The day I've been waiting for!

November 29, 2022

Morning my friends,

Hope that you are well. Personally, I'm super pumped!

Today is a day I've been waiting for, for a loooooong time and it's got nothing to do with the sunrise (although it was stunning). This update is a bit more personal.

As you know Morning Bondi has always been a passion project for me. My day job is helping brands succeed on Social Media.

For the past 13 years (almost as long as I've been in Australia), I've worked for multiple agencies across Sydney, leading the social strategy work for some of the biggest brands (eg. Netflix, Toyota, Procter & Gamble, BIG W, SunRice, Novartis...) across many different industries.

Now, after months of planning with my business partner Mary, I'm proud to announce the official launch of our own Social Media Agency called 'bread'. 🍞

I won't turn this into a sales pitch, but if you are ever looking for the best social media agency in Sydney* get in touch. You know where to find me. ;)

Follow our journey on your preferred social channel below. Or even better, follow along on all of them:

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | LINKEDIN | TIKTOK

Thanks for your support, lots of love as always. Wish us luck!

🍞🚀

Xoxo

Amo

PS: For all the new Morning Bondi followers, I promise I rarely do these types of posts but today is pretty spesh so I had to.

*Self-proclaimed at this stage!

Rising like a loaf of **bread** - it must be a sign!

Icebergs taken with my 'real estate lens'

All smile at the Conscious Community ice baths

Strip off for skin cancer

November 28, 2022

Morning my friends,

Hope you are all well and had a great weekend.

This morning was looking pretty grey and uninspiring so no photos but because I don’t want to let you down, here are some of the photos from Saturday morning special installation.

Some of you would have seen them already on Instagram but for the others here there are. I also included a few more.

On Saturday morning from 4 am onwards, more than 3,000+ people took off their clothes to raise awareness of skin cancer and champion early detection.

My mate Scott (aka jimmyniggles) from Skin Check Champions teamed up with the incredible artist and top guy Spencer Tunick to host a special installation down on the beach.

These photos don't give justice to the incredible show that it was. I'm glad to have played a very minor role in the organisation, just helping Spencer and Scott find the perfect angles for the shoot. My favourite ones are obviously taken not too far from ‘Morning Bondi HQ’ (platform above South Bondi public toilets), plus the sun came right on time.

I can't wait to see Spencer's photos and congratulations to all the people that were down there. You should all be very proud of yourselves! It was freezing cold at dawn. 🥶💪🏼🏆

Please note that I had full media accreditation and respected the rules around the shoot ie. featuring at least 100 people in the foreground of the shot. No close-up shots.

Enjoy the photos and please respect the privacy of these brave souls,

Cheers,

Amaury

Spencer Tunick and Scott Maggs - the legends behind this art installation

Scott Maggs, you can be proud of yourself mate!

The sun arrived at the right time, taken next to Morning Bondi HQ

Spencer Tunick, thanking all the participants and calling out for all the people affected by melanoma or skin cancer

Swim time - the beach was open to nudity up to 7:30am

f r i y a y

November 25, 2022

Morning beautiful people,

What a cracker of a morning!

The light, the temperatures, the happy people all around and it’s Friday after all… best day of the week!

Once again, I chased the light and the crowds, starting in South Bondi at sunrise and going all the way to North Bondi to see my favourite groups of people: the Bondi Salties, the Friday Swim Club, Knoxy and his training crew and all the Clubbies.

That's enough gibberish for this morning. Enjoy the photos and see you down tomorrow bright and early for the Spencer Tunick X Skin Check Champions 🍑 shoot,

Have a fabulous weekend peeps,

Amo

Dion Horstmans, post Kettlebell Maniacs workout

Colourful swimwear + Icebergs freshly painted = Perfect Combo

The rush to the showers and coffee shop is real...

Mayhem

November 24, 2022

Morning gang,

How’s everyone today?

