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The acclaimed performer, Trevor Ashley, has returned to Australia from London to re-stage the popular parody he wrote together with Phil Scott, the adults-only “Moulin Scrooge”.
Moulin Scrooge is a bawdy, raucous cabaret riot. Apart from being absolutely fabulous (the costumes are wonderful, created by Angela White), one of its draw cards is the appearance of Carlotta on stage. This legendary burlesque performer, now in her 80’s, still holds her own. As one of the original “Les Girls”, Carlotta proudly owns the title of “Queen of the Cross”.
Carlotta in her dressing room before the performance
I photographed the dress rehearsal last week and I am sharing a few images from the show here (playing late March-early April at the Seymour Centre in Sydney). I suggest you book tickets now to experience this entertaining extravaganza for yourself. Here’s a link: Moulin Scrooge Tickets
Creative Team:
Writers Trevor Ashley and Phil Scott Director Trevor Ashley Assistant Director Shannon Dooley
Producer Trevor Ashley Cast Trevor Ashley, Carlotta Choreography Rhys Bobridge Costumes Angie White Lighting Design Sam Wylie
With the increase in the need for housing for both local and overseas students, Sydney is seeing the proliferation of dedicated developments for our academic youth. One such initiative is Y-Suites. This company has recently opened its third tower in Redfern, called Y-Suites on Margaret. Previously, they have opened Y-Suites on Gibbons and Y-Suites on Regent, in close proximity. They have also developed similar accommodation facilities in Adelaide, Canberra and Melbourne.
I was commissioned by the company, based in Singapore, to cover the opening activities at this latest downtown complex. Over the period of a day, I captured images of students arriving for the first time to check in to what will be their new homes for the duration of the scholastic year
While many of the students had recently arrived from overseas, there was also a collection of local students who had decided, for reasons of convenience, to move into accommodation close to the institution in which they had enrolled.
There was an air of excitement and expectation as these young people navigated their way with their suitcases from reception, where they checked in then collected their keys, to the first sight of their new homes after they opened the door to their apartment.
I photographed an enthusiastic young man from China who arrived with his colleague. His smile radiated the joy he felt as he entered the foyer and anticipated entering his apartment. I photographed him opening the door to his room for the first time. Some of the rooms had balloons tied to the door-handle so that the students could “cut” the string of the balloon in a ceremonious gesture when “coming home” for the first time.
I also photographed a young girl from out of town who spoke fluent French. Her father and mother had driven from rural NSW to accompany their daughter to help her settle into her new home. Her mother was in fact French and although they now lived in Australia, French was often spoken at home. I understood this once I realised that the girl’s Australian father had lived for many years in France and also spoke fluent French. They were all having such fun creating a new sense of community.
My day was filled with photographing these joyful comings and goings. I also managed to capture some of the communal spaces in the building for documentation purposes, as well as shooting the exterior of the building from various angles.
I wish all the students a wonderful time in their new home while they pursue their studies. I fondly remember my own time as a student in the halls of residence at Monash University in Melbourne. It was such fun and I made wonderful friendships and long-lasting bonds. It was also a time of great growth as I ventured out from my safe family environment to be totally independent for the first time.
Video footage was also required for this project. Y-Suites wanted a 60-second reel of the day’s events. I worked with Nick Jones from “Grip Shoot Boom”, an excellent videographer, pictured below.
The following is an overview of the day’s events at Y-Suites on Margaret, as filmed and edited by Nick.
I was on a job the other day and I looked out from the balcony to what I discovered was an impressive and unusual view. It was an elevated impression of the city of Parramatta that I hadn’t previously seen. I am sharing this because I found it visually intriguing … and so I felt like including it in a blog post.
I was taken by the way the city skyline looked somehow “unreal” in the light, almost surreal as if some AI program had created it. I think it was merely a result of the soft afternoon light and the fact that I was using a telephoto lens, which has the tendency to compress imagery.
I also liked the tall residential building constructed directly opposite where I was positioned. I couldn’t help looking directly into the stack of neighbouring, domestic boxes and wonder about the inhabitants. It reminded me of when you used to fly into the old airport in Hong Kong, past all the high-rise apartment buildings, looking at the laundry hanging out to dry, with various other signs of inner city living.
