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

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

Bill, Michelle … & Cyclone Jasper …

“Forgotten in a Paradise Lost to Disaster” 

… that’s the headline The Australian used above my image of Bill and Michelle Dunn standing in the wreckage of their home, published earlier this week.

Their rural property at the tiny far north community of Degarra on the bank of the Bloomfield River Cape York, was not just flooded but scoured away by near 3 metres of rainfall over two days in the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper. 

The pic was used 5 columns across page 3 … (and if it wasn’t for the coronation of Australia’s Danish Queen would likely have been on page 1) … and is arguably the most moving and emotional image I’ve made for some time.

Bill (73) and Michelle (58 ) managed to escape the torrent with their lives as the waters rose “a foot every ten minutes” forcing them to swim out of their kitchen window. Using wound sheets Bill tied the couple to a tree but the flood waters grew too high. Fearing the worst they had to let go … and were swept by the rapidly rising waters to a higher tree where they sat for ten hours before being rescued by another local – their son – in a ‘tinnie’. 85 year old neighbour Ray Dark wasn’t so lucky … he was swept away and is believed to have drowned.

On Sunday … a month after the flood event … I choppered to Wujal Wujal and Degarra with Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr to meet and document the couple and hear their story.

Clearly still highly traumatised, Michelle didn’t want to go right up to the shattered and still saturated remains of the house where she had spent much of her life … “I can’t do it, I can’t do it” she said on the edge of tears. I did manage a few portraits with their house in the background amongst the wreckage and destruction … until Michelle broke down in tears and fell into Bill’s chest. This was one of my very last frames of the few made of Bill and Michelle together that day.

Degarra is still waiting for the ADF to arrive to help Bill, Michelle and the rest of the community start recovery and begin the rest of their now vastly different lives.

Was a very emotional day …

Image © Brian Cassey, (the bottom image is an emotional ‘crop’) … the page 3 image © The Australian

‘Tokyo’ First in ’24 …

… nice way to start 2024 ! …

Very gratifying news this week that two of my pics have done ‘it’ again … both winning ‘Honorable Mentions’ in the ‘People’ category of the Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA). The first of the New Year 2024 … 

Both selected TIFA images … “Do Not Resuscitate – Peter ‘Potter’ Thompson” (top) … & … “100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” (below) … have been recognised previously. Just before Christmas my portrait of Peter ‘Potter’ in his Kuranda ceramic studio was selected in the Top Twenty in the Capture Magazine portrait awards … whilst my portrait of Alf ‘Popeye’ Neal went a little better and was selected in the Top Ten in the same Awards (and published in the December issue of Capture Magazine) … along with an Honorable mention in the Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA). ‘Alf’ has also racked up several other previous accolades … and for ‘Potter’ it’s the third.

Earlier last year these two images teamed up to win the ‘People’ category of the “19th Pollux International Awards” … which at the time was their first ‘recognitions’ .

Check out these (and others) on my ‘Awards’ page at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/awards/

Images © Brian Cassey

Images © Brian Cassey 

Budapest, Dodho & Capture Awards … early Xmas Pressies …

… 3 nice early Chrissie presents … from ‘Budapest International Foto Awards’ (BIFA), Dodho Color Awards’ and Capture Magazines inaugural ‘Capture Awards’ … with four different images featuring.

Most pleasing for me was a first recognition for an image I’m rather fond of … and frankly rather different from my usual ‘stuff’ … entitled “Marilyn Monroe – 60 Years on – By Bonn” (top).

‘Marilyn’ was selected as an Honorable Mention in the Fine Art category of the Budapest International … and I’m very happy with that. I’m pretty sure that my subject Bonn Marie will be happy with that too … she did an admirable job of channeling the 50’s and early 60’s sex goddess … fabulous Bonn ! Thanks … and to Sue Kim too for her great nostalgic make up and hair magic.

I’ll try and keep it concise … but the catalyst for creating the image was the 60th anniversary of Marilyn’s (arguably the planet’s greatest ever sex symbol) untimely death in 1962 at the age of just 36. The idea was to  mirror one of the works of US photographer Tom Kelley who had the enviable task of shooting Marilyn’s infamous ‘red velvet’ set in 1949 before her acting career took off (when she had red hair pre the ‘blond bombshell’ era). Strangely Tom’s image didn’t receive lavish attention until Hugh Hefner selected it for the first centrefold in the first ever edition of Playboy Magazine in 1953!

The original is a truly iconic (in the real sense of the word) photograph and played a key role in shaping 20th century history, spawning a redefinition of female sexuality and a sexual revolution.

I like to think that Bonn and I did the original work justice. (Fine Art or not … it’s a real shame that this work is unacceptable on social media and its use would lead to a ban … go figure!)

“100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” also scored an Honourable Mention in the BIFA Portrait category … to add to a growing list of recognitions. Still miss you Alf.

By the way … it would be remiss of me not to mention that Cairns colleague and Hungarian born friend Emese Gyalog also featured in the Budapest awards, winning a Bronze Award and a Honorable Mention for her work. Excellent …

My pic of Green Island croc legend “George Craig – Crocodile Hunter” featured in the second edition Dodho Magazine Color Awards … and was awarded with a whole page (third from top) in a quite beautifully produced collection of photography … the Dodho large format hard cover book of the awards best images entitled ‘Color –  Best Photographers of 2023’ (third and fourth pics). Dodho really know how to produce wonderful polished photography books!

