Photographing the Prime Minister of Australia
Straight after being in the mountains, for one of the most physically challenging shoots of my career.
My partner and I were embarking on our two-day trip home from a camping trip along the NSW coast. You see some point-and-shoot snaps from that trip here. We were driving on the outskirts of Canberra to get back on the Hume Highway when an email popped up on my phone. The title said "Portrait Commission - Anthony Albanese." I said to my partner, "You'll never believe the email I just got, and even weirder that we're literally driving through Canberra right now." (For overseas readers, Canberra is the home of the Australian Parliament.)
My next thought jumped to the timing. We had brought our trip home forward a couple of days so I could fly to New Zealand for a job with On. Sparing all the nitty-gritty logistics, the timing landed, but it was looking very interesting.
I'd wrap the job in NZ on Thursday morning. Little did I know at this point in the planning I'd barely be standing after what was the physically most challenging shoot I'd been on. More on this below.
I'd wrap the job in Queenstown Thursday morning, board a flight to Canberra via Brisbane, get to my hotel around midnight, charge my camera gear, and be up, mediated, caffeinated, and ready to meet my assistant Liam to drive over to "The Lodge" to start the assignment.
The aforementioned job in NZ involved two 3:00 AM wake-ups, two sleeps on the sides of mountains (one sans tent), and the most technical, vertical, up-down-with-basically-no-flat-sections trail. The only reprieve: no wind, decent weather, and remembering I wasn't in Australia, so no need to worry about snakes.
By the time the job wrapped, my legs felt like I hadn't been to the gym for months and then did the most hectic session ever. My legs wobbled even while standing still.
Arriving at my hotel, I felt off. I knew I was tired, but something was up. That night I barely slept; a fever hit me, and I could hear the person in the room next to me snoring their head off. After a few delirious meditations and brown noise, I got some sleep, and my fever broke.
Luckily, that morning we were told the Prime Minister would be late, which moved our shoot a few hours later. Phew, time to rest a bit, have a long and strong coffee, and a couple of Nurofen.
Liam had driven over from Wollongong, and we made our way to The Lodge, the primary official residence of the Prime Minister of Australia.
Over my career, I've photographed many notable people. At the EU Commission in Brussels, I photographed Danish politician Margrethe Vestager. On a rooftop in Melbourne, I photographed Shaun Stussy. I took rapper Denzel Curry to a lookout in my hometown for a cover shoot and walked around with NBA player Ben Simmons at his high school.
This felt different. The cover story was for The Monthly, which is Australia's foremost magazine on politics and culture. It's also an election year. A couple of weeks after the story came out, Albanese called the election. Next to this, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Geraldine Brooks interviewed him for the story. Safe to say I was in good company.
For those who are interested. You can read the article at TheMonthly.
Generally, the way I work, I have a clear direction of what I am looking for. I've often said I liken my practice to playing with Lego. You can have a set of pieces, say to build a house or a rocket ship. There is a structure and plan to that. But you can remix it, build something else, or be a bit spontaneous with it. I love having the ability to plan and to be playful.
The power dynamic that oozed from Albo was as evident as my legs screaming at me for still standing up. It was utterly fascinating. He knew what he wanted and what he did not want. I had requested four locations or areas at the house. He said three. Certain backgrounds and objects he strayed away from, whether from taste or politics.
After chatting to him about an article we commissioned in the latest issue of Good Sport called "Hard Game, Soft Diplomacy" (written by Henry Chase Richards) about Albanese's interest in starting a Rugby League team in PNG, he warmed up and gave me the fourth location.
I had been given an hour with him, but with people like this, I always consider if that's really necessary. I knew he was tired and hadn't had lunch. So I wrapped in 30 minutes, and he said his goodbyes.
Liam and I went to get our own lunch after the shoot to decompress. It was a whirlwind, not in an uncontrollable kind of way. Just in the sense of where we were and who we were photographing. It felt a bit surreal, even though it's something I'm so used to.
Being challenged and walking the line of discomfort is where I really love to be as a photographer – whether that being with sore legs and pushed physically – or stretching my brain and eye to think beyond what it is used to. It's a drug-like feeling of entering this door to the unknown with a growing set of skills and experience and a hopefully refining eye. It sometimes feels like a video game.
There is movement in all of my work. Through Instagram and algorithms, people generally see my work through sport, running, and the like. Being able to apply my thinking and style to a commission like this continues to solidify what I value as a photographer.
The pure act of photographing--making pictures--is my drive. And yes, it has always been embedded in the cultures and subcultures I am part of. What I find really interesting about being a photographer is being commissioned for projects that take you and the viewer out of what is expected. The marrying of opposites.
My instagram post shares a series of images from this story.
This year, I want to be commissioned for more portraits and profiles. I looked back through my archive and have the strongest memories of different people I've photographed.
Thanks for reading. If you have a question or an intrigue, I'll reply to your comments below (for email readers, jump on the Substack app).
In the meantime, I’m writing and refining a couple of film ideas. I’m exploring what international representation looks like, coming to the end of training for a half-marathon which is in a few weeks. And building some new things/thing with Good Sport.
Bye
X
love the cover shot catching the dog's tail!
Love seeing how other photographers work. It's not as glamorous as people think but it's honest work! 🥹 Photos are great. : )