Hasselblad in da House

Yeah baby,

I am so excited to be adding another hi-end partner to our team.

Ok, I know it's a camera system, but hey you know this system is going to take us to yet another level in our image capture quality and delivery to our clients. For some time now I have thought of investing in a hi-end digital capture system and after working on site with the H3DII on my last shoot for our new client VIETRI, I was sold.

Previously I have shot with all the various medium format digital backs and was never really happy with the flow, now that I have had my own hands on experience with the Blad there is no going back. Also with the addition of the HTS tilt & shift adaptor to allow me the freedom to express my vision as if shooting with my 4x5 while at the same time allowing my client to view what I am seeing at the sametime without sweating under a black cloth or waiting on my assistant pulling a pola, it's a win win for all.

This is bringing it all to another level, let me show you.

Results coming soon to my website.

Fine Art Site

For sometime now I have toyed with the idea of setting up an online gallery to provide the opportunity for people to purchase prints from my Fine Art Collections.

Now is the time and I am happy to announce that a selection of Ltd Edition prints are available. All prints are of archival quality and are shipped to the buyer flat to ensure the integrity of the print. Along with this all prints come with a signed registered certificate of authenticity.

New work on a regular basis also being offered on this site is the ability for art buyers and designers to download images for use in more commercial purposes.

Please take the time out to visit our site and feel free to pass on to your friends and other lovers of Fine Art photography.

Fine Art Prints

iPhone 3Gs - Device for budget filmmakers

iPhone Go Gadget

hey guys

In the past I have really resisted the crackberry Iphone thing as I'm not a gadget guy for the sake of gadgets. But when my T-Mobile cell phone contract came up at the same time of the release of the new iPhone I thought what the hell. ( also for the fact that when shooting in California and Utah no reception wsoever arrhh )Part of the attraction for me was not so much the camera or movie capture thing as I already have a slew of devices for that. It was the fact that this thing had the added feature of the sound recorder which I find so handy in taking down my ideas that come at random times and I find it so much easier just to tape them and replay later to then ascertain whether they really make sense..
Filmmakers Rejoice
The camera is cool and being able to capture a 9mb file is amazing. While we are on the subject I came across this new add on being sold out of Japan for a real budget minded filmmaker. It allows you to attach a series of different focal length lenses..now that's' cool.I'm sure the dorm room will never be quite the same with those super wide add on's ;)

Only Billboards Bleed

After a recent road trip down to the Keys riding through Florida we were struck by flash thunderstorms with short bursts of extreme rain. Over a 3 hr period we came across 6 incidents whereby drivers took no notice of the change in driving conditions and proceeded to spin out of control. As I rode by up to 3 separate incidents of cars sitting on their roofs, one stuck hanging balancing on top of the dividing concrete wall dividing the traffic lanes I just shook my head and wondered what the hell were these people thinking.

Maybe this type of billboard currently being laid out in New Zealand could help to bring the speed of these drivers down or at least maybe get them to put their headlights on duh "it's not night time , why should I put my lights on" well duh!!!!

The billboard above release a back underlining red image (blood) when it rains. This is truly clever interactive advertising with a very strong message.

Client: Papakura District Council NZ
Agency: Colenso BBDO

Don't take my Kodachrome away....too late

Well it had to happen sooner than later, Kodak has finally decided it is time to retire it's oldest film stock launched some 74 yrs ago. It was a revolutionary film that was known best for it's true rendition of color.You just have to flip through some old copies of National Geo to view amazing images captured on this beautiful stock which was so durable in the extremes of heat & freezing cold.

Yes digital has claimed yet scalp!

I remember using Kodachrome when going through college back in the early 90's and was so amazed when I found out the emulsion makeup of the film was actually a blk & wht film base which through the (secret kodak)color process, color was added via the chemical reaction attraction of color couplers to exposed silver halides.

Yep still remember quite a lot from those wonderful 3 yrs back in my home town of Perth. Good times as every photo related process was so new to me and to this day I am still amazed and excited everytime I process a roll of film or watch a beautiful photographic print blk & wht or color come to life.

