“ I was born in Rockhampton and then Mum, my brother and I moved to Ballina to live with Grandma and Grandpa. That’s where I fell in love with the ocean and the beach. I played Soccer growing up until I was about 22. I’m 36 now. I played semi professional for NSW. I played with the Goonellabah Hornets all the way through.
I went to Kadina High from Year 7 to Year 12. I was studious but also, get me out of here. I just wanted to work and surf and play Soccer. Senior year at school was pretty good as I did a lot of bodyboarding and Soccer which progressed out of school.,
I started getting into my Bodyboarding a bit more seriously and started travelling. As soon as I finished school I packed the board bag and said…’See ya later Mum’ and travelled to WA with a couple of friends. That trip really cemented my love of life. I travelled for months and I think that’s where I started to really fall in love with the camera side of Photography. I wasn’t taking shots myself but travelling with the boys who were taking the shots while we were out in the water. It made you so stoked.
I came back and started Uni. I wanted to be a Primary School teacher because I’ve always loved kids but I had a nasty accident where I broke my ankle downhill skating. I deferred from Uni and decided I would just work and travel. I ended up moving to the Gold Coast and started my hospitality career first as a dishy then moved to bar work and I found the cocktail world was a passion of mine as well so I got to work with a couple of the best. They were such good mentors and kept my head straight. I was still bodyboarding with Gold Coast Bodyboarding Club and travelled with them to the State and the National titles. I survived 10 years up there.
Through that period Mum lent me a camera and that’s where my love of Photography really kicked off. It was an old Nikon with a couple of lenses and little tripod. It was amazing.
I moved down to Newcastle, still worked in bars, still surfed and I bought a pole with a Go-Pro for out in the ocean. One of my mentors, Ryan Cuthbert who is one of the best Photographers and a good friend of mine said….Richy, you need to get a real camera. My QLD coach and best mate Benny O’Bourne sold me a whole Nikon package with a housing and some lenses for a real good price and said…have fun! I was in the water and loving life. The camera wasn’t up in the top range but I would go home and have a look at my pics and just smile.
Christmas Eve last year I was out on the reef at Backsides in Ballina. It’s off Flatrack. There’s a nice reef break there. It gets pretty heavy on a big swell. I got sucked over the wave while shooting and I snapped my Tibia, my Fibula and pulled my ankle off the bone. I’m still recovering but being in the water for the last month has been the best rehab. I had 16 weeks of recovery. Over that time I was so lucky to have mates from the Gold Coast Bodyboarding Club and Headlanders Body Boarding Club…Ballina and Byron to support me and keep my head up. A few of the boys would rock up, get me in the car with my crutches and take me to the beach to take shots.
I’ve upgraded my camera to the Nikon D850 and it’s booming. The Sherwood Hotel here in Lismore is allowing me to hang my work on the wall. What better way to show my work. People come in for a nice dinner in the restaurant, cocktails, and they see my prints. I just want to share love and spread it. We live in the most beautiful part of Australia here on the East Coast and I love sharing it through my photos.
I’m still hobbling but I work here at The Sherwood as the Cocktail maker. People see me shaking cocktails on a weekend. I was fortunate enough to have Johnny the owner chat with me when I came in with my leg in a moon boot and three weeks later I started.
Last month I took my partner Kelly down to Catherine Hill Bay. I was shooting the sunrise and we were sitting in the cave and could see the left hander roll through the pillars. I took the shot and I received the print last night of it and was like …Wow! A couple of weeks ago I was back out at Backsides and I had my new set-up. You might know the world class hardcore band Parkway Drive?… so the lead singer is an unbelievable body boarder. I’ve grown up in awe watching him. He was out there this day and I took the shot. It doesn’t even look like Ballina. I got it home and I thought..this is what it’s all about, capturing the moment. I travel a lot by myself and I love it. Our sunrises and sunsets are so amazing.
I really want to thank a few people here who I treasure….firstly my beautiful partner Kelly, massive thank you to Mum for lending me that old school camera. She’s always wanted it back but I think it’s still at a friends house. Some really supportive photographers..Troy Taylor, Axel Image, Michael Egan and a huge thanks to Ryan Cuthbert who has been incredible. I’m so stoked for all the support. I had 2 prints delivered last night but my partner has decided to keep one which was the sunset over Byron last week. You can’t say no to your partner (laughs).” Pic – Denise Alison.
