photographer petrina hicks

After working as a commercial photographer for many years, Sydney-based Petrina Hicks now focuses on her fine art work. She is well-known for her portraits of the model Lauren, pictured second from top, and portraying a tension between beauty and imperfection. Petrina has won several prizes for her work, including the 2008 ABN Amro Emerging Artist Award. She has also exhibited in Germany and Japan, and at the National Gallery of Victoria as well as the Museum of Brisbane. In Sydney she is represented by the Stills Gallery.

Which five words best describe you? Depends which day you catch me - today it’s calm, focused, inspired, patient.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I started working as a photography assistant to commercial photographers in Sydney. I did this for 6 years, before working as a commercial photographer myself. I then grew frustrated with this, and started to develop my art practice again, and now this is what my time revolves around.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? "Nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished".

What’s your proudest career achievement? It’s yet to happen.

What’s been your best decision? Destroy and create, create and destroy.

Who inspires you? The list would be infinite, as I’m inspired by everything, in the realm of the arts a few key inspirations have been: Kiki Smith, Cindy Sherman, Michael Borremans, Vermeer.

What are you passionate about? Real food, yoga, non possession – or not being weighed down by ones possessions.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Leonardo Da Vinci

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To have a garden.

What are you reading? Words Without Pictures (a series of texts published by Los Angeles County Museum of Art).

images courtesy of petrina hicks

PHOTOGRAPHER JAMES HOUSTON

Fifteen years ago photographer James Houston decided to start all over again. He had established a successful career in Australia, shooting editorials for Vogue Australia and Black and White magazine but he wanted to work in New York. It took a while to break through but when he did, James did it with style - landing Donna Karan and Clinique as clients. Since then he has carved out a niche in beauty photography and celebrity portraiture. More recently he has launched James Houston Design, showcasing a series of his prints in an online gallery. 

Which five words best describe you? Driven, conscious, activist, visionary and creative.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I was modeling in Tokyo and happened to stumble onto photography as a hobby while I was there and I started shooting my friends. When I came back to Australia I decided to work towards an exhibition and publishing a book of my work. This helped get my name out there and from that point I started to work with editorial magazines and advertising clients slowly working my way up to be a leading photographer in Australia. 

I then decided to move to New York which was initially challenging. I worked hard to break into the market and build up my client base internationally. While in New York I discovered my passion for beauty, hair and skin and that became my focus allowing me to become one of the worlds leading beauty photographers working for clients such as L’Oreal Paris, Donna Karan, Hugo Boss and Givenchy, and celebrities such as Hugh Jackman, Emma Watson and Jennifer Lopez.

I believe in evolving as an artist and I am now at a point in my career where I am moving into design with photography as the inspiration under the banner of recently launched James Houston Design. We launch our first home product range in the Spring 2015.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Stay connected and committed to the result you want to achieve in your life not attached to the journey and how that will play out. 

What’s your proudest career achievement? I have created and worked on many community projects utilising my photography to raise millions of dollars for various charities and organisations. Sir Elton John called me a hero at the launch of my Move For Aids launch in Australia when he attended and spoke at the event. 

What’s been your best decision? To move to the US.

Who inspires you? I’m inspired by people who are living their dream and really enjoying their journey. 

What are you passionate about? I’m passionate about expressing myself through my work and capturing and sharing beauty. I’m also passionate about inspiring others to connect with their own potential and dreams.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I would like to meet and shoot Beyonce, Obama and Buddha.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To successfully build James Houston Design and my design philosophy brand MindSpaceDesign. The vision of these brands is to share beautiful products with an international audience and inspire people to create a home that connects them to what they want their life to look and feel like. 

What are you reading? The mastery of love by Don Miguel Ruiz.

images courtesy of james houston and james houston design

PHOTOGRAPHER JONATHAN CAMI

Even when you reach a level of success in your career, there can still be much to learn. For Jonathan Cami, it took advice from a fellow photographer to get him inspired all over again. After working for many years on advertising shoots for clients such as Nike, Audi and San Miguel in Barcelona, Jonathan started to feel that photography was becoming a job rather than his passion. So he started retraining his eye, shooting items of interest every day. Jonathan has since left advertising work behind and is now focussing on editorial - and since moving to Australia has been shooting for magazines such as Monocole, Inside Out and Virgin Australia’s Voyeur. Some of the images he shot before leaving Europe, seen above, can be found and purchased via The Incredible Picture Machine.

Which five words best describe you? Well, you can choose between these: short, bearded, bald, tattooed, thin... or stubborn, cheeky, organised, impulsive, funny.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? My career started many, many years ago in Barcelona, assisting an advertising photographer. When I moved overseas I left advertising behind, trying to re-start my career focussing on editorial... still trying to make a career of it.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? My mentor and friend, Damien Laurent, a London-based photographer/director from Blinkk, taught me how to love every bit of photography, how to be passionate about photography again. After many years of working in advertising in Barcelona, photography had become just a job and Damien changed that, made me get my camera every day and shoot everything.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Some art directors send me to a shoot without any other direction than, “Do what you usually do, we love your portraits”. 

