My Story
Born in Linguaglossa Sicily 1961 moved to Ayr North Queensland Australia 1965.
Moving from a small remote country village in Sicily to a small remote country village in Queensland was no big deal, so much so in fact that I have no memories of the move or of Sicily at all. My mother reckons that we left Italy on the 4th March and arrived in Ayr on the 6th and that I slept most of the way.
It was a huge shock on my first day of school when I realised that every one else was "Stupido" and did not speak Italian. The teacher how ever understood exactly what "Stupido" meant and needless to say that I spent a lot of time in the corner staring at the walls.
It slowly sunk in that I was in a different place and that I couldn't go back to Sicily. I would pass the time at home by getting out the huge plastic bag that my mother kept all the photos from Sicily in. The bag was nearly as big as myself and each time I got it out I would simply empty the contents on the floor. Back then most photos were printed about the size of a business card, so there were lots to look at. I would spend hours asking my mother who this person was, what we were doing and where was this place. It was my connection to a time and place that held lots of happy memories.
I suppose that this is where my love of photos came from and why I became a photographer, I did not grow up thinking that I would be a photographer, but I certainly placed a huge importance on family, they were the only ones who literally spoke my language and in a seemingly crazy world were the only people who I could rely on.
I started work at The Ayr Camera Centre in 1981 and up until then did not even know how to load film in a camera. My main job at Ayr Camera Centre was to log in the rolls of film dropped in by clients and to retrieve the developed prints when the clients returned a week later. Professional wedding photographers would also get their rolls of film developed and as part of the service I would number the back of the prints to the corresponding negative number. I learnt very quickly from looking at the professionals negatives and prints about exposure and composition. I bought my first SLR camera so that I could answer clients questions about why their photos did not turn out. People thought that because I knew how to sell a camera that I could also take photos and before I knew it I was getting paid to take photo's at Holy Communions and birthdays. By late 1982 I had done my first wedding and I was hooked.
In 1983 I got married to Lynda and left Ayr Camera Centre in 1984 to start my own wedding and portrait business, working from home. A new chapter was started with Mark being born in 1985 and in 1986 opening a studio in Young Street Ayr. They were happy times and before I knew it Aidan was born in 1988 followed in quick succession by Christian in 1989. Three boys certainly were a handful and a lot of time was spent camping, going to the beach and soccer. Madison was born in 1995 and we all had to adjust to a delicate little girl, ballet shoes and Tutu's and of course end of year ballet concerts.
Our children are our life. We would not be who we are without them. Every decision we make from the time we wake up in the morning until we go to bed revolves around our children. In 2005 we moved to Townsville as this seemed to be the best place for our children's future. The three boys all have excellent jobs in Townsville and Madison goes to an all girls school (at her request) St Margaret Mary's which just happens to be 300 meters down the road from the studio.
I have been a full time professional photographer since 1984, mostly in a small country town and had the privilege of my clients being my friends and neighbours. I have been there when they got married, started a family and celebrated their milestones. I could not think of a job that I would love to do more than to be there when people are celebrating their life. I understand how stressful it is to organize a family portrait, let alone a wedding, how hard it is to get everyone together and how important it is to anchor happy memories to a piece of paper on the wall. I understand that it's more than just a photograph, that it's got to be truthful and look great, not just now but also in fifty years time.