“Disko Meri” – an image I made of nightclub bar girl Julie in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – has been recognised yet again, taking out an “Honourable Mention” in the ‘Portrait’ category of the prestigious “9th International Color Awards”.
The planet wide annual photography awards bill themselves as “The World’s most watched photo show” and all winners were announced in a four and a half hour live streaming online event. Must admit I missed that bit …
Sadly … I have not been able to thank my subject Julie personally so far. The bar where she works in Port Moresby does not have either a phone number or internet presence. I intend on my next visit to Port Moresby to make it a priority to visit her again at the ‘Diamond Club’ to thank her and present her with a print … the very least I can do.
Below … and at the risk of boring you with it again … is the portrait of Julie – “Disko Meri”
A hectic but rewarding three days this week … although the majority involved sitting on various aircraft.
On Wednesday I was kindly invited to luncheon in Brisbane by the Rural Press Club of Queensland … and very pleasant it was too. At the Tattersall’s Club function Rural Press announced the winners of the their annual media awards and I was most pleased to receive three awards for best ‘People’ photograph, best ‘Production’ photograph and … most pleasing … the overall ‘Excellence in Rural Photography Award’. The two winning images involved were ‘Beef Farmers’ in the ‘People’ and ‘Overall’ categories (made of a lovely elderly cattle farming couple at the Daintree) and ‘Banana Farmer’ (of a banana farmer at his tiny road side stall at the time when Panama disease race 4 was discovered locally). Both pics are posted below.
The afternoon was made even more special when my Courier Mail wordsmith colleague Michael Madigan took out the main journalism prize on offer … and we joined in much mutual back slapping and a long celebration.
Was wrapped with the selection of my work ‘Number 55’ as a finalist in an award that describes itself as ‘an internationally recognised photographic prize for new perspectives in natural and urban landscape photography’. My first real ‘Landscape’ photography recognition.
The gallery space was full of charm and character, the exhibited works indeed diverse and challenging … and I was pleased as punch to see ‘Number 55’ hanging amongst such an excellent collection of images. The home of photography in Perth also boasts a beautiful garden area where the bar was doing a roaring trade. Mike Gray took out the main prize with his image ‘Backyard Bag Study ‘, with Matt Abbott awarded the second prize for his great work ‘Dogs’. An extremely pleasant evening of great landscape photography at an excellent venue. If you are in Perth the exhibition runs till April 17th.
Below is a pic of part of the CLIP exhibition featuring my piece ‘Number 55’ on the wall – very nicely printed and mounted by Perth’s Fitzgerald Photo.
The one event I couldn’t quite squeeze into the schedule was the opening in Sydney on Wednesday eve of the ‘Head On Portrait Prize In Retrospect‘ exhibition as part of Art Month Sydney. The exhibition includes my previous portrait prize Finalist work ‘Disko Meri’.
Finally … this post is being strung together Friday on the long haul from Perth back to Cairns.
‘Landscape’ is a photography genre that I haven’t really touched on over the years … I’m much more comfortable with actual humans taking up pixel space on my rectangles (or squares). Don’t get me wrong … I have a hell of a lot of appreciation of, and respect for, the wonderful landscape work of photographers such as Murray Fredericks and Peter Solness and more. I suppose I just haven’t embraced it …
So … it was with much surprise and delight … that I received an email last eve with the news that I have been selected as a Finalist in the prestigious and International ‘Contemporary Landscapes in Photography Award’ (CLIP for short).
Clip describes itself thus – “The CLIP Award is an internationally recognised photographic prize for new perspectives in natural and urban landscape photography. The selection criteria focuses on images which are original, stimulating, and that challenge traditional notions of landscape photography.”
The image ‘Number 55’ marks my first ‘success’ (of sorts) in Landscape photography … and it will form part of the CLIP Finalists exhibition at the Perth Centre for Photography commencing mid March when the Winners will be announced. The pic was made on New Years Eve 2015 as I was passing an emerging blaze in a house just five minutes drive from my home in Cairns.
