John McRae – Page 4 – John McRae Photography & Studio

June 29, 2023June 30, 2023

Paying my respects in Armentieres

Over the next few blog entries I will post various segments from my recent overseas trip to Europe. Yes, I recently spent 3 wonderful weeks in sunny France and Italy. Now that I am back in the icy cold (I’m exaggerating), I’m lamenting the fact that it’s winter in Sydney, and why didn’t I stay away longer.

With this entry I am going to share the experience of traveling to the north of France to a place called Armentières.

View of the train station at Armentieres

The above image is the train station at Armentières. Some things in France are all shiny and new … this train station is not one of them. When I got off the train I was desperate to go to the toilet … no, this was a train station without a public toilet and so the attendant suggested I find one in a cafe in the centre of town. I laughed.

The purpose of this trip was to locate my great-uncle’s grave. The name of the war cemetery is “Cite Bonjean”. I had no idea where to go once I exited the train, so I headed to the nearest cafe. I found a coffee shop not too far away and as I was finishing, I noticed a conveniently located florist right next door. I had intended to buy some flowers to bring with me, so this was fortuitous

The story became magical once I entered the florist. A lovely man greeted me and helped me choose a floral tribute for my great-uncle’s grave. As we spoke I asked him if he could possibly give me directions to get to the cemetery, to which he replied, “No, hop in my car outside and I will drive you myself”. He called his wife to mind the shop and he took me to his florist van. I offered to pay extra for the service but he refused, saying if it hadn’t been for men like my great-uncle, they would all be speaking German today.

The florist next to the cafe, where I bought my flowers

Row after row of graves are laid out with 2 head stones backing each other and facing out.

He kindly dropped me at a small gate to the side of the cemetery and then departed. In this one section there were more than 1,500 grave sites. Each fallen soldier had a headstone and these were arranged in long rows of two headstones, backing each other and facing out. The cemetery is huge. I was alone in this memorial cemetery and had no idea of where I might find my great-uncle. So I just started to walk towards the centre. I thought I would look around before working out a strategy to locate the grave site. Less than minute had passed when I looked to my left and there I found the tombstone of Pvt Murdoch McRae. How wonderful was that! It was a moving moment.

My great uncle Murdoch’s grave in Cite Bonjean cemetery

I spent time reflecting on the sacrifice of not only my great-uncle but also all the other men (and women) who had died during the Great War. As I walked through the rows of well-tended graves and read the epitaphs, I was reminded of just how young these boys were at the time … 21, 23, 26, 24, 28, and on and on.

I spent a couple of hours at the cemetery. It was solemn and peaceful. There was absolutely no-one else around, so I could lay on the grass, still and meditative. I left the bunch of flowers by the headstone, and a print of an old portrait photograph of Private Murdoch McRae, who died on January 16, 1917, and whose christian name is my middle name.

Murdoch McRae, taken just before leaving for the war, 1916

There was a visitors book which you could sign.

June 23, 2023July 12, 2023

A Roman terrace, a portrait shoot and an immaculate view of the Eternal City

PierFrancesco – Italian author and part-time Trastevere local

PierFrancesco Grasselli is a Rome-based author/novelist and local personality in the charming inner city locality of Trastevere (note: Tevere, is the Italian name of the river that runs through Rome; we call it the “Tiber” and “tras” is the prefix for across) which not surprisingly is the area “across the river”, at the level of the Ponte Sisto. Trastevere is a vibrant meeting place for young and old, with wall-to-wall restaurants and bars. During most evenings the streets are teaming with people.

I was staying with my friend Jonathan, an Australian who has lived in Rome forever. He happens to have the most magnificent terrace overlooking Trastevere and the many churches and cupolas of the inner city (not to mention he is an amazing cook, his table being one of the best in Rome). A perfect backdrop for a portrait shoot.

With his tongue-in-cheek, PierFrancesco Grasselli’s books and self-proclaimed trash novels include All’Inferno ci vado in Porsche (“I’m going to Hell in a Porsche”), Ho Scaricato Miss Italia (“I Dumped Miss Italy”) and his erotic autobiography I Maschilisti (“The Male Chauvinists”).

