New exhibition: the Art of Ageing

Heidi

Heidi

 

Hooray! I have a new exhibition that starts this Friday, October 21. It’s called The Art of Ageing and it’s going to be at the Sydney Town Hall until Sunday.

 

161009_b2a4378untitled-shoot_blog-post

 

The exhibition is the result of a commission I received this year by the Department of Family and Community Services to capture older people in a way that is more positive and varied than typical images portray them.

It was an interesting project for all sorts of reasons. I travelled all around Sydney to photograph a wide range of cultural backgrounds, which I always love. Some of the shoots were challenging because of people’s physical limitations. And it was interesting personally because recently I’ve become a little obsessed with trying to understand ageing. I find myself asking random people over the age of 60, how does it feel to be older? Not as in aches and pains, but do you feel massively different to who you were 20 years ago or are you essentially the same – except for more wrinkles and grey hair?

After doing this project, I’ve ended up with more questions. Like, why is Western society so obsessed with youth? And why does the human body degrade so much while the brain often stays relatively young?

Anyway, after meeting and photographing some pretty inspiring people who just happen to have spent longer on the planet than others, I’ve found myself feeling more positive about ageing. Lucky because there’s not much you can do about it!

A sneak preview of a few other pics that will appear:

 

Simply Voices Choir

Simply Voices Choir

 

 

 

Aunty Glenda

Aunty Glenda

 

 

 

Mahboba

Mahboba

 

Details:

The Art of Ageing exhibition; Sydney Town Hall (Lower Town Hall); Friday 21 October-Sunday 23 October: 9am-3pm; Free

The images are nice and big (1.3 metres wide) but there are only 14 so it won’t take you long to whip around. And I’d also love to hear your opinion on why the Western world is so ageist and how you personally feel about getting older. I can feel another project coming on!

loving the life aquatic

Spring Hill Baths, Brisbane :: 2

Spring Hill Baths, Brisbane :: 1

 

Hello! Long time no post, I know. This week things have finally slowed down a little so I’m taking the opportunity to check in before the next urgent, need-it-now job hurtles towards me.

As I review my work for various clients over the last six months, one almost constant theme is water.

Some of my favourite water moments have been poolside…

 

Centenary Pool, Brisbane

Centenary Pool, Brisbane

 

 

 

Spring Hill Baths, Brisbane :: 1

Spring Hill Baths, Brisbane :: 2

 

 

 

Boy Charlton, Sydney

Boy Charlton, Sydney

 

 

 

Prince Alfred Park pool, Sydney

Prince Alfred Park pool, Sydney

 

 

 

North Sydney Pool :: 1

North Sydney Pool :: 1

 

 

 

North Sydney Pool :: 2

North Sydney Pool :: 2

 

 

 

As much as I love pools – swimming in them and snapping them – the most mesmerising water experience was at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria…

 

wonder at the water wall

wonder at the water wall :: 1

 

 

 

wonder at the water wall :: 2

wonder at the water wall :: 2

 

 

 

The wall of water is totally wonderful but the most breathtaking water episode I’ve had recently was shooting way up high above the stuff at Brisbane Port, in a tiny cabin that moved so swiftly, I’m amazed any of these shots are in focus…

 

walking on water :: 1

walking on water :: 1

 

 

 

(Trying to stay upright and shoot was of course nothing compared to what the operator has to do – manipulate a tiny joystick to precisely pick up and move massive containers way down below, from ship to shore. For hours. On. End. The least I could do was not fall on top of the poor guy.)

 

walking on water :: 2

walking on water :: 2

 

 

 

walking on water :: 3

walking on water :: 3

 

 

 

Shooting back down on firm ground wasn’t nearly so dramatic but I do love a massive ship.

