Coniston, NSW 2016

‘Smella Catshine’, artist and cosplayer, with her partner Charlie, Newtown train station, Sydney 2015.

I’ve finished, for now, a series on Australian cosplayers – an edit is on my website under the title ‘Avatar’. I’ll gradually continue with portraits of cosplayers (in costume, in their own environments), as time goes on. Good Weekend magazine in Sydney and Melbourne published an edit of the series.. if you are a cosplayer, especially someone whose creations are an important part of your life, and might like to be photographed, please get in touch!

Berkeley, January 2015.

I’m still photographing around my local area with colour (and very occasionally black and white) film, mainly portraits, as a slow continuation of the ‘Wollongong Now’ project.

As some people know I’m also working on a new project involving Australian cosplayers.  I’ve posted a few works in progress and outtakes but want to finish the series before I release the images online.  This is why there has been little activity on this blog in recent months.  I’ll be finishing the series (working title Avatar) in the second half of 2015 and also writing an article which with any luck you will be able to read in print form as well as on the web..

Ashleigh waiting for the bus outside Westfield Warrawong, January 2015

Teresa and Tarhnay, 2014. Teresa is finishing rehabilitation and out of prison. A while ago I made some recordings with the family that I want to transcribe for a section of a photobook.

One part I just listened to again —

Tarhnay: “I want to be a rapper!”

Teresa: “You can be anything you want to be my baby, anything you want to be. We’ll support you in everything you do. That’s all you need is your family there, your support – if you’ve got that mate, I believe you can do anything…”

Maria’s new place in Redfern, 2014.

Teresa and Tarhnay in Waterloo, 2010. They were living with Teresa’s mother, Maria, in the upstairs flat (this picture taken downstairs on the front steps). Teresa is a very committed and loving mother but has had some trouble with the law and been to prison more than once since this photo was taken. Tarhnay has lived with Maria and other family members who stay in the apartment. A couple of years ago a fire ignited during the night and destroyed part of the flat and the one next door. Somehow no-one was killed. The family has moved to a better place in a much safer street in Redfern. According to Maria there were a lot of drugs (especially ice) around the Waterloo block and some dangerous people moving around.

Barbara, Redfern Aboriginal tent embassy

I’ve been visiting the Redfern aboriginal tent embassy from time to time through the winter. The embassy was established in May 2014 by Jenny Munro, who was also involved with the tent embassy in Canberra from 1972. The aim of the Redfern embassy is to ensure that affordable housing for aboriginal people is maintained in the area; the development plan provides for 62 residential dwellings (many fewer than existed before), alongside commercial development, although apparently the funding for the affordable housing is not guaranteed. This site is also known as The Block, which has a very long term connection to aboriginal communities in Sydney. It was also known for significant drug problems before the area was cleared out and the buildings condemned some years ago. I’ve met and photographed a lot of people who moved from here to other parts of Redfern and Waterloo.

I decided to take along a light and make lit portraits, mainly of people who are staying here long term. They plan to block development until there is an undertaking to provide more affordable housing.  A number of physical attacks on embassy residents have been reported to police.

Lucas. He is pointing to the sky to acknowledge his brother, who has passed away. It was important to him to be photographed doing this.

Joe.  His sacred fire and tent are on the left.