Bryan Sun · Walking with Giants

Melbourne sculptor Jonas Ropponen, as captured by photographer Bryan Sun for his ongoing portrait project, Walking with Giants.

Melbourne sculptor Jonas Ropponen, as captured by photographer Bryan Sun for his ongoing portrait project, Walking with Giants.

Melbourne vintage / furniture dealer Guy Mathews, as captured by photographer Bryan Sun for Walking with Giants.

Painter Emily Ferretti, captured by Bryan Sun.

If you thought I was doing a good job of documenting talented creative Australians on TDF, then you really have to check out Walking with Giants - the wonderful photo project of young Melbourne-based photographer Bryan Sun. I'm always in awe of anyone who can take a beautiful photographic portrait - it's harder than you think!  Making someone feel comfortable in front of the camera, and capturing something honest and real about them is a very fine art.  I am usually hopeless at it... I get all nervous and flustered, which only encourages extreme self consciousness in whoever I am trying to photograph!  Bryan Sun, on the other hand, seems to have it totally sussed (and he's only 23!).  Bryan's shots are relaxed and beautiful, and he seeks out such an interesting mix of spaces and subjects from all walks of life. Walking with Giants began as a experiment for Bryan, a project which would test and hone his portraiture skills.  Soon enough he became quite obsessed with seeking out ever more interesting subjects - the project recently took him on a 6 week trip to the US, where he met and photographed a bunch of amazing artists in New York, LA and San Francisco.  Now back on home soil, his blog is filling up again with more local talent... recent portraits include sculptor Jonas Ropponen, painter Emily Ferretti, jeweller Vikki Kassioras, and artist Peter Atkins. Bryan publishes only one or two portraits from each shoot, usually accompanied with a succinct sentence or two describing his personal impressions of the subject or the space.  (Be sure to read Bryan's anecdote accompanying the Peter Atkins shoot... priceless!). Nice work Bryan!  I don't know you but you are totally killing it.

Anna Varendorff as captured by Bryan Sun.