It was also intriguing to look down to see that just below me was one of the old cemeteries of Parramatta, with gravestones covering a large area adjacent to the residential towers. This contrast and juxtaposition fascinated me.
As a photographer, one of the things I truly enjoy is taking corporate headshots. It’s not just about snapping a picture; it’s about trying to capture the essence of a person, which can be a tough task in the limited time one has available. What intrigues me is how every shoot tells a unique story, and I get to be part of each story, even if only for a brief moment.
Recently, I had the privilege of continuing work on a project with Multiplex, the company behind the construction of the first phase of the Badgerys Creek Airport, west of Sydney. The terminal is nearing completion, and it’s amazing to see how something so massive and complex comes together piece by piece. The airport is scheduled to open by the end of 2026. For now, it’s a symbol of both ambition and dedication, before it becomes a bustling transport hub.
What makes this job particularly exciting is the people I get to meet. When you’re photographing in the construction industry, you’re not just dealing with one type of profession. You’re working with a wide variety of individuals from all walks of life. Construction is, in many ways, a microcosm of diversity. There are people from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, with different personalities and unique perspectives on the world.
For this particular shoot, my assistant, Nick, and I set up in one of the temporary offices at the construction site. I arranged a three-light setup, which gives a soft, even look that flatters most faces, and we shot against a mid-grey neutral background. It’s a simple setup, but it always delivers clean, professional results.
While I focused on taking the portraits, Nick took charge of the computer and peripherals. We’d made a decision beforehand to streamline the process: after each shot, I’d hand the camera card to Nick, who would download the files and immediately take the sitter through the process of selecting their favorite images. It’s always a great feeling to see a subject react to the portraits, even if they’re only a few moments old. They’d go through the shots with Nick, narrowing it down to their two favorite images, while I would proceed to shoot with the next person.
Making the most of the short time we had with each individual, the session moved efficiently while still giving everyone a chance to review their photos on the spot.
What’s intriguing about corporate headshots in this context is that as a photographer, you have the opportunity to interact with so many different viewpoints in a relatively short space of time. Each headshot session becomes a tiny window into a succession of worlds, highlighting the many roles in the grand project.
Large scale construction projects bring people together from different corners of society. Whether it’s the engineers, the architects, the laborers, the logistics experts or project managers, everyone has their own story to tell. I am fortunate to be the one to capture the brief moment when they pause to have their photo taken. These small but meaningful interactions are what make this work so fulfilling.
It’s creating a new narrative. And in the construction industry, with its range of characters, backgrounds, and experiences, I feel incredibly lucky to be able to document these stories, one headshot at a time.
While photographing the parade entry for Positive Life NSW I managed to snap images of some of the other entrants. Here is a smiling selection of the other people marching and cheering, having a good time, sharing the love, dressing up, and adding extra “bling” to their lives for the night.
Mardi Gras is a well known celebration of “all shapes and sizes”, inclusion, diversity in all its flavours and simply a wonderful feeling of good will to your community. It was easy to feel that generous mood amongst the participants. It gave me a feeling of hope for the future.
I had the great pleasure (and absolute buzz) to photograph the Positive Life NSW marching entry for the 2025 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.
While I have regularly photographed the Mardi Gras over the years, the one and only previous time I photographed the parade from “the inside” was in 2009, when Matthew Mitcham was Chief of Parade after he won gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Now, it was a great experience to again have that same point of view, sixteen years later and with the same sense of excitement and celebration.
The events started at the offices of Positive Life NSW in Surry Hills where everyone taking part congregated, received a branded t-shirt and a travel pack of sandwiches and other snacks. Once the sun set and the parade began at Hyde Park, time flew by as we were cheered along by thousands of people lining Oxford Street and Taylor Square.
Students from the @academyofmakeupaus (Sydney campus) offered their services to participants in the parade to enhance the visual presentation with fabulous face painting.Once the face painting was complete, t-shirts collected and people suitably nourished we all head towards Hyde Park and the marshalling area.Everyone collected in College Street after locating their float. There was a short wait as people congregated. Then the parade began….excitement prevailed! The Positive Life float started quite early as we were early on in the line-up.Then…..suddenly, after the waiting, we headed off to start the parade at Whitlam Square. That’s when time seemed to speed up….and in a flash we were almost at the end of the parade and it was all over.