What’s been your best decision? To leave Barcelona behind and follow my (now) wife overseas. This decision has brought me an awesome daughter and changed my career totally - much, much less money but much, much more satisfaction.

Who inspires you? Henri Cartier-Bresson or any of the photographers of the Magnum agency.

What are you passionate about? My family, reading books, travelling and taking photos of abandoned cars.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I'm not a mythomaniac, but probably I would have love to have had a conversation with Nestor Almendros.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? For someone to pay me to travel and take photos - and publish them in a book. 

What are you reading? Crónica del Alba, a series of nine novels from Ramón J. Sender. One of the pillars of Spanish literature and a powerful testimony of Spain from the early 20th century until the civil war.

images courtesy of jonathan cami

photographer pia ulin

Photography can still seem a male-dominated domain. And while it's possible to rattle off a long list of accomplished female photographers, it's always satisfying to add another woman to the list who's carving out a formidable reputation for herself. Pia Ulin is a Swedish photographer who studied and spends much of her time in New York. She travels constantly for work, thanks to her client base which includes HM HOME, Ikea and Anthropologie, as well as magazines such as Elle Decoration, Martha Stewart and Condé Nast Traveller. Pia has also published two books - Nesting is the most recent - and completed one documentary film.

Which five words best describe you? Spontaneous, fast, passionate, happy, melancholic.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I studied photography at the International Center of Photography in New York. Then I went back to Stockholm and my work just took off.

What's the best lesson you've learnt along the way? Say yes to everything, and learn as you go along.

What's your proudest career achievement? When Casa Vogue/Italia said they liked my book Nesting.

What's been your best decision? To have children.

Who inspires you? Silence.

What are you passionate about? Finding a home.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Georgia O'Keeffe

What dream do you still want to fulfill? Move to Los Angeles.

What are you reading? Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh

images courtesy of pia ulin

interiors by martyn thompson

Martyn Thompson's photography has featured in some of the best-selling interior books of recent times, including Ilse Crawford's Home is where the heart is. Over the past 20 years he has also been commissioned regularly by publications such as Vogue and Elle Decoration. Now Martyn has just released his own book, Interiors (Hardie Grant), which showcases some of his favourite house features from leading figures in the design world and the stories that go behind them.

How did you arrive at the concept for the book? Many people had suggested I publish a book of the interiors work I had shot, then, talking one day with the co-author, Kirsten Willey, she offered to put it all together.

What was involved in the creation process? I sent a hard-drive of all my favourite stories to Kirsten who then put them together in a rough version of what the book is now - slowly we refined it and then she approached publishers.

How long did it take to come together - from concept to first copy? Just under two years.

How did you envisage the look of the book? I didn’t - Kirsten put it all together. That’s the best thing about it.

What was unexpected about the whole experience? It was so great to have someone else edit and arrange my work. I learnt a lot about the benefits of letting go of control.

images courtesy of martyn thompson, kirsten willey and hardie grant

PHOTOGRAPHER FRANCOISE BAUDET

For the second time in the past week someone has revealed that their parents steered them away from architecture. But in each case the lure of the design world was too strong. For Francoise Baudet, she found her way back to her first love after a career in advertising. After 12 years of corporate life she picked up a camera, studied at night and assisted during the day. Now she is out on her own and loving every minute.

Which five words best describe you? Organised, hopeful, passionate, monochrome, family. 

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? My parents are both architects and told me never to do architecture. So I studied a Bachelor of Business (Advertising) and spent over 12 years building a career in advertising and branding working on mostly corporate and political clients like BHP Billiton, Westpac Group, Coca Cola Amatil, Queensland Labor Party and Australian Aerospace. However, I could not shake the passion I had for architecture and design. I’ve always had a strong appreciation of design and how it works with nature and effects our lifestyle. And, of course, I’ve developed a love of white, grey and black. I really enjoyed photography as a hobby, so studied it at night and set out to change my career. I was lucky enough to intern with Megan Morton who gave me real insight into the business as well as the confidence to jump in. I also assisted incredible photographers like Richard Glover, Amanda Prior, Jason Busch and Felix Forest. Each are so generous with their time and knowledge. I would not be where I am today without their mentoring. When I’m on location shooting a house, it feels so damn good. I was so nervous in the lead up to shooting my first house, but nothing could shake how comfortable and confident I felt behind the lens capturing the space. If I ever start to question my decision to change career, I get behind the lens and that comfortable feeling comes back.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? To throw yourself in and commit wholeheartedly. Keep pushing outside your comfort zone and keep learning. Seek out mentors and listen, listen, listen.

What’s your proudest career achievement? I’ve got so much further to go and I’ve got plenty of goals to achieve. However, so far, my proudest career achievement was getting my first house published. I rushed out and bought a heap of copies of the magazine.

What’s been your best decision? To explore my passion for photography as a hobby with formal study and to leave the world of advertising and enter the world of photography.

