From movie sets and his commercial studio, to the wilds of Mongolia and the ocean in his backyard, Olympus is the perfect fit for Lachlan Moore. [Olympus Promotion]
If there’s one thing Olympus Visionary and busy commercial photographer Lachlan Moore really loves, it’s pulling on a wetsuit, snugging his Olympus E-M5 Mark II into a PT-EP13 underwater case and wading into the chilly waters along the shores of Victoria’s Phillip Island on a sparkling winter morning.
Moore, who divides his time between his Melbourne photography studio and family life along the coast said he’d dabbled with waterproof housings on commercial jobs in the past, including on one memorable occasion when he photographed swimmer Michael Klim. ‘It was sensational fun, however that was it for water housings until my relationship with Olympus began ““ which coincided nicely with me moving from inner city Melbourne to Phillip Island. The water is now at my doorstep and we are in it every chance we get. It’s wonderful to be able to shoot from a different perspective. It really challenges you and allows you to learn your craft all over again.’
As fans of his Instagram feed (onemoore_insta) know, Moore is an endlessly inventive photographer both in the water and out. Asked if he looks for particular angles when he’s shooting with his Olympus housing he says ‘when you’re out there, the ocean, its conditions and the sun, along with the subject, dictate the angles. I prefer not to set too many boundaries as it’s the random shots you’ve thought less about that are generally the most interesting. Having said that, if you’re shooting surfing or the like then, yes it’s important to have more of a plan so as not to come unstuck.’
Of course great water photography still depends on rock solid gear. ‘The Olympus system is straightforward, affordable, robust and works well,’ says Moore. ‘The Olympus underwater housings are less bulky than their competitors and the usability is intuitively resolved. Coupled with the awesome E-M5 Mark II at its heart, it is a perfect match. Its fast autofocus system, customisable buttons and fast shoot rates are so awesome in a watery environment. I’ve set mine to C-AF with a back button focus so I can track my subject with ease. The system is compact and it travels to the beach every time I get in ““ just in case.’
Describing himself as a relatively recent convert to the Olympus system, Moore said of his first encounter with an OM-D E-M1, ‘It was a revelation! I’d never used a Micro 4/3 camera system before. I felt like I knew it back to front by the end of the first day ““ and it just felt right.’
As someone who spends a fair amount of time photographing actors on movie sets, he says ‘It’s a different look and feel to a full frame DSLR and, to be honest, the look really suited my style. I enjoy a cinematic look to my images, so the Micro 4/3 aesthetic works for me. It looks far less threatening than a big DSLR. I find I can be much stealthier when using the Olympus. I am now capturing moments that I would have previously missed.’
‘I was an advertising photographer before I was a motion stills photographer,’ said Moore. ‘So my ad background influenced my motion stills style and then in turn my motion stills style has now influenced my other work. I suppose I am forever evolving, which all creatives naturally do I guess.
‘Life on set as a stills photographer is a very specialised skill ““ more than I ever imagined before I began doing it. Shooting on set has rules and protocols that need to be adhered to and it’s almost the polar opposite to shooting ad work. Rather than the photographer being front and centre on an ad shoot, you need to be stealthy on set. It’s very rewarding and I have been given some amazing opportunities to meet and photograph some incredible talent.’
Whether it’s capturing a key moment on a movie set, photographing a startling landscape in Mongolia or turning an ocean swim into a memorable image, Lachlan Moore says, ‘I am all about light. It sounds kind of silly, but light excites me. Be it on a film set or in studio or on location shooting, if the light’s not right, then the shot can’t work. As a photographer one of the most valuable skills I have gained is being able to see light. Its intricacies and its incredible and powerful qualities.’