The Wet ‘n’ Windy Visit of Cyclone ‘Jasper’ …

… it’s raining heavily as I pen this … it is the ‘wet’ season after all … but nothing like the utterly torrential rains that Cyclone Jasper brought to Cairns and the far north in mid December.

Although the actual cyclone was somewhat lower on the scale as cyclones go … the rains that followed in Jasper’s wake were the most intense seen up here in many decades.

Breaking most of the very long standing rainfall records, metres high flooding and massive landslides caused absolute havoc … and as usual it’s my sometimes challenging job to cover the happenings photographically. As a freelance this gets a little complicated as the phone runs a little hot from calls from news publications and the ‘wires’ (news agencies).

Over the course of Jasper’s journey across the Coral Sea, it’s approach and crossing of the far north coast and it’s impact and aftermath thereafter … I found myself working for all of AAP (Australian Associated Press), AFP (Agence France Presse), NCA Newswire … and News Ltd. The images I made over the initial couple of weeks of turmoil were syndicated and published around the planet … some turning up in places and publications that I had no idea existed.

Jaspers effect on far north Queensland was massive. The Cairns northern beach suburbs of Holloways, Machans and Yorkeys Knob were inundated with metres of flood water … many residents escaping to their rooftops and eventual chopper rescue. Indigenous townships further north were so badly flooded that entire communities were evacuated. At least one was swept to their death. Metres of rain eroded mountains and caused numerous massive landslides that crushed buildings, covered main roads and changed the landscape … and that’s just part of the story.

Here’s links to just over a handful of the many publications where my work turned up over the cyclone event … The Arkansas Democrat Daily – USA, The Peninsula – Qatar, The Hindustan Times – India, The New Straits Times – Malaysia, RNZ – New Zealand, France 24, International – The News – Pakistan, Kuwait Times … and The Augusta-Margaret River Mail – WA Australia. They were scores more around the planet.

There’s a selection of my Jasper images (so far) below and here are short details of each for context … from top … as follows … 1. The Sanders family watch Jasper roll in across the Coral Sea at Holloways Beach … 2. Linda Applbee sits on the saturated contents stripped from their flooded Holloways Beach home … 3. Two Pictures on the wall … Steven and Caroline Cheng survey the flooding in their house of 38 years at Holloways Beach … 4. Evacuated residents leave the flooded Barron River bridge Cairns to return to their Holloways beach home … 5. Evacuated residents reunite with rescued family members at the Barron River Bridge Cairns … 6. (left) A discharged patient awaits outside the Emergency Department of Cairns Hospital behind a line of sand bags … (right) Tree surgeon Brice Stienstra removes a felled tree from Muddies Playground on the Cairns Esplanade … 7. (left) Rattled … Inundated ‘Rattle ‘n’ Hum’ bar on the Esplanade at Palm Cove as Jasper closes in … (right) 11 year old Cairns resident Jaxon Andrews tends to a cyclone battered and drenched white cockatoo … 8. (left) Ergon electrician Justin Pitts prepares to fix a power line victim of Jasper … (right) Motorists traverse flooded Cairns streets during torrential rains … 9. A massive tree snapped by Jasper on the Cairns Esplanade.

The first image of the waves at Holloways Beach turned up full TV screen whilst watching CNN … and the fourth image, made at the Barron River bridge in Cairns, was one of 23 images selected in the ‘Australia’s Best Agency Photography for 2023’ collection published by The Guardian. Nice …

Covering Jasper certainly wasn’t uneventful … my favourite lens became a victim of saturation … and I managed to fracture a vertebrae in a fall … minor stuff … and I’ve a feeling Jasper’s story isn’t quite over yet …

Images © Brian Cassey, AAP, AFP, NCANewswire

Clarion Awards … Thank You Neal Family of Yarrabah …

… a great night at the Queensland Clarion Awards in Brisbane on the weekend.

The ‘Clarions’ are the annual awards for Queenslands media fraternity hosted my the MEAA (Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance) and, in their own words, “recognise excellence, independence, innovation and originality in storytelling and distinctive reporting. This can be through research and investigations, well-crafted and innovative presentations, news-breaking single stories or features, and engaging, entertaining and/or informative reporting.” (They also recognise the work of us ‘photographers’ too 😉 !)

Was very happy to be the recipient of both the major photography awards … ‘Best News Photograph’ for “Voices –  100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” … and … ‘Best Photographic Essay’ for “The Voice – Alf Neal OAM at 100”. Gratifyingly, it’s the third year in a row that I’ve been selected as winner of the Best Essay … puts the pressure on somewhat for next year.

I must greatly sincerely thank the Neal family of Yarrabah for allowing me to document the last days of the wonderful and distinguished legend and gentleman that was Alf ‘Popeye’ Neal OAM (in particular the help from Alf’s son Percy … Thank You Percy). I’ve written much on Alf’s life here previously

I hope I have given a wonderful man the respect (and memories for his family) that he deserves. Miss you Alf.

It was also very nice to read the comments on my works by the judges …

Voices – 100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM’ by Brian Cassey is in a class of its own and a standout news picture. From the story to the access to the execution, Brian nailed the image and while doing so told an important story. Alf’s life was dedicated to activism and this poignant portrait raises hopes that the changes he didn’t live to witness in his lifetime will come to fruition to better the future of his great great grandson, Kailan. Well done Brian, we hope to one day see this image hanging at the National Portrait Gallery!

‘The Voice – Alf Neal OAM at 100′ by Brian Cassey ticked everyone of the criteria for this category for me. The story, ‘The Voice’, is in the news most days. Brian Cassey developed and nurtured a relationship with the subject. He focused on one man to tell a more complicated story. He was trusted, which gave him access at a very sensitive time for this community. His research allowed a depth to his storytelling. The images and words reflect one another adding great depth to the coverage. His essay tells the story very well. It is beautifully photographed.

Of course … the Clarion Awards are also a great opportunity to visit the big city and catch up with the many photographer and journalist friends and colleagues that aren’t fortunate enough to live and work in the Tropics ;-). Thanks MEAA.

Below I’ve added just a few pics from the winning essay … if you fancy, the complete essay set of twelve images may be found on my web site at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/awards/

Images © Brian Cassey of Alf, his funeral at Yarrabah and interment at Ngarrabullgan (Mt Mulligan) … Tweets (orX’s) by MEAA

Free Palestine … Brisbane …

… a quick weekend visit to Brisbane to attend the ‘Clarion Awards’ (Queensland’s annual media awards bash – more on that in another post) … and to catch up with UQ Uni studying daughter.

