‘Fine Art’ … and Dodho …

Not an extinct flightless bird, Dodho publishes “Dodho Magazine” … in their words “one of the most influential online contemporary photography magazines, committed to discovering and promoting the best photographers around the world”.

So … was excellent to again be selected in the “Dodho Fine Art” awards and see one of my favourite images … “Mother Africa – Aurora” … grace the wonderful Dodho large format hard cover fine art awards book.

This was only the second edition of the fine art awards and pleased to say that another of my images … “Bonn – Asking the Question” … was selected in the inaugural awards last year (see second image below). Dodho now also hosts other awards each year … and I also have had work selected … twice each … in their “Portrait Awards” and “Color Awards”. Getting quite a nice little collection of fine award photo books !

Dodho really do do a fine job of promoting a great variety of International photography. Do look out for them …

By the way … “Mother Africa” is large front and centre in my current exhibition “A Photographer’s Life – Part 3 – Portraits” … open now at the Mulgrave Gallery, Esplanade, Cairns until the 29th February.

Images © Brian Cassey

Dodho Magazine Fine Art Awards 2024 -"Boon - Asking the Question" - image © by Brian Cassey

Duncan Miller Gallery … Los Angeles …

… pretty stoked that my image “Aurukun – Generations” has been selected and listed for sale by the prestigious Duncan Miller Gallery in the United States.

The gallery and their web portal Your Daily Photograph (https://www.yourdailyphotograph.com) specialises in the sale of “important classic and contemporary photographic works of art” … and are the owner of the largest collection of vintage photographs on the West Coast of America. They have subscribers and potential purchasers in 75 countries.

You may see the work on their YDP site here … http://eepurl.com/i829Xw
My work is apparently in very good company … in the recent past images by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Andreas Gursky, Richard Misrach, Andre Kertesz, Edward Burtynsky and other photography legends have been offered for sale on YourDailyPhotograph.

The portrait of Aurukun Wik elders Silas and Rebecca Wolmby with their great grand children Shalona and Keola was made outside their house in the Cape York Peninsula indigenous community. It has featured numerous times in awards across the last few years … arguably the most stella being ‘sent into’ space’ and projected above the planet courtesy of the British Journal of Photography “Portrait of Humanity” awards … and published in the book collection of the same name.

My first sale at Duncan Miller Gallery was back in 2012 with my “Rajasthan Dancers” photograph, made in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India in 2011 (image below).

Images © Brian Cassey

THREE Exhibition Openings in Cairns …

Two weeks since the opening of three exhibitions at the adjoining Mulgrave and Court House Galleries in Cairns.

Really stoked to see my new exhibition of 35 portraits “A Photographer’s Life – Part 3 – Portraits” … the collection I curated alongside Head On Photo Festival Director Moshe Rosenzveig “Paper Tigers – An Anthology of Australian Photojournalism” … and the work of Trinity Bay High School students that I mentored and edited with Cairns Galleries curator Chris Stannard “Word on the Street” … all opening simultaneously on the lawn between the galleries.

It was a brilliant and amazingly well attended evening.

Moshe Rosenzveig flew up from Sydney to perform the official exhibition openings under the evenings very threatening skies … and also joined me the following day hosting our artist/curators talks.

It is the first time that “Paper Tigers” has been shown outside of Sydney … and it was a real pleasure to see the sixty works by Australia’s wonderful photojournalist community on the expansive walls of the Court House Gallery … including my 2016 Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize winner “Abdullatif – Beaten Asylum Seeker” (pic 5 below 🙂 ). Was a real (lengthy and sometimes complicated) pleasure to work with Moshe to put this significant collection together. The exhibition includes many examples of Australian photojournalism that are historic and helped shaped the face of the country. VERY well worth a visit and a long long look.

My exhibition of ‘Portraits’ is a logical extension of my two earlier exhibitions … A Photographer’s Life Parts 1 & 2. Part One was exhibited in The Tanks Arts Centre in 2017 … and Part Two in the Court House Gallery in 2021. Together they documented not only my involvement in photography from a very early age and across the decades, but also the changes in photojournalism and the media environment. Part Three demonstrates the move more to portraiture from the more traditional and difficult to obtain (and more expensive) pure photojournalism. It also contains several of my fondest and most emotional images. Great to see some of the images projected the size of a house too !

“Word on the Street” is the product of my connections over the years with Trinity Bay High School and their visual arts students and teachers. I have judged and presented their annual photographic portrait prize for near a decade and have many times provided the students with class room talks and street walks where we explored photography and photojournalism. The catalyst for this particular exhibit was a chat with Cairns Galleries curator Chris Stannard (left in image 4). We mentored the students in photojournalism and encouraged them to produce work whilst charging young cadet journalist Isaac Colman with the task of writing their stories. A very rewarding and successful exercise …

Must, must … hugely thank Chris Stannard and all at the galleries staff (Andy, Narelle, Jilara, Laurence etc etc) who worked so hard to put these exhibitions together … Moshe for his time, expertise, words, camaraderie and attendance … the visual arts students and teachers from TBHS … my wonderful subjects (Vale Alf, George S, George C and Desley) … and all who taken the time out to be there on the opening eve or have subsequently walked through the gallery doors !

Also grateful to Charlie McKillop at ABC Radio who very nicely interviewed me on exhibition opening morning for her ‘Drive’ segment. You may listen to that interview here if you have ten minutes and forty seconds to spare.

Plenty of time left to take in the exhibitions … “Paper Tigers” runs to the 23rd of February … whilst “A Photographer’s Life – Part 3 – Portraits” and “Word on the Street” have both been extended until the 29th February. I may even catch you there 😉 .

