My name is Sam.
Welcome!
If you’ve arrived here on the ABOUT ME page, having already seen some of my work and wondering about my philosophy behind the photography… the heart behind the HDR… the, um, esprit behind the exposure…
Well here is a little something about the mind of the man behind the camera.
(This part was so painful for me to write that I partially outsourced it to a friend.)
I grew up in the most beautiful part of the world (in my opinion), the Mid-North Coast. My mum was an arts teacher who loved photography (she first found me playing with her camera at the age of 4). My dad was a biologist with a love of all things nature (he first found me playing with a water dragon at the age of 3). Between them, you can probably see how I’ve ended up with a love of incorporating the natural world into my photography, and why I feel equally comfortably whether shooting in beach, bush, or boudoir.
Photography has always been a hobby of mine, but in recent years I have developed it into something more. I don’t want to settle into any one style: I am devoted to experimentation and finding new ways of creating art with the help of my trusty Sony camera and, increasingly, the people in front of the lens.
The best art is collaborative and I love working with my clients to create a shared vision and then bring it to life. We are telling a story together, whether that’s a tale about your journey, a period in your life that you want to commemorate, a completely fictional fantasy, or even the image of yourself you want to express to potential employers…
Next most importantly, a shoot with me should be fun. I pride myself on my ability to put clients at ease, to sense how much control you want over the shoot and how much guidance you’d like me to provide, and to simultaneously take the photography seriously while not losing a sense of play in the process. Things might not go perfectly to plan or look the way we’d hoped and that’s okay – we can adapt to the circumstances together, change what we can (spritz that flower with water to make it dewy! Add some lights in the background for the perfect bokeh! Or spin on a dime and go minimalist because, hey, actually that’s working perfectly with this scene)… and end up with something all the better for it.
Testimonials
“I have done a couple of shoots with Sam and have always found the photo shoot fun and relaxed while still being very professional. The photos turned out great and Sam did a excellant job of touching them up without changing the nature of the photography). I am very happy with how the sessions turned out.”
“Working with Sam is simply fun. He is passionate about his craft and dedicated to finding that perfect spot or searching for the ideal angle to capture the shot you're looking for. I can highly recommend booking Sam for your next shoot”
“I worked with Sam on a project in Sydney before I started my road trip north to QLD. We were thinking of shooting more north but ended up shooting near a river with nice ferns trying not to get rained on too much. He was very kind and friendly. I liked working with him and would love to do so again in future. Thanks for a good time. All the best!”
“Having worked with Sam on a couple of occasions for both professional portraits, and creative photography, I can say with absolute confidence that you will not regret booking a session with Sam. As I am someone that has very little experience with creative photography, I was made to feel completely at ease and was so happy with the quality of the resulting photos.”
“Taking photos with Sam makes you feel like you are not deliberately posing for a photo, but sincerely recording a moment in your life. We experimented with new creative ideas, often inadvertently, and I loved the unexpected results~
It is a most rare gift that he possesses such an eye for beauty.”
“Sam is professional, easy going and great to work with. He picked an awesome location and I enjoyed creating the viking shoot together. Definitely recommend shooting with Sam and I am looking forward to shoot with him again.”
AWARDS
