The Mother Church

St. Patrick's website writes the following, "...the mother church of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne." With the first Mass celebrated on the site in February 1858 in a former partially completed church, it truly is a gem of Melbourne architecture.

"Designed by William Wardell, St Patrick's is regarded internationally as the finest ecclesiastical building in Australia and a pre-eminent example of the Gothic Revival style. The austere facade gives little hint of the glorious interior with its ethereal golden light of mesmerising beauty..."

With Mass celebrated 7 days a week, and weddings on Saturdays booked months in advance, visitors enjoy this beautiful, reflective environment...

"... is the spiritual fire of prayer and daily worship which gives the building its heart, ensuring that it is more than just an architectural monument."

These pictures speak volumes of the Cathedral being so much more than a place of beauty and peace.

Myspace Marketing

Having jumped on the Myspace (personal) bandwagon sometime ago, we've been considering the advantages of marketing our BISON brand.

Myspace with a social network of over 90 million members (and growing daily) who are all easily contactable and willing to interact should be a MAJOR Marketing opportunity. If you've never used Myspace.com before then we'd advise you sign up, learn the ropes and have some fun...

This begs the question is simply using the social network Myspace as a way too get whatever your selling out there in the faces of any demographic you want feasible?

A direct marketers dream, or more spam and time wasting? What makes Myspace so powerful is how you can decide who to send your advertising too based on a huge amount of criteria. You can sort by age, sex, height, location, hobbies, music taste, disposable income and many more... But do we want it? And how many of those targeted actually buy?

Admittedly, like with any direct marketing campaign, making 100 contacts (friends) who smoke will be 1000% more effective in selling your new "stop-smoking" product then 1'000 who don't smoke. So again the key to networking with Myspace is targeting the correct demographics... so far not much has changed.

We've discovered the following which could work if you're intending to market using Myspace... Goals! You need to have a goal in mind - depending on what you want to achieve will bear greatly on what technique you should use to market.

• Bands looking to get in contact with local gig goers may want to build up a targeted friend list of people in their city who like their genre of music. This would give them the power to send bulletins about upcoming gigs and CD releases.
  

• A webmaster launching a new website may benefit from sending out 50'000 private messages to people who may be interested in the new website - an instant source of quality traffic which will lead to sign-up's, adsense clicks and more.
  

• A company launching a new gadget could benefit from making friends with gadget lovers and then leaving a video commercial as a comment for each and every new friend! Publicly viewed comments are seen by everyone meaning your 1000 comments may be seen by 100'000 people!

Hmmm... as for commissioned photography, we'll have to think a little more about that one! In the meantime here are a few new Australian wildlife pics we've recently posted and had great comments about ;)

Fit for a king

With employees spending more and more time in the office, the role of interior designers is becoming an increasingly essential factor in the updating and design of new work spaces.

This design by the Smith Madden Group of the St. George Bank head office (Melbourne Stock Exchange) is no exception, and a pleasure for us to shoot.

Seemingly, no expense was spared in creating what must be on of the best work places we have seen! The use of colour is bold and bright, quite unlike the subdued tones of other conservative offices in town, such as Macquarie further up Collins St. (brown and tan).

The influence of the two colours, red and gold, have great symbolic appeal, and are very auspicious in China and appear to have been used similarly in this space. Notably, some colours, usually white, have been said should be avoided at all costs! We're just wondering if the designers had a Feng Shui consultant work on the project?!

It certainly is award winning design, and undoubtedly fit for a king!

Another major event?

With the Australian Open tennis now a distant memory, football season only moments away, and Formula 1 Grand Prix just around the corner, you would wonder whether Melbourne was in sport overdrive!

Another major event? You bet... the 2007 FINA World Swimming Championships are just over a month away as our famous tennis stadium gets transformed into a "Skypool".

Using the same technology employed in the acclaimed Barcelona pool at the 10th FINA World Championships, the system uses free standing panels of hot galvanized steel. This fantastic technology, developed by the creative Spaniards, enables the pool to sit on the stadium’s floor without having to construct anything or “hammer a single nail”.

