3 day photoshoot in Brisbane and the Gold Coast by Ben Ryan

This year we’re pulling up our mud-drenched, ice-encrusted boots from Melbourne’s boggy winter streets, and we’re heading north for some Sun, sand and snapping in Brisbane and the Gold Coast over 3 (and for some people, four) days.

We start the shoot in Brisbane’s CBD, kicking off at two of the most prestigious addresses in the city: Eagle Street Pier and Waterfront Place. Both parts of Brisbane’s Golden Triangle, they have a sweeping view of the Brisbane River, Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point as the backdrops to a variety of corporate, social and fashion imagery.

Jandrie asked for a Western style saloon, so we found him one (or the closest thing to it in Brisvegas). Turns out Irish Murphys is a bit of everything – historic pub, taxidermist, saloon, gaming venue…

After lunch, we head to the base of the Kangaroo Point cliffs to shoot away the afternoon in a variety of locations including mangrove boardwalks, open parks and squirrely stairways hacked into the cliff face. At sunset, the lights of the CBD and the warm glow of a setting Sun on the rocks form dramatic backdrops.

We pick up and relocate to the Gold Coast for the day. Most of our shooting activity will be based at Raffles Royale and Surfers City Hotels, with the white sandy beaches of Surfers Paradise only a short walk away.

The two hotels are relics of the region’s early days, and Surfers City in particular is now prized by such labels as Rip Curl and Just Jeans for their shoots due to its authenticity…right down to the shagpile carpet, retina popping colour schemes and fake wood panel walls. It’ll make you want to slap your parents for thinking it was fashionable.

In the afternoon, two groups will embark on special shoots:
- 4 photographers will get to spend an hour on the helipad at Gold Coast Helitours, shooting in and around the helicopters in between tours arriving and departing.
- 4 more photographers will get to embark on a cruise of the Broadwater aboard a yacht, sailing up into some of the remote areas of the estuary on a 2-3hr cruise.

…and if this isn’t enough?

If you’re a mentor you get an exclusive shoot in the 5-star Treasury Hotel in central Brisbane. If you’re a mentee, you also go into the draw, to be chosen by the mentors at the end of Day 3 to shoot alongside them.

Sound good? Of course it does! Pricing and venue information is all available on the minilypse website or in the forum thread. Ticket information is here.

Now…just one thing left to do…

….make with the clicky?