PHOTOGRAPHER TURNED WINEMAKER TURNS CAMERA ON INDUSTRY 
Margaret River vigneron Rob Karri-Davies is using his former profession of photography to document the local wine industry in pictures.
Mr Karri-Davies, who owns Cowaramaup-based Cape Grace Wines with wife Karen, said winemaking and photography were both a balance of art and science.
``The magic of both happens in the dark,’’ Mr Karri-Davies said.
``The chemistry behind photography is the light on silver halides turning black and white but it all happens in the dark after the film is exposed briefly to light in the camera chamber.
``The same thing happens to wine. All the bits we don’t see inside the tanks, the barrels and bottles – they are the important parts.’’
Mr Karri-Davies spent 25 years working in Australia and South East Asia as a commercial industrial photographer. He has also worked at Olympic and Commonwealth Games and the America’s Cup.
Using a 6x6mm Hasselblad, the camera made famous by going to the Moon, and a 35mm Canon, Mr Karri-Davies said he could always find a good image in the winery or vineyard that was indicative of the work he was doing.
``I would really like to get to doing some personalities, photographing people in work situations is really challenging but want to do working shots.’’
Mr Karri-Davies has donated use of his photographs for the Margaret River Wine Industry Association’s new website, allowing the Association to pictorially promote the region.
