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

Sydney … Moran & Walkley …

A massive and memorable fifty hours in Sydney this week …

Arrived Sydney Tuesday to be met by former Cairns Post staffer from way way back … Terri Bradley … and we were soon joined by Margaret River WA based photographer colleague Martine Perret at the ‘Wine Library‘ in Paddington for an evening of  ‘work catch up’.

Wednesday was 2016 Moran Prize day at Juniper Hall, Paddington. The deserving winners – Johannes Rienhart in the ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’ and Megan Seres in the ‘Moran National Portrait Prize’ – were announced at a news event in the morning, whilst the evening saw more merriment and much partying at the Moran family stately home and gallery.

Excellent to catch up with a host of Moran photographic finalistsMartine Perret (again) of course, winner Johannes, Michael Amendolia, Matt Abbott, Raphaela Rosella, Damien Pleming, Cameron Neville, Brad Smith, Todd Kennedy, Paul McIver … (also but very briefly Zoe Mongey and Reza Ghasemi).  Also attending for the evenings (ahem) ‘networking’ were Head On Photo Festival director Moshe Rosenzveig and photographer Brendan Beirne (former Nikon-Walkley winner with the Packer/Gyngell ‘Bondi Biffo’ news pics).

(The ‘Moran National Portrait Prize’ winner Megan Seres received $150,000 for her portrait of her daughter ‘Scarlett as Colonial Girl’ … Johannes Reinhart coined $50,000 for his ‘Mermaid Show’ image in the ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’.)

Between the morning and evening Moran events I took in the 2016 ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’ at the State Library of New South Wales … and was very happy to see my Portrait Prize winning image ‘Beaten Refugee’ very prominently displayed (see image below). Great to share the exhibition (and lunch) with my old mate and former Fleet Street ‘Blunt’ Frank Thorne, as well as Terri and Martine.

Also just had time to fit in a quick coffee with AAP photographer and ‘fotostrada’ colleague Dean Lewins … !

A pretty hectic but rewarding trip to the ‘Big Smoke’ … and a big ‘Thank You’ to Terri for her time and care.

The ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize Exhibition’ (including my finalist image ‘Number 55’) runs at Juniper Hall, Paddington till 5th February 2017 … and the ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’ (including my ‘Beaten Refugee’) runs at the State Library of NSW till November 27th. Both exhibitions are well worth some time …

Images below © Brian Cassey … top – my Portrait Prize winner  ‘Beaten Refugee’ at the ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition‘, Sydney … middle and bottom – my ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’ finalist image ‘Number 55‘ displayed inside and outside Juniper Hall, Paddington.

 

2016 Nikon-Walkley Portrait Prize - Winner - 'Beaten Refugee' by Brian Cassey
2016 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize - 'Number 55' - Finalist by Brian Cassey

2016 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize - 'Number 55' - Finalist by Brian Cassey