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General Posts – Page 2 – John McRae Photography & Studio

Chérie Désirée returns to Kings Cross


Chérie Désirée
 is a truly glamorous woman who is one of the luminaries you may meet along the streets of Rozelle. She absolutely captures my attention to the point that I asked her one day if she would pose for me. I wanted to capture her wonderful silhouette on film.

I first brought Cherie to my studio in Lilyfield to complete a studio shoot and capture a series of portraits. During this session, while we chatted,  I learned about Cherie’s remarkable dancing career and her life on the stage. She worked for many years touring in notable theatres around the country as a dancer and chorus performer. Originally from a small dairy farm in Queensland, this slender, good-looking woman left behind the rural life for a life under the spotlights. Once she told me that she had been a dancer, the rest made sense … the way Cherie held herself, those slender legs, her shimmering dress, her costume jewellery and her sense of style.

El Bongo, Darlinghurst Rd, King Cross, 1962
Darlinghurst Rd, King Cross, 1962

El Bongo, Darlinghurst Rd, King Cross, 1962

I also learnt that she fell in love with and married a handsome Italian singer called Filippo. Together they were the owners of several restaurant/nightclubs in Darlinghurst. One such club was called “El Bongo”, later known as “The Pink Pussycat”. This was situated on Darlinghurst Road in King Cross and was part of the infamous “Golden Mile” that people still talk so much about.

I thought it would be a good idea to take a couple of shots of Cherie in front of what was once one of her regular dancing venues. So we ventured to Kings Cross. I asked Cherie to pose in front of what was once El Bongo … sadly now just a vacant shop space, devoid of the dynamism and vibrancy it once had back in the day. This sad reality of a once vivid club-and-restaurant circuit now replaced by an empty and half-dead street, is extreme.

Cherie told me about how she would earn extra money to help pay for her sisters’ schooling, often dancing at three different clubs along the strip, all on the same night, moving from one stage to the next, covering up her costume with a coat as she hailed a cab or ran through the streets. I imagined her doing exactly that, her long legs running down the busy street as she made her way to the next venue. I also thought to myself what amazing stories this woman has in her kit bag, having spent so much time in a place which was notoriously “happening” during a period people still reminisce about.

The vacant space (now for lease) which was once the vibrant “El Bongo Restaurant”

Cherie added that she and her husband also owned another club in the area. They ran a restaurant/club on Oxford Street at the location which is now known as “Palms”. So I feel another shoot may happen soon not far from Taylors Square … maybe when the weather warms up.

A touch of Mad Max in Rozelle

It might be a tad cold at the moment in Sydney but on the positive side, I find that the light is fantastic. I do prefer the winter light as it seems to give a much crisper definition to my images. Also you don’t have to wait for quite as long for the end of the day to come, when the light becomes softer and more forgiving – although the days are shorter and the sunsets and sunrises happen very rapidly.

I am using this period of the year to get out and take a few shots of my greater environment … buildings, street scenes, things that interest me, whenever I find some free time, as happened the other evening on the way home from the swimming pool. I saw the western side of the city lit up with the last rays of the sun. Luckily I had my camera with me in the car, so I stopped and snapped a few frames.

I did marvel at the unusual, futuristic looking cylinders that border the park. They are the exhaust stacks emerging from the tunnels that extends beneath the Rozelle Parklands, newly excavated as part of the WestConnex interchange. In my mind, they look like they belong on the set of one of George Miller’s Mad Max movies.

New profile images for Bentley Estate Agents

The team at Bentley Estate Agents came into the studio recently to update their professional profile images.

The agency has recently expanded by moving into new premises in Elizabeth Bay.

It was a pleasure to meet Tanya (Director), Francesco (Director) and Costa (Property Manager) during the shoot. I am always reminded how lucky I am to be a photographer and have the continuing opportunity to meet great people in relation to my work.