I do hope to have some fascinating ‘360 degree’ videos of the exhibitions very soon.

In pics below … Mulgrave Gallery entry to “A Photographer’s Life – Part 3 – Portraits” and “Word on the Street” during an accompanying musical event – featuring my image “The Kids of Ali Curung” … my exhibit image “George at the Bus Stop” projected at dusk … some of my portraits on the walls of the Mulgrave Gallery … Cairns Galleries Chris Stannard at the Court House entry to “Paper Tigers” … my work :Abdullatif – Beaten Asylum Seeker” in the Court House Gallery “Paper Tigers” collection … projection of my work “Veronica – Where Home Brew Kills” late on opening evening … lastly, Head On’s Moshe Rosenzveig (right), myself (left – a VERY rare pic), friends from the Cairns photographic community Shaz Spannenburg, Peter Rossi, Charmaine Heyer, Polly Fenton with (rear) Robert Gray from Brisbane … at the Conservatory Bar ‘after launch’ ‘do.

Images © Brian Cassey … except second © Cristina Bevilacqua … and bottom © Moshe Rosenzveig/Sarah Hulgill

The Passing of George Skeene OAM … and Tokyo …

… bitter, sweet and emotional to receive this 😞 …

Just a couple of days after the saddest news on January 3rd of the passing of Yirrganydji (Cairns) elder Dr George Skeene OAM, I received the email that my work … “George at the Bus Stop – George Skeene OAM” … had scored an Honorable Mention in the Portrait category of the ‘Tokyo International Foto Awards’ (TIFA).

George … who I fortuitously met at a Cairns bus stop in June 2023 … was a true delight to meet and photograph … a real gentleman.

Was a Friday lunch time when I saw a distinguished man sitting quietly at the Cairns Central bus stop. Said ‘Hi’ … we exchanged pleasantries and I asked ‘George’ how far away his bus was … the board said eight minutes … and if I may make a quick portrait. George was fine with that so I raced back to my car a block away to grab a decent camera. We chatted very briefly whilst I made a few frames and it turns out that George was, in fact, Yirrganydji Elder Dr George Skeene OAM.

Of course, the bus arrived early and George told me his info was on the web … and off he went. Our interaction lasted a very pleasant six or seven minutes …

Fascinating to find Dr George on the web and learn the details of his stellar career.  George grew up in Aboriginal reserves in Cairns and made it his life’s work to document his Yirrganydji cultural heritage. 

He traced and catalogued Yirrganydji artefacts that were spirited to Germany in the early 1900’s, wrote a book “Two Cultures” about the Cairns aboriginal camps, arranged for the return and reburial in Cairns of the remains of a Yirrganydji woman held at the Queensland Museum … and there is much more of his exploits ‘on the web’.

George was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters at James Cook University in 2013 and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2016.

I presented him with a print of his portrait whilst he was undergoing treatment at Cairns Hospital late last year. That same portrait also features in my new exhibition opening next Friday at the Mulgrave Gallery. George joins others on that exhibition wall that are no longer with us … and I will pay tribute to all of them at the opening. It will be emotional …

Don’t think I’ll ever forget that memorable fleeting bus stop meeting with George … and was devastated to hear of his demise from his daughter just over a week ago. Thank You George … you will be very sorely missed.

Also scored a second TIFA Honorable Mention (this time Editorial category) with my image of Bill & Michelle Dunn after surviving the massive post Cyclone Jasper flood event that almost took their lives.

You’ve likely seen both these pics previously … and for that I apologise …

Whilst on … must also congratulate photographer good friend Emese Gyalog who scored a TIFA ‘Gold’ in wedding and a HN in Fine Art … nice two Em !

Images © Brian Cassey

Nice Chrissie Presents from … Budapest (BIFA), The Capture Awards and Dodho Color Awards …

… nice early Xmas pressies from the ‘Budapest International Foto Awards’ (BIFA), ‘The Capture Awards’ (hosted by Capture Magazine) and the ‘Dodho Color Awards’ 2024 (hosted by Dodho Magazine.)

The first two featured great results for my image “Alive – Bill & Michell’s Miraculous Escape From Cyclone Jasper”, which only a few weeks ago also took out the Clarion Awards (Queensland Media awards) ‘Best News Photograph’ honours.

Bill & Michell’s emotional image post Cyclone Jasper flooding was selected for the Bronze Award in the Editorial category of the Budapest International Foto Awards … and also in the top images list of the Documentary category of the Capture Awards and featuring in the new Summer edition of the print magazine.

Also in the Budapest awards, it was really gratifying to also see “Little Tuna” get a mention (an Honourable one – spelt here with a ‘u’ 😉 ) … the first time my portrait of “Little Tune” proprietor Kate Lamason with one of her ‘family’, has been recognised in awards. The portrait was made in the office of Kate’s highly successful Australian caught tuna business in Cairns and producing the pic left her work place more than a little damp.

Accompanying Bill & Michelle in the Capture Awards were two of my images “George at the Bus Stop” (George Skeene OAM) and “Bubblegum & Voices” (Kythie Yunkaporta discovering bubbles in Aurukun) in the People & Portrait category. Both have been mentioned in previous awards.

Then … on Christmas eve the beautiful new Dodho book “Color” arrived in my post office box. The hard cover, large format, nicely printed volume showcases the winners and top works from the 2024 “Color Awards” … and included my portrait “Generations- Aurukun” of Aurukun Elders Silas and Rebecca Wolmby with their great grand children Shalona and Keola. Dodho do do lovely books 😉 .

