Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize #3 … Yes !

… well, that was damn exciting and unexpected !

A few days ago received an email (proceeded by phone calls) with the great news that I’d once again won the ‘Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize’. Really stoked with that …

The Walkley’s usually announce the winners of the ‘Nikon Portrait Prize’, the ‘Nikon Photo of the Year Prize’ and the finalists of the other Nikon photographic categories during state capital evening ‘events’ … but Covid this year meant a much quieter disclosure via an 8am email.

Wasn’t expected anything … so missed the initial email and only learn’t that my pic “The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa” had been selected as the portrait prize winner when colleagues started ringing me !

The pic was made on Mornington Island (Kunhanhaa) in the Gulf of Carpentaria in far northern Australia … an indigenous community that is experiencing multiple ‘social issues’ mostly due to the tyranny of distance and … well …  being ‘forgotten’. Myself and ‘gun’ journalist Michael McKenna travelled to the island in December 2020 to document the story of massive overcrowding in the communities basic homes … and the image and story was published on page one of ‘The Australian’ (below).

Many thanks to Michael … and also to the ‘driven’ Mayor of Mornington, Kyle Yanner, who is single minded in solving the issues that have beset his community.

This portrait was also a part of my pic essay “Mornington Island – The Queenslanders Left behind” that recently won the ‘Photographic Essay’ category of ‘The Clarion Awards’ … Queensland’s media awards.

Also, huge congrats to brilliant Sydney Morning Herald colleague Kate Geraghty who scored the ‘Nikon Photo of the Year Prize’ with an evocative image of a Covid-19 patient that was also published as a page1.

Can’t forget the several of my colleagues that received the news that they are ‘Finalists’ in the remaining Nikon Walkley photographic categories who won’t now learn their fate till the big announcements at The Walkley Awards presentation night of nights in Tamworth in February 2022. I’ll be there ‘with bells on’ !

Below I’ve also posted images and links to my other two previous winning ‘Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize’ photographs in 2016 (here) and 2011 (here). Also just a couple of the links to all the Nikon Walkley winners and category finalists here and here.

STOP PRESS: Was interviewed in the days after the announcement by the Walkley Foundation’s Kate Burgess for an article in The Walkley Magazine. Kate’s work and my words may be found here … https://medium.com/the-walkley-magazine/spotlight-on-brian-cassey-1bfa58b91af8

Images © Brian Cassey

 

2021 Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize - Winner - "The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa' - by Brian Cassey

2021 Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize - Winner - "The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa' - by Brian Cassey for The Australian

'Abdullatif - Beaten Asylum Seeker' - Winner 2016 Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize - image by Brian Cassey

'Carol - Burne Survivor' - Winner 2011 'Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize' - image by Brian Cassey

Sensational Walkley’s …

What a night … and a what a result … !

The 2016 Walkley Awards on Friday eve at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre heralded an historic ‘first’ … the mega talented and great guy photojournalist Andrew Quilty the first photographer to ever take out the biggest prize – the ‘Gold Walkley’.

Nobody deserves it more …

Andrew is totally dedicated to his craft and gave away a job at Fairfax to move to Afghanistan as a freelance. His work is extraordinary.

I was fortunate – by way of my Nikon-Walkley Portrait win – to be seated at the same table 55 as Andrew on Friday eve … along with the incredibly legendary war photojournalist Tim Page and partner Marianna Harris, Walkley advisory board member and photographer Michael Amendolia, prolific photography journalist Alison Steven-Taylor (‘Photojournalism Now’), my Cairns photographer mate Marc McCormack and Mrs Sandra, Tanie Harris Sansey … and Andrew’s delightful mum Ann.

Definitely the best table of the night !

Before the evenings events commenced Andrew had already bagged the Nikon-Walkley ‘Photo of the Year’ award … and soon added the ‘News Photo’ award … before thrilling the scores of media photographers – and everyone else in the room  – with the final award of the night – the ‘Gold Walkley’. Magic …

A absolute pleasure to chat with Tim … and delighted that he suggested we swap prints … my Portrait Prize pic for one of his amazing historic combat images. Pretty stoked about that …

The rest of the Nikon-Walkley photography awards were also ‘spot on’ … with Alex Coppel taking out ‘Press Photographer of the Year’, Cameron Spencer the ‘Sports Photography’ award and David Maurice Smith the ‘Feature/Photographic Essay’ award … all against some amazing ‘Finalist’ opposition.

Well done Walkley’s and Nikon … truly memorable !

Below is top … Tim Page watching the announcement of my ‘Nikon-Walkley Portrait Prize’ win from our table … and below … the older PJ legend Tim chats with the newer legend Andrew Quilty after his ‘Gold Walkley’ win.

Images © Brian Cassey 2016

2016 Walkley Awards - Nikon-Walkley Awards - Gold Walkley, Andrew Quilty - Portraiture, Brian Cassey

Walkley Awards 2016 - Nikon-Walkley Awards - Winner Gold Walkley, Andrew Quilty - Portraiture, Brian Cassey