The Camera Life

Veteran Australian photographer Brian Carr joins The Camera Life Podcast to share stories from more than 50 years documenting Melbourne’s music scene, commercial photography, and life behind the lens. From Air Force aerial cameras and darkroom techniques to photographing musicians, preserving family archives, and navigating AI in photography, this episode is packed with history, insight, and unforgettable behind-the-scenes stories from a remarkable career.

Brian Carr is a veteran Australian music photographer who has spent more than five decades documenting Melbourne’s legendary live music scene. Beginning with photographing Zoot in the late 1960s, Brian has captured everyone from international icons like Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt and Sharon Jones to Australian greats including Paul Kelly, Marcia Hines, Tex Perkins and Archie Roach.

Raised in Warragul and now based in Wonthaggi, Brian’s photography offers a raw and intimate record of the venues, performers, promoters and community figures who helped shape Melbourne into one of the world’s great music cities. His acclaimed coffee table book, Music City: A Slice of The Melbourne Music Scene, curates six decades of powerful black-and-white and colour images, celebrating not just the artists on stage, but the entire culture surrounding live music in Melbourne.

Known for his authentic documentary style and deep connection to the scene, Brian’s work stands as both a historical archive and a tribute to the spirit of Australian live music.

https://www.instagram.com/briancarrphoto/

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THE CAMERA LIFE - LIVE PHOTOGRAPHY PODCAST
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➡Blog: https://luckystraps.com/the-camera-life
➡YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_camera_life
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_camera_life_podcast
➡Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1dC4kPNrLORz2ASrukyOS5?si=18c6fd2534cf4d97
➡Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-camera-life/id1760304677

===================================================
LUCKY STRAPS - THE BEST CAMERA STRAPS ON THE PLANET
===================================================
✅ Quick Release System
✅ Anti-Theft, Cut-Resistant and Safety Lock
✅ Super Comfortable Genuine Leather
✅ Australian Made and Lifetime Guarantee a
✅ Personalise with Your Name or Logo
✅ Owned, Designed and Used by Working Photographers

SHOP NOW https://luckystraps.com/
(Use code for 15% off - Codes are JUSTIN JIM or GREG - Which host do you like the most?)

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CONNECT WITH US
================
Greg Cromie - Writer and Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/gcromie/
➡Greg's Blog: https://gregcromie.blog/

Justin Castles - Photographer and Founder of Lucky Straps
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/justincastles

Jim Aldersey - Wedding and Boudoir Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/jimaldersey/
➡Wedding IG: https://www.instagram.com/weddingsbyjim_/
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Justin joins us from Bali with stories from learning scuba diving, photographing underwater shipwrecks, and testing the OM System TG7 beyond its rated limits. The crew also discusses AI copyright controversies surrounding Ansel Adams, new camera gear releases, macro phone photography, landscape images from the community, and the creative process behind capturing dramatic weather, wildlife, and reflections.

**YOUR IMAGES**
We will catch up on the Your Images section!
If you sent something through for Monday 18th, no need to send anything in again for this week.
If you want to make sure we got your images on Monday 18, reply to the same email you sent.
If you want to disregard last weeks images and send new one, send a new email.

**YOUR IMAGES SUBMISSION**
- Email Justin: [email protected]
- Subject Line: Your Images
- 1 Image
- (+ optional behind the scenes image if desired)
- Brief Image Description

===========================================
THE CAMERA LIFE - LIVE PHOTOGRAPHY PODCAST
===========================================
➡Blog: https://luckystraps.com/the-camera-life
➡YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_camera_life
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_camera_life_podcast
➡Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1dC4kPNrLORz2ASrukyOS5?si=18c6fd2534cf4d97
➡Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-camera-life/id1760304677

===================================================
LUCKY STRAPS - THE BEST CAMERA STRAPS ON THE PLANET
===================================================
✅ Quick Release System
✅ Anti-Theft, Cut-Resistant and Safety Lock
✅ Super Comfortable Genuine Leather
✅ Australian Made and Lifetime Guarantee a
✅ Personalise with Your Name or Logo
✅ Owned, Designed and Used by Working Photographers

SHOP NOW https://luckystraps.com/
(Use code for 15% off - Codes are JUSTIN JIM or GREG - Which host do you like the most?)