Not sure whether I can justify a trip to Perth for the opening eve and Winners announcement … but sure would like to see my work hanging amongst the other selected landscapes. We’ll see …
The gallery was packed with guests – the pavement outside was packed with guests (totalling an astonishing 450 odd) – as six artists portraiture works were selected from the sculpture, drawing, painting, craftwork, performance art and photography on display.
It’s a little while since I have been described as a ‘virgin’ … but was more than happy to be invited to take part and produce a photographic portrait of fellow artist and performer Kloe Gee for the show. On the eve Kloe – unlike my rather ‘raw’ image of her on the wall – was beautifully body painted as a bower bird – and performed her ‘portrait’ of fellow artist Maree Nicholson by gracefully moving amongst the gallery audience and ‘collecting’ items to add to her ‘nest’.
The winning half dozen or so artists were announced (or informed personally such was the racket from the enthusiastic and boisterous crowd) and both Kloe and I got a welcome ‘winner’ tap on the shoulder from Blunt organiser Dominic Johns.
For all the noise, excitement, ‘refreshment’ and other carrying on I can’t remember the complete list of winners (and the Blunt web site has yet to be updated with results) … but do remember that the evenings overall winner was a compelling portrait of Darren Blackman by fellow artist India Collins.
A really great evening … and an annual art event that Blunt organisers Dominic Johns and Roland Nancarrow … and the City of Cairns … can be proud of.
They bill themselves as Cairns answer to the ‘Archibald Prize‘ … a bold but very tongue in cheek comparison.
The ‘Blunt Edge of Portraiture Awards’ were the brain child of Cairns locals Roland Nancarrow and Dominic Johns back in 2007 and they have been amassing street cred ever since. Unlike the famed Archibald’s the portraits are not restricted to just brush, palette, paint, crayon or ink … and invited ‘Blunt’ artists may use any (or all) mediums available to create a ‘portrait’ including wet clay, film, mixed media, photography, metalwork, mosaic, poetry etc. One memorable past entry was constructed out of custard !
I have been invited (at the suggestion of fellow photographer Glen O’Malley) to be a part of this years ‘Not Quite Blunt Awards’ – along with twenty three other Blunt ‘Virgins’ or newcomers who will be competing for a spot in the next full scale ‘Blunt Edge’ awards in 2016. Each ‘Virgin’ is drawn out of the hat to make a portrait of one other of the twenty four and the works will form an exhibition and vie for awards announced on the eve of December 11th at Crate 59 Gallery in Cairns.
Indeed fortunate to have been tasked with making a portrait of the delightful performance artist Kloe Gee … whilst artist Maree has the unenviable task of having to make a likeness of me interesting ! The works will be judged by eminent artists from southern climes who are not familiar with the Cairns art scene.
All in all it sounds a load of fun … ‘Thanks’ for the Blunt invitation!
Despite the challenge of portraying the essence of a short film about the ‘moving image’ (in more than just one sense of the term ‘moving image’) the piece in Cairns Eye looks great. On the cover and spread they used seven of the twenty six essentially portrait images – made in the USA (2), India (3), Indonesia (1), Thailand (1), Hong Kong China (1), Papua New Guinea (4) and Australia (14) – which featured in the film. Sadly there is no way they can play the haunting accompanying music in the film – a beautifully emotive piece by composer Robert Mann entitled ‘Rio Vista’. However, you can hear the music and see the complete project at … www.briancasseyphotographer.com/play
The rationale for the film – which also was a Finalist in the ‘Head On Moving Image Prize’ (amongst others) earlier this year – was to explore the axiom that that the eyes are the gateway to not only the soul but the still photograph.
Hard to believe that Saturday eves Queensland Multi Media Awards hosted in Cairns at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino was a landmark twentieth anniversary event. Yup … already twenty years of acknowledging and rewarding the work of Queensland’s regional media and advertising industry.