We can't wait to see it... Go Aussies!

Our dried up old land.

Traveling over 1500km's in four 40+ degree days, it's not hard to reflect on why Oliver returned with such an astounding folio. Interpretation ranging from depressing to haunting, extraordinary to surreal, we've found this selection to be the most discussed yet.

As our drought stricken earth cracks at the seams, waterfalls flourish and provide a cool respite...

Driving further, Oliver captures the pink salt lakes reflecting the harsh Australian sun. This is Victoria, rather hard to believe it's all one State.

The old twisted gums dance to the symphony of our burnt land... finally the new growth breaks through as some say it's too late.

Reflecting on our climate change we see large-scale and global environmental hazards to human health. More importantly a loss of biodiversity, supply of freshwater, land degradation and stresses on food-producing systems.

2007 should be about adopting a new perspective which focuses on our precious ecosystems, and on recognising that our foundations of long-term good health rely on the continued stability and functioning of these life-supporting systems.

We're doing our little bit to awaken and bring an appreciation of the complexity of the systems upon which we depend.

What are you doing?

What's your niche?

Not only has the new year festivity allowed for some much needed relaxation, it's also enabled us to network with designers in a less 'formal environment.' Less conferences, more bars!

Meeting with a group of friends on Sunday night, one conversation led to another as we discussed the importance of goal setting, business strategy and finding your niche in the flood of stock libraries.

As Peter, a young rising multimedia star simply put it, "You can't be good at everything." Spot on.

This year one of our goals in the studio is to refine our categories and focus on what we do best, landscape and wildlife, architecture and interior design... world's apart you may say - not really.

What's your niche?

Can you see it?

With creativity oozing from the virtual pores of our macs, 2007 is set to become the greatest yet!

All of us at Bison have been busy working through the festive break, with interior photo shoots scheduled only a day after the Christmas pudding had a chance to digest. Oliver seems to have well and truly tapped into another vein producing some weird (and wonderful) visuals for the mass media critics.

From our corporate somewhat conservative folio's, juxtaposed with high impact animation set to originally produced music... will you ride the wild bison in 2007?

Happy Holidays!

From all of us at BISON studio.... we'd like to say thanks for a great year, and all the best for a lovely holiday and of course, a wonderful 2007!

Looking forward to another exciting year ahead!

It's snowing this Christmas in Melbourne!

Who would have thought it possible? From bushfires burning across the state to heavy showers, hail and thunder! There was even talk all week of snow in the alpine region.

Choosing our Christmas theme this year we must have had some sort of unusual synchronicity with Mother Nature choosing a winter Christmas theme, captured in Austria last year. Premonition perhaps? Oliver seems to have had an impressionable warning of this freak future event.

"Premonitions... a vague feeling of disquiet suggesting impending disaster to actual visual or auditory hallucinations. Premonition is sometimes referred to as a "gut-level" feeling. The sensation tends to occur prior to disasters ... and other traumatic and emotionally charged events."

Checking the snow cams up at Mt. Buller, it appears that snow is falling on the summit! It's currently -3.0 degrees C with snow showers. A white Christmas - who would have thought?

And the winners are...

What a great fortnight it's been!

With the release of our Top 10 architecture folio for 2006 (see a few posted on this blog), to the publishing of a great article in the Australian Anthill magazine (check it out), to our DVD's being projected onto 20 metre warehouse walls, at would could have been one of the best secret party's summer will see... we're all reeling at what pushing a few creative boundaries does for our growth.

There's nothing better than standing back, and watching our audience interact with the work we produce.

We got quite a surprise as we watched party goer's reaction to the DVD which shone across the warehouse walls...

Who would have thought that someone would lie in front of the train tracks in our railyard photo? Or kissed the cuddly koala image close up? Or stare amazed at the mountainscape folio from St. Anton.

We just stood back and thought, this is why we love our work...

Retail explodes!

