Photographs by Will Solis | Photographer

Photographs by Will Solis

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25.01.2022 Epic masculine expression. Yup straightforward haha. The water did have ice on it. Johannes had the idea to do this and I noticed the reflection so it was a great addition. There are more retreats upcoming in the snow hit up @johannesegberts or @breathless_expeditions... Frankly I just get A LOT out of it personally and artistically. I've been doing some really intense inner work as of late because I straight up want to reach another level of creativity and expression. I want to capture this weekend as incredibly, viscerally and raw as possible. I have films like The Revenant, Kingdom of Heaven and 300 in my mind. So watch this space. @ Snowy Mountains

24.01.2022 Swam in this natural ocean pool yesterday and got some sweet underwater footage. I'd say it's 4 metres at its deepest which is where this shot was taken. Flew the drone the day after and captured this and other shots. I had two great models @johannesegberts And @bellafuego do multiple takes with multiple shots. Thanks guys.... DJI Mavic Air 2. 48mp underexposed -0.7. Edited on my phone.

23.01.2022 Jess was just so lively during all of this. 6am, I found her in the dark and we just went for it. The sunrise was behind the trees so I improvised with my warm light. I wanted to capture an effortless grace . That's how the jewellery and outfits made me feel. I wanted you to be able to reach out and touch it. ... I have this odd relationship with products/outfits/jewellery etc. Words like "made with love" "craftmanship" "infused with positive energy" spring in to mind and I found myself captivated by them. Probably why I'm still planning shots to take with that same set up. I can see shots in my head that are like whispers in the wind. Thank you @thesattvacollectionau And @jesslips_ for making this happen.

23.01.2022 Ok last post for today. It turned to a women's empowerment day on Williams account. It's my way to decompress from editing. I shot this some months ago but knew that there would be a time in the future that I would actually post this and write about it. I can't decide which pic to put first so you're going to have to go through them all.... I was surprised by how well it all went. Just kept getting banger shots at each location. I must give credit to @tarynjlove for knowing her poses and just nailing them each time. My camera almost moved itself. I just flowed. In editing I channelled her vibe because I wanted that to come through. I was even proud of the videos I did. They actually looked like the motion pictures of the stills I was capturing. Taryn runs empowerment programs and even I felt lifted just by shooting and collaborating on this project. Haha its in her aura.

21.01.2022 Firstly I must thank @johannesegberts for being absolutely STILL for this photograph. The waterfall wasn't being gentle. We shot this because I forgot my wallet back at the inn and thought why not make the most of it and get this shot. Before this trip I hadn't had the opportunity to shoot this kind of shot. For me this is another one of a kind moment for me. I want my unique stamp on my photography.... I want to explain my "people first" mentality. Money isn't why I photograph. I photograph because I care about the people around me and in front of my camera. I wanted this memory to be caught in a way that he could look at years later with feeling. I see my skillset as a gift to give. From the heart/from feeling. That's the energy behind the shot. In a split second I made all of the technical and creative decisions. Using years of practice and experience to nail this shot. Nailing the shutterspeed to get the smooth water and 2sec self timer to minimise camera shake. However there's usually problems with shoots and the gorilla pod was being a problem. I didn't have time to stuff around so got the angle as best I could which was enough to straighten out after. I wanted to share a bit of the technical side because it's not just compose and click. It's understanding the camera so that it's an extension of oneself and to navigate it's shortcomings to deliver results. I don't usually talk about this because it's not exactly enticing but I felt it was important to highlight the work behind the camera.

21.01.2022 Been wanting to post this shot for awhile. @johannesegberts is a XPT instructor, free diving instructor and a top model. We did an @xptlife workout which surprised me by how different the load felt on my body and of course not sweating is nice. This was on the last day. Playing around in the pool and I was going for a Poseidon feel.... Sony A7III with Tamron 17-28mm, Aquatech elite II housing