The weather was great. I used natural light to shoot PierFrancesco. The set-up was very simple and basic – sometimes this is all that is necessary.

We shot this image on the internal staircase leading up the apartment. I think this is PierFrancesco’s favourite shot.

Here I am with PierFrancesco (photo: Jonathan Turner)

View of Trastevere from Jonathan’s terrace…..magic!

May 23, 2023June 30, 2023

Prime Constructions at Marsden Park

Prime Constructions have a number of projects underway at Marsden Park in Sydney’s west. I was recently commissioned to document the completion of two warehouses and also photograph another building in mid-construction.

I do like shooting this kind of work. There’s something very “zen” about photographing what is essentially a huge rectangle in an industrial setting, at dusk. I like walking around the structure by myself as the sun is setting, waiting for the best light. It also makes you realise just how much space is needed to store and manage all the commodities that people require to maintain their urban lifestyles. These monolithic warehouses are usually built on the outskirts of the metropolis, where they are rarely seen by the more centralised, inner-city dwellers.

Before leaving Marsden Park, I captured images of a new Prime project in mid-construction. Here you can see the skeletal framework of a warehouse, with the steel girders reflecting the dwindling sunlight of the late afternoon.

May 22, 2023May 22, 2023

Hansen Yuncken – new-look corporate profiles

In a departure from the more traditional corporate headshot required for company portfolios, the architectural firm Hansen Yuncken has decided to approach this genre differently, aiming for a more relaxed and natural look during our recent photographic shoot of some of their Sydney team..

The idea has been to capture the individual subjects with various backgrounds and in informal poses, as opposed to having a standard plain background, with each portrait photographed from the same angle. Where conditions permitted, I used natural light as the main light source. The emphasis was on diversity, and a less contrived atmosphere and posture. Of course the mere fact that the subject is having a portrait photograph taken can work as a barrier … not everyone likes being put in front of a camera for that “close-up”. It is always the photographer’s challenge to make the experience as easy and relaxed as possible, to achieve a more natural image (in spite of the very “un-natural” situation). I think we succeeded with the task at hand.

May 5, 2023May 22, 2023

Laura Matthews – a new body of work

Artist extraordinaire Laura Matthews has recently completed a new body of work, which I happily photographed and documented at her inner-west studio in Sydney. Her paintings often look at how figures interact with expressive landscapes, including her recent series of underwater images.

Laura is the product of the illustrious British art school, The University College London Slade School of Fine Art (informally known as “The Slade”). It is touted as one of the UK’s top institutions for art, design and experimentation. A notable teacher at the Slade was the well-known British painter Lucien Freud.

After her studies, Laura moved to Australia with her husband, where she has worked as an artist ever since.

I enjoyed photographing her recent work. I admire Laura’s draughtsmanship as well as the looseness of her painting. I love “painters who paint”. What I mean by this is that I appreciate painters who really push their colours around on the canvas … where you can see the medium of paint and their techniques.

Laura is represented by the gallery, NandaHobbs and you can visit her link on the gallery website here:

May 5, 2023May 18, 2023

Sydney Roosters – head office upgrade

I captured images of a recent installation at Allianz Stadium, at the head office of the Sydney Roosters NRL team. The designers at Sydney Commercial Interiors created an impressive display with furnishings to house the many trophies and important football memorabilia collected by the club over the years.

Sydney Commercial Interiors is a Sydney-based company which leads the field in commercial interiors, spanning a broad spectrum of activities designing for office, hospitality, industrial and medical projects, as well as sports and recreation.

April 26, 2023April 27, 2023

La Cage Aux Folles – at the State Theatre

A second season of La Cage Aux Folles was staged at the State Theatre. Not only did I manage to shoot part of the dress rehearsal but I also attended the opening night and shot the red carpet at the beginning of the evening. This also meant that for the first time I got to sit in the audience and actually see the show performed from start to finish as a “normal” person.

Paul Capsis was stunning in the role of Albin. Also the chemistry between Georges (Michael Cormick) and Albin (Paul Capsis) was just magic. I loved the dancers (Les Cagelles) and the choreography (Choreographer: Veronica Beattie)…really well done. In fact the whole cast was perfectly drawn. It was a delight to be thoroughly entertained by all the colour and movement and I found myself completely engaged and invested in the story and the dialogue.