For some long forgotten reason I missed that first year of the awards (then named FNQ Media Awards) in 1996 … but do remember taking home the ‘Best News Photograph’ award the next year 1997. The winning image was of a then 6 year old Tjandamarra O’Shane – a victim of a burning petrol attack in his school playground that left him clinging to life with burns to 70% of his body. The pic was made outside Cairns Court on the day that his attacker Paul Wade Streeton was sentenced to life in prison.
Since that first QMMA win in ’97 I have had a fair chunk of excuses to attend the annual awards evenings … and haven’t missed a year since.
At the culmination of Saturdays celebrations I came home with two more awards – ‘Best News Photograph’ for “Mourning Our Dead Brothers and Sisters” (an image of the surviving siblings at the Murray Street murder scene – judges comment – “A tragic moment mourning, poignantly and sympathetically captured”) … and … ‘Best Editorial Image’ for “Disk Meri” (portrait of a PNG bar girl – judges comment – “A timeless and beautiful portrait illustrating a complex and difficult story”).
The QMMA crew – in particular stalwart Anita Plos – should be congratulated on their amazin’ work, persistence and dedication organising these important media awards over two decades … and here’s to the 21st!
“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.
Two of my portraits have been selected as Finalists in the Fremantle International – one of Cape York indigenous legend Tommy George (“The Last of the Kuku Thaypan”) – and the other of young Cape York sisters (“Jillaroos”). The results will be announced and the exhibition of Finalists work opened at the Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery in Fremantle on Saturday October 24th – and I will be making the cross country trek to catch up with exhibiting colleagues.
The Queensland Multi Media Awards reach an impressive milestone this year … with the presentation evening marking twenty years of rewarding the work of Queensland’s media professionals. This week the three Finalists for each category were announced for the twentieth anniversary event – and my work was selected as a contender in ‘Best News Photograph’ with an image made whilst covering the horrific Murray Street massacre “Mourning Our Dead Brothers and Sisters” … and in ‘Best Editorial Image/Photograph’ for the pic of PNG bar girl Julie entitled “Disko Meri” (the same image that was chosen as part of the Head On Portrait Prize exhibition). Looking forward to a big night on presentation eve at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino on Saturday November 7th.
The image from the Murray Street massacre coverage of the surviving brother and sister mourning next to the murder scene has also been selected as a Semi-Finalist in the prestigious Moran Prize. The announcement of the selected thirty ‘Finalist’ images that will make up the Moran exhibition at Juniper Hall in Paddington Sydney and each receive a cheque from the $80,000 prize pool, will be made shortly. Fingers crossed on that one but realistically not holding my breath.
Feeling extremely fortunate to be in New York for this years ‘Photoville’ festival of photography – a brilliant feast of fine photography set in and around 60 odd shipping containers on the banks of the East River Brooklyn overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
Photoville is only four years young … but has grown quickly into a vibrant showcase of the Worlds best photojournalism, documentary and fine art work. Highlights – and there were very many – included the works of Graham Macindoe (American Exile: Detained, Deported and Divided), Daniel Berahulak (Scenes from the Ebola Crises), Dougie Wallace (Stag, Hens & Bunnies: A Blackpool Story), Stephanie Sinclair (Too Young to Wed), Matt Black (The Geography of Poverty), Misha Friedman (The Iron Closet) and Ruddy Roye (When Living is a Protest) – although to single these out for their excellence is not to disparage the amazing works of a total of over four hundred contributing artists. (For more info on artists and their work check out Photoville’s web site here).
The festival opening day was shared with the 14th anniversary of the Twin Towers terror attacks. That evening saw a great sunset over the Hudson and the Manhattan sky line whilst Getty Images projected their ‘Legacy Collection’ of images on the big screen. A poignant moment when the photograph of the Twin Towers exploding 14 years ago to the day appeared with, in the background from ground zero, the twin beams of the ‘Tribute of Lights’ piercing the clouds (see image below).
