It seemed surreal to be standing in the middle of in an entire village made of marble. But these weren’t palaces or majals. The inhabitants of this marble village in Rajasthan, India are desperately poor and lack basic amenitites like running water and electricity in their homes. Traditionally nomads, these families chose to set up their homes in the middle of a dusty industrial zone so they could repurpose, re-use and upcycle the waste from an adjacent factory to build dwellings. I visited the village with I-India, a not-for-profit organisation in Rajasthan, India. The dedicated staff provide education and support to some of Rajasthan’s most desperate children, feeding 3000 kids a daily meal without which their bellies would remain painfully empty. I-India provides services to this area. I-India set up a school for this community, as there were no educational facilities available to them in the area. To see the basic facilities that these children learn in with such gratitude was so inspiring. Read about it HERE If you’d like to read about […] Read More
Last week I was in Port Macquarie to photograph the launch of Energy Forever’s first 100 percent community funded and owned solar panel system at St Agnes Early Education Centre. This not-for-profit organisation has spent years rallying in the local Mid North Coast community to raise funds for this incredible project. It’s wonderful to finally see the results of their hard work. The 72 panels are split over 4 roof faces to best cover the load at the centre. The DC from the panels is converted to AC grid power. I fully support what Port Macquarie Hastings Sustainability Network and Energy Forever are doing for the community and the environment which is why I photographed the event for them on a pro-bono basis. If you have skills that you’d like to share with the organisation, get in touch via their Facebook page. To see more of my work with not for profit organisations please visit my website Read More
There are some labels in the fashion industry that go to extreme lengths to ensure that the products they are offering consumers are as ethical as possible. My most recent discovery of a brand of this kind is Wild Tussah, a grass roots label creating high quality products with great care and respect for all involved in the production process, from artisan to customer. As stated proudly on their website, “Wild Tussah was started with one idea in mind; to preserve traditional weave cultures through art and design for our modern day world.” On receiving my gorgeous Day to Night bag in the post and removing it from it’s protective canvas bag, it was clear that this product has a story to tell. So I asked Danica, Wild Tussah’s Sustainable Fashion Designer and Founder, to answer a few questions. What is the story of the Day to Night bag, from how you selected the artisans to how it is made? The Day to Night bag was designed to incorporate a Lu weave I found in Saigon. When I first came across the weave, I didn’t know who made it. All I knew was that I had never seen such […] Read More
It is important to me to be able to offer my clients photo prints that are on the cutting edge of sustainability. As more people move towards a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, companies are able to deliver green options to consumers. As I come across outstanding products, I will be sharing these with you, here on my blog. I was seeking out the most eco way to print my photographs, and this bamboo product sounded fantastic. I decided to try out this new eco style of photo printing. The quality of colour and contrast in this bamboo print really make the image pop What I love: – The print looks really good. The texture of the bamboo has been maintained, so the finish has a beautiful, natural texture, reminiscent of art paper. The edges have a beautiful, unique look, and the keyholes on the back make it easy to hang. – It is made from bamboo which is incredibly sustainable. Bamboo grows fast, can sequester more carbon than trees and generally doesn’t require pesticides or herbicides. – The prints last for decades (or longer) due to the durability of bamboo, and the satin laminate protects against dust and UV […] Read More
As Sustainably As Possibly (ASAP) invited me for an interview to share my story behind running an eco photography business. I was the second to be interviewed for the Pledgecast series, following NSW Greens MP, John Kaye. I felt quite honoured. Through this short interview you can hear how travelling made me realise, in an unforgettable way, that how I live in Australia affects people all around the world. As part of the interview, ASAP asked me to make an environmental pledge. Fast fashion is a serious problem in today’s world, and working as a fashion photographer, this is something I am very conscious of. Sustainable fashion expert, Lucy Siegle estimates that each year, 80 billion garments are produced throughout the world. The conditions under which most of these are made are dangerous, both for garment factory workers and for our environment (during production and at the end of fast fashion’s short life when the clothing is sent to landfill). I pledged to stop buying new clothing and consumables. Since I made the pledge, I have had a fantastic time discovering beautiful and unique clothes in second hand stores (from the Salvos to fancy vintage stores). There are even websites dedicated to helping Australian’s buy and swap pre-loved fashion. Buying second hand clothing […] 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
