HE has not long returned from Bluesfest Byron Bay where he shot the likes of Mick Fleetwood and Graham Nash.
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But for Newcastle’s Craig Wilson from Swamp House Photography it is the local music scene which excites him the most.
He began taking photos in the 70s, in fact his first shoot saw him capture AC/DC with Bon Scott at the helm in Forestville, Sydney. But life and family took up much of the slack in the years that followed until about 2011 when he was asked to shoot local act Heart Attack and Vine.
“I started travelling around to pubs and taking photos of bands,” Wilson said.
“Local, live music is my passion. It’s what I am absolutely passionate about.
“The bigger stuff is great to do, and it’s great for your reputation...to shoot your heroes is unbelievable, but I really love the grass roots stuff.”
Wilson said new talent was easier to shoot because you don’t have the same restrictions as when shooting big names.
“They are a lot more natural in front of the camera,” he said.
“It’s really personal and up close.
“And I feel like I can do something for them and help promote them and live music.
“What I do is my gift back to the musos who have given me what I love for so long.”
Swamp House is a registered business, but for Wilson it has never been about making money.
Of the local bands he has shot, a recent shoot with Lennie Tranter and the Bagism Revelation stood out.
“He’s amazing, he’s been around a while...as soon as I saw them...they are unbelievable. There are so many good artists around.”
Rose and the Sea was another new talent he had enjoyed shooting.
“They are absolutely brilliant, the harmonies are unbelievable,” he said.
“That talent is all over town, that’s what blows me away.”
Wilson tries to capture the feeling of being at the gig.
“I am careful not to over-edit them or do too much in Photoshop,” he said.
“I want it to be exactly like it looked like when you were there.”