Through the streets of Rozelle

One recent summer evening I decided to wander down Darling Street with my camera, to capture some images of the streets of Rozelle and Lilyfield as the skies turned to dusk.

It was a great exercise because not only did the light have an almost surreal quality, but it was fascinating to see how the corner shops, pubs and buildings which I pass by almost every-day are able to take on another dimension.

So every now and then, as I have done so in the past, I will continue to document my local area  … it’s worthwhile to record the changes over time, to highlight what stays the same and also to get some fresh air at sunset. 

Update your head shot for 2024

The start of the year is a great time to consider updating your professional headshot or creating a new image of yourself.

I invite you to come to my comfortable and relaxed studio in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Lilyfield, where we can create your new image together.

We can discuss what options are best. I am happy to tailor the shoot to your specific needs –  this may be a corporate headshot, something more relaxed, or an actor’s headshot. You may want to use the images for your portfolio, your CV, your social media profiles such as linked-in, facebook and instagram … or you may have other intentions. We can create a number of different eye-catching looks. I am happy to advise you on what direction we could take.

Above all, we will make the process as fun and rewarding as can be.

Give me a call on 0419 619 161 or contact me via email: john@johnmcrae.com

Let’s Be Frank – Skincare

I was approached for a new commission by Samantha Leith, who I have photographed several times before. Samantha is a powerhouse of creativity, known as a performer, business strategist and motivational speaker. She comes from a performance background and in the past, I had photographed Samantha in relation to shows/presentations that she was staging.

Samantha Leith

This occasion was a little different. In the studio, we would be photographing a series of women to produce imagery that will be used to promote the new skin care range Samantha is involved in launching. These women have agreed to become ambassadors for the brand, including her friends and colleagues Amanda, Angela, Monica, Sarah and Yvonne, as well as Samantha herself.

The skincare range is called “Let’s Be Frank Skincare”. It is an Australian-made skincare range specifically formulated for women who are experiencing some of the skin concerns associated with peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause.

It was a great day. These women were such fun to work with and they all made sure that they were going to enjoy themselves during our photo-shoot. From the moment they walked into the studio to prepare for make-up and hair, got dressed in the glam attire they chose to wear and then took up their positions in front of the camera, until it was time to skip out the door, it was a magical experience to portray women full of confidence and joy.

It was a hive of activity – women in makeup
Melanie Burnicle MUA performs her magci

Photographing an in-house conference at KPMG

I was asked to visit the offices of KPMG at their Sydney head office at Barangaroo to capture images of an in-house conference that was taking place with a number of their executives. I have featured a few of the images captured on the day as part of this blog.

I also managed to capture head shots of a number of the attendees. We set up a temporary studio in a section of the space to achieve these portraits.

It is always a great experience for me to work in these kinds of highly professional corporate environments.

Group portrait of the Prince of Wales Emergency Department staff

Prince of Wales Emergency Department, 2023

Just prior to the Christmas break, I was asked to photograph a large group portrait of the entire team who worked at the Prince of Wales Emergency Department at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick. This might well be the largest number of people I have photographed in one portrait.

However, it was not in one sitting, nor was it in a single frame. Understandably it would be almost impossible (nor ethically sound) to ask all the doctors, nurses and allied healthcare professionals to “tools down” at the same time and head outside for a photograph. I’m sure there would have been a few complaints from the patients, to say the least.

Therefore we decided to shoot various smaller groups at staggered times over the period of an afternoon. In the hospital carpark, I set up a make-shift studio. When people were available they could head outside to get their portrait taken.

As a solution to create one final image, I “composited” all the various groups together into one extended image of 120 people (example of separately captured groups, below) with the entrance to the hospital as the background (see background image of the Emergency Department entrance, below).

Image used as the background for the group portrait

Happy Holidays to all!

I wish everyone a safe and wonderful holiday period.

John McRae Photography will be taking a break from 22 December, 2023 and will head back to the studio on Monday 8 January, 2024.

