My new 2012 Calendar and Hanging Out with Ken Duncan

Hi again everyone,

Well the last few weeks has been pretty hectic, both with work and photography.

Handing over the proofs to Sam and Briony Breese after their wedding in October was so satisfying. They absolutely loved the shots, which always makes all the hard work worthwhile.

I also managed to get out for a seascape shoot at Portsea Back Beach on the Mornington Peninsula. This would be one of my favorite places on earth. The secret location was pointed out to me by good friend and fellow photographer Nick Skinner. A pretty cool spot by all accounts, a bit tricky to get to though, as some climbing over precarious rocks during tidal shifts is required. Slapping a polarizer and a couple of grad filters over the setting sun made this place explode with colour!

This shot is also featured in my new 2012 calendar "A Southern Exposure". It's my pick of water-themed shots taken over the last year along the Mornington and Bellarine Peninsulas, the Bass Coast, Phillip Island and the Yarra Ranges here in Victoria, Australia. Since the first handful arrived on my doorstep last Thursday they've been quite popular, and I already have to back-order another run to keep up with demand. I'm astounded at the quality of the product that Redbubble have produced for me, the A3-sized layout and sharp, vibrant images look amazing... and for just $25+ delivery, they make a great addition to the wall for the next 12 months, or grab one as a present for someone. "A Southern Exposure" is available here.

Last Saturday I was again lucky enough to spend a little time with Ken Duncan. For those of you who don't know who he is, Ken Duncan is probably Australia's most famous and talented landscape photographer, and probably most notable for his stunning 3x1 wilderness "panographs" and photographs of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil. He was at his Melbourne gallery for an exhibition of his new work shot with the most drool-worthy Phase One P645 digital camera, and to launch his new book. So my friend Aidan Curtis and I hopped in the car and off we went. Ken and his wife are always so warm and welcoming, and Ken always has lots to share and will make the effort to spend time with every person there. It also gave me the chance to catch up with friend and talented large-format landscape photographer Chris Munn. Chris's work is absolutely beautiful, and like Ken Duncan, shoots predominantly in the 3x1 panoramic format that the 617 large format film cameras create.

So head to my store, grab yourself a bargain, and grab a print while you're there, or maybe some gift cards for your holiday presents, and until next time, catch you later!

Cheers,

Sean.

All quiet on the western front!

Hi All,

It's been a few weeks since my last update. This is due mainly to a huge increase in my workload (I'm a network administrator and IT tech full time... and then some) due to staff changeovers and misguided staff implementing several large projects at the same time, never a great idea. This has meant less time (read: no time) for my personal work, and I'm itching to get shooting when possible!!!

In the last few weeks though I've finished processing shots from a maternity session I did for some friends/clients, which I'm quite happy with.


Also, I performed a commercial shopping center shoot for the Centro group close to home. That was an interesting day I can tell you. The day started well, the centre manager called me to confirm I was still going to be on site, and let me know that all management staff and security staff would be briefed as to what I was doing... seems straight forward. I arrive on site and begin the external shots, which were no problem. I then move to start the internal shots and within shooting 3 frames I have the local centre manager tearing towards me yelling and carrying on that what I'm doing is illegal and I'm to vacate at once!!! Perplexed, I explain the situation and he retreats unwillingly, no doubt to call my client and realize he hadn't checked his phone messages and/or email and feel like a right clown for making such a scene in the first place. One can't help but laugh... no point getting worried.

So I finish up with the internal shots and head down the road to perform a few external shots at another of their sites, and immediately everything turns bad. The traffic is horriffic, the weather turns bad, myself and my equipment get doused when the heavens open.... so I snap the few externals and run for the car, hoping what I got is good enough (as it turns out I'm a bit dubious, but I've informed the client and will re-shoot if needed). On the way back I dropped in and visited an old school buddy of mine who now operates his own wedding and portrait photography business, Studio Que. His work is absolutely stunning and it's great to see him getting ahead in something he loves.

So all in all not so bad a day!!!





So with my business shoots taken care of I decide to head down the Mornington Peninsula to shoot some landscape/seascape work at a place I'd never shot at: Sphinx Rock, wedged between Sorrento and Portsea ocean beaches, in the Mornington Peninsula National Park. This was the best idea I'd had all week. The sun was setting beautifully, the tide was low, enabling me to get right out to the shore break on the wonderful rock shelves that dot along this coastline, and there were few people about due to the cold.
So off I go, dry shoes and socks and a towel in the car as I do get up close and personal with this kind of shooting.

The first stack of shots were difficult to maintain due to some hard light, but as the sun sank lower and the light softened and wamed, things began to fall into place. I came away with a handful of shots I'm very proud of.







Then... it's back off to work for me, and the nightmare hasn't let up since. I normally wouldn't rant about that here, but it really is getting beyond a joke at one of my sites, to the point of affecting my personal life and health in a major way... somethings gotta give!!!

So I'm hoping to head out for some landscape or achitecture shoots again very soon, when that will happen, I don't really know yet... I can be sporadic and random when it comes to my landscape work.

At this stage I only have one wedding shoot booked for the rest of the year, which should be a bit of fun. Apart from that I'm not booking major projects like that due to the theft of my time and energy by unsavory influences, lol.

Don't forget to visit my Redbubble Gallery and Web Store and my Website, and most of all, thanks for reading and for all of your support!!!

Cheers big-ears!!!

Sean.

Welcome to the official Sean Farrow | photography blog!

Hi all,

I decided recently to start a blog to post my stories and experiences as a landscape photographer in Melbourne, Australia.

I'll post news, updates and tips here as often as possible, so check back often.

Don't forget to check out my website www.seanfarrowphotography.com.au/facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Sean-Farrow-photography/109301905770982, and my online landscape portfolio and web store at www.redbubble.com/people/fazz1977.

See you all soon!!!