I am down the south coast for work, and was lucky enough to catch up with an old friend who I havnt seen for about 4-5 years. It's amazing how revitalizing it is to be in the presence once again of someone you hold in high regard. Despite the constant shock that hits your brain reminding you how many years have passed and what has happened in this time. And even more amazing that despite barely having boo of one another in all that time, that when you see them again it's as if you've never been apart. The words just flow and you are reminded of what drew you to them in the first place. It's times like this that remind me how important true friends are, hard to find and impossible to forget.

Last night I dreamed wildly, in vivid colour and of particularly chaotic and strange subject matter. I woke up feeling drained, like I hadn't slept at all. There was a strange peace though. I dreamed of the place I was born, of people from my childhood whose faces or voices I have not seen or heard for a very long time. One face was that of the first boy I ever loved, almost a decade ago. We fell in love as teenagers, on horseback galloping through pine forests, watching cowboys and Indian films late into the night. It was that intense all consuming love that you have when you have never been hurt before. The love you love when your not afraid to give away your all. The sort of first love that ends in tears and misery and broken hearts, when youth and inexperience fail to help you through tough decisions, or be able to recognise and navigate through to safe waters. We have both moved on many many years ago, and speaking for myself am very happy and very much in love. Not before the learning of many more lessons and tears from the heart. My partner asked what did I think this dream meant, so I sat down began to write this. This dream was like making peace with my youth, with the memory of a memory. For in the dream the boy brought a beautiful woman to meet me, she was pregnant and they were getting married. We talked whilst it rained outside, and when they left I hugged them both goodbye. I will always love him, not only for the beautiful experience of youth we shared, but for the way the glory days and hard lessons of youth and innocence cannot be ignored or forgotten, for it is where your journey to find yourself and place in the world began. It shapes who you are, and how you maneuver your future adventures of the heart. Affairs of this kind are always particularly taxing, and the wounds take a long time to heal, but none the less they make us stronger.  Although we no longer speak, it was as if the dream came to give the message that will not be spoken. Don't worry for me, for I am happy.

More behind the scenes...

Recent shoot adventures

So for anyone who doesn't know, I have been madly working on a tourism campaign which has been going for a number of months now and I am just downloading down the cards from the last shot now!  It has been a mammoth job and basically has seen me shooting the beautiful East coast of Australia from Central Coast right up to the border in Queensland. Paul and myself piled into a van and took to the road to see and experience this epic roadtrip. It was a load of fun, we saw some amazing things and met some fantastic people.

The amazing woman in the first image is a foster mum for Koalas...she was so kind and lovely and so spritely, being in her 90s has not slowed her up one bit. This little baby is her 97th foster koala. It brought tears to my eyes seeing the devotion and love she has for these animals, a truly inspirational human being.

A few pics from behind the scenes, will post more when I get a chance. Enjoy

xx H

Exciting emails

The above is an exert from the wonderful email I received letting me know I will be featured at the Reportage Photo Festival this year. This is such an honour and I am still pinching myself that my work will be included.

For anyone who hasn't heard of this festival here is some info from their site:

ABOUT US

Born in a Bondi living room in 1999 when a group of friends took turns showing their latest work, Reportage has grown to become Australia’s leading showcase of international documentary photography.

Reportage is one of the few forums in which photographers can exhibit images in an extended ‘photo essay’ format offering greater insight and depth of subject.

It is an opportunity to view images previously unseen. Reportage aims to share, inform and inspire the community with extraordinary visual narratives taken by Australian and international photographers.

Reportage provides an opportunity to keep the camaraderie of the photography community alive and is a forum for ideas to be expressed and exchanged. Open to professional photographers and students of photography.

Reportage 2010 Photo Festival 

Festival Director: Jacqui Vicario

Exhibition Curators: Stephen Dupont, Billy Plummer, Jack Picone, Michael Amendolia, David Dare Parker

Public Relations: Nicole Tiedgen at Avviso Public Relations +61 (0)2 9368 7277 or nicolet@avviso.com.au

Print Design: TACTIC Creative

Sound Design: Andy Wilson – Plasma Audio

Reportage Intern: Liam McAllister

Web Design: Monk Media

This event will be an incredible collection of some of the most powerful documentary photography from around the world, it will be well worth your time to grab a ticket to attend one of the projection screenings, tickets will be available soon from Moshtix. The Festival runs from November 5-21 2010.

xx h