CORRUGATED CATHEDRALS PHOTOBOOK CELEBRATING OUR ICONIC AUSSIE SHEARING INDUSTRY

I am photographer living in Armidale, nestled in the New England High Country of NSW. As you travel around the area corrugated iron Shearing Sheds can be seen on most larger holdings. Growing up as a more of a city kid, I began to wonder what went on in those sheds. I had heard the songs and learnt about the iconic aussie shearer through images and stories over the years, but the process of shearing remained a mystery. In response to my lack of knowledge I decided to try and get into some of these sheds to have a look and to document the shearing of merino sheep. Local Wool Growers have been fantastic and welcomed me in to their family properties and workplaces and I have met some wonderful people in the sheds. Over the past few years I have visited a number of different sheds in the New England Area and collected a catalogue of fine art black and white images documenting life in these 'Corrugated Cathedrals' (If you are wondering of the meaning of this name you will have to buy the book!!). As time passed I began to consider the possibility of collating these works into a book, but it seemed a distant possibility. Now this dream is much closer to fruition. I have worked hard to complete the process of capturing, processing and editing the images and have invested many hours in perfecting layouts and in researching and writing an expose' on the shearing process in producing the book. Now I have a draft in my hands that I am proud of and feel is ready to be released - a book that shares the beauty and mystery of this historic and iconic aspect of Aussie culture.

Through this campaign I am attempting to fund the production of a high quality, hard cover photobook celebrating our uniquely Australian Merino Wool Industry and the extremely hard working people that drive it, particularly the iconic shearer. The book will feature 70 (may change slightly) fine art monochrome images documenting the shearing process from sheep in the paddock to wool clipped, classed and packaged ready for manufacture. It captures the action front and centre as well as the quiter moments as shearing is in full swing. The images I was fortunate enough to capture are timeless and powerful. They tell a story back breaking hard work completed through finely tuned team work...of surviving cold, bone dry conditions of drought and celebrating the joy of clipping a fleece of luxurious wool of the highest quality in the world...but most importantly, the images capture what holds us together - Aussie mateship and having a laugh, as people roll up their sleeves together for a common purpose.

Please spread the word about Corrugated Cathedrals and share it with your friends and family through social media and word of mouth. I need your support to share it with the world...#corrugatedcathedrals

I am endeavouring to print as many copies of 'Corrugated Cathedrals' as my budget will allow. Producing a book of the highest quality is an expensive undertaking and one that I am personally unable to cover the full cost of.  I have set a campaign target of $8000 but I am hoping to raise more than this so that I can print more copies of the book. Funds raised will primarily cover the cost of printing, and hopefully contribute a few dollars towards a bit of a get together to launch the book and celebrate...if, or should I say WHEN  we get there! Lets get crazy and we might even manage an exhibition at the launch party if funds allow!!

Printing - $7000

Final Editing - $250

Promotion and Distribution - $500
Packaging - $250

I have and will be tipping in a substantial personal financial contribution towards producing this book and getting it out into the world, but I still need your help to do this. Please consider supporting this campaign and or pre-purchasing a copy of this beautifully crafted book and in the process celebrating together, the iconic Aussie Shearer.

This is an 'all or nothing' campaign. If we don't reach the target the project does not go ahead and rewards/donations will not be realised.

Book Details

33cm wide x 28cm high, hard cover, landscape format coffee table book

106 pages featuring approximately 70 high quality black and white images

1000 word expose' on the hard yakka that occurs in shearing sheds

NB. Final copy may alter slightly from this

If you are fortunate enough to be in the Armidale area please drop into our wonderful local book shop Reader's Companion to get your hands on a sample copy of Corrugated Cathedrals to check it out. 

Oh, and make sure you purchase something from their oustanding selection of books and beyond while you are there!!