As well as thousands of compelling images to take in there are also numerous workshops and panel discussions by high profile photographers to attend – and there is also a beer garden!
I’d also like to sincerely thank talented NY photographer Natan Dvir for the very generous use of his cosy pad in the Lower East Side Manhattan for the duration, whilst he was on assignment in Romania. Thanks Natan … !
Below are images from Photoville – two featuring the 2015 Head On Portrait Prize exhibit.
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 …
The annual Walkley Storyology Photography Slide event morphed into something different this year … with very mixed results.
2015 saw the prize for photography based short videos expand to a Nation wide event rather that ‘State’ based with two awards presented – one judged by a panel of photojournalists (in Sydney) and the other by ‘peoples choice’ via the Walkley Foundation Facebook page.
The excellent judges selected a great entry by the Age photographer Justin McManus entitled “Bonnie Doon: How’s the Serenity” as Winner.
However, the ‘peoples choice’ award turned into a farce when one entry – declared the ‘Peoples Choice Winner’ by the Walkley Foundation – amassed almost as many votes as the the other 22 entries combined – the majority of which were from obviously fake and/or bogus Facebook accounts.
I would like to sincerely say ‘Thank You’ to the two hundred and eighty two of my friends and colleagues who took the time and trouble to place a ‘peoples choice’ vote for my entry “Lifestyle Choices” (below). Your votes contributed to a total tally which was by far the highest from ‘real’ people! Very much appreciated indeed …
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 .
Whilst in Brisbane to talk at the launch of the Nikon Walkley Press Photography Exhibition (see post here) I also took time out to accept an invitation to attend a Rural Press Club lunch at the venerable Tattersalls Club.
A very nice lunch it was too … made even more enjoyable by the announcement that one of my images was a ‘Winner’ in the ‘Excellence in Rural Journalism Awards 2015’ in the Photography Landscape & Nature category.
The winning image this year (below) was made during the coverage of Cyclone Ita’s passage across the Cooktown area of north Queensland in April 2014 and show’s the aftermath of the cyclone’s total destruction of banana crops at the indigenous community of Hopevale. (Coincidentally I have only just returned from another trip to Hopevale where I documented the latest cyclone damage to the banana crop by Cyclone Nathan).
The pic – which shows Chief Banana Packer at the Hopevale Banana venture Phyllis Gibson carrying felled fruit watched by her grandson Dwayne Bowen – was published on page 1 of The Australian on 14th April 2014 (as shown on the newspaper grab below)
Great to catch up with colleagues and mates once again but first I had to do the ‘official bit’ on stage and wax (probably not so) lyrical – to an audience of about 70 guests – about the work of Australia’s press photographers and the wonderful images collected into this years exhibition displayed on the textured and colourful walls of the Powerhouse. I then joined forces on stage with Nikon Walkley News category finalist – Courier Mail staffer and mate – Peter Wallace … and we talked about how he worked to obtain his great image of now convicted murderer Gerard Baden-Clay.
A great evening that I hope everyone enjoyed … and ‘Thanks’ to the Walkley’s, Nikon and all at the Powerhouse.
If you get the chance to see the exhibition – either in Brisbane or in other touring venues – you will not be disappointed. The work is extraordinary (as is usual every year) and a testament to the talent of Australia’s press photographers.
The first week of December saw the Walkley Foundation’s biggest week of the year – the ‘Storyology’ four day media event and – showcasing the pinnacle of Australian journalism’s in 2014 – the annual ‘Walkley Awards‘ presentation night. I was very pleased to travel to Sydney to be a involved in both – as a speaker (twice) at ‘Storyology’ and as a guest of Nikon at the ‘Walkley’s’.
The ‘Storyology’ event at the Chauvel Cinema Paddington attracted a host of respected and exciting speakers from around the planet and Australia … and I was very humbled to see my name amongst the long list which included such stellar media luminaries as (to name just a few) Laurie Oakes, Quentin Dempster, Wendy Hamer et al.