Obviously I wasn’t the only one that liked the show. Here’s a review posted in “Time-Out”

The Red Carpet is always fun…….

Riley Spadaro (Director), David Hawkins (Producer) & Veronica Beattie (Choregrapher)

A few images of the rehearsal……

April 12, 2023April 26, 2023

Yunis Dargit – for Spot the Arab

My ongoing Spot the Arab project continues with the addition of Yunis Dargit to the ever-growing line-up of models I have photographed and exhibited. Spot the Arab is my highly-personal series of portraits looking at issues of race, identity, gender, religion and prejudice as seen through my lens, presenting honest, uncomplicated portraits which challenge the viewer to consider whether the model might identify as Arab or not. Some of the models identify as Arab, partially Arabian or not at all. It is up to the viewer to read the signals, and make their own assumptions. It is truly interesting to see on what basis each person makes their guesses.

I have exhibited my Spot the Arab series in Rome in a solo show at Galleria Il Ponte Contemporanea in 2017 and later in Australia, at the Backspace Gallery in Ballarat in 2018. For more information and a more detailed description of this series please visit the following Link: Spot the Arab

Now in 2023, I have continued my series with Yunis, an interesting man with a fascinating background. Currently he lives in Sydney, Australia and works in hospitality. I first challenge you to guess whether he identifies as Arab or not.

We started the shoot with some standard head-shots as a warm-up. This was also to provide Yunis with some new images to use for his social media and CV … see the official portrait below.

Following the head-shots, we moved on to capture the Spot the Arab portraits. Here are a few depictions of Yunis in costume from this shoot.

Yunis does identify as Arab, which is the short answer to the question. But it is more complicated than this … as it often is when we discuss nuances of human identity. Here’s an excerpt from what Yunis wrote:

“I researched my background as far back as 1843 and although some may dispute the fact that I am Arab, I possess documents that verify my lineage.

My family originates from what is now known as Syria, however I was born in Turkey and grew up later in Germany.”

March 22, 2023March 30, 2023

Drone photography, fast-food and Prime Constructions

Drone shot at Seven Hills for Prime Constuctions

On a recent job for Prime Constructions I organised drone photography to be shot at one of their sites. It is hard not to feel like you’re revisiting your childhood with such technology … you know, a bit like when dad and you made one of those remote controlled planes. Fortunately the drone is a bit easier to fly than the bungled attempts I remember trying to get the plane off the ground.

Prime is regarded as one of the leading building contractors in NSW. It was established in 1983 by Ron Masters and Phil de Gail. Paul Christopher and John Drake joined the company in 1988 and 1989 respectively and both became joint managing directors in 2010.

I also captured some images of a recently completed logistics centre by Prime Constructions at Homebush. While I was working until dusk, waiting for the light to become more seductive, it was a welcome surprise to find that there was a fast-food van next door with outdoor seating. Of course I couldn’t resist trying the “Little Weiner cuisine” in between shots.

March 21, 2023March 21, 2023

Kitty Glitter on the move!

Kitty Glitter aided by Ivy League at my studio

The glamorous Kitty Glitter came to my studio to update her promotional imagery before she heads to Toronto as part of her ongoing tour one of Australia’s most successful international DJs.

March 21, 2023March 21, 2023

United For Care opens new facility in Liverpool

I was in the Sydney suburb of Liverpool to photograph the opening event of a new accommodation facility in Liverpool for people with disability.

United For Care is an organisation which promotes the idea that people with disability can live, to a large extent, a happy and fulfilled life and that means having their own independent accommodation. It strives to move away from any model of communal living in dormitories, shared bathrooms and lounge rooms and gives the individual the pleasure of having their own space, at the same time offering all the allied support that may be necessary.

Aunty Gail delivers the welcome to country

The event kicked off with an acknowledgement of the traditional custodians of the land in a welcome to country by Aunty Gail followed by a smoking ceremony.

Speeches were made by the Chief Operations Officer, Karim Amin and Dai Le (Federal Member), who also cut the ribbon to mark the official opening.

Guests were entertained by “The Weeklies”, the Disability Services Australia band who created a melodic background for the day’s activities. The catering was next level, as you can see from some of the images which follow.

