Joe gave me a call and told me that he was going to be up near Newcastle for the weekend and asked if I could squeeze him in for a shoot.
I said as long as you don't mind a late afternoon start… We can do it.
When we rolled his motorcycle into my garage, my face lit up… :)
How cool does that blue look in amongst all of my old stuff!
Joe has done all of the leather work himself and I love the snake skin panels. When people make a bike their own, it is a very cool thing indeed.
Thank you brother for bringing this beautiful Deluxe to my studio. The conversation flowed freely and the time was well spent.
“Carl’s Garage” - Coolness set to Level 10
What a day, what a day! The birds were chirping and the skies were blue. I have an obsession.
I need to create images every day, so being busy, is a good thing for me. This morning, my brother David, brought me his pride and joy to photograph.
This Yamaha represents everything that was cool about his youth.
Built to do wheelstands, this motorcycle is a very cool part of David‘s history.
He was known as the guy that does wheelies!
David is one of those people, that you just feel immediately comfortable with. A good bloke with a good heart.
It truly was a great pleasure to be able to photograph this motorcycle for him.
I love old school thumpers like this and I would dearly love to own an XL500S myself... as they represent a very cool part of motorcycle history and they are an awesome bike to do a wheelstand on and I am a little partial to misbehaving.
I hope you are all safe and well and that your wheels are turning! Big love from the guy that makes pictures for people... Me
Hooroo
do you even ride bro?
The story continues on
The Shoots Archive #10
Yesterday afternoon, I had the great pleasure of photographing the Stevenson Men.
Shawn rang me up and asked if I could do a shoot with his brother and father for them.
From the very get go, this was just a fun shoot. The banter, the stories and just the general energy of the shoot, was bloody hilarious and even though I was exhausted, after shooting the three of them, it felt like the shoot went by very quickly.
Three very cool individuals indeed!
Shawn, thank you for bringing your family here brother... It was one of the most enjoyable shoots that I have done in this series.
I like good people
When Jay rolled in on his Yamaha, I thought to myself... I am going to need a bigger studio.
For I had not seen one of these incredible bikes before... 500kgs of motorcycle, nearly ten feet long!
Damn!!!!
And.... Wait for it... It even has a cassette player!
How seriously retro and cool is that... I immediately wanted to get my LPs out and record a mix tape
“Carl’s Garage” ... tic tic BOOOOOM
Brother Alby, has been to my studio before.
We had a great shoot and cool images were created.
He gave me a call a few weeks back and asked if he could ride up the highway on his new bike, for another shoot and today that happened.
As he turned into my driveway, I smiled broadly, when I saw his sparkling beautiful new ride.
Metalflake was really big in the 70s and not only was it popular, but it was really BIG as well...
The flakes were huge!
That 50-year-old paint, has nothing on this new metalflake... You could count the individual chunks it was so chunky. It sparkled like a Vampire from the Twilight series!
I do like the lines of these bikes... The 21 inch front and the raked forks make for a very cool looking ride.
Thank you brother, for returning to my humble studio with this beautiful machine, for me to photograph.
Carls Garage - where even Vampires get a mention
Hello friends... What a fantastic shoot this was today.
Bill rode up from Sydney on his trike, for some photos in my old garage. There is a good chance our paths may have crossed back in the 80s, while I was doing 10 years of music photography.... Bill was running a road crew business for the same industry.
I like characters and Bill certainly is one of those. He bought a sportster and then bought an arse end and then got a mate who was clever on the tools, to bolt them together... Job done.
I couldn’t believe how light this trike was, as I moved it around the garage, to get the angles that I wanted.
Only the second trike to be photographed in this series and a very coolone at that.
Thank you brother for wanting to travel to my humble studio to get some shots taken.
“Carl’s Garage” - don’t put your feet down or you will run over them
Today Erik rolled in on his Night Rod and what a stunning machine it was. His beautiful family came along for some images as well.
Spotify set us up with some rocking Wiggles tunes and we created super cool images together.
Thank you brother for wanting to come to my humble studio with your beautiful family and motorcycle...
It was a great shoot!
“Carl’s Garage” - Hot potato hot potato :)
I am just chilling in the studio after finishing the editing of the photos of Liam’s wicked build.
A Stryker like no other!
I first saw this man’s work quite a while back, when I came across his bike builds on Instagram... Being local to me, I hoped that one day, we would work together and that I would get to photograph one of his creations. Well... Today it happened.
Liam doesn’t like to bolt things on... he likes to make them!
And when he speaks about his work, he speaks with the enthusiasm of a teenager with his first bike... It is such a cool thing to see.
The first thing I noticed, was how effortless the handlebars moved. I thought that when I would throw a leg over this bike, that the massive front wheel, would flop from side to side, as many of the large wheels do, but it didn’t... It felt amazing actually.
