Matt and Lora's wedding

I love a good wedding. Is it the romantic in me? The gregarious people person perhaps?Or is it the photojournalist, the photographer, the creative guy within? Or all of the above? I think the latter. A wedding is a challenge for any photographer, but I do enjoy them. Matt and Lora's wedding was no exception. The whole gang was a good laugh, and we had a great time on the shoot. We went to Southern Cross Station where security turned a blind eye to our presence while we snapped away. Here is one shot from the series....

Shelton and Ernie, Together on 3AW

Its an honour for me to appear regularly each week on Melbourne Radio 3AW talking photography with Ernie Sigley. Ernie is an Australian entertainment legend and is the funniest bloke - on and off the air. Perhaps he is funnier off air when he knows no one is listening except me... On air? He and I banter on the subject of digital photography and I am happy to take questions on air. I will be appearing again each week on Melbourne Radio 3AW (693 on your Am dial) on Wednesday afternoons at 1:30...ish. I f you wanna listen online, click on the very bad picture of Ernie and me above.

Total Image is Out

Creating a magazine is never easy, and today's photographic industry climate is tough. That is why I am once again proud to announce that the latest issue of Total Image and Better Pictures is on camera store shelves once again. The cover of Total Image features a portrait of Antonio, a man who stood silently in a doorway of his mudbrick home in Northern Argentina while 8 photographers snapped his portrait. This one was my favourite, especially after having been given the treatment in Corel's new Paint Shop Pro Photo XI.

In this issue of Total Image and Better Pictures we give you ten easy tips for that professional approach to your photography. We also get you into flowers for the Spring season. We look once again at the Ricoh GR Digital as well as the Sony Alpha and the Sandisk range of Extreme cards.

If you can't find a copy in your local camera store, contact me and I'll tell you where you can get hold of one in your local area.

Coming to Canada, eh?

I have been honoured with an invitation to photograph Leanne and Tyler's wedding in Edmonton Alberta on October 21st. Leanne and Tyler were looking through my online wedding portfolio and decided that they wanted me to come. I am truly honoured.

My lucky assistant will by my son, Nathan, who, due to his ongoing Chronic Fatigue cannot travel with me on my photo tours. Nathan is 15 and a great photographer in his own right and so we will be headed for the Rockies for a few days to do some photography together while we are there. It will be a great opportunity for us, one that does not come along every day.

No doubt there will be some new Canada images for my website when I return. Naturally, I will keep you posted!

I'm Out There...

OK, I couldn't help myself. I have a whole bunch of recordings of me blasting out some of my favourites songs, so I thought I would set up a new blog so everyone can ridicule me. Damn I am a brave man! To hear my attempts at some of my faves, click here....

Back From Argentina

Well, I am back, safe and well from Northern Argentina. What an incredible country! What an incredible trip! What fabulous photographic opportunities this country offers! Each day afforded a level of diversity in images I have never before experienced in any other country in the world, and I have seen my share. To photograph festivals and cultural events, portraits, landscapes, wildlife and social documentary images in the space of a day was not unusual, and the diversity of each of these categories changed daily with each new location, each new adventure.

It even changed my own appearance! (Photo courtesy: Bob 'El Presidente' Cook.)

My Nikon D200 performed brilliantly, producing 10 megapixel images that I can use for almost any purpose. I also used a Ricoh GR Digital for some of the candid 'street' images. Lenses ranged from my Tamron 11 -18 through to my 300mm AF-ID Nikkor. My favourites were the new Tamron 17-50 f2.8, my AF NIkkor 80-200 f2.8 and my 85mm f1.8, the lens I live in.

