Carol Mayer

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.

Pulitzer Prize Winner Barbara Davidson Meets Carol in Barcelona …

Mentioned a few months ago that a handful of my images had been selected in the 16th Edition Pollux Photography Awards … including a nice ‘Portrait Winner’ placement for my work “The Skin I’m In” of Cairns burns survivor Carol Mayer.

Perhaps it’s just another ‘Carol’ coincidence (there have been several) … but last week on the first anniversary of Carol’s so sad passing at the the hands of the ‘Big C’ December 2020, I received these images of my portrait of Carol on display in the winners circle at the opening event of the The 6th Biennial of Fine Art and Documentary Photography at the FotoNostrum Gallery in the Spanish city of Barcelona.

Carol would no doubt have been be as pleased as I am that her portrait was appraised at the Barcelona exhibition opening by three times Pulitzer Prize Winner and Emmy film award winning photojournalist/director Barbara Davidson (seen in all black centre top image, below, with “The Skin I’m In” at the FotoNostrum Gallery).

Celebrated as photo ‘Royalty’, Barbara is best known for her work on victims of gang violence in Los Angeles. She is also a 2019-2020 Guggenheim Fellow recipient and will spend the year traveling the United States making portraits of survivors of gun violence using an 8×10 film camera. 

Somewhat of a coup for the Barcelona Foto Biennalle to have Barbara attend the opening event as a very special guest in these times of Covid … and a real buzz for me (and probably Carol ‘up there’ too). Still trying to learn from the event organisers (who sent me these pics) whether Barbara made any audible comment about the work.

So … great to win the Pollux Portrait Award with the image of Carol … and that led to the real buzz of the work being selected to appear on the wall of the 6th Biennial Foto Barcelona at the FotoNostrum Gallery … which led to it being seen by multi Pulitzer winning photo ‘Royalty’ Barbara Davidson … and also lead to Carol posthumously once again spreading her message to burns survivors of the World that anything is possible …

Carol’s legacy lives on … again …

Carol Mayer Image © Brian Cassey … photos © FotoNostrum Gallery, Barcelona

 

 

Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize #3 … Yes !

… well, that was damn exciting and unexpected !

A few days ago received an email (proceeded by phone calls) with the great news that I’d once again won the ‘Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize’. Really stoked with that …

The Walkley’s usually announce the winners of the ‘Nikon Portrait Prize’, the ‘Nikon Photo of the Year Prize’ and the finalists of the other Nikon photographic categories during state capital evening ‘events’ … but Covid this year meant a much quieter disclosure via an 8am email.

Wasn’t expected anything … so missed the initial email and only learn’t that my pic “The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa” had been selected as the portrait prize winner when colleagues started ringing me !

The pic was made on Mornington Island (Kunhanhaa) in the Gulf of Carpentaria in far northern Australia … an indigenous community that is experiencing multiple ‘social issues’ mostly due to the tyranny of distance and … well …  being ‘forgotten’. Myself and ‘gun’ journalist Michael McKenna travelled to the island in December 2020 to document the story of massive overcrowding in the communities basic homes … and the image and story was published on page one of ‘The Australian’ (below).

Many thanks to Michael … and also to the ‘driven’ Mayor of Mornington, Kyle Yanner, who is single minded in solving the issues that have beset his community.

This portrait was also a part of my pic essay “Mornington Island – The Queenslanders Left behind” that recently won the ‘Photographic Essay’ category of ‘The Clarion Awards’ … Queensland’s media awards.

Also, huge congrats to brilliant Sydney Morning Herald colleague Kate Geraghty who scored the ‘Nikon Photo of the Year Prize’ with an evocative image of a Covid-19 patient that was also published as a page1.

Can’t forget the several of my colleagues that received the news that they are ‘Finalists’ in the remaining Nikon Walkley photographic categories who won’t now learn their fate till the big announcements at The Walkley Awards presentation night of nights in Tamworth in February 2022. I’ll be there ‘with bells on’ !

Below I’ve also posted images and links to my other two previous winning ‘Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize’ photographs in 2016 (here) and 2011 (here). Also just a couple of the links to all the Nikon Walkley winners and category finalists here and here.

