The picture of Rahuia’s 5 year old son Cruz looking back at his mother’s coffin in the hearse sums up the tragedy. The expression on his face I feel shows his realisation of what is happening, a last look towards his mum before the hearse drives off.

I think this photo especially hits home with anyone that has children. I had thoughts of my own son who is only two years older than Cruz as I was editing this particular frame.

3 April 2014

Picture: Jono Searle. Clarion Awards 2014 winner Sports Photography

This photograph shows Australian Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson taking one of his five wickets at the Gabba in the second innings of the Ashes series against England. Johnson’s performance won the first test for Australia, and redeemed his standing as a legitimate fast bowler. This image depicts this story, showing the joy and emotion of Australian cricket at the highest level, and more specifically, the emotion of Johnson, a Queenslander. It shows athleticism, with the height Johnson jumps in the air, and emotion, shown in the players faces. The image is a significant sports photo from a Queensland point of view, as the first test was played and won in Brisbane. The man of the match in the photo was Mitchell Johnson, who is also a Queensland sportsman. This image tells the whole story of the first Ashes test, in one strong, impactful sports photo.

4 January 2014

Picture: Mark Calleja

I was given this job at the last minute for a story about how dangerous toads are for dogs. I went down to New Farm with a number of toad subjects hopping about in a cardboard box. My picture editor had caught them on his rural property that morning and brought them into work. There were a few dogs in the park but when I saw Benny the beagle and I knew he’d be perfect subject because they are renowned for their hunting skills. Benny’s owner surprisingly agreed to let us take the shot, which was generous since the whole story was about how lethal toads are for dogs. Benny definitely wanted to savage that toad so his owner had to holdi on to him firmly. It was definitely a little too close for comfort at one stage. I was nervous, I didn’t want to be the photographer that killed someone’s dog.

11 December 2013

Picture: Jono Searle.

As photographers we are regularly asked to go out and find a weather photo – so we are always looking for a different way to do this. Centenary Pool was packed and it was great to get a bit of action as well as show how people cooling off.

AFL Pictures: Jono Searle

Shooting AFL is about anticipating where the action is going to come together, so that’s actually ahead of where the ball is. At the start of the game you pick a spot up the goal end which is going to give you the best chance of the action, and then don’t move. I use a 400mm lens and keep both eyes open, my left eye looking peripherally at the game and then right looking through the lens. I look for shots with more than one person in the frame where there is a contest for the ball. Expression always make the picture better too.

Picture: Mark Calleja

Dami Im had begun her Australian tour after winning the X Factor. She was great to photograph – very quiet and modest. She was a beautiful subject and the opposite of some other famous people (who I won’t name) who have been a nightmare to photograph and do things like demand certain lighting and specific angles.

4 June 2014

Picture: Jono Searle

I took this shot Claye Beams at the beginning of his first full season with the Brisbane Lions. I wanted him to look strong and tough, a kind of street fighter idea. I found the location after scouting around Fortitude Valley. I was walking past and looked up to see the top of this graffiti on the fourth floor of a derelict building. I had to get approval from the owners and they gave me a key which allowed me to go in and take test pics. I always have my eye out for great locations, which I often find first and then later find the subject that fits.

25 March 2013

Picture: Mark Calleja

Funeral for Graeme Acton at Paradise Lagoons, Rockhampton. Acton was the cattle king and Tony Abbott and Campbell were at his funeral along with thousands of people from all over Australia. The funeral was in a horse yard arena and these were his horses. I felt like the horses looked like they were consoling each other and I waited a while for them to come closer so I could frame them up with the casket and Acton’s hat.

19 May 2014

Picture: Jono Searle

An Ipswich boy lost both his hands after discovering a golf ball bomb in Ipswich, then a man blew off his fingers and part of his genitals in a separate explosion at his Clay Street home. Police swooped on the home and found it riddled with explosives. We had been covering the story for nearly a week camped outside the property but still had no shot of a golf ball bomb. It became mind numbing looking through the long 400mm lens at what the cops were doing but but we couldn’t relax as any moment something could happen. In the middle of the fourth day one of the officers found something underneath the house and they all began looking at it. Then we saw it too - the gold ball bomb - which was in view for about 10 seconds and in that time I got the shot. It was the photograph that told the story of the whole week. Police safely detonated it a short time later.

3 July 2013

Picture: Mark Calleja

Pan Pacifics Championships Day 3. Australia wins the 4x100m mens freestyle relay final.

At swimming championships it’s essential to get the post race emotion. This is just a great jubilant shot of Australian mens relay team. You always get better jubilant shots in relays as all the swimmers are waiting in anticipation for the last swimmer to touch the end of the pool. In this picture, the Aussie team look on as Cameron McEvoy swims the last leg. James Magnussen leads the celebrations. Pic Mark Calleja

23 August 2014

Picture: Mark Calleja

Pan Pacifics Championships Day 4. 4x100 medley relay finals presentation.

