Thursday 19 May 2011

Coming soon... Chronic Illness

My story:  Describing the events and experiences I've gone through since my digestive system problems started drastically affecting my life in January 2000, which naturally crosses over all the other categories of the blog, particularly with photography. I really don't know what would have happened without photography being an important pastime, creative outlet and a way to earn a few dollars doing something I love to do over the last 8 years or so.

For a little over the past twelve months I've had to endure the most critically ill period in my life to date, spending over two months in the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 2010. This was due to my gastroparesis worsening over the course of a few months, until I could barely eat anything at all, and when I did, it was quite distressing due to the consequent terrible nausea, burning and indigestion sensations which were worst after food. Leading up to going to hospital in September, just eating a small tub of fruit puree would leave me curled up in the fetal position for several hours from the nausea.

I would liken the experience to a three-level simultaneous illness. You get the terrible sick, nauseated feeling of a stomach virus plus the permanent sensation that you've eaten about 5 platefuls of food too many, the drained, weak, exhausted energy depletion of a bad flu; and the depressing and horrifying reality that this is the way life is, and things aren't going to change anytime soon. And trying to eat, or being force fed with a tube, only adds to the torture. It doesn't make sense, it sucks, and it's not fair, but apart from permanently removing yourself from the gene pool, you really don't have much say in the matter, and just have to keep going through it as best you can, and hope and pray things will improve.

You can read more about gastroparesis here: http://www.g-pact.org/gastroparesis.html


  My first 2010 stay was for ten days in June, which seemed like an eternity at the time, which sadly was followed by a much more traumatising and horrifically torturous 7 week ordeal in September, October and November 2010. Which unfortunately coincided with my 26th birthday. As I write this it's now been over seven months since I've actually eaten any food, and have been getting nutrition solely from the liquid nutrition formula Ensure Plus via a jejunostomy feeding tube.

I would also be exaggerating if I said I've had any more than a litre or two of water orally this year, or even including the period since I came home from hospital in November 2010.

I ended up having three seperate feeding tubes during the course of my long hospital stay; first the naso-gastric tube, followed by a naso-jejunal tube, (the insertions of which were the worst medical experiences of my life; and I've had a lot of bad medical experiences) and finally the surgery for the more permanent jejunostomy tube.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/250 @ f/3.5, ISO 400


To kick things off, I will start with posting photos from the 2010 hospital stays, describing what was happening at the time and experiences in regards to eating, medications, tests, medical procedures, nurses, doctors, dietitians, fellow patients, friends, parents and girlfriend while I was there. This will give some context to the rest of my stories of how drastically my illness has affected my life, and how that has in turn changed what I've done and been able to do with my photography and interests in cars, trucks and trains.

  In addition to all my issues, my younger brother suffers from a heart condition that has required two surgeries and several hospitalisations over the past few years and stopped him from being well enough to do much at all since late 2006, due to the condition, subsequent medication and the side-effects. The worst part is behind us now, in that there thankfully hasn't been any need for frequent 000 calls in the middle of the night for quite a long time, which was fairly common in 2006/2007 for a while there. Often when I was so sick myself I couldn't even go to the hospital with him in an ambulance when they turned up. Always seems to take a very long time for them to arrive, even if it's only 5 minutes. Photo below was taken in February 2007.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon Coolpix S3
Exposure: 1.1 seconds @ f/3.0, ISO 100, -0.7 exposure compensation

So unfortunately my parents get to see a lot of doctors and hospitals between the two of us.


For a pictorial comparison to show how far downhill I went in 2010, these two photos of my girlfriend Sally and I were taken at my older brother's wedding on the 9th of January, on a 40+ degree day, I was probably around 63kg at the time.

Photographer: Anna Tarasiuk
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/320 @ f/5.0, ISO 200
 

Photographer: Prachya Turland
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/320 @ f/8.0, ISO 400


And here we are on the 6th of October 2010, by which time my weight had plummeted to just over 50kg, with a stomach that went from very dysfunctional to pretty much non-functional. I look a tad pale as well, hospital wards don't have a lot of sunlight.