It really surprised me how light the steering was.I like different as you guys know... And this bike certainly ticked that box. I also like the fact that this man started a business with absolutely nothing and all these years on, he is going from strength to strength and still creating sensational vehicles, with integrity and creativity.
It is time for me to enjoy a bourbon and relax into the evening.
Big love
Carl
Brother Kevin visited my studio, right at the very beginning of the Carl’s Garage series... He brought me two beautiful bikes to shoot on the day. Fast forward to now and he backed up into my driveway with this wicked motorcycle on a trailer... This bike started out as an engine and a frame and he thought to himself ... I can turn this into something... and what a cool bike he has built.
I have never had the pleasure of doing a track day... Yet ... But throwing a leg over this motorcycle, the first thing that I noticed was that because of the race fairing kit... I actually fitted into the motorcycle!
I am a tall lanky bugger and when I sit on sports bikes, I feel like a dog hunched up humping a football, but this was not the case on this bike... The elevated seat meant that my legs weren’t bent into a ridiculous squishy position and I got all twisted and excited and thought to myself... Damn... I would love to open this bike up and cut loose on it.
I asked Kevin if I could fire it up. Yeah go for it he said. I hit the starter button and this smooth rumbling engine ran beneath me. Cam work meant that it had a rolling rhythmic sound to it... and what a sweet sound it was.
I shoot a lot of big motorcycles and this is not one of those, as it was lucky to be 160 kg wringing wet.
I always love the melted rubber on the edges of a track bike’s tyre and how it peels away in chunks!
That is so cool
Sadly Kevin has sold this and tomorrow it gets packed into a courier’struck and off it goes... but he wanted to have some cool images taken of it before he let go.
Thank you brother for bringing me this stunning motorcycle to photograph.
Carl’s Garage - where 290kmh in to turn one ... is a done thing
Today I had the great pleasure of working with four good men... :)
We laughed, shared great stories and had an absolute ball shooting these images.
I am tired tonight friends and I don’t have many words in me and I just need to switch off and relax for the evening.... so I am going to let the images tell the story, of what was a really fun shoot today.
Thank you David for making it happen and for bringing the lads and their beautiful bikes to my studio.
Cheers friends, more great bikes coming your way very soon.
Carl
I love it when someone gets surprised with a photo shoot with me.
That is such a cool thing.
Joseph didn't tell Mel about today's shoot, until half an hour before they arrived.
She had absolutely no idea at all, that he was going to bring her to my studio, as a birthday present.
They are on a journey together... Two bikers, two Bikes, two swags.... with a photo shoot, somewhere in the middle!
I love that they arrived on filthy, dirty motorcycles... Bugs stuck to the headlights, mud from bumhole to breakfast time. Swags tied down with ocky straps.
Doesn’t get much better than that.
Cool humans with cool bikes.... I was particularly fond of Mel's sportster. What a cracker of a bike!
Thanks so much brother, for organising this surprise for your better half... Ireally enjoyed our time together, it was a great shoot.
“Carl’s Garage” - Alloy and Chrome done right
I can remember the very first time I saw Paul's wicked motorcycle. It was bike night and there it sat, it's wicked lines and amazing paint scheme shouting out to me.
I love it when people take it to the next level and that is exactly what Paul has done, with this beautiful Softail deluxe.
That was nearly 2 years ago and Paul reached out to me just recently and asked if I could take some photographs of his bike in my garage… and so it was done.
I got up early yesterday and the skies were blue and the birds were chirping… It was going to be a good day, I thought to myself. I got my kids off to school and opened up the doors to my studio, waiting for Paul to arrive.
Bang on time, he rolled down my street and into my driveway. When he turned the engine off and took off his helmet, he told me that the first part of the journey was in the rain.
There is something quite unusual about the weather patterns around Newcastle. I live in Wallsend and quite often, the rain will part like the red sea and Moses… I think it was the red sea… forgive me Christians for not knowing… But the weather often goes right around the outside of us. At the same time you can be guaranteed, that the Bay is getting smashed.
Paul lives up near the Bay and to his credit, he hopped onto his beautifully detailed motorcycle and took off, in the rain, to come and get his photographs taken.
I have massive respect for this. I would've been happy to reschedule, as I know he put quite a bit of time into detailing this beautiful machine, ready for the shoot and to have to ride out of the garage in rain… would have been gut wrenching.
Thank you so much brother… This is truly a stunning motorcycle and I was really excited when you asked me to take photographs for you.
Hey friends … I have just had a fantastic weekend. I hope the same goes for you as well.
Today I opened my studio doors to Judd and Toni and they rolled in on this beautiful Harley.
The CVO models that Harley produce, are pretty bloody special. No expense is spared.
Judd and Toni are just good people, humble, engaging, polite and friendly… So it was no surprise, when I found out that they were both from the country.
