A love of photo essays.
Seeking out subjects and telling their story through images has always been an interest of mine. The publishing of these images can make them more accessible to the viewer and become, I hope a record through the lens of this time.
If you are interested in anything publishing, please contact me here.
Our Whitsundays is more than a book. It’s a celebration of who we are, our landscapes, our creativity...
RY COLLINS
Our Whitsundays
Airlie Beach • Bowen • Collinsville • Proserpine • The Islands
c2025 - 160 pages (ISBN: 978-9-69-789249-5) - NOW SELLING / VISIT ourwhitsundays.com
“From the vibrant energy of Airlie Beach to the coastal charm of Bowen, the agricultural heart of Proserpine, the proud heritage of Collinsville, and the world-renowned beauty of our islands, every town adds its own story to our shared home. Our Whitsundays is more than a book. It’s a celebration of who we are, our landscapes, our creativity, and the people whose hard work and pride make this region thrive. Whether you were born here, moved here, or visit often, Our Whitsundays invites you to be part of it."
RY COLLINS, MAYOR, WHITSUNDAY REGIONAL COUNCIL
...when the sea spits me out onto the beach and I lie, laughing, in the foam, under that big azure sky with its curlicues of creamy clouds, there’s only one thing that could perfect the experience - a surfie boy fetching me a Chiko roll...
KATHY LETTE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR, PUBERTY BLUES
Cronulla
c2024 - 144 pages (ISBN: 978-0-646-70717-4) - LIMITED COPIES / EMAIL craig@localimages.com.au
“Ninety percent of Australia’s population lives on the coast. In Craig Hempstead’s latest book Cronulla, we find out why. In an age where we are dis-informed by digitally enhanced photographs, click-bait and sound bites, Craig has brought us more of his authentic stories and photography, warts and all. He is asking us to slow down and see our lives through his lens, which for him is focused on the sense of ‘now-ness’, impermanence and change. He urges us to take the time to read these ‘real’ poems and stories.”
JAN CORNISH
Where We Live - Airlie Beach
c2016 - 156 pages (ISBN: 0-793579-747970) - SOLD OUT
“...this region, this location is more than just a place on a map. It is a place of the people, who embody the very essence of their town, their home. Friendly, engaging and would do anything for you. This book is a fitting tribute to the people of Airlie Beach and Tolita and Craig have captured their spirit superbly... ”
This book is a celebration of all the meaningful spaces we occupy.
JAN CORNISH
Where We Live - Sutherland Shire
c2014 - 144 pages (ISBN: 978-0-646-931777) - SOLD OUT
“For all of us “where we live” is a combination of choice, chance and circumstance. What we create in that space will become a house or a home simply through the decisions we make when we are there. What we make of where we live is what counts. We live in caravans, converted buses, train carriages, tree houses, log cabins, waterfront villas or wrapped in a blanket on a park bench. But a shack at Bonnie Vale can be paradise, a bus with an outside loo can be an adventure, a waterfront villa can be a party every weekend. Like most things in life, our choices can be determined by chance and circumstance. No matter the outcomes, we can’t change the world but we can change our attitude to it. Welcome to Where we Live. We hope you like it as much as we do.”
JAN CORNISH, BOOKSHOP OWNER
Cronulla
c2011 - 144 pages (ISBN: 978-0-646-562599) - SOLD OUT
“One might be forgiven for thinking that Craig finds beauty only in his local surroundings. Not true. His great collection of travel photography shows that Craig finds beauty and life not so much in the location but in the “here and now” wherever that may be. Location is not as important as capturing the essence of humanity, and the wonder of the world, which Craig has discovered is the same everywhere.”
JAN CORNISH, BOOKSHOP OWNER
Local Images
c2005 - 144 pages (ISBN: 978-0-646-458359) - SOLD OUT
“Local Images is not a book that can be produced in an instant. It contains a collection of photographs that have been gathered over 15 years. In this book Local Images, he presents a black and white study of characters and locations which in passing might belong to the mundane but through his lens are translated into extraordinary still life images.”
JAN CORNISH, BOOKSHOP OWNER
Their stories are told in Craig’s photographs, black and white images that reveal these characters in all their splendid colour.
JAN CORNISH
Blue Yonder - (design & artwork)
a journey into the heart of surf culture - James McMillan
c2005 - 156 pages (ISBN: 1-4050-3696-6) - SOLD OUT / BLUE YONDER 2 OUT SUMMER 2026
“This is the story of an everyday surfer who abruptly upped and changed his world. Jimmy McMillan grew out of the same pod as Mark Occhilupo under the considerable sway of surf-journo and raconteur, Paul Sargeant. He was another in the great swathe of Cronulla goofyfooted exponents that began with the late Peter Smith and fanned through Craig Naylor, Jim Banks, Gary Green, Alby Ross, Dog Marsh and Occy. Balanced and personable, your average bloody good bloke, Jimmy matured as a family man and missed his break. No fame-induced meltdown. No drug-addled paranoia - just level surfing life. Blue Yonder starts 15 years on. It’s a normal morning. Wakes up, takes a leak, pats the dog, makes the tea and toast, kisses the wife and kids, backs out of the driveway and heads off. Here he starts his October Revolution. He brushes work and heads north. Writing, photography, publishing, filmmaking…forget about it. Jimmy had none of the skills that morning. Yet, by simple random harvest, he soon found himself swimming in a sea of fantasy. Some years on, Blue Yonder is the remarkable story of a punter’s day trip gone wild.”
DEREK HYND
