bazandersonphoto

Being a nine year old immigrant to Australia, Baz always felt a little on the outerfence, perhaps allowing him a point of view to witness people, their behaviours and their environs. He gathered the basics of photography from his Father's love for the medium and the small photographic business he ran. No doubt learning a lot from the hours spent assisting his Dad in the b & w darkroom. 

At twenty something, the desire to return to his roots in the Northern Hemisphere saw him 'on the road' for seven years throughout Europe and North America before returning to Australia.

At this time he was seeking further education and a creative outlet, which ended up being a degree in Visual Arts from Sydney College of the Arts.

Baz started his professional photographic career after graduating in 1981. To start he photographed people, products and lifestyle for a variety of magazines and commercial clients in the Sydney marketplace.

He then set up a shared photo studio in Brisbane, mostly shooting product for only one year before Sydney called him back to where he established his own studio in East Balmain, overlooking Mort Bay.

For a time he photographed food to fashion to corporate, until 1986, when he decided to further his photographic experiences and travel again, this time to Milano Italy.

Whilst in Milano he was represented by Gracie Neri and with her support pursued the ‘International Artists’ series made up of artists living and working in the city at the time. Following a year working this series it was published by Gioia Magazine, this gave Baz leave to return to Australia.

Upon his return to Oz, Travel and Portrait work became his mainstay.

Travel: via shooting around Australia for the Australian Tourist Commission, the Federal Agency responsible for promoting Australia as a tourist destination.

Portraiture: via magazines like the SMH’s Good Weekend and ITA, along with Corporate clients for their annual reports.

A Personal Project resulted in ‘The Stockmen’ book published by Allen and Unwin in the early 90’s along with sponsorship from Prudential Insurance to create the 'Stockmen Touring Photographic Exhibition'. This Exhibition comprised of 40 framed colour prints which opened at The Gallery of NSW along with the launching of the 'Stockmen' book, all then toured for 2 years throughout NSW and QLD.

The purchase of an old warehouse in the inner city of Sydney caused the next re-direction, a large personal project to re-develop an old industrial space to a photographic studio and living space, always the dream of this photographer.

Perhaps untimely considering the ever increasing cost of running a studio along with the changes in the photo process from analogue to digit, a change Baz vigorously embraced.     

Photographic work continued in both studio and field for the next 8 years along with the development of the warehouse until the Sydney Olympic Games, which caused another re-direction. It came with the rental of the now boutique Sydney warehouse, allowing for the sea change to establish a homebase on the Far North Coast of NSW and travel again, this time into SE Asia.

Letting go of commercial work and following his own brief .... 'Personal Projects' are now the focus of Baz' attention. 

To Be Continued ....