Images © Brian Cassey … from top … Budapest International Foto Awards 2024 (BIFA), The Capture Awards 2024, the book “Colors” by Dodho Magazine – hard cover collection of the best photographs from the 2024 Dodho Color Awards.

20 Years Ago on Boxing Day … the Asian Tsunami …

… 20 Years Ago … this Boxing Day marks the twentieth anniversary of the largest tsunami disaster of modern history … the Asian tsunami that took the lives of near a quarter of a million around the Indian Ocean in 2004. 

I photographed the aftermath in Thailand, Myanmar and the epicentre of Banda Aceh Indonesia for the UK Sunday Mirror alongside gun Brit journalist Susie Boniface. Yes … it was harrowing work that greatly impacted the media contingent covering the disaster.

In Khao Lak, Thailand we told the story of Patrice Fayet and his fruitless search for his wife Samantha and six month old baby Ruby Rose amongst the many thousands of bodies. It was heart breaking watching Patrice search the tiny body bags rising on dry ice in a Khao Lak temple morgue. Samantha’s remains were discovered months later … Ruby Rose was never found … 

The story and my images of Ruby Rose and Patrice’s fruitless search also featured in the tenth anniversary documentary “After the Wave” in 2014.

In Banda Aceh … amongst total destruction … we covered the stories of now parentless children amongst the survivors. Getting there  was a twelve hour overnight drive with a well rewarded local, much of it through civil war rebel held territory. We arrived in the decimated city centre at dawn. The only building we could see still standing in the early light was the Grand Mosque, floodlit by a bank of generators. As we settled down to try and get an hours sleep in the car the call to prayer peeled out from the mosque. Nobody came … 

The worst affected countries were India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Thailand and Somalia.

Certainly, it was an assignment that one would never forget.

Here are just some of the images from my coverage … and a warning some are indeed graphic. (and Yes … some were far too graphic to be shown anywhere)

Fom top – 1, Banda Aceh orphan – 2. Banda Aceh – 3. Khao Lak – 4. A Banda Aceh child victim – 5. Patrice Fayet searches for his wife and baby in Khao Lak – 6. scenes from Phuket, Khao Lak and Banda Aceh

More of my images from the Asian tsunami and the earlier tsunami in Sissano Papua New Guinea may be found on my web site herehttps://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/photographs/tsunami/ .

Images © Brian Cassey

TWO at the Clarion Awards …

… utterly chuffed to win the two major photography prizes at last eves “The Clarion Awards” (Queenslands Media Awards) in Brisbane … Best News Photo for “Alive – Bill & Michell’s Miraculous Escape From Jasper” … & … Best Photographic Essay for “Jasper Brings Once in a Century Flooding”.
A terrific evening amongst many media colleagues and friends old and some new. Well worth the trip from the tropics to the big city ;-).

The night really was a reminder that the media industry is still alive and kicking …. the work of the category winners was a real credit to all … and I was extremely gratified to be just a part of it.

Thank You to the MEAA (especially the Queensland branch) for continuing to organise such a great media event.

First image below is my winning Best News Photo … a work that is very close to my heart. Thank You Bill and Michelle from Degarra who put up with me at an extremely fragile time of their lives … to The Australian pic editors Michael Bilbe-Taylor and Milan Scepanovic who entrusted me with a very difficult and complicated assignment … and to gun journo Michael McKenna who did a great job of crafting the story via a very crackly phone line.

The following twelve images is my winning photo essay … made from when Jasper first reared it’s destructive head, through the record breaking rain falls and on to the start of ‘recovery’. 

Oh yeah … the judges comments are there too at the bottom. 

(Must also mention my medical mate Dr Richard Jackman who managed to get me back out working during the cyclone event after a busted vertebrae incurred during a rain sodden stair fall 🙂 )

Images © Brian Cassey  @brian_cassey

The Artist Gallery … Portraits from around the Globe …

Nice email with news overnight … a new one for me and the first time I’ve entered … “The Artist Gallery Portrait Awards”. 

Twenty one portraits from around the world were awarded … four winners and seventeen ‘Honorable Mentions’, including an HM for my work  “The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa”, made on Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The Artist Gallery suggests that their awards “Showcase the photographers ability to turn fleeting moments into timeless works of art. The winners and honourable mentions who have masterfully turned their lenses toward the soul, creating images that inspire, move, and remind us of the stories behind every face.”

The overall winning work was from Turkey … a brilliant and emotional image “The Bitter Face of War” by Erçin Ertürk

The 21 selected winners and honourable mention portraits originated from Australia, Italy, UK, Malta, Spain, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Norway, Germany, Israel, United Arab Emirates, USA, Austria, Mexico and The Netherlands. 

Australia was represented three times … congrats to the other Aussie based artist Andrea Francolini who had two in the selection, with my image “The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa” being the third.

My Yarrick family image has been good to me, previously winning the “Nikon-Walkley Portrait Prize”, second in the “International Portrait Photographer of the Year” and a dozen other accolades.

Image © Brian Cassey

Tuesday … 69th Walkley Awards …

So … what does one do on a Tuesday night in November ? Last Tuesday I made a flying 30 hour visit back to Sydney to attend the media industries ‘night of nights’ … The Walkley Awards … at the International Convention Centre (ICC).

The catalyst for the lightening short visit was the inclusion of my work (stills, video and drone) in the Courier/Sunday Mail team documentary production “Prayed Upon: A Real Life Hand Maid’s Tale” which was selected as a Finalist in the ‘News – Current Affairs – Short Film’ category of the awards.

Our team … comprising Kate Kyriacou, Greg Stolz, Rhylea Millar, Natalie Gregg, Melanie Pilling, Anna Caldwell and myself … were up against works in the category by co-finalists 60 Minutes and the ABC. Our teams work told the story of a frightening ‘cult’ based on the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland.