================
CONNECT WITH US
================
Greg Cromie - Writer and Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/gcromie/
➡Greg's Blog: https://gregcromie.blog/

Justin Castles - Photographer and Founder of Lucky Straps
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/justincastles

Jim Aldersey - Wedding and Boudoir Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/jimaldersey/
➡Wedding IG: https://www.instagram.com/weddingsbyjim_/
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Award-winning Indigenous photographer Michael Jalaru Torres joins The Camera Life Podcast to discuss storytelling, Black Lens, fine art photography, censorship, Fujifilm gear, surf photography, AI, and the future of camera technology. This episode explores the power of authentic cultural representation, creative resilience, and how photographers can stay connected to the joy of making images.

Michael Jalaru Torres is an Indigenous fine art photographer, filmmaker, and poet from Broome, Western Australia. A Djugun-Yawuru man with connections to the Gooniyandi, Jabbir Jabbir, and Ngarluma peoples, his work draws deeply from the landscapes, culture, and lived experiences of the Kimberley region. Through striking conceptual portraiture and abstract landscapes, Michael explores contemporary Indigenous identity, social justice, and personal storytelling.

A self-taught artist, Michael has exhibited internationally across Australia, Germany, and China, and was a finalist in the 2023 Telstra NATSIAA Awards. He is also the founder of Blak Lens
, a collective supporting emerging and established First Nations photographers and videographers across Australia. His work combines cultural preservation with bold contemporary visual storytelling.

https://jalaru.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jalaruphotography/
https://www.instagram.com/bmesurf/
https://www.instagram.com/fujiblak/
https://www.instagram.com/blaklens/
https://blaklens.com.au/

===========================================
THE CAMERA LIFE - LIVE PHOTOGRAPHY PODCAST
===========================================
➡Blog: https://luckystraps.com/the-camera-life
➡YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_camera_life
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_camera_life_podcast
➡Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1dC4kPNrLORz2ASrukyOS5?si=18c6fd2534cf4d97
➡Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-camera-life/id1760304677

===================================================
LUCKY STRAPS - THE BEST CAMERA STRAPS ON THE PLANET
===================================================
✅ Quick Release System
✅ Anti-Theft, Cut-Resistant and Safety Lock
✅ Super Comfortable Genuine Leather
✅ Australian Made and Lifetime Guarantee a
✅ Personalise with Your Name or Logo
✅ Owned, Designed and Used by Working Photographers

SHOP NOW https://luckystraps.com/
(Use code for 15% off - Codes are JUSTIN JIM or GREG - Which host do you like the most?)

================
CONNECT WITH US
================
Greg Cromie - Writer and Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/gcromie/
➡Greg's Blog: https://gregcromie.blog/

Justin Castles - Photographer and Founder of Lucky Straps
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/justincastles

Jim Aldersey - Wedding and Boudoir Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/jimaldersey/
➡Wedding IG: https://www.instagram.com/weddingsbyjim_/
===================================================

Greg and Jim cover a packed week of photography news including the Sony A7R VI, Canon’s EOS R6V cinema-focused camera, and Panasonic’s new Lumix L10 compact challenger. Justin joins live from Bali to talk scuba diving and underwater photography plans, while Greg shares street photography images, Alpaca exhibition coverage, and thoughts on the growing wave of third-party lenses.

===========================================
THE CAMERA LIFE - LIVE PHOTOGRAPHY PODCAST
===========================================
➡Blog: https://luckystraps.com/the-camera-life
➡YouTube: @the_camera_life
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_camera_life_podcast
➡Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1dC4kPNrLORz2ASrukyOS5?si=18c6fd2534cf4d97
➡Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-camera-life/id1760304677

===================================================
LUCKY STRAPS - THE BEST CAMERA STRAPS ON THE PLANET
===================================================
✅ Quick Release System
✅ Anti-Theft, Cut-Resistant and Safety Lock
✅ Super Comfortable Genuine Leather
✅ Australian Made and Lifetime Guarantee
✅ Personalise with Your Name or Logo
✅ Owned, Designed and Used by Working Photographers