20.01.2022 I feel this first shot captures the human connection for me. Being seen, being real. I was always awkward around people but something flipped when I moved to eastern suburbs and really really really focused on getting out of my shell. My life has changed a lot and I'm surprised by how much I held back out of fear I'm a big advocate for @johannesegberts work both professionally and personally. I've linked people to his breathing exercises, people often tell me about how they s...ee the pics we do down in the snow etc. It's quality stuff. So to go Newcastle and see people go through a journey. Learning about breathing and how it affects the body, different breathing techniques, training with breath holds and improving co2 tolerance. It's like realising you've been maxing out at 70km in your car when it can go 140km+ Then the ice baths. I see the equaliser in that. Some smash it like nada, some struggle, some navigate it after a bit but in the end they all came out as champions. I photograph but then I put the camera down and help people, giving them tips and just keeping an eye out incase someone is struggling big time. Anyways these pics are late but my brain is draining of stuck energy and thus it's time to post.

18.01.2022 A quick flight this morning. This is a smart HDR photo from my DJI Mavic Air 2. I wanted to capture something I imagine would be on a postcard. Using the drone for me is a way to get out of my perspective and see something different. ... I'm off to Byron Bay for the first time ever with @drkaushikram and so I'm finishing up as much work as I can here before I head up. If you want to book me my current availability is during the week until November. Sunrises are preferred but I'm up for night shots also. Finally I got a long waterproof LED light so expect some kickass underwater shots from @johannesegberts and I.

17.01.2022 Each men's retreat feels like an initiation for me, taking me through a process that proves that I'm capable of more than I ever thought. I was shaking so hard when I was on top, feeling like I was going to fall at any time and smash my head + camera. I sat on top for around 4 people to go by until my nervous system calmed down enough to proceed. Then when going down I felt this fear come up, I freaked out big time on the abseil to the point where I went back into a little bo...y. I wanted to call for my Dad to protect me. Here I am at 31 being a grown ass man and all showing what was going inside of me. It didn't even look that tall and we all did it, yet it revealed something in me that I had to face to move forward in. It's time to discharge the past, to stop having it have a hold over my present moment. I proceeded because I fully trusted the men who facilitated the expedition. I looked at Ernie's face and knew I could rely on him. I saw how much honest responsibility Lex took the whole situation. I didn't get any shots of myself because I was so locked in both emotionally and physically. Actually it was difficult for me to photograph overall because of how I was feeling. You can see me on the top in the @magneticvisiontv video. Maxi and Tomas did such a great job with it. Yet by the bottom of it I wanted to do it again, I want to use rock climbing/abseiling as a emotional release/personal development tool to further expand myself and not go into Hyper arousal or Hypo arousal state. I would have shot at the bottom of the rock but I had discharged so much stuff that the only thing I felt I could do want chill and head back to the crew. They were out there from around 11am until 8pm.

16.01.2022 Another set of shots I have marinated over for a month or so before posting. I've shared this on my story and she's posted it on hers but it's time for me to do it. This is my wonderful partner @brionypilkington . I shall tell a little story on how we connected. Neither of us had any intention to be seeing anyone. I felt it was time for Solo Willy years. Wandering through the land with camera at hand.... I wanted to be alone and as did she. Yet as we spoke at AcroYoga over time I felt like I understood what she meant by emotions stored in the body. Having been working on my own body for a number of years and having all of these emotional releases because of it I felt a different kind of connection. I felt understood and I noticed an odd parallel in our journeys. It may sound dry but to feel equal in our journeys (not logically but emotionally) coupled with everything else eventually lead us to being together. It's not just physical, emotive, intellectual, there's another element to our connection that I can't fully articulate that transcends arguments and bullshit. It's definitely brought to light the shit I have carried I am missing a lot in our story but I wanted to write this for now.

16.01.2022 I've been getting mind blanks when it comes to writing IG posts so I've begun to write them on my PC and then posting them here. This was from @buddhabar.au on Saturday night at @shufflestudio_ The fire performance was just awesome, I was closer than expected but luckily had my wide angle on to get everything in frame.... @hannah_bellydance and @bellafuego effortlessly displayed their abilities and even behind the camera I was saying "wow" and the like. I also filmed some slo-mo which you can see in my story for the next 20 hours or so. I've been listening to James Nestor (thanks Johannes) on JRE and he brought up Tummo and how the Yogis would focus on developing their inner fire. It was super insightful. Seemed fitting after witnessing the fire and flames from Saturday. It's just such a wonder really. I went for a look that I imagined I would draw if someone asked me to recreate what I had seen. Shot on the Sony A7III and Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 @ Shuffle Studio