As retail sales explode over the Christmas period, we're struggling to keep up with all of the admin, delivery, point of sale, invoicing... not that we're complaining!

It seems that we underestimated the potential for sales of the DVD's in the retails sector and appear to be moving more into that sector.

Thanks to all of those useful tips from our retail store managers... Our brand (and product sales) seem to strengthen weekly due to their know how, tips and tricks. Gay's advice at Best of Souvenirs (Fed Square) has been instrumental in the not only the design and marketing of the new series, but also now also for our point of sale.

Oliver seems to have another talent we weren't fully aware of... graphic design, specifically poster design for POS, in addition to the packaging itself!

We discovered that successfully creating a prominently visible brand identity, including distinctive packaging size/shape/colours and signage that simply and powerfully communicates our brand is vital.
We're looking forward to the day that we can create our own retail outlets so that we can develop and control a superior point of purchase experience :)

Pecha Kucha a great success!

With the city's temperature still hovering around 31 degree's at 8pm last night, the organisers of Melbourne's first Pecha Kucha night couldn't have asked for a better way to kick off their event. Created by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture) in 2003... it offers a place for designers to come together to discuss and show their work to the general.

The Blue Diamond Social Salon & Cabaret, Level 15, 123 Queen Street set the scene, with spectacular views over the city. Eureka Tower was fiercely debated, with a few passionate members of the audience arguing over the height of the penthouse floors! Could it really be 3.5 metres???

Within the stampede of architects, were tattoo artists, jewelers, photographers, cartoonists and some very unique fashion designers... With each speaker permitted to show 20 images, for 20 seconds - providing for 6 minutes 40 seconds - the next presenter was up before you had time to blink, keeping presentations very novel and fresh. Some complained this was too much time, other wanted more...

Pecha Kucha (Japanese for the sound of conversation) was undoubtedly a hit. We even saw one of our interior photos published in the new Melbourne Design Guide... funny we had never submitted it! Hmmm.... long live creative license!

Did someone say Christmas cards?

It seems that Christmas has snuck up on us once again...

With the Spring Racing Carnival now a distant memory, Melbourne is gearing up for what will be a great 2006 Holiday Season. The city itself is looking superb with Bourke St. Mall a flood of overhanging stars, and blazing colour!

Each year we've thought to create a catalogue of our favourite pics for gift ware... Limited edition prints, cards and calendars and this year it's finally happened!

With the recent success of our DVD and calendar series launched in September, it seems retail may indeed be the bread and butter we seek.

We don't need to tell you how much work goes into producing this series as any creative would know. But we're out and proud, as they say to be offering something uniquely different to our clients, friends and family this Christmas.

Oliver had free reign to design his personal favourite photography into these stylish cards, and the orders have been steadily increasing. We thought we'd missed the boat this year, but it seem Melbournian's love they're parties so much so, they've all forgotten Christmas is only 6 weeks away! Cheers to a very Merry Christmas :)

Royalty in Melbourne?

How often have you driven past the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens and not given the spectacular architecture and surrounding gardens another thought?

It is one of the few buildings in Melbourne that can be said to have truly maintained their original function of hosting exhibitions from construction through to the present day.

The famous 'Great Hall' has many typical features seen in exhibition buildings: a spectacular dome, great portal entries, fanlight windows and a cruciform floor-plan. Surrounded by carefully designed gardens, it still is as much of a pleasure to stroll through as it was when designed by Joseph Reed and built in the late 1900's.

This appointed World Heritage site is the first non-Aboriginal cultural site in Australia to win a listing. Defined as a place that is important to all peoples of the world, the Royal Exhibition Building is of special significance to Melbournians (even if they don't realise it!)

Little has been written about the sculptures surrounding the main building... however we did manage to find this tidbit of information.

"In front of the Royal Exhibition Buildings is the Hochgurtel Fountain, with its three colossal figures, half man, half fish supporting the first ledge.

Above the first ledge four boys dance hand in hand, representing commerce, industry, science and arts, with symbolic designs shown over their heads.