Shoots like these, go by very quickly, because I really enjoy meeting cool people and creating images for them.
Thank you so much friends, for coming to my studio and for wanting to be part of the Carl’s Garage series.
Robert had just been given a gift voucher for a shoot in my studio and he rang me immediately, to ask if I could fit him in this weekend, as he was going to be up this way, he said.
No problems was my response.
I can understand why, when I found out that he was from way down south and we locked in a time and today we created really cool images together.
He got a fantastic deal on this Streetglide with low kilometres and has very quickly racked up his own serious miles, on this beautiful bike.
Thank you for wanting to be photographed in my humble garage brother… I enjoyed our time together immensely.
Carl’s Garage - old school cool
Today was just one of those days. It was a celebration of 16 years of marriage, the sun was shining, I took my youngest daughter to buy her first motorcycle helmet and I got to meet and photograph two very cool men and their beautiful motorcycles.
Boofrigginyeah
A bloody awesome day!
The 1st to arrive was Kevin on his Thunderbird… What a cool motorcycle these are. We laughed and shared stories and made images like these ones.
When we spoke of our histories, there was a common link to a man I served my apprenticeship with … 40 years ago and that made me smile, to speak his name once again.
Thank you brother for bringing this beautiful motorcycle to my studio to be photographed.
Carl’s Garage - feeling blessed to have lived as long as I have✌️❤️
When I first built this garage… I envisaged classic old school choppers in this scene and how good they would look.
I put out a call and a young fella called Jordan brought me a very, very cool bike to photograph. Not quite what I imagined, because it had an Evo motor, but Jordan represented the “new school” chopper builder
The Evo motor was nearly as old as he was!
Fast forward two years and over 300 shoots….. Ben gave me a call and told me he was bringing two choppers for me to photograph… Two “old school” choppers nonetheless… I got very excited indeed :)
And I was not to be disappointed.
He pulled up out the front with a huge trailer and when we pulled the tailgate down and I saw what was inside… I was like a kid in a candy store.
One at a time, we rolled them out of the trailer, he kicked them to life and rode them up into my studio…
Crisp, tight beautiful engines, with the coolest exhaust notes.
I asked my wife to come out and have a look and she reacted to them, just the same way I did and couldn’t stop smiling. As I approached the iron head, I had this huge grin form across my face… The brass highlights against the cast iron engine looked exquisite.
There were so many things I liked about this bike.
The triumph was completely different, but just as cool. It had an amazing pateena and it’s stripped back form, was just perfect… No bells and whistles on this bike…. just a wickedly cool, chopped back, no apologies motorcycle.
Ben, I really enjoyed the afternoon spent with you, creating these cool images of your beautiful Bikes.
Thank you brother
Carl’s Garage - who needs front brakes?
Darren owns several beautiful motorcycles, three of which, have already visited my garage to be photographed.
When we took those images, he told me that he wanted to bring his Triumph to me as well, but he still had a few things he wanted to finish on it first.
I had the garage set up and ready to go and was waiting for him to arrive and I heard the sweet hum of his bike coming into land. When he came in to view, the glorious colour of the tank, shone like a jewel, in the morning light.
Triumph certainly know how to lay down paint. My own Bonnieville has the most exquisite paint work as well.
I knew that this bike would look sensational in my old school garage.
It is such a rewarding thing to know, that the images I create for people, are so appreciated. Darren loves what I do and will continue to bring me bikes, as they come into his collection in the future.
There is a 1960s Sportster out there with your name on it somewhere brother :)
Like Darren, I am blessed to own several bikes and to be able to choose which one to ride, is a real luxury. Each one gives, in a different way.
The challenge that Darren has… Is the gearboxes are not only configured differently, but on different sides of the bikes that he owns!
At least mine are all on the one side!
So my friends… Enjoy these images of this classic motorcycle.
Carl’s Garage - taps on, tickle the carbs and kick… very cool
Trevor was given a gift voucher for a shoot in my garage, quite a while ago… It was only today, that we finally got together, to create cool images of his beautiful bike.
Life can be like that sometimes… Just when you think you’re about to do something, life happens :)
Being a similar vintage, with a shared passion for everything two wheels… meant that it was a very relaxed shoot and time well spent.
Thank you brother for bringing me your beautiful Harley to photograph.
Carl’s Garage - if it has two wheels or even three… it matters
There can be only one Trip!
Thank God for that
For the world could not handle two
We have history, a long colourful history… We go way back.
I remember when Trip first bought this bike, how normal it was… I said what are you going to do to it… And he replied… Never you mind Carlos
And just like the man himself, this one off motorcycle was born
It is always exciting to ride behind him listening to the metal grind and when the running boards are worn through, the side cases are next to go. Yes he also has a Buell, that is built for cornering, but he figures… Why not!