13.01.2022 Our trip up to Byron was a strange one on so many levels. The moment I got out of the car I felt like I had stepped into a different level. I get it now. I get the hype. I was torn between documenting extensively and simply enjoying the moment. Thus I shot less than usual simply because I was enjoying myself extensively. I missed a lot of shots. Dolphins, Whales, Wallaby, starry night skies, daybreak and blue light for example. Not to mention the VORTEX dinner where we all co...llectively entered a laughing state beyond explanation and the staff just being crazy singing in the kitchen "This is Byron" as I kept being told. They all went by me but I didn't feel bummed although I did try. It simply felt like it wasn't meant to be this time. Alas I am posting these shots. You may have seen these on my story but I thought I'd write. This farm was just....beautiful. I saw my first platypus! It was too quick for the camera. I'll talk about the farm trip details later. Briony and I had been talking about ending up in Byron for our Healing Centre eventually but now I want it to occur much sooner. Just....wow This is the Smart HDR RAW shot from my DJI Mavic Air 2. The sensor is still small and I had to do more denoising than I anticipating even at base 100 ISO. The other shots are little moments in between :) I intentionally went experimental with framing even if it looked bad. I would NEVER do dutch angle normally. I can sense a recalibration in me where having the camera doesn't remove me from the moment as much. I discharged so much of rejection as a child today. Afterwards my breathwork this afternoon was a lot of extreme thunderstorms and lightning electrifying and exploding my inner world as the split in my creativity has been keeping me stuck for too long. I saw myself talking to a massive shark deep deep in the depths of the ocean (becoming comfortable in the ocean). I saw myself speaking to Hercules on Pegasus in the Sky (gaining confidence flying the drone), finally I saw myself speaking to a Spanish Stallion with Lion claws (going past blocks capturing from the land). I will go back up. Probably to move...

12.01.2022 Short video over Bronte. I've been flying the drone to change up perspective. My personal challenge is post daily what feels right.... Still looking out for whales and dolphins. I'll get em. DJI Mavic Air 2. D-Cinelike colour graded in DaVinci Resolve. The program is free btw for PC and Mac since I get asked what programs I use.

12.01.2022 Australian Snow. I wasn't going to post this just yet but bugger it I just feel like it. The weather changed so much. It was quite astounding.... Being out here shows me the different ways that nature is beautiful. Sony A7III with Tamron 17-28mm and 28-75mm I'm going down again soon. Will you join me? @ Guthega, Kosciusko National Park

11.01.2022 This was Saturday morning at @breathless_expeditions men's retreat. I noticed the contrast between the vibrant warm coloured sky and the frosty cold land. I shot this from the dining room at @matterhorn_lodge_perisher. I normally shoot wide for landscapes but I really wanted to zoom in and focus on this.... One thing I've noticed is the taste of the air from the snow compared to the ocean. Sony A7III with Tamron 17-28mm and 70-180mm 2.8. I gotta thank @johannesegberts for making this dream a reality. Also the Norse gods. @ Matterhorn Lodge Perisher Australia

11.01.2022 Bronte is my favourite beach. I swim first thing in the mornjng then shoot because the cold water is like a second coffee. It activates my body. I shoot a lot from my action camera underwater. Just to mix up land air and sea. So as I was warming up I pull out the camera and someone points out the seals in the distance. I take shots with my zoom but I'm not liking how it looks.... Ive low-key been enjoying the drone and taking it with me everywhere so I took it for a spin. There was another 2 drones in the sky so I allowed them to finish before I went up. I really like this shot. I would have gotten closer but I was concerned about birds and waves hitting my drone. I shot this at 48mp and cropped in. Ill also post the short video I made. I've been discharging the freeze state I would go into when video editing. Getting into flow state homies! Anyways DJI Mavic Air 2. Edited on my phone.