Last but certainly not least … “100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” was also selected in the ‘Top Ten Portraits’ of the inaugural Capture Magazine “Capture Awards” … and features amongst the winners in the current Summer 24 print edition of Australia’s premier pro photography magazine. A bit of cream on top was also the selection in the top twenty ‘Portraits’ list of my portrait “Do Not Resuscitate – Peter ‘Potter’ Thompson” of the Kuranda master potter (bottom image).

All have been updated to my ‘Awards’ listings page at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/awards/

A very nice way to finish 2023 … Many Thanks to all involved … and have a great ’24 !

All images © Brian Cassey

Young (and Old) Guns … The Australian …

… nice to be involved in an exclusive The Australian special on National gun registry and young (and old) gun shooters. The stories and pics ran over most of page 3 in today’s publication and centred on an imminent National Firearms Registry and the controversy over the legislation covering young shooters.

I spent a recent Sunday afternoon at a Mareeba Pistol Club obstacle shooting event talking and making images of the participants whose ages spanned from 12 to over 70 … all something new to me.

Although not yet published, my personal favourite image from that afternoon’s work was a portrait style grab of pistol packing 70 year old Torres Strait resident and experienced shooter Ian ‘Ging’ Butcher, ready to compete with his Infinity 38 SuperComp weapon … a gun with an over A$15000 price tag (top).

Second is the image that graced a large part of today’s The Australian page 3 … 12 year old Quinn Coates-Marnane … and third a screen grab of that page. Featured fourth is a portrait of already very experienced shooter 18 year old Bronte Matthews with hand on her Bul SAS 2 Ultimate racer 38mm Super pistol. Last is Quinn once again at the moment of firing a timed volley at a variety of static targets.

A different way to spend a Sunday afternoon … 

Images © Brian Cassey 

Clarion Awards … Thank You Neal Family of Yarrabah …

… a great night at the Queensland Clarion Awards in Brisbane on the weekend.

The ‘Clarions’ are the annual awards for Queenslands media fraternity hosted my the MEAA (Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance) and, in their own words, “recognise excellence, independence, innovation and originality in storytelling and distinctive reporting. This can be through research and investigations, well-crafted and innovative presentations, news-breaking single stories or features, and engaging, entertaining and/or informative reporting.” (They also recognise the work of us ‘photographers’ too 😉 !)

Was very happy to be the recipient of both the major photography awards … ‘Best News Photograph’ for “Voices –  100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM” … and … ‘Best Photographic Essay’ for “The Voice – Alf Neal OAM at 100”. Gratifyingly, it’s the third year in a row that I’ve been selected as winner of the Best Essay … puts the pressure on somewhat for next year.

I must greatly sincerely thank the Neal family of Yarrabah for allowing me to document the last days of the wonderful and distinguished legend and gentleman that was Alf ‘Popeye’ Neal OAM (in particular the help from Alf’s son Percy … Thank You Percy). I’ve written much on Alf’s life here previously

I hope I have given a wonderful man the respect (and memories for his family) that he deserves. Miss you Alf.

It was also very nice to read the comments on my works by the judges …

Voices – 100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf Neal OAM’ by Brian Cassey is in a class of its own and a standout news picture. From the story to the access to the execution, Brian nailed the image and while doing so told an important story. Alf’s life was dedicated to activism and this poignant portrait raises hopes that the changes he didn’t live to witness in his lifetime will come to fruition to better the future of his great great grandson, Kailan. Well done Brian, we hope to one day see this image hanging at the National Portrait Gallery!

‘The Voice – Alf Neal OAM at 100′ by Brian Cassey ticked everyone of the criteria for this category for me. The story, ‘The Voice’, is in the news most days. Brian Cassey developed and nurtured a relationship with the subject. He focused on one man to tell a more complicated story. He was trusted, which gave him access at a very sensitive time for this community. His research allowed a depth to his storytelling. The images and words reflect one another adding great depth to the coverage. His essay tells the story very well. It is beautifully photographed.

Of course … the Clarion Awards are also a great opportunity to visit the big city and catch up with the many photographer and journalist friends and colleagues that aren’t fortunate enough to live and work in the Tropics ;-). Thanks MEAA.

Below I’ve added just a few pics from the winning essay … if you fancy, the complete essay set of twelve images may be found on my web site at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/awards/

Images © Brian Cassey of Alf, his funeral at Yarrabah and interment at Ngarrabullgan (Mt Mulligan) … Tweets (orX’s) by MEAA

Free Palestine … Brisbane …

… a quick weekend visit to Brisbane to attend the ‘Clarion Awards’ (Queensland’s annual media awards bash – more on that in another post) … and to catch up with UQ Uni studying daughter.

Daughter and friend were keen to join the “Free Palestine” rally in central Brisbane … so it seemed a good idea to spend some quality time and also attend and document a very current and important (disturbing) news story.

Thousands gathered to fill King George Square before a spirited march around the Brisbane central business district.  A motorcycle police officer I spoke to said it was the largest rally he’d seen in many many years. Impassioned but incident free, the rally shared the message about the Palestinian peoples several decades long fight for freedom, a homeland and some dignity … sadly to an almost deserted city centre.

