Studio Notes - June 2026

Hello and welcome to the first edition of Studio Notes.

I've been wanting to create a space where I can share what I'm working on, what I'm thinking about creatively, and some of the people, events and communities that make Melbourne's kink scene such an interesting place to photograph.

The first half of this year has been focused on getting back into making work consistently. I've spent a lot of time photographing around pup play, experimenting with different approaches to portraiture, lighting and colour while thinking about where I want to take those images next.

It's been a fun process of slowly discovering what I'm personally drawn to in pup and fetish imagery and how that translates into my own work. I wanted to focus on pups specifically because pup play has become such a formative part of my kink identity over the past few years as Pup Kaiden that it's now inseparable from how I experience and engage with the community.

To give you an idea of how that's going I want to share a photo from a recent shoot, as well as a couple shots from some other projects I've worked on that have been a lot of fun.

Featured Work

Much of my work over the past year has centred around leather culture, which I still love photographing. Lately though, I've found myself drawn toward the colour, humour and playfulness that exists within pup communities, and I've been exploring how that energy translates into my photography.

So who better to turn to than my fellow pups for inspiration? It helps when you have a partner that is also a pup and is happy when I decide to rope him into modelling for my ideas (sometimes literally). In this case Storm had recently bought himself an outfit from the New Zealand based brand Becocky and had asked if I could get some nice shots of him wearing it, the leash and puppy cage was my idea though. I couldn't resist!

Last year I had the pleasure of helping BB and the men behind the sexy Tom's Hide Out events develop their promotional images. I mean, how could I say no? A dozen gorgeous leathermen in full bluff in a room that I get to photograph, sign me up! Not to mention the event itself was a wonderful community initiative to raise money for queer upskiling and support.

I love how Melbourne venues often hide some gems inside its venues. Walking into Wheat, Wine & Whiskey you wouldn't immediately think they host a sex positive techno club night run by Buff events. Not only was this my first time checking out 'Delinquent' as an event but also my first time working with them as a photographer to capture moments from the night. Suffice to say I had a blast being able to pup out in my gear and take photos at the same time!

Current Projects & Updates

My focus on pup imagery over the past few months has been great not only for my own creative drive, but also as a way to explore and refine my photographic style. In addition, it has also led to a really cool art project in the works that I'm excited to announce likely in the next big update, so stay tuned!

I've also been putting some travel plans in place for later this year. I'll be heading back to Berlin for Folsom 2026 and have been given the opportunity to photograph the Adam opening party, which I'm incredibly excited about. It's shaping up to be a fantastic event and a great chance to continue building connections internationally.

Opportunities to work together

I'm currently taking bookings for portrait sessions, creative collaborations and event coverage in Melbourne. If you've been thinking about creating something together, I'd love to hear from you.

Looking Ahead

I can scarcely believe it's already June, frankly I'd only just wrapped my brain around March, but here we are. I'm planning on using the Winter months to keep building out my portfolio with new images, while quietly working away on the aforementioned art project with the aim of having that ready towards the end of the year. Until then I have a few fun gigs to plan for over the next few months alongside my regular work.

Closing note

For those who are new here, I'm Rob Crerar(a.k.a Pup Kaiden), a Melbourne-based photographer working within queer, kink and fetish communities, creating portraits, event coverage and creative projects.

Thanks for taking the time to read about what's been happening lately and supporting my work. I really do appreciate it!

My plan is to send Studio Notes quarterly, sharing new work, projects and reflections from whatever I've been photographing and exploring at the time.

That said, I suspect I'll have some news about the art project before the next edition lands, so subscribers will be the first to hear about it.

Until then, signing off

Rob/Pup Kaiden