October 25th, 2021
… 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
One Place Better … International Portrait Photographer of the Year …
Chuffed … ! The results just in for the 2022 ‘The International Portrait Photographer of the Year’ awards … and two of my images are represented.
‘The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa’ (top below) has been selected as the winner of Second Place (The Family Sitting) “The International Portrait photographer of the Year” … and, very nicely includes the award of some ‘folding stuff’ and … rare these days … a glass trophy to whack in the ‘office’. It will also be showcased TWICE in the accompanying book ‘The Top 101 International Portrait Photographs of the Year’ … firstly in the ‘winners’ section and then in the ‘Top 101’ portraits section.
Also selected in the ‘Top 101’ section of the book is my portrait of gorgeous African American Aurora Coulter … ‘Mother Africa – Aurora’ (also below).
‘The Top 101 International Portrait Photographs of the Year’ book will be available in hard cover and as an ebook in the very near future. Stay tuned for the link …
Both portraits have featured in other earlier International and Australian award selections. Check ’em out on my ‘awards’ page here …
Images © Brian Cassey