The Head On Photo Festival continues it’s meteoric and spectacular growth.
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 …
Images © Brian Cassey
Just watched your fab “moving image” piece, Brian! Congrats on more stellar achievements since last we spoke. I met you @ the Head On portrait finalists exhibition back in 2013 (I think that’s the right year)… We both had work on display & yours was a second place winner if I’m remembering corectly. We were hung nearby one another & you were kind enough to text me to let me know that my portrait like yours was also part of the newspaper PR slideshow for the fest that year.
The HeadOn website redesign is a little wonky for me, but I’m planning on entering… probably landscapes not portraits this year.
Warm regards from Anna Bay, NSW,
Didi
Hi Didi … YES … remember we had a chat at the State Library in 2013. Many Thanks for your kind words !
Hope we have the opportunity to catch up again this year … fingers crossed Didi … !!
Brian
Hi Didi … YES … remember we had a chat at the State Library in 2013. Many Thanks for your kind words !
Hope we have the opportunity to catch up again this year … fingers crossed Didi … !!
Brian