SHOP NOW - https://luckystraps.com/

================
CONNECT WITH US
================
Greg Cromie - Writer and Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/gcromie/
➡Greg's Blog: https://gregcromie.blog/

Justin Castles - Photographer and Founder of Lucky Straps
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/justincastles

Jim Aldersey - Wedding and Boudoir Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/jimaldersey/
➡Wedding IG: https://www.instagram.com/justinandjim/

0:00 Introduction and Podcast Banter

12:01 Studio Renovation and Vinyl Setup

20:02 Laowa Lens Releases and Third-Party Glass

26:27 Nikon Financial Rumors and Pentax DSLR News

40:21 Sony A7R VI Breakdown

48:48 Canon EOS R6V and Power Zoom Lens

54:42 Lumix L10 Compact Camera Discussion

1:03:08 Deb Shoots and Photography Work

1:12:52 Alpaca Exhibition and Street Photography

1:20:46 Marketing, Camera Repairs and Wrap Up

Wayne Rogers from Imaging by Design joins The Camera Life to unpack camera repairs, infrared conversions, autofocus systems, lens calibration, Leica engineering, sensor technology, and the hidden world of forensic and industrial imaging. From cleaning sensors safely to building thermal and speed cameras, this episode dives deep into how cameras actually work and why precision matters. If you’ve ever wondered about infrared photography, lens sharpness, or what really separates premium gear, this episode is packed with insight.

Imaging By Design.
A Melbourne-based company selling IR conversions and accessories.

“The humble camera” possibly the most complicated piece of equipment we own, fine mechanics, micro electronics and precision optics sitting dormant for most of its life until it springs into action to capture a moment of time that never repeats.

Imaging By Design is a highly specialised imaging engineering + camera service business based in Melbourne.

While many know them for high-end camera servicing and repairs, that’s only part of the story. Imaging By Design sits at the intersection of precision camera work, advanced technical modifications, and fully custom imaging systems, functioning more like a specialised imaging lab than a traditional camera shop.

We’ll be diving into the unique work they do, from infrared, UV, and full-spectrum camera conversions to astro modifications and cinema lens adjustments. These are highly technical services that place them in a niche category, with very few businesses in Australia capable of delivering this level of expertise. It’s a side of the industry most photographers never see, but one that plays a critical role in pushing the boundaries of what cameras can actually do.

Imaging By Design also designs and builds custom imaging solutions for scientific, industrial, and specialist applications, solving complex problems with tailored hardware and software systems. If you’ve ever wondered what sits beyond traditional photography, this conversation will give you a completely different perspective on what cameras are truly capable of.

https://imagingbydesign.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/imagingbydesign/
https://www.facebook.com/people/Imaging-by-Design/100083555133282/

===========================================
THE CAMERA LIFE - LIVE PHOTOGRAPHY PODCAST
===========================================
➡Blog: https://luckystraps.com/the-camera-life
➡YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_camera_life
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_camera_life_podcast
➡Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1dC4kPNrLORz2ASrukyOS5?si=18c6fd2534cf4d97
➡Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-camera-life/id1760304677

===================================================
LUCKY STRAPS - THE BEST CAMERA STRAPS ON THE PLANET
===================================================
✅ Quick Release System
✅ Anti-Theft, Cut-Resistant and Safety Lock
✅ Super Comfortable Genuine Leather
✅ Australian Made and Lifetime Guarantee a
✅ Personalise with Your Name or Logo
✅ Owned, Designed and Used by Working Photographers

SHOP NOW https://luckystraps.com/
(Use code for 15% off - Codes are JUSTIN JIM or GREG - Which host do you like the most?)

================
CONNECT WITH US
================
Greg Cromie - Writer and Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/gcromie/
➡Greg's Blog: https://gregcromie.blog/

Justin Castles - Photographer and Founder of Lucky Straps
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/justincastles

Jim Aldersey - Wedding and Boudoir Photographer
➡IG: https://www.instagram.com/jimaldersey/
➡Wedding IG: https://www.instagram.com/weddingsbyjim_/
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