My involvement at ‘Storyology’ was two fold. On the Wednesday I was tasked with giving a ‘powertalk’ in the ‘Listen Up: Getting Back To The Story’ segment where, at the Walkley Foundation request, I told the story and showed the images from the photographers involved in the ‘Genesis Project’ exhibition that I co-curated with Moshe Rosenzveig for the Head On Photo Festival earlier in 2014.
The real honour for me, however, was being a part of Thursday’s ‘Show and Tell’ panel talk on photojournalism alongside three fellow photographers that each have my utmost respect … John Donegan, David Dare Parker and Andrew Quilty. For an hour in front of a very interested and inquisitive audience we talked about our careers, our lives and our images … and answered some very well put questions from the floor.
Thursday evening saw this years ‘Walkley Awards’ unfold on the water at Darling Harbour. The Nikon crew were once again fine hosts and it was excellent to catch up with many many photographers and journalist friends whilst this years award winners were recognised. My colleague from the ‘Storyology’ panel talk – Andrew Quilty – deservedly added the “Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year” prize (presented to him by our fellow panelist David Dare Parker) to his earlier announced “Press Photo of the Year” award. Nice to see … and I certainly enjoyed the evening more than last years (for me) stress filled event. (The ‘after party’ became a bit of a blur and I do believe I did get to bed before sun rise.) Congratulations to all this years winners … and a big ‘Thanks’ to the Walkley Foundation and Nikon for the invitations.
The QMMA’S are now in their nineteenth year … not an insignificant achievement. The catchment area for the awards is basically the entire state of Queensland – but minus Brisbane – and it attracts entrants from all regions and from a wide spectrum of media and advertising organisations and individuals.
Last Saturday eve at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino Cairns this years presentations were made and I was fortunate to take home the ‘gong’ for “Best Photographic Image”. The pic “The Betel Nut Trader” (below) was made in Papua New Guinea late in 2013 as part of an essay on the ban in Port Moresby of the trade in the natural and traditionally chewed mild narcotic betel nut (buai). It was published by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Apparently MIFA’s mission is to recognize, reward and expose talented photographers from around the world and introduce them to the creative community in Russia”. No too sure how useful that may be in the big scheme of things … but, hey … will try anything once.
I frugally submitted one lone pic … my portrait of the loverly burns survivor Carol Mayer … and promptly forgot about it. Sadly so did they … up to a point! No congratulatory email at results time and I questioned, as you do, the credentials of the judges before moving on to other things.
Ten days later I DO get an email opening thus – “Congratulations once again, please find enclosed your MIFA’14 Winner Seal”. I several times checked the list of winners and honourable mentions … no Brian and no Carol … and puzzled I sent them an email. They told me to ‘look again’. Same result …
My next few emails went unanswered … until today when I at last get an email stating “Apologies! Yes, we found out there was a bug in our system which removed some of the HM winners that’s why it wasn’t showing. We have fixed it.”
So there you go … an Honourable Mention (and there was an awful lot of ’em) in the Portrait category of the inaugural “Moscow International Foto Awards”. Sure takes the gloss off it …
Anyway … below is my Hon Mention pic from the “MIFA” website.
A nice little bit of recognition recently when one of my images from South Korea was awarded “Honorable Mention” (i.e. 4th!) in the “26th Annual Gordon Parks International Photography Awards”. The awards celebrate the work of the eminent coloured US photographer Gordon Parks who not only produced brilliant photo essays as a staffer for ‘Life Magazine’ but also directed the 1971 movie ‘Shaft’. (Who doesn’t remember Isaac Hayes great ‘Theme from Shaft’ which won an ‘Academy Award’.)
Gordon Parks died in 2006 aged 93 but the Gordon Parks Center continue to promote his work, make it available to the public through exhibitions, books etc and support artistic and educational activities that advance his ideal of “the common search for a better life and a better world.”