Photographer: Sally Parker
Camera: Canon Powershot A480
Exposure: 1/250 @f/3.0, ISO 400


And here's a photo I took of Sally in April 2010. Sally very sadly lost her mum to brain and lung cancer when she was just 15 years old. So seeing me in hospital every day for a couple of months with tubes coming out of various places didn't exactly bring back good memories, but she's been right by my side the whole way. I'm very lucky to have such an amazing girlfriend.
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF
Exposure: 1/320 @ f/2.5, ISO 400



 -Epic amounts of personal doctor/hospital/medical/unpleasant health test experiences over the years, and a truckload of all kinds of clinical, pharmaceutical and natural medicines, treatments and supplements.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/100 @ f/3.5, ISO 400 

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/80 @ f/2.8, ISO 800


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/50 @ f/3.5, ISO 1600

-The bewildering and depressing experiences of seeing a multitude of health professionals of many kinds over the course of a decade, who largely can't really do much to help, which just off the top of my head, includes:

Multiple GPs, first the regular family doctor in 2000, followed by several others in the following years.

At least 5 or 6 gastroenterology specialists and professors privately,  probably closer to 25-30 if I include hospital stays.

3 or 4 endocrinologists

5 or 6 dietitians

7 or 8 naturopaths of various descriptions, methods and effectiveness

2 or 3 homeopaths

2 chiropractors

2 Kinesiologists

2 or 3 psychologists for counselling and attempts at dealing with some issues through cognitive behavioural therapy, and 5 or 6 psychiatrists in hospital in 2010.

There's probably quite a few more, but that seems a ridiculously long enough list for now.




Ella's Story: A friend's 3 1/2 year daughter was diagnosed with hemiplegic cerebral palsy in 2008 after suffering a stroke in-utero in 2007. Ella also suffers from epilepsy, thrombosis, dysphagia, developmental delay, speech processing disorder and Pseudohypoaldosteronism. She currently has a naso-gastric feeding tube, and soon will likely be having a gastrostomy surgery to insert a feeding tube, similar to mine, but into the stomach rather than jejunum.

Photographer: Emily Jakas
Date: May 2011
Camera: Iphone

  You can read a little more about her early struggles on the Novita Children's Services website here: http://www.novita.org.au/Profile/Detail.aspx?p=558&id=175


Novita organises and runs the annual Adelaide Convoy for Kids, where hundreds of kind-hearted truckies give some children with pretty tough lives a fun and exciting day, taking them for a cruise around town in a big rig: http://www.novita.org.au/Content.aspx?p=538 This is my article on the 2009 Adelaide Convoy for Kids, which was published in the August 2009 issue of Truckin' Life magazine, you can see a happy Ella on the first page.


 Between Ella taking an interest in her dad's noisy cars...
 
Photographer: Emily Jakas
Date: July 2010
Camera: Iphone

 ...me taking photos of the family over the past five years or so...

Photographer: Rohan Phillips 
Date: February 2006 
Camera: Nikon D70s 
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 
Exposure: 1/640 @ f/3.5, ISO 400 


 Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Date: October 2007
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/50 @ f/3.5, ISO 1600 

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Date: May 2011 
Camera: Nikon D300 
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED 
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 3200


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Date: May 2011
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/30 @ f/2.8, ISO 3200


...her health problems...

Photographer: Rohan Phillips  
Date: March 2010
Camera: Canon Powershot A480
Exposure: 1/10 @ f/3.0, ISO 400


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Date: May 2011 
Camera: Nikon D300 
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED 
Exposure: 1/50 @ f/2.8, ISO 3200 

 ...the Convoy for Kids with trucks and truckies...

Photographer: Daniel Jakas
Date: May 2010
 Camera: Iphone

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Date: August 2009
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED 
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/4.0, ISO 400


...and playing with a wooden train set...

Photographer: Emily Jakas
Date: April 2011
Camera: Iphone

...her story actually fits into every category my blog will be covering.