STOP PRESS: Was interviewed in the days after the announcement by the Walkley Foundation’s Kate Burgess for an article in The Walkley Magazine. Kate’s work and my words may be found here … https://medium.com/the-walkley-magazine/spotlight-on-brian-cassey-1bfa58b91af8

Images © Brian Cassey

 

2021 Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize - Winner - "The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa' - by Brian Cassey

2021 Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize - Winner - "The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa' - by Brian Cassey for The Australian

'Abdullatif - Beaten Asylum Seeker' - Winner 2016 Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize - image by Brian Cassey

'Carol - Burne Survivor' - Winner 2011 'Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize' - image by Brian Cassey

‘Carol’ Amongst Big Handful at 16th International Pollux Awards …

… was delighted to receive the news that a handful of my images had been recognised across four categories of the International ‘16th Edition Pollux Awards’.

Great News … and wherever you are ‘up there’, Carol Mayer, you’re obviously still touching people ‘down here’ ! My portrait of Carol … “The Skin I’m In” (top below) was selected as the Winner of the ‘Portrait’ category of this years long running Pollux photography awards. 

Fitting and timely that Carol’s image is still making a difference and empowering burns survivors months after her so untimely demise to cancer late last year. Also recognised in the ‘Portrait’ category was “Aurukun – Generations” (bottom left) which received an ‘Honourable Mention’. 

My work also received TWO ‘Third Place’ awards … “8 Minutes and 46 Seconds” in the ‘Segregation & Human Rights’ category (middle left) … and … “Tomotaro on the Block” in the ‘People’ category (middle right).

Rounding off the five awards was “Kate – Waiting For Her New Breasts” in the ‘Editorial & Current Affairs’ category (bottom right).

All these five images are now eligible to be exhibited physically ‘on the wall’ at the 6th edition of the Biennial of Fine Art & Documentary Photography to be held in September 2021 at the FotoNostrum Gallery in Barcelona, Spain … and appear in the ‘FotoNostrum’ print and digital magazines.

Sadly … there’s no chance of my attending and seeing the work at the grand opening event and artists ‘gala’ dinner in Barcelona in September … for an obvious variety of reasons.

Images © Brian Cassey @brian_cassey

16th Pollux Awards - International Photography Awards - Winners images by Brian Cassey

The Good News … but … The Saddest News Of All …

I confess … it’s hard to write this one … (but please read on … )

Two women … one young and vibrant … the other a little older but with an immense strength … two very different stories. 

The link … apart from a little similarity of pose etc … is that both have just been announced as Winners of Bronze Awards in the Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA – Hungary). images ©Brian Cassey

The saddest and must unfair news is that Carol (“The Skin I’m In” – first pic) died last weekend at the end of a far too short life full of tragedy, pain and many triumphs of will  … on the very day these awards were announced. Carol was severely burnt in a house fire as a young mum. Her family was told she would not survive. Following a year of coma, countless skin grafts and care … survive she did. She made the most of it … 

She dedicated the years since the accident to spreading the message to other burns survivors that there is still much to live for and celebrate. Carol’s rationale in allowing me to make personal images of her showing the extent of the burns to her body was part of that ideal. The work … and the positive reaction to the work … gave Carol added confidence to engage in speaking engagements that provided hope to many.

My images of Carol turned up in numerous awards, news articles and TV programs … and there are links to many on my blog pages. Amongst them are … “They Did It … Pics In Space X 3” which tells of Carol’s image (and two others of mine) being sent and projected in ‘Space’ and the resulting feature on the TV program “The Project” .  More on the subject here at “Pics in Space’ … Out of This World with ‘Portrait of Humanity” .  (The projection of Carol’s pic in ‘space’ and transmitted across the Universe … now seems very fitting.) There are many more and Carol’s images have been a regular occurrence on my ‘Awards Page’.

I spent more time talking to Carol than actually photographing her … she was my friend … myself and the community will sorely miss but never forget her.

… and then we have Bonn Marie … young, vibrant and all red hair, freckles and an innate curiosity with the World. She’s fun, deep and intelligent … and a joy to work with. Couldn’t help but name the second image “Bonn – Asking the Question”.

