Commercial Portrait Photography- Cunard Queen Elizabeth Sydney

During my professional photographic career of 16-years, I still love the diversity of being a photographer in Sydney, one day I'm shooting an architecturally designed building to the next day a Barrister or CEO.

I photograph all forms of Architecture, including residential homes, public architecture, theatres, interiors, office fit-outs, educational learning centres for universities and schools. As well as some of our cities wonderful new redevelopments and re-use of space like Quay Quarter in Sydney and Central Park at Chippendale.

The other side of the business is people in all their shapes, forms and roles. I'm usually in Sydney's CBD photographing corporate portraits for all types of local and international businesses. Often law firms and lawyers. Happy to be on the right side on them.

Back to the diversity of what I do is cool. This time last year just before international lockouts and the crazy pandemic of Covid-19 hit the Australian coastline. I had the privilege of shooting BTS (behind the scenes) of the luxury Cunard Queen Elizabeth Cruise Liner. An amazing ship, with a stella international crew who were humble, positive and funny. Having never really been into cruising or been on such a massive ship it was truly incredible how they organise and provide for the passengers and crew of approximately 3000 people.

You can see the architectural heritage of the interiors and exterior of this ship. With beautiful grand staircases with timber panelled walls. The details are extraordinary. The company has a connection to the White Star Line. This was the name of the Titanic company and it’s followed through to this day with similar style and heritage. Minus the icebergs and 109 years. Omg, it was that long ago!

The photography brief was perfect, shooting to my strengths not stiff and formal. Cunard (a subsidiary of Carnival Cruises) was looking for a photographer to shoot various crew at work in a very relaxed, natural, reportage style without looking set up. The shoot involved a detailed shooting schedule with the ship making sure crew were available in each location. The day was very busy with around 8 locations onboard with 2-3 scenarios in each location, shooting in both landscape and portrait with wide and tight options. With the right preparation and experience, it was thrilling with some pressure to make sure you nailed it.

Naturally, we did!

Commercial Architectural Photography

I photographed St Benedict’s Catholic College recently for Fulton Trotter Architects. It was an interesting long day. The weather for photography was as dramatic as the architecture itself. With vivid blues skies one minute to thundering clouds, rain and hail the next. The photography shoot also involved setting up numerous floodlights for a dusk photograph of the interior of the covered outdoor learning area. Below is a detailed description of the educational facility as written by the architect.

St Benedict’s Catholic College in Oran Park is a new secondary school developed on a greenfield site in Sydney’s South-West. Fulton Trotter Architects developed a masterplan for the site in 2011 to be completed across a number of stages.

The Art, Media and TAS buildings was the first stage of the St Benedicts College Masterplan and demonstrated the two building typologies which will be developed across the site. 
Stage 2 of the works includes a two storey classroom building – housing the food technology classrooms on the ground floor and six seniors classrooms on the first floor – as well as the covered outdoor learning area (COLA).

The COLA Building forms the centrepiece and focal point for the site. A series of view corridors link into the space from all the access points to the site. Its two storey height allows provides access into all levels of the buildings that connect into it – making it the circulation hub of the site. The form of the COLA is a modern take on the traditional Benedictine colonnade with the walkways surrounding the central gathering space framed by a series of concrete columns and beams. A lightweight, slender roof then floats over the colonnade covering the entire area.

The food technology and classroom building connects into the COLA structure. It features a tile roof and feature brickwork referencing the rapidly developing suburbs growing around the school. It is a continuation of the style that was developed on the site in the first stage of the works and is in keeping with the concepts developed in the masterplan. In plan the ground floor of the building features two generous teaching kitchen spaces – one fitted out as a full commercial teaching kitchen. A compact canteen space is also housed on the ground floor. On the first floor, six classroom spaces are interconnected with operable walls to allow for flexibility in the teaching configurations while also allowing the entire floor to be opened up for larger meetings.

Creative Business Portraits - inner city Sydney

When Greg Masters contacted me for some corporate portrait photography of himself I was currently overseas. But not to worry I emailed Greg some information about how I worked and the concepts for the photo shoot. He was referred to me by another client of mine. So Greg was more than happy to wait till my return from overseas. Greg was an ideal client because he knew he didn't just want the standard LinkedIn Headshot, he required some creative and alternative images of himself for his business's website and social media. The photography shoot in the inner city took about 80 minutes and the location was at Greg's uber cool New York Style apartment and in the streets of Redfern. 

Greg has more than 25 years experience consulting to government and community sectors. He is passionate about making a difference and helping organisations change for the better. Visit Nexus to learn more about how he can assist your organization. 

Commercial Photography Sydney

Northholm Grammar School is a co-educational day school with a maximum enrolment of 550 students from Years Three to Twelve. Their campus is located in a semi-rural environment in the Hornsby Shire of Sydney.

For the last five years Mackintosh Photography has been commissioned to create compelling and emotive images that represents the schools branding and ethos effectively. These commercial photography assignments along with the images I create are used for the school's prospectus, brochures, website and strategic plans. Including roadside advertising billboards and even on some Sydney buses. The photography brief for this most recent photo shoot was simply to create candid and relaxed portraits. We didn’t want too many formal portraits for this particular shoot. The children need to be engaged with each other, including their teachers and enjoying school life.

A private school is just like most businesses. They need to present a professional image and showing what the company or business can do for their potential clients. Every business big or small needs to create brand awareness so they can continue to grow and prosper. Professional photography and video and greatly help your business grow.

Call the studio today to see how Mackintosh Photography can help your business.

Professional Business Portraits - Sydney

 

In today's media savvy online marketing world. Having a professional headshot is very important. Your online portrait represents your image and brand. The portrait needs to look fresh, genuine and honest. It's photographer who makes you look great in photographs. Not Photoshop. It's the way I personally shoot and listen to what you're looking for in a portrait. And making you genuinely feel relaxed and comfortable with photography experience. Having your portrait taken is fun and enjoyable. Well it is with Mackintosh Photography.
BUT most importantly your beautiful photograph of yourself must really look like you! NOT an over retouched composite fake version of yourself!

I work often with small business owners, entrepreneurs and executives and I'm finding more often these clients are requiring more than just a headshot. They usually have different needs and roles that they perform in their career. So one image isn't enough to tell their personal story. 

DR SARAH JOY AITKEN | Senior Lecturer | Vascular Surgeon Concord Hospital | Medicine
Dr Aitken is another example of needing more than one image. She has recently won a significant grant to further research cardiovascular disease. So she will be doing more lectures, attending conferences and writing articles in medical journals. So simply having one portrait won't achieve the goals she is aiming for.

Marketing your business and servicers effectively is critical. Large corporate companies and small business all need to project a professional image to help attract new clients. Great photographs help you stay in front of your competitors.

Call the studio today to see how Mackintosh Photography can help grow your business.

 
 

​