Echuca, Victoria. Australia
 

G'day

I moved to Echuca in 1994 and was the chief photographer at the Echuca Riverine Herald newspaper. Prior to this I ran a bureau for News Limited - the Daily Telegraph, and was chief photosnapper at the Parkes, NSW paper.

I turned professional in 1982 and learnt the news trade the hard way: in the field, building up a trusting relationship with the local emergency services. Indeed, at my wedding, my guests were from the local Police, Fire and Ambulance services.

In 2001, I decided to expand my business to cover video, and I have been supplying WIN News Victoria, and National Nine News Melbourne with news vision for the past five years.

The video side of the business has accelerated to the point where I rarely pick up a Nikon, and am usually seen behind a Sony broadcast news camera.

On a community side of things, I joined the NSW State Emergency Services as a kid, and became 2IC Comms for the Moree (NSW) SES until I moved to the central west of NSW and later further south with various Road Accident Rescue units.

In 1995 I joined the Echuca Moama Search and Rescue Squad as a search diver and road accident rescue worker, and ended up being their secretary treasurer as well as one of the blokes working the Holmatro Jaws.... and going for dives in the black water of the Murray River looking for missing people.

In late 2003 I decided to take a loooong holiday from the paperwork and moved over to St John Ambulance where I am an Advanced Life Support Ambulance volunteer.

Thats about it..
Cheers,
Ben

www.benlongden.com

G'day Ben

Regardless of how good a cameraman you are - anyone in the emergency services is a legend in my book.

Welcome to DVinfo, it's a great resource

"All The Rivers Run" country.

Welcome to dvinfo.


Totally off-topic, I played the theme on the riverbank on an old Settimio Soprani accordion there as a tourist in 1994 a few years after it was broadcast.