At AUD$1500 a day per person, plus expenses, it’s expensive employing models for a tourism shoot, however, having talent to photograph when you’re on assignment can make the outcome up to 80% more productive – both in quantity and quality. While I have completed many assignments in PNG, this is the first where I travelled with a couple who were available to stand in front of the camera whenever I needed them. They had won a competition and were given a free holiday in Papua New Guinea in return for making themselves available for the shoot. The brief: To capture travelers engaging happily with PNG’s local culture, with an emphasis on activities including cycling and kayaking. As you can see from the picture below and the preview from the shoot (http://www.kirklandphotos.goinglive.com.au/download/ireland/), there is no way I could have captured these image randomly. Successful travel photography in the South Pacific is 95% planning and 5% pressing the button. Having talent – amateur or professional – can make a world of difference.