draft1.mp4

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
Lately I’ve been able to cover two local music festivals here in Magandjin/Brisbane! It’s been really fun shooting live performances on film and interviewing artists and organisers. I also do work covering protests and events that happen in my city.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?
Definitely make backup copies of audio recordings so you don’t lose them haha! I unfortunately had one of my audio interviews get corrupted and I didn’t realise until I went to transcribe it. I make a lot of small mistakes every time I shoot, and I think slowly but surely I will learn not to make those anymore.

What words, ideas or emotions were going through your head?
I would have to say excitement is the main emotion. I enjoy the process of photography, and with film I enjoy the fact that I don’t know if the photo will look good or not. It’s always excitement, but also a lot of fear sometimes as well!

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
The 2024 movie Civil Warby Alex Garland has been an inspiration for my photography and journalism journey. I just really liked how the main character used 35mm film, and I think that made me want to keep using film primarily in my work.

What's been the most difficult thing you've faced recently in your creative process?
Trying to be more cringe. It sounds off and wrong, but trying to do more without the fear of embarrassment has been a driving factor for me.

What is your favorite restaurant and what do you recommend we order?
Not a singular restaurant, but one of my favourite places is Market Square in Sunnybank, QLD. Parking is awful, so I recommend public transport, but you can’t go wrong with getting a couple of fried skewers, a nasi lemak, or even just closing your eyes, spinning in a circle, and choosing a place to eat. Top it off with a gelato or a boba afterwards!

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
I feel like it would still be a draft, so maybe the title would be: draft1.mp4. The soundtrack would definitely be composed by Son Lux.

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
I haven’t had the chance to work with any studios, but I did work with the Museum of Brisbane on a collaborative photo exhibit. I really enjoyed that, and it’s fun to see what other artists and photographers contribute. I’d love to do more work like that and work with other artists on a singular project or story.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
Here are a few artists I get inspired by: Anna-Laura Sullivan makes very hopeful and cute comics. Every time I see one I feel happy and giddy, and it makes me want to be a better human being.

Montaigne has a great album called it’s hard to be a fish. I listened to it in a tent while coming up with interview questions for them in Newcastle last year, and even though their flight got delayed, I still listen to the album quite frequently. Definitely check out it’s all about the money!

Sana Sky does great artwork of public transport here in Brisbane. As a big fan of public transport, I definitely enjoy seeing something I recognise drawn in an amazing way!