March 20, 2023March 22, 2023

A line-up of glittering local and international talent during Sydney World Pride

Conchita Wurst performs on the Booking.com stage along Crown Street

During the recent Sydney World Pride festival, I was commissioned by Booking.com and CSM to photograph events along Crown Street, to document the installation that Booking.com had created as part of their “Travel Proud” initiative.

Travel Proud has been created as a way of making travel for the LGBTQA+ community more inclusive. Companies, organisations and people who offer travel and hospitality experiences have been encouraged to take a short course to understand and connect more effectively with LGBTQA travellers. This reduces any barriers or uncomfortable situations for LGBTQA+ patrons and has been welcomed by Booking.com’s partners.

Passers-by were encouraged to share “travel proud” messages of goodwill and anecdotal travel stories by recording them (usually on their phones), then uploading them to the “giant suitcase” containing a large LED screen which then played them back.

I enjoyed capturing the atmosphere in Crown Street during this event. I started early on a Sunday morning to document the construction and reassembling of a giant suitcase which was to become the central focus for the Booking.com promotion. Alongside the suitcase, a stage was built with lights and sound gear, ready for the line-up of local and international talent.

Almost finished….the giant suitcase with large LED screen

Baylee and Emily hand out Booking.com suitcase tags

Onlookers included Festival Artistic Director Daniel Clarke

And the artists, at least in the shows I experienced, were really magnificent. There was Nick Pes wooing the public with his dulcet tones (and a stunningly ripped midriff clearly on display).

Greg Gould had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Trevor Ashley gave Shirley Bassey a run for her money.

Of course the big draw card on the night was the Austrian winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, Conchita Wurst. Conchita was in town as an ambassador for Booking.com and the Travel Proud program.

There were fabulous drag queens from interstate, including Big Thick Energy, Vassy, Haiku Hands and Chela, as well as drag queens well known to the Sydney crowd such as Verushka Darling. Plus there was a string of DJ’s from Sydney and beyond, including James Tobin who I had photographed many years previously.

Paul Capsis creates his unique brand of electricity on stage

The night closed with a stunning performance by Paul Capsis who would have blown the roof off, if there was a roof in the first place. I loved watching the faces in the crowd during Paul’s performance. One comment I noted was, “Capsis is a creature with incredible force. His screams can be heard from Mars.”

All in all it was great to see Oxford Street and the neighbourhood come alive with a great feeling of celebration and sharing over this period. Bravo to the organisers for creating a really successful new event.

Scroll through more photos by clicking through the images below:

March 7, 2023September 18, 2023

World Pride March across the Sydney Harbour Bridge

*Ann Maree & Michele meet up at Central Station to take the train (with a free ticket) to North Sydney, from where the march begins*

*With many others, we wait for the next train*

It was an early rise for Sunday morning, especially after working long hours the day before. However it was well worth the effort to be able to participate in a major civic event on the final official day of World Pride Sydney 2023. I met my two friends Ann Maree and Michele at Central Station, to join 50,000 of our closest friends, to walk across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Domain.

We were greeted by the most fabulous of attendants. Although there were masses of people the event was so well organised and run that the whole thing flowed with no problems or bottlenecks.

This was the first time in 23 years that the Harbour Bridge had been closed to traffic. Participants marched in solidarity for the LGBTQA+ community, in honour of past, present and continuing struggles both here and internationally, particularly in places where the rights of members of our community fall far behind the respect given in Australia (you know who you are!)

Very sensible to take a colourful parasol along to protect against the rays of the sun. I wonder if they’re calling Hawaii?

It was an exhilarating experience to be in unison with so many. The crowd was colourful and joyful. The weather was superb and the walk was the perfect bit of exercise for a Sunday morning.

As I walked, I thought about those people in other parts of the world who do not experience the freedoms that we enjoy here in this country. I then thought about all those in Australia who weren’t as lucky as us right now, being able to congregate under the banner of LGBTQA+ and march together, but instead have had to lead a life of non-acceptance and vilification. I thought about those who have had to endure social exclusion and even violent attacks, those who lost their lives, or the many hardships and painful journeys. It’s good to be able to clock just how far we have come, to act as a reminder to be vigilant in our protection of our hard fought freedoms.