The theme for this years awards and exhibition was “The Face of Poverty” … a subject covered prominently by Gordon Parks own work. Amongst the winners and finalists were entries from the US, Bangladesh, Japan … and Australia (me!). My image (below) was made in Seoul South Korea whilst documenting the many homeless individuals that exist around the main railway station and at the time facing eviction by National rail network Korail. I made the pic as s small boy stopped to stare at a homeless man preparing his cardboard box bed for a nights sleep in a station underpass.
Prepared a presentation for inclusion in tonights Nikon Walkley ‘Storyology’ slide night event at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
The Nikon Walkley events in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney are a great window for photographers to present their work to a excellent audience of their peers and others.
My presentation explores the axiom that the eyes are the ‘soul’ of many a photograph.
If you are lucky enough to be present this evening at the Powerhouse and enjoy “Eyes” please consider a vote for ‘best in show’.
Myself and fellow judges Scott Atkinson and Oliver Klink had a very difficult task whittling down the final 45 images (from 15 different countries) on the exhibition walls in San Francisco to the final places.
We finally awarded first place to a great image by photojournalist Goran Jovic from Croatia.
Below I’ve posted Goran’s winning image (top) and a couple of the distinguished place getters – ‘Parenting’ by Edward L Rubin (USA) and ‘J.R. Roselio’ by Larry Louie (Canada). All the final 45 images can be found at http://www.kellicutt.org
Thanks to the organisers of “The Kellicutt International Photo Show” (of which I am honoured to be one of this years three judges) I found my myself in the coastal community of Half Moon Bay California on the most important day of the year for most Americans – July 4th Independence Day.
Just south of the San Francisco metropolis, Half Moon Bay is a pretty satellite community based around agriculture and fishing. The main street – Main Street (surprisingly) – comes alive on July 4 with a colourful traditional local parade. All can join in the fun …
Parades of this type are becoming rarer as community and family values fade over time.
Tonight (July 5th) I will be attending the big presentation of awards evening at “The Kellicutt International Photo Show”. Fellow judges and photographers Scott Atkinson, Oliver Klink and myself have now selected the winners and place getters from the forty five hanging in the exhibition which were whittled down from the initial circa twelve hundred entries from around the planet. The prize winning works are a diverse selection from all forms of photography including portrait, landscape, wildlife and photojournalism. More about the winners later … ! I’m also deeply appreciative of the invitation and hospitality provided by the photo show organisers Jeff and Kirsten Klagenberg … Thanks Guys!
Just returned from three days ‘down south ‘at Mooloolaba southern Queensland, courtesy of the Walkley Foundation and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Despite torrential rain and flash flooding (Sunshine Coast ?) all the events were extremely well attended. The ‘Nikon Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’ was hung by the charming USC Gallery curator Dawn Oelrich and the prints were very well presented and lit in the campus Gallery ‘space’. Well over a hundred braved the lousy weather on Thursday eve to attend, view the work selected as Australia’s best press pics of 2013 and listen to myself rabbit on about photojournalism and my and the other finalists work. CEO of the Walkley Foundation and MEAA Federal Secretary – Chris Warren – was also in attendance to address the throng.
On the previous night over thirty five souls were brave enough to withstand over an hour of my ‘Ord Minnett’ lecture. To support my words on the subject of photojournalism I also projected over a hundred images and demonstrated some obscure pieces of camera kit. Some of the pics and some of the kit dated back … well … a few decades.
I also spoke to five classes of journalism students … almost a hundred in total … on the press photography in the gallery (including mine of course) and the fragile future of photojournalism. Several young students were, however, determined to continue along the PJ path.
Still, it made a pleasant change to spend my time talking about pictures rather than making them.
Below are two quick pics from the exhibition opening eve of guests checking out the wall with my selected ‘Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year’ print portfolio.
