Our Photographers and Artists

Darran Leal
Darran Leal at Extended VisionRecently featured on Getaway, Darran lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland Australia with wife Julia and sons Pearce & Frazer. Darran is one of the worlds most travelled photographers. He undertakes regular shoots in South America, Africa, North America and several other locations. He has been commissioned by many companies and government agencies since starting as a professional on Norfolk Island in 1980. His credits are too numerous to mention but here are some of the highlights:

  • Supplied many of the large images in the Queensland Pavilion at World Expo 88. All were several metres long in size.
  • Sponsored by Kodak several times, including two major exhibitions.
  • Major shoots for Movie World, SeaWorld and WetNWild on the Gold Coast.
  • Keynote speaker at 2001 American Photographic Society annual conference.
  • He has led over 300 educational photo events around the world.
  • Darrans written and supplied images for over 200 magazine articles for more than a dozen magazines world wide.
  • Work published in over 200 books including 6 of his own.
  • Numerous work in Calendars, Postcards and other publications.
  • Commissioned work by Qantas and sponsorship on two occasions.

  •  Darran sponsored by   

Darran and Julia also run and own - SafariWise - a travel agency dedicated to specialist travellers needs - www.safariwise.com.au
 

See some of Darran’s Images, HERE

Richard Field and Rebecca Fraser
Richard Feild at Extended VisionWe bought our first camera in November 1996. We were 23 and had just quit a job at a private game reserve in South Africa. The job had only lasted a week, but we left with the camera and a new way to appreciate the wilderness and its wildlife. The camera was cheap and our photos were terrible, but we were enjoying ourselves.By February 1998, things had begun to improve. We were now working in Botswana and my Dad had passed on to us his old Canon EOS 100 and a couple of lenses.  Whilst the majority of our photos were still very ordinary, we were enthusiastic and living in a remarkable place with incredible daily opportunities to take photographs. We were also lucky to have the occasional professional photographer passing through our camp. They were always good enough to take some time and give us some tips on how we could improve.Eventually our equipment improved as did our technique and more photos were taken – loads more photos! At the end of our time in Africa we had thousands of slides neatly packed away in a trunk, as well as thousands of digital images on our laptop, and no real idea of what to do with any of them. We decided that our photos needed to be free, so we planned to exhibit them for friends and family.From this grew Wild Spirit. The photographs in the collection reflect the physical and spiritual journeys that we have undertaken over the last 10 years. We also wanted to share the feelings of freedom and love that inevitably accompanied us when these photographs were taken. We hope that in doing so it will allow others to tap into their own ‘wild spirit’, for it is truly in every one of us.
 

See some of Rebecca’s Images, HERE
See some of Richard’s Images, HERE

Robert Knight
Robert Knight at Extended VisionAs a child, Robert Knight travelled the world with his roving family, growing up in countries like Venezuela, Nigeria and Colombia.This imbued in him a sense of adventure that would quickly turn to the polar regions. He started working in Antarctica at the age of 18, with Quark Expeditions aboard the Russian icebreaker, Kapitan Khlebnikov. Since then Rob has undertaken over 25 voyages to Antarctica, most recently as Assistant Expedition Leader on the ship, Ocean Nova. He has also worked for three months in the Arctic.In April 2007 Rob became the youngest Australian to ski to the North Pole, completing a 100+km expedition over the Arctic Ocean to the top of the world. This trek confirmed a long-held belief that he was capable of exploring more intimately the polar regions he had until then experienced mainly by ship.Rob lives in Hobart, Tasmania where he is studying a Bachelor of Tourism at the University of Tasmania. When not working in the polar regions or studying, he spends much of his time exploring Tasmania’s wilderness. Much of his wilderness travel he does solo, including an ascent of Tassie’s challenging Federation Peak.Robert’s upcoming expedition, South Solo, will be a test of skill, endurance and resourcefulness, and at 23 he will become the youngest person to ski alone and unsupported to the South Pole.
 

See some of Robert’s Images HERE

Chris Postle
Chris Postle at Extended VisionChris Postle. A fulltime professional artist since 1990. Still pursuing his talent with a driving passion With his lust for life and desire to succeed in this challenging industry , Chris still manages to find inspiration. The talent displayed in all his art speaks for itself and has moulded his future to the where he is today. Almost all of Chris’ ideas have come from our natural world , a realistic approach capturing those special moments.My art has become my life, a treasure within itself, and to that I am greatful. I hope to continue and explore this positive journey to where ever it leads me and also to help create awareness of this amazing world we live in. Where would we be without it?
 

See some of Chris’ Paintings, HERE

Jean Grant
Jean Grant at Extended VisionBorn in New Zealand with a love of drawing, Jean attended the Elam School of Fine Arts in Auckland New Zealand during her teenage years. During the 1970’s she started painting and exhibiting successfully, with her paintings being hung in the Milford Gallery, Auckland. The highlight of those few years of painting was selling art works to the Curator of the Auckland Art Gallery and The New Zealand Woolboard.However after moving to Australia and settling in Hervey Bay in 1988, it was not to be until July 1992 that she was able to start painting again, and after winning two awards that year, she decided to do some more study and gained her Certificate in Art. Since then she has won many awards with her work being shown in corporate, public and private collections, in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.Jean was one of the twenty artists chosen to participate in the inaugural opening of the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery in 1997 and then in 1998 she had a solo exhibition of her work in the Regional Gallery.
In 1999 she co-ordinated the 1999-2000 Artists Exhibition in the Regional Gallery, and also designed the invitation cards.She started painting in water colour as a medium in 1999, and was amazed at its versatility, so much so that she now teaches others how wonderful the world of water colour is.
 

See some of Jeans’ Paintings, HERE

 Nigel Summers
Nigel Summers has more than twenty years experience behind a camera, which has given him a rare opportunity to reveal to the world exactly what he sees in the people and places he photographs; from the deep wisdom in a baby’s eyes to the true beauty in the world around us.
Voted Photographer of the Year for Excellence in 2005, 2006 and 2007 by the Australian Advertising Hall of Fame, Nigel is also recognised not only for his work as a Portrait Photographer but also for his work in Macro Photography and Digital Art.
As a Photographer, Nigel’s life has been blessed with opportunities to work with people from all walks of life; business men, mothers-to-be, newborn children, nervous brides and proud husbands. Together with his inspired creativity, the result of those years has culminated in a growing collection of works which bring to life both the outer and inner beauty of these individuals and the world in which we all live.
Nigel believes wholeheartedly that there is far more to this wonderful world of ours than that which we see on the surface and he strives on a daily basis to show this to all those who view his work.
“Photography is not merely a process with which we record an image. At its’ fundamental heart lies the ability to allow some one to enter our psyche and experience almost exactly what the photographer is viewing. Look deeper, imagine the exact moment the shutter was released, and the story will unfold”.
  
 

See some of  Nigels Images, HERE