Somewhat strange that these two pics were recognised together with Bronze Awards … Carol’s in People Portrait and Bonn’s in Fine Art Portrait.

Images © Brian Cassey

Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA) 2020 - Bronze Award - People Portraits - "The Skin I'm In" by Brian Cassey

Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA) 2020 - Bronze Award - Fine Art Portraits - "Bonn - Asking The Question" by Brian Cassey

 

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.

TV, Radio … and More … !

An amazing couple of weeks …

It seems that the ‘Portrait of Humanity’ award and projection in ‘space’ of two of my pics hit ‘the spot’ with a variety of media … and I’ve spent some time on interviews with various TV, radio and other media outlets talking about it rather than making new images 🙂

First off the rank was ABC Far North correspondent  Sharnie Kim who did a great job on her ‘Portrait of Humanity’ story for publication on the ABC web site at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-12/carol-mayer-photograph-shortlisted-in-portrait-of-humanity/12335282 . Sharnie not only went into the back story of my two selected images … ‘The Skin I’m In’ and ‘Ramnami’ … but also sourced several other ‘short listed’ pics from other photographers.

Didn’t take long for radio to get in on the act … Sarah Speller interviewed myself ‘live’ on ABC Breakfast Far North (at not the best time very early on a Saturday morn) … and then followed that with another recorded segment on her ‘Sarah’s Spot’ on Cairns Radio 4CA a few days later. If you fancy … here (below) are Sarah’s two radio interviews (roughly near six minutes each).

ABC Breakfast Far North – Radio Interview ‘Portrait of Humanity’ – 5.50

 

Sarah’s Spot – 4CA – Radio Interview ‘Portrait of Humanity’ – 5:52

 

The biggest buzz, however, was the piece on the top rating Channel Ten news program ‘The Project’. Really pleased that the program centred on the my amazing subject, burns survivor Carol Mayer, her strength and her story following the fire tragedy when she was a young mum. Lisa Wilkinson opened The Project’ with the news of the selection of my pic of Carol in the 2020  ‘Portrait of Humanity’ … and I later made a little cameo telling of how the pic came about and our relationship. Carol was amazing throughout the interview … and the comments at the end of the segment by show host Lisa Wilkinson were worth watching alone. The show featured a total of nine of my images of Carol … including, of course, the one chosen for ‘Portrait of Humanity’.

The show ran for 6:28 and can be watched here …

Carol Mayer on ‘The Project’

 

Whilst all this was going on I was also asked to be involved and interviewed for the State Library of Queensland’s ‘Behind the Lens’ series as part of their current exhibition ‘TWENTY – Two Decades of Queensland Photography’. Five of the many photographers who have contributed to SLQ’s headline exhibition were each asked to feature in a series of twenty minute interviews over the next few weeks … and mine was first off the rank. Had a nice long chat with SLQ’s Anna Thurgood … the piece of us chatting was also interspersed with my exhibition images made during Cyclones Winifred, Yasi, Larry, Ita and Ului … and the result was broadcast online last Thursday along with a Q&A. However, you can still catch the entire twenty minute interview here below (sadly without the Q&A) …

State Library of Queensland – ‘Behind the Lens’ – ‘TWENTY – Two Decades of Queensland Photography’

All the above audio and video files may also be played … along with many more from the past … on the ‘Play’ page of my web site at https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/play

Now … back to work making more pictures 🙂

 

‘Portrait of Humanity’ in Space & SLQ ‘TWENTY – Two Decades of Queensland Photography’

A great couple of weeks of interviews regarding my work on various media … ABC, Radio 4CA, Channel Ten’s ‘The Project’ and a 20 minute online video interview at the State Library of Queensland.

The subject matter in most was the 2020 ‘Portrait of Humanity’ short list and award … and the projection in ‘space’ of two of my selected images. The portrait of Carol Mayer … ‘The Skin I’n In’ … was the centre of attention in many … whilst the other selected pic ‘Ramnami’ also received a mention in some.

First off was ABC Far North correspondent  Sharnie Kim who did a great job on her ‘Portrait of Humanity’ story for publication on the ABC web site at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-12/carol-mayer-photograph-shortlisted-in-portrait-of-humanity/12335282 .

