One business that refuses to lie down and succumb to the COVID threat is ready to bounce back with regional Victoria opening up.
Focal Point in North Geelong has been making adjustments and reinvigorating itself during the temporary shutdown and is set to reopen with new services and greater appeal to Geelong’s photographers.
The business owner, Craig Watson – who is known to his customers and friends alike as ‘Watto” – got busy during lockdown.
“I took advantage of the first shutdown to build a photography studio”, he says. “I hadn’t originally planned to have a studio, but we had the space and the equipment, and the opportunity was too good to pass up.”
The studio is the latest element of the business, which services film and digital photographers across the Geelong region and is a finalist in this year’s Geelong Business Excellence Awards.
Launched as recently as February 2019, Focal Point has quickly established itself as the go-to place in the Geelong area for photography, with a public-access darkroom, a shop selling film, darkroom supplies and used photography equipment, plus a huge gallery dedicated to presenting some unique and exciting exhibitions for Geelong locals and visitors.
“We’ve got the largest and best-equipped public-access darkroom in Australia, Geelong’s only fully equipped studio for hire with an ‘infinity wall’, and galleries that total almost 250 square meters”, Watto explains.
“We also have a library with more than 700 books on photography. Basically, it’s a hub for local photographers to come and create, as well as celebrate great photography.
“We have some fantastic exhibitions coming up, including the Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Awards Exhibition in November-December and the Masters of Australian Photojournalism in January to start 2021 with a bang.
“I’m also working on a unique exhibition about the Antarctic that will take your breath away. That will be later in 2021. And we regularly hold exhibitions of local photographers’ work, including landscapes, portraits, fine-art and street photography.”
The gallery is currently showing a retrospective of Watson’s own work from more than 30 years as a professional photographer. It covers a wide range of subjects, from news and sport to portraits, landscapes and events.
Focal Point Photography Studio, Darkroom & Gallery, 46 Douro Street, North Geelong. Currently opens 10am-5pm Friday-Sunday; from mid-October 10am-5pm Wednesday-Sunday. Inquiries: 4222 8359 or www.focalpointdarkroomgallery.com.au
