Gary Heery speaks at corporate events and industry conferences, drawing on five decades behind the camera to share the stories and process behind his most iconic work.
Gary is now available for keynote speaking and events, having conducted talks for Bank of America, M&C Saatchi, Aperture Australia and more.
It's probably not by accident that Gary Heery's work covers most of the key genres of contemporary photography — from celebrity portraits and advertising to artful private studies of plants and animals. That breadth reflects a simple reality of working as a photographer today: versatility is essential.
What sets Heery's work apart is his eye for the iconic image — a picture that feels of the moment, yet carries a knowing sense of the classical. Take his portrait of Madonna, used as the cover of her self-titled 1983 debut album: the styling, her pose, her hair and hands, but above all her eyes, draw the viewer back again and again to something that could pass for a photograph from the 1920s, even as it captures New York at the start of the go-go '80s. His portrait of Cate Blanchett — winner of the Head On Photographic Prize — and his portrait of Andy Warhol both achieve an unusual intimacy, capturing something essential in each subject.
Heery works in series, often spending a year or more exploring a single subject before it becomes a book or an exhibition. His ongoing studies of horses are charged with the kind of drama only a fast modern shutter can capture, yet they recall classical sculpture and the Romantic horse paintings of George Stubbs.
His career has evolved from analogue darkroom work through the rise of digital photography in the late 1990s to today, where he's widely regarded as one of Australia's leading contemporary photographers. It's his unerring eye — for a picture, and for a subject — that marks him as a true artist.
— Andrew Frost, art critic, writer and documentary maker
Testimonials
"I want to thank Gary for the extraordinary presentation he gave our clients and senior staff. The feedback was phenomenal — I heard from several clients and staff who valued the unique historical journey he took them on, and the stories he shared about his life's work and individual subjects. Even better, his passion and authenticity really shone through. It was one of our best corporate events yet: the right combination of sophistication, fun and genuine difference — exactly what we hoped to achieve."
Joe Fayyad, CEO, Bank of America Australia
"I knew Gary Heery as a brilliant photographer, having worked with him here and internationally. But when I invited him to speak at a dinner with twenty senior Woolworths and M&C Saatchi executives, I discovered he's also a brilliant raconteur. He beguiled the room with tales from his extraordinary career — his photography got them thinking, his repartee got them talking, and his wit kept them laughing. A flood of emails the next morning confirmed the night's success."
Tom McFarlane, Founding Creative Partner, M&C Saatchi
"I had the pleasure of enlisting Gary Heery as a keynote speaker at the inaugural Aperture Australia Photography Conference. His presentation was world class — his industry