Friday, June 26th, 2009
Nikon Australia has announced the inaugural
NPS (Nikon Professional Services) member portfolio.
The 2009 NPS member portfolio showcases the exceptional work of Nikon professional photographers, across all genres of photography, including Sport, Wedding, Fashion, Architecture, Portrait, Landscape and Nature. The portfolio is a first of its kind in Australia recognising the work of Nikon photographers. Craig Gillespie (Marketing Manager at Nikon Australia): “The work of our members is absolutely exceptional! The dedication and skill that the photographers display is second to none and we want to acknowledge their achievements.”
I feel honoured that several of my images are featured in this slideshow, and I am especially proud of the fact that my “Verdasco” shot has been chosen to be the freeze frame (and thumbnail on youtube). The presentation closes with my “Day & Night” portrait, which is also very exciting.
You can find the NPS 2009 Slideshow here. Watch it in HD!
Saturday, May 23rd, 2009
“Bespoke Bridal Outfits”
One of my assignments in Singapore was to shoot a show-piece wedding dress by German fashion designer Anja Landgraf. The beautiful jewellery is from “The Jewel Box”, and the location is (like the glor designs) the Former Supreme Court, Singapore.
Model: Lisa Clayton, Make-Up: Candy Low.
Thursday, May 21st, 2009
Magazine Feature
The current issue (issue 19, May 2009) of the Australian Digital Reproduction Magazine features my work on 2 full spreads as well as the cover. All images were selected by the magazine editor, which I am happy about, because I’d have a hard time to pick my personal favourites. Thank you Colleen!
To find out more, go to www.digitalreproduction.com.au
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Small lights, big results
Shooting on location doesn’t always require a truck full of large flashes, battery packs and softboxes. Sometimes less is more, and can achieve a very similar end-result.
Last Saturday, I was shooting Singapore model Jessebella Tan (scary make-up by Suzana Salleh, Singapore) at an abandoned water tower. The location could only be accessed by foot. So the decision was easy: leave the big guns at home, and use Nikon’s speedlights instead. While I packed 4 speedlights, I ended up using only one SB-900 for most of the shots (shooting through an umbrella to soften the light).
Shot above: One SB-900 through umbrella as main light, 2 SB-800 with gels for background
Shots 1+2 below: Only one SB-900
Shot 3 below: One SB-900 as main light, another SB-900 (with gel) for background
Shot 4 below: Behind the scenes
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
The “real” Singapore
When travelling to foreign countries, I always try to get away from the glitzy tourist routes, and find the “real” people. On Sunday, my dear Swiss friend Paul and I found time to leave our assignments behind for a day, and explore Singapore. We thought, China Town would be a good contrast. While “nice”, i must admit China Town reminded me more of an asian version of Disney Land than anything else, kept in shape and run for tourists really, so quite soon we’ve seen enough and stopped at a small restaurant for a (rather huge) bottle of Tiger Beer.
On our way out, we found a small plaza with no tourists, where old men were gathering around little tables, laughing, shouting, arguing, playing board games like “Weiqi” and Chinese Chess. Voila, there it is, the “real” Singapore, brilliant.
Monday, May 4th, 2009
GLOR ‘en vogue
Today, I had the privilege to shoot designs from fashion label GLOR at the beautiful former supreme court in Singapore. Access to this amazing location required an official shooting permission, as it is usually closed to the public. Once granted (and fees paid), we had unlimited access and shot all afternoon. Below are a few samples of our shoot (featuring beautiful Singapore-based model Lyze).
I’d like to thank Anja from STYLEMATES Consulting for the opportunity, as well as Candy, our fantastic make-up & hair guru.
To find out about GLOR: www.glor-me.com
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
Female and Nuyou
Longest Orchard Catwalk ‘09
Yesterday, I was invited to shoot at the Female and Nuyou Longest Orchard Catwalk ‘09 on Singapore’s famous Orchard Road.
The Female and Nuyou Longest Orchard Catwalk ‘09 (organised by SPH Magazines) is Singapore’s longest catwalk, and was held to kickstart Orchard Reloaded, a brand positioning campaign by Orchard Road Business Association in partnership with Singapore Press Holdings, and supported by Singapore Tourism Board.