Was the first time I’ve had the privilege to be a finalist in the Walkley Awards outside of the pure ‘photojournalism’ Nikon-Walkley categories side of things … so that was a little different.

Very kindly, Nikon Australia’s marketing manager Kylie Dredge arranged a seat at the Nikon tables for myself alongside my photography friends and colleagues and the Nikon crew. That was a blast !

Good mates all … AFP’s David Gray took out the ‘News Photography Award’ with his remarkable 20,000 ASA image of freed Julian Assange “Walk to Freedom”, SMH’s Nick Moir won ‘Press Photographer of the Year’, Getty’s Quinn Rooney claimed the ‘Sports Photography’ gong for “Australian’s in the Pool”, whilst Kate Geraghty (SMH) was awarded ‘Nikon Photo of the Year’ for her image, “Funeral at Al-Aqsa”. Getty’s Diego Fedele won ‘Feature/photographic Essay’ and Chris Hopkins image for ‘Good Weekend’ won the ‘Portrait Prize’.

Obviously there was much ‘celebrating’ to do. The Nikon team led by Kylie duly obliged and made sure we did so well into the next morning. Congrats to all my mates and colleagues … winners and finalists … the Walkley’s and the MEAA … and thanks to all at Nikon. (It’s been a pleasure to use Nikon’s fabulous products for many decades … they really do so much to support the photojournalists in the industry.)

Oh Yes !! Back to our ‘Current Affairs’ finalist selection. Sadly we were beaten to the pen nib winners trophy by the ’60 Minutes’ entry, but that didn’t stop our Queensland team celebrating just being in Sydney for a fabulous eve amongst the very best of Australia’s media.

(NB … it’s not often my dinner suit gets an airing 😉 )

Main image © News Ltd … below … still, drone images and video by © Brian Cassey

Wonderful Weekend at ‘Head On’, Sydney …

Without doubt, the biggest drawcard in Australia for the photographic community is the ‘Head On Photo Festival’ in Sydney.

The annual festival features numerous exhibitions selected from around Australia and the planet … and I’ve been fortunate enough for the last few years to be part of the selection panel that ploughs through several hundred collections of fabulous photographic works to decide what actually ends up on the exhibition walls (or fences!) of Bondi Pavilion and the beach front, Paddington Reservoir Gardens and other venues around Sydney.

The festival also hosts the Head On Photo Awards (Portrait, Landscape and a new one – Exposure), which attracted entries this year from as far afield as Bulgaria, Malta, Greece and Slovenia, to name just four of many.

(NB … I must confess to a little bit of bias … have been a Head On Award winner in the past, a finalist lots of times and an exhibitor on numerous occasions.)

This years collection of exhibition works on display was one of the best I’ve seen. It was excellent to see the work that we agonised to select on a computer screen way back in March, exhibited in the best locations at Bondi, Paddington and more. The same can be said for this years awards … the finalists in Head On Portrait Prize in particular were absolutely brilliant this year.

Head On, however, is not just about awards and exhibitions … it’s the coming together of talented (and newby) photographers from around the world to engage, discuss, swap ideas, learn, celebrate the photographic image and perhaps share a drink or three. Was excellent to catch up with imaging colleagues and friends at a splendid Bondi Pavilion opening eve and across the five days that I could afford to stay … amongst them Mark “Crusty” Baker (who kindly provided luxurious accomodation), Stephen Dupont and the delightful Martina Reys (great Rwanda show you two!), Michael Coyne, Peter Solness, Max Pam, Barbara McGrady, Diana Lui, Marta Soul, Donna Squire, Mike Magee, Simon Harnest, Katherine Griffiths, John Swainston, Max Mason-Hubers, Glenn Porter, Diane Brooks (thanks for the rides !) … and two ‘first time’ Cairns based photographers … the lovely talented Emese Gyalog and new to our city landscape photographer Danielle Jayde. (My apologies to those I may have missed mentioning !)

Of course, all this would not be possible without the amazing tiny Head On team who move mountains to put the festival together … Festival Director Moshe Rosenzveig OAM, Anita Schwartz, Stephen Godfrey, Callum Boland, Charles Mackean and volunteers. Brilliant …

Cairns photographers recognised for their work in the festival this year were the afore mentioned Emese Gyalog and Danielle Jayde, Marc Steiner … and … a certain Brian Cassey 🙂 (no great big deal … this time it was just a semi-finalist in the ‘Exposure’ category with ‘Marilyn Monroe 60 Years On – Bonn‘ 😉 … shown at the festival bottom below.)

Images from top … © John Swainston (promoting Stephen Dupont’s ‘Rwanda 30+ Bearing Witness to Genocide’ exhibition on festival opening eve), © Brian Cassey (Stephen Dupont at the opening eve of ‘Rwanda 30+ Bearing Witness to Genocide’), © Brian Cassey (Martina Reys talks to Rwanda genocide survivors at ‘Rwanda 30+ Bearing Witness to Genocide’), © John Swainston (Head On work displayed on the Bondi Beach waterfront), © Brian Cassey ( my selected work in ‘Exposure’ – ‘Marilyn Monroe 60 Years On – Bonn’)

Artist Tony Clark … Unsculpted …

… a great pleasure to meet and photograph Australia’s highly acclaimed artist painter, Tony Clark, at his Mission Beach tin shack home studio for a five page feature story in last weeks The Australian Weekend Magazine.

