Time for some fun: Dennis Rodman's Wrestling career

From reporting on murder trials to selling mosquito repellent, I’ve written copy about almost everything. This time around; I decided to dabble in something humorous. Pieces like this enable me to be as creative as I want, so I had lot fun.

Behold: A dive into Chicago Bulls forward Dennis Rodman’s wrestling career for Homecourt magazine.

“Dennis “The Worm” Rodman. Hair-dye vanguard, party-monster, and U.S diplomat. A true radical. More defence than cybersecurity, more arms than Shiva, Rodman was unrelenting. Rebounding was his lifework. The Worm’s tattooed physique assaulted every pocket of the court. Forever energized, the Bulls forward furiously exercised post-game. Dennis’ double-helix is different. When The Last Dance revisits his WCW appearance, nothing feels impossible. Number 91 is the most vibrant human being named Dennis. Who else skips training for a TV brawl, neck-deep in the run for an NBA championship? Rodman’s side-hustle makes uncanny sense. He already acted, looked and trash-talked like a ringside beefcake. Rodzilla was snatching mics and kicking camera-men before it was part of the gig. It would be stretching the spandex to insinuate his wrestling was masterful; but god it was entertaining.

Full piece here.

More Words: An interview with LA Laker Robert Sacre

I’ve been pretty productive with the ol’ writing this month, and fingers crossed that may continue. I love this stuff.

Like everyone, I’m always intrigued by the underdog as well as those who have shaped their own untraditional career path. For this reason; I decided to focus on the professional benchwarmer for my latest basketball article. Those who play among the elite, but with none of the glory, fan love or respect. The worst of the best, if you will.

My choice had to be Robert Sacre. He became a fan favourite during his tenure with the Lakers and was permanently seen with a smile etched on his face. Sacre was a true rarity, where others may have become bitter, he remained good-humoured and stumbled upon his own kind of gratitude.

As a bonus, he was a cool guy on the phone with none of the usual ego which often comes when interviewing athletes, celebrities etc.

Former Laker Robert Sacre knows the struggle. Despite audience “MVP” chants at the free-throw line, Sacre was never an NBA Champion. There was no parade when he quit, no bronze statue cast, no jersey retired. Robert had limited minutes, never averaged over six points and was in the starting line-up just once during his final year. 

Surprisingly, Bobby’s grateful for his good fortune. Think about it. Being an NBA bench-sitter is still the best job in the world. A million dollars to train with the basketball pantheon? Sign me up. During four seasons, Robert even developed a “cool relationship” with Kobe (RIP.) He’s a lucky guy. It didn’t come easy though. 

Despite a lifetime of training, the lofty center barely skirted through. He was chosen 60th in the 2012 draft. You’d think a national star plus the son of an NFL player and a college basketballer, would be a shoo-in. But Sacre’s cognizant of how rare it is to ball with the greats. 

“Man, I’m blessed,” he stresses. “You’ve gotta have that mindset, no matter what. I learned a lot going in the NBA, even though I wasn’t always playing, just talking with hall-of-famers.”

Full piece over here.

Writing about Colour Theory and Masters of Tone

I’m quite proud of the writing in this one and it was nice to see my name in print. I used to be a full-time Fairfax journalist, but I haven’t written for any of the Melbourne or Sydney newspapers until now.

I was interested in this subject firstly as a photographer because colour theory is so key to our psychological responses when we view images. 

It was also inspiring to interview a master on the subject of colour, who talked with such vivid, descriptive language. Keith Recker (a self-dubbed Chromosapien) experiences tone in such a unique way to the rest of us. As someone with Synesthesia, his senses encounter sound, smell and various visuals when he sees colour. 

This article appeared on the cover of Melbourne's The Age and Sydney Morning Herald's Spectrum insert. It'll hopefully be the beginning of my own forays into considering colour a little more closely when it comes to my photography. Excerpt below.

From primordial cave sketch to fashion billboard, every culture is shaped by colour. A toolkit of expression, pigments trigger and convey the senses. As light is projected through our optic nerve, we encounter memory, emotion, even taste.

Colour experts track each generation’s palette. Whether mid-war modesty or ’60s psychedelia, hues reflect history. Every object, fashion trend or Star Wars reboot is tinted by the stories of its time. Tones also predict social values; how we’ll feel and what we’ll value moving forward.

This era is no different. As headlines display nurses in surgical turquoise or the patriotic red of Trump’s tie, colour gurus take note, looking to the future while keeping one eye on the past.

Full article available here.

Or here.

If you’re interested in learning more about Keith he runs Table Magazine and has recently written True Colors: Worlds Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments.

Banner image photo credit: Joe Coca for Thrums Books

Above Image courtesy of Beyond Blue.

North Face Advertorial

With a 48-hour deadline, I enjoyed furiously writing this advertorial on the history of The North Face and their evolution in popular culture for JD Sports.

I love when people repurpose other cultures as a means of social mobility so this was felt right within my comfort zone. As always, excerpt below.

From cliff-side to street corner, The North Face protects pioneers of any landscape. No longer solely for frigid mountaineers; TNF’s evolution spotlights the ingenuity of inner-city youth. Like Dapper Dan reinventing Polo in his Harlem workshop; North Face's audience has finessed the brand to the cultural cutting-edge.   

TNF’s impenetrable feather-filled jacket is their hallmark. Its robust fabric shell emits hardiness and quality, making the puffer surprisingly symbiotic with rappers of the same ilk. Since being donned by MCs in the ‘90s, North Face is undergoing a resurgence thanks to Supreme collabs, Drake co-signs and Grime trailblazers. But how did an outdoor sporting brand begin shielding hikers and hip-hop heads alike? 

Read the full shebang here.