Speaking at Southern Suburbs Photographic Society

Upon my return from Argentina, one of the first things I am going to do is speak at Southern Suburbs Photographic Society. (Hopefully I will be over the jetlag!) This will be Tuesday 5th of September at 8pm. Southern Suburbs meet at the Uniting Church Hall, Hemming Street, Brighton East. (Melway Map 77C4.) For more information about Southern Suburbs, click here. I will once again be presenting my lecture on the subject of People Photography. If you are interested in the subject, or just wish to hang around with fellow photographers, make sure to come on down. Camera Clubs and Associations are the perfect way to find birds of a feather who flock together. Some of them are pretty crazy birds too! There will be free copies of Total Image, new friends to make and coffee and biscuits to have. Hope to see you there!

Shelton and Tamron, Together in Argentina

Well, its nearly that time again. As part of my annual obligations, I am leading a photographic tour to yet another incredible part of the world. Its a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it. This year I am taking a group of fun loving photophiles to Argentina - visiting Iguacu Falls, The Culural region of Ibera, Buenos Aires and many fabulous places in between. Two days will be spent photographing the Gaucho Cowboys on actual Argentinian Estancias or ranches. There will be festivals, wildlife, culture, landscapes and of course the inevitable Mecca of every photo tour I run - the local marketplaces. I will be returning on the 27th of August with thousands more images to add to my collection, and a few stories to tell no doubt. Look for the new images on my website when I return!

Interestingly, Tamron Japan, in conjunction with their Importers here in Australia have asked me to produce and present images taken with their new 17-50 f2.8 lens. I am looking forward to using that! I am honoured to have been asked. Tamron make superb optics and I already own their 11-18 Wide Angle zoom. Look for the images that I take with their new 17-50 f2.8.

We will be photographing through the Northwestern provinces of Salta and Jujuy, a region of contrasting landscapes such as cloud forests, valleys with huge cacti groves and the Altiplano or Puna, territory close to the borders with Bolivia and Chile (the Atacama desert), with an important cultural heritage of the native people of the Andes. We will visit old colonial towns in the valleys of Salta and Jujuy for photographing the wineries and the work related to the wine production, as well as the native people using the agricultural terraces built by the Incas and the primitive tribes. The tour will be set in the period in which the people of the mountains and valleys make their ceremonies to the Mother Earth or Pachamama, to the Sun and to the Christian saints in order to pray for better times, for a good harvest and for a successful reproduction of their sheep and llamas.The last part of the trip will be in the northeast of Argentina, the subtropical region of the Ibera marshlands and the Iguazú rainforest. In Iberá the group will stay in an authentic cattle working ranch, where we will focus on the life and work of the gauchos, those famous horsemen of Argentina, as well as in the rich wildlife of the area. At Iguazú we will visit the spectacularIguazú Falls, considered the most spectacular waterfalls on Earth, and have also chances to shoot local farms and colorful markets.

See you when I get back!

Shelton on Radio 3AW

I will once again be appearing on Australia's highest rating afternoon radio program, Afternoons with Ernie Sigley. Listen as we banter together about photography this Tuesday the 8th of August at around 2:00. 3Aw is AM 693 or click on the logo to listen online!

A Cold Day in Hell...I mean Cranbourne...

This shoot for Mylund - a major client of mine - and Onley Homes resulted in an architectural and commercial image that I have not been asked to do many times in my career. Now I know why I haven't minded. After a couple of decades of pro shooting you find that you get to shoot just about everything. All I remember was that it was a cold evening in Cranbourne as I waited for the setting sun to do its stuff...Next time I am packing my Gortex!

My Other Passion

My other passion is singing. Here I am with pianist Jonathon Cox at the National Theatre singing "My One and Only Love" and "What a Difference a Day Makes". I don't often get to perform with live musicians or at this kind of venue, so it was all just too much fun! Ah, 'but can the guy actually sing?', you may ask. If you are curious, download my recorded version of "Fever" here ...and decide for yourself!

Corporate Training in Photography

Beginning in August, I will be initiating a new venture in Corporate Training. Photography is one of the most popular and accessible pastimes, and without doubt one of the most enjoyable. As part of my continuous teaching and lecturing commitments, I will be including interactive photographic training for corporate events. For bookings and further information, please feel free to contact me via the contact details on my website. Prices for corporate training events are P.o.A.