Radio followed up  … Sarah Speller interviewed myself ‘live’ on ABC Breakfast Far North (at not the best time very early on a Saturday morn) … and then followed that with another recorded segment on her ‘Sarah’s Spot’ on Cairns Radio 4CA a few days later. If you fancy … here (below) are Sarah’s two radio interviews (roughly near six minutes each).

ABC Breakfast Far North – Radio Interview ‘Portrait of Humanity’ – 5.50

Sarah’s Spot – 4CA – Radio Interview ‘Portrait of Humanity’ – 5:52

Then TV … a piece on the top rating Channel Ten news program ‘The Project’,  thankfully centred on my amazing subject … burns survivor Carol Mayer. Lisa Wilkinson opened ‘The Project’ with the news of the selection of my pic of Carol in the 2020  ‘Portrait of Humanity’ … and I later had a cameo in the program as Carol otherwise enthralled the presenters and audience . The show featured a total of nine of my Carol images … including, of course, the one chosen for ‘Portrait of Humanity’ … and Carol herself was, without doubt, the star of the show.

The show ran for 6:28 and can be watched here …

Carol Mayer on ‘The Project’

At the same time I was also asked to be involved and interviewed for the State Library of Queensland’s ‘Behind the Lens’ series as part of their current exhibition ‘TWENTY – Two Decades of Queensland Photography’. Five of the many photographers who have contributed to SLQ’s headline exhibition were each asked to feature in a series of twenty minute interviews over the next few weeks … and mine was first off the rank. The piece of SLQ’s Anna Thurgood chatting was interspersed with my exhibition images made during Cyclones Winifred, Yasi, Larry, Ita and Ului.

State Library of Queensland – ‘Behind the Lens’ – ‘TWENTY – Two Decades of Queensland Photography’

More info on these recordings, ‘Portrait of Humanity’ and ‘TWENTY – Two Decades of Queensland Photography’ may be found on my  blog post at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog

‘Pics in Space’ … Out of This World with ‘Portrait of Humanity’ …

I mentioned a few weeks ago in a Facebook post that I had some exciting news that I couldn’t at the time reveal … I can now !

Announced last eve … the ‘Shortlisted’ images in the second edition of ‘Portrait of Humanity’ … a planet wide selection of the best photographic portraiture co-hosted by 1854 media (publisher of the British Journal of Photography) and Magnum. This project aims to create one of the most ‘far-reaching’ … literally in more ways than one … portrait photography exhibitions in history.

The two hundred ‘Shortlisted’ portraits will be exhibited in outer space … and then transmitted as code through the Universe for (possibly) eternity !

Portrait of Humanity organisers elaborate … “In the ultimate celebration of humankind and the home we share, Portrait of Humanity 2020 will be exhibited in Space. In a feat never before achieved with a photographic exhibition, 200 shortlisted images will be used to broadcast a message of peace and unity from humankind to infinity. Our partner, ‘Sent Into Space’, will launch a screen into the stratosphere with a 360° camera, so photographers can see their images displayed against the extraordinary backdrop of Space. The images will then be beamed onwards in binary code, travelling unimpeded through the solar system at the speed of light. These messages could continue on an infinite journey — or until another civilisation receives and decodes them.”

May seem like bit of a ‘stunt’ but it seems like pretty damn cool stunt to me.

The best bit is that they have selected TWO of my images to make the journey into the stratosphere and beyond … “Ramnami” (a portrait of tattooed Maherttar Ram Tandon in Chhattisgarh, India) … .. and … “The Skin I’m In” (a portrait of the wonderful Cairns burns survivor Carol Anne Mayer). The portrait of Carol has attracted lost of ‘interest’ previously, whilst it’s very rewarding to see the portrait of Maherttar receive it’s first recognition.

All the ‘shortlisted’ images have also been collected into a ‘Portrait of Humanity Volume 2’ book. If you are interested in this wonderful volume of the best photographic portraiture from around our planet you can order a copy from the British Journal of Photography book shop here … https://www.thebjpshop.com/product/portrait-of-humanity-vol-2/ . (Carol … I have one on order for you !).

Great to be part of this exciting ‘out of this World’ initiative by 1854 Media and the British Journal of Photography … as was being selected in the shortlist of the inaugural ‘Portrait of Humanity’ collection back in 2019.

