“Eyes” is to be projected onto the big screen at the prestigious FotoLoft Gallery in Moscow (address 4-й Сыромятнический пер., 1/8, строение 6, Moscow, Russia, 105120 !!) on Tuesday November 3rd.
Just a pity I can’t get there to see it … but a nice honour to receive a win from the international award, based in Russia, that attracts a host of top photographers from around the planet.
Here … courtesy of the Head On Photo Festival … are ten small teaser segments of each of the ten film works selected as Finalists in the ‘Head On Moving Image Prize’ … including my humble piece “Eyes – The Soul of a Photograph”.
The sheer variety of styles and quality of the other nine Finalists is astonishing … and I’m delighted to be one of the ten with my first entry attempt at this genre.
The complete works of the ten finalists screen from a minute to about about five minutes each – ‘Eyes’ is three minutes duration. Unfortunately the full length screenings of the ten finalists work at the Brenda May Gallery Sydney theatrette has now finished … but I’m sure Head On will pursue further avenues to display this great collection of ‘Moving Images’. Will keep you posted …
This years month long Festival kicked off in style on May 1 at Town Hall Sydney – the Festival ‘Hub’ – and I was pleased to once again be a part of Australia’s eminent photo show thanks to Festival Directors Moshe Rosenzveig and Anita Schwartz. Opening eve was packed to the ornate Town Hall rafters with about 800 guests and nine top flight photo exhibitions – and a very welcome ‘welcome’ bar.
Described as ‘a veritable orgy of photography’ Head On Photo Festival this year consisted of over a hundred exhibitions and the work of several hundred photographers.
For me, a Highlight amongst all the brilliant exhibitions, opening nights, workshops, artist talks, award presentations, portfolio reviews, pop up studios, trivia evenings etc etc and bloody fantastic work … was a meal post Custom’s House wine and cheese which I shared with three US superstar photographers, a delightful colleague from Byron Bay and two photographers from Iran !! (I know … it’s sounding like the opening line of a ‘joke’).
Sharing pizzas, wine and photojournalism small talk that eve were Ben Lowy (renowned Getty Images photojournalist) and his partner Marvi Lacar (Facebook Pages picture editor) , Los Angeles Times Chief Photographer Michael Robinson Chávez , Iranian girls Saghar Amirazimi and Shiva Shakhesi, the gorgeous and so talented Natalie Grono, … and myself …
An extremely convivial and fascinating ‘across the divide’ few hours … ! (Pizzas weren’t bad either)
Head On Award wise I was, indeed, fortunate to have my work selected as a Finalist in two categories – the prestigious ‘Head On Portrait Prize’ and the new ‘Head On Moving Image Prize’ – and included in the Portrait Prize exhibition at the Museum of Sydney (till June 8th) and the Moving Image show at Brenda May Gallery Waterloo (till June 6th). Both exhibitions are well worth a visit and a pleasure to humbly be a part of.
Below I’ve posted my Portrait Finalist image “Disko Meri” – a portrait of a night club hostess girl in Port Moresby PNG (Thank You Julie!) – and my Moving Image work “Eyes – The Soul of a Photograph”.
Many Thanks for the wonderful hospitality afforded me by the Head On Photo Festival crew – Kat Mills, Lauran Vohmann, John Slaytor, Jon Lewis, Moshe, Anita and many others … just brilliant …
Amongst the mass of mostly annoying or pure spam emails received lately were two that were especially welcomed. Both were from the crew at the Head On Prizes and contained the excellent news that my work had been selected as finalist in two categories of the prestigious awards – ‘Portraits’ and ‘Moving Image’.
I have previously had work selected in the ‘Portrait’ category … but this is a ‘first’ for me in the ‘Moving Image’ category.
Ten finalists have had their work selected in ‘Moving Image’ which is for small moving pieces (movies) combining any combination of multimedia, visual art, sound art, still or moving images or other media. Certainly isn’t my speciality so I’m incredibly gratified just to be amongst the ten!
The Head On Portrait Prize, now in its 12th year, is one of Australia’s most critically acclaimed photographic portrait prizes and has also received World wide recognition. In 2014 the Portrait Prize exhibition toured Internationally and it is expected that the 2015 Portrait exhibition will do the same.
So it’s particularly pleasing to make the Portrait finalist cut once again. (for news on my Head On Portrait Prize successes in previous years go to here and here.)
To keep abreast of the happenings at the Head On Photo Festival and Head On Prizes on social media use these tags … Hashtag – #headon15, Facebook – @Head On Photo Festival, Twitter – @HeadOnPhotoFest, Instagram – @headonphotofestival .