Here below are just five of the many images I made at the rally on Saturday afternoon. More from the set may be found on my my Facebook page at … https://www.facebook.com/brian.cassey1 … and/or on my Instagram account at … https://www.instagram.com/brian_cassey/ .

Definitely an interesting activity to spend time with your placard waving daughter 🙂

Images © Brian Cassey

Two George’s … Albert … & Kowanyama … 20th Pollux Awards …

Excellent news that my image “George at the Bus Stop” was just selected as WINNER of the ‘20th Pollux International Photo Awards’ – People … whilst three other of my works received Honourable Mentions !

Very nice Result ! Thank You so much to all my wonderful subjects … 

Whilst the portrait of George Skeene OAM got the biggest nod … “The Last of the Trochus Divers” (Albert ‘Boyo’ Ware), “George Craig – Crocodile Hunter” and the series “The People from the Place of Many Waters” (Kowanyama) all received Hon Mentions in the same ‘People’ category.

Winning images will be presented at an exhibition at the Fotonostrum Gallery, Barcelona, Spain in December 2024.

Gratifyingly, it’s the first award ‘recognitions’ for both “George at the Bus Stop” and “The Last of the Trochus Divers” … whilst it’s the second such for “George Craig – Crocodile Hunter” and “The People from the Place of Many Waters”. 

Wonder if I can get to Spain ? 🙂

20th Pollux Awards ‘WINNER’ & ‘Honourable Mentions’ X 3  – ‘People ‘ … Images all © Brian Cassey @brian_cassey

Images © Brian Cassey

“Yes” ? … “No” ? … Who Knows ? … A Week Full of “Voices” …

Last week  … manic !  Flight to Aurukun with indigenous leader Noel Pearson, another long day flying back to Aurukun and on to Pormpuraaw and Doomadgee Cape York Peninsula with Bob Katter … and in between following ‘Yes’ campaign director Dean Parkin all around Cairns. 

As the ‘Indigenous Voice to Parliament’ referendum draws ever closer, campaigning is in full swing … and there has been regular arrivals of ‘campaigners’ from ‘down south’ flocking to the Far North (and more turning up later on this week.)

Pearson’s visit to Aurukun and Parkin’s in Cairns were covered for ‘The Australian’ (including a nice page 1) … and Katter in an epic three destination Cape York flights saga, was for Bob’s campaign.

These TEN images have been chosen from across the hundreds I made over a hectic week … and they are also featured (arguably better) on my Instagram account and may be found here … https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx94Gy6vP4C/

  1. Bubblegum Discovery – Aurukun with Katter
  2. Bob Katter plants an ‘illegal’ potato in Doomadgee
  3. Young child explores the cenotaph in Aurukun – with Katter
  4. Dawn Koondumbin (75) reads up on the ‘Voice’ – in Aurukun with Pearson
  5. Bob Katter checks vegetable & fruit prices in the Doomadgee shop
  6. Phyllis Yunkaporta with Sophera Kerindun – in Aurukun with Pearson
  7. Deserted swim pool in Pormpuraaw – with Katter (left)
  8. Noel Pearson meets Bertha Yunkaporta (91) – in Aurukun (right)
  9. ‘Yes’ campaign Director Dean Parkin in Cairns (left)
  10. Bob Katter flies back from Aurukun, Pormpuraaw and Doomadgee (right)

Poses the question … what am I going to do after the referendum 🙂 ? !

Images © Brian Cassey

Mono Awards & “Alf at 100” …

Just quickly and not a biggie … but a little something to help keep the special memory of Alf Neal OAM alive …

This image below of Alf was from the last I made of the most significant aboriginal elder … one hundred year old Alf ‘Popeye’ Neal OAM … before he quietly passed away in May. You may read the story of that last time I photographed Alf on his balcony of his home in Yarrabah … and the massive impact he made to indigenous Australia over his ten decades … here at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/images/2023/05/will-miss-you-alf-100/  … and here at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/publications/2023/04/alf-at-a-hundred-and-the-sunday-mail/ .

So … you may be able to see why I am so pleased to receive a “Highly Commended” recognition for Alf’s pic in the 2023 “Mono Awards” for black and white imagery. The image means a lot to me … and it’s nice to see that others have appreciated Alf and his story.

Meanwhile, another image I made of Alf the week of Alf’s one hundredth birthday last October … “100 Years & 3 Weeks” … has been quietly and consistently racking up awards … with another few announcements imminent. 

Image © Brian Cassey

8th Year … Trinity Bay High Student Portrait Prize …

This past week I once again had the delightful task of judging the works of Trinity Bay High School students in their annual Photographic Portrait Prize … and presenting the awards for the eighth year in a row.

Yearly, I’ve been amazed by the quality of photographic portraiture produced by the students … some barely in their teens. Looking back on my pictorial skills when their age, I would have been way down the bottom of class.

Having said that, this year when faced with over sixty quality portraits lining the Visual Arts walls, I was even more stunned. The collective students had really excelled and produced a ‘best ever’ portraiture exhibition.

