Nikon F2 … Roll of Tri-X … 36 Pics …
Thanks to legendary veteran combat photographer Tim Page (who dobbed me in) … I have this week been wielding on a spare shoulder a pristine circa 1971 manual everything Nikon F2 loaded with a roll of Tri-X film.
The idea … the brainchild of photographer Renato Repetto … is to get the Nikon into the hands of top (and not so top) photographers all around Australia who will each shoot one roll of B&W film … just 36 frames each.
The AFP400TX Project is about seeing life through the eyes of Australian Film Photographers. The Nikon F2 (eye level DE-1 Plain Prism, 1971-1976) no 7587117 with a 55mm 2.8 Micro Nikkor will be used for every exposure of the project, making the only variable the photographer. All rolls of film will be developed by the project sponsor Rewind Photo Lab in NSW to ensure consistency across the project.
My colleagues of note featured in the project include the afore mentioned Tim Page … David Dare Parker, Michael Coyne, Stephen Dupont, Jesse Marlow, Sean Davey, Heather Faulkner, Roger Garwood … and many maybe not so well known.
A diary accompanying the camera will document the creative thoughts of all the photographers in the project for later incorporation into a photo book. The book will be launched with gallery exhibitions in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne featuring silver gelatin prints of the best photos of the project.
Now … I cut my teeth shooting ‘manual everything’ film SLR’s way, way back when … but can now confirm that ‘going back’ is somewhat of a sobering and frightening experience !!
Below is a pic I made (on a D4S) of Wik Munkan artist Lex Namponan from Aurukun, wielding the precious Nikon F2 used in the project. Lex was born in 1971 … the same year that the F2 was released. I used two precious frames from the Tri-X roll to make a portrait of Lex. Fingers crossed that Lex and I make the AFP400TX Project exhibitions and book …
Image © Brian Cassey
Sydney … Moran & Walkley …
A massive and memorable fifty hours in Sydney this week …
Arrived Sydney Tuesday to be met by former Cairns Post staffer from way way back … Terri Bradley … and we were soon joined by Margaret River WA based photographer colleague Martine Perret at the ‘Wine Library‘ in Paddington for an evening of ‘work catch up’.
Wednesday was 2016 Moran Prize day at Juniper Hall, Paddington. The deserving winners – Johannes Rienhart in the ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’ and Megan Seres in the ‘Moran National Portrait Prize’ – were announced at a news event in the morning, whilst the evening saw more merriment and much partying at the Moran family stately home and gallery.
Excellent to catch up with a host of Moran photographic finalists … Martine Perret (again) of course, winner Johannes, Michael Amendolia, Matt Abbott, Raphaela Rosella, Damien Pleming, Cameron Neville, Brad Smith, Todd Kennedy, Paul McIver … (also but very briefly Zoe Mongey and Reza Ghasemi). Also attending for the evenings (ahem) ‘networking’ were Head On Photo Festival director Moshe Rosenzveig and photographer Brendan Beirne (former Nikon-Walkley winner with the Packer/Gyngell ‘Bondi Biffo’ news pics).
(The ‘Moran National Portrait Prize’ winner Megan Seres received $150,000 for her portrait of her daughter ‘Scarlett as Colonial Girl’ … Johannes Reinhart coined $50,000 for his ‘Mermaid Show’ image in the ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’.)
Between the morning and evening Moran events I took in the 2016 ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’ at the State Library of New South Wales … and was very happy to see my Portrait Prize winning image ‘Beaten Refugee’ very prominently displayed (see image below). Great to share the exhibition (and lunch) with my old mate and former Fleet Street ‘Blunt’ Frank Thorne, as well as Terri and Martine.
Also just had time to fit in a quick coffee with AAP photographer and ‘fotostrada’ colleague Dean Lewins … !
A pretty hectic but rewarding trip to the ‘Big Smoke’ … and a big ‘Thank You’ to Terri for her time and care.
The ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize Exhibition’ (including my finalist image ‘Number 55’) runs at Juniper Hall, Paddington till 5th February 2017 … and the ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’ (including my ‘Beaten Refugee’) runs at the State Library of NSW till November 27th. Both exhibitions are well worth some time …
Images below © Brian Cassey … top – my Portrait Prize winner ‘Beaten Refugee’ at the ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition‘, Sydney … middle and bottom – my ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’ finalist image ‘Number 55‘ displayed inside and outside Juniper Hall, Paddington.