Haven’t had the mood to blog for a longer period but heaps of things happened in the meantime. Weeks flew by and I finished working for SKUvantage after intense six months. The team and I grew together and every day was a challenge connected with growth and learning.

The australian work ethic and organization was quite different from what you hear from outside. At SKUvantage everything was kind of on eye level between management and photographers/editors but the communication is much more direct then I know it from former companies I worked with. The feedback for the work you are doing is precise and aims to push you into the right direction.
When I first started I was a bit overwhelmed and it’s difficult not to take it personal when you are not used to it - but after a bit it speeds up your process a lot.

For the last month in Oz I planned not to work at all but do a surf-/roadtrip instead. I booked a van to go up north to Byron and just take all the waves along the way. The first days were very relaxing and I discovered great places like Seal Rocks and Boomerang Beach on the way that I have not visited yet.

In the Bay I mostly spent time with my good friend Juaco to shoot some surf or paddle out ourselves. The Arts Factory was kind of our home but hell - in Byron I realized how calm Manly was and apart from all the beachvibes and beauties I’m not really made for that kind of touristy place.

The last days I spent in Yamba - my actual favourite on the east coast. So many local kids grow up with surfing and practice every day. You’ll always find a good shot and it was actually the first place back in february where I found pro surfers around as I got into surfphotography.

Lastly I need to mention Port Macquarie - such a lovely place to hang. People there are just the most friendly ones in Oz. Probably because of the view they got everyday. So many come at five in the morning to just walk their dogs, have a swim and a few even go fishing during the night. Everybody seems to know each other and is super chatty and keen to know more about your stay.

It has been quite for a while since I got back from Bali.

One goal of my year in Oz as I planned it was always to get along with Australians for a longer period. When I'm in a country I want to experience the culture and local habits. Working and having australian colleagues would be the thing and could even improve my CV. Speaking english, having some workexperience and being excited about several fields of photography should land me a job even far from home I thought. There is always demand on imagery for all kinds of stuff.

I applied for very specific jobs with very specific CVs. All tailored towards the companies. I wanted to work close to a beach to be able to improve my surfing. I chose Gold Coast and Sydney and tried my luck at a few surf retailers, a studio for fashionphotography, a productphotography studio and even as retoucher for real estate images.

A week later I recieved a call from the very professional looking product photography studio skuvantage which is located close to Manly Beach that needed an experienced photographer. And here I am now. Almost perfectly situated next to the beach, work in walking distance.

A new chapter.