Daughter and friend were keen to join the “Free Palestine” rally in central Brisbane … so it seemed a good idea to spend some quality time and also attend and document a very current and important (disturbing) news story.

Thousands gathered to fill King George Square before a spirited march around the Brisbane central business district.  A motorcycle police officer I spoke to said it was the largest rally he’d seen in many many years. Impassioned but incident free, the rally shared the message about the Palestinian peoples several decades long fight for freedom, a homeland and some dignity … sadly to an almost deserted city centre.

Here below are just five of the many images I made at the rally on Saturday afternoon. More from the set may be found on my my Facebook page at … https://www.facebook.com/brian.cassey1 … and/or on my Instagram account at … https://www.instagram.com/brian_cassey/ .

Definitely an interesting activity to spend time with your placard waving daughter 🙂

Images © Brian Cassey

“People From the Place of Many Waters” Lands in Paris …

Nice to receive the news recently that this set of portraits made in a little pop up studio during a workshop I hosted in the indigenous community of Kowanyama Cape York Peninsula late last year … “People From The Place of Many Waters” … was awarded an ‘Honorable Mention’ in ‘Portraiture – Series’ at this years prestigious “Le Prix De La Photographie De Paris” (Paris Photo Prize … PX3).

Many Thanks to the wonderful people of Kowanyama, Cape York Peninsula … the “People From The Place of Many Waters” . In particular my selection of subjects below from the hundreds of portraits made … David “Crow” Kitchener (top) – James “Doon Doon” Josiah Junior, Jyson Yam & Sneeklaw Possum (second from top) – Evelyn Birchley & Her Red Dress – Nazarie Birchley with Herbert Major-Birchley – Neville Henry – Zacchias Daniel – Arnold Possum – Charmaine Lawrence and Ruban Gibo … and all the many others who I portrayed during the program and workshop … and Tania Major who facilitated the visit for the RISE arts program.

In addition, another of my images … “100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” (yeah that one again – see other posts) … was also selected for an ‘Honorable Mention’ in the same PX3 awards, portraiture singles category … a nice welcome double 😉 !

Images © Brian Cassey

Alf at a Hundred … and The Sunday Mail …

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and portraying now one hundred year old Alfie “Popeye” Neal OAM for a few decades … a gentleman with quiet determination and a mission to improve the plight of Australia’s indigenous residents.

Long an advocate and fighter for indigenous rights, Alf was born in the early 1920’s on his beloved country at Ngarrabullgan (Mount Mulligan) west of Cairns. Moved to the indigenous community of Yarrabah, he was baptised at the age of 2 and grew up in dormitories. His earliest memories were of learning white man law alongside the traditions of aboriginal lore.

In 2019 the former bush lawyer and cane cutter was awarded the ‘Medal of the Order of Australia’ (OAM) for ‘Service to the Aboriginal community, particularly the 1967 Referendum Campaign’. Alf was a leader in the decades long fight for the referendum which eventually resulted in Indigenous peoples historic recognition in Australia’s Constitution.

In light of the ongoing “Voices” campaign and upcoming referendum, I pitched an image of Alf and his three week old great great grandson …  “100 Years & 3 Weeks” … to the Sunday Mail … and big thanks to journalist Michael ‘Mad Dog’ Madigan for is great words and SM Pic Ed Jamie Hanson (in his last week on the paper after 30 odd years) for getting this story across the line and over three pages of last Sundays edition. 

The top pic is a very recent previously unpublished portrait of Alf that I made on his Yarrabah verandah …  image two (bottom left) is a page grab  of “100 Years & 3 Weeks” in the Sunday Mail … and image three (bottom right) is todays two page SM spread of Michael’s words on Alf’s colourful life and achievements with some more of my ‘Alf’ pics from across the years.

Thanks Alf, son Percy, journo ‘Mad Dog’ and pic ed Jamie. (A very ‘special Thanks’ for Jamie for being ‘one of the best’ pic editors …  happy (chosen) redundancy and enjoy life outside the media, Jamie … Thanks for everything !).

Images © Brian Cassey, publication The Sunday Mail

Voices - Alf Neal OAM at 100 - "100 Years & 3 Weeks" - images by Brian Cassey - Yarrabah

A Tiny Dot In The Pacific Ocean …

50 year old Sydney masseuse Michelle Lee gently shipped her oars in Port Douglas  Wednesday April 5th 2023 to become the first woman to row solo across the Pacific Ocean … an epic feat that spanned 240 days.

Michelle left Ensenada Mexico in her row boat ‘The Australian Maid’ on August 8th 2022 with approximately 14000 kms ahead of her, much of it dodging numerous Cyclones (Hurricanes) and the unexpected. It was not only the weather that impacted her progress … she was shadowed by large sharks across the ocean (one decided to visit Michelle by jumping into the boat) … and currents and tides slowed her last run in to the Australian coast changing landfall from Cairns to Port Douglas.

She had previously defeated the lesser shorter challenge of rowing across the Atlantic in 68 days … a feat that led to her being named the 2019 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.

I was contacted by the event media consultant Liz Inglis to help cover Michelle’s Australian arrival … and contacted AAP who gladly snapped up the opportunity. Below are just a tiny portion … five … of the large set of photographs I made of her arrival. More can be found on my Instagram feed (10 images) at https://www.instagram.com/p/CqtmLTBB7U3/ … and on my Facebook page (12 images) at … https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160849699665984&set=pcb.10160849701405984.

My full set of 43 images may be found on the AAP website at … https://photos.aap.com.au/search/Michelle%20Lee%20port%20douglas

Amongst many other media, The Guardian run a nice story on Michelle’s journey and arrival accompanied by some of my pics here … https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/05/bit-of-a-battle-michelle-lee-reaches-queensland-after-rowing-out-of-mexico-240-days-ago .

The images of Michelle’s landing in Aus have been syndicated widely around the planet over the last few days.

Images © AAP/Brian Cassey @australianassociatedpress

50 year old Sydney Masseuse becomes the first women to row solo across the Pacific ocean when she shipped oars at Port Douglas Queensland after her 240 day epic voyage - images by Brian Cassey for AAP.

50 year old Sydney Masseuse becomes the first women to row solo across the Pacific ocean when she shipped oars at Port Douglas Queensland after her 240 day epic voyage - images by Brian Cassey for AAP.

50 year old Sydney Masseuse becomes the first women to row solo across the Pacific ocean when she shipped oars at Port Douglas Queensland after her 240 day epic voyage - images by Brian Cassey for AAP.