Who inspires you? This will sound cliche but I am inspired to work hard for my husband and family - my biggest support team. In terms of creative inspiration, well, there’s so much good juice out there. I am inspired by everyone. I cruise architecture sites and particularly love Pinterest. I get lost in there for hours.

What are you passionate about? I’m passionate about sharing the importance of good design. In this day and age, it’s too easy to buy a house from a catalogue or do a renovation by yourself. I think spaces are incredibly important and shape the way we live and enjoy life. I also like the idea of leaving something valuable for the next person. Architects understand how to utilise the land, light and built form and their influence can transform a living space into something very practical but also extremely beautiful.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Frank Lloyd Wright.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I’ve been working on a special project documenting my late Grandfather’s Modernist architecture work from the 1960s. He designed a huge number both private and public buildings during a very unique era of architecture. My dream is to have an exhibition sharing the work.

What are you reading? At the moment I’ve been keeping it more visual and indulging in coffee table books. I am loving Minimalism by Loft Publications, Northern Delights by Gestalten and 50s/60s/70s Iconic Australian Houses by Karen McCartney.

images courtesy of francoise baudet and the ivy

photographer james merrell

James Merrell is a London-based photographer but his work is more than familiar to Australians, thanks to the extensive editorial work he's done for magazines including Vogue Living, Inside Out, Elle Decor, Martha Stewart and Domino. Lose yourself in his website or on the site of his agent Judith Miller.

Which five words best describe you? Another cup of coffee please (according to my daughter).

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I started working for the Sunday Times Magazine, then just kept on going - hopefully forwards.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Always wear a good pair of shoes, as a photographer you spend all day on your feet.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Having five magazine covers on the newsstand at one time.

What’s been your best decision? To become a photographer.

Who inspires you? Vermeer

What are you passionate about? My children.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Robert Frank - the greatest photographer ever.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I still think I'm going to learn to play the guitar.

What are you reading? White Noise by Don DeLillo.

images courtesy of james merrell

photographer martyn thompson

Martyn Thompson is a New York-based Australian photographer whose career has spanned more than 25 years. He started out making garments, and ended up photographing them. Soon his photographic work was in high demand and he moved from fashion photography to interiors. He also relocated from Paris to London before basing himself in New York. All the while he has shot campaigns for the likes of Hermes, Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Tiffany & Co. Martyn has also published several books, including two with Ilse Crawford.

Above are examples of his fine art photography. Tomorrow read about his latest book project, Interiors (Hardie Grant).

Which five words best describe you? A good question for someone else to answer, but anyway: quiet, excitable, honest, industrious, boyish.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I wanted to be a fabric designer. I bought fabric and paint and started doing just that. Then I started to make clothes from the fabrics and began to sell them. I started photographing those clothes and that’s what led to my career as a photographer.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Trust your instinct.

What’s your proudest career achievement? That my work continues to change and develop.

What’s been your best decision? To let other people help.

Who inspires you? Passionate people: performance artist Taylor Mac, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.

What are you passionate about? Many things. On the broadest level "equality” is a big issue for me. I’m passionate about the creative process. And on a completely superficial level, what I wear.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Brian Eno

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To exhibit more.

What are you reading? Alan Hollinghurst The Stranger’s Child.

images courtesy of martyn thompson

photographer harold david

Harold David was born in America and studied acting at the respected Lee Strasberg school in New York, but he has made his name as a photographer in Australia. His work is regularly showcased in magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, Grazia, Vogue and Marie Claire, and he has shot campaigns for General Pants, Sportsgirl and Levis. Harold's non-commercial work has been exhibited at the Art Gallery of NSW and one of his most recent collection's has travelled to Japan. His portrait, above, was taken at Harold's holiday home in the Blue Mountains, and featured in the latest issue of Inside Out magazine. [To see more pics of his weekender, visit taiKa.]

Which five words best describe you? Left, solid, forward, observant, cuddly.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? When I was over my acting stint David Bonney really encouraged me to do something about my love for photography and led me to the ACP 17 years ago to start taking classes and I did. My first exhibition, "Surface", was about Bondi skate culture, curated by Victoria Harbutt as part of the Sydney Fringe Festival. That show was seen Brett Chamberlain who was doing a lot of work for Studio Magazines and got me on board there. This lead to my love of shooting portraits and fashion editorials as well as exhibiting my personal work. Soon after Mari Vendrame became my agent and mentor. So with the support and love of David Bonney, Victoria Harbutt, Brett Chamberlain and Mari Vendrame I was able to realise my passion for taking photographs. I am still on this path with some of these people and still creating images and collaborating with many more along the way.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? That we are not alone.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Photographing Japanese workers in their uniforms.
What’s been your best decision? To leave home at 18 and follow my curiosity.
Who inspires you? Anna Madrigal.
What are you passionate about? Observing people and pancakes.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Tolstoy.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To be a dad.
What are you reading? Essays in Love by Alain de Botton.

images courtesy of harold david and inside out (portrait)