Over 70 international models presented the latest fashion from DKNY, GAP, Banana Republic, Jimmy Choo, Diesel Blackgold and Coach. This is the seventh year that the two leading Singapore fashion & beauty magazines – Female and Nuyou – are holding their signature catwalk collections event. Following the success of last years event at Changi Airport, yesterdays 163 meter long catwalk along Singapore’s busiest shopping belt, Orchard Road, has clearly set yet another milestone.
A big Thank You to the entire team from SPH Magazines for the friendly invitation to your fantastic event!
SPH Magazines Online: www.sph.com.sg
Female Magazine Online: www.femalemag.com.sg
Friday, April 24th, 2009
Pokernight
On Tuesday I met the Rock-Band Engin Room at the “Boardroom” Gentleman’s Club in Southport (which was closed for the night), to produce images for their new website and upcoming Asia Tour. We went for a “PokerNight” look, and also produced some performance & stage-backlight shots.
Here are a few samples…
Monday, March 16th, 2009
Out of the dark, into the light!
How many good photographs are stored somewhere deep in a
fancy organised folder structure on your hard drive? Will they ever see light again?
Over the last 27 years, I have been shooting over two hundred thousand photos. What happens with them? Of course, the photos shot on client assignments, for model projects, during sporting events or wedding have been processed, delivered, and invoiced. But what with that photograph of the sweet green frog you captured on your last bush walk, or that one specially sweet image from the TFP shoot you did 2 years ago? Aren’t photographs meant to capture moments in time so we can share them? Instead of having them sitting on our hard-drives, we should start to print them again! Because…
Photos just look better on paper…
the bigger, the better. Even sharing photographs on websites and blogs is nice, but nothing really compares to an actual print. For me personally, I much prefer to hand over a “real photograph” instead of sending files by email. Somehow printed images are more “valuable”, have more weight, are more “important”.
And then there is the next level: Published photos. People you never met see your images, and your “creations” are seen in a different context, become part of a product, a book, a magazine, a story! My first photograph was published in Switzerland a long time ago, but I still remember the day as if it was yesterday. It was very exciting and I was a very proud 18 year old. Since then, photos of mine have been published in Europe, in the USA, in Australia and in Asia, in newspapers, magazines, on cd-covers and books. And just like 24 years ago, I find it very exciting every single time one of my images find its way “out of the dark, into the light“.
Thursday, March 12th, 2009
Quiksilver Pro
As promised last week, here are a few impressions from the Quiksilver Pro Surf Championships.
Gear: Nikon D3X, Nikon 600mm F4.
Monday, March 9th, 2009
Day On The Beach
While shooting events like the surf championships, I love to turn the camera away from the official action once in a while. I like these “behind the scenes” shots, they complete the story.
Here are a few of these impressions from the Quiksilver Pro event: Two boys following the action from a wall, a camouflaged photographer (click to see the entire image), a boy eager to learn how to surf, a surfboard ready for action and a happy dog, sprinting up and down the beach, following the surfers in the water…
Saturday, March 7th, 2009
Roxy Pro Surf Championships
Over the next few days, I will be shooting at the Roxy Pro Surf Championships on the Gold Coast.
Here are a few impressions from today’s competition…
Gear: Nikon D3X, Nikon 600mm F4.
Friday, March 6th, 2009
D3X goes Surfing
Over the last few days I’ve been shooting at the Quiksilver Pro and Roxy Pro International Surf Championships at Duranbah Beach and Snapper Rock, Australia (I’ll be sharing some of the shots from these events in a separate post).
For these events, NPS (Nikon Professional Services) have sent me a brand-new Nikon D3X, to try out…
If you’re a Nikon Insider and know your cameras, you might ask: “Why use a D3X for sport?“. The answer is easy: “To truly test a camera, you have to push it to its limits“.
