New Pro Photo stories on website

Features on Nick Moir - Storm Chaser, and the Ballarat International Foto Biennale (Pro Photo) are now on my website Reality Illusion

Ballarat International Foto Biennale feature in Pro Photo out now

My story on this year's Ballarat International Foto Biennale is in the current issue of Pro Photo (Sept/Oct). "In the eye of the beholder" features a number of interviews including photographers Maggie Diaz, Osamu James Nagakawa and Tony Whincup and festival director Jeff Moorfoot. I hope you enjoy it.

Photography by Maggie Diaz - Cover image
  Photography Osamu James Nagakawa

Photography Tony Whincup

Nick Moir Storm Chaser

My Pro Photo feature on Sydney photographer Nick Moir the Storm Chaser is out now... check out his amazing photos of the Australian outback

Photography: Nick Moir

Christian Blanchard Pro Photo story now available online

My profile feature on Christian Blanchard is now available on the Pro Photo website. Alison Stieven-Taylor Christian Blanchard

Photography Christian Blanchard

RAW Gallery Baron Wolman Book Signing

On Saturday 24th September (that's this weekend), Baron Wolman will be at RAW Gallery from 11am to 1pm to sign copies of his book, Every Picture Tells a Story: The Rolling Stone Years.

Now 74 years of age, Baron was the first photographer to sign on to Rolling Stone magazine in LA in 1967. Shooting at a time of seismic shifts in cultural attitudes, Wolman not only captured individual performances, but the vibe of a generation. This cover shot of Jimi Hendrix, says Baron, shows the sheer ecstasy Hendrix felt when playing guitar. In his book Wolman shares the transformational power that music has on performers, the audience and fans - the book also has a section dedicated to "the Groupies" because Baron "loves women".

Wolman describes himself as a photojournalist. His images are true to documentary form in most cases, and are the antithesis of the stylised marketing shots favoured by artists' management today. This book is a welcome addition to the rock'n'roll library.

RAW Gallery 11 Yarra Place South Melbourne (opposite St Ali Cafe - fabulous coffee).

Look out for my feature on Baron Wolman in a coming issue of Pro Photo magazine Pro Photo AST

Rolling Stone Photographer Baron Wolman

Totally psyched, have scored an interview with Baron Wolman who began photographing for Rolling Stone (US) in the late 1960s. His new book, "Every Picture Tells a Story: The Rolling Stone Years" is out this week. Check out the supporting exhibition at Melbourne's own rock'n'roll photography space RAW Gallery 11 Yarra Place South Melbourne opens Thursday 22nd September.

Frank Zappa (Baron Wolman)

Ballarat International Foto Biennale - on now

I've just returned from the opening weekend of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale (BIFB). This year's Festival has an expanded range of artists exhibiting across multiple venues in Ballarat and its surrounds, and is definitely worth checking out.

A highlight for me - meeting Maggie Diaz. Maggie, who is now in her 80's, migrated from Chicago in the early 1960s landing in Melbourne where she carved a successful career as a commercial photographer. But it is only in recent years that her social documentary work has come to light. Maggie is included in my upcoming feature on the BIFB in Pro Photo and I'll be penning a dedicated feature on this fantastic woman and inspiring photographer in the very near future.

Maggie is pictured here on the right at her floor talk on Sunday (21/08/11) with the curator of her collection Gwendolen De Lacy. (Photo: Marty Williams)

Reality & Illusion Turns Ten

Happy Birthday to Us!

Reality & Illusion Productions has been in business for ten years this month! Over the past decade we've worked on some amazing projects, created concepts that have stretched boundaries and learned about all sorts of things from longwall mining in China to identifying the subtle nuances of premium vodkas (a favourite project), from how to take photographs from a helicopter without falling out to writing about the coolest technological innovations - don't believe there's nothing cool about geospatial equipment or printing presses!

After celebrating this weekend with French Champagne (when only the genuine article will do), it's back to reality. Thanks to everyone who's been with us over the decade.

Here's to the next ten years!

New photography book released

Check out the first edition of The Australian Photography and Gallery Compendium 

US Radio Interviews for Rock Chicks Book

To my friends in the US, I’ll be on air talking about my book, Rock Chicks, which has just been released in the US, on Monday 25^th July at 10.30am on Premiere Prep with Mike McCann. This national interview is one of 18 I am doing across the US on Monday. I’ll be hoarse by the end of it, but what fun! If you can, please tune in!

Firenze, Italia April 2010