Novita are also running a new fundraising event this year on October 9th, the ‘Cool Kids Custom Car Cruise’; http://www.novita.org.au/Content.aspx?p=711

If you want to help an organisation that makes life a little bit easier for sick and disabled kids like Ella, as well as giving some assistance to their families and carers, there are several ways you can do so:  http://www.novita.org.au/Content.aspx?p=18

Adrian's Story: Adrian Miravitchi, the pastor at Grange Baptist Church, (which I've attended since I was born, health permitting) has led a very unusual and interesting life. Born in Romania under Nicolae Ceausescu's brutal socialist regime, Adrian became a rough street fighter and brawler, but moved past this violent lifestyle to use his fighting skills and strength to take part in wrestling at the Olympic level. He moved to Australia in 1987, living on a farm and driving road trains in the Northern Territory for some time. He was then struck down for nearly eight years with a crippling form of chronic fatigue syndrome, frequently leaving him bedridden and hospitalised for very long periods.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/320 @ f/5.0, ISO 800


 Fortunately he was gradually able to make a full recovery, and after spending three years on a farm after moving to Australia, he now spends a lot of time and effort helping out struggling farming communities up in the northern regions of South Australia. Well over a decade of drought has hit some communities hard, and he frequently drives up to deliver truck and trailer loads of food to needy families.





-Things not to say to a chronically ill person in general, or to the parent of a child with a disability, from my own and other people's experiences.

For example; girls, I know this might come as a shock, but having gastroparesis is actually not something to be jealous of for the skinniness, and surprisingly it will even adversely affect your life a touch more than a perceived excess weight of 2.4 kg.

 Jonno’s Story: A friend in his late teens with muscular dystrophy designs, plans and organises a fantastic and elaborate house and garden lighting display at Christmas, helped out on the physical side of things by a great family and friends, complete with an opening night party. I photographed his awesome Christmas 2009 light display extensively, and will post a series of images.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 2 seconds @ f/6.3, ISO 200, tripod used.



Glenn's story: A family friend who was also my primary school reception teacher, is currently battling a form of liver cancer. He's spent well over a decade constructing a large model railway layouts. I'll post some pictures of it when I go to visit him.

-Some funny medical related things that happen here and there. As much as it sucks being so sick, there's still a humourous side to some of the experiences as well. I find that looking on the lighter side of things can help sometimes, having to deal with such serious issues can get pretty overwhelming.

Like a couple of days ago, I had one of several incidents with the liquid feed tubes parting company, although this was probably the most amusing. The enteral pump machine runs at 73ml per hour, and to give me adequate nutrition over the course of a day, is pumping Ensure into me for around 20 hours out of 24, starting at 6pm and stopping at 2pm the following afternoon. You have to order the bottles and feed lines which are then delivered by courier as needed.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 1600

So after getting back into bed and turning my liquid feed pump on after refilling my water bottles, I neglected to actually plug the feed line nozzle back into my jejunostomy tube, leaving it in its little holder for probably a good half an hour or so judging by the results. After going to disconnect the tube again for a bathroom break, I looked down and discovered having the feed running Ensure in its holder was probably not the most effective method of meeting my nutritional needs.

Fortunately, thanks to my home-made feed machine transportation device, which my dad cleverly knocked up using parts from a pedestal fan, wooden cheese board, a metal bracket and some wheels from a TV cabinet, the puddle was contained to the cheese board section, as you can see in the picture below. As the saying goes, no use crying over spilt Ensure. (Sally gets the credit for coming up with that line.)

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/13 @ f/2.8, ISO 800

Which was much easier to clean up than when the tube comes out in bed, which has happened fairly frequently, gushing feed all over the sheets until I seal the tube up again. Which can sometimes take a while if I'm watching something on TV, and then start wondering why my back feels wet and smells funny, only to discover the feed has been going onto the bed for quite some time, necessitating a change of clothes and bed linen. Sometimes several times in the same night if I'm having a bad day with it.


And to end the post, here's a photo of a 'family dinner' from January this year, or as close as you can get to a family dinner when one of the people can't eat. At least I got to lie down and didn't have to bother with all that tiresome chewing and swallowing. And my 'food' is free. Sweet.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/80 @ f/5.0, ISO 800 



Many more stories to come...