After taking the official winning shot American swimmer Simone Manuel took this group selfie. It was different than the usual shot and even in the age of selfies, there something very candid and natural about this image. It also depicts how thrilled they all are and despite the competition there is still a lot of camaraderie between competing countries.

24 August 2014

Picture: Jono Searle

Studio shot of triple jumper Linda Leverton This picture was taken well before the Commonwealth Games. We did several shots of her in different set up that we could run when the Games were on. For studio shots I always set everything up particularly lighting and test it with myself before the subject comes in. I put my camera on a timer and do the same shot I want them to do. I wanted to show how athletic and strong and tall Leverton is.

8 May 2014

Picture: Jono Searle

Olympian Genevieve LaCaze

Even on a sunny day outside you have to spend time setting up lighting for a shot like this. I used the sun to give her rim lighting and another light to light up her body as she leapt over.

4 April 2013

Picture: Mark Calleja

I was asked to go shoot former world champion Marieke D’Cruz, at the Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler but I couldn’t use the pool because as it was in the middle of the day and busy with other swimmers. I was able to use the diving pool, which is inside and dimly lit so we could create this effect. I didn’t have a lot of time and was on my own so I had to ask three random people to help - one to throw the water, one to hold my umbrella to bounce the light and another to hold the flash with orange gel to create warmth in the shot.

14 December 2013

Picture: Jono Searle.

This is my favourite picture because I’m a such soccer fan. It’s Henrique De Andrade Silva scoring the winning goal in the final between Brisbane Roar and Western Sydney Wanderers. It’s the strong jubilation pic – or as photographer’s say, a ‘jubo’ and is the picture that describes the whole game. It’s really the most important shot of the whole season. It’s slightly more significant as Roar star striker Besart Berisha is in the background is the who played his final game with the team. All my focus was on Henrique so I was just really lucky that Besart Berisha was in the background. Ninety-nine per cent of the time the “jubo” shot is more important than getting the shot of the goal.

4 May 2014

Picture: Mark Calleja

I was on Palm Island with journalist Michael Madigan, 10 years after Cameron Doomadgee’s death and the subsequent riots. I had it in the back of my head to have a shot that showed hope and a new horizon for Palm Island. I was taking some photographs at sunset and saw this kid running up and down the beach and knew immediately that was the shot.

3 July 2014

Picture: Jono Searle

Doomben 10,000, Doomben Races

This is an “under the rail” picture taken with a remote control. It’s one of my favourite shots to do because you are not allowed to be physically on the track but are allowed to leave your camera in place. I’m shooting with another camera on the other side of track – sometimes I’m even in the picture – and when I take a shot the second camera on the grass fires off too. It enables you to get an up close shot showing the whole horse which would be impossible and very dangerous even if they would let you on the track. The image is significant as Queensland horses took first, seco nd and third place. Winner is number 2, Spirit of Boom, with jockey Michael Rodd, (on outside in this picture), Temple of Boom in middle and Buffering is on the inside.

25 May 2014

Picture: Mark Calleja

I was at a press conference morning tea at the home of Dame Quentin Bryce to celebrate the end of her role as Governor-general. I was looking for something a little bit different as there was no opportunity to set up a shot. There were a number of Bryce’s grandchildren there . I snapped a shot of one grabbing a cup cake off a table and then this little guy grabbed the sign and held it up. It was nice spontaneous moment and refreshing to capture what her grandkids think - to them she’s just “Dee Dee”.

26 March 2014

Picture: Jono Searle

Jockey Luke Nolen rides Black Caviar to her 13th win in row during the BTC Cup at Doomben on 14th May 2011. The win came almost exactly three years after I took a PANPA award winning shot of Nolen falling off a horse and nearly dying at the same track (below). So three years later to be able to shoot him crossing the finish line on the back of Black Caviar carries such a strong sense of triumph. This image of Black Caviar went on to become inspiration for the yet to be created Racing Victoria Logo, as Caviar went on to retire after an unbeaten run of 25 wins, making her one of the greatest race horses of all time.

14 May 2011

Picture: Jono Searle

Brisbane Bronco Ben Barba has had a rough season and I got this shot of him taking a high tackle early in the season in a game against the Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium. The lost the game so there is sense of defeat in this shot as well.

23 March 2013

Picture: Jono Searle

This photograph is of Neil Cole, part owner of Nissan Wreckers, a factory which caught fire at Coopers Plains. This image shows Cole as he arrived to see the factory burnt to the ground. In news events like this you always have to have your eye out for who is personally involved and when I took this shot I didn’t know that he was the owner of the business. This shot is always stronger than the burnt down business as it tells the personal story.

13 August 2013

Picture: Jono Searle.

I’ve covered many ANZAC days for the paper – this was a different shot to the photographs that you normally get. I was shooting the Vietnam Vets walking in the ANZAC parade in Brisbane city. I saw a woman come out of the crowd and hug one of the vets. It was spontaneous moment to capture and after I took the picture I found out the woman’s name is Maggie Kotsopoulos and the man is her Ivan Kotsopoulos and it’s something she does every time he marches.

25 April 2014