Today was just pure chaos with an incredible light all throughout the morning. It started with some epic pink clouds, followed by an incredible haze and golden light.

Waves were massive and washing out the entire beach. What a show to witness my friends!

Enough talking, here are the photos. Once again I got carried away and took way too many…

Enjoy the photos and I hope it’s not going to be like this on Saturday morning for the Spencer Tunick and Skin Check Champions nude installation as the 3,500+ people registered so far will end up on top of each other in no time. I guess that could create an epic photo though?!

BOOM!

Amo

Reboot Camp by Bondi Meditation is getting BIG!

The Icebergs was meant to get a fresh coat of paint - not today!

Trying to find a safe spot to swim? Not today!

Dilemma

November 23, 2022

Morning my friends,

How’s everyone feeling this morning? Frenchies must be frothing but Aussies must feel defeated.

I was asked earlier this morning if I was going to support France or Australia. Being half French/half Australian (13 years that I call Australia home with an Aussie passport for the past 8 years), I had the dilemma of picking a team. Let’s put it that way, I was for the winning team regardless of if it was going to be ‘Les Bleus’ or the ‘Socceroos’. To be honest, I never watch football but only follow the World Cup.

This morning, I was down the beach from 5:30 till 6ish just so that I could watch the match at home with my daughter - she surprisingly loved it. The sunrise was a cracker, I was again with my mate Simon taking photos and went for a quick dip before heading home. Stunning morning, again!

Have a lovely day my friends and chat with you tomorrow,

Amaury for the Frenchies 🇫🇷 and Amo for the Aussies. 🇦🇺

The Icebergs is getting a fresh coat of paint as we speak - much needed

The new Bondi Pav is looking ridiculously good at sunrise

Brrrr

November 22, 2022

Morning my friends,

This morning was just a bit chilly…

I woke up way too early again (5 am) and ventured down to Morning Bondi HQ (above public toilets South Bondi - I know pretty sexy spot). Simon and Uge joined and we had an important board meeting to talk about all things camera gear and other very important stuff.

After last night's workout session, I was too sore to exercise so I just concentrated on the photos. I have to say the guys from VRTUS are bloody good, they make me discover new muscles that I didn’t even know I had in the first instance.

The surf was pretty big and the usual crew was down there. The shorey was gnarly but well worth going in. It felt warmer inside than outside.

Have a fantastic day my friends and stay warm,

Cheerio,

Amo

The naughty corner (that simple but probably my favourite shot of the day)

Inception (Simon Davidson and Eugene Tan)

Before 6am - waiting for the Icebergs to open

Samantha Ellinson, my next door neighbour

Praying for not getting slammed dunk by the gnarly shorey

Standing perfectly still, she was just perfect.

That's the gnarly shorey that I'm talking about...

Early birds get the worms

November 21, 2022

Morning gang,

Hope you all had a great weekend.

This morning, the show started real early. It was just magnificent but you had to be down there before 5:30am. Don't worry, if you slept in, that's what I'm here for.

Incredible sunrise, with some epic pink and orange colours - well worth the 5am alarm clock.

Then a tiny bit of exercise with the training crew down at the bars in North Bondi - just enough to say that I trained and then more photos.

Now I have a massive smile on my face and ready to start the week with a BANG.

Have a wonderful week my friends,

BOOM!

Amaury

One day I will live here so that I can just rock-up from bed and start shooting

Simon Davidson on Morning Bondi HQ (yeah, it used to be a pin on Foursquare!)

No camera gear got wet while taking this shot

You can tell that Christmas is around the corner 🎅🏼🤶🏼. Order your Morning Bondi prints asap. ;)

BamBam, the most talented hat maker of the East

North action

November 18, 2022

Morning crew,

What a Friday!

I started my morning in South Bondi and ended up going all the way to the North, chasing the good light and mist. It didn’t disappoint at all. I reckon on Friday, North Bondi is where it’s at… So many people, training at the bars or on the beach, walking along the promenade, playing on the sand and swimming.