50 year old Sydney Masseuse becomes the first women to row solo across the Pacific ocean when she shipped oars at Port Douglas Queensland after her 240 day epic voyage - images by Brian Cassey for AAP.

50 year old Sydney Masseuse becomes the first women to row solo across the Pacific ocean when she shipped oars at Port Douglas Queensland after her 240 day epic voyage - images by Brian Cassey for AAP.

“The Legend That Is George” …

Recently travelled to Green Island on the Great Barrier Reef with photographer colleague Emese Gyalog to meet and document, soon to be 93 year old croc legend George Craig.

To say George has lived a life is a massive understatement. Schooled in England but born in South America, George dived with epic Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller in an aquatic show before stowing away on a ship at London’s docks to Jamaica where he picked bananas. Then he found himself in Darwin Australia defusing WWII bombs.

However, the travel that most impacted the direction of George’s life was to the Fly River in Papua New Guinea, where he set about croc hunting … later turning to croc ‘collecting’. George not only ‘collected’ crocs but also a massive trove of PNG artefacts unmatched almost anywhere.

In the 1970’s when he needed somewhere to put all these crocs and art he took over tourist venture Marineland Melanesia at Green Island on the Great Barrier Reef, where he lives and works to this day. George also brought a mate of his to Green Island from the NT … a now 5 5 metre “saltie” named “Cassius” … the largest croc in captivity on the planet. (See here Guinness Book of Records.)

You may read much more about George, his early croc hunting, collecting and PNG artefacts here … https://oceanicart.com/PROVENANCE/George-Craig/1

It was an absolute pleasure to photograph George on Green Island … on his favourite chair where he sometimes paints, amongst his amazing collections of probably priceless art … and with his massive mate “Cassius”.

The Courier Mail were delighted to see the work and ran it today Saturday on page three (with a pic pointer from page 1), with a story brilliantly constructed by journo, wordsmith and mate Michael Madigan.

I do like “Cassius” but I’m much fonder of the portraits I made of George in his happy place with his art works, one of which leads this little set below.

Thanks George , Cassius and Emese … had a great rewarding day !

Images © Brian Cassey, publication © The Courier Mail

"The Legend That Is George" - Images and story of former croc hunter George Craig antis croc Cassius - the World's largest croc in captivity - by Brian Cassey

"The Legend That Is George" - Images and story on former croc hunter George Craig antis croc Cassius - the World's largest croc in captivity - by Brian Cassey

"The Legend That Is George" - Images and story on former croc hunter George Craig antis croc Cassius - the World's largest croc in captivity - by Brian Cassey

Tokyo … and “Mother Africa” …

…  nice timing and Merry Xmas …

Early in the hours of Christmas Eve an email dropped in with the nice news that my image “Mother Africa” had been selected again … this time for a “Bronze” award in the ’22 Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) Fine Art category.

So pleased that this work has gained attention. To be accurate the making of this image (in a friends little basic shed studio) engendered a lot of emotion … and tears.  My subject, the delightful currently Australia based  African American Aurora Coulter,  knew the ‘look’ that would make the photograph ‘work’ at depicting the historical … (and still current when you take into consideration the death of black man George Floyd and others at the hands of police officers etc) … treatment of her forebears in the US. Aurora dug into the depths of past memories and experiences for this image … and for that I’m so grateful. Her emotion made it ‘work’.

“Mother Africa” has been selected previously in other awards since it was made in January earlier this (nearly over) year … the International Portrait Photographer of the Year, The Pollux Awards, the International Photography Awards (IPA), Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA), Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA), the Percival Portrait Prize … and … another arguably more prestigious prize that I am not at liberty yet to tell anyone about 🙂

Once again Aurora … the very biggest Thanks … !

Image © Brian Cassey

Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) 2022 - WINNER - Bronze Award - Fine Art - image by Brian Cassey

Cracking Clarion Winning Eve in Brisbane …

Great evening at “The Clarion Awards” 2022 … the night where Queensland wide media gather together in Brisbane to party, generally misbehave … and share a few awards around.

Very pleased to have picked up one of those awards … ‘Best Photographic Essay’ … with my work from the indigenous community of Yarrabah, “Covid Vax  & Ice Cream”. The pic essay consisted of twelve images narrating a door to door covid vaccination campaign by doctors and medical professionals organised to increase extremely low inoculation uptake amongst the populace. I covered the door to door program (with an arranged ice cream van following dispensing free treats) for The Australian who used most of the work either in print or in on-line galleries. One of the pics contained in the essay … of 67 year old Leanne Bulmer with her post Pfizer jab ice cream … has also found much success on it’s own, previously winning several awards around the planet (see here, herehere, here and here … and bottom below.)

The second Clarion photography award category … ‘Best News Photograph’ … was also of a covid nature and taken out by the Courier Mail photographer Lachie Millard. His terrific work showed three year old Memphis being reunited with his mother at Archerfield air field following a two month covid border closure separation.

Magic to catch up with many friends and colleagues from around the State. It’s such an enjoyable annual event and get together. Huge thanks to all at The Clarions and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance for their great organisational skills and presentation at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.  Wonderful … 

Below are just four of the twelve images that make up my winning “Covid Vax & Ice Cream” photo essay. To see the complete essay go to my ‘Awards’ page at … www.briancasseyphotographer.com/awards  .

Images © Brian Cassey

2022 The Clarion Awards - Brisbane - WINNER - Best Photographic Essay - "Covid Vax & Ice Cream" by Brian Cassey

2022 The Clarion Awards - Brisbane - WINNER - Best Photographic Essay - "Covid Vax & Ice Cream" by Brian Cassey

2022 The Clarion Awards - Brisbane - WINNER - Best Photographic Essay - "Covid Vax & Ice Cream" by Brian Cassey

2022 The Clarion Awards - Brisbane - WINNER - Best Photographic Essay - "Covid Vax & Ice Cream" by Brian Cassey

Portrait of Humanity … Covid, Leanne & Ice Cream …

Stoked to once again be selected on the ‘Shortlist’ of the prestigious “Portrait of Humanity”.

The 2022 edition of the “Portrait of Humanity” awards have just been announced … and I’ve been buzzing about this for some time but was sworn to secrecy until Thursdays official ‘announcement’. … so pleased to be ’Shortlisted’ again for the International POH awards with my work “Covid Vax & Ice Cream” .

Now in it’s 4th ‘edition’ and organised by the British Journal of Photography, 1854 and Magnum … “Portrait of Humanity” has fast become one of the most select collections of portrait photography on the planet. 

