Carmen arrives at the DIVA Awards in 2008

Sad news today that Sydney (via New Zealand) transgender icon Carmen Rupe passed away aged 75.

Carmen in her bedroom

I met her several times over the years while photographing for Time Out.

The most memorable was an afternoon i spent with her and writer Angus Fontaine in her small Surry Hills apartment. She spoke at length about her amazing life, born as Trevor in a sleepy New Zealand town, a stint in the army, a move to Sydney, prostitution, time in jail, a career as a drag performer in Kings Cross’s 60′s heyday and a fulltime switch to life as a woman.

Her home was a shrine to her fabulous life. Every inch of the place decked with mementos. I feel awfully sad for the poor soul faced with the grim task of pulling it all down.

Carmen's bathroom and me in the mirror

From Carmen's scrapbook

Before she was Carmen she was Trevor

Carmen's front door bell

Mother

The wall of Carmen's living room

Carmen at Stonewall

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Here’s some photos from a brief shoot i had on Friday with famous New York transexual Amanda Lepore for Time Out Sydney. Amanda was in town to launch a new gay club night.

This was a pretty intimidating and exciting shoot for me, not because of Amanda Lepore per se, but for the fact that she was/is David LaChapelle‘s muse and subject of so many of his photographs.

While i don’t ape his style, it was discovering his work over ten years ago that first made me open my eyes to how amazing photography could be and planted the seeds of my obsession with the craft.

With Amanda i just had a brief window of time to shoot after an interview and it had to be done at the Sheraton on the Park where she was staying.

I’ve shot there before and know the walls are pretty bland, so in a technique i picked up from Cybele, i brought my own wall in the form of some strips of vintage wallpaper.

It’s a simple thing, but adds more character to a shot than a plain cream wall.

Those shots were over so quick there was a bit more time to move into a corner with a grand piano for some more pictures.

There was also some spherical lamps which were cool looking, so i got her to hold one for a couple of frames.

It was all done in about 10 minutes.

Update (7/11/09)

Amanda Lepore backstage at Disgraceland before performing

And here’s some photos of Amanda Lepore performing at the launch of Saturday F*cking Night at Disgraceland on Oxford St.

Hundreds of sweaty gay men clamour for a look at Amanda Lepore

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Maxi Shield

For the 3rd year in a row i photographed the red carpet of Sydney’s drag industry awards, the DIVA’s on Monday night for Time Out Sydney.

The awards were held at The Bourbon in Kings Cross and although pretty much anything goes in Kings Cross, there were still loads of tourists stopped in their tracks, gobsmacked at the gaggle of outrageous drag performers on the street.

Dallas Dellaforce

Drag artists are always great fun to shoot. They love having their picture taken and (mostly) look amazing, dolled up to the max with elaborate make up and outfits.

See more, including the list of winners at Time Out Sydney.

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Yesterday was an interesting photo shoot at Flinders Bar for a story in the Gay and Lesbian section of Time Out Sydney.

It starred three footballers from the Sydney Rangers Football Club and two gentleman from the Harbour City Bears.

The Rangers are Sydney’s first gay soccer club and the Harbour City Bears are a social club for hairy gay men.

They’re joining forces to throw a fundraising party for the football club on August 22nd at Manacle.

It was a quick and casual shoot, starting in the Flinders bathrooms, with the boys gradually removing more clothes.

Just another day in the office.

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