My job is to go from place to place all around the University campus and meet amazing people, doing amazing things.
In the 10 years I have been coming to Macquarie, I estimate I have photographed at least 2000 people. There are days when I have shot a whole department of 150 people. I come here about once a week, 50-odd times a year.
A thousand words: Photographer Jesse Taylor, pictured, captures the impact of our community through portrait shots that tell Macquarie's diverse stories.
It’s got to the point now where I can’t walk across campus without waving to someone I have photographed, which is always really nice. I do feel part of this community.
One of my privileges is that I am able to go into rooms and interesting spaces that not everyone has access to. It might be a ministerial visit, a behind-the-scenes moment with a famous guest speaker or restricted labs where people are at the cutting edge of research.
It's an honour to get a front row seat for so many of the incredible projects going on here. I've also been in a theatre at the hospital recently shooting pioneering robotic surgery procedures. (Luckily I grew up on a farm so I am not squeamish). It's really fascinating watching surgeons at work.
It's almost impossible to pick a favourite photo, but I did love the results of a portrait series we did in the run up to the 2020 Olympics. There were quite a few students at Macquarie who were in the running for the Australian team - divers, swimmers, hurdlers and a paralympian.
It was really interesting talking to the students about how they prepare and how they fit their studies into a demanding training schedule. I really enjoy doing that sort of creative work where you bring in the special lighting and can create a mood and a feeling.
Often people don’t say anything but I can see they don’t want to be photographed, so I like to be friendly and have a chat when we first meet to help them relax.
I love shooting people at work whatever that work may be. It can be people in offices, laboratories, engineering workshops, the hospital or the museum. I specialise in capturing what they do and how they fit into the community. I really love trying to capture that in a single image. You can communicate so much in a photograph if it is well executed.
I did not start life as a photographer. I graduated with an English and Philosophy degree in the UK and had no idea what I was going to do. So I did a Business Studies for arts graduates' course. I ended up working for Glaxo Smith Kline and then did Accounting.
Memorable moments: Jesse counts capturing Tokyo Olympics gold medallist and Macquarie student, swimmer Cate Campbell (pictured), as one of his favourite opportunities in recent times.
After six years I wanted a change and convinced the boss to give me a sabbatical and I went travelling. I wound up here in Australia and decided to move here in 2008.
I did courses at the Australian Centre for Photography, and some study at the College of Fine Arts in Paddington and also reached out to many photographers to work as an assistant so I could learn as much as possible. I shot sport, weddings, corporate events – anything and everything – and that’s how I got introduced to Macquarie through those connections.
Every day I try to reassure people and put them at ease about being photographed. A lot of people don't like it but know they have to do it to promote their work or an event or some other aspect of student and staff life. Often people don’t say anything, but I can see they don’t want to be photographed, so I like to be friendly and have a chat when we first meet to help them relax.
Sometimes I directly ask people what they don’t want to see in the picture – a lot of people say their double chin!