Monday 16 May 2011

My Cefiro

Here's a short clip of me driving through the Adelaide Hills last year, in my RB20 turbo powered Nissan Cefiro. I haven't been well enough to drive it any more than once since last June, so its been gathering a lot of dust and spiderwebs in the garage for quite some time now.

I'm glad I took the time to set up a camera for the hills run, it's one of my favourite activities. But since I haven't been able to get out for such a long time, it's good to be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of a nice hills run from home.

As far as technical details go, I used a Canon Powershot A480 compact digital camera for the footage, attached to the inside of the rear window with a Manfrotto suction cup mount.

                                                                                                                                                                

You can see on the Speedhunters blog what it looks like from the outside by clicking the post link below. (It's the white car with black bonnet, 5th from the top if you're not a car person.)

Sunday 15 May 2011

Coming soon... Cars, trucks and trains.


- Childhood photos from a lifetime of being obsessed with anything that had an engine and wheels.

Photographer: Peter Phillips
Year: 1996
Camera: Ricoh 35mm film compact



-Automotive feature shoot portfolios; my favourite images from each shoot, followed by tearsheets of how it turned out in the respective magazines.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8
 Exposure: 1/3 second at F/5.6, ISO 200, tripod used.




- My cars; photos and stories about the cars I've owned since I started driving, and the inevitable windscreen stickers SAPOL presents to people who modify their cars. In this particular case, my Civic was ordered off the road within 48 hours of being stopped at a defect station, due to committing the heinous crime of the eyebrow height being a couple of centimetres too low.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Canon Powershot A480



I've owned 5 or 6 cars so far, several of which didn't make it to, or were just into the four figure price range, but here are the more fast & fun ones from the past few years that cost more than $1000...

1988 A31 Nissan Cefiro 
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8
 Exposure: 1/60 @ f/4.0, ISO 400
Strobist info: One SB900 to the right at 1/4 power, two SB600s to the left at 1/4 power, triggered by Elinchrom Skyports. 


1994 EG Honda Civic 
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Canon Powershot A480
Exposure: 1/800 @ f/4.5, ISO 80



1988 R31 Nissan Skyline GTS coupe 
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
 Exposure: 1/2500 @ f/5.0, ISO 200


-Photos of my friends' cars from over the years; attending cruises, driving around and getting our hands dirty working on them.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
 Exposure: 1/320 @ f/5.0, ISO 200

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/20 @ f/3.5, ISO 800


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/1250 @ f/5.0, ISO 200


 Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Canon Powershot A470
Exposure: 1/125 @ f/9.0, ISO 100


-When cars go wrong; the bad side of cars and driving. Ranging from friends' cars being stolen, stripped and torched, to their new owners crashing into stationary objects, and even a car crashing through a wall and into a friend's bedroom.


Photographer: Unknown
Camera: Nikon D200
Exposure: 1/200 @ f/7.1, ISO 400 
 
 
Photographer: Laura Bendikov
Camera: Pentax Optio S6
 
Photographer: Laura Bendikov
Camera: Pentax Optio S6

 






-Images from Gran Turismo 5's photo mode.
Exposure: 1/500 @ f/1.0, focal length 55mm



Exposure: 1/60 @ f/8.0, focal length 35mm, Panning Mode 3




Exposure:  1/500 @ f/4.0, focal length 51mm, Panning Mode 2
 Exposure: 1/60 @ f/5.0, focal length 20mm, Extreme Monochrome filter, Panning Mode 3

 
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/4.0, focal length 56mm, Panning Mode 3
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/8.0, focal length 81mm, Panning Mode 3


 Exposure: 1/60 @ f/11.0, focal length 44mm, Panning Mode 3


Exposure: 1/60 @ f/5.0, focal length 45mm, Panning Mode 3


Exposure: 1/60 @ f/8.0, focal length 68mm, Panning Mode 3
Exposure: 1/250 @ f/8.0, focal length 158mm, Panning Mode 3


Exposure: 1/250 @ f/5.6, focal length 104mm


-Photos from 4WD outings with friends.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/1000 @ f/8.0, ISO 200 


-Reviews of car and truck related books.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Canon Powershot A480
Exposure: 1/125 @f/3.0, ISO 400

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Canon Powershot A480
Exposure: 1/15 @f/3.0, ISO 400



-Reviews of car and truck related movies, documentaries and motorsport DVDs.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Canon Powershot A480
Exposure: 1/10 @f/3.0, ISO 400


 Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 1600 
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/50 @ f/2.8, ISO 1600


-Car and truck related clothing I've bought or been given.
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Canon Powershot A480
Exposure: 1/40 @f/3.0, ISO 400


-Things I've learned from watching COPS. 




