Press Photographer of the Year

6th Time Lucky … Sydney & The Walkley Awards …

Sydney … got there … and so stoked I did !!

On five occasions since the Covid virus reared it’s ugly head two years ago, I’ve booked to travel to Sydney for photography (and social) events … each time to be thwarted by new outbreaks, lockdowns or border closures. Seemed like it would never happen …

Then, in November last year, I received the fabulous news that my “The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa” image was selected as the Winner of the Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize. Epic. Not only that … but the Walkley Foundation contacted me and asked if I would present a Walkley Masterclass on photojournalism and portraiture as a prelude to the awards presentation eve, by then delayed and re-scheduled for Tamworth NSW in the first weeks of February. Of course … what’s not to like 🙂

With flights booked to Tamworth nervously waited and monitored the news of the latest Covid Omicron march across Australia. In January the Tamworth Country Music Festival was cancelled and the Walkley’s had no choice but to move their awards away from Tamworth and reschedule in Sydney later in February.

So … last week I actually flew to Sydney … presented my “The Portrait & Photojournalism” Walkley Masterclass at Macleay College to the assembled enthusiastic twenty plus audience throng … AND … had an absolute belter of an evening (and somewhat later) at the Walkley Awards.

Thanks to the Walkley Foundation, the International Convention Centre Darling Harbour and the Nikon Australia crew, it really was a fabulous evening … with an amazing’ collection of Aus based photographers … umm … ‘celebrating’ … and a recognition of my win in the Nikon Portrait Prize.

Hope I don’t miss anyone … but here goes with the Aus based media photographers who were also there and why …

Alex Coppel won the ‘Sport Photography’ category and ‘Press Photographer of the Year’, Andrew Quilty won ‘Long Form Feature Writing’, Dean Sewell won ‘Feature/Photographic Essay’, Brooke Mitchell won ‘News Photography’ … Finalists Jake Nowakowski, Justin McManus, Scott Barbour, Jason Edwards, Chris Hopkins, Michael Dodge joined other prominent photo media figures Mark ‘Crusty’ Baker (AP), Dean Lewins (AAP), Jeremy Piper, Tracey Nearmy, Matt Abbott and James Brickwood. Many of us were graciously hosted on the two Nikon Australia tables (and at the ‘after parties’ – plural) by Nikon Marketing Manager Kylie Dredge and Professional Marketing Manager Julie Kimpton. (Huge Thanks Kylie and Julie ! … and couldn’t ask for a better bunch of colleagues to celebrate with.)

Below is a little vid of the announcement of my Nikon Portrait Prize win (my third win in this category in the last ten years) at the awards last Friday eve. It’s very short as I was too busy nattering to photographer mates, hampered by a large glass of Shiraz in my hand and missed the start of the announcement. Oh well … (the sound is the best bit).

Clip © Brian Cassey (iPhone)

 

 

Walkley Storyology …

The first week of December saw the Walkley Foundation’s biggest week of the year – the ‘Storyology’ four day media event and – showcasing the pinnacle of Australian journalism’s in 2014 – the annual ‘Walkley Awards‘ presentation night. I was very pleased to travel to Sydney to be a involved in both – as a speaker (twice) at ‘Storyology’ and as a guest of Nikon at the ‘Walkley’s’.

The ‘Storyology’ event at the Chauvel Cinema Paddington attracted a host of respected and exciting speakers from around the planet and Australia … and I was very humbled to see my name amongst the long list which included such stellar media luminaries as (to name just a few) Laurie Oakes, Quentin Dempster, Wendy Hamer et al.

My involvement at ‘Storyology’ was two fold. On the Wednesday I was tasked with giving a ‘powertalk’ in the ‘Listen Up: Getting Back To The Story’ segment where, at the Walkley Foundation request, I told the story and showed the images from the photographers involved in the ‘Genesis Project’ exhibition that I co-curated with Moshe Rosenzveig for the Head On Photo Festival earlier in 2014.

The real honour for me, however, was being a part of Thursday’s ‘Show and Tell’ panel talk on photojournalism alongside three fellow photographers that each have my utmost respect … John Donegan, David Dare Parker and Andrew Quilty. For an hour in front of a very interested and inquisitive audience we talked about our careers, our lives and our images … and answered some very well put questions from the floor.

Thursday evening saw this years ‘Walkley Awards’ unfold on the water at Darling Harbour. The Nikon crew were once again fine hosts and it was excellent to catch up with many many photographers and journalist friends whilst this years award winners were recognised. My colleague from the ‘Storyology’ panel talk – Andrew Quilty – deservedly added the “Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year” prize (presented to him by our fellow panelist David Dare Parker) to his earlier announced “Press Photo of the Year” award. Nice to see … and I certainly enjoyed the evening more than last years (for me) stress filled event. (The ‘after party’ became a bit of a blur and I do believe I did get to bed before sun rise.)  Congratulations to all this years winners … and a big ‘Thanks’ to the Walkley Foundation and Nikon for the invitations.

Below is a pic made (by Jenny from the Walkleys) during the ‘Storyology’ ‘Show and Tell’ panel talk with – left to right – John Donegan, myself, David Dare Parker and Andrew Quilty – whilst one of my Hong Kong cage home images is the subject of discussion (above). © Image

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Sunshine Coast … & Nikon-Walkley …

Just returned from three days ‘down south ‘at Mooloolaba southern Queensland, courtesy of  the Walkley Foundation and the University of the Sunshine Coast.