The image of Leanne with her ice cream was made after she received a Covid Pfizer vaccination in her home from a team of roaming ‘door to door’ doctors and medical staff … followed by a pink ice cream van (complete with musical ‘Green Sleeves’ tones) dispensing free ice cream to the newly vaxed and the communities numerous children.

The portrait will be amongst the other short listed works published in the “Portrait of Humanity 2022” hard cover book printed by Hoxton Mini Press.

I was also stoked to be ’short listed’ in the first and second editions of POH a few years back and three of my winning portraits … “Aurukun – Generations”, “Ramnami” and “The Skin I’m In” where exhibited in the stratosphere above the planet and then digitally transmitted through the unending vastness of space, as a result.

My photo of Leanne and her ice cream was published in The Australian newspaper in October 2021 and further images of the home vaccination program were used on their Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/p/CU_0dItvoAX/ .

Thanks to my (almost) unwitting subject Leanne at Yarrabah, who I’m sure will be as pleased as I am when she finds out ;-).

… and all absolutely nothin’ to do with the Easter Bunny 😉

Below – “Covid Vax & Ice Cream” © Image by Brian Cassey

6th Time Lucky … Sydney & The Walkley Awards …

Sydney … got there … and so stoked I did !!

On five occasions since the Covid virus reared it’s ugly head two years ago, I’ve booked to travel to Sydney for photography (and social) events … each time to be thwarted by new outbreaks, lockdowns or border closures. Seemed like it would never happen …

Then, in November last year, I received the fabulous news that my “The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa” image was selected as the Winner of the Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize. Epic. Not only that … but the Walkley Foundation contacted me and asked if I would present a Walkley Masterclass on photojournalism and portraiture as a prelude to the awards presentation eve, by then delayed and re-scheduled for Tamworth NSW in the first weeks of February. Of course … what’s not to like 🙂

With flights booked to Tamworth nervously waited and monitored the news of the latest Covid Omicron march across Australia. In January the Tamworth Country Music Festival was cancelled and the Walkley’s had no choice but to move their awards away from Tamworth and reschedule in Sydney later in February.

So … last week I actually flew to Sydney … presented my “The Portrait & Photojournalism” Walkley Masterclass at Macleay College to the assembled enthusiastic twenty plus audience throng … AND … had an absolute belter of an evening (and somewhat later) at the Walkley Awards.

Thanks to the Walkley Foundation, the International Convention Centre Darling Harbour and the Nikon Australia crew, it really was a fabulous evening … with an amazing’ collection of Aus based photographers … umm … ‘celebrating’ … and a recognition of my win in the Nikon Portrait Prize.

Hope I don’t miss anyone … but here goes with the Aus based media photographers who were also there and why …

Alex Coppel won the ‘Sport Photography’ category and ‘Press Photographer of the Year’, Andrew Quilty won ‘Long Form Feature Writing’, Dean Sewell won ‘Feature/Photographic Essay’, Brooke Mitchell won ‘News Photography’ … Finalists Jake Nowakowski, Justin McManus, Scott Barbour, Jason Edwards, Chris Hopkins, Michael Dodge joined other prominent photo media figures Mark ‘Crusty’ Baker (AP), Dean Lewins (AAP), Jeremy Piper, Tracey Nearmy, Matt Abbott and James Brickwood. Many of us were graciously hosted on the two Nikon Australia tables (and at the ‘after parties’ – plural) by Nikon Marketing Manager Kylie Dredge and Professional Marketing Manager Julie Kimpton. (Huge Thanks Kylie and Julie ! … and couldn’t ask for a better bunch of colleagues to celebrate with.)

Below is a little vid of the announcement of my Nikon Portrait Prize win (my third win in this category in the last ten years) at the awards last Friday eve. It’s very short as I was too busy nattering to photographer mates, hampered by a large glass of Shiraz in my hand and missed the start of the announcement. Oh well … (the sound is the best bit).

Clip © Brian Cassey (iPhone)

 

 

Documenting Mt Mulligan Mine Disaster 1921 for Aus Geographic …

How do you illustrate, in the middle of a pandemic, a story of a tragedy that happened one hundred years ago in a remote part of Australia ? That was the delightful challenge that I was set by Australian Geographic for their story in the just published March/April ’22 edition on the September 1921 Mt Mulligan mine disaster on Cape York Peninsula that took the lives of seventy five miners. 

Journalist Denise Cullen initially came up with the names of several people who had strong connections to Mt Mulligan both before and after Australia’s second largest mine tragedy in 1921. A couple were in then Covid Delta locked in New South Wales so ‘out of bounds’. 

However, most were fortunately in Queensland and so began a several weeks quest around the Sunshine State to find and photograph these fascinating individuals. I found and made portraits … and listened fascinated … as they sat and told me their stories in Cairns, Mackay and the Atherton Tablelands.

Ken Best worked in the mine up until it’s final closure in 1957 and told of older miners stories of ‘ghosts’ in the mine. Pam Millett’s grandfather had a contract to cart logs to the mine to shore up the ceilings and roof, and he was delivering logs at the time of the deadly explosion. Helen Scott and her family were the last to leave the mine settlement when it was finally closed and  ‘removed’. Desley Brkic’s grandfather was the first to witness the smoke from the mine explosion. 

Arguably, though, the most emotional image for me was found at the end of a journey to Mackay to photograph an object.

Stephen Smyth of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) is the ‘keeper’ of an inanimate object that, for me, summed up the story of the disaster perfectly in a simple single frame … a battered ‘Waltham’ pocket watch that was on the person of miner George Doran James when he was killed in the explosion. The watch ‘stopped’ at the moment George, along with his son and seventy three others died at nine twenty five that morning. 

It was a pleasure to be afforded the time to portray and meet these fascinating people over a time frame that is rare these days … (Thanks AG and Editor Chrissie Goldrick) and to be involved in this story that is a part of Australia’s history.

Check out Denise’s story and my images (including two whole page pics) spanning ten pages of Australian Geographic print journal 167 March/April edition … on sale now.

Images – top – Desley Brkic reflects on the disaster at her home in Tinaroo, centre – the ‘Waltham’ watch, worn by a blast victim, that stopped at the moment of the explosion, bottom – ex miner Ken Best of Mackay.   © Brian Cassey, Magazine © Australian Geographic

Walkley ‘Masterclass’ (and Walkley Presentation Eve) This Week … Hi Sydney !

Over the last couple of years since that damn virus reared it’s ugly knobbly profile, I’ve been trying to get back down to Sydney … each journey (five booked in all) very carefully planned to coincide with the ‘latest’ outbreak or lockdown. Missed out on several great events including two Head On Photo Festivals, a couple of exhibitions of my work … and the launch and exhibition of the ‘Paper Tigers’ Australian photojournalism project that I worked on with Moshe Rosenvzeig. It’s been a ‘bugger’ … (but, of course, a very minor inconvenience compared with those many more adversely effected by the pandemic.)

