Wikipedia: “Pachamama is a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She is also known as the earth/time mother. In Inca mythology, Mama Pacha or Pachamama is a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting…She is also an ever present and independent deity who has her own self-sufficient and creative power to sustain life on this earth.” I was thrilled to be invited to take part in Pachamama Photography Exhibition in Sydney. Opening this Thursday (26 June), the exhibition will run across the weekend in StirrUp Gallery, Marrickville. This group exhibition will feature the work of 5 photographers, including me: images which explore the relationship between indigenous peoples in Latin America and Pachamama. I’d love to see you there. You can find the event details RIGHT HERE. Read More
I love working with sustainable brands, creating beautiful images to help promote inspired and cutting edge products. It’s important to me to see these positive grass-roots businesses prosper. I recently had the pleasure of photographing for Cocoze Shoes, a fantastic new Canadian company making eco shoes from coconut fiber and natural rubber: an alternative to the highly disposable synthetic thong that we Australian’s love to wear. Below is a quick Q&A with Wayne Seto, Managing Partner at Cocoze Shoes. What are the best 3 things about Cocoze Shoes? There are so many good things about Cocoze Shoes that choosing only 3 things was difficult. So I consulted the founder of Cocoze, Pierre Thomson, for his input. In the end we both agreed upon the following, if it had to be only 3: 1) Our shoes at Cocoze naturally and gently exfoliate the soles of your feet, making your feet soft, healthy and beautiful. 2) Coconut fiber (coir) used to make our shoes is 100% natural, sustainable and biodegradable. Thus good for people and good for the planet. 3) Cocoze Shoes are all hand made in Thailand in a small eco-friendly factory. No chemicals, dyes or toxins are used […] Read More
Indigo Bazaar is an ethical fashion company providing beautiful clothing that is made in a way that is good for the environment and for the garment workers and artisans who are part of the production. As consumers become more aware of the dangerous and unfair working conditions involved with fast fashion, entrepreneurs like Carlie Ballard, founder of Indigo Bazaar, are providing alternatives for those of us who want to know that our clothing comes with good karma. I photographed these natural portraits of Carlie wearing Indigo Bazaar, for her promotions and online profiles. It was a wonderfully fun afternoon with Carlie and Make up Artist Emily, from LittleFox Makeup Artistry. Read More
After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. My love for tea began on the beaches of Sri Lanka where I drank sweet, milky black tea because it was easier to come by than clean drinking water. Living in Japan, I gained a deep respect for green tea and sacred Japanese tea traditions. In Latin America, I learned about the medicinal benefits of an endless variety of herbal infusions. I have a thing for tea. Half of my kitchen shelves are allocated to food, the other half to teas and herbal “tea” blends. I appreciate the variety of textures, tastes, colours and aromas, as well as the healing effects of each different blend. So you can imagine how much fun I had photographing these images. All blends were lovingly created by Amber at T Totaler. “Tea” includes black, green and white tea from the (Camellia sinensis) plant. “Herbal infusions” are beverages that are prepared by adding herbs to hot water, usually between 70-100 degrees celsius. Read More
Just because you live in Inner City Sydney, doesn’t mean you can’t live out your eco homesteading dreams. I do my best to be as green as possible in every aspect of my life, from growing my own organic vegetables to living in a chemical free home. I do what is best for our environment, which includes what is best for my own health. After all, we humans are part of the eco system too. The Kitchen Above 1. Each Sunday I walk down to Addison Road Markets in Marrickille, to buy my chemical-free fruit and veges (my own garden is only 2 months old so just produces salad greens so far). I talk to the stall owners to find out about that week’s produce. The delicious, gluten free bread is freshly made by the lovely folks at Common Ground, a commune not far from Sydney. 2. My first crop of (giant) home grown mushrooms. They were the sweetest mushrooms I’ve ever eaten. 3. My seeds, nuts and dried foods come from Alfalfa House Co-op (Enmore), my favourite place to shop. The stock is as organic, local and ethically produced as possible. I love the co-op so much that I volunteer […] Read More
Being an Eco Photographer means reducing the environmental impact of every aspect of my business, and working with (i.e. producing photos for) clients that have a positive impact on the environment. I was trying to formulate an explanation as to why I’ve decided to be an “Eco Photographer” and what this actually means. Then one day three things happened to me and I became so impassioned that I did what anyone would do… I got on my soapbox (i.e. my personal Facebook wall) and shared what I was feeling with my friends and family. I received such an overwhelmingly supportive response that I decided to include my little story on this blog. It gives you an idea of how I live my personal life, which crosses over into my business life. So here it is: I don’t often put unhappy things on Facebook but I feel the need to share this today It has 3 parts, and hopefully is inspiring: 1. James came home and told me, with a smile, that he had a song stuck in his head all day, the song of some beautiful girls from the Ashaninka tribe we stayed with by Ene River, in […] Read More