Nothing lasts for ever, although 74 yrs isn't too bad in my book.

check out this blast from the past

Tom Hangs with Wakeology Star Rob Absher

hey Guys

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure to spend some quality time speeding around Falls Lake in North Carolina with team boarder Rob Absher on behalf of Wakeology Wake Boards. We arrived to early morning pristine conditions out on Falls Lake.

After a couple of practice warm up runs to brush off the cobwebs Rob began to kick off some serious moves. Hanging with me in the boat was Robs brother and pilot Hugh Absher, these guys make an awesome team and were able to give us just what we wanted time and time again.

Currently Rob is in LA working on some contacts to launch a revolutionary new training apparatus for Wake Boarders. When he returns next week we shall be out on the water again for another shoot this time shooting some HD video of Rob and a few other members of the team,we plan to capture some real extreme moves.

Shooting from 3 different forms of water craft including a jet ski. I think this one may call for that underwater housing I've been longing for.

Stay tuned for the download.

In the meantime checkout Wakeology Boards

cheers

Tom

Don't ya just love Summer yahoooooooooo!!!

Beware Bloggers - Hugh Jackman Copyright Infringement

Well I have had my share of legal issues in the past in respect to protecting my copyright, but nothing like what I experienced last week. I received a call from a major gossip mag here in the USA who were interested in discussing my recent shoot with Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborah Lee.

With the release of Wolverine the movie this story was "Hot" property, so hot in fact that the image that I had posted on this very blog was being presented out in the market place along with my storyline to the highest bidder. If it wasn't for a very experienced and honest editor they may have just got away with it.

Watermarking

The lesson here is no matter where your images are, you have to be diligent in protecting your property from those scoundrels with no morel fibre what's so ever and will go to any lengths to profit from others.

It is for this very reason that from now on sadly I am forced to watermark all images being displayed online.

Green Windvertising

Those billboards you see on the highways and byways may soon be generating more than just visual entertainment due to a California based companies innovative application.

The company WE Power is tapping into wind turbine power technology acquired from another California based company PacWind.

WePower plans to have the first Times Square billboard fully functional by Earth Day, April 22nd. Maybe the times are a changing and the wind of change is a positive one for the earths future.

Please visit WEPower for more on this story.

Starbucks takes a hit

Walked into a Dunkin' Donuts the other day and had to buy the t-shirt... The TV ads were okay, not that memorable but love the idea that a company can do this to another to prove a point.

I might be a little biased here as I never drink Starbucks – I prefer to support the local coffee shops who serve great coffee that won't bust your bank balance and actually want to have a conversation with you.

Yes I realize that Dunkin' Donuts is also a chain but hey, when you gotta have that sugar fix, their jelly donut really does the trick.

To learn more about the campaign check out dunkinbeatstarbucks.com

Turn off the Lights

Hey Guys

I just received an email from my friends at The Whole 9 in respect to Earth Hour – On March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m., local time, the World Wildlife Fund is asking for us all to flick the switch OFF for an hour to make a statement on global climate change.

Get outside and enjoy the natural light too, it's still the best light source you can find and it's Free :)


To find out more visit ProgressivePulse.com

Tom goes 3D

Recently it seems there has been a resurgence of all things 3D, as Hollywood pumps out a record number of new films featuring this technique.

Now I too have been taken on a 3D ride of sorts, after completing my first 3D shoot on behalf of Softmotion, a company based out of Montreal Canada. We shot a beautiful custom Harley Davidson Softail in studio and then using one of my stock location images created a 3D version for online promotions as well as capturing additional images to be used in a final Lenticular display.

The capture of the 3D Lenticular image involved shooting up to 140 images, then a selection of these are composed via Softmotions computer genius, Patrice to create the illusion of the bike coming out of the Lenticular display as you walk pass.

The online version is a little less complicated to achieve with the viewer requiring those wacky 3d glasses to view the result, which by the way is very effective, as it really does seem like the rider is coming out of the screen and riding over your keyboard.

Both Guy Brisson the president of Softmotion and myself are looking forward to collaborating on many more future projects after the successful coming together of talents on this shoot.