10.01.2022 I'm finally back in civilization and doing A Lot of computer and internet work. In between all the editing, I was going through pics for my website and found myself just reliving @daybreakersyd Oh wow we were SO together. Like agh the good vibes was just radiating. I was lifted and carried by a beautiful wave of energy.... Got up 4am and the closer I got to the location, the more pumped up I got and agh it was just wonderful. Yoga at dawn was just so fresh. I literally can feel it now. The birds flew by. The sun rose and warmed the Earth. We meditated, connected to the present moment with gratitude. Then we had snacks and I ate like I was going to burn some serious calories Had delicious cacao by @wearesacred the chilli just touched me on so many levels and definitely lifted me up wholly. It is my personal favourite flavour for sure. Then the music started and it was just so uplifting. The singing, DJing, drumming, saxophone. My body still remembers it. That was the peak of the energy. After that we went into a circle and I loved seeing everyones faces, then we sat and gave gratitude and I was AMAZED that it was 9am or something. I felt I had already lived a whole day I remember driving home feeling buzzed, vibrating energy through my body, but also this calm grounded thanks for what I had experienced. Needless to say I was extremely grateful for what I do for my job. I wrote far more than expected and all from feeling. I honestly can't wait for the next one. Thanks @kristenmarconi And @hilariouslyhealthy for making this happen @ Centennial Parklands

10.01.2022 @dancingjogi posted this recently and it clicked in my mind to do the same. Sometimes during photographing and editing that I get lost in the process and it takes me a bit of time away from the pics to then fully appreciate and understand what I've done. I first met Saba at Buddhabar and she helped me unlock me expressing myself through dance. I danced like a dolphin, snake etc and it clicked into place.... Finally we just had a great time this morning Sony A7III with Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 @ Coogee Beach

09.01.2022 I'm finding it difficult to decide which photos I want to share. Which ones to put first. So here are 10 shots that Ive chosen so far. We laughed, we cried, we powered through the cold and shared a beautiful experience... There were times during meals I would just stop, be present, watch the connections and just smile. I can still see them playing in my mind in slo-motion. It's kind of funny because the weather was such a contrast to the uplift and warmth I felt from the group. We stayed in Guthega this time and that first morning going outside and seeing the snow covered land was just wow..wow wow wow. I put myself out there beyond a photographer. I wanted to give and receive. I wanted to feel the hearts of the people who were there. I'm so grateful for the experience. I could have gone for 5 days to a week. @ Guthega, Kosciusko National Park

09.01.2022 This was fun because I felt I was shooting for an editorial about working out of the office and living in a van. @property.advisor.gary is incredibly organised. I was honestly amazed how aligned things were. Also I know I wanted to live in a bus at one point and it was like walking into a dream becoming a reality but also realising the practical truth of maintaining it. Also I forget how much my camera has connected me with such a variety of people.... In my 5 year plan I wrote how I wanted to use my camera on a global scale to shine a light on subjects or people that I find interesting or want to spread awareness of and I can imagine some people would be interested to see something like this. Sony A7III with Tamron 17-28mm and 28-75mm @ Maroubra Coastal Walk

09.01.2022 The Men's circle was a sacred experience. As a man I didn't realise how much I need to go through this myself at this level. At some points I put my camera down to be in the moment. From such a young age I had so many intensely shit experiences with guys that I should have felt safe with, that I emotionally withdrew and it has stayed with me since. Even when I got older when I'd get together with a group of guys I'd still be disconnected because I had not fully let go from t...hose previous situations. Craig, @johannesegberts @garth.brewin and @lex.reilly held a space that gave us permission to just let it all out. I understand "secret men's business" and "secret women's business" differently. It's why I'm only showing and speaking generally to honour the men and the sacred moments we shared. The entire weekend was a transition and initiation into another level of masculinity for me and it took me the week after to recover from it. I had plans to be more active but I was just flat afterwards. It's not one and done though. It was a large step forward on a much bigger journey. Sony A7III with Tamron 17-28mm and 28-75mm F2.8 @ Sponars Chalet