Selecting the three winners was a daunting and lengthy task. In the end the overall winner boiled down to an almost impossible choice between two great portraits … neither of which would look out of place published in National Geographic magazine. Ultimately the self portrait ‘Window of Soul’ (top) by David-Paul Onakoy got the winning nod over ‘It Takes a Village to Raise a Child’ (second from top) made by his mate David Mashengo … but only just !! The Congolese student pair both produced wonderfully constructed portraits that told a story. David-Paul took home the winners prize of a DSLR camera courtesy of sponsors Garricks Camera House.

Interestingly and in contrast to the previous couple of years … this years three winners all showed strong eye contact in their portraits, with the beautifully executed and literally eye-catching work by Sienna Stuart-Bennet of her friend Shakira, ‘Vision’, making up the top prized trio.

I could have easily awarded a dozen or so ‘Honourable Mentions’ but had to limit the decision to just three, coincidently all black and white portraits. The works of … Jade Gubb (titled ‘Dystopian Gremlin’ – great attitude and angle of view) … Noecocha Cowley (‘Mary’ – striking use of shadow) … and Mattie-Leigh Hanson (‘Seashore’ – beautifully constructed and composed), prevailed. Virgil Gill won the top prize amongst the school staff section for the work ‘Sunshine’ … whilst ‘Sweet 16’ by student Shirley Vue (bottom image) was chosen by popular vote as ‘Peoples Choice’.

Much praise must go to the dedicated Visual Arts teaching staff at the school who are fostering and moulding this amazing young photographic talent.

You can view all the TBHS students winning works from the past seven years by clicking here… 2022202120202019201820172016

See you all next year for number nine …

Images © The Student Artists … from top … David-Paul Onakoy, David Mashengo, Sienna Stuart-Bennet, Jade Gubb, Noecocha Cowley & Mattie-Leigh Hanson, Shirley Vue

Aurukun Artist Keith Wikmunea …

… had the very distinct privilege and pleasure to travel to Aurukun on Cape York Peninsula recently to portray indigenous artist Keith Wikmunea. He then was soon to be announced the winner of the $100,000 Telstra Indigenous Art Award, the top prize at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards (NATSIAA) in Darwin. Images of Keith and his work were required to spread around Australia’s media in conjunction with the story of his win.

I spent a thoroughly enjoyable couple of days with Keith and Wik & Kugu Aurukun Arts Centre Manager Gabe Waterman as our winner worked on sculpting a ‘camp dog’ in the arts centre workshop … and out and about at various locations around the indigenous township. Keith was patient and a delight.

His $100,000 sculptured milkwood winning work – entitled “Ku’, Theewith & Kalampang: The White Cockatoo, Galah and the Wandering Dog” – was inspired by his ancestors, says Keith. He has already spent his prize money on a boat and a car for his family.

My images of Keith appeared in The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald and many other print and web publications around Australia … and will also grace Sydney railway stations to spread the word about his win, his talent and the Telstra award.

Below are some of my favourite images of Keith in Aurukun and a mock up of the Telstra promotional banner work soon to be seen in Sydney stations.

Images © Brian Cassey

Albert … the Last of the Trochus Divers … and CIAF …

Now 83 years old Albert ‘Boyo’ Ware began his career as a trochus diver deckhand at the age of fifteen. He is now one of just a handful of Torres Strait and Aboriginal survivors of the trochus and pearl shell industry that dominated the farm northern Australian economy in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Initially working trochus from small boats with a crew of four Albert eventually progressed to diving for pearl shell from larger lugger boats after the bottom fell out of the trochus market.

Albert still calls St Pauls on Moa Island in the Torres Strait ‘home ‘ despite his post seafaring exploits as a Cape York stockman and stints working on the railways and roads of far north Queensland.

A prolific story teller, Albert can bend your ears for hours with great humour and enthusiasm. One highlight of our conversations was this tale of the time he rode a whale. Diving for pearl shell at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef near Gladstone they came across a twelve metre hump back whale stranded in a lagoon. The whale has doing circles around the lagoon so Albert and his mate jumped in, hung onto the whale tail and went for a spin. (The whale was fine and escaped to freedom when the tide rose.)

I met Albert at the opening of “Lugger Bort” … a Cairns Indigenous Art Fair event at The Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns. The brilliant exhibition curated by Nerelle Nicol focuses on “the working life of the Aboriginal, Torres Strait and South Sea Islanders who worked the pearling, Beche-de-mer and trochus industries living on luggers in Far North Queensland” was a ‘must see’ but sadly ended yesterday, Sunday.

A pleasure to listen to Albert tell his stories and to make his portrait … and … as he told me … “The journey is still on”.

Image © Brian Cassey

“Alf” & “Potter” Win Pollux International Award …

… very welcome news  … TWO of my recent images combined to win the ‘People’ category of the “19th Pollux International Awards” … first time ‘recognitions’ for them both.

Always satisfying when ‘new’ pics get a bit of attention.

The images “100 Years & 3 Weeks – Alf” and “Do Not Resuscitate – Peter Potter” … below … are the two works that were jointly selected as the Winner of the ‘People’ category.

“100 Years & 3 Weeks” (bottom) features prominent Kuku Djungan elder and aboriginal and islander leader and activist Alf Neal and his three week old great great grandson Kailan Murgha at their Yarrabah home two days before the community celebration of Alf’s centenary.

