Melbourne photographer Sean Fennessy’s work has been described as simple and accessible travel photography, but on closer inspection you’ll find that this description barely scratches the surface. Incredibly thoughtful, solitary, illusory… his images have a certain ‘otherwhere’ feeling, despite the fact that the shooting could have taken place in your very home town. The man behind the images is every bit as transient as his shots, scouring towns and plains for photographic gold, and proving very difficult to pin down. “I think it was the idea of immediacy that initially drew me to pursue photography as a career. I tend to be quite impatient so the idea of creating something in a split second that will last forever seemed pretty exciting,” explains Fennessy. “Often it's a specific location that inspires a series (of photographs). I'm particularly interested in places that are in danger of disappearing or in a state of change. I like the idea of photography as a medium for preservation. I'm driven by the constant thought that some fading moment may go unnoticed and uncaptured. Photography can’t prolong life, but it can create a permanent record, which is important in itself.”

 

Despite Fennessy’s early interest in photography, the excitement as a child of framing something up in the viewfinder and squeezing the shutter of his mother’s point-and-shoot camera, he actually went on to study journalism at university, and worked as a reporter at a small newspaper in his hometown of Hobart. “As soon as I started working with photographers I realised it really was what I wanted to do, so I convinced the editor to give me a cadetship as a photographer. I worked at the newspaper for two years before going freelance. It was a fantastic base that taught me how to shoot quickly and confidently in a variety of situations. I think this style of shooting has informed my approach ever since.” 

Growing up in Tasmania has left a lasting impression of subtle, atmospheric seclusion to Fennessy’s work, which draws the viewer in by creating a private world in which to lose yourself. “It didn't really feel that isolated as a kid, but looking back now I suppose it was... Tasmania is known for it's spectacular scenery, but I always knew that I wasn't really interested in traditional landscapes. I'm becoming more and more interested in clean, graphic compositions. It's a bit of a cliche, but I like to photograph the 'ordinary' rather than the 'exotic'. It's easy to take a beautiful photo of something beautiful, the challenge is to notice something that others would overlook,” says Fennessy. “I don't want to rely on techniques like shallow depth of field or long exposures to add interest to my work. Ideally people should be drawn to the subject matter rather than the technique.”

 

After years of building a freelance base in Hobart, Fennessy decided to make the move to Melbourne. “I was at a point where I needed to make a decision to cruise along in Tasmania or challenge myself in a much bigger city. There was certainly no photography industry (in Tasmania) as such, except for shooting weddings. Luckily I picked up a good client within a few weeks of moving to Melbourne, and everything snowballed from there. The first six months were slow, but within a year I was constantly shooting and had signed to an agent. Sydney is traditionally the bigger photography market, but I've found there are plenty of opportunities in Melbourne,” explains Fennessy. “From street art to blockbuster exhibitions at the National Gallery, Melbourne people seem very supportive of art and creativity in all forms. Melbourne can be a bit of a concrete jungle at times - it's extremely flat, and there's no geography as such to differentiate individual suburbs from each other. Often it's the 'culture' of an area that defines it from it's neighbour.” 

 

Fennessy boasts an impressive client list including Frankie, The Smith Journal, Monocle, Wallpaper and The Design Files and often finds himself photographing a diverse range of people in their element. Recently Fennessy was sent to the outskirts of Melbourne to shoot a story about a crime scene cleanup company, Bio Clean, by Melbourne Magazine. “Peter, the owner, was eager to share the story of the time he was called to Barwon Prison to clean up after the murder of famed gangland figure Carl Williams. It was gruesome to say the least,” says Fennessy. On some of the more interesting locations he’s been sent to, Fennessy says “The E&O Express train from Singapore to Bangkok for US travel magazine Afar was a surreal experience. Four days in unimaginable luxury rattling through the jungle of Malaysia and Thailand. I felt a little out of place, but it truly was a once in a lifetime experience. Shooting in New Zealand was incredible also. I'm not generally that interested in landscape photography but when faced with scenery of that scale, it suddenly makes sense.”

A trawl through Fennessy’s blog is as impressive as his polished portfolios. With a unique mix of sun drenched exotic views, city living, portraits and personal insights, Fennessy’s passion for his art truly shines through. On the future, Fennessy explains “I've never been one to set goals, but I guess I'd really just like to be producing consistent work into the future. Ideally I'd like my work to avoid trends and instead have some sort of timelessness or longevity. I'm not sure how achievable that is to be honest!”

Images courtesy of Sean Fennessy

Published in PITCH Zine Issue# 21, September 2013