Tony is one of Australia’s most respected artists. For over four decades his uniquely styled paintings have been testing the boundaries between genres and disciplines and borrowing from the histories of art, architecture and theatre design along the way. He has lived and worked in Sicily in Italy and Essen in Germany and is now back in Australia at Mission Beach working on a new exhibition “Unsculpted”.

The exhibition, which opens at the University of Melbourne Buxton Contemporary on November 1st for a massive seven month run, will consist of around 100 paintings spanning over forty years of Tony’s work.

I spent two days with Tony making portraits and pics of him working on pieces in his ramshackle studio whilst gun journalist Ariela Bard got her material for her brilliant story with the intriguing title “Art, Crocs & Rock ’n’ Roll”.

I’m fondest of this first horizontal portrait of Tony (top) , whilst the magazine used a similar vertical version filling the whole second page of the article … so pretty happy with that. Also fond of the second image (bottom) of Tony amongst his mountains of art books that he collects and devours for inspiration. More of my pics were used on the other pages in the magazine.

Not only is Tony a highly regarded, brilliant and innovative artist but also a damn fine bloke. Thanks for the hospitality, Tony … great to work with you Ariela !

Image © Brian Cassey

16 Photos That Changed the Way We See the World …

Proud as punch and super overwhelmed to be included in a collection of photographs published last week by the ‘Head On Foundation’ entitled “16 Photos that changed the way we see the World”.

To say my 2016 image of asylum seeker “Abdullatif” in detention on Papua New Guinea is good enough to be in the amazing company of the work in this collection is a vast overstatement ( I think that’s right 😉 ).

The collection is chock a block full of truly historic and iconic photographs … images that are embedded in most peoples memories … Nick Ut’s napalm girl ‘The Terror of War”(1972), Joe Rosenthal’s “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima” (1945), Robert Capa’s “Falling Soldier (1936), Malcolm Browne’s “Burning Monk” (1963), Thomas Hoepker’s brilliant “9/11” (2001), David Scherman’s “Lee Miller in Hitlers Bath” (1945) … and … without listing them all … other legendary works by current International legends … Ben Lowy, Ron Haviv, Paula Bronstein, Lynsey Addario and Australian’s Merv Bishop, Stephen Dupont and Kate Geraghty. You can see them all here … https://headon.org.au/magazine/16-photos-that-changed-the-way-we-see-the-world

Then … and it was the shock of my life … at number four … between Ben Lowy and Nick Ut’s startling work … was my pic and the story of “Abdullatif”. Head On described the rationale for the complete set thus … “Photojournalists have captured images that have continued to shape our world to this very day. We are highlighting some of the most impactful of these images, showcasing their history and investigating their continuing legacy.”

One of the nicest surprises of my decades wielding cameras. (If I had been sitting on a chair I would have fallen off it !).

Please don’t miss seeing this amazing collection of fabulous unforgettable photojournalism (even though you likely know them all anyway 😉 ). Thank You Head On Foundation !

“Abdullatif” Image © Brian Cassey

Trinity Bay High School … Portrait Prize Number 9 …

I’ve said it eight times before … and now year number 9 !

Under the tutelage of the visual arts teachers at Trinity Bay High School, Cairns … these teen photography students are amazing.

For the past eight years of judging I’ve been fascinated and oft times stunned by the effort and creativity that these high school students put into their annual photographic portrait prize entries.

This year was definitely no exception … and the rivalry and quality of their works were closer than ever. The 58 images they produced ranged from sultry classical black and white portraits to seriously colourful photographic abstract representations … and just about everything in between. Great to see that almost everyone had moved away from the ‘snap’ shot and constructed their entries with great thought, a story line and a connection to their subject … with a dose of photographic skill mixed in.

It took me overnight to make the judging decision … and separating the top three contenders was a torturous task. Eventually I settled on these (below … from top then left to right).

Overall Winner – Jesse Boyle with ‘Lostin’ ‘ … 2nd Prize – Antonia Kaufmann with ‘Shadows of Thoughts’ … 3rd Prize – Zane Thaddeus MacFarlane with ‘Bro Sobbing’ … Highly Commended X 3 – Azuma Said with ‘Echoes of Emptiness’, Maddalena Scalco with ’The Smile of 90 Years of Happiness’ and Jean Paul itembaya with ‘Past Reflections’. The Peoples Choice Award went to Theris Vakaruru with ‘Dallas’.

Jesse’s enigmatic subtle winning portrait caught the eye … and just clung on to it … and he was deservedly presented with a Canon 1500D DSLR with a 18-55mm lens sponsored by Garricks Camera House. (Of note was Maddalena’s ‘The Smile of 90 Years of Happiness’ work. Despite lacking some technicality and compositional skill it was an image that couldn’t help but make you smile 🙂 )

I’ll let you make up your own mind about these great portraits (below) created by the talented Trinity Bay High School students.

You can view all the TBHS students winning works from the past eight years by clicking here…2023202220212020 2019201820172016

Bring on the decade in 2025 😉

Images © the student artists … Jesse Boyle, Antonia Kaufmann, Zane  Nguyen-Pung, Azuma Smid, Maddalena Scalco, Jean-Paul Itembaya, Theris Vakaruru .

Silver in Paris … But Not In The Olympics …

… it’s the … 2024 Prix De La Photographie De Paris … Paris Photo Prize … or PX3 for short.

PX3 is arguably the most prestigious and largest annual photography prize in Europe … so it was excellent when an email dropped in on the weekend with two pieces of excellent news.

