I created this series during a period when I felt creatively stuck. To break free from this rut, I decided to travel to a brand-new destination for a couple of days and create some personal work. I chose Broken Hill, a remote rural mining town in outback NSW, Australia, surrounded by vibrant red dirt. This was my first visit to Broken Hill, and I hoped it would reignite my passion for photography.

Initially, I planned to capture scenes including the striking red dirt of Broken Hill, but my research led me in a different direction. I became fascinated by the town's buildings and classic signage, which gave it a timeless feel. Inspired by the nostalgic look of the town, I decided to focus on capturing the essence of its streets and storefronts.

My goal was to create a series that I could proudly hang on my wall. To achieve this, I chose to photograph children not as traditional portraits but as elements of urbanscapes. I aimed for these images to evoke a sense of timelessness, reminiscent of the children featured in Life magazine from the 1920s to the 1960s, who were often depicted playing marbles, skipping, or simply hanging out on the streets unsupervised.

Upon arriving in Broken Hill, I connected with a local community member who helped put out a call on Facebook for children to participate. Sheridan Davey, a stylist, flew in from Sydney to bring the styling to life, and we sourced colorful outfits from local op shops. It was important to me that the images looked curated and considered, not documentary in style, which is why I emphasized vibrant colors.

Because I had never been to Broken Hill before, I didn't have specific photo locations planned until I arrived. The number of children who turned up at each location varied, resulting in some shots having more children than others. Despite these uncertainties, the series came together beautifully over the course of two days.

This is an interesting observation of my work. It might not be an easy question to answer, but I'll give it my best shot. Overall, I'm inspired by the universal allure of childhood. Even if you don't have children, you've experienced your own childhood, which is something we can all connect to. Despite differences in upbringing, culture, and experiences, children everywhere share a core curiosity, playfulness, creativity, and intuition. This is the foundation of my work, whether it's commercial or personal. I aim to capture the spirit of children, and this comes through in the way I play and interact with them when taking photos.

When it comes to the details of my work, I'm very driven by color, especially primary colors. You'll often see reds, yellows, and blues in my work, used in a blocking or juxtaposing manner. Additionally, I love to find locations that resemble scenes from an old movie rather than real life. I see beauty in the ordinary, and this sensibility is evident in my work.

Lastly, the way I use light is crucial. I prefer warm, direct light to give my images vibrancy. Someone once told me my images look like "Disney" versions of real life, which I found interesting. I aim to capture real emotions and stories that universally connect us, but in a stylized way.

For this series I was inspired by Julie Blackmon. Julie Blackmon's photography work is known for its meticulously curated domestic scenes that blend reality with fantasy. Other photographers that I love are William Eggleston for his use of colour, Lisa Sorgini for her work with children and mothers and lastly Tamara Dean for her insane ability to tell such complex and layered stories in a single frame. 

I'd love to talk with Tyler Mitchell and Tim Walker—both fashion photographers, but with completely different styles of work. Tyler Mitchell's photography is known for its fresh, vibrant, and contemporary approach. He often explores themes of youth, identity, and cultural representation, bringing a modern and inclusive perspective to fashion photography. On the other hand, Tim Walker's work is characterized by its whimsical, fantastical, and often surreal elements. His images are highly imaginative, creating dreamlike worlds that are both captivating and otherworldly. I would also love to chat with director Jane Campion. Her film "Bright Star" is one of my all-time favourites. Jane Campion is unique because of her ability to craft deeply emotional and visually stunning films that explore complex human relationships. Her storytelling is nuanced and poetic, often focusing on the inner lives of her characters, especially women.

I have just finished writing, producing, and directing my first short film. It took 12 months from conceptualization to completion, and I have entered it into several film festivals. The film, titled "Screentime," is a social commentary narrative that contrasts digital screens with the tactile world of childhood, illustrating how boredom can spark imaginative play and engagement with one's surroundings. The film is much darker and moodier than my still photography work, but I was inspired by the opportunity to evoke strong emotions through the fluid medium of film. I would also love to expand my "Unsupervised" series into film, so that might be a future project as well.

Hmmm this is very hard to answer... I dont really have a particular dream subject but I feel like I do 'chase' the adrenaline rush you get when all the perfect elements of a scene collide and for a very brief moment you see the image you had in your head unfold infront of you. It's very fleeting and pretty rare, but it's what ultimately keeps the fire inside alive. I dream of feeling that feeling more and if I could bottle it up and sell it I would.