I reckon North Bondi might be where I end up going every Friday.

Tomorrow 440, who’s in? 5 am in Bronte for 10 laps of the parking lot. See you there bright and way too early!

Have a wonderful day and a cracking weekend my friends,

Cheerio,

Amo

The 'Friday Swim Club' with their new matchy swimsuit

Walter Kennard, this guy is always a good laugh

Bronte Bliss

November 16, 2022

Morning gang,

Hope you’re all well.

This morning, for a change, I ventured down to Bronte to take some shots and I gotta say, after Bondi, Bronte is probably my second favourite spot. Glamourama is up there too but Bronte with the pool and morning vibe got to be #2.

I spent my entire morning around the pool chatting with a few people and snapping shots.

Last week, I gave a talk about the Power of Images vs Words on Social. Morning Bondi was the main topic of conversation and one of the questions that came up was if people were interested in my daily write-up. I have no idea. I’d like to think that people come for the photos but stay for the daily blurb. Do you care or should I just post photos without anything? Weigh in below.

Gracias,

Amaury (pronounced just like that, not Amore or Anne-Marie)

Playing staring competition with this guy

Crackin'

November 15, 2022

Morning gang,

How’s everyone? Better than yesterday? I’m certainly better. Sunshine is back - that simple!

After two training sessions yesterday, one with the usual morning crew and another one at VRTUS last night, I was too tired and sore this morning to do anything else than photos, coffee and dip in the ocean.

The whole Conscious Community was there doing meditation and ice bath right on the beach. Good group!

As I got carried away taking way too many photos and I’m running a bit behind, I might not start another monologue, enjoy the photos.

Bonne journée! (as we say in French for “enjoy your day!”)

Amaury

Bird’s-eye view (Favourite shot of the day - not taken with a drone, proper quality)

First one at the icebergs (doors were opened early)

Perfect condition for another 'First in, first ripples'

Post-ice bath, the ocean must feel super warm

VRTUS, one of the best gyms in Bondi, if not THE best

BOOM!

November 11, 2022

Morning my friends,

What a morning, that’s the type of Friday that we like!

I ventured down early as I didn’t want to miss another sunrise, like I did yesterday. I was there before the sunrise and spent the majority of my morning chatting with Alex, a fellow photographer.

From Morning Bondi HQ (above the public toilets in South Bondi - super glam!), then Icebergs and down the beach - heaps of happy people all around making the most of their mornings.

Hope you had a good one,

Cheers,

Amaury aka Amo

Kelvin Ho, one of the best architects in town.

Colourful swimmers + Icebergs = perfect combo

Alex, best real estate photographer in town. If you want to see his side of the photo, **here you go**

Raise your hand if you are excited about today!

Stellar morning!

November 9, 2022

Morning my friends,

Another morning, another cracker…

This morning, for a change of scenery, I ventured down to Bronte Beach for a swim and coffee catch-up with my good mate Colin. The sunrise was pretty special, especially the reflection on the water was out of this world.

Then, back in Bondi at The Bondi Pavilion to see a gigantic rainbow sand sculpture to mark 100 days until Sydney WorldPride 2023. It’s made entirely from sand and measures almost 7ft tall and 13ft wide, making it the largest known sculpture of its kind. It represents the powerful universal symbol of pride for the LGBTQIA+ community. It will be at the Bondi Pavilion Forecourt from sunrise to sunset. Go and check it out. Get ready people as Sydney WorldPride is going to be big - Mardi Gras on steroids. 🪩🏳️‍🌈🎉

Have a lovely day,

Xoxo

Amo

Bronte Pool, is free and almost as good as the Bondi Icebergs

The one and only Zachary Pittas - if you want to know more about what's to come, he's your guy.

Splendid Tuesday

November 8, 2022

Morning my friends,

Hope you are all well. I’m certainly pumped at the moment. The reason number uno? The weather, that simple.