06.01.2022 I wanted this shot to be first because it was quite difficult to do but also unique for me. Climbing and abseiling in the dark. This is a long exposure hand held while freezing cold and I had the incredibly patient @johannesegberts Waiting for me with a team of 10 guys.... I was far too cold to switch to my ultra wide so shot this at 28mm. I got enough of the ground and sky in the frame to give context. It was a beautiful clear night. The guys made a fire without a lighter/fire starter etc which was amazing. I loved how the fire trees contrasted to the moon. It's funny to just post such a small section of that day but the retreat had so many moments I could talk about. Thanks to Johannes, @lex.reilly @joshua.potter146 and @ernieclimbs for making it safe. I have another post to come that I will expand more on my personal journey with the abseiling and how you guys made it possible. @breathless_expeditions @ Perisher, Jindabyne Shot on Sony A7III with Tamron 28-75mm. Yeh I'll probably get the A7IV if it has the 16000 iso gain that the A7SIII got.

05.01.2022 My vision for this shot was bringing to life a Mayan/Egyptian/Aztec rock carving. Side on, distinct poses. Their outfits were perfect. Editing I went for that golden skin look. Like high temple priestesses. ... One creative problem in photography for me is that it's a still frame. Maybe it's my freeze state in creativity but I wanted to you to feel the aliveness around it. Feel the forward motion moving from this frame. Anyways this was from the last @buddhabar.au we are back on this Saturday. I have my own special discount code because I'm me.

04.01.2022 I posted this on my story but thought I'd do a legit post. Probably gonna be a long one folks. @cheekycoconuts , @shenoafox and I went for a chill drive. I wasn't expecting much but I brought my full set up just incase. Yeh it turned out pretty damn well! A very fun quick shoot When I photograph I am thinking "people first" because I enjoy connecting with humans (anyone's who's received bodywork from me knows that haha)... I decided to share this shot at first just because I wanted to talk about how it makes me feel. I always attempt to infuse into the frame how I felt in that slice of time. Flashing moments of peace, connection, serenity. Sounds like a bunch of airy fairy stuff but due to my inner work practice I have sometimes reached a state of vibrant presence when even touching grass or a tree has such incredible sensation feedback that I ain't thinking about anything else. Just me and the trees Lorax style. Anyways I've included some other serious shots from the shoot because I enjoy experiencing a range of emotions. So long farewell auf wiedersehen goodbye! @ Thredbo

04.01.2022 I was in Coogee with my partner and saw some people doing Acro. I then noticed a familiar outfit and of course they were from Acrojams haha. I literally turned up right before they attempted this lift. Divine timing it seems. It's been like 7 months and frankly it's been difficult to be away from such a great community. I didn't have my camera and I shot this on my phone but I knew I'd get the shot I wanted within the phone's abilities. I thought I'd reshoot this with my big ...camera but I wanted to post something today. Check out the other shots, Ani shot the pics of me and seeing the cliff edge upside down tripped me out. I knew I was safe because Freddy is such a great base. #frednoinsta @anieli_laurenzoni

03.01.2022 Bronte captured on the DJI Mavic Air 2

03.01.2022 I was asked about the shoots I do so I'm going through and posting from each one. @daniella.davidson contacted me and we all got up for sunrise, my challenge was to capture someone I never met and get them immediately comfortable with me. Thanks to @tarynjlove for just being a flat out champion behind the scenes. I'll be posting about the photoshoot I did with her some time ago. As a man, I tap into a feminine energy (seemingly easily) and allow that to come through shoots w...ith females. Also I've been greatly inspired by @v_m_media who sees shapes and light so well on in her shots. I felt this first shot really captures that essence for me. I want their CHARACTER to come through. Also Coogee Pavilion is such a pretty location. They didn't bother us which I was eternally grateful for. Daniella offers one on one intuitive counselling sessions where she breaks you from family cycles/trauma adopted in childhood, increases your self worth and self love and helps you rewrite a new story for your life - leaving you feeling confident, lighter and empowered. Book her now.

01.01.2022 Ok finally posting these shots, you've probably already seen it on @brii.f and @emmawilk1 pages but I'm pretty slow with posting. One of the biggest problems I have is that I have so many shots to share from so many shoots that I almost get overwhelmed with what to share. Sony A7III with Tamron 17-28mm and 28-75mm 2.8 zooms.... Thanks. @ Coogee Beach