Don’t want to speak too soon … but Thanks to the Walkley Foundation (and Nikon Australia), in just a few days I’ll be winging my way to Sydney town to host a ‘Masterclass’ … ‘The Portrait & Photojournalism’ … and also attend the ‘delayed’ ’66th Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism’ presentation night.

The invitation to my little talk about portraiture and photojournalism in Sydney came in the wake of my win in the Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize a couple of months back (see post here) with the image “The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa” … my third win in the prize in the last ten years and the reason for attending this years awards eve. The promo describes the event thus … “What makes a great portrait and when is a portrait photojournalism? Award-winning photojournalist Brian Cassey will discuss this question and the power of lighting, composition and how to achieve the best results. Plus the importance of building trust and rapport with your subject”.

So … it kicks off Thursday at high noon at Macleay College, Chippendale and will run for approximately two hours (no one will be allowed to fall asleep 🙂 ).

Next day … the Friday … the Walkley presentation eve event gets underway in Darling Harbour … really looking forward to that !

If  you are are in Sydney and fancy listening to me for a couple of hours you may book and find all the details of ‘The Portrait and Photojournalism’ event here … https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/masterclass-the-portrait-photojournalism-tickets-216702070727  … and in the image below.

Portrait here by Marc Steiner ©

 

 

The Portrait & Photojournalism - Walkley Masterclass by photographer Brian Cassey - Sydney Australia February 2022

‘A Photographer’s Life – Part Two’ at The Court House Gallery …

Now just over two weeks since the doors opened on my latest exhibition … ‘A Photographer’s Life – Part Two’ … and one week since a brilliant official opening eve event at the beautiful venue, the heritage listed Court House Gallery.

Following on from ‘A Photographer’s Life – Part One’ … exhibited at the Head On Photo Festival in Sydney and The Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns in 2017 … there was always going to be a ‘Part Two’.

Essentially a ‘Retrospective’, the ‘Part One’ exhibition featured work selected from my archives … negatives from long forgotten boxes and numerous disk drives … that charted the progression from my first roll of film as a pre-teen, through my first paid media work in London town as a teen and onto my career across the decades producing press work that was published around the planet..

‘Part Two’ is a fundamentally different exhibition of work. It contains a few images that didn’t quite make the space cut for ‘Part One’ – but most of the work is new and made from 2016 up until today. Whilst ‘Part One’ was almost exclusively ‘assigned’ media work the ‘Part Two’ images are much less so. The decline in media work and the lack of media opportunity and funding has meant that much of the new work was made independently, often self funded and sometimes just purely personally observational. The photographs emanated from India, China, Sri Lanka, the United States, Papua New Guinea, the UK … and around Australia, 

An integral part of the new exhibition is the ‘story behind the images’. Each work is accompanied by text explaining how the image came about and why. Many of them are quite personal. Feedback from exhibition visitors so far is that the ‘stories’ added a depth and dimension to the images. Gratifying 🙂

The opening eve event on November 5th was a thoroughly enjoyable big success. An individual exhibition opening record crowd of over a hundred and twenty five crammed ‘standing room only’ in the ‘Court Room’ to witness ABC Radio’s Fiona Sewell ‘grill’ me nicely about eight of the thirty seven exhibition images for about forty five minutes. Many Thanks for hosting the event Fiona.  Great to see friends and colleagues past and present .. many I hadn’t seen in years … turn up for the occasion. Thanks all …

Also launched at the event was the large format high definition limited edition collectors book ‘A Photographer’s Life – Part One & Part Two’ … containing … yes … all the images (85 in all over 88 pages) from both ‘Part One’ and ‘Part Two’. All those who order a copy during the exhibition period (till 11th December) with have their names and an acknowledgment printed in the book … and my scrawled as best I can signature too 😉 . Order at the Court House Gallery office or phone either Dayle on 07 40326621 or the office on 07 40326620.

Greatest respect and massive thanks to Curator Chris Stannard , Dayle Jordon, Megan O’Rourke and the rest of the council team who did a brilliant job hanging and presenting the exhibition. 

The exhibition continues until the 11th December Tuesdays to Saturdays 10am to 4pm … another four weeks to take it in. (If anyone would like a ‘personalised’ tour of the work I will be happy to try and do just that … just contact me.)

Below are images … (impossible in small pics to do justice to the exhibition, the work and the gallery) … of the works on the wall, the opening eve event and the book.

Images © Brian Cassey (4), Brendan Radke (2) & Stacey Carrick (1) (Many Thanks Brendan and Stacey)

 

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

 

 

 

 

 

 

Covid Vax & Ice Cream …

Every now and then there comes along a really rewarding story … and every now and then that story throws up a ‘special’ pic.
Last week, for me, this job threw up one of ‘em.

I thoroughly enjoyed being allowed to document the ‘door to door’ Covid-19 vaccination program in the far northern indigenous community of Yarrabah. Orchestrated by the Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service, the operation was startling and well organised … teams of doctors and health workers went from home to home to inform and vaccinate the indigenous population that had been lagging far behind in Covid-19 vaccination numbers.

Following behind the vaccination teams was a pink ice cream van … complete with musical ‘Green Sleeves’ tones … dispensing free ice cream to the newly vaxed and the communities numerous children.
In my favourite image of the day (top below), 67 year old Leanne Bulmer sits in her home with her ‘vaccination ice cream’ after receiving her shot of Pfizer from a doctor on her verandah. I nearly missed it … a health worker spirited Leanne a choc coated soft serve … and I overheard him casually mention it. Leanne was delighted to allow this portrait before her ice cream melted in the tropical heat.

In the second image Dr Peter Roach vaccinates elderly Yarrabah resident Raymond Davidson in his home assisted by health worker Belita Kynuna. The bottom pic shows 19 year old Sherrie Bligh as she is vaccinated by nurse Susie Jarman and enjoys her free ice cream at her Yarrabah home, watched by 2 year old Cleo Costello.

The story and two of my images (including Leanne’s) was published in Thursday’s ‘The Australian’ newspaper under the great head “Jab Blitz Proves As Easy As Pie With Ice Cream”.

The later publication of seven of my images and story link on The Australian’s Instagram account accrued over a thousand ‘likes’ …but, sadly. also led to a stream of readers ‘comments’ (inexplicably to me) highly critical of the vaccination program and the newspapers coverage.