I look forward to seeing you and working with you in the New Year.

Georgia & Luke’s urban wedding


I traveled to Victoria to photograph the wedding of Georgia and Luke in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.

Many years ago I lived along Sydney Road in Brunswick, and I have very fond memories of this quintessential “Melburnian” urban landscape. The weather for Georgia and Luke’s wedding was perfect, so what more could you want for a successful and joyful event.

The wedding took place along Lygon Street. The ceremony was held at a great space called the Noisy Ritual Urban Winery. The reception was also held here, so there was no need to move great distances to find the reception … you just sat down. Actually it wasn’t too “noisy” at all. It was a lively space that was perfect for such a celebration, with attentive and generous staff on hand.

During the ceremony at the Noisy Ritual Urban Winery
Brunswick Bowling Club entrance

We also made great location shots in the general area. We didn’t have to walk far to find colourful graffiti-covered laneways which provided the best backdrops and perspectives for location images. The bride grew up not far from this area. Georgia has a particular affinity for the Brunswick Bowling Club grounds, so we staged a couple of shots of the newly-weds at the entrance gate. The East Brunswick Hotel also holds a special place in her heart, so we included this iconic venue in the background of a few shots for good measure. I enjoyed the tour of the back streets as we made our way from one brightly coloured spot to the next.

“High Scrollers” on NOVA

We ventured to an inner city hotel for a recent shoot for NOVA Entertainment in Sydney. High Scrollers is the latest addition to the company’s line-up of vibrant podcasts. It features Brittney Saunders and Matt Hey, best known for his online persona, Alright Hey.

Brittney is a business and entertainment powerhouse. Her meteoric rise started as an influencer through her YouTube channel, where she “vlogged” and documented her everyday teenage life, amassing over one million followers. Now at 30, Brittney is at the forefront of several successful business ventures – FAYT The Label, Form Active, Staple Swim, Outdo Collective, Outdo Espresso and Flamingo Coffee.

Once we set up lighting in the bedroom area of the hotel suite we went to work on the High Scrollers photoshoot. Both Brittney and Matt knew exactly what to do and how they would like to be portrayed. It was great to see the two friends bounce energy off each other, keeping the mood playful yet professional, often saying things that had each other in stitches. Suffice to say they were having a lot of fun while I captured each frame.

Charles Cooper – Outdoor installations

A snap of Charles looking on, in the reflection of the window, as I set up for the shotA photo of Charles looking on, as seen in the reflection of the window, as I set up for the shot of his latest work

Charles Cooper, artist extraordinaire, has brought his talents out from his studio to create contemporary works of art in public spaces.

Based in Sydney, Charles is a well-known, mid-career artist with a long and impressive exhibition history. Click on this link to his website address. Another link is to the page of Charles Cooper at Annandale Galleries, where his works have been seen in different exhibitions for the past two decades. Charles is also a resident lecturer at the National Art School in Darlinghurst.

Charles’ drawing at Nurse’s Walk, the Rocks

It has been my pleasure to photograph the development of Charles’ paintings, drawings and installations over many years. This time it was a little different … recording his artworks on public display, as part of two outdoor installations. This situation brought its own technical hurdles in terms of light and reflections, particularly as his drawing at The Rocks was displayed behind a deep-set glass window, which was also unevenly lit (a challenge for any photographer)

Installation at 42 Botany Road, Alexandria

However we managed to get good results and Charles’ large-scale works have now been properly documented. If you are near either Botany Road in Alexandria or Nurse’s Walk at The Rocks, look out for his two installations. 

Multiplex completes addition to Mosman High School

View of part of the new outdoor rooftop play space

The first phase of an extensive upgrade to Mosman High School has recently been completed by Multiplex. I was commissioned to photograph the completion of this initial part of the project which extends along Military Road, between Avenue Road and Belmont Road, Mosman.

View of the rooftop multi-purpose courts.