Images © Brian Cassey (@BJPhoto)

 

portrait of Humanity 2020 - Shortlist - Ramnami by Brian Cassey . Chhattisgarh, India

 

Portrait of Humanity - 'The Skin I'm In' - shortlisted - by Brian Cassey

 

 

TIFA Winners Announced …

Seems only a hand full of Australian based photographers get a mention in the ‘Winners list’ of the ‘Tokyo International Foto Awards’ (TIFA) announced quietly today.

The good news is that colleagues and friends of mine … David Dare Parker and Adam Pretty are on that list … and that I also made it with two awards.

David Dare Parker’s great work on the Rohingya fleeing Myanmar into Bangladesh took out Second Prize (Silver) in Editorial General News … whilst Adam Pretty’s excellent and much lauded essay ‘Waterpolo Warriors’ won Gold in Editorial Sport.

My successes are … “The Skin I’m In – II” … Second Prize (Silver) in the Portrait category … and “Beaten Asylum Seeker” … Third Prize (Bronze) in the Editorial Political category. Both images have been in the spot light previously and just some of the earlier relevant links may be found at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/awardsblog/2018/03/carol-does-it-again/, https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/2016/10/october-great-month/, https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/2017/04/4782/… and https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/2016/12/sensational-walkleys/  .

The remainder of the TIFA Winners were spread right around the planet … with some interesting names popping up.

The Winners works will be hung or projected at the ICA Gallery, ICA3 Bldg E 2F, 3 Chome-4-6 Higashinihonbashi, Chūō, Tokyo from May 12th to 16th … with the opening event on May 13th from 3 to 7pm.

Below … my winning images from the TIFA web site … pics © Brian Cassey

 

Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) - Bronze Prize (Third) - Editorial Political - "Beaten Asylum Seeker" by Brian Cassey

Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) - Silver Prize (Second) - Portrait - "The Skin I'm In - II" by Brian Cassey

‘Carol’ Does it Again …

Will have to get on the ‘blower’ again to voice yet another sincere vote of ‘Thanks’ to my amazin’ portrait subject Carol Mayer.

This morning (Sunday), during a live awards streaming event (which I didn’t bother to watch), it was announced that my “The Skin I’m In- II” image of burns survivor Carol  … took out “3rd Place – Honor of Distinction” in the Portrait category of the huge 2018 “International Color Awards” (11th Annual Edition).

There were a host of great portraits made by some very accomplished photographers selected as ‘Nominees’ in the ‘Portrait’ section  … so it was very rewarding to be amongst the top three ‘Honorees’.  (Although I wish they would learn to spell ‘Honour’ and ‘Honourees’ … and ‘Colour’ … correctly.) Rounding out the top three were portraits by winner Boy Surminski from The Netherlands and second placed Azin Haghighi from Iran.  

“The Skin I’m In – II’ has also been recognised by the 2017 ‘National Photographic Portrait Prize’ and several others.

… ‘uge Thanks’ once again Carol …

Image © Brian Cassey

International Color Awards - Honor of Distinction - Portraits - "The Skin I'm In - II" by Brian Cassey

Two Up at QMMA’s …

The results of this years Queensland Multi Media Awards – the 22nd annual since their first in 1995 – were announced this week in a much quieter fashion than normal. The awards recognise those in the media, PR and advertising industries for their exceptional works. There have been many memorable, sometimes quite insane and legendary, presentation nights of celebration for award winners over the last couple of decades.

Sadly, QMMA funds for the first time this year did not run to the usual spectacular presentation dinner at a ritzy hotel.

So  … without the usual fanfare, fine foods and a few drinks … this years winners have just been announced quietly by email.

The email contained the good news that my image “The Skin I’m In – II” of Carol Mayer … has added to it’s growing tally (previously, amongst others, finalist in the National Photographic Portrait Prize) … by taking out both the ‘Best Editorial Photograph’ and ‘Best Photographic Image’ photography award categories. Huge ‘Thanks’ yet again to my wonderful subject Carol …

The QMMA’s … steered by the tireless Anita Plos … have been a great part of the media landscape in Queensland for a long long time … and provided many memorable evenings whilst recognising the best in the business. Fingers crossed that next year … the 23rd annual … the QMMA’s are back on track with the gala presentation night format.