-Stupid car-related things I've done. (Like parking on mud to take a photo of emus) As with photography, it's a big list.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2003
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative



-Sets of images from past motorsport and automotive events.

Adelaide Formula 1 Grand Prix...
 Photographer: Christo Stoyanoff
Year: 1993
Camera: Unknown
Subject: Michael Schumacher in the paddock at the 1993 Adelaide Formula 1 Grand Prix.



Port Gawler drifting...
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2003
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2003
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative

Rally SA...
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2009
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/9.0, ISO 200


 Birdwood Motor Museum shows and events...

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2009
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF
Exposure: 1/1250 @ f/5.0, ISO 200




 
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2009
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 200




Classic Adelaide...


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2007
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/320 @ f/2.5, ISO 400 


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2007
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/800 @ f/5.0, ISO 200 

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2005
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/640 @ f/8.0, ISO 200


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2005
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/100 @ f/8.0, ISO 200 

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2007
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO DG HSM
Exposure: 1/640 @ f/5.0, ISO 200 

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2007
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO DG HSM
Exposure: 1/1600 @ f/5.0, ISO 200 

 Mallala drift competitions...
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2005
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6
Exposure: 1/125 @ f/16.0, ISO 200






Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2004
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative


Autosalon...
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2005
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/40 @ f/4.2, ISO 1600


 
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2005
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/100 @ f/4.0, ISO 400, on-camera flash


Monster Trucks...
  Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2009
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/800 @ f/5.0, ISO 200 


Hot rod, muscle car and Japanese import cruises...
 Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2009
Camera: Canon Powershot A470
Exposure: 1/3 second @f/3.0, ISO 100


 Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2009
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/20 @ f/2.8, ISO 500, tripod used




 Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2002
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative





Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2009
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/250 @ f/2.8, ISO 400
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2003
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2007
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM
Exposure: 1/40 @ f/1.6, ISO 500


 Gazzanats...
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 IF-ED
Exposure: 1/50 @ f/2.8, ISO 200, SB900 on-camera flash at full power.


Supertrucks...
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2007
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/1250 @ f/5.0, ISO 200


The good old days of drag racing at Adelaide International Raceway...
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2002
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative



Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2002
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative

 ...as well as photos from the Adelaide Formula 1 Grand Prix, Clipsal 500,demolition derbies, Sprintcar racing, Autofest, Speedway City burnout competitions and so on. I have loads of old negatives and prints to scan from the 80s and 90s, plus more old photos from an uncle and late grandfather who have both been heavily involved with motorsport, cars and BMWs in particular for decades.


-Tickets, autographed memorabilia, club badges, trophies, entry passes and media passes from various motorsport events.
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/40 @ f/4.2, ISO 1600 


 Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 1600




-Photos from a personal tour of the Holden Special Vehicles factory and Holden Racing Team base workshops in 1999, plus HSV launching the new VT range at the Melbourne Crown Casino.

-Links to epic car photo threads on various automotive forums.

Over on the Pirate 4x4 message boards, there's a 197 page 'Big Dumb Loads' thread dedicated to photos of huge, ridiculous and dangerous loads being moved by cars, pickups and trucks. A lot of jaw-droppingly stupid setups to look at.
Big Dumb Loads...post your pics



-Car and truck themed birthday cards.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/50 @ f/2.8, ISO 1600 

-Photos from the original Japanese Motorsport workshop in 2000, when I really started to get into drifting and Japanese imports. This VHS 'Hard Tuned Imports' video was one of the first Japanese drift videos available that was done in English and made by Australians.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/80 @ f/2.8, ISO 800 



-Photos of my various car related knick-knacks, particularly from Pixar's 'Cars' movie, Top Gear, Hot Wheels and truck related memorabilia. Unsurprisingly 'Mack' is my favourite character from the Cars movie, he makes a good desktop background too.


