Photographs, especially those taken while on holiday, are often regarded as a person’s most treasured mementoes; snapshots that immortalise happy and significant events and times, and tell tales of fantastic adventures.
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For Orange freelance photographer Scott Gilbank, such images certainly conjure up stories with significant depth.
From 1994 to 2007, Scott was based in Jakarta, Indonesia, working as a freelance photographer.
A collection of images from this time currently graces the walls of Orange Regional Gallery as part of his exhibition, Around The World In 4745 Days.
While on an adventure in Africa or hidden away on an idyllic island in the Pacific, Scott has explored the world many times over to capture images for highly prolific fashion, lifestyle and cigarette advertising campaigns, many of which were worth several hundreds of thousands of dollars.
As a good photographer, Scott Gilbank is always polite and ready to make you smile, but the story of the man behind the camera is somewhat different.
With more than two million frequent flyer points, and “a passport as thick as a ladies’ wallet”, a tidal wave of sentiment didn’t sweep the weary traveller away while reflecting on his journeys.
Scott said the relentless pressure to capture a perfect image to a strict time schedule was a constant reminder that his passion was also an occupation.
“I always had to work at it. I’m more fortunate than lucky to do this as a profession,” Scott said.
“I haven’t been on holiday for 13 years.”
On a typical work day, Scott would be up at 3.30am to work a 15-hour day, and then it was either time to hit the road or prepare for the same again the next day.
During this time, the longest consecutive stint of time off he had was nine weeks.
It was not uncommon for him to visit five countries in a week or have an average three days off after seven weeks on the job.
While taking these “holiday snaps” he has risking his health and livelihood.
Once on location in Indonesia in 2000, Scott contracted typhoid fever.
Not able to rearrange work commitments, he rested briefly before flying to Los Angeles and then onto Seattle for another photo shoot.
After this, he returned to Australia.
Another time he suffered from severe dehydration while in Africa.
“There’s no time for travel sickness, you have to operate on another level,” he said.
Sweet-talking airport security guards was often the only way Scott could ensure his precious film rolls weren’t damaged during x-ray screening.
“The jobs may have been big, but with this came big responsibilities. You had to deliver the images, there were no excuses,” he said.
Landing such lucrative deals has come at a cost to Scott’s personal life.
“Friendships are tough, and relationships even tougher. There are mobile phones and the internet but nobody wants to communicate with a machine to stay in touch for such a long space of time,” he said.
Now the custodian of the historic ‘Mena’ homestead, Scott has settled for less hustle, even the added luxury of hopping aboard his ride-on mover and taking time to smell the roses.
“Having a routine is a treat for me,” he said. “And it’s nice to have my own postcode.”
Settling for now has also given him a chance to reflect and focus on his adventures and share his stories with Around The World in 4745 Days.
The exhibition is on show until March 22.
