)




*ladyhawke

Scribe

Scribe @ Take40



When ever I shoot at MCM Take40, I always like to take the artists somewhere nearby and get a couple portraits. It just so happened there was a boxing ring next door in Fox Studios, and it also just so happened that Scribe can box! He almost got me right on the nose via my camera, but I got out of the ring unharmed. Scribble was a great sport.







Scribes dj P money has been straight edge for 9 years.

here comes the sun

Believe it or not, we have almost finished summer here in Sydney. After three months of rain, the highest rainfall in history, the Warragamba damn is bubbling, the grass is greener, though selfishly, I miss the, the sweaty bus seats, hell, I even miss the water restrictions and those long summer days at Bondi that have been far and few between this year.

Here is some photographic evidence that there was a summer, be it brief. Taken for Marie Claire at Bondi in January.

CutCopy and Van She @ Cockatoo Island

Shot on Cockatoo Island, a mystical island right bang in the middle of Sydney harbor. i could hear the unmistakable sounds of CutCopy in sound check from the ferry wharf 5km away.

Despite the terrible weather, some 2000 kids came along to this Myspace gig. Although the rainbow of fluro may have washed away with the rain, their smiles didn't.

The highlight of my night was dancing in the middle of the stage with the Modular DJs, thousands of kids jumping and screaming (to have their photo taken). I can see why being a rock star is so alluring. Once you have been in the limelight, its hard to get out!

View more pics on the gallery



Modular Djs



CutCopy



Van She











Barney@modular (this is just before I raced out onto the stage to the adoring crowd




Client: Myspace

Big Day Out, Sydney 2008

For 11 years I have somehow avoided Big Day Out. The crowds, the train, I have much preferred go to the side shows, prefering the more intimate environment. Finally this year I bit the bullet and applied for a photopass through Drum Media.











Enter Shikari were amazing. There has been a fair bit of speculation, the phrase 'best thing since Sex Pistols' floating around.





Pnau were amazing as always, Nick Littlemore(singer) even gave me a shoutout when he spotted me in the photopit (that would have to have been the highlight of my day).





lady saw was as dirty as a sexy man and as sexy as a dirty woman.


Arcade Fire





Battles





Please click on any of these photos to view more BDO pics on flickr

pnau (part i)

Press shots taken for Pnau's latest album release, self titled Pnau.

Niko Littlemore first came to my photo studio over a year ago, for a shoot with his now deceased band Teenager. The beautiful Pip of Ladyhawke was the other half of this one of many of Niko's side projects.

Arias 2007 & the wonders of photoshop

Photoshop. Brings the world together!

For the second year running I was asked to shoot the Arias cover for Australian Street Press. This includes Inpress, Drummedia and Zebra throughout the nation.

The only thing was, three musicians were to be shot in my studio, and two were to be shot backstage at their gig up in Toowoomba QLD. Somehow I had to shoot all people as though they are together, interacting with one another...Photoshop to the rescue!

Connie from Sneaky Sound Systems, Mr Dan Kelly and the always beautiful Sarah Blasko came to my photo studio in Chippendale. I photographed each person separately, using identical lighting and camera setup. This was so I could easily replicate the same effect in Towoomba, despite the vastly different location.

Three days later I flew up to Brisbane and was driven by a lovely Drum staff member to Towoomba. It was a stunning drive, such different scenery from Sydney.

We arrived in Towoomba, where Powderfinger and Silverchair were playing their National Tour, Across the Great Divide.

As you can see in the pictures, I actually shot Ben Gilles and Bernard Fanning outside a demountable backstage. Using the same lighting and camera settings, I was able to simulate the same lighting as in the studio in Sydney.

It was then up to Justin Malinowski, my right hand man to work his wonders on photoshop and bring all the participants together. Team work is always the best.

DAMN ARMS PHOTOSHOOT

I re-found these images from perhaps one of the funnest shoots I took last year.





The boys from Damn Arms Damn Arms were up in Sydney from their hometown Melbourne on tour. We took a tour to Bourke St, got them all kitted up in fencing attire (thanks USYD fencing society) and let them at it outside of the quaint little shop 'ici et la.'

When we first pulled up, a cop car slowed down and asked us

a) what we were doing

b) if the boys intended on using their swords.

Good to see the boys in blue are keeping an eye on our town.









After we stopped traffic on Bourke St I brought the boys back to the studio for some stark white shots, against the cyclorama.







I also took some last minute shots of them in their casual attire,for variety.

cut

unfortunately this photo wasn't used in the magazine due to political reasons involving one of the musicians photographed.

It was quite upsetting, as this was but far my favored image for the double page spread used in the opening of the feature





Here are a few of the pics that didn't make the cut.

fbi magazine issue one

I was asked to feature in the brand spanking new FBI magazine. Originally the plan was to use some of my existing band photographs that I have taken over the years for FBI, but as it turned out, we organized a two day shoot, featuring some of Australia's up and coming musicians in some of Australia's coolest fashion.

It was a wonderful experience, and the shot of Ladyhawke and Kirin from Mercy Arms ended up being the cover of the magazine! A great honor.

We shot over two days in two locations, though we made it look as though it was shot in the same place.

Firstly we went on a road trip to Kurnell (a wonderful beach side suburb in the south of Sydney, shadowed by the monstrous refineries behind, and illuminated by the glowing lighting of the airport across the water). Catcall, Anna Lunoe and Kato, Nik from The Lost Valentinos and Tom and Alex from Red Riders came along for the ride

The second location I shot at was on the opposite side of the bay, closer to the airport, just off La Perouse. This featured Ladyhawke and Kirin from Mercy Arms. We shot scenes right on sunset, so as we created a similar feel between the two locations.