The build comprises of 16 new flexible learning spaces, new staff and administration facilities, new library, a beautiful new, extensive multipurpose gym/hall, a new canteen and a wonderful outdoor and rooftop play space.

Interior view of one of the many flexible classrooms
Mid-construction NE corner
View of completed wing from NE corner

This has to be state-of-the-art learning facilities and as I was traveling through the building with my camera I felt a bit of FOMO coming on as I was reminded of the not-so-state-of-the-art learning facilities I experienced, back in the day, at Horsham High School.

Pride – Roman Style

In summer, Pride marches happen all around the world … you can catch one soon in a capital city near you. Well, not only in the capitals, but everywhere where activism and politics make a difference.

Rome is no exception. I was so lucky to be in Italy with my trusty camera for the RomaPride March on June 10. You couldn’t miss such a colourful event, especially when it’s a once in a year chance to walk the streets of Rome from Piazza della Repubblica where the parade has its genesis, through the majestic streets, as the crowd finally descends on the area around the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia. The appearance of this giant amphitheatre as you walk down the Via Labicana towards the Piazza del Colosseo, is breathtaking. What makes the experience entirely “inclusive” is the way the RomaPride marchers, the deejays, the floats, the friends and the general public all mix, to form a general melee of colour and movement and happiness. This year, special attention was paid to fighting against the new social limitations imposed by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

What would Rome Pride be without drag queens and a Colosseum
There’s a happy participant
A gender fluid statement by this participant
Profile of my friend Jonathan who loves to bring out a cowboy hat on such occasions.

I had an amazing time walking through the ancient streets of Rome in the late afternoon, with more than one million other participants. It was also great to be with my close friends Marvic, Davide, Samuele and Jonathan, who’d all agreed to meet up together in Rome for the week. There was a discreet and friendly police presence, and some very advanced sound systems on the floats. As dusk approached, the light in this beautiful city took on a luminous pink glow. There was a shared feeling of celebration, not only with the other people in the parade, but throughout central Rome as we headed back to our apartment in Trastevere. And the beat goes on.

One of the more colourful participants. He was popular for photos.

For more photos click through the following slide-show (below)…..

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.

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.

Street scene in Trastevere

View of the Tevere from Ponte Sisto

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!

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.

Ned’s Place

I recently travelled to Melbourne for a break (and some welcome sunshine, much to my surprise) and to catch up with friends and family.

I stayed for a couple of nights at my friend Ned’s place in Yarraville (a great suburb, so convenient to the CBD). He has recently renovated a large garage area (previously vacant and under-used) on the ground floor of his duplex. I took some shots of the job that has been immaculately realised by Ali of Feature Point Constructions, creating a Mid-Century Modern atmosphere. Well done to all involved. Of course, the star of the shoot was Ned’s rescue greyhound Bürschi, who is rather sculptural by nature and very much part of the colour palette..

Screen Australia – Further Head Shots

We recently returned to the offices of Screen Australia in Ultimo to set-up for a series of corporate head shots.

I love shooting head shots because I get to meet and interact (for a brief while) with members of various companies and organisations who commission me to produce portraits.  Often, in my role as a photographer, I might work with only one or two people from a company – be it the PR person or the head of marketing. However, when staging head shots, I am able to meet other professionals within an organisation, and establish a different rapport.

I maintain a lot of respect for my subjects and for each situation. To be in front of the camera, and under the spotlights, is not the most comfortable position for many people. It is my job to make it as pleasant an experience as possible, also for those people who are not normally on the screen themselves. 

SFI Health – time for a new look

SFI Health is a global natural health care company working to market and develop natural biochemical solutions for the complex needs in the areas of microbiome and cognitive health.

I was commissioned to capture a series of head shots in their Sydney offices at St Leonards as well as to capture shots of the team in various locations within the building. The imagery is part of their global marketing direction to use a combination of different coloured backgrounds to create a cool point of difference.