The D3X has produced amazing images in the studio, 24.5 mega-pixels with impressive colours and contrast. This makes the D3X a brilliant candidate for studio work (fashion, still-life etc) as well as landscape photography. For sport however, the D3 is faster (frames per second) and has a better high-ISO performance, and for any night shoot, stadium- or indoor event, the D3 remains unbeatable. For a day event however, the extra pixels of the D3X can produce amazing results, and as I rather anticipate the moment than to shoot in burst, I had an absolute blast shooting with the D3X today. The amount of spray, water drops and fine detail i was able to capture during these surf championships is simply astounding.
Is the D3X worth the price tag? I guess, if you ask this question, you’re probably not the right candidate for this camera. If you are a pro fashion shooter, you’ll have this beast paid with the next assignment, and you will enjoy the advantages (and ease-of-use) of a DSLR with the resolution of a medium format camera. For me personally, the D3 remains my favourite as an all-around body, however I must admit, I am very impressed by the details this camera captures!
I’d like to thank Robert and his team from NPS (Nikon Professional Services) Australia for their continuous support. You do a terrific job, and I truly appreciate it. Thank you!
Photo above:
Shooting at Roxy Pro. Photo by Mohan Mali (website).
Photos below:
L: D3X test shot: “Moon” (Gold Coast, late afternoon)
C: Explaining the feature of the D3X at Quiksilver Pro (Photo by Mohan Mali)
R: Another photo of me at Quiksilver Pro (Photo by Mohan Mali)
Gear: Nikon D3X with Nikon 600mm F4, Hoodman Loupe (hanging on Manfrotto Tripod), and – very hightech – a no-brand towel for sun protection (not fancy, but effective).
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
Federer, Nadal & Co.
After the first few days at the Australian Open in Melbourne, it is time to update my blog and share some of the shots from the last couple of days.
While walking from Rod Laver Arena to Hisense Arena, a spectator asked me, how much fun and how much stress it is to cover such an event. The simple answer is: Taking photos is always fun for me, regardless of the stress involved. What might make the Australian Open more stressful than other events are the long hours and the miles you have to cover, to see it all. Beside the 3 main courts (Rod Laver Arena, Hisense Arena and Margaret Court Arena), there are 21 more courts at Melbourne park, and especially in the first few days, several top-seeded players are playing simultaneously on various courts.
On Monday, I arrived at Melbourne Park at 9:30, to meet with my friends at NPS (Nikon Professional Services), play started at 11 with Andy Roddick (USA) at Rod Laver Arena and closed after midnight with Roger Federer’s win against Andreas Seppi from Italy. Back at the hotel at around 1:30, it was time to upload (and backup!) all images of the day to the laptop, make initial selections, enter meta-data and keywords, headlines and captions, then upload the “money-shots” to the various agencies and international publishers. At 4:45 it was time to hit the sack. Day 1 of 14.
As a summary of the last few days, I covered the matches of:
Roger Federer (SUI), Rafael Nadal (ESP), Andy Murray (GBR), Andy Roddick (USA), Novak Djokovic (SRB), Marat Safin (RUS), Ana Ivanovic (SRB), Jelena Jankovic(SRB), Dinara Safina (RUS), Daniela Hantuchova (SVK), Serena Williams (USA) and the Australians Lleyton Hewitt, Jelena Dokic, Samantha Stosur and Casey Dellacqua.
Here are a few of the shots (some thumbnails include more than 1 image):
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
The World’s Biggest Stage
Covering the Australian Open, I thought I share a few background information about this mammoth event.
Australian Open behind the scenes…
The Grand Slam of Asia/Pasific is indeed an impressive event: A star-studded men’s and women’s singles draw included eight men’s Grand Slam champions and seven women’s Grand Slam champions and all of the top 32 women and 30 of the top 32 men, with a total of 45 nations represented in the main draws. Behind the scenes were over 4500 members of staff, including 319 Ballkids, 365 umpires, 195 courtesy car drivers and 45 statisticians.
The 2008 Australian Open were watched by a record breaking global TV audience of over 1.9 billion viewers. A total of 1654 representatives of the media were accredited, with all the world’s major newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters strongly represented. Of these there were 664 international and 990 Australian members of the media.
