This new series, Walk along with Elvis, Ifollowed the Elvis festivals at Parkes over 2 years, I’ve captured over 60 Elvii, interviewed and be friended.

A surprising news just came in while I was in Japan last week. I was informed by Roving Eye that my World Youth Day photoessay has been awarded as “Highly Commended” in the Expose Your World competition.

A friend of mine, George V is also awarded in numerous categories in the competitions. Congratulations!\

You can check out the winners of the Expose Your World 08 here.

I’ve been commissioned to design the postcard and poster to promote the upcoming exhibition, A Celebration of Children’s Art, at Paddington Uniting Church. An event to showcase of uninhibited artistic talent and spontaneity. This event is run by the Paddington Children’s Centre, all the money raised from this event will fund new play equipment for the children. Give them support and check out some young talent!

The Stone Gallery
Paddington Uniting Church, 395 Oxford St, Paddington
Opening Night [Adults Only]
Saturday, 25th October at 6.30pm
Champagne and canapés for the families and friends
of the young artists
Open Day
Saturday, 1st November - between 9am and 12pm
A time for the children and community to browse
Children are welcome at the open day.

WYD08 is officially over weeks ago, and I finally managed to compile my photographic documentary which I spent 3 days, joining the pilgrimage to experience the Catholicism. This photo essay, Journey of the Cross, I wanted to experience this event from a non-Catholic perspective without prejudice and unbiased point of view. I braced myself and spent three days following the pilgrims on the last haul of the WYD Cross and Icon 15 day walk, trying to understand the true meaning of Catholicism. The spirit and devotion of the prayers are undoubtedly admirable.

You can check out this photo essay at my website : www.billylaw.com.au

We’ve worked very closely with ACMP Trampoline this year to revamp their Trampoline Projections website. The Projections 08 is a photography competition to showcase the emerging talent photographers around Australia. 15 finalists will have the opportunity to have their work on the projections in cinemas in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

We are very lucky to be part of this project as I myself, was one of the finalists last year in the projections, who truly understand how important this event could mean to those who wants to step up and make photography as a career. So, please give this emerging photographers support and go to the projections to see what they have got to offer.

Here’s the screening details in major cities:

Sydney Screening
Tuesday, 15th July
6.30pm: Doors Open
7.30pm: Screening Commences
Chauvel Cinema, Cnr Oxford St &
Oatley Road, Paddington.

$22 per ticket
————————————————————————
Canberra Screening
18th July - 3rd August
Opening night Friday 18th July, 6pm
M16 Artspace
16 Mildura St, Fyshwick, ACT

Free Event (even better)
———————————————————————–
Melbourne Screening
Thursday: 24th July
7.30pm: Screening Commences
ACMI, Cinema 1,
Fededation Square, Melbourne.

$22 per ticket

I am truly honored to be selected for the Head On alternative portraits competition and having my work exhibited at the ACP gallery among all the other work by famous Australian photographers including Lisa Wiltse, Montalbetti and Campbell and Richard Kendall just to name a few.

Head on is a national annual photography portrait competition and exhibition representing a vibrant diverse cross-section of new and traditional photographic practices. Prizes awarded to 3 photographers for the best Australian contemporary photographic portrait.
It runs annually around April at the Australian Centre for Photography in Sydney.

“Ham”, this is my work that got selected among 42 finalists. Ham, aka Hamish, is my best friend Kate’s youngest son. He was over the moon when he found out that his face will be shown in a gallery, viewed by thousand of punters.

On opening night, it was jam packed with punters, could hardly move or even check out the finalists works on the wall. Few of us gathered suffocated at a corner, while Clover Moore announced the winners of the night. Friends all wanted me to win, but seriously, I never expect to win, I just want to be part of it. And I did it, is a new stepping stone in my career.

Why not indulge yourself if you have $15,000 lying around. Definitely will make heads turn by walking around on the street with this 24 karat gold Leica lens around your neck. And the occasional “pffts” from fellow photographers and being called a “tool”. Take your best shot.

I spent some time reading this photoessay, the first time when I read it, I got this unsettling feeling and half of me telling myself I should really just close my browser. However, as I read on further, I was totally captured by those powerful images. We probably found it confronting and Uncle Dirty living a freak show lifestyle, but when are we gonna learn that it is a perfect normal lifestyle for Uncle Dirty himself?

That pastel instant color. That rainbow 9-tiles diamond shaped logo. That magical fold out camera and fits nicely in your pocket. That click-sound when it spits a film out. That anticipation while waiting for magic to happen in that tiny 6×6cm space. All these memories, is coming to an end. Sad, but true, Polaroid has announced that it will stop making instant film and moving on into digital era.

I am a late Polaroid-lover, only started using Polaroid cameras last year and my instant affair with Polaroid cameras is undeniable. I fell in love with it so much and didn’t take long for me to own over 5 polaroid cameras, and been spitting out more than 1000 polaroid films. When the news hit that polaroid is stopping to make instant films, I am sure I am not the only one who felt angry and with strong passion to try to save it.

A graphic designer, no doubt a hardcore Polaroid fan, Sean Tubridy, has set up a website savepolaroid.com to trying to save instant film from extinction so the rest of us won’t get frustrated and depressed. The website means a lot to all the polaroid fans and hopefully with our little voice, perhaps we can save the instant film becoming history, or convince other companies like Fuji and Ilford to produce the same medium. I urge you to sign the petition to save the polaroid films from extinction.

Please check out a feature interview on CBC Canada. Truly sad when professional photographers rely on Polaroid films for over 20 years can no more creating the magic ever again.

Just in case if you haven’t see the video from our In Your Face exhibition, so here it is. Quite hilarious in some parts of the documentary. It is always awkward to listen to your own voice again on video, never know I sound so weird….