About Paul

Paul has had a passion for photography from a very early age, learning the art from when he was just seven years old, thanks to an inherited Pentax SLR.

He grew up with a father that just loved watching Mirages fighters flying in and out of RAAF Base Williamtown, NSW, while on holidays in the late ’70s and early ’80s and soon fell in love with everything ‘aviation’.

Most kids his age were spending their pocket money on football cards or computer games, but Paul saved all of his to buy film, pay for processing and occasionally the purchase of a second hand lens or two.

Shooting everything that moved, but mainly aircraft and helicopters, he started to develop a talent in aviation photography and used his subjects well to teach himself most of the skills and techniques important to photography.

Fresh out of high school, after completing his HSC and simultaneously obtaining his pilot’s license to GFPT level, Paul took up a position as an assistant photographer with a national sports photography company. Traveling the country photographing a variety of sports from national women’s hockey, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and V8 Supercars, Paul found himself in a photo lab working as a photofinisher/technician.

After a short period as an assistant photographer and camera salesman, his career as a full time commercial photographer really took off and he decided to go it alone, starting his own photographic business. Purchasing a Kodak Express mini-lab in the southern Sydney suburb of Mortdale, NSW, Paul used his mini-lab to gain valuable experience in retail and the photographic finishing industries before opting out with the introduction of digital photography.

Paul was one of the first commercial photographers in Australia to convert to digital technology acquiring Nikon's first professional digital SLR, the D1.

Having his first photo published in the November 1992 issue of Australian Aviation magazine, 13 years later Paul would become the magazine’s photographer, production manager, writer and ‘Rotor Torque’ columnist, based in Canberra.

At the 2007 National Aviation Press Club awards Paul received commendations for his article titled ‘Afghan Chinooks’ in the Defence Article of the Year category. At the 2008 awards he was runner-up in the Aviation Photograph of the Year category for his photograph ‘Lining Up’ and received a commendation for his photo ‘Hollywood TFO’ at the 2009 awards.

However, In 2014, Paul received the National Aviation Press Club's Aviation Photographer of the Year award for his published imagery in Australian Aviation magazine during the year. In 2017, he was a finalist in the renamed Australasian Aviation Press Club's Aviation Journalist of the Year category, as well as being the runner-up in the Aviation Photographer of the Year award.

Just some of the highlights from his association in aviation media include numerous flights in civil and military simulators; flying on a search and rescue exercise with the RAAF’s 37 Squadron; flying with the RACQ CareFlight Rescue helicopter team on numerous rescue and medical retrieval missions; four days of water bombing and observing the 2003 Canberra bushfires; orchestrating the photography of a V Australia (Virgin Australia) Boeing 777 over Sydney Harbour; flying with the RAAF Roulettes display team and experiencing a lesson in air combat maneuvering from the rear seat of a 76 Squadron Hawk 127 lead-in fighter.

Photographing the final RAAF Caribou flight.

On board the RACQ CareFlight helicopter.

With 'Julie the Jetstar girl' on Jetstar's inaugural flight.