This blog post is about a shoot I had photographing portraits of up and coming business owners in Kempsey, on the Mid North Coast of NSW.  One of these businesses is Bucket Brewery, a local boutique brewery.   The Mid North Coast is full of passionate business people working on wonderful and exciting ventures.  I was hired by Kempsey Shire Council to photograph some of these business people for the new Macleay Valley Welcome Pack.  The brief was to create environmental portraits – that is, portraits showing the person in their own unique setting.   Bucket Brewery is a funky new small business with a lot of passion behind it and big things ahead.  Owners, Sam and Amanda Preston have lovingly converted South Kempsey’s old energy depot into a beautiful, contemporary space.  For now it is just a brewery but they have big plans to expand the space into a thriving new venue where locals and visitors can enjoy the brews with amazing views over the river.       If you are a small business looking for a portrait photographer in Crescent Head, Kempsey or the Mid North Coast for photos of your staff, products or services please get in […] Read More
The Kempsey region is rich with indigenous history and culture.  The local aboriginal elders have fascinating stories to share which enrapture my imagination about what came before me on these streets, rivers and fields. Emily King recognises how important it is for these stories to be shared and recorded, and has been working on a project, “Wiriiynakayi Ngunngun Dunghutti” – Dunghutti Stories from Yesterday, which was funded through Kempsey Shire Council.  The Dunghutti are an Aboriginal group whose traditional lands lie in the Macleay Valley, on the Mid North Coast of NSW.  As a Crescent Head local, I live within this area and it is important to me to learn about my local history, culture and people.   The aim of the Dunghutti Stories from Yesterday project was to record a set of stories from each of the communities in the area.   These stories were told by elders to school children.  The kids painted elements of the stories which became part of 13 impressive murals.  The process provided a beautiful interaction between the elders and the children, allowing the kids to learn about their indigenous history. In the words of Uncle Bob, (pictured below with Emily), “It’s important for those generations who have […] Read More