The art of collaboration

For many years (more than I care to remember!) I have been both a photographer and writer. Sometimes I do one or the other, many times I do both. But whenever I do both - ie create an article package - it's always travel or photography related. That's where my strengths and my knowledge lies. Whilst I enjoy photographing lots of different things I enjoy writing about just two things - photography and travel.

So that's why I actively seek out writers in the local north Queensland area, and beyond. To collaborate. There are writers out there with some weird and wonderful specialties who cover topics that I have no knowledge of whatsoever.

Take this image here of a young lady in a pathology lab. Making the photos and meeting the people is the best part of the job. But while I love reading about the research being done, I'm not particularly interested in writing about it. Best to leave that to the experts.

A writer friend gave me a call to let me know she had an assignment to write about university graduates working in the pathology field and whether I'd like to take the images. There's nothing I love more than creating compelling images of ordinary people in their work environment. It's just so much fun and always really challenging. How to make four pathology labs which are all basically the same visually (to the untrained eye!) look individual.

Next week I'm off to photograph a bio-dynamic dairy farmer on the Atherton Tablelands for a national business publication. How did that come about? A local writer I know gave me a call. He'd gotten an assignment to write the article and the editor said he needed a photographer for some professional shots. So by me knowing the writer I get to work on a great collaborative project, and I get to work for publications that would otherwise never have heard of me.

So if you love editorial photography like I do, but you have no particular desire to write, then look at hooking up with some local writers. You'll find the scope of your assignments will really broaden and you just might discover a passion for a totally new industry.