Alf was a driving force in a decade long fight for the 1967 referendum which resulted in Indigenous peoples recognition in Australia’s Constitution. He was awarded ‘Medal of the Order of Australia’ (OAM) for ‘Service to the Aboriginal community’ in 2019.

“Do Not Resuscitate – Peter Potter” (top) features prominent Master Potter … Peter “Potter” Thompson … in his Kuranda rainforest studio ‘Five Treasures’ where he produces his imaginative Asian/Taoist inspired clay works fired in wood-fired kilns. 

“Potter” is something of a miracle having survived three heart attacks over his decades long career producing works that have graced galleries far and wide. The tattoo over his pace maker enhanced heart and chest states ’N F Resuscitare’ (‘Do Not Resuscitate’) and his blood group … a testament to his longevity and Impeccably wry and dry sense of humour.

Was also excellent to see US mate, Washington Post shooter and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Robinson Chavez get a mention in the ‘Documentary & Reportage’ category for his fantastic work in Ukraine.

The Pollux Awards have been awarding the best of the planets photographic works for near a couple of decades. 

Winners work will be exhibited, large scale, on the walls of the FotoNostrum Gallery in Barcelona, Spain in December later this year. (NB … I’ve had work exhibited in the Fotonostrum Gallery in Barcelona previously … back in 2021 with my portrait of Carol Mayer … “The Skin I’m In”. )

Pretty happy with that 🙂

Images © Brian Cassey

 

19th Pollux Awards - International - Winners - People - “100 Years & 3 Weeks - Alf” & “Do Not Resuscitate - Peter Potter” - images by Brian Cassey ©

19th Pollux Awards - International - Winners - People - “100 Years & 3 Weeks - Alf” & “Do Not Resuscitate - Peter Potter” - images by Brian Cassey ©

The Guardian … Vintage Nikon F2 … and Film ! …

… in good company in The Guardian today as they feature the 400TX Project presenting black & white film work produced on a 50 year old Nikon F2 passed around to some of (quote) … “Australia’s most prominent photographers” … including this geezer from Cairns.

The project was the brain child of Brisbane photographer Renato Repetto who transported the vintage 1970’s black Nikon F2 with a 55mm lens loaded, with just one 36 frame roll of Kodak Tri-X BW film, on numerous journeys criss crossing Australia and into the hands of current working photographers who gave it their best shot.

The Guardian story (a snippet below) can be found in full at https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2023/mar/19/one-roll-of-film-what-a-test-the-400tx-project-in-pictures … and on abridged version on Insta at https://www.instagram.com/guardianaustralia/ … under the title ‘Back to Basics’.

The list of photographers featured is as impressive as the work … Dean Sewell, Tim Page (so sadly no longer with us), Paul Blackmore, Robert McFarlane, David Maurice Smith, Peter Solness, Michael Coyne, James Brickwood, Shehab Uddin, Jakub Fabijanski, Oli Sansom, Meg Hewitt, David Kelly … and yours truly .

My frame in the feature is “Too Busy To Die” … made in sparse light with the last frame of the thirty six on the  film roll … of accomplished musician Geoff Tozer. He had just told he was dying. He was diagnosed with bowel, bladder, bone and advanced spinal cancer. But, he told me, “I’m too busy to die.”

I cut my teeth on ‘manual everything’ film cameras like the Nikon F2 decades ago and used ‘zone focusing’, guessed exposures and well-timed single shutter releases in my early work. This project has brought into stark reality how spoilt we photographers are now with digital imaging and digital photo technology … and, to be honest, the process of shooting black and white film again scared me stiff !

(The two posts on the 400TX Project published when I originally made the “Too Busy To Die” work can be found here … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/publications/2017/08/final-frame-nikon-f2-afp400tx/ … and here …  https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/2017/07/nikon-f2-roll-tri-x-36-pics/ … whilst a further post regarding 400TX and my work in an Australian Photography article can be found here … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/blog/travel/2018/03/spread-australian-photography-afp400tx/

Image “Too Busy To Die” (top) © Brian Cassey … Image “Sin & Stef in Bondi” (bottom) © Paul Blackmore, page “Back to Basics” © The Guardian

 

The Guardian - 400TX Project - Back to Basics - Image "Too Busy To Die" of Geoff Tower by Brian Cassey

 

The Guardian - story 400TX Project - Back to Basics - Image "Too Busy To Die" of Geoff Tower by Brian Cassey ©, second image © Paul Blackmore

415,000 Entries … 200+ countries … Sony World Photography …

Yes … you’ve likely seen this work before 🙂 (as recently as my last post here … sorry) … BUT … what IS new is that “Mother Africa – Aurora” has been selected (announced yesterday) in the ‘Shortlist’ of just fourteen images in the 2023 Sony World Photography Awards for ‘Portraiture’. When you consider that this years Sony World wide awards attracted approximately four hundred and fifteen thousand entries from over two hundred countries, you’ll maybe understand why I’m pretty ‘chuffed’ and grateful that I can now show it again here in this context !

