Hello Josh,
I,wanted to be a professional photographer since I was 17 - 18 in Brisbane. I used to shoot weddings and lots of personal too. In the early 80's I got some some more interesting work doing some contract type photography photography for the NT Gov. My big break came in 84 when I got the position of Snr Photog. for NT Dept of Education. It was really amazing, we had colour & B&W darkrooms, mamiya 6X7 then Rollei 6006 then 6008 cameras and lenses (the view cameras were mine, used then for the Gov. contract work, gave me a significant advantage on a few of the local pros). We had Nikon 35mm cameras but I hardly used them, mostly used the 6 X 6 cm format. Most of the work was for carriculum development and PR and other work too. There was sooooo much travel. I remember when I first started there was a 12 week period in which I was away, travelling throughout the territory for 9 weeks - week ends included. It was very full on. When I got back from the trips I would be in the darkroom printing and developing film. I travelled to Indonesia many times, with school sporting groups and getting images for the national Indonesian language Carriculum.
The job was becoming a grind, but was fun/good. I transferred to the NT Health Dept - Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) as the medical/Clinical Photographer, the Education Dept downscaled the Carriculum Dev section. This was in 1991. Work here was very different, didn't know if I could handle it. I had never seen a "dead person" before, I was worried a bit about photographing post mortems etc. 99.9% of the work was shot in 35mm.
It wasn't as bad as I thought and was surprised at how strong a stomach I had. My former boss at Education had now dobts as to my ability to "handle" the work. Hes said, "You have been photographong Polititions for years so photographing diseases shouldn't be a problem. I knew I was ok when five minutes after taking some horrific photos of a patient with Donivonosis (spelling??) I was able to quite happily have a coffee and muffin.
RDH is a teaching Hospital so there was also the task of helping Medical staff to prepare lectures. I had a pager and would get calls at any/all times during the day, night and morning as well. Again work was full on.
Photography was now well and truely WORK. Creativity was not of major concern, maybe for some of the PR but in the Clinical/Forensic area good tecniquie was the most important thing (maybe that's why I feel the most important thing for me in turning is the creative side, although my techniquie is not too bad). In my own time I would not have a camera at home, this started way back when I was with Education. I would get sick of people wanting me to do weddings etc in my spare time. I would get an invitation to go somewhere with the PS - please bring your camera.
So in 2001 when my wife went on a trip to Europe I bought myself a lathe. I discovered woodturning and that became my recreation. I found it so good because I could lose myself in it, I could have a physical object that I have made. I was also lucky in thet I found a very good woodturning instructor.
I left RDH approx 3 years ago and hardly did any photography at all, just a few photos of the newly discovered garden at the new place and of my turning pieces.
I'm just starting to enjoy photography again. I'm giving some local workshops and there is a new local photographic group starting up, several of my last lot of students. We are having an exhibition coming up in a few months - Local Heratige - Pomona QLD area. I will email you sme of these images.
Hope this post isn't too boring or self indulgent or has too many spelling mistakes.
Happy photography and woodturning - Peter