“The Skin I’m In – II” © Brian Cassey

QMMA Queensland Multi Media Awards 2017 - Winner - Best Editorial Photograph - Best Photographic Image - "The Skin I'm In - II" - by Brian Cassey

 

 

Some B&W Success …

Can’t say that I’ve ever entered a Black & White photography specific award in the past … but when I noticed that Monovisions Black and White Photography Magazine was hosting their ‘First Edition’ (inaugural) Monovisions B&W International Photography Awards … I thought … what the hell … why not give it a bash!

I have just had some news today from Monovisions … and I’m a little pleased I did.

Appears I have three dispatches from the awards … winning a Second place and two Highly Commended awards in the Portrait category.

A B&W edition of my ‘The Skin I’m In – II” portrait (Thanks again due to my subject Carol … you’ve done it again!) was selected as Second Place Winner … only topped by the winning portrait work of Marco Gressler from Switzerland. Third place went to the work of Agnieszka Mac Uchman from Poland.

In fact such was the International flavour of the selected works that my two ‘Highly Commended’ images (“Mowisha from Jumbun” and “Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman – Dominic” …  below) sat amongst other acknowledged works from … Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, USA, the Netherlands, Croatia, France, China, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Slovakia, Italy, New Zealand, Germany, Lithuania, Austria, Bangladesh, Qatar, Brazil, Kenya, Canada, Romania, India, Turkey, Portugal, Argentina … and Macau ! To also grab a ‘second’ from amongst all that lot is pretty satisfying.

To the ‘film purest’ I must point out that each of my three selected images started out as full colour digital image files … and not film !!  Sorry bout that …

Images © Brian Cassey … click on each to take you to their relevant Monovisions Photography Awards pages.

 

2017 Monovisions B&W Photography Awards - Portrait - "The Skin I'm In - II" - by Brian Cassey2017 Monovisions B&W Photography Awards - Portrait - "Mowisha from Jumbun" - by Brian Cassey

2017 Monovisions B&W Photography Awards - Portrait - "Aak Puul Ngnatam Stockman - Dominic" - by Brian Cassey

Canberra, Carol and the NPPP …

Despite the best efforts of devastating Cyclone Debbie, massive floods and Qantas I still managed to make it to Canberra on Friday eve for the official opening bit of the 2017 National Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery … but with literally just seconds to spare.

Getting to Canberra at all was a massive drama. I spent a near week covering the Cyclone Debbie story in Bowen for Fairfax news. There was a tiny window late on Wednesday – after ‘Debbie’ battered the Whitsundays and before the ensuing massive storms – for myself and three AAP and Fairfax colleagues to attempt to get out of Bowen. Roads north had supposedly been blocked by flood waters in the cyclone aftermath – so when officers left a road block we made a move. In the little car convoy we forded flooded roads and into an almost apocalyptic thunder storm and insanely torrential rains. We eventually came out the other side with the highway surely now impassable behind us and arrived saturated and relieved back in Townsville late that night.

Then Qantas combined with the remnants of ‘Debbie’ to almost thwart the trip to Canberra. In quick succession not one but two of my flights Cairns to Canberra were cancelled. Frantic phone calls, rearranged flights and a car booked to whisk me from Canberra airport to the National Portrait Gallery … and I arrived just as the opening speeches ended.

It had been a badly kept secret … thanks to a great NPPP show preview special article in ‘The Australian Weekend Magazine’ a couple of weeks ago … that my work “The Skin I’m In – II” (below) of burns survivor Carol Mayer was in the mix as a Finalist and in the National Portrait Gallery exhibition. Once again I must sincerely thank the wonderful Carol for her patience and decision to let me make the portrait.

NPPP judge George Fetting had this to say about Carol’s image …  “It’s such a terribly powerful and courageous story and for her to let the photo be taken, presenting such beauty and pain in the same image, moves everyone who looks at it.”

Whilst in Canberra it was great to spend time with photographer colleagues … afore mentioned former Courier Mail and SMH photographer George Fetting, co NPPP Finalist Jon Reid, ex Cairns mate Sean Davey and Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year 2015 Gary Ramage.