I went to Kadina High from Year 7 to Year 12. I was studious but also, get me out of here. I just wanted to work and surf and play Soccer. Senior year at school was pretty good as I did a lot of bodyboarding and Soccer which progressed out of school.,
I started getting into my Bodyboarding a bit more seriously and started travelling. As soon as I finished school I packed the board bag and said…’See ya later Mum’ and travelled to WA with a couple of friends. That trip really cemented my love of life. I travelled for months and I think that’s where I started to really fall in love with the camera side of Photography. I wasn’t taking shots myself but travelling with the boys who were taking the shots while we were out in the water. It made you so stoked.
I came back and started Uni. I wanted to be a Primary School teacher because I’ve always loved kids but I had a nasty accident where I broke my ankle downhill skating. I deferred from Uni and decided I would just work and travel. I ended up moving to the Gold Coast and started my hospitality career first as a dishy then moved to bar work and I found the cocktail world was a passion of mine as well so I got to work with a couple of the best. They were such good mentors and kept my head straight. I was still bodyboarding with Gold Coast Bodyboarding Club and travelled with them to the State and the National titles. I survived 10 years up there.
Through that period Mum lent me a camera and that’s where my love of Photography really kicked off. It was an old Nikon with a couple of lenses and little tripod. It was amazing.
I moved down to Newcastle, still worked in bars, still surfed and I bought a pole with a Go-Pro for out in the ocean. One of my mentors, Ryan Cuthbert who is one of the best Photographers and a good friend of mine said….Richy, you need to get a real camera. My QLD coach and best mate Benny O’Bourne sold me a whole Nikon package with a housing and some lenses for a real good price and said…have fun! I was in the water and loving life. The camera wasn’t up in the top range but I would go home and have a look at my pics and just smile.
Christmas Eve last year I was out on the reef at Backsides in Ballina. It’s off Flatrack. There’s a nice reef break there. It gets pretty heavy on a big swell. I got sucked over the wave while shooting and I snapped my Tibia, my Fibula and pulled my ankle off the bone. I’m still recovering but being in the water for the last month has been the best rehab. I had 16 weeks of recovery. Over that time I was so lucky to have mates from the Gold Coast Bodyboarding Club and Headlanders Body Boarding Club…Ballina and Byron to support me and keep my head up. A few of the boys would rock up, get me in the car with my crutches and take me to the beach to take shots.
I’ve upgraded my camera to the Nikon D850 and it’s booming. The Sherwood Hotel here in Lismore is allowing me to hang my work on the wall. What better way to show my work. People come in for a nice dinner in the restaurant, cocktails, and they see my prints. I just want to share love and spread it. We live in the most beautiful part of Australia here on the East Coast and I love sharing it through my photos.
I’m still hobbling but I work here at The Sherwood as the Cocktail maker. People see me shaking cocktails on a weekend. I was fortunate enough to have Johnny the owner chat with me when I came in with my leg in a moon boot and three weeks later I started.
Last month I took my partner Kelly down to Catherine Hill Bay. I was shooting the sunrise and we were sitting in the cave and could see the left hander roll through the pillars. I took the shot and I received the print last night of it and was like …Wow! A couple of weeks ago I was back out at Backsides and I had my new set-up. You might know the world class hardcore band Parkway Drive?… so the lead singer is an unbelievable body boarder. I’ve grown up in awe watching him. He was out there this day and I took the shot. It doesn’t even look like Ballina. I got it home and I thought..this is what it’s all about, capturing the moment. I travel a lot by myself and I love it. Our sunrises and sunsets are so amazing.
I really want to thank a few people here who I treasure….firstly my beautiful partner Kelly, massive thank you to Mum for lending me that old school camera. She’s always wanted it back but I think it’s still at a friends house. Some really supportive photographers..Troy Taylor, Axel Image, Michael Egan and a huge thanks to Ryan Cuthbert who has been incredible. I’m so stoked for all the support. I had 2 prints delivered last night but my partner has decided to keep one which was the sunset over Byron last week. You can’t say no to your partner (laughs).” Pic – Denise Alison.