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/40 @ f/2.8, ISO 800 

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/80 @ f/6.3, ISO 800 


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/80 @ f/4,5, ISO 800 


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2002
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative
 


- Photos of model car and truck kits I've built.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/160 @ f/13.0, ISO 200
Strobist info: One SB600 Speedlight at full power, fired into white umbrella to the left.


-Truckie tales; Stories from drivers I've met and talked to while doing Truckin' Life articles.
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/80 @ f/4.5, ISO 400



-Random car spotting; pictures of interesting/unusual/bad/good cars I've come across in my travels, from 1990s to present.

2003.
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative
 

2005.
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/30 @ f/5.6, ISO 200


2011.
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/160 @ f/2.8, ISO 800


-Random truck photos; pictures of trucks I've taken of the years, some as part of a magazine article, and others that just caught my attention enough for me to snap a few pics.


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/50 @ f/2.8, ISO 640




Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/320 @ f/14.0, ISO 400 


 Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 414 seconds (7 minutes) @ f/10.0, ISO 200 

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 400


-My own ‘enthusiastic’ (terrible) truck and car drawings I did as a kid when in primary school. 
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 1600 


-Paul's Pictures; one of my uncles has travelled overseas and around Australia quite extensively, and is a keen photographer as well as being right into motorbikes and cars, particularly the BMW kind.



(All photos by Paul Stoyanoff, using a Nikon D70)
 A street in Cairo, Egypt.

 Tanks in Cairo, Egypt.


 You can also see some photos from his 'Adventures of Salsa Sam' series.

 Salsa Sam waiting for a train in Stirling, South Australia.


Driving a Land Rover letterbox in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia.


 Hitching a ride on an old train in Damascus, Syria.


Riding the rails in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.


4WDing in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia.


Holding a bullet casing near Tahrir Square, Cairo, during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.


-Dean in Dubai; one of my friends is currently working in Dubai for a year, but was in Japan for a few weeks first, and has plenty of interesting car photos from his travels. This car was one of the random Japan automotive highlights- the original and very rare Skyline GT-R just sitting in traffic on the street.

(All photos by Dean Weltner, using Samsung ES15 compact digital camera.)




And a couple of more recent ones in Dubai.




-Videos of feature cars I've photographed.



-Model train layout and show photos. (Nothing pulls the ladies like a prototypically accurate representation of logging railroads in the Pacific Northwest in the 1950s, running DCC while using a 6:1 fast clock and car cards for a four hour operating session, all while wearing an engineer's hat)

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF
Exposure: 1/320 @ f/2.5, ISO 400



Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/80 @ f/3.5, ISO 800


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/100 @ f/3.5, ISO 1600
 

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/80 @ f/4.0, ISO 1600 


(It seems even plastic people have gotten caught up in the whole 'planking' craze)
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/100 @ f/3.5, ISO 1600 

Salsa Sam isn't one to miss out on a cool new trend either.
Photographer: Paul Stoyanoff
 Camera: Nikon D70
 Lens: Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR



-Actual train photos I've taken, and associated memorabilia from family trips and holidays.

Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
Exposure: 1/800 @ f/8.0, ISO 200 


Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Exposure: 1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 1600 



-My portfolio of train images I shot for the photojournalism class in photography school.

-Links to train forums, photos, threads, sites and videos. Like this series of photos and video of 'Miniatur Wunderland', a staggeringly large and detailed model train layout in Germany, which is the biggest model railway in the world. To date the display has cost over $14,000,000 in material and construction expenses. 

Even if you have no interest in model trains at all, this is still well worth a look.

http://twistedsifter.com/2011/05/miniatur-wunderland-worlds-largest-model-railway/ 







-My own model trains and attempts to build scenery, buildings and small layouts and dioramas.
 
Photographer: Rohan Phillips
Year: 2002
Camera: Canon EOS 3000 film SLR
Lens: Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6
Film: Fuji Superia 400 colour negative