Nevertheless, the ‘door to door’ program proved to be a big success with many residents having their fears allayed and taking the vaccination plunge. All that ice cream just sweetened the deal.

Images © Brian Cassey

 

'Covid Vax & Ice Cream' - images of the covid vaccine door to door rollout in the indigenous community of Yarrabah, north Queensland - by Brian Cassey ©

'Covid Vax & Ice Cream' - images of the covid vaccine door to door rollout in the indigenous community of Yarrabah, north Queensland - by Brian Cassey ©

'Covid Vax & Ice Cream' - images of the covid vaccine door to door rollout in the indigenous community of Yarrabah, north Queensland - by Brian Cassey ©

 

 

Mornington Essay Wins At Clarions …

Scored a nice tidy hangover … and Best Photographic Essay gong … at ‘The Clarions’ (Queensland’s media awards) presentation event at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on Saturday eve.

A great evening honouring the best work of Queensland’s media industry over the last troubled year, it was also a brilliant opportunity to catch up with media mates and colleagues for a drink or two (honest!). To win the award for Best Photographic Essay with my work documenting the dire strait of the Mornington Island indigenous community in the Gulf of Carpentaria for The Courier Mail and The Australian was a very pleasant bonus.

The judges (for whom I have the greatest respect 😉 ) commented thus on my work ‘Mornington Island – The Queenslanders Left behind’ … “This series of images beautifully captures and communicates the plight of a forgotten community. Brian has included both dramatic candid moments and evocative portraits to tell the subjects story while seamlessly using a variety of techniques to create a moving connection to both people and place.

You will get a better look at the entire pic essay on my ‘Awards’ page at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/awards/

Huge Thanks to all at the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance for once again hosting the awards and the evening … and to the wonderful people of Mornington for their hospitality.

Images © Brian Cassey (pages The Courier Mail & The Australian)

 

2021 Clarion Awards (Queensland Media Awards) - Winner - Best Photographic Essay - 'The Queenslanders Left Behind' by Brian Cassey (The Courier Mail and The Australian)

2021 Clarion Awards (Queensland Media Awards) - Winner - Best Photographic Essay - 'The Queenslanders Left Behind' by Brian Cassey (The Courier Mail and The Australian)

2021 Clarion Awards (Queensland Media Awards) - Winner - Best Photographic Essay - 'The Queenslanders Left Behind' by Brian Cassey (The Courier Mail and The Australian)

Veronica … Mornington Island … Where Home Brew Kills …

Thrilled, but also saddened to once again travel to remote Mornington Island (Kunhanhaa) in the tropical Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia … the third visit in the past year.

Mornington is a delightful destination populated by delightful people … but the community are grappling with many social ills mainly caused by the tyranny of distance and basically, being ‘forgotten’.

New young Kunhanhaa Mayor Kyle Yanner is determined to raise awareness about the many issues that have beset his community … and has managed to get the attention of the Queensland Government near two thousand kilometres distant in Brisbane.

I again made many images during last weeks visit to the island … but this pic of five year old Veronica Barnes is the one I’m most fond of. I was concentrating on portraying a 16 year old who was a ‘home brew’ imbiber when I glanced Veronica and her tiny puppy. A couple of frames later and I had what I think is a ‘special’ image (sorta ‘Bill Henson style’ 😉 ). (NB … her father gave permission for the pic to be seen.)

Veronica’s community is experiencing the ravages of a wide spread ‘home brew’ alcohol epidemic … and this was the main thrust of our story. She is growing up in a community where many of her extended family members and friends are suffering the consequences of alcohol induced diabetes and untimely death. The community … ‘dry’ for twenty  years … has seen a rapid rise of dangerous home brewed alcohols … and children as young as ten years old have been imbibing and adversely effected. Diabetes cases have skyrocketed and the cemetery is littered with the graves of those who have succumbed to alcohol related issues in their teens, twenties and thirties. 

Mayor Yanner and the council are reaching out for urgent assistance to stem the scourge and are proposing the introduction of regulated mainstream mid strength alcohol products to the island, controlled at a Tavern. Queensland Minister for the Environment Meaghan Scanlon MP made the trek to Mornington last week to listen first hand to Yanner’s plans.

Veronica’s image was just one of the many made whilst covering the story (by journalist Domanii Cameron) in The Courier and Sunday Mail newspapers … below is a also page grab of the spread as published in Saturdays ‘Weekend’ edition.

My recent previous visits to Mornington documented severe overcrowding in the community’s housing (The Australian, December 2020) … and numerous issues in ‘The Queenslanders Left Behind’ (The Sunday Mail, May 2021)

 

Images ©Brian Cassey – publication © Courier Mail

 

'Veronica - Mornington Island - Where Home Brew Kills' - image by Brian Cassey for Courier Mail story on alcohol abuse and home brew on Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

 

'Veronica - Mornington Island - Where Home Brew Kills' - image by Brian Cassey for Courier Mail story on alcohol abuse and home brew on Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

 

The Book … International Portrait Photographer of the Year …

Back in June I posted on this blog the news of the winners of ‘The 2021 International Portrait Photographer of the Year’ award and the selection of a couple of my portraits amongst them.

So now … arrived in the post this week  ‘The 2021 International Portrait Photographer of the Year’ book  … and very stoked to have three page entries in this great hard cover collection.

“Bonn Marie … Asking the Question” (left below) makes two appearances, one in the award ‘Winners’ section (a 3rd Place) and one in the main body of the book alongside my second portrait “Kate Yeoman – Waiting For Her New Breasts” (right below). 

‘The 2021 International Portrait Photographer of the Year’ is a classy quality book printed by Momento Pro in Sydney and contains all the award winners work and also includes the top 101 photographs. It’s a great collection of diverse portrait work from around the planet. You may order a copy if you fancy (two different sizes to choose from) by visiting the Momento wed site at … https://www.internationalportraitphotographer.com/…/awa…

Huge Thanks to my brilliant subjects  Bonn Marie and Kate    !

( Received a nice little trophy for Bonn’s pic too … bottom pic )

Images X 2  © Brian Cassey … book © International Portrait Photographer the Year and the artists.

2021 International Portrait Photographer of the Year ... the Book ... with works by Brian Cassey

2021 International Portrait Photographer of the Year ... the Book ... with works by Brian Cassey

2021 International Portrait Photographer of the Year ... the Book ... with works by Brian Cassey

Aus Paralympians Off to Tokyo Olympics …

… a large chunk of the Australian Paralympic team left Cairns last night for Tokyo to compete in the Olympic Games… and I had the distinct pleasure of working with these great athletes on their last training sessions on Thursday. Thanks to Delly Carr who ‘dobed’ me in and Athletics Australia for the work.