The fourteen short listed Open works in ‘Portraiture’ emanated from photographers around the planet  …  Denmark, the Philippines, Slovakia, USA, Angola, New Zealand, Australia, Nigeria (2), Poland (2) and the UK (3) … (see complete list below). (You may notice that, unusually, Sony decided to put myself and my work in the UK column (place of birth) rather than the more common place of residence column (Aus) … very nice to be British again 😉 )

The Winners and short listed works from this years awards … arguably the Worlds largest and most prestigious … will be published as a collection in a hard cover book ‘Sony World Photography Awards 2023’, … whilst Winning and shortlisted images will be exhibited as part of the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at beautiful Somerset House in my old home town London from April 14 – May 1, 2023. (Hope my UK family can make it 😉 ).

“Mother Africa” was also short listed this month in “Portrait of Humanity” … a planet wide award and collection of photographic portraiture by the “British Journal of Photography” … and has also received major attention in several other International and Australian awards.

(NB … SO grateful to my subject, delightful African American Australian based Aurora Coulter … Thanks again ‘Rora’ !)

Image © Brian Cassey

Sony World Photography Awards 2023 - "Mother Africa - Aurora" by Brian Cassey Shortlisted in Open Portraiture ©.
Sony World Photography Awards 2023 - "Mother Africa - Aurora" by Brian Cassey Shortlisted in Open Portraiture ©.

Vol.5 … Portrait of Humanity

Very pleased with the announcement last eve … “Mother Africa” selected in the prestigious International “Portrait of Humanity 2023” awards ‘Shortlist’.   (Have known for a little while that the work “Mother Africa” featuring Aurora Coulter (below) was ‘Shortlisted’ but was sworn to secrecy till yesterdays official ‘announcement.)

Now in it’s 5th ‘edition’ and organised by the venerable highly respected British Journal of Photography 1854 … Portrait of Humanity has fast become one of the most select, yet largest, collections of contemporary portrait photography on the planet. 

“Mother Africa” will be amongst the other short listed works published in the “Portrait of Humanity 2023” hard cover book published by Hoxton Mini Press.

I was also stoked to be ’shortlisted’ in the first, second and fourth editions of POH over past years. First and second edition winning portraits … “Aurukun – Generations”, “Ramnami” and “The Skin I’m In” were exhibited ‘in space’ above the planet by Portrait of Humanity in a very creative exercise. Last year’s selected work in edition four was “Covid Vax & Ice Cream “ … a portrait of Leanna Bulmer after her Covid vaccination at Yarrabah. 

Many Thanks once again must go to my talented and delightful subject Aurora … making the picture was an emotional moment in our friend Marc’s ‘studio shed’ and Aurora really made it ‘work’.

The image is certainly racking up a nice little ‘collection’ 🙂 … check out previous recognitions for “Mother Africa” on my ‘Awards’ page at … www.briancasseyphotographer.com/awards .

 Image © Brian Cassey @brian_cassey @bjp1854 @portrait_of_humanity @1854_PoH @The British Journal of Photography

"Portrait of Humanity 2023" - Shortlisted and published in Portrait of Humanity 2023 by Hoxton Mini Press - "Mother Africa - Aurora" - Image by Brian Cassey

Kowanyama Portraits …

Every now and then a job turns up that’s … well … a little different. December saw one of those.

Former ‘Young Australian of the Year’ (2007) Tania Major contacted me and asked if I may like to host ‘portrait sessions’ and a workshop in her home township of Kowanyama on western Cape York just before Christmas. The idea … part of the RISE Arts Program … was to raise awareness of the possibilities of photographic portraiture in the indigenous community and provide any residents who ‘sat’ (or stood, leant or lay) with a timely portrait before Christmas. Nice idea …

So … I traveled to Kowanyama, set up a makeshift studio in the Kowanyama Arts & Culture Centre … and spent four days meeting and photographing the fabulous characters who arrived almost constantly. Elderly, young, very young and not so young …

It was not only great fun but also a truly positive and rewarding event.

The seven portraits I’ve selected here below are just a tiny proportion of the over three hundred I made during the program.

Thanks Tania ( @tanmajor ) … and to the Kowanyama residents for their wonderful hospitality and humour at what was a difficult time for the community (which I won’t go into here.)

Portraits left to right from top …

David “Crow” Kitchener … Evelyn Birchley & Her Red Dress … and … James “Doon Doon” Josiah Junior, Jyson Yam & Sneeklaw Possum … Zacchias Daniel … and … Neville Henry … Arnold Possum … and … Nazarie Birchley with Herbert Major-Birchley.

Images © Brian Cassey

 

Indigenous Portraits froid Kowanyama Workshop - December 2022 by Brian Cassey

 

 

Marilyn Monroe, Playboy Magazine … & Bonn …

… VERY much a departure from what I normally do … and for that matter … what I’ve ever done.

I admit … this image I produced may look somewhat ‘familiar’ to many of a certain ‘vintage’. However, I can assure you that it is brand new. The ‘polar opposite’ of photojournalism, documentary, reportage etc, it does, indeed, tell a timely story I wanted to tell.

The year 2022 marked the 60th anniversary of the death of arguably the planet’s greatest ever sex symbol … movie star and blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe. She died at just 36 …

There were many thousands of photographs made of Marilyn (Norma Jeane) during her stellar but far too short career as an actress, model, sometimes singer … and undeniable centre of massive unrelenting attention.

