Portraits with Power
Portraits, publications and community stories from a lifetime in the creative industries
A curated collection of portraits, projects, publications, and stories exploring creativity, character, community, and human connection.
These are not simply photographs, but moments of trust, collaboration, and shared experience.
Taken - Karen's Story
The Percivals 2026
The Percival Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist artwork and story.
Walking into the gallery and discovering Taken positioned prominently on the main wall immediately shifted the entire experience. What had existed privately for so long, as an idea, a collaboration, a responsibility, and a deeply considered portrait, was suddenly holding space publicly within one of Australia’s major regional portrait exhibitions.
Elena Kats-Chernin
Percival Photographic Portrait Prize 2018
Finalist
Perhaps the most significant connection of all was
the presence of renowned composer and pianist Elena Kats-Chernin.
During the opening events, I asked permission to photograph Elena both performing and interacting with guests. Among those images was a portrait that would later take on a life of its own. That photograph was subsequently selected as a finalist in the 2018 Percival Photographic Portrait Prize, becoming my first appearance in one of Australia's most respected portrait awards.
MIPIK
The Most Interesting Person I Know (MIPIK)
Community documentary photography and publishing project (2014–2018)
Principal Photographer for the MIPIK platform and published book, producing portrait and documentary photography profiling over sixty individuals from the Coffs Coast region. Imagery was used across digital publication, print, media promotion, and live events. The project culminated in a published book and public presentations, with proceeds supporting the CanDo Cancer Trust.
Paint My Place
Artist Residency and Exhibition
Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW
Paint My Place was a major group exhibition presented at Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery in 2016. The project was developed by Gallery Director Dr Leigh Summers through an invited artist residency at Moonee Beach, curated by Abigail Moncrieff and supported by the Friends of the Gallery.
The exhibition brought together fifteen of Australia’s most respected contemporary painters, many based in Sydney, who were invited to participate in a ten-day residency exploring the natural, suburban, and urban landscapes of the Coffs Harbour region. The resulting works reflected a wide range of responses to place, spanning direct plein-air painting, studio-based interpretation, and material experimentation.
Exhibition Photographer
Raymond Mather
Exhibition Dates
30 September - 29 October 2016
Carnivale Dance Co
Photographer and Digital Media Producer | 2012–2017
From 2012 to 2017, Raymond Mather worked closely with Carnivalé Dance Co. as lead photographer and visual content producer, documenting the school’s early childhood and performance programs through studio, location, and live event photography.
His work included the complete photographic production for Carnivalé’s original website and promotional materials, extensive studio portraiture and themed media shoots, and professional documentation of annual end-of-year concerts across multiple years. These projects involved mobile studio setups, performance coverage, and curated image libraries for marketing, enrolment, and press use.
St Augustine's
St Augustine’s Primary School, Coffs Harbour
Institutional Photography and Visual Communications
Commissioned to produce a comprehensive photographic library documenting student learning, classroom practice, community life, and school culture. The imagery was used extensively across strategic planning documents, prospectuses, website publications, and official communications, supporting the school’s public identity and long-term development initiatives.
Country Dental
Equipment and Autoclave Services
Commercial Photography Project, Northern NSW
This project for Country Dental Equipment and Autoclave Services was developed in collaboration with designer Stephanie Hunt, creating a visually distinctive and approachable image library for website, marketing, and promotional use.
Shot on location in regional Northern NSW, the brief combined early-morning rural light, working environments, and the everyday realities of mobile technical service. The concept introduced a light-hearted “out in the field” narrative, blending specialist dental equipment with natural surroundings, including a memorable visit from a small flock of curious chickens.
Magic Meatballs
Commercial Brand Launch
Commercial food and lifestyle photography for national supermarket rollout (2015)
Principal photographer delivering studio and location imagery for Al and Dan’s Home-Style Magic Meatballs, supporting brand launch, media promotion, digital marketing, and retail presentation across more than 300 Woolworths stores.
The stories featured in Portraits with Power represent more than individual photographs. They reflect decades of trust, collaboration, creativity, and human connection. From artists, performers, and community leaders to families, schools, businesses, and local organisations, each portrait marks a moment when someone chose to share their story in front of the camera.
Together, these projects form a living archive of people, places, and experiences that have shaped both my photographic journey and the communities in which I have worked. Many of these stories continue through exhibitions, publications, collections, and archival records preserved across Connections Photography, ART1 Fine Art Photography, and other cultural and community platforms.
Portraits with Power is dedicated to preserving these connections, celebrating the people behind the images, and ensuring that their stories remain discoverable, meaningful, and accessible for future generations.
The Power of Connection
Every meaningful project begins with a conversation.