These are just a small selection of ten of those many images made at these training sessions at Barlow Park, Cairns … the evening session especially challenging as the ‘light’ can only be described as atrocious !

I can’t stress how wonderfully down to earth and receptive these athletes are … many World Champions and previous Olympics Gold winners amongst them … despite circumstances which would floor most all of us. 

In these ten images we have (top to bottom… I wish space would allow me to post more) … Vanessa Low – long jump World record holder & Olympic Gold Medalist … James Turner – 800 metre World Record & Olympic Gold Medalist (left) – and Scott Reardon – 100 metre Gold Medalist (right) … Robyn Lambird – wheelchair racer … Samantha Schmidt – Discuss … Ari Gesini – long jump … Chad Perris – 100 & 200 metres … Vanessa Low – long jump World record holder & Olympic Gold Medalist … Even O’Hanlon – 100 metres (front)  – and Chad Perris – 100 & 200 metres (rear) … Sarah Edmiston – discuss … Robyn Lambird – wheelchair racer.

Wish all the team the greatest success … (as long as they don’t embarrass Great Britain 😉 )

Images © Brian Cassey, Athletics Australia 

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

Australian Paralympic team members - off the the Tokt=yo Olympics - images by Brian Cassey

 

 

Mornington … Clarion Media Awards Finalist …

… it’s always a pleasure … a once a year excuse to trek to Brisbane and spend a very pleasant eve with southern media colleagues that I far too infrequently get to socialise with.

The ‘Finalists’ in the Clarion Awards … Queensland’s prestigious awards which recognise the best of the Sunshine States media for their work across the year … were announced this week … and very pleased to be selected as one of three photographers in ‘Best Photographic Essay’.

So … if the Covid virus plays nicely (i.e. elsewhere) … will be off to Brissie in October to enjoy another year of the Clarion Awards ‘presentations’ … this time at a cocktail function at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Greatly looking forward to catching up with photographers Darren England and Evan Morgan (co-finalists in ‘Essay’), David Clark, Annette Dew and Tertius Pickard (finalists In ‘News Photograph’) and ‘Regional’ finalists Rob Maccoll and Cairns colleague Brendan Radke. Big congrats guys n gal. Not forgetting the wonderful journalists, scribes, blunts (whatever you choose to call ‘em) that pen the words that fill the spaces between our photographs.

My selected work is a pic essay compiled from images made for The Sunday Mail and The Australian, documenting the plight of the indigenous residents of the remote Gulf of Carpentaria township of Mornington Island. Entitled “The Queenslanders Left Behind”, it comprises eleven images made during two journeys to the island, concentrating on the issues of housing overcrowding and other social ills.

Five of those eleven pics are here below … from top … Shaylene Yarrick and her children bed down in the lounge of their overcrowded house … Mum Cheree Loogatha and daughter Arizona outside their Gununa house …  Shaylene Yarrick sheds a tear outside her tiny overcrowded home … The Loogatha family yarn around the fire outside their house … Mornington Island sisters Yvonne Wilson (17) and Corrin Wilson (13) suffer from type 2 diabetes. Corrin also has rheumatic heart disease, whilst their mother is receiving dialysis following renal failure.

Very pleased to once again have the chance (it’s now twelve years of ‘Finalists’ with a fair few ‘Wins’ over the last decade and a half) to enjoy Queensland’s media ’Night of Nights’.

Covid-19 … please don’t stuff it up !

Images © Brian Cassey

Clarion Media Awards Finalist - Photographic Essay -“Mornington Island – The Queenslanders Left Behind” by Brian Cassey

Clarion Media Awards Finalist - Photographic Essay -“Mornington Island – The Queenslanders Left Behind” by Brian Cassey

Clarion Media Awards Finalist - Photographic Essay -“Mornington Island – The Queenslanders Left Behind” by Brian Cassey

Clarion Media Awards Finalist - Photographic Essay -“Mornington Island – The Queenslanders Left Behind” by Brian Cassey

Clarion Media Awards Finalist - Photographic Essay -“Mornington Island – The Queenslanders Left Behind” by Brian Cassey

Covid Lockdown in Cairns …

… seemed inevitable that it would happen sometime … and will likely happen again … a coronavirus pandemic lockdown in Cairns. Our tropical city has led a charmed life since last years initial lockdown in March and April … and we’ve watched as lockdowns have been instituted regularly around the rest of the country.

It took a mariner who had contracted the virus on an offshore ship before travelling back to Cairns and passing it on to a taxi driver to change all that and spark a (thankfully only) three day total lockdown.

These are just a few of the many images I made for Australian Associated Press (AAP) this week. More of my lockdown pics may be found on the AAP site here. (I also spent time covering the lockdown for News Ltd and you may have seen some of those in the local media.)

From top we have … 9 year old Lexie Barlow is tested by QML staff for covid-19 at a testing centre on the Cairns Esplanade … the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon empty and closed for the lockdown duration … masked indigenous children Isiah Bligh and Jakian Costello play in the rain during the Yarrabah lockdown … with occupancy down to seventeen percent a housekeeper patrols the empty corridors of the Cairns Hilton Hotel … Cairns residents queue for covid-19 testing at a QML test centre on the Esplanade … a girl exercises on the Cairns Esplanade during the lockdown.

Cairns has been fortunate since the pandemic began early in 2020 … and fingers crossed these are the last images of a local lockdown.

Images © Brian Cassey and AAP

Covid-19 Lockdown in Cairns - images by © Brian Cassey, AAP

Covid-19 Lockdown in Cairns - images by © Brian Cassey, AAP

Covid-19 Lockdown in Cairns - images by © Brian Cassey, AAP

Covid-19 Lockdown in Cairns - images by © Brian Cassey, AAP

Covid-19 Lockdown in Cairns - images by © Brian Cassey, AAP

Covid-19 Lockdown in Cairns - images by © Brian Cassey, AAP

‘Carol’ Amongst Big Handful at 16th International Pollux Awards …

… was delighted to receive the news that a handful of my images had been recognised across four categories of the International ‘16th Edition Pollux Awards’.

Great News … and wherever you are ‘up there’, Carol Mayer, you’re obviously still touching people ‘down here’ ! My portrait of Carol … “The Skin I’m In” (top below) was selected as the Winner of the ‘Portrait’ category of this years long running Pollux photography awards. 