Of course I couldn't let the bike out of my hands without taking it for a spin around the block a few times... here's a quick pick of me coming back in with the bike – a big thank you to James (owner in last frame) for trusting me with your sweet ride.

Wolverine lends a Hand

This past week I was contacted via an Ad Agency back in Australia to inquire if I would be interested in helping to bring awareness to a little boy, Isaiah Muller from Adelaide, South Australia. Isaiah is undergoing major surgery in an attempt to save his remaining eye after having lost the other to cancer.

Needless to say I asked what I could do and the South Australian Ad Agency Michels Warren's Managering Director Phillip Martin, explained that they were working on behalf of the Women's and Children's Hospital Foundation. They had been in contact with Hugh Jackman's agent and Hugh & his wife Deborah Lee were available and would love to help in the form of a photo op whereby they will meet with Isaiah and his mother Olivia Muller at the Ronald MacDonald House here in Manhattan.

The image of Hugh, Deborah Lee, Isaiah and his mother Olivia will be printed and framed and then I shall take another image in the hospital today with them holding the print which will form the final image for the campaign back in Oz to help raise funds for the surgeries.

For more information on Isaiah Mullers story or to donate please go to

www.wchfoundation.org.au

Art Fairs Hit NYC

Yes it's that time of the year again,time to head down to the Chelsea Piers to freeze your ass off while taking in all that is on offer in the way of Contemporary art.

Armory is the main show in town bringing together wonderful and sometimes questionable art from all over the globe. A good time to get into the mix and view what is currently being offered out there. I always come away so inspired much like when I visit any gallery, the experience seems to spark a certain refocusing censor within, suddenly I am made aware again of the simplistic beauty that surrounds us.

So get out there and enjoy and make comment on art.

current shows include.

Armory Show
Pulse
Scope Art Fair


credit: Gottfried Helnwein

Wall Street Blues

Apologies but I need to get a little political today. It must be something about being in the midst of it all here in New York City. Man it's just damn depressing.

With all the reports now coming to light, where were these investigations when all those good people on greedy Wall Street were lining their deep pockets with huge bonus money, were we really all that blind? Brings me back to an image I took back in '99... the other side of wall street.



These people don't give a rats ass about anyone but themselves and they showed that in the first bailout to pay yet more bonuses. I think there is plenty to blame for the state of the nation and after viewing a 60 minutes report on the World Savings Bank, it's simply disgraceful how they were allowed to continue to put these uneducated and poor people into more and more debt they knew they could never dream to pay off.

Also business or lack there of currently across the globe has to be looked at very closely, I for one was and am still not a strong believer in this whole Globalization ideal, this term in my mind is only to the advantage of corporations to outsource services that should have been offered to local business. Oh why would they do that if they could simply take advantage of smaller poorer countries and pay them well below the poverty line and forget about any mention of medical allowance. Now they come crying to the American people for bailouts for their corporations ...Shame on them!!

While I put finger to keyboard in the background we have a Presidential address to congress on the economy. Below is a visual of what I am watching on TV.



I think I can hear the cries in the street far below "show me the money..."

Those interested in reading more about the under handed dealing of World Savings Bank check out his blog at fund my mutual fund.

StimuUS

I have been reading many reports in respect to the state of the US economy and also the fragile situation all over the world, and I must say it makes for very depressing reading. I only have to walk a couple of blocks around my neighborhood here in Chelsea to be made well aware of how it has a flow on effect to local business.


Local retail stores are having endless sales to encourage shoppers although it really doesn't look like it is working very well. It seems every corner you turn there is a "sign of the times" – recent reports have the current commercial vacancy rate hoovering around 14%, this of course in my view is a very conservative estimate of the real situation.

The other night I called my local Indian restaurant for a delivery and there was no answer, the next day I found the reason why, the building was vacant due to lease increase. Talk about kicking them while they are down, it seems no matter the economical climate or vacancy rate stats, rather than supporting a good tenant some would rather have the space vacant until the upturn.

