Visiting any kinetic-type workplace is always a treat for me. I love meeting people who take things and make them into other things – it’s so ingenious and it appeals to that most kiwi part of me that wants to retreat to the garage and create something to simplify everyday life. Tacked together with number 8 wire of course.
So, to get to the point, it was a real pleasure meeting these energetic young apprentices who are helping repair the Christchurch Town Hall. I was lucky enough to visit the site thanks to Hemi who runs an awesome programme enabling young Maori apprentices to get a head start in the trades with supported job placements in a rewarding environment. I love this! ‘PHP’ as my friend Hammy often signs off communications with. People helping people. My favourite – good people doing good work to create great futures. I come away from work like this with the warm fuzzies – it’s lovely meeting people at the beginning of an adventure, starting a career, full of enthusiasm.
While processing these photos I was reflecting about my own career’s start and wondering what parallels there might be with these young carpenters. I totally admit to a number of humorous errors in my past – no film in the camera, left something behind, dropped something; whoops! I’m not sure what the equivalents are for a young apprentice but I smiled a few heartfelt smiles thinking about their journeys into the future and the achievements they have to look forward to. 

​A trip to the doctor is generally pretty tame these days. Once upon a time you may have been poked and prodded with some wacky apparatus. Stuck with pins. Suctioned. Electrocuted. Fed strange potions.
A trip to the Cotter Medical History Museum is a fascinating experience and one which prompted my 14 year old cousin to repeatedly reference American Horror Story Asylum. You definitely shouldn’t watch American Horror Story, it’s scary as all hell and even the opening credits give me nightmares.
You should however, visit the Cotter Medical History Museum in the grounds of the old Hillmorton Hospital. It won’t give you nightmares, even though you’ll see all manner of weird and wonderful items from the history of medicine. The hosts are incredibly knowledgeable and we were enlightened as to the surprising uses of many things that at first looked entirely un-medical. There’s a huge range of interesting things to see, of which I only photographed a few. I was too busy hearing about gut-cameras, stomach suckers, fake feet, smelling salts, electric hair brushes, ‘maori’ cigarettes, lead nipples…
Fascinating! 

​Minimalism; it’s small over the internet right now.
There’s a plethora of social media posts about tiny this and clever that, capsule wardrobes, loft beds and miniature bathrooms that I can’t picture myself ever emerging groomed-looking from. That’s the thing with the internet though, there’s always someone telling you how great your life could be if you just did _______.

​Well, there’s nothing like meeting the folks who DO live light to make you appreciate the sentiments of the minimalist movement. The lovely people of Gypsy Extravaganza have an amazing set up; funky, diverse, professional and eclectic all at once. Clothes, jewellery, art, candles, henna, awesome coffee, food, kid’s attractions, music, etc etc etc… And they take the whole show on the road without the need to make preachy you-tube clips about how to de-clutter your lounge; which is ironically what I am now inspired to do.
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Thanks Gypsy Extravaganza for a great day, and for the inspiration. 

It's almost as bad as the time I broke my favourite Dr Who mug, the one with Tom Baker on it. But not quite as bad as the time I was photographing a jet boat and I slipped on a massive boulder: knees and elbows VS expensive lens? Sorry knees and elbows, but hey, those bruises got you some sympathy. 

Some things thrive on neglect; my black boy peach tree for example (does anyone need jam, sauce, chutney, etc?). Other things need regular use to keep them ticking over; cars, coffee machines (I tell myself that anyway), my jogging.

Sadly, in true consumerist style, I have hoarded cameras and have not loved them all equally. Diana Mini (that's her up there, getting sniffed by a $2 Cow Mini) was a brilliant bit of kit: she was fun, temperamental, emotive, and I used her for work and play. She created some brilliant mood/vibe shots for Under the Red Verandah (pre-quake even, collectors items?), she came on assignment to Wellington with me and got splashed by the Cuba Street fountain, and she single handedly chewed through the stash of 35mm film I was harbouring in my fridge like a jar of Speculoos you can't quite bring yourself to finish.

What's more, her extremely difficult aspect ratio meant getting my pictures printed in little diptychs, so I had to remember what my last frame was and what I might shoot next to pair up with it. She was quite the character and I was looking forward to rekindling my friendship with her....

Until I discovered her tiny, chintzy, almost joke-like shutter had seized half open. On closer inspection I noticed moisture in the works, as if she'd either sweated too much during our last encounter, or cried in the interim due to neglect. Either way, she was done.
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Mournfully, I shortened her strap and added her to the toy box. I only hope 35mm film is still around by the time my daughter is old enough for me to explain it to her.

I'm really excited to be half way through an amazing project, photographing and cataloguing an awesome collection of early New Zealand surf photography. One of the 'Godfathers' of NZ surfing, the incredible Denis Quane, has entrusted me with this project (well, I did pester him to let me do it).
It's a comprehensive look at NZ surfing from the 50s on, with photos of not just the surfers but the manufacturers here and in Australia also; a peek inside their factories and showrooms.
It's a remarkable collection for so many reasons and I hope Denis will be keen to share it sometime in the future once it has been safely preserved as pixels. Watch this space...
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Sometimes being a photographer can feel a bit glamorous. Other times, you're literally up to your elbows in something. Last week I had job that, although not a huge assignment, was very challenging. The location was a logging operation, the weather was COLD and WET and the ground was MUDDY and I LOVED IT!! 
Apologies for 'shouting' but it was just one of those days when despite everything, you get a real creative flow on and if anything, the challenge fuels the vibes and you end up getting super engaged and coming away with a great result.
That evening I was covered in mud and had to spend an hour cleaning my camera equipment but I had a great set of images for my client, which is of course the most important thing.
Many thanks to the amazing people at fibre-gen for the opportunity to learn about their clever technology - clever people doing clever things, my favourite thing to photograph :-)