I’m David Smeaton: photographer, teacher and doctoral researcher. I publish my photography as David The Aussie, which is the name you’ll see on the photos here and on Instagram and Threads.
Photography
I was handed a Pentax K1000 as a teenager and learned the slow way, developing and printing my own film. More than thirty years later I’m still at it. I moved to digital with a Nikon D50, wore out a D200 over the following decade, and went back to film while living in South Korea, which is when my work improved the most.
Along the way my photos have appeared in books and magazines and hung in galleries. I’ve also been hired for corporate events, private events and sport, including an Asian Champions League tournament.
Travel
I’ve been to 55 countries. Most of them came from one 18-month backpacking trip across Asia, the Middle East, northern Africa and Europe. I’ve lived in Australia, South Korea, Egypt and England. The Travel Map shows where the photos on this site were taken.
Teaching and research
I’ve been a teacher since 1998 and currently teach Media Studies. I’m also a part-time doctoral researcher at Griffith University, studying how AI can help teachers adapt lessons to individual students. My doctoral blog covers that side of things.
Cameras
These days I mostly shoot a Hasselblad X1D and a Panasonic Lumix with Leica glass. The film cameras still come out: a Leica M6, a Hasselblad 500CM and a Nikon FM2.