Closing shop until February 12

We’re closing shop from December 22nd to February 12 so here’s wishing anyone reading this a relaxing festive period and a great start to the new year. To all those who have taken the time to visit this blog, I trust it has provided some insight into the world of a professional travel photographer and that the pictures have encouraged you to spend more time with your camera. Certainly, it has been a pleasure posting its contents.

A merry Christmas and a great start to the new year from David and the team (and two serious party elves)

 

Corporate shoot in Tonga

I’m over in Tonga at the moment doing a corporate shoot for Westpac Bank – my final assignment for the year. It’s part of a Pacific-wide commission to make Westpac’s Pacific branches more personable and localise their marketing while maintaining the brand. Popular staff, iconic features and established clients feature in the campaign – all shot to a very specific creative brief. I have only two corporate clients – Westpac and Digicel –  mainly because our interests throughout the region overlap and I like the change of pace from tourism and the different emphasis. Its still all about people, making the best use of natural light and having a familiarity with countries I’m shooting in …. and the association doesn’t hurt my profile.

Westpac staff infront of Ha-Amonga - an iconic feature of Tonga

 

Something about Black and White

I’m still working through my Cook Island images (30 days provides for a fair few photographs) but I’m always drawn to strong black and white pictures. Here, Peroni (apparently only his mother and I call him by that name) and Harry – both seasoned Vaka voyagers – helped me out with a photograph that works for me better in monotones than it does in colour.

Preview of the Cook Islands assignment

Hundreds of images of the Cook Islands to process now I’m back but here’s a sample of some of the pictures from the shoot which the tourism authority will be using to promote the destination abroad (click on the e-card below).

Winding up in the Cooks

I’m just winding up a 30 day shoot of the Cook Islands.

Overall, its been very productive – probably the strongest shoot of any destination I’ve photographed. The length of the assignment was undoubtedly the largest contributing factor to its success, providing for a bigger quantity of images (150 top images not the standard 30), better quality ( I was able to survey the locations and plan for the shots in optimum conditions) and greater depth (as in I wasn’t just looking to shoot the “big pictures” every time and I was mindful of laying a solid foundation for a library that met the tourism authority’s on-going marketing needs).
And, overall, I think it represented better value for money for the tourism authority as I reduced my rate to ensure a better outcome and there’s likely to be a stable of spin-off souvenir publications I’ll publish to promote the destination after the dust settles. I even got to shoot some personal work (follows). 

I’ve enjoyed the Cooks but I’ve been shooting for 30 days straight and I’ll be happy to get home and put the cameras down (albeit briefly as my manager tells me I’m booked for Tonga and Vanuatu shortly after I get back).