Wollongong has become the centre of the universe, or at least the seven seas, for four ocean photographers who have formed a special bond in recent years.
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It all started after highly acclaimed Canadian sports photographer Dave Sandford started visiting his sister Linda Tubridy in Towradgi.
It evolved into a great mate-ship for the nature loving men who love nothing more than jumping into the ocean with their cameras every chance they get.
Mr Sandford, of Ontario Canada, comes to Wollongong every year to not only spend time with his sister but his photographic friends Warren Keelan, Steen Barnes and Glenn Fenwick.
That started three years ago when he met Mr Keelan after being interested in surf photography and admiring his work that is internationally renowned. They then spent every day together for six weeks and now often travel to locations in Australia together. The first opportunity in April was a visit to Lady Elliot Island.
“We go in the water around the small island which is a self-contained eco-resort. It is a sanctuary zone for turtles and manta rays. He is an amazing sports photographer and now he gets to pursue his nature photography in the ocean here as well,” Mr Keelan said.
This week the two men photographing Great White Sharks off the South Australian coast. “Dave and I spent some time last year with the sharks and liked it so much we wanted to go back again to Neptune Islands. “We photograph Great Whites from a single plastic cage,” Mr Keelan said.
Back home Mr Sandford works with the National Hockey League and covers basketball and other sports. His sister first came to Australia for school in 1999 and liked it so much she returned and stayed.
“The first time I came to visit her was in 1999. I thought that might be my only trip to Australia because it’s so far away. Over the years I have met people like Warren, Glenn and Steen. I am a professional photographer and to be able to come here to this environment with all these opportunities to shoot its heaven on earth. I do a lot of sports photography back home but I also do a lot of nature stuff.”
Mr Sandford said there were not many Canadian photographers who get to shoot what he does in Australia and that gave his nature work “a unique edge”.
“Whether it is prints I sell on my own site or commercially or editorially it is going really well for me. Before my visit to Australia three years ago my brother-in-law was following Warren through social media and suggested I should follow him too. I saw his work, made contact and told him I would like to meet up with him to get an idea of some places to shoot.”
Mr Sandford had not shot in the water much before and when he went into Mr Keelan’s Wollongong gallery they spoke for four hours. We hit it off right away and Warren introduced me to Glenn and Steen. Photographing Great Whites last year was a first for me but something I have wanted to do since I was about nine years old. I absolutely love sharks.”
Mr Sandford said it was great to be able to bounce ideas off and learn from each other. “Photography is a never ending learning process. There is always something new to learn and a different way to do things”.
“Every year when Dave comes out we all get together,” Mr Fenwick said.
“We just get in the water and shoot. We just do what the conditions allow. I am looking to try and get him into Wings Over Illawarra.”
Mr Fenwick said as far as he was concerned he was hobbyist out of the group.
He himself shoots landscapes and seascapes in and under the water and spends most of his time around Shellharbour, Bombo and Gerringong. “I do the whale migration every year,” he said.
Check out their work:
DAVE SANDFORD: https://www.facebook.com/dave.sandford.14
WARREN KEELAN: https://www.facebook.com/warren.keelan
STEEN BARNES: https://www.facebook.com/steenoski
GLENN FENWICK: See below