 

Brisbane Port :: 1

Brisbane Port :: 1

 

 

 

Brisbane Port :: 2

Brisbane Port :: 2

 

 

 

One of the things about shooting bodies of water is they look their best at daybreak. As much as I wince at the thought of waking up while it’s still dark, I love it when I do. No one’s around, the air is deliciously crisp and then suddenly, the light breaks over the horizon – it never stops feeling incredible…

 

Balmain :: 1

Balmain :: 1

 

 

 

Balmain :: 2

Balmain :: 2

 

 

 

Pyrmont :: 1

Pyrmont :: 1

 

 

 

Pyrmont :: 2

Pyrmont :: 2

 

 

 

As impressive as the sunrise is over the harbour foreshores, I had a recent OMG moment just a few minutes after I’d got off the M5 one early morning, near Liverpool. I thought I’d discovered a lot about the hidden gems of the western suburbs from the days of my first 52 Suburbs project, but this was news to me…

 

daybreak on the Georges River :: 1

daybreak on the Georges River :: 1

 

 

 

daybreak on the Georges River :: 2

daybreak on the Georges River :: 2

 

 

 

daybreak on the Georges River :: 3

daybreak on the Georges River :: 3

 

 

 

It wasn’t just the beauty that blew me away, it was also the richness of river life, just spitting distance from the M5 and busy, urban Liverpool. The life aquatic in the suburbs…

 

 

the life aquatic, in the suburbs :: 1

the life aquatic, in the suburbs :: 1

 

 

 

the life aquatic, in the suburbs :: 2

the life aquatic, in the suburbs :: 2

 

 

 

the life aquatic, in the suburbs :: 3

the life aquatic, in the suburbs :: 3

 

 

 

the life aquatic, in the suburbs :: 4

the life aquatic, in the suburbs :: 4

 

 

 

The biggest buzz for me was meeting a gaggle of gorgeous kids, messing about on the edge of Chipping Norton Lake. They loved having their photos taken – “me, miss, take me!” – as did their parents, a group of Lebanese Muslims enjoying a peaceful day out. The whole debate about immigration and the recent ‘us and them’ bizarreness seemed like a million miles away…

 

lake fun :: 1

lake fun :: 1

 

 

 

lake fun :: 2

lake fun :: 2

 

 

 

lake fun :: 3

lake fun :: 3

 

 

 

The two kids below are brother and sister. I wanted to snap them in the lovely late afternoon light but they weren’t sure how to stand. So I asked the older brother what he would do if he met his sister on the street. Without hesitation he hugged her tight. How beautiful is that?

 

gold

gold

 

 

 

So that’s just a little of what I’ve been up to. I’ll check in again soon – I always say it when I haven’t blogged for a while, but I really do miss it. (I probably should migrate to a new blog since clearly we’re no longer travelling around the world; I’ll add it to the To Do list.)

On other fronts, I’ve had a rush of blood to the head and reduced the price of my 52 Suburbs Around the World book to just $49.95. (If you’d like a copy, click here or head to the SHOP tab at the top of the page.) And I’m also offering family portraits at special Chrissy prices – I’ll post about that separately soon but in the meantime, please email me for the details (52suburbs@gmail.com) if you’re interested.

 

52SATW case2print corrs.indd

 

 

 

Last but not least, Coco says hi! Here she is with some of her friends, celebrating her 11th birthday – it was in July but her bad mother only got around to organising it recently. Wicked woman!

 

Happy (late) Birthday Coco! :: 1

Happy (late) Birthday Coco! :: 1

 

 

 

Happy (late) Birthday Coco! :: 3

Happy (late) Birthday Coco! :: 2

 

 

 

Happy (late) Birthday Coco! :: 3

Happy (late) Birthday Coco! :: 3

 

 

 

Happy (late) Birthday Coco! :: 1

Happy (late) Birthday Coco! :: 4

 

 

Here endeth this mega post. As usual, the blog format is all very one-sided – I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to over the last six months. Either that or you know, anything really. How you feel about sunrises, Christmas, cats vs dogs. The more random the better in a way. Just would be lovely to hear your ‘voice’. (I’d better go, it’s getting weird.)

 

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