By Danielle Davey
For 10 years, official photographer David Cook has captured every location of Channel 9’s The Block. This season, however, had personal significance. When contestants downed tools for the day, David packed away his camera and hit the water. His post-shift swim at Moondah Beach became a ritual after each shoot, bringing back memories of growing up in Mount Eliza.
As a former student of Kunyung Primary, he was already familiar with the secluded beach situated beneath the clifftop school. “Some mornings, before heading into class, Mum would take me and my two brothers down there for a swim,” he says. The boys were also members of the Mount Eliza Sea Scouts, training off Canadian Bay.
David’s parents were actively involved in the community: his mum was a respected member of the Chamber of Commerce and a Scout leader; his dad coached the school’s Little Athletics team. His mother’s death when he was 12 prompted the family to move, but David’s Peninsula upbringing nurtured a lifelong passion for the surf.
In his teen years, he toyed with the idea of becoming an ocean photographer. That interest was soon diverted when he became fascinated with Harold ‘Doc’ Edgerton, a revolutionary photographer famous for freezing fast motion, such as hummingbirds mid-flight.
A degree in Scientific Photography at RMIT allowed David to explore high-speed imaging, leading to his first job as a photography lab intern at the Victorian Forensic Science Centre.
After the internship, he took a gap year in Europe that turned into three. In a true ‘sliding doors’ moment, his father missed passing on a message while he was away: the centre had phoned offering him a permanent role. Blissfully unaware of the job offer, David continued his travels, sending his career on a completely different trajectory on his return.
Being in the right place at the right time is the hallmark of a good photographer, and that certainly applies to David. Back from overseas, he was dabbling in event photography when a publicist friend contacted him with an urgent request: Channel 7 needed some promo shots of Ernie Dingo. The quality of his images so impressed the network, it offered him a full-time gig.
David has now been involved in the TV industry for more than 20 years, working as an official photographer on programs including City Homicide, Deal or No Deal, MasterChef, Dancing With The Stars and Lego Masters. His longest affiliation, however, is with The Block at Channel 9.
Although his current work is far removed from his degree in high-speed scientific photography, it’s David’s ability to capture moments during the blur of action that sets him apart as an exceptional on-set photographer. He often has only seconds to photograph a staged shot between takes, or snap a fleeting expression in a candid moment.
Keeping a low profile, he raises the profile of others. Now that he’s stepped out from behind the camera, you can stay updated with David’s work on Instagram @photocookiesgram
