Vale Carol … My Best Subject … ABC Far North
Carol Mayer … heroic burns survivor, subject of my some of my most successful images and all round great lady … very sadly died in December 2020 after a fight with the Big C. Carol fought for her life and won after a house fire left her near death with burns to 85% of her body … but cruelly cancer eventually beat her.
Carol allowed me to make memorable images of the results of the fire on her body. They gained recognition in Australia and around the World. Carol’s rationale in allowing me to make them was that she hoped the work would empower other burns survivors. The pictures not only resonated with other burns survivors but also gave Carol a boost in self confidence helped her embark on many speaking events.
In the days following her death in December 2020 I was asked to share my thoughts about Carol and my images of her in an interview on ABC Radio Drive with presenter Adam Stephen.
The interview (below) runs for 8 minutes and 43 seconds.
‘Kate’ … The Good News Continues …
The best news is … Kate … who has been waiting over eight years for breast reconstruction following a double mastectomy … is now well on the way to having her ‘assets’ back.
Following the publication of my pic (below) on page 1 of the Sunday Mail with a story about insane Queensland hospital waiting lists, Kate Yeoman and dozens of other Queensland women had their long awaited surgeries ‘expedited’ at the direction of State Premier Annastacia Pałaszczuk and Health Minister Dr Steven Miles. Covid-19 caused a little hiccup and further delays … but Kate has now had several of her set of reconstructive breast surgeries.
Recently I had the pleasure of making some more images of a fit and fabulous Kate which will feature with an update to her story in this weekends The Sunday Mail (weekend of 7th-8th November).
(Stop Press -1 ! Below is a grab of the double page Sunday Mail spread featuring Kate’s story and my images published the weekend of the 7th-8th November.)
The other piece of ‘Kate’ news is that my image “Kate – Waiting For Her New Breasts” has been awarded a further accolade to add to a growing list. The pic has just been awarded an ‘Honorable Mention’ in the ‘Editorial – Contemporary Issues’ category of the 2020 ‘International Photography Awards’ (IPA). Thanks IPA ! (Image below)
Previously the work has also been recognised in … the 2020 ‘Moscow International Foto Awards’ (MIFA – Honorable Mention – Portrait) … the 2020 ‘Clarion Awards’ (Finalist – Best News Photograph) … and the 2020 ‘Percival Photographic Portrait Prize’ (Finalist).
(Stop Press -2 ! Just learnt the news the the image “Kate – Waiting For Her New Breasts” has managed another ‘gong’. It has been selected as an ‘Honorable Mention’ in the 2020 International “Black & White Spider Awards” in the ‘Portrait’ category.)
Image © Brian Cassey