A Digital Life

TEAM CPW
Back Row Left to Right: Richard Ingram, Casey Hamblin, Kerry Sumner, Tamara Bodor, Adam Davidson, "Aunty" Jan Hannasky, "Guru" David Oakley, the fabulous Nathan Muller. Front Row, Left to Right: Shelton Muller, Glynn Lavender, Natasha Humble, Amanda Anderson, Keith Anderson.Absent: Bruce Williams, Meryn Pratt, Kellie Webster

Thank you to ALL of you!
Photo: Richard Annable

The past weekend was so incredibly busy, and so incredibly rewarding at the same time. The annual PMA photographic industry Expo was held in Melbourne and Creative Photo Workshops was there. We worked solidly from Thursday to Sunday, setting up our stand and then catering for the thousands who thronged towards it.

To give you some background, I have been pitching the idea of having photography opportunities at the Expo for some years. Each year I have watched as members of the public turn up for the Expo with cameras in hand - and nothing to photograph. I have wanted for so long to give them that experience. This year, it happened. And it happened BIG.

Me on Radio 3AW at the Expo

PMA Australia gave Creative Photo Workshops a 6x19 metre stand and a carte blanche chance to make it work. They gave us furniture, and we supplied the rest. It was a great opportunity and we were not going to miss the chance to show the industry what exactly is needed to perpetuate itself - people taking photographs, and loving it.

If not for our wonderful friends, Glynn and I simply could not have managed. Once our studio was setup and the speakers sounded out the invitation to come and take some photographs, hundreds of people at a time would visit the stand. Without the wonderful assistance of Meryn Pratt, David Oakley, Kerry Sumner, Adam Davidson, Jan Hannasky, Natasha Humble, Richard Ingram, Richard Fryberg, Bruce Williams, Tamara Bodor , Kellie Webster and my fabulous son, Nathan, we simply would have fallen apart. And I am still overwhelmed with gratitude that these lovely people gave up so much of their time to be a part of what we were doing. 

Each day had three mini workshop sessions in rotation, and each were as popular as the next. People surrounded our demonstration studio area to learn and to take photographs for themselves. It was wonderful, and I have to admit feeling a strong sense of validation about my desires to have an event like this finally take place at the annual photographic expo. Some of the photographs that people were taking were simply beautiful, thanks to the lighting provided by FotoBestway and the tuition of our CPW Team. A special thanks also to our models, two of whom have experienced CPW madness before and decided to come back for more, namely Sarah Hardy and Taisen Blackwolf. Thanks also to Jessica, Chloe, Emily, Danny, Deanne who came along for the fun and provided great faces for our customers.

If you want a taste of the madness and fun that ensued, have a look at the videos that our mulitmedia Guru, David Oakley, has put together for us....just to give you an idea...

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

My son, Nathan had his own experience at PMA, having won the PMA Young Achiever of the Year award for Victoria. I am so proud of my son simply for being the person he is. But it is wonderful to see him rewarded for his qualities and for his secular potential from key figures and businesses within the photographic industry. He was so gracious in defeat when he missed out on the National Award that it made me even more proud to be his father. I also know that he lost by a very, very small margin. At his young age he is earning the respect and admiration he deserves. As photo industry marketing Guru, Bill McCurry said to me "Give that boy a microphone and he has the room in the palm of his hands.Three of him and I could retire to the life I want to become accustomed to.."

All in all, this year's PMA Expo was an incredible success. I am exhausted, I have to tell you. But I am excited. It was an incredibly rewarding experience at a profound personal level.