Big City Life...

Moran 2010 opening night...Stephen Dupont

Morning in the Squat, Newcastle. Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize 2010. Highly Commended

I just got to kiss Stephen Dupont...twice!

So I am standing in a hotel lobby in Sydney, half drenched and clutching my camera in one hand and my new iPhone in the other. My head is whirling still, there is a deep thud in my brain remnant of the lack of oxygen and blood pressure depreciation i have just experienced. I have just come from the state library and the media announcement for the 2010 Moran contemporary portrait prize. I feel so honored to have been named a finalist in this competition, and I have just found out I was highly commended alongside 5 other amazing photographers and congratulations to the incredible dean sewel. I am still in a haze- I had trouble speaking and keeping my hold on the earth with my boots, and to shake the hand and kiss both cheeks of one of my heroes- goodness now that doesn't happen everyday. I feel numb and thankful for the life and events that have let me to this moment, my friends and family, my amazing mentors and to the gracious people whom I met whilst making these pictures: to pops and tas and Donny and the whole street crew. I hope you are warm and well and I hope to cross paths with you again very soon, thank you for opening your lives to me and sharing your existence. The officially opening is tonight at 6pm- a few beers and I hope to be picking the brains of amazing likes of stepen dupont, dean sewel, natalie grono and James brickwood, and hopefully the many other artists too that will be hanging a part of their souls on the walls of Sydney this evening.