This sort of behavior is not new to the mindset of developers and wealthy landlords, in the past it was called "warehousing". Empty buildings stood vacant for years while their owners waited for the market to improve, rather than reducing the rents. One wonders how deep their pockets are to keep this kind of practice going. Maybe Madoff left some with a few extra dollars to get through the hard times after all.

Carolina on my Mind

Currently the Tomsuey production crew is on location in North Carolina shooting for a new client as well as escaping the chilly weather back in NYC. After the shoot on Friday we decided to take a road trip to Carolina Beach to check out various locations for an upcoming stock shoot. Why not make the most of it while the sun is shining.

This is my first time taking in the beauty of this area and I must say I am most impressed by the endless sandy beaches and the friendly people down here. We will back in the studio come Wednesday, so in the mean time I will absorb all that I can.

Below is a sample for my friends up north and in the midwest.

Big Chill in NYC

Last week we here in the NE experienced a major chill out. It made walking to the corner diner a real expedition only for the brave and fool hardy. I called around a friends apartment to share some good wine and conversation with some other movie freaks. Bruce Ashley (Company X editor extraordinaire) was there, currently working on a visual project with Will.i.am and fellow aussie photog Russell James on behalf of a project titled Nomad Two Worlds being shown at Donna Karan's Stephan Weiss Studio Gallery.

Fellow countryman Hugh Jackman was there with his wife Deborah Lee on thursday night along with Donna Karan amongst many other notables. All in all it was a great opening with a packed house. Check the night out here.

Here is a visual for all my friends on the west coast and down under...you lucky ..........rs

Now signed with Gallery Stock!

Pretty damn excited! I was recently invited to join the amazing list of talented photographers online at Gallery Stock image library curated under the art direction of Jeff Church. Gallery Stock is a place for both Gallery curators and Advertising agencies a like to go to and check out new as well as established talent. I have been looking for a venue to show my fine art imagery for some time outside the confines of a gallery and I think that Gallery Stock is a good fit.
You can visit them online at www.gallerystock.com

Australia Plays Broadway - Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall

Last night I had the pleasure to attend an evening of Australian talent at the beautiful Carnegie Hall here in New York City. It was all part of the Australia Week calendar of events which kicked off in LA last week. Australia Week was conceived by the current Consultant General to New York the Hon John Olsen and is the single largest foreign country promotion held annually in the United States. Australia Week is a showcase of all that Australia has to offer the rest of the world in respect to the arts, music, culture, food, wine, innovation, tourism and many other aspects of Australian lifestyle.

The performers included Aussie Icons Jimmy Barnes, Olivia Newton-John, The Qantas Choirs and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Other artists ranged from opera singers through to indigenous artists including Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Ursula Yovich and William Barton.


Tomsuey Design
www.tomsuey.com

Our very own Design/Production company Tomsuey Inc headed up by my partner Sue McGhee has been responsible for all the design elements including signage, brochures and various others pieces for the previous 3 yrs including this year's complete redesign of the Australia Week website www.australia-week.com

The event was amazing and it made me very proud to introduce them to my American friends.

New Exhibition at the Robert Steele Gallery

I was privileged to get a preview to the latest exhibition at the Robert Steele Gallery on Monday night - some amazing work on show from 2 very talented Australian Torres Strait artists, both come from the tiny community of Badu Island off the northern coast of Australia. Try and make it to the artist reception on Thursday, 22nd January 2009, 6-8pm.

GAIGAI IKA WOEYBADH YATHAREWMKA (Legends Through Patterns from the Past) Featuring Alick Tipoti and Dennis Nona
January 22 - Feb 28, 2009




Robert Steele Gallery
511 West 25th Street - Suite 101, New York, NY 10001

www.robertsteelegallery.com

Inspiration - Go Tell Mama

It's a big day out there in Washington DC with the hope of Change in the wind. I for one believe it is time for all people to come together and work as one.

Today I came across another person of inspiration by the name of Ray Noland aka CRO a Chicago based Graphic Artist. Ray is a very gifted artist who has a website not only showcasing his work but also telling the story of a guy who took his art to the street and in doing so has become a leader in a new movement.



check it!

www.gotellmama.org
also this is so cool
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MedLL78SM5Q