The major item of news was the announcement that my image “George at the Bus Stop – Dr George Skeene OAM” … had been awarded SILVER in the ‘Portrait’ section of the prizes. I momentarily came across George at a Cairns bus stop and managed a few portraits before his bus whisked him away. Sadly, George is currently in ill health and I do hope this recognition cheers him up somewhat. You may read more about George and our encounter … and the previous awards his portrait has featured in by visiting … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/images/2023/06/george-at-the-bus-stop/ … and … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/awards/

Also in the email was the news that my work “Escaping Cyclone Jasper Alive – Bill & Michelle” received an Honorable Mention, also in ‘Portrait’. Bill and Michelle are lucky to be alive after surviving the Cyclone Jasper flood event. Their story of being swept from their Degarra home of 45 years and clinging to trees for ten hours in the midst of a once in a hundred year flood is both fascinating and frightening … and you may find more details of their ordeal and survival here … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/images/2024/01/bill-michelle-cyclone-jasper/

Massive Thanks and respect to my subjects who were … and still are … going through very difficult times in their lives. I seriously respect you all for your patience and understanding in allowing me the opportunity.

Of course … thanks also to PX3 for the giving my work some ‘air’ 🙂 .

Images © Brian Cassey

Little Tuna & Galah …

Good to get a nice run in ‘Galah’ … an independent print magazine documenting regional Australia and the people who live there … with story and images of a small Cairns business “Little Tuna”.

Published three times a year and beautifully produced ‘Galah’ magazine is full of fascinating stories and beautiful photography from around rural and remote Australia … the ‘stuff’ that these days is otherwise forgotten by other media.

My contribution to the current issue is images to accompany a story on “Little Tuna” … a small locally operated far north Queensland seafood business founded by director Kate Lamason. The story is entitled “This Little Tuna Went to Market” and explains her mission to make in-roads into the almost exclusive sales of foreign fished and produced tuna with her bottled premium preserved tuna sourced from Australian waters.

The jars of 100 percent Australian wild line caught tuna steaks are available in four flavours … Olive Oil, Chilli in Olive Oil, Spring Water and Lemon Myrtle … either in store or online. Kate and her products have won several business awards … and she is one of the finalists in the Australian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award with the winner announced in Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday. Good Luck, Kate !

Sadly, ‘Galah’ chose not to include my very favourite image of Kate and a tuna amongst their published set … so I’m using that pic here below. Had some fun making Kate’s office rather ‘damp’ for the day.

Image © Brian Cassey

Dodho Published Again … & Looking Good at the Percival’s …

Nice chunky parcel dropped into my PO box this week. Inside was the Dodho Magazines hard cover book of the works selected as Finalists in the 2024 Dodo Portrait Prize. A really nice publication and collection …

So pleased to find that my image of Kuranda based artist Peter “Potter” Thompson (top) looking great across a whole page. If anyone deserves the recognition it’s Peter and the image title … “Do Not Resuscitate – Peter ‘Potter’ Thompson” … may give a clue to why.

A Master Ceramicist, Peter ‘Potter’ Thompson has been working the kilns in the Kuranda rainforest studio that he has called home for over fifty years. Peter – amongst Australia’s most accomplished practitioners of wood-fired kiln pottery – is something of a miracle having survived three heart attacks over his career producing imaginative Asian/Taoist inspired works that have graced galleries far and wide. On his pace maker heart chest is tattooed ’N F Resuscitare’ (‘Do Not Resuscitate’) and his blood group – a testament to his dry sense of humour.

This image of Peter has also been recognised in the 2024 Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA), the 2023 Pollux International Awards and Australia’s Capture Awards. Thanks Peter !

Recently I also visited the Perc Tucker Gallery in Townsville where three of my other images graced the walls in the Percival Photographic Portrait Prize … “George at the Bus Stop – Dr George Skeene OAM”, “Last of the Trochus Divers – Albert ‘Boyo’ Ware” and “100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” (see the other two pics below). The Townsville council host a fabulous show of portrait photography which is accompanied by the works of artists who prefer to use paints … The Percival Portrait Prize. Both shows are worth some time exploring and are open until September 1st.

Images © Brian Cassey

Barcelona & the Pollux Awards …

… very welcome news from Barcelona this morning regarding the 21st Pollux Awards … the prestigious International photography prize hosted by famed Spanish based FotoNostrum Magazine. Even better is that the news involves three of my (at the moment) lesser known works.

“The Last Image of Alf … Alf Neal OAM” has, up to now, been somewhat overshadowed by another earlier image I made of Alf on his hundredth birthday with his great great grandson Kailan … “100 Years & 3 Weeks … Alf Neal OAM” … which has been recognised numerous times around the planet and in Australia.

So it was a gratifying experience to see the portrait of my old mate Alf … made on the verandah of his Yarrabah home in the last days of his one hundred and first and final year … selected as the ‘Winner’ of Pollux ‘People’ category. I know that Alf, if he was still around, would be immensely proud … and I’m sure that his Yarrabah family will be too.

The ‘icing on the cake’ is that two of my so far ‘unsung’ images … “Voices & Bubblegum … Aurukun” & “Surviving Cyclone Jasper … Bill & Michelle” … were both awarded ‘Honorable Mentions’ in the same ‘People’ category … a nice ‘triple’ 🙂 . The ‘Bubblegum’ pic was made at ‘Indigenous Voice to Parliament’ referendum pre-polling in Aurukun, when young Kythie Yunkaporta was more enthralled with the bubblegum skills of Shuntay Marpoodin. The image of Bill and Michelle Dunn was made as they told their harrowing story of survival at their Degarra (Bloomfield) home destroyed in the massive flooding that followed Cyclone Jasper.

The Pollux Awards have been good to me over the years … and this is the fourth year in a row that I’ve been fortunate to be selected as ‘Winner’ of the ‘People’ category (earlier ‘wins’ … 20th Edition here 19th Edition here, 18th Edition here ).