No stopping some people! Thank goodness!

*How beautiful it was to be able to admire the view and the structural magnificence of the bridge without needing to think about traffic.*

SCROLL THROUGH MORE PHOTOS BELOW

March 1, 2023March 21, 2023

NSW Ambulance – A new class of graduates

Approximately 160 new graduates of the NSW Ambulance training course for paramedic and call takers gathered for the graduation ceremony with friends and family at Homebush.

Key speakers at the ceremony were David Dutton BM ASM, Executive Director, Clinical Operations and Clare Beech ASM, Executive Director, Clinical Operations who welcomed the new graduates to the ranks of fully qualified employees.

The Senior Chaplain, Peter Van Praag, gave an introductory speech followed by a moment of stillness and prayer. The audience also heard from different representatives from the classes of paramedic and call takers, and a sense of pride was shared by the family and friends who also attended. Later there was a special appearance by the NSW Ambulance mascot, “Bearamedic”

February 28, 2023March 22, 2023

A house in Torquay, Feature Point Constuctions & Ali

Feature Point Constructions is a boutique construction and building company based in Melbourne, specialized in shop and office fit-outs and home renovations. Its hallmark is precision and quality finishes. The company is run by the well-presented and professional master tradesman, Ali Yucel (pictured above).

I spent the afternoon in Torquay, Victoria, photographing a home renovation that had recently been completed by Feature Point Constructions.

Torquay holds a special place in my heart as it was the “go to” holiday spot for my mother, aunty and us children. I have lots of fun memories of frolicking endlessly by the beach, long sunny days and loads of oysters and crayfish at the end of day in the hotel room.

I was impressed with the clean lines, rounded corners and beautiful finishes on this renovation. The following is a gallery of some of the shots.

February 27, 2023March 21, 2023

La Cage Aux Folles – slaying them in the aisles

During the recent Sydney run of La Cage Cage aux Folles, the chemistry on stage between the two leads, Paul Capsis and Michael Cormick, was palpable and electric. This iconic stage musical is about two eccentric men (one more-so than the other) bringing up a child above a nightclub in St Tropez, where one of the parents, Albin, performs as a drag queen. I took these production photographs at the final dress rehearsal in late January at The Concourse Concert Hall. I couldn’t stop myself laughing – the jokes are still relevant, even decades after they were written.

I remember when I saw the Franco-Italian film version in my 20’s … it broke many taboos in such a fun and ground-breaking way. Initially it was created as a play by Jean Poiret and was performed by Michel Serrault and Jean Poiret. It was a huge success and hence made into a film (also starring Michel Serrault) in the French language, which broke into the international mainstream market and certainly took Australian audiences by surprise. Not only did we see a successful homosexual relationship front and centre on the big screen, but there was cross-dressing, drag and hilarious slapstick on display … a far cry from the tortured, artistic, foreign-language cult films we were used to seeing from France.

The David Hawkins production of La Cage Cage aux Folles was a joy to shoot. If you appreciate colour, movement and good humour, then this version is the ultimate production. I loved watching Paul and Michael play the roles of Albin (and ZaZa, the drag phenomenon) and his more conservative partner Georges (who was previously married and produced a son).

News Flash!!!!!! La Cage is getting another run this time at the State Theatre in Sydney from 19th – 23 April, 2023. Click here to book tickets:

For further reading here are a couple of links:

Star Observer.

Broadway World

February 25, 2023March 21, 2023

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – Dress Rehearsal

It was a real pleasure to shoot the Sydney dress rehearsal of director Richard Carroll’s new production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at the Hayes Theatre.

The two leads, Emily Havea and Georgina Hopson, are fabulous in the roles of Dorothy and Lorelei and the rest of the cast are equally brilliant. When you are producing a theatrical shoot, it can be very difficult to appreciate the bigger picture of what is happening on stage. Your attention as photographer is focused on multiple things while you apply your craft, including technical considerations and stylistic decisions. However, in this case, it was impossible for me to ignore the magic of what was happening on stage, even though it was only the dress rehearsal.