This morning was another good one. Too tired to train after a double fitness session yesterday, yes that’s right, I’m a machine! (jokes). I just concentrated on what I do best: photos, coffee and tea bag in the ocean - I don’t think I need to explain that last bit.

Here are the photos, hope you like them.

A domani,

Amo

Dion, Murray and Scotty - Triple Trouble!

Wallace Eggleton, setting up the beach for the day

Saturday is the new Monday

November 6, 2022

Morning team,

How good was the weekend!

I know what you might be thinking, this blog title makes no sense whatsoever and guess what you are right. It’s not the first time that I write nonsense. I usually blame my French but this time it’s deliberate though.

Long story short, I have an early meeting in the city today and I knew I wouldn’t have time to do my usual routine. I still went down the beach but prioritised my fitness this time. With the excellent weather around, I need to get rid of the winter dad bad pronto…

Have a lovely week and if you were on the beach on Saturday, chances are that you might see yourselves in the photos.

Ciao,

Amo

Fun fact: I used to be a Bondi Lifesaver a few years ago.

Dan Bilzerian is in Sydney (if you don’t know who’s Dan, please don’t Google at work)

The guys in yellow and red with the guys in blue

My little assistant. Morning Bondi’s future is bright, she will be able to take over…

Full house

November 4, 2022

Morning team,

Happy Friday, as people say.

This morning was just incredible, I started in South Bondi, around the Bergs and finished all the way North to see the Bondi Salties in action.

For once, I took my ‘real estate lens’, by this I mean my wide angle - you know the lens that makes a broom cupboard look like a mansion.

Anyway, it was the right day for it as without it I wouldn’t have been able to take a photo of the Bondi Salties gang. What a turnout! Congrats to Henry Meagher and Frank Vargas for this incredible initiative, you guys should be very proud of yourselves! I almost wanted to dive in with my Speedos (just joking about that bit, I don’t wear d*ck stickers, it doesn’t go well with my dad bod)

Have a cracking Friday and a beautiful weekend,

Yew!

Amo

Trent Knox, aka Knoxy, the co-founder of the 440

Taken with my real estate lens, it makes Bondi looks twice the size.

Fist bumps, high fives, bum taps and sweaty hugs - that's what you train for.

How many people on this photo. Place your bet my friends!

Henry Meagher, the man behind Bondi Salties

What a cracker!

November 3, 2022

Morning gang,

How’s everyone today? I feel much better than the past few days - a bonus!

I still used my man flu excuse to avoid training and concentrate on the photos, coffee and a quick dip in the ocean, nothing that salt water can’t cure.

It was amazing down there, with a few people making the most of this gorgeous morning. Here are the photos, hope you like them.

BOOM!

Amo

First swimmer of the day (that I've seen at least)

Sunrise reflection on the water is always special

BOSS Swim Squad led by the one and only Talbot Henry

What I was meant to do this morning... but escape because of my sickness!

Surf in Bondi they say, it's gonna be fun!

Damn, I should have joined, it looks like they were having fun....

Bright & Late

November 2, 2022

Morning my friends,

Hope you are all well.

My apologies for the radio silence yesterday but woke up a bit sick and spend the entire day resting - no Covid though, thank god.

This morning, I slept in a little and ventured down to the beach around 7am, an hour later than usual. It was very quiet down there, probably due to Melbourne Cup sore heads and the light fresh wind.

I just went for a walk around the Bergs with a coffee in one hand and my camera in the other.

Have a wonderful day my friends and chat tomorrow, hopefully,

Amaury

The water clarity is out of this world, I would have seen the shark on a day like this...

Sharky 🦈

October 31, 2022

Morning gang,

Hope you’ve all had a great weekend. How good was the weather!

By now, you’ve all seen the footage of me on Friday morning swimming South Bondi with a wobbegong shark getting real close. And, no I haven’t seen it, I was too busy looking up at the drone and taking photos instead of looking down. I will know better next time. Epic footage by the Drone Shark App guys.