Accreditation
As with all events of this magnitude, there is no way to shoot without accreditation, and you have to get your media/photographer accreditation quite a while before the actual event. To get accredited, it is required to provide detailed information about how and where the photographs will be used (magazines, newspapers etc), accompanied with confirmation letters from the image editors of these publications. Access to special areas, such as the side-line of the Centre Court, or the Catwalk at Rod Laver arena is depending on your status and who you’re working for. To access the Catwalk, you also have to provide proof of public liability insurance of 20 million dollars.
Tight security
Once accredited, you pick up a temporary access pass from the Satellite Accreditation Bureau outside of the Stadium, which gives you 15 minutes access to the Media Centre, just enough time to pick up your actual access pass. Even this temporary pass features your name, photograph and barcode, which will be scanned by security every time you access Melbourne Park. Every security checkpoint is equipped with computers, and your face and details are displayed on screen (and double-checked by security) as soon as your pass is scanned. At any given time, the event organisers know exactly, which player, coach, photographer or journalist is on site.
Now you’re in the media centre (where you get your fancy media welcome pack), and a step closer to the sideline of Centre Court. The access-pass features several symbols, showing what arenas and areas you are allowed to access, and after passing another security check, you finally sit only an arms-length away from the players.
After shooting all the action of day 1, I organised a ticket to the Rod Laver Arena for my wife Amanda. I left the media area to pick her up in front of the main gate. Ready to shoot the night action on Centre Court (and not thinking about the fact that I’ll be walking in through the normal Spectators entrance), I had a 600mm F2.8 mounted on a Nikon D3 and Sherpa monopod on my shoulder, and a second body with a 70-200mm on an R-Strap, and I walked her through the gates. In seconds, three security guards came running from behind, to tell me off… “SLR and Zoom lenses are NOT allowed!” they insisted. “You need to have special permission, like… ooh…“, then they spotted my access pass.
Saturday, January 17th, 2009
Roger Federer wins AAMI Classics
I always look forward to go back to the Kooyong Tennis Club and the AAMI Classics. Every year, 8 top players are invited to this boutique tournament, as last preparation for the Grand Slam in Melbourne.
What makes this tournament special is its stadium, the stories and history behind it. Some call the Kooyong Tennis Club “the Spiritual Home of Australian Tennis”. Founded in 1892, the former home of the Australian Open has welcomed the greats of tennis eras past and present, from Rosewall, Court and Sedgman to Connors. Agassi, Sampras and Federer.
At this years Classics, Roger Federer won the all Swiss final against his Olympic Games doubles partner Stanislas Wawrinka 6:1, 6:3.
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
Destined for more
Tonight, at a very nice dinner with friends, I was asked: “what are you doing with all those shots…?”
Most of my images feed into the libraries of image agencies, which sell them to international newspapers and magazines. Some shots however are “too good” to only end up on page 19 of a regional newspaper. These shots deserve better, they get the “special treatment”!
Here’s a small step by step “making of”, the final magazine cover and a detail shot…
Monday, January 12th, 2009
First Brisbane Champion
Here are a few impressions of yesterdays Brisbane International final.
Radek Stepanek was able to upset the tournament and crowd favourite Fernando Verdasco from Spain in a thrilling match, eventually winning 3:6, 6:3, 6:4.
Saturday, January 10th, 2009
Brisbane International
The first of my three january tennis tournaments is nearly over. The women’s final will start in a few hours, and the inaugural Brisbane International will conclude with the men’s final on Sunday. It’s a bit disapointing that none of the top seeded players (Novak Djokovic , Ana Ivanovic, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga) have made it to the finals.
I now look forward to my personal favourite tournament of the year, the AAMI Classics at Kooyong in Melbourne. The old (original Australian Open) stadium has charm and style, which a lot of the newer stadiums miss. And the people at Kooyong are SO friendly! As a member of the media, you feel welcome and very well looked after.
Photos: Fernando Verdasco (ESP), Florent Serra (FRA) and Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
Thursday, January 8th, 2009
One for the Ladies…
While Ana Ivanovic and Amelie Mauresmo entertained spectators on Brisbane International Centre Court, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga enjoyed the Queensland sun during his casual training session on Court 2.
Definitely “one (well, actually three) for the Ladies”…
