Many years ago, on assignment in Java for Garuda Indonesian Airways, I went to photograph silversmiths at Tom’s Silver in Jogjakarta. I saw a craftsman applying his skills to an aluminum hard hat. It seems that oil-rig workers commissioned them and, amongst others, Tom”s Silver had made them for a couple of US Presidents and at least one Pope.
I just had to have one!
After paying my $US50, spelling out my name in pencil on the back of an envelope, specifying that the design should include a Nikon and some Australian elements, I left the silversmiths to do their work. A month later the hard-hat arrived in the mail. It was fantastic! An incredible photographic artefact.
There were Australian plants, a kangaroo and an emu, flowers and animals embossed all over the hat and a map of the continent on the back, in the most flamboyant array imagineable. Of course, I only ever gathered up the nerve to wear it to parties and then only when drunk. Too Village People!
But then one day looking at it on a shelf in the studio, I came up with this promotional still life with two Nikons, I called, Industrial Self-portrait….
For the amusement of my friends here’s a shot of me modelling my chapeau:
What every well-dressed industrial photographer should wear...
Tasmanian Times
10 Comments
November 7, 2009 at 3:24 pm
A delightful story and hard hat, Rob!
Roel Loopers
November 7, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Maybe I should wear it to lunch in Perth on the 28th or would that be OTT?
November 7, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Like a I (Eye) robot. Nice picture Rob.
Guido
November 8, 2009 at 1:24 am
Thank you Guido…still not sure what particular motivation led me to see this particular picture in the way it came together; ambition? Drink? Drugs? Maybe just the sheer fun that comes from looking at the relationship between objects. In reminiscing, have resolved to wear this hat (sober) to two events in the next few weeks.
November 7, 2009 at 8:27 pm
i like the way this image is put together
November 8, 2009 at 1:31 am
Thank you, Ksevereny…sometimes things just seem to fall into place…it’s as though, as a photographer, the recognition of possibilities right under your nose is the toughest part of the job. I’m grateful that I have been fortunate enough to be in the position to recognise those possibilities occasionally. Hopefully for me, there will be more such instances.
November 8, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Yet again, great shot, great blog, and Sulyn’s post inspiring .
November 9, 2009 at 6:58 am
beautifuly indonesia…the equatorial emerald
November 9, 2009 at 10:43 am
I remember you shooting this – was always deeply envious of that hard hat! Deserves a beautiful big print.
Sim.
November 9, 2009 at 12:10 pm
There used to be a large print on the wall of John Swainstone’s office at Maxwell Photo Industries, Simon…but now they no longer handle Nikon it’s probably been “retired”.
Maybe I should do an up-to-date reshoot with a pair of digital Nikons under the helmet. The original was shon on Ilford Pan F, I think, with the Mamiya RB67 (another of Maxwell’s products at the time).