This morning was eventless, I think. I guess, I will never be too sure how far a shark is from me now.

Trained with the gang at the bars in North Bondi, then photos, swim, coffee… Love this routine!

Have a wonderful week my friends and chat with you tomorrow,

Cheerio,

Amo

The training group is getting big. Pre-workout, you should see us after, a lot more sweaty. Good photobombing skills by Ian Purchas.

You would spot a shark from up there... I guess?!

15,000 words

October 28, 2022

Morning team,

Another morning, another cracker… Beach was packed!

For a change, I went for a swim with my water housing and took again way too many photos. Therefore, instead of the usual blabla that I’m sure no one reads anyway. Here are 15 photos As they say a picture is worth a thousand words so here are 15,000 for you!

Enjoy your weekend my friends,

Ciaoooooo

Amo

PS: Today is the last day to enter the incredible giveaway that I have organised with the legends at Bondi Liquor Co - get tagging my friends!

Only a few people down there this morning

The Icebergs is pretty amazing from all angles

Rob Harcourt, again. Two days in a row... Consider yourself lucky mate!

Late update

October 27, 2022

Morning my friends,

My apologies for the late update but a sun-sational morning and an early meeting is never a good combo.

This morning was just unreal, heaps of people all around making the most of it and I skipped the entire training bit to just concentrate on the photos, chit chat with locals, swim and coffee - to be honest, what I do best.

Below are seventeen photos for you to look at. Yes, I got carried away again and took way too many…

If tomorrow is as nice as this morning, I might hit the water with my water housing. See you in the surf!

Cheerio,

Amaury

Sunrise hits differently in South Bondi, hence why you will always find me here in the morning

Love seeing these guys! Bondi Meditation has been running that Reboot Camp for years. Good on you mate!

Joel Adler's disco ball is pretty spectacular 🪩

Ski training at sunrise must be pretty special. You just need to be careful not to be seen as **shark bait**.

Theo Gupta, great chat this morning mate!

Les archives. Another day, another rainy day… As I could see it was not raining, I ventured down much later than usual, around 6:45 am. I just arrived and a light drizzle started. What are the chances?! I joined my mates for a quick dip in the ocean and coffee at Chapter One (my unofficial gallery, they have five of my prints on the wall). Still worth going out, if you ask me… Have a great day my friends and stay warm as it’s a bit nippy at the moment. Ciao, Amo PS: I’m going camping this weekend with a bunch of mates but pretty sure I don’t have the right equipment to cope with the cold. I only have a summer sleeping bag… It’s going to be fun, they say. 🤦🏽‍♂️🥶

Rainy days. Do you know what rainy days mean? It means archive days. Here are photos from the past couple of months, most of them were my second favourite ones so you wouldn’t have seen them before. As you know, I love doing my Morning Bondi routine but it actually takes so much time. I’m talking about the photo bit especially. At the moment, I take photos from 6:30ish when the sun is up for roughly 30-40 minutes, then selection of the good photos for 20 mins, light edit the best ones for 10 mins, then write the morning blurb for 3-5 mins (I tend not to overthink this, as you can tell), then upload of each individual photos on the blog for 10 minutes, then newsletter for 5 minutes, then Instagram for 3 minutes, Facebook 3 minutes and Instagram Story 3 minutes. Basically, around 1.5 hours on average. So yes sometimes, I’m glad when it’s raining as I’m saving so much time. Have a beautiful day, despite the weather, and chat with you tomorrow, Xoxo Amo

