river banners

Documenting Sarah Tomasetti’s river banners for the Birrarung: On The River exhibition at Chapman and Bailey. The exhibition featured a mix of professional artists and the wider community of Birrarung devotees in response to living and working on the river. Sarah invited me to photograph the de-install which was a wonderful way to clock the movement and texture of the pieces.

“Breaststroke is perfect for wild-water swimming. With eyes at water level, it allows me to take everything in. I look up to the Native Golden Wattles and Yarra gums growing impossibly out of the rocky cliffs on the other side of the river. Bobbing across the water’s surface are thousands of golden sweet-smelling flower heads from the wattles. It’s like a starry, starry night-sky. A pair of Snow Geese are spotted in the distance gathering insects in the reeds, while a raft of Pacific black-ducks glide by and attempt to herd us into shore.”

Carolyn Tate

philosophy and output

Melbourne artist, Sarah Tomasetti, in her home studio. Photography by Emma Byrnes.

I do not think of my work life as being part of a rat race. Instead I make a conscious effort to carve out my own pace by working with people whose philosophy and output also match this ideal.

And I see my photography as much more than just a tool that produces pictures. This craft allows me to make genuine human connections and intimate observations. When working with creative people, photography can be a way of connecting with their practice and observing the incidentals. If all goes well the results are pictures that evoke a moment in time or an environment that otherwise couldn’t be understood so easily. 

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I think in pictures. I am constantly squinting at scenes before me, subconsciously applying the rule of thirds. Or anticipating moments in that split second before they unfold.

I have been taking photographs since I was 10. I was given a Kodak brownie camera for Xmas and immediately fell in love with the satisfying click and the sound as I manually advanced the film. 

As time passed I realised that taking photos allowed me as an introvert to be right up close to the action without having to play a central part. Participating yet slightly removed, peeking out from behind the lens. I was quite shy as a child but was always a keen observer…watching and noticing. Picking up on nuances and energy. Photography enabled me to flex these muscles.

In high school I maintained an interest in photography but also loved culture and media, leading me to study Broadcast Journalism (with a sub-major in Photojournalism). Studying Photojournalism gave me a certain slant on photography ie the photographer needs to have more than just the eye for the photo. They must accurately portray an event or scene while still maintaining a fascinating composition. In addition, the photographer needs to be fast and fearless and be willing to push boundaries in order to get just the right shot. They also do not manipulate or enhance the photo in any way in post-production (or at least they shouldn’t?!)
During the course of this program I realised that I wasn’t ruthless/hungry enough to be a journalist (I was too sensitive at the end of the day and emergency zones were not my jam) but I definitely took away from that experience a fascination with the documentation and strong foundations for storytelling (especially with images.)

Over time I went on to do all sorts of interesting things (film-maker, web designer, barista, screen printer, fruit and vegetable store owner) including a design and animation degree. One of the things I enjoyed most about this period was learning about the Principles of Design. I also became adept at software editing tools such as Photoshop and Lightroom and really enjoyed the process of making images the best they could possibly be by cleaning things up a little bit in post-production (yep completely against the Photojournalism principles - yikes!)
These new skills combined to further inform my photography work - merging my intuitive, child-like curiosity and my reportage, photojournalistic approach with a more designerly, edited approach. 

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And this is how it culminates in the way I think of myself as a photographer now - working intuitively with people to document their environments whilst maintaining a very strong interest in the composition, and aesthetics.

See my photography website here.

Read further blog posts in the “intimate observations” series here.

feeling free

Photograph by Emma Byrnes

Ever since I was a young high school girl forced by curriculum-obsessed teachers to take physics and chemistry electives rather than art and painting I have harboured a burning desire to stand in front of a blank canvas brandishing a brush.
And late last year, after many years of procrastination, I finally took the plunge and started evening oil painting classes. To begin with I floundered about - despite having worked in the visual mediums of design, textiles and photography for many years. It felt like I had waited so long to give my right brain absolute permission to play and be completely free, that I had locked myself out from a true artistic practice. But eventually my logical thought process surrendered. An abstract, gestural style stepped up to the easel and with the help of my marvellous painting teacher, Sarah Tomasetti, I began to find flow.
I still can't quite believe how good it feels to paint. Forget yoga. This is my new medium for deep relaxation. Mixing the colours, scraping the palette knife, feeling the canvas under my brush. Losing track of time and all thoughts...being in the moment as the work takes shape. Standing back and assessing the mark-making. Seeing what translates onto the canvas when the analytical mind is cast aside and intuition takes over.
I sense that this is a new chapter for me and my creative journey. I can't see myself giving this up. Who knows where it will take me but for now I am happy just using it as a dedicated time each week to cast aside my thoughts, preconceptions and fear - to live in the moment.

And just in case you were wondering if this is a photograph of me?
No, it isn't. I haven't quite managed to get to that standard in such a short period of time :-) 
This week I've been documenting the beautiful, powerful yet delicate work of my painting teacher, Sarah, as she gears up for her exhibition at Beaver Galleries in April. A show well worth seeking out.
Em x