I love portrait photography. It’s been a big part of what I do over the years.

I’ve had the chance to photograph a wide range of people, from well-known faces to artists I admire, to everyday people. Some of the work is stripped back and personal, some of it sits in the world of advertising, where things are more constructed and polished.

Portrait photography is a strange thing. Sometimes you have hours of prep and five minutes to shoot. Sometimes you build it carefully, shaping how someone is seen. And other times you’re out somewhere with a paper roll and a single light, and it just happens.

The setup changes, the time changes, the scale changes. But the job stays the same.

At its core, it’s about showing what someone looks like, but more importantly giving you a sense of who they are, how they carry themselves, what they stand for.

I’ve loved those experiences. And to be honest, I rarely forget someone I’ve photographed.
And I think this matters more than ever. We’re in a time where faces can be generated and endlessly manipulated. Choosing to photograph someone properly carries weight. My sense is that it will only matter more as things keep shifting.

You can feel the difference. You just can’t fake it.

A good portrait holds because there’s a real person in front of the camera, and a real person behind it. It’s an exchange.

We were filming for the ABC Listen app with Sam Simmons and others.

In the middle of the chaos, he slipped away to change.

I caught this in a quiet minute, no fuss, just him.

I loved this shot of Paul Nagy for a piece on how tough the advertising industry can be.

We pushed it visually, using special effects makeup, fake wounds and blood.

A strong, proud portrait, with a hint of what it takes behind the scenes.

I love these images of David Helfgott.

Even a shot of his hands feels like a portrait.

There’s something fragile and wild in them.

The piano strings wrap around him, almost part of him.

I had the chance to work on a campaign for WorkCover.

We photographed people in a stripped back, almost clinical way, simple, direct portraits.

The conversations stayed with me.

Snoop Dogg

I absolutely love this series, shot in a schoolyard on a grey day.

Simple setup, just a backdrop and time with the kids.