Hochgurtel’s design was selected by the Gardens Committee in 1880, who invited designs for a fountain to be built for the Exhibition. It is made from Portland cement on a frame of stone and iron."

Oliver captured a few sculptural details that many would not stop to notice.

To be dammed!

We'll be dammed if this folio looks anything like the Junction Dam & Spillway, in Bogong Village!

The Kiewa hydroelectric scheme is the largest scheme in Victoria, and was built over more than 20 years from the late 1930s until 1961.

Construction was said only to be interrupted by the Second World War.

Located in the Australian Alps in north-eastern Victoria, about 200km from Melbourne, the scheme has been developed solely for power generation.

The scheme diverts and harnesses the Rocky Valley and Pretty Valley branches of the East Kiewa River, which rises on the Bogong High Plains, and the West Kiewa River, which rises near Mount Hotham.

The Kiewa scheme utilises the water from some 310 square kilometres of the Kiewa River catchment. In addition, 32km of aqueducts transfer water to the scheme from adjacent catchments, with much of the water coming from snow, which covers the area for up to five months each year.

For those of you that haven't visited the area, we definitely recommend you stop in on your way to Falls Creek. Beautiful gardens, bbq's for a picnic and a slow, peace pace make this Village a must see - not to mention great photo opportunites!

Wandering down the steep slope to the base of the dam, we went off the beaten track to capture these quite unusual perspectives.

Surrounded by masses of granite, it was interesting to examine the common white variety, was surrounded by black, also pink and dark gray.

As I explored the ground, looking for rare gems of nature, I kept one eye on Oliver who fearlessly sat a few metres perched on a boulder, face on to the dam wall.

Looking at him quite content there, I began to wonder had he considered that on the other side was a lake filled with megalitres of water!

A magical 2nd Birthday!

It's our 2nd birthday! From humble beginnings of producing koala Christmas cards on the lounge room floor, to shooting major construction projects, releasing a DVD series, having our photography feature in calendars, on pay TV, licensed corporate gifts for the State Government, blogging for one year, framed photos for Walt Disney's office... ahhhh - how rewarding! The hard work is all worthwhile :)

A big thanks to our family, great friends, and wonderful clients who have supported us, we couldn't have done it without you!

Number one question asked this year... Why the name BISON?

In a few words - Magical 15 000 year old Stone Age (Paleolithic Period) paintings discovered at Altamira in northern Spain.

The cave paintings depict mainly bison which lived during the ice age. The paintings were made using natural pigments such as yellow, red and brownish ochres as well as black manganese earth and charcoal. In places, they were also engraved into rock... colours that are gradated into such a vast array of shades that the creatures appear three-dimensional and amazingly realistic.

How were the works painted 45 feet long without light?

What sort of magical rites did they hold? We all shared the continuing fascination with, and curiosity about creativity of that period and found the parallels that exist with what we do... Hence the name, hence the symbolism.

From the magic embedded in cave paintings, to the quality of enchantment produced by our photography and multimedia... a tangent, a giant leap perhaps - it's a step closer than you think ;)

What makes a city of tomorrow?

Film Victoria describes Melbourne as a futuristic city. With the development of Southern Cross Station, Port of Melbourne's face lift and famous Fed Square, it's not hard to see why.

Is Melbourne really a futuristic city compared to the rest of the world though? We thought to check out the competition and came up with some interesting results.

Introducing Victory City.

The website claims that our present day cities are obsolete and are threatening to engulf the entire countryside (I doubt anyone disagrees), and is set to permanently destroy vast areas of our best food-producing land.

Victory City™ promotes itself as the wave of the future. It's an entire city built all under one roof, and operated by private enterprise alone. They claim that there will not be just one, but many such cities throughout the entire world.

Boasting no crime (hmmm... how so?), no pollution, and no over-crowding, Victory City is a veritable utopia for those who've grown weary of trying to find solutions to today's urban problems.

Utopia or a bad dream? You decide http://www.victorycities.com