His epitaph will read… Trip, he did stuff, shut up and hold my beer :)
Love and respect brother… Thank you for bringing your bike around today… You didn’t know I was going to take photos and you stopped pulling faces at me long enough, to get some cool shots.
Carl’s Garage - You should see his tool roll …. Trip’s that is. LOL. Heavier than a pillion passenger and ready for anything.
Luke gave me a call and asked if he could bring his dad to my garage for a shoot…
100% was my answer the next question was… Can you fit a trike in there…?
Damn straight I can!
From off in the distance, I heard the rumble of two beautiful motorcycles coming into land.
Tony had ridden up from Tasmania on his beautiful trike, but had no idea why Luke asked him to have his trike all cleaned up this morning.
It was only 20 minutes before they arrived at my studio, that he told his dad why they were here!
I love surprises!
What followed was one of the coolest shoots, with two awesome fellas. We laughed and shared great stories and had a lot of fun creating these images.
I like good people.
So my friends, here be Luke and Tony and their two beautiful machines.
I hope you all have a sensational weekend and weather permitting, I am shooting two more stunning bikes tomorrow, so stay tuned.
Carl’s Garage - where Family matters and cool images are made!
Jeff gave me a call and asked if he could bring his dad and their bikes down for a photo shoot today.
I do enjoy family shoots like this. For decades now I have said no to doing family portraits, but when I got the garage series of images rolling along … It just seems right!
We shared stories going back through the decades, laughed and created cool images. It really was a great shoot and Dave and Geoff are both very interesting characters and good communicators.
Time well spent for sure.
I have not photographed either of these motorcycles before and I thought they were both pretty bloody special for all sorts of reasons.
Jeff‘s Beamer is so freaking comfortable and I know that you could just eat up the miles on it …. while Dave‘s bike is light and agile and would be a hoot to ride.
Thank you men… I enjoyed meeting you both and spending the afternoon with you.
Carl’s Garage - Damn my bourbon tastes good this afternoon.
It is official… I now want a Harley Davidson inspired paint job, on my classic 1977 Z1000!
Snake Venom is just the coolest paint on the planet and I reckon my old bike would look wicked with this colour.
It scares me to think how much this paint is a litre.
Now back to today’s shoot!
Bryan gave me a call and asked if he could come for a ride down the coast, to have his beautiful new Harley Davidson photographed, in my old school garage.
As today was approaching, the weather wasn’t looking all that good, so I sent him a message and said… I don’t ride in the rain so I don’t expect you to… Let’s reschedule.
His response… My bag is packed and the garage door is open… see you soon.
To his credit, he headed off in to shitty weather and road from cane toad country, down to my humble studio in Newcastle.
He gave his bike a detail last night, where he had stopped and copped more rain this morning, on the way to the studio.
It was all good though, I was not in a rush and we got out a chamois and some polish and gave it a detail.
A bike this pretty, needed some extra attention I thought to myself… Sometimes I like to see bugs stuck to the front forks and sometimes I want them to look concourse.
Bryan is a pretty laid-back character and we are of a similar vintage, so it was awesome to share stories from our past and create these cool images together.
Thank you so much brother, for doing the miles and wanting to be photographed in my garage. It was an awesome morning and I enjoyed your company.
Carl’s Garage - Where even Harley Davidson paint would look great on a classic Kawasaki.
Liam gave me a call and asked if I could take some pictures of his Bonneville and he came over for a run, just the other day. I knew this bike was customised quite heavily, but when he came into earshot, I didn't quite know just how much!
When I grow up, I want to sound like Liam's Bonneville, I thought to myself… For there is no other motorcycle I have seen, that slices through the silence, like a screaming banshee, with a few pints in its belly… cackling and spitting and biting all at the same time!
I will share a video of this machine running, at a later date! I think I need you to build a set of pipes for my Trumpy brother …. These mandrel bent specials sound insane :)
You can't help smile as you walk towards this beautiful machine. It is a one off!
A bit like the man himself.
Liam has built up a business based on customising cars and motorcycles, through hard work, perseverance and creativity… Much respect for this :)
You can see more of his cool projects on insta at @butlerscustomsandclassics
It is very hard to say, what I like the most about this bike, as there were lots of highlights.
He wanted special wheels, so he designed them up and got them made…. kind of like a crossover between a 1980s BMX bike and something very old school …. The end result, a stunning set of wheels that look brilliant with those wicked retro tyres, stretched around them. The paint has an almost glow in the dark colour to it in natural light, you know that hint of lime underneath the beige sort of thing.
Thank you brother for bringing me another one of your beautiful creations to photograph. I enjoy our time together and shooting unique bikes like this, is very cool.
So my friends, here be Liam’s Bonneville… Enjoy!
“Carl’s Garage” - I like different