Fitting and timely that Carol’s image is still making a difference and empowering burns survivors months after her so untimely demise to cancer late last year. Also recognised in the ‘Portrait’ category was “Aurukun – Generations” (bottom left) which received an ‘Honourable Mention’. 

My work also received TWO ‘Third Place’ awards … “8 Minutes and 46 Seconds” in the ‘Segregation & Human Rights’ category (middle left) … and … “Tomotaro on the Block” in the ‘People’ category (middle right).

Rounding off the five awards was “Kate – Waiting For Her New Breasts” in the ‘Editorial & Current Affairs’ category (bottom right).

All these five images are now eligible to be exhibited physically ‘on the wall’ at the 6th edition of the Biennial of Fine Art & Documentary Photography to be held in September 2021 at the FotoNostrum Gallery in Barcelona, Spain … and appear in the ‘FotoNostrum’ print and digital magazines.

Sadly … there’s no chance of my attending and seeing the work at the grand opening event and artists ‘gala’ dinner in Barcelona in September … for an obvious variety of reasons.

Images © Brian Cassey @brian_cassey

16th Pollux Awards - International Photography Awards - Winners images by Brian Cassey

‘Paper Tigers’ … on ‘Google Arts & Culture’ …

Delighted to learn that ‘Paper Tigers’ … the compilation of the work of sixty Australian photojournalists curated by myself and Head On Photo Festival director Moshe Rosenvzeig OAM … now has another great published ‘airing’ on the distinguished ‘Google Arts & Culture’ platform (including, of course, my contribution ‘Abdullatif – Beaten Asylum Seeker’ – below – from one of the GA&C pages).

It was a (lengthy) and rewarding pleasure to work with Moshe to collate this project … and wonderful to see it now showing on a new platform amongst significant works from the Worlds leading museums and archives including (but far, far from ‘not only’) MoMa in New York, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and the Tate Britain in London.

‘Paper Tigers – an Anthology of Australian Contemporary Photojournalism’ has already been exhibited to acclaim ‘on the walls’ at the ‘Twenty Twenty Six Gallery’ in Sydney (during last years Head On Photo Festival) and is also available in book form on the Head On website at … https://www.headon.com.au/product/paper-tigers-book … (if it hasn’t already sold out again).

The ‘Paper Tigers’ works can now be found on the ‘Google Arts & Culture’ platform at … https://artsandculture.google.com/search/exhibit…

Thanks to all the contributing PJ’s (some of which I nagged mercilessly) and the amazin’ Head On Photo Festival team.

#headonphotofestival #photojournalismaustralia

‘Abdullatif’ Image … ‘Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize’ Winner 2016 © Brian Cassey

'Paper Tigers' on the Google Arts and Culture site - curated by Brian Cassey and Moshe Rosenvzeig - image by Brian Cassey

Two Exhibitions in Sydney … (If Only I Could Get There !) …

Moshe Rosenzveig and the crew of the 2020 Head On Photo Festival performed miracles earlier on this year as Covid-19 tightened it’s grip on Australia and the planet. They transformed a massive ‘venue’ based photography festival into the World’s first ‘On Line’ photo festival in a matter of just a few short weeks … and opened on time in the first weeks of May. The ‘On Line’ awards, artist talks, photography workshops and panel talks were aired on screens to thousands watching and listening around the planet and across Australia. An amazing effort …

With gallery spaces ‘out of bounds’ due to Covid the more traditional (and aesthetically more pleasing) ‘photographs on walls’ exhibitions reluctantly had to be put on ‘hold’.

I had two involvements in this years Head On ‘On Line’ photo festival … a personal exhibition “Me Too … Where The Boys Are … The Girls Are” (a photo essay on the performance of male strippers and their female audience) … and the co-curation (with Moshe Rosenzveig) of a project close to the heart … “Paper Tigers” … a collection of the work by sixty of Australia’s finest photojournalists. Both received large views on-line.

Now six months later, as Covid cases thankfully take a massive dive, these two exhibitions and work by many others are showing physically ‘on the walls’ (and fences) in numerous galleries and at venues around Sydney. Brilliant … and astonishing work by Head On !

Very sadly … I can’t ‘B’ well get there ! My Queensland Premier has stood fast to her decision that the borders between the Sunshine State and Sydney will remain firmly shut till (extremely annoyingly) at least the first of December … just days after these exhibitions close. The way of the World in 2020 … but I’m still gutted …

My exhibition “Me Too … Where The Boys Are … The Girls Are” opened yesterday on the wall at the fabulously atmospheric venue of the Paddington Reservoir Gardens … and runs there alongside four other great exhibits until the 29th of November. Photographer colleague, mate and gentleman Michael Amendolia went out of his way to lessen the blow of not ‘being there’ by sending me a raft of images of my exhibition in place (below). Thanks Michael !

The “Paper Tigers” exhibition (and the launch of the “Paper Tigers” book) opens at the new ‘Twenty Twenty Six Gallery’ in Bondi tomorrow … with an official opening this Saturday afternoon. Many of my Sydney based colleagues will be attending (lucky them) … whilst us interstate contributors will have to be patient until further opportunities eventuate down the track.

There will be more on ‘Paper Tigers’ … how it came about, what it contains and why it is important … a little later when I receive some images from colleagues who get to attend the gallery …

In the meantime … Paul Neeson from Sydney radio station East Side FM and I had an ‘on air’ chat about my work and both these exhibitions and the Head On Photo Festival in general. It runs for just over twenty one minutes and can be listened to here below. There is also an online text story on “Me Too … Where The Boys Are … The Girls Are” here.

 

Damn that bloody virus !

Images © Brian Cassey (two pics from “Me Too … “Where The Boys Are … The Girls Are” and my “Paper Tigers” image “Abdullatif” … & … Michael Amendolia (top 2 General Exhibition pics)

Head On Photofestival 2020 - Paddington Reservoir Gardens - "Me Too - Where The Boys Are ... The Girls Are" - exhibition of work by Brian Cassey

Head On Photofestival 2020 - Paddington Reservoir Gardens - "Me Too - Where The Boys Are ... The Girls Are" - exhibition of work by Brian Cassey

Head On Photofestival 2020 - Paddington Reservoir Gardens - "Me Too - Where The Boys Are ... The Girls Are" - exhibition of work by Brian Cassey

Head On Photofestival 2020 - Paddington Reservoir Gardens - "Me Too - Where The Boys Are ... The Girls Are" - exhibition of work by Brian Cassey

Head On Photofestival 2020 - Twenty Twenty Six Gallery - Bondi - "Paper Tigers" - exhibition of work by 60 Australian photojournalists co-curated by Brian Cassey