Photographers in Perth Australia | Sam Irwin commissioned by Jonathan Rockefeller to capture Sculptures by the Sea
- Videographer Perth | Sam Irwin Media
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 27
Recently, I had the absolute pleasure of being commissioned by the incredibly talented artist and filmmaker Jonathan Rockefeller to document his latest masterpiece, Reef Reverie.
The piece was installed for the 2026 Sculpture by the Sea exhibition right here at Cottesloe Beach in WA. It is always a treat to work on a project that combines visual art with our beautiful coastline, and this one was truly special.
If you haven't seen it, Reef Reverie is basically an imagined reef brought ashore. The sculptures are these vibrant, branching coral forms painted in brilliant, sun-drenched hues. They invite you to wander and weave through them, almost like you are a fish navigating a hidden cove.
The scope of the project was massive but incredibly fun. The brief was to create a cohesive visual record of the entire journey. We needed to capture the physical installation process, how the artwork interacts with the natural coastal environment, and the atmosphere once the exhibition opened to the public.
The end goal was to deliver a curated selection of photography and two main 60 second hero videos, plus 5 video cut downs for social media .
One video focused on the majestic, monolithic scale of the pieces in their environment, and the second highlighted the immersive, playful experience of moving between the corals.
Working on a beach always brings its own set of challenges with changing light, weather, and tides. I took a natural, unobtrusive approach to let the art speak for itself.
My goal was to create something cinematic that really emphasized the light, texture, and scale of Jonathan's work.
I started by setting up a dedicated camera to capture a complete timelapse of the construction. It is so rewarding to watch days of hard work assembling the plywood bases and metal anchors condense into a few seconds of magic. While the timelapse was running, I used my main camera on a gimbal to get smooth, sweeping video shots. I captured everything from wide architectural angles to show the relationship between the sculptures, the sand, and the sky, to tight details to pick up the pearlescent paint, the shadows, and the reflections.
Working on construction video production is one of my favorite challenges.
During the exhibition, I made several return visits at different times of the day to get the perfect environmental stills. Whether it was early morning light, dusk, or catching a surfer walking past in the background, getting shots of the sculptures from completely different angles was crucial.
The pieces look totally different depending on where you stand and how the light hits them. I even managed a full 360 degree video sweep around the installation to capture all the different fronds and colors without making them feel like they were just in a straight line.
One of the things I pride myself on is being able to work efficiently as a small team while delivering extremely high quality results. Handling the videography, photography, and timelapse capture all at once requires a lot of planning and the right gear, but it means I can keep a small footprint on site. There is no massive crew getting in the way of the installation or distracting the public.
It is just me, moving quietly around the space, adapting to the elements, and making sure we get every shot we need for the final edits and social media cuts.
It was a fantastic experience collaborating with Jonathan and his team. Seeing the final videos and photos come together to tell the story of Reef Reverie is exactly why I love what I do.
I will add a gallery of my favorite images and videos from the project below so you can experience a little bit of the reef for yourself!
Beyond large-scale art installations and video work, my core photography offering is designed for anyone looking for authentic, high-quality images without the stiff awkwardness of traditional studio sessions.
While there are many talented photographers in Perth Australia, my goal is to provide a versatile service that easily adapts to what you actually need, whether that is a relaxed family lifestyle session, dynamic event coverage, or clean brand portraits.
I offer flexible options ranging from essential two-hour shoots to comprehensive full-day coverage, making it simple to tailor the time to your project.
Every booking includes full high-resolution edited stills delivered straight to your inbox, along with all the raw files so you have complete freedom with your visuals.
It is all about giving you a seamless, stress-free experience from start to finish.
Sam Irwin | Photographers in Perth Australia
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