Sean has created a great photo gallery in Canberra – The Photography Room – which is currently showing Gary’s excellent work – “Afghanistan” – made during his 2011 embed with Australian forces. Gary and Sean gave me a private showing before a lunch to chew over all the industry ‘goss’. Both the gallery and the exhibition are well worth a visit …

A massive, rewarding and eventful week …

(Below – “The Skin I’m In – II” at the NPPP © Brian Cassey)

 

The 2017 National Photographic Portrait Prize: - Canberra - "The Skin I'm In II) - Carol Meyer - by Brian Cassey

The 2017 National Photographic Portrait Prize: - Canberra - "The Skin I'm In II) - Carol Meyer - by Brian Cassey

The 2017 National Photographic Portrait Prize: - Canberra - "The Skin I'm In II) - Carol Meyer - by Brian Cassey

10th International Color Awards …

Nice to receive some news from the 10th International Color Awards last week … and it appears that my work had some success. The awards are an annual event showcasing the best of the Planet’s color (sic) photography.

Abdullatif did it again … with the image I made of the Iraqi refugee battered in a Manus Island PNG police cell – “Beaten Asylum Seeker” – taking out ‘3rd Place – Honor of Distinction’ in the ‘Photojournalism’ category. Images by UK’s Filip Warwick (‘Over the Border’) and USA’s Sebastian Meyer (‘Newroz in Kurdistan’) were awarded first and second prize.

Also pleased to note a smattering of other acknowledgements in the list as well … one of my images of burns survivor Carol Mayer (‘The Skin I’m In’) was honoured with an ‘Honorable Mention’ in the ‘Portrait’ category … whilst an image I made of a large turtle landed at Lorengau, Manus Island (‘Turtle, Manus Island’) was selected as a nominated ‘Finalist’ in the ‘Photojournalism’ category AND the ‘Wildlife’ category.

The announcement of winners and nominees and their works was made in a three and a half hour live broadcast on the internet … but I missed that bit.

My works mentioned are shown below … images © Brian Cassey

10th International Color Awards - Portraits - Honorable Mention - 'The Skin I'm In' by Brian Cassey

10th International Color Awards - Finalist - Photojournalism & Wildlife - 'Turtle Manus Island' by Brian Cassey

 

Carol in Moscow … !

Real chuffed to learn overnight that my new and recent portrait of the amazin’, courageous and beautiful burns survivor Carol Mayer – entitled “The Skin I’m In” (below) – won a Second Place in the Portrait category of this years “Moscow International Foto Awards” (MIFA).

A buzz to once again be selected as a winner in the MIFA’s (last year it was a First Place in the ‘Moving Image’ category with the short film “Eyes – The Soul of a Photograph”) alongside much amazing photographic talent from around the planet. The MIFA’s this year attracted entries from a massive 85 countries. Some brilliant work listed amongst the winners this year … in particular … Mary F. Calvert and Michele Palazzo (USA), Sandra Hoyn and Tom Jacobi (Germany), Danillo Balducci (Italy), Younes Mohammad (Iraq), and Sergey Ponomarev (Russia) … and more.

I’m so, so grateful to Carol for fearlessly agreeing to pose as she did for me in this new portrait … I’ve had this image ‘in my head’ now for some time and it’s almost a relief to actually complete it and now be able to let it go. (It’s the second time that Carol has featured in the “Moscow International Foto Awards” … my portrait of Carol focused on her wonderful eyes from a few years back won an Honourable Mention in the 2014 ‘MIFA’ Portrait contest.)

“The Skin I’m In” … along with the other powerful winners work … will be shown at the Moscow Na Kashirke Gallery (Галерея “На Каширке”, Москва, ул.Ак.Миллионщикова, д.35, корп.5) from the 20th July till the 7th August.

Image © Brian Cassey 2016

"The Skin I'm In" - Carol Mayer Moscow International Foto ASwards - winner by Brian Cassey

 

Moscow, Moscow …

This year has seen the birth of yet another major World wide photographic ‘award’ – the “Moscow International Foto Awards” … or “MIFA”.

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.

Image ©Brian Cassey

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