One of the nicest things about the Pollux Awards is that the winners works do end up as physical framed photographs on a wall … the very prestigious walls of the FotoNostrum Gallery, Mediterranean House of Photography, in Barcelona, Spain. That will happen from July 2025 … (a nice time to be in Barcelona and Spain 😉 ? ).

Very nice also to be in the good company of my US photojournalist mate and Pulitzer Prize winner, Michael Robinson Chavez, whose work was selected in the Pollux ‘Documentary & Reportage’ category.

You may find all of this years Pollux Awards winners in a special edition FotoNostrum Magazine here … https://www.fotonostrummag.com/21-pollux … my work is on pages 64 & 65, whilst Michael Robinson Chavez’s works are on page 116.

Images © Brian Cassey

International Color Awards … Second, Third and More …

… great news on Sunday that TWO of my images have each been awarded “2nd Place Merit of Excellence” and “3rd Place Honor of Distinction” in the 17th edition of the “International Color Awards” … “Drying Saris on the Banks of the Ganges” in ‘Photojournalism’ … and … “George at the Bus Stop” in ‘Portrait’

Really, REALLY pleased about the ‘Saris’ image which I made in Varanasi on a totally memorable road trip journey through India with a couple of great photographer colleagues far too many years ago. It’s always been one of my personal favourite photographs, but this is the first time it has been recognised as something a little ‘special’. Thanks ICA !

Of course … it’s also very nice to see an image grabbed in just a minute or two whilst passing a Cairns bus stop one lunch time can mix it at the top end and also gain a 3rd Place Honor of Distinction. Thanks Dr George Skeene OAM !

Not to be forgotten, two more of my works also resonated … with “100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” handed an Honorable Mention … and “Crocodile Hunter George Craig” a Finalist Nomination … both in the ‘Portrait’ category.

You may find the first, second and third placed winners (and Honorable Mentions) in ‘Photojournalism’ … here … https://photoshow.colorawards.com/winners.php?x=p&cid=590 … and ‘Portrait’ here … https://photoshow.colorawards.com/winners.php?x=p&cid=591 … and also nice to see young photojournalist and my 2023 Head On Photo Festival photojournalism talk co-presenter Mouneb Taim get one too !

Gotta be happy with that …  

Images © Brian Cassey

Triple in Percival Portrait Prize …

… in news this month … so pleased that all three of my entries in the Percival Portrait Prize were selected as ‘Finalists’.

The three works … “Last of the Trochus Divers – Albert ‘Boyo’ Ware” , “George at the Bus Stop – Dr George Skeene OAM” and “100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” … all made the cut and will be exhibited on the beautiful walls of the historic Perc Tucker Gallery in Townsville.

Overall winners of the fiscal prizes (in painting, photographic and student) will be announced at the exhibition opening eve event on the Saturday 22nd June . Sounds pretty good to me … the last one two years ago (with subject Aurora in tow as mentioned in a recent post) was highly enjoyable. 

It’s also the third time in a row that I have had all three entries selected as finalists in the prestigipus biennial awards. You may find the works here … 2024, 2022, 2020. In the 2018 edition … my first attempt … I made two entries and both were selected.

Townsville council really turns it on for the Percival opening eve at Perc Tucker on their mall … and I’ll definitely be making the trek to our southern neighbour for the night.

The exhibition will run until the 1st of September at the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Corner of Flinders and Denham Streets, Townsville.

Thanks, of course, to my subjects … Albert, George and the sadly late Alf (Thanks Neal family !) Exceptional gentlemen All … 

Images © Brian Cassey

Dodho Photo Books … & Bonn …

… always a pleasure when a Dodho Magazine photo book drops into the old post office box (not literally … they are too big !)

Recently Dodho’s latest volume “Fine Art – Best Photographers of 2023” arrived … and therein gracing a prominent whole page was arguably one of my favourite images … “Bonn Marie – Asking the Question”. The portrait of Cairns girl Bonn Marie has been selected in the ‘Top 25’ of images in the latest Dodho Fine Art Awards … very pleased with that …

The large (12″ X 12″ – 30cm X 30cm) hardcover books are beautifully designed and produced and each contains wonderful work from photographers from around the planet. ‘Fine Art’ is now sitting on my bookshelves next to my other Dodho books ‘Portrait’ (with my image “100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” inside … also selected in Best 25) … and ‘Colors’ (with my portrait “George Craig – Crocodile Hunter” therein).

Bonn has been an absolute pleasure the other side of the camera. ‘Asking the Question’ has been recognised now in several awards … likely the most prestigious being the winner of 3rd Place in the “International Portrait Photographer of the Year” awards. 

Back in December another of my Bonn portraits … “Marilyn Monroe – 60 Years On – by Bonn” … received attention with an ‘Honourable Mention’ in the Fine Art category of the “Budapest International Foto Awards” (BIFA). You can see this work and find more details of how and why that image came about here

BIG Thanks Bonn, for your patience and professionalism !

If you are inclined … you can grab Dodho’s ‘Fine Art’ book here , ‘Colors’ here … and the ‘Portrait’ book here

Image of Bonn © Brian Cassey

Another Nine for ‘Collectors Print’ Shop …

… new month … more pics … have added NINE new images to the “Signed Collector Prints” collection on my new ‘Shop’ page.  They join eight other works available to buy as 18” X 12” signed prints … all made on archival matt photographic paper 18” on longest side, 12” on shortest side (457mm X 305mm) … and I whack my signature thingy on the front bottom right corner 🙂 .