Golden Sea. Slow start this morning, it was pretty average unless you could wait up to 8am (I couldn’t) to see the sun popping out behind the curtain of clouds. It was all about the golden reflection of the hidden sun on the water. Gold 24-carat for a few minutes. I don’t have much to tell you today except that if you live locally and love ‘Shark Tank’ TV show, you will love the local version of it. It’s called the Bondi Innovation Shark Tank organised by the @bondichamber and it’s next Wednesday at @hotelravesis You can find all the deets in the media release and book your tickets on the blog. I’m going with my awesome business partner Mary Proulx and supporting Sam Cust, one of the sharks (I think that’s what we call them). If you come down, let’s have a beer and break bread (what I love the most about our business name is that the puns are endless). I loaf you! (see) Amo

Nothing to worry about, it's just a tornado off North Bondi, ... 🌪️😲 I took this photo this morning around 9:30 am. I was shooting with @versefinejewellery in South Bondi when we saw this waterspout tornado coming out of nowhere. Scary much? Look closely and you can see the person around Ben Buckler's cliffs running for his life... That's all folks!

Pure Heaven. What another beautiful start to the day! While yesterday was all about big waves, today was all about the mad reflo on the sand - absolutely stunning. I was sitting just next to Morning Bondi HQ and was snapping like a maniac. Have a cracking weekend and subscribe to the newsletter if you want to see the photos earlier in the day - new Morning Bondi formula. ;) Xoxo Amo

Bombastic. OMG, what an incredible morning! It's a very late update as I had a pretty busy day and didn't have a chance to post before now. The newsletter was out around 10am though, so subscribe to it if you want to see the photos before everyone else. It was honestly one of the best mornings we've had for a little while. The light, the waves and the surfers braving the waves. Xoxo Amo

Low-tide goodness. What a stunning morning! Today was all about the low-tide gold reflection. It was just the perfect conditions for photos. The problem, only a few people out including two metal hunters. I was with fellow Frenchy @dianeperreau all morning. I reckon she’s the most popular French person in Sydney. So many people are stopping her every morning to have a chat and take a selfie with her. Have a lovely day my friends, Ciao, Amo

Into the wild. What a cracker of a morning! For a change of scenery, I ventured down to Bronte this morning. I reckon I made the right choice, it was just an incredible show. I was with my mate @paolocattaneophoto for the entire morning and we were just looking at the waves rolling in. Bronte Pool was the best place in da house. If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen the very rare video of me talking to the camera. With @bread_agency, my agency, I recently started working with the team from @in2thewild.aus, the best tiny houses business around. In order to have a better understanding of the experience, the client kindly invited me to go for a couple of days with my wife and daughter. Real legends, best onboarding! The whole experience was amazing - especially for someone like me that is pretty hyperactive. I just ‘re-wilded’ for two days. Even though the network was working where we were, I put my phone in airplane mode the whole weekend and made the most of the experience. The tiny house was kitted with all the things that you need, all the products in there are premium and sourced from ethical brands. Let’s be honest the firepit and outdoor bath were the highlights for me. I would highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you are like me and struggle to switch off. They are running a Winter Campaign which is all about swapping your usual beach days for days in the wild. You can book one of the 46 cabins all around Australia using the link in my Stories to get up to 20% off this winter OR alternatively try your luck entering the simple giveaway that they are organising on their Insta. You can thank me later! Xoxo Amo

Monday Madness. This is a very late update compared to usual but busy day today. This morning was just nuts down the beach. I only took a few photos before having to rush to an early meeting in the city. The swell should still be here tomorrow, so go and have a look if you can. Xoxo Amo

FriYay. How’s everyone today? After two days in Melbs (Melbourne for the hipsters), I’m back in the hood. What a morning! Incredible light, the surf was ON and the Icebergs was packed - perfect for photo ops. This morning I caught up with my mate Ben, a fellow Frenchy that I haven’t seen for years. We hung out around the Bergs and finished with a swim in South Bondi - how original. Enjoy your weekends my friends. Mine is going to be pretty epic. I’m going into the wild, literally. That’s right, I’m going to one of @in2thewild.aus’s tiny houses. More on this subject later. Stay tuned people! Have a cracking weekend, Lots of love, Amo

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