Thursday Challenge Interviews...

What kind of music currently has your interest?

I like to listen to a whole range of music. I probably buy 2 or 3 cds a week and my latest purchases were Jesse Malin's Heat, Young Heart Attack's Mouthful of Love, The Mark Lanegan Band's Bubblegum, which is just brilliant and A Perfect Circle's eMOTIVe, which is also very, very good. I am always listening to music, whether it is in the car, at the computer or in bed with my iPod. My favourite artists would be Ryan Adams, Radiohead, White Stripes, Smashing Pumpkins and (Australian Band) Something for Kate.

If you were going to take pictures of anything in the world, what/where would it be? Why?

That's a hard one. I would really have loved to visit Tibet in the early half of last century, because the landscape and buildings/monasteries were really beautiful. Also I would have loved to visit the USSR anytime from the 1950's - 1980's, as I am really interested in all the soviet propaganda, statues and architecture. As for the present day... I think you can find great things to photograph everywhere.

What is the most unusual sign you have seen or photographed?

Well, I LOVE signs, I don't know why, but since I've been taking photo's I've been taking photos of signs. The most unusual would definitely be a warning sign I took on an island off South Australia. As well as being amusing, (A comment I have received on my website said that "It looks like you are allowed to fall off the cliff, as long as you don't do it whilst running"), the colours really stood out.

Tell us about your Lomo. Explain to those who may not know what it is. What is the difference in how the camera works from a 'regular' camera? How does pictures taken with a Lomo differ from other 35mm cameras? What is the most interesting/unusual thing you have photographed with a Lomo?

The LOMO LCA was the camera that really got me into photography. I had taken a class in college (as had everyone else.... bludge subject!) but it was a couple of years later that I came across the Lomo website. I liked the simplicity of the camera as well as the small size. The secret to the Lomo is its exposure method - it exposes film for however long is necessary. This results in amazing night photographs, with glowing neon, streaking lights, ghostly people and a real sense of motion. Daytime shots are equally interesting, filled with colour and accentuated by the Lomo's slight distortion and tendency to darken photos towards the edges. Since I got the camera in 2000, I have taken at least 1500 photos and it will probably always be my favourite.

As for the most interesting thing I have photographed with the Lomo, I have a special place in my heart for one of the first photo's I took with the camera. It was in a Cinema, watching an Australian movie Chopper (one of Eric Bana's best performances). It was just a simple snap, but I was surprised how vivid the colour came out.

I would like to ask to same questions regarding your Holga. Explain to those who may not know what it is. What is the difference in how the camera works from a 'regular' camera? How does pictures taken with a Holga differ from other cameras? What is the most interesting/unusual thing you have photographed with a Holga?

The Holga is cheap, fun and made of plastic (including the lens). It's an inexpensive medium-format camera some might call a toy, but produces dreamy and breathtaking scenes with soft-focus tones, misty colors, and streaming lights. I have only had it for a year, but have really fallen in love with the results from this camera. I have also just purchased a Woca, which is the same camera, but has a glass lens.

My favourite shot with the Holga/Woca is from my series of Tulips. It's just a row of white tulips with a red tulip in the middle of them all. I think it's a rather magical shot.

In your opinion what would be one of the most interesting things to photograph in Tasmania?

Tasmania is really a beautiful place to live. It's population is only about 450 000 and most of the island is wilderness. I've heard people compare the scenery and climate to Oregon in the US (except Tassie doesn't get the same amount of snow!). There is alot to see in the state and within 3 hours drive the landscape can change from sandy beaches and turquoise water to snow capped peaks and untouched tarkine forests. Every year, in a town close to me, they hold a Tulip Festival and allow visitors to wander among 2 - 3 fields full of different coloured Tulips. I have just finished uploading all the photos I took there, and am thinking about putting up a display of those photos at next years festival.