18th October, 2026
We talk a lot in the photography world about the opportunities travel work, where you jump on a plane and gather incredible stories, seeing the sights and getting paid all the while (pretty sweet deal, really). But over the years, I’ve found that there is something just as cool about your camera pulling you deeper into your own backyard. Local jobs have a great way of pushing you out of your daily bubble and dropping you into spaces you wouldn’t normally hang out in.
Case in point: a quick drive down the road to the University of Wollongong for the Master Builders Association (MBA) NSW Southern Regions Building Awards.
Handing over a photography gig to someone you haven’t hired before takes a bit of trust. Whether you’re booking family portraits or bringing someone in for a massive regional awards night, there’s always that little leap of faith. So I was absolutely chuffed when organisers reached out about the MBA awards, and I knew it would be a fun and interesting time for me.
I’ll be the first to admit I don’t usually spend my Saturday nights in a room packed with tradies, but that’s what makes jobs like these so fun. You get a front-row seat to admire people who are absolute masters at a craft you don’t normally think about, or get to see up close.
Highlights from Behind the Lens
Even though I’ve stepped inside the uni hall a dozen times, I was absolutely enamored with the setup for this event.
Red Carpet Energy: Setting up at the red carpet out front was a blast. Everyone was dressed up, buzzing with anticipation, and genuinely excited to get their photos taken.
Spotlighting the Builds: Watching the winning projects hit the big screen was awesome. Seeing photos of the insane homes and builds created right here in our region made it super obvious how much these wins meant to everyone in the room.
Great decor: The team organised a fun disco ball setup that immediately stole my attention. I spent way too much time experimenting with how the light bounced around the room as the night went on. I just thought it was beautiful.
A huge shout-out to the organisers, who were absolute dream hosts. They sent over reference shots ahead of time so we were on the exact same page, built a real break into my schedule, and even saved me a hot meal. If you shoot events, you know how rare and appreciated that is!
A PSA for My Photographer Friends: The Dreaded SD Card Jump-Scare
I can’t share this recap without mentioning the brief heart attack I had after getting home: replace your favorite SD cards every couple of years!
When I sat down to offload the night’s files, my go-to card threw a fatal error, and for five minutes, I thought I’d lost the entire shoot. I managed to recover every single file, but those few minutes of sheer terror aged me a decade. Learn from my mistake and retire your old cards before they test your heart rate!
Kind Words & Event Galleries
To cap off a fantastic night, the team left this thoughtful review:
Congrats again to all the winners and nominees! If you want to check out the full set, you can view the complete galleries over on Flickr.
ADD GALLERY
