About
Just a creative spirit who's finding freedom!
Based in Launceston, Tasmania currently, I would definately say I am a free creative spirit, with a passion for what I do. I have never been that one, who has always known what path to walk on and have tried many things to find that one thing that would feel right - like you just know you were meant to do it. But I have always known, I wanted to do something creative and wasn't destined for what seemed 'normal'. It has led to hesitation in my life. It hasn't always brough positive attention, and recently I came to the revelation that maybe I am not where I wanted to be, because I am not the person I am meant to be. I held back - don't make the same mistake I did. You do you.
So think of this as a re-introduction. Hi. I am Sam aka Sam Hain Winchester. I am that person, who helps others where I can, but also I am attracted to darker things. Aside from the below, I 'm into horror and definately a hard rock metal fan. I don't believe in labels and placing people in boxes. Yes, I have tattoos and they all mean something to me. If you are looking for a good tattoo artist based in Launceston, I do recommend Lucas Lockwood. He has some mad talent.
I do have a sense of humor and my friends will tell you, I am blunt and down to earth. I am a little old school but not in a bad way. Occasionally I will drop a 'naughty' word..
Photography
I love photography, because it's about capturing a moment, a memory, one that can never be perfectly repeated. Photography is more than just capturing a nice looking photo, it's about the story behind it and as a photographer, that brings the most joy, for me.
I also love the challenge of digital restoration, because it is the chance to bring something thought lost to time, back again. It is always a pleasure when I can successfully do this. I enjoy bringing joy to others.
Award wise, I have won quite a few awards through View Bug. I really love this community because they are incredibly supportive.
Some photographers that have inspired me are Danny Clinch, Manny Cabo and Joseph Zuzula (aka Bokuwahyde).
One of my favorite books is Danny Clinch Still Moving. The foreword is by Bruce Springsteen and it has an amazing collection of Danny Clinch's photography. He's photography is definately a form of art.
Manny Cabo, is not only an amazing photographer, but also a very talented musician. I had the pleasure of hiring him for a photoshoot many years back for a friend of mine. The shots definately captured the essence of what we were going for. Again, he is another photographer with a great eye.
Joseph Zuzula (aka Bokuwahyde) is also another talented individual, not only with a camera, but damn he can play a mean guitar. No Silence is actually one of my favorite bands. Definately worth checking him out. Hyde Photography.
Music
Back in the day, I wanted to be a musician. When I was studying Audio Engineering, I found out that I had lost some of my hearing. I was 18 at the time and wasn't sure how bad it would get, so I made the decision to branch onto other paths. Luckily, it hasn't gotten worse over the years. My music teacher, Bruce Evans was a major inspiration in this area and someone I will forever be grateful for and never forget.
These days, I would call myself an armature musician still with a lot to learn. I still love playing the guitar and singing. I will probably never do a live show, (stage frights a b**ch) but I have started posting my music to YouTube and other Social Networks. Lonely Drifter is on YouTube and if you are a musician and want to do your own version of Lonely Drifter, your welcome to. Just tag me, because I'd love to see what you do with it. I just really like to play music. I also do sound effects.
Some of my favorite bands are No Silence, Disturbed, Amorphis, Line So Thin, Linkin Park and Falling in Reverse. Honestly it depends what mood I am in to who I listen to. I just don't do old classical or teeny bopper stuff...
Film
I love making films - although they do tend to be darker. Something I will probably never make is a chick flick - unless there is some form of horror element. My passion is horror and thriller. I do everything from writing, producing, casting, acting, everything pre-production to post-production. You can find some short films on my YouTube channel. One day I would like to make a silent film and play around with that.
In 2017, I did shoot a horror, Mary - The Untold Story and was close to finishing when one of the actors passed away and out of respect, I did not finish the project. I do plan on reshooting it one day.
I am a definate Wes Craven, RL Stine, Jeff VanderMeer and John Carpenter fan. Also love the classic horror films.
Writing
I also love to write and I would not say just one genre either. I do a range of writing. I have ghost written quite a few novels. I have written everything from Poetry, to horror, to action, to song lyrics and non-fiction. I would say I tend to write whatever I feel like at the time.
My English teacher Mrs. Stuart and Ms. Thornton definately inspired me to go down this path. Ms. Thornton was really the first teacher to notice I wasn't interested in what was being presented for reading material in the class. Instead of following the path of past teachers, reprimanding me for disengagement, she actually went out of her way, to include pieces I would be interested in. This including quite a bit of Mythology and darker reads. I remember some of my favorite books being Taronga by Victor Keller, The Tales of Ulysses, Medusa and The Devils Own by Debera Lisson which is based around the shipwreck Batavia.
Mrs Stewart, also taught Japanese. I will say these days I am completely rusty - sorry. But she was also a great English teacher. I was that weird one in the class writing horror and murder mysteries, filled with detailed murder scenes and plot twists. Again instead of taking a negative root, she nurtured and was always seeking growth. She really pushed me to write what was inside and about what I knew. It was in her class, I actually started what is now Sarah - The Past is Far From Dead. Although, the Sarah Trilogy is fictional, the emotion behind it isn't.
In my college years, it was Mrs. Stewart who gave me the conviction to stand up the my Creative Writing teacher and not be so passive. He was really set in his ways and genres. One of our marked tasks, was to write a fiction chapter with certain guidelines. It was at this time I decided to expand on Sarah - The Past Is Far From Dead. The bones were there. She just needed some flesh. Anyway, I did the chapter and submitted it. The next day, he gets me to stay behind and hands it back to me. He said it wasn't his cup of tea, so I needed to rewrite it. He didn't do crime horrors. I was actually quite annoyed he did this. I knew it met the guidelines of the assignment, so I handed it back to him and said no. As s a writer, I wasn't willing to compromise and I knew it met the assignment. He did end up marking it and I passed with high achievements.
I have continued to write over the years, and have few manuscripts I am working on at present.
Graphic Design
Originally I did try studying interior design, but I got bored, and there started my journey into graphic design. What I love about graphic design is that no project is the same. I am self taught. I didn't actually sit my qualification until 2020 and passed at 98.2%. I am just that type of person that has to learn now and doesn't like to wait. I do continue to build my skill set around this, and plan on branching out into illustration and possibly animation.
End Note
On a end note, I just want to say thank you for reading this far. I can be a bit of a rambler. I am always happy to answer any questions you have so please feel free to reach out via my contact page, email or socials. Take care all.