My (rather pleasant) tasks over the three days were to ‘talk my head of’ on the subject of photojournalism at the ‘Ord Minnett Art & Architecture Lecture’ series, host five classes of University journalism students … and perform as ‘guest speaker’ at the Sunshine Coast opening of the ‘Nikon Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’.

Despite torrential rain and flash flooding (Sunshine Coast ?) all the events were extremely well attended. The ‘Nikon Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’ was hung by the charming USC Gallery curator Dawn Oelrich and the prints were very well presented and lit in the campus Gallery ‘space’. Well over a hundred braved the lousy weather on Thursday eve to attend, view the work selected as Australia’s best press pics of 2013 and listen to myself rabbit on about photojournalism and my and the other finalists work. CEO of the Walkley Foundation and MEAA Federal Secretary – Chris Warren – was also in attendance to address the throng.

On the previous night over thirty five souls were brave enough to withstand over an hour of my ‘Ord Minnett’ lecture. To support my words on the subject of photojournalism I also projected over a hundred images and demonstrated some obscure pieces of camera kit. Some of the pics and some of the kit dated back … well … a few decades.

I also spoke to five classes of journalism students … almost a hundred in total … on the press photography in the gallery (including mine of course) and the fragile  future of photojournalism. Several young students were, however, determined to continue along the PJ path.

Still, it made a pleasant change to spend my time talking about pictures rather than making them.

In case you missed it you can find my selected ‘Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year’ portfolio here … http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkleyfoundation/sets/72157636407740096/

Below are two quick pics from the exhibition opening eve of guests checking out the wall with my selected ‘Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year’ print portfolio.

All images © Brian Cassey

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“Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year” …

It’s very hard to pace yourself at a glittering free alcohol media event over five long hours (not including the obligatory ‘after party’) … but that’s “The Walkley’s” for you!

Thursday night at the Royal International Convention Centre in Brisbane was the setting for this years Walkley Awards black tie media extravaganza … and if you weren’t lucky enough to score a ‘rare as hens teeth’ invitation in person it was screened live on ABC TV.

I was fortunate to be selected to attend as one of the three finalists in the “Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year” award … indeed an honour to be so selected from Australia’s fantastically talented press photographer contingent. My contenders for the major photographic award of the evening were the extremely talented Quinn Rooney from Getty Images and Kate Geraghty from Fairfax. I would like to say that I really enjoyed the entire show… but that would be stretching it!  In truth the stress of waiting, waiting, waiting for several hours for the relevant “Press Photographer of the Year” result to be announced wasn’t pleasant … despite the good humoured attention and support of all the Nikon Australia crew – Kylie, Julie, Steve, Andrew et al – at our table. (They even let me play with a brand new Nikon Df to take my mind of it all – very nice camera !)

The end result ? … you can find out ALL the finalists and winners and watch the entire Walkley event on ABC’s iview here at http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/program/78313946 … I’m still far too ‘stressed’!

The fantastic work of all the Nikon Walkley photographic finalists was arrayed strategically around the dining and awards venue for all to see and comment on. Indeed, broadcaster and journalist Mike Carlton (@MikeCarlton01) was moved enough on the night to ‘tweet’ thus – “Australian photographers are brilliant. Tragic that newspapers have punted so many of them”. Political journalist Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) also waded in on #walkleys with her ‘tweet’ – “Seriously media companies – invest in photographers. They reach people our words can’t or don’t. And my iPhone shots are shit.”

If you weren’t there on the big night all the Finalists images can also be found here at http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkleyfoundation/sets/ and my nominated  “Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year” portfolio is here at http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkleyfoundation/sets/72157636407740096/ .

Below is a screen shot of my Finalist portfolio from the Nikon Walkley Press Photography Flickr web site.

The Nikon Walkley Press Photography Exhibition hits the road over the next 6 months or so … and you will be able to catch my work and the brilliant work of all the other finalists at shows in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and Brisbane … see here for dates and venues … http://www.walkleys.com/photography-events

Images © Brian Cassey

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Wow … Walkley News … !

Completely stunned and shocked but bloody happy to receive the news last evening that my work has been selected as one of three finalists in the 2013 “Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year Award”.

The news was announced in simultaneous Walkley events in Sydney and Melbourne whilst I was watching the tele back home in Cairns … gawd bless Twitter !

Feel humble to have been chosen alongside the other two finalists – and with With Kate Geraghty and Quinn Rooney the competition I’ll happily leave it at that!!

My portfolio consists of ten images and they can be found here at … http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkleyfoundation/sets/72157636407740096/ … whilst all the Nikon-Walkley photographic finalists work may be found here at … http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkleyfoundation/sets/

Many Thanks to the Walkley Foundation and Nikon – and I’m looking forward to the big night Walkley ‘bash’ in Brisbane town on November 28th.

Below is just one image from my  finalist portfolio of ten. Bim Atkinson allowed me to make this image in his home. As a young schoolboy he was serially raped by the head master of his school – a man who continued to abuse children throughout his high profile career in the church up until his death a few years ago. The photograph was made to accompany a story in “The Australian”.

Image © Brian Cassey 2013

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