The latest nine … (below, left to right, top to bottom) … ‘Train Journey – Sri Lanka – 2018’, ‘Singing in the Rain – Dire Straits – 1986’, ‘Palm Island – 2007’, ‘Huli Maiden – Tari PNG – 1987’, ‘Manus – Bismarck Sea – 2016’, ‘Number 55 – 2015’, ‘Jodhpur Wedding Party – 2011’, ‘Two Up – 1987’ and ‘Beef Barons – 2015’ … bring the number of “Signed Collector Prints” currently on offer to 17 … and more will be added periodically.

To take a look and place an order just go to … www.briancasseyphotographer.com/shop/category/prints/

Images © Brian Cassey

On the Stage … with ‘Grit’ …

… a really different place and opportunity to share the story of my several decades hefting cameras around various parts of the planet to tell the odd story or two.

My first … (and likely my last 🙂 ) … appearance on a theatre stage, was yesterday when I had the privilege of taking a small part in the Perseverance Street Theatre Company production of the play “Grit” at the JUTE theatre in Cairns.

The premise of the theatrical and musical production is to highlight and tell stories of resilience, determination, regret, positivity … and ‘grit’. It is performed by four talented members … storyteller Fletcher Colfs accompanied by cast members Abby Bowyer, Ben Adams and Sarah Harvey.

My part was to relate the story (with the pre show input of JUTE creative producer Kathryn Ash) of basically my entire life … both pre and post my first ever two shillings and sixpence camera … to tell the stories of the amazing people I have met and photographed over the decades, many in the midst of unfathomable hardship and suffering . Some had triumphed over adversity … others didn’t …

One who did ‘triumph’ was burns survivor and my pictorial subject Carol Mayer (inset in promotional poster below) … whose bravery and fortitude taught me much in the time I knew her before her untimely so so sad death.

All this was voiced with lead actor Fletcher as a prelude to the rest of the show.

The six scenarios during the play were a beautiful mixture of humour and pathos … poignant, uplifting, thought provoking, enlightening, moving and more. A great way to spend an hour and a half …

The show continues it’s travels around Queensland (without my input) next week to Rockhampton and Bundaberg.

‘Carol Mayer’ image © Brian Cassey

"Grit" a play at the JUTE Theatre in Cairns ... part played by Brian Cassey photographer.

Shannon is Dying … Good Weekend …

Very pleased to see my image grace the cover of ‘Good Weekend’ magazine today … would be nicer if my portrait of terminal cancer patient Shannon Turner led to a story with, perhaps, a better ending.

Shannon Turner is dying … but is also part of something remarkable and ground breaking.
She is one of 35 patients to take part in Australia’s first approved clinical trial of potent
psychedelic drug therapy. 

Inside the magazine journalist Kate Cole-Adams tells at length a wonderful fascinating story about the therapeutic use of hallucinogenic drugs by Shannon and 34 terminally ill others involved in a pioneering treatment.

Kate’s story is a ‘must read’ …

In 2018 Shannon was diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2020 she was told that the cancer had metastasised into her left lung and she was given just a year to live.

At this point I’ll let ‘Good Weekend’ tell more in this ‘preview’ by editor Katrina Strickland on Instagram this morning …

“I’ve never much liked the idea of getting high. Call me a wowser – perhaps control freak is more accurate! – but the notion of losing control of my mind and actions has never held much appeal. Each to their own, I guess.⁠

That said, if I were facing imminent death due to terminal illness, I could see the appeal of getting high, in a safe setting, in a bid to unlock deeper levels of understanding and acceptance. This is what 35 patients signed up to do in a trailblazing clinical trial at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne that tested the use of psilocybin in terminally ill patients.⁠

⁠Their insights into the process are fascinating; so, too, the observation that Australia was lagging behind other major research nations in investigating the therapeutic use of psychedelics before this. Now it’s leapfrogged to the front of the pack, with hospitals and clinicians around the globe eagerly awaiting the results. ⁠

⁠Terminally ill patients, no doubt, will also want to hear how effective psilocybin is.⁠”

Kate’s words … spread over four pages inside the magazine accompanied by more pictures … are far too good a read to ignore … and can be found here at … https://www.smh.com.au/national/shannon-is-terminally-ill-in-a-trailblazing-trial-she-took-a-white-pill-20240129-p5f0v1.html … (sadly requiring a subscription). If you can, may I suggest sourcing a ‘hard copy’ of todays The Sydney Morning Herald or The Age, to read the magazine and view the pics all in the better old fashioned way … ‘in print’.

My subject Shannon was an absolute delight … and the work tells a remarkable story with the greatest of respect … Thanks Shannon, Thanks Katrina, Thanks Kate … gratified to be just a small part of it …

Image © Brian Cassey

More New ‘Collectors Prints’ in the Shop …

… just added TWO new images to the ‘Signed Collectors Prints’ collection on my new ‘Shop’ page on the web site.

“Football – Clapham Common London” (2016 – top) and “Rain Over Black Mountain – Cooktown” (2018 – bottom) join six other works available to buy as 18” X 12” signed prints … all made on archival matt photographic paper 18” on longest side, 12” on shortest side (457mm X 305mm) … and I scrawl my signature thingy on the front :-).

These two new additions bring the number of ‘Signed Collector Prints’ currently on offer to 8 … and more will be added gradually. If you see any of my works on the web site or elsewhere that you’d like to see available in the ‘Shop’ print collection please let me know (via an email to ) and I’ll help sort it :-).

To have a browse of the print collection and/or place an order just go to … www.briancasseyphotographer.com/shop/category/prints/

Whilst you are there have a look at the books that I also have available at … www.briancasseyphotographer.com/shop/category/books/

Images © Brian Cassey