What I aimed to portray in this work was a recreation of ‘Marilyn’ in the vintage style of the days of the mid last century when she captivated audiences around the World … and in Cairns character and model Bonn Marie I knew I had just the person to make that happen. (Bonn had previously featured in one of my works that gained a fair bit of International attention.)

In particular … this image I made of Bonn (below) mirrors one of the works of US photographer Tom Kelley who had the enviable task of shooting Marilyn’s infamous ‘red velvet’ set in 1949 before her acting career took off (when she had red hair pre the ‘blond bombshell’ era). Strangely Tom’s image didn’t receive lavish attention until Hugh Hefner selected it for the first centrefold in the first ever edition of Playboy Magazine in 1953 !

I still can’t get over the fantastic job that Bonn (aided by the mastery of make up artist Sue Kim) did in morphing into Marilyn’s character and look … the resemblance is chilling. Despite the fact that I didn’t attempt to copy the original pose in Tom’s work directly … the similarities in body shape, pose, style, expression and more are obvious. Bonn created a damn fine Marilyn …

A couple of little interesting asides about the original Kelley image. Originally … pre Playboy … Marilyn faced right to left in the frame. Hefner decided to reverse it in the magazine centrefold … and that’s the way I made the ‘tribute’ image with Bonn. As well as making Hefner’s new magazine a massive success, Kelley’s image … an image of tastefulness and sophistication … became truly historic, played a key role in shaping 20th century history, led to a redefinition of female sexuality in America and spawned a sexual revolution.

This is the first time ever I’ve ‘remade’ an earlier image by another photographer … and I’m damn sure it will also be the last … but I do hope you enjoy the resulting work, Bonn’s amazing ‘Marilyn’ portrayal and the rationale behind retelling a pivotal and timely part of the Monroe story.

This “Marilyn” – Bonn large framed work (below) is currently pride of place on the wall in the exhibition “Red Hot” (and available for sale) at the Kite Gallery in Cairns. The exhibition of great works runs until 16th January 2023 and is well worth checking out.

Image © Brian Cassey … with subject Bonn Marie and hair, makeup Sue Kim … (with Thanks and acknowledgement to photographer Tom Kelley)

Tribute to Marilyn Monroe sixty years after her untimely death in 1962 .... Image by Brian Cassey © (with Bonn Marie) based on the 1949 'Red sheet' work by photographer Tom Kelley which became Marilyn's and Playboy Magazines first ever cenrefold. in the magazine's first edition in 1953.

Tokyo … and “Mother Africa” …

…  nice timing and Merry Xmas …

Early in the hours of Christmas Eve an email dropped in with the nice news that my image “Mother Africa” had been selected again … this time for a “Bronze” award in the ’22 Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) Fine Art category.

So pleased that this work has gained attention. To be accurate the making of this image (in a friends little basic shed studio) engendered a lot of emotion … and tears.  My subject, the delightful currently Australia based  African American Aurora Coulter,  knew the ‘look’ that would make the photograph ‘work’ at depicting the historical … (and still current when you take into consideration the death of black man George Floyd and others at the hands of police officers etc) … treatment of her forebears in the US. Aurora dug into the depths of past memories and experiences for this image … and for that I’m so grateful. Her emotion made it ‘work’.

“Mother Africa” has been selected previously in other awards since it was made in January earlier this (nearly over) year … the International Portrait Photographer of the Year, The Pollux Awards, the International Photography Awards (IPA), Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA), Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA), the Percival Portrait Prize … and … another arguably more prestigious prize that I am not at liberty yet to tell anyone about 🙂

Once again Aurora … the very biggest Thanks … !

Image © Brian Cassey

Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) 2022 - WINNER - Bronze Award - Fine Art - image by Brian Cassey

“Do Not Resuscitate” … Peter Potter …

I’ve known the skills of Kuranda master ceramicist Peter “Potter” Thompson for some time … but up until a couple of weeks ago had never met him. I did try and arrange a portrait session with Peter a couple of years back but at the time he politely demurred.

Peter has been building his rainforest studio practice for 50 years and is amongst Australia’s most accomplished practitioners of wood-fired pottery, his cutting edge work gracing major galleries far and wide.

His workshop ‘Five Treasures’ is where he creates and fires his Orient inspired creations in expansive high temperature kilns fired by locally collected timber, following Taoist principles. His passion for each and every piece is obvious.

Peter’s outwardly quiet demeanour belies a no nonsense approach to both his work and his life … and he portrays an impeccably wry sense of humour.

The harshness of his work environment has impacted his health … and Peter has survived three heart attacks over the last twenty years. In true Peter style the tattoo above his heart (and pacemaker) means ‘Do Not Resuscitate’. Chemical emissions from the kiln firings have also impacted his lung capacity.

A couple of weeks ago I was introduced to Peter by Ian Whittaker who has authored a book on his life and work. Peter showed me around his studio home, workshop and kilns as he earnestly talked about his magic pottery … and his upcoming hospital stay for yet another major operation.

Peter allowed me to make a series of portraits … and this one (below) I believe most accurately shows his complex character and environment as his life as a potter encircles him.

Thank You Peter … good luck with the latest operation.

Image © Brian Cassey

“Mother Africa” in International Photography Awards (IPA) …

Must admit … there was a lot of emotion entailed in making this image “Mother Africa”. Without getting too personal my captivating subject Aurora Coulter was heavily invested in the subject, history and experience of making this work. Aurora … normally vibrant and ebullient … dug deep into past personal experiences to channel the emotional plight of her African American forebears over the centuries. There were tears …

So … I’m delighted as much for Aurora as for myself that this work has been recognised several times around the planet … the latest being last weeks notification of an “Honourable Mention” in the ‘Portrait’ section of the 2022 International Photography Awards (IPA).

Over the last few months “Mother Africa” … made in January this year in a friends shed studio (Thanks Marc) … has also catalogued other mentions in … the 2022 Pollux Awards (Portrait – Honourable Mention), the Moscow International Foto Awards (People Culture – Bronze Award), the 2022 International Portrait Photographer of the Year (Published in IPPOTY Top 101 Portraits selection and book), the 2022 Percival Photographic Prize (Townsville – Finalist) and the 15th International Colour Awards (Portrait – Finalist).

Even later news (from just last eve) … “Mother Africa” will be one of the thirty works exhibited in an inaugural portraiture exhibition at the Crate 59 Gallery in Cairns.

“The Burning Cane Portrait Exhibition” (for portraiture in any medium made this year by Queensland artists) will open on the 4th of November and run for three weeks. “Mother Africa” will be there (very) large on the walls from the celebratory opening event … which, sadly, I will miss as I’ll be at the launch of the 2022 Head On Photo Festival in Sydney. More on both of these events at a later date.

Image © Brian Cassey (and massive Thanks again Aurora !)

Judging School Students Portraiture at TBHS …

The years fly by … it seems almost yesterday that I was asked for the first time to judge the work of Trinity Bay High Schools photography class students. It was actually seven years ago in 2016 … and the students whose work was displayed in that years exhibition will now be well into their twenties.

This year I once again had the distinct pleasure of being asked to judge the schools annual photographic portrait prize … for the seventh year in a row.

Last week that judging took place followed by the announcement of winners and presentations …

There were a whole host of great portraits adorning the walls of the schools gallery that could have made it into the winners circle including (but not only) works by Axil Austin, Marie Johnson, Naomi Rubambo, Patrick Munguyiko and Prince Mashengo.

A very challenging decision this year … but after circling the gallery works on the wall many times …  with several breaks for rumination … i came up with these results (images below, counter clockwise from top) … Winner – ‘Bridezilla’ by Ali Talty , Second Place – ‘Mutesi’ by Angelique Iradukanda, Third Place – ‘Muslim Girl’ by Samita Khadka and Highly Commended – ‘The Deadly Clown’ by Mamta Bista. At bottom below is the work that was voted Peoples Choice by visitors to the exhibition … ‘Island Eyes’ by Peiwa Wamala  … and personally I’m glad they did :-).

Ali’s Winning work ‘Bridezilla’ was unmissable on the wall … a highly detailed image from a great quality file. It’s one of those images that you can’t stop looking around and searching for little details and making your own ‘interpretations’. (Still not one hundred percent about the title tho’ 😉 ). For her excellent wining work Ali was presented with a DSLR camera courtesy of sponsor Garricks Camera House, Cairns by teacher Ian Whittaker.

Angelique’s Second Place ‘Mutesi’ is a nicely put together classy, sophisticated work … nice interesting pose by the subject, displaying her to best effect.

An excellent quality image file and the use of great quality of the light and careful pose and composition used in Samita’s ‘Muslim Girl’ made it an exceptional work and a well deserved Third.

Some may feel that the selection of Mamta’s ‘The Deadly Clown’ may have been a ‘controversial’ decision. My take is that the almost abstract work is totally unmissable and unforgettable … some viewers remarked it was ‘very scary’. Great … if an image evokes emotion I’m all for it. I’ve seen the body of work that Mamta selected this image from … and it’s great creative work that deserved recognition.

The Trinity Bay teachers excelled this year with more entries in the ‘Staff Award’ than previous years … and my selection for best staff entry was a clever black and white work ‘Infinite Gambit’ by Kelly Nottle.

Over the years I’ve been constantly amazed by the work that these grade 12, 11 and younger students produce … and the work that that the teachers of the Visual Arts Faculty … this year Luke Madsen, Caroline Mudge and Clair Lloyd … nurture their students to produce.

Can’t wait for my eighth TBHS Photographic Portrait Prize next year …

You can find the previous winning images from the last six years of the TBHS portrait prize here …20212020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

Images © the students … (top four – counter clockwise from top) … ‘Bridezilla’ by Ali Talty, ‘Mutesi’ by Angelique Iradukanda, ‘Muslim Girl’ by Samita Khadka and ‘The Deadly Clown’ by Mamta Bista … (bottom) … ‘Island Eyes’ by Peiwa Wamala

Trinity Bay High School Portrait Prize 2022 - winner by Ali Talty - judge Brian Cassey

Trinity Bay High School Portrait Prize 2022 - 3rd and 2nd Place - Muslim Girl Samita Khadka_ Mutesi by Angelique - judge Brian Cassey

Trinity Bay High School Portrait Prize - Honourable - The Deadly Clown by Mamta Bista - judge Brian Cassey

Trinity Bay High School Portrait Prize - People's Choice - Island Eyes - Peiwa Wamala