See my previous blog post announcing the season, production details and my photography for the poster: https://www.johnmcrae.com/gentlemen-prefer-blonds-apparently/

If you see this post before the production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes finishes at the Hayes Theatre on March 18, 2023, make sure you book tickets to see this wonderful piece of musical theatre. Book here

Director: Richard Carroll | Featuring: Octavia Barron-Martin, Thomas Campbell, Ruby Clark, Adam Di Martino, Emily Havea, Georgina Hopson, Tomáš Kantor, Leah Lim, Tomas Parrish, Matthew Predny, Monica Sayers | Musical Director: Victoria Falconer | Band: Nathan Barraclough, Amanda Jenkins, Abi McCunn, Jarrad Payne | Choreographer: Sally Dashwood | Set Designer: Dan Potra | Costume Designer: Angela White | Lighting Designer: Benjamin Brockman | Associate Musical Director: Abi McCunn | Stage Manager: Bronte Schuftan | Assistant Stage Manager: Anastasia Mowen | Dialect Coach: Benjamin Purser | Intimacy Coordinator: Caroline Kaspar

February 15, 2023March 21, 2023

So French So Chic – A Watsons Bay Summer

The team at So French So Chic hit the sandy shores of Watsons Bay to shoot the latest summer range of garments designed by Valerie Tsoukaris and manufactured in Italy. We were collecting imagery for the summer catalogue.

I have fond memories of the time when I lived in Watsons Bay twenty years ago, so it was a bit nostalgic to return to this pretty environment to capture the gorgeous Valeria Sizova (our model) by the water’s edge. It is amazing what a calming effect being near the water can have. Normally there’s a modicum of stress when shooting fashion, paying attention to detailing, styling and time constraints. Somehow all this falls away when you are barefoot in the shallows of the sea while you work and the sun is shimmering in the background, reflecting on the ocean.

Nick, John, Kevin and Valeria on set at Watsons Bay

The team comprised of model: Valeria Sizova, make-up and hair: Kevin Vella, photographer’s assistant: Nick Jones, stylist and dresser: Carolyn Turner, designer: Valeria Tsoukaris and designer’s support and all-round “tout-faire”: Nic Tsoukaris.

January 11, 2023March 21, 2023

It is my first week back at work after some wonderfully relaxing time off. I am now ready for the exciting challenges that the new year will bring. I wish everyone a fantastic 2023 and I look forward to perhaps working with you on something photographic.

December 12, 2022March 21, 2023

Moulin Scrooge – from back-stage to front of house

On Friday night (December 9), I had the extreme pleasure of being entertained by Trevor Ashley’s production of Moulin Scrooge at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. Only a week prior, I was backstage photographing the performers during their preparations for the dress rehearsal of this new adult panto, which I also recorded.

*Trevor Ashley and Carlotta on stage during the dress rehearsal of Moulin Scrooge*

When it’s possible, I like to capture informal shots in the dressing room, with the actors applying their makeup, prior to the main shoot. This helps to establish a good working atmosphere. Trevor said to me: “Come a bit earlier, if you like, because I know how you love to get a few shots backstage”. And it’s true, I do find these behind-the-scenes photographs and outtakes fascinating.

Now a week later, as an audience member, I thoroughly enjoyed the production, cleverly written by Trevor Ashley and Phil Scott. And performed beautifully by Trevor, his “high-kicking” supporting trio of Jakob Ambrose, Jarrod Moore and Stephen Madsen, and of course his magnificent co-star Carlotta (“the Queen of the Cross”). I also have to mention the fabulous costumes by Angela White.

*Carlotta exerts fierce concentration…necessary for the preparation of the character of Astrid Zeneca.*

Carlotta’s show-stopping performance of the Sondheim classic “I’m Still Here” (with a poignant libretto rewritten by Ashley and Scott), tracked her journey from a vilified Balmain schoolboy to national icon. Her rendition moved the audience to their feet for a well-deserved standing ovation. It is a testament to why Carlotta is considered one of Australia’s ground-breaking treasures and why Ashley so generously provided a new platform for one of his all-time “drag mothers”. Nearing her 80th birthday, Carlotta especially came out of retirement to perform as the club-owner of Moulin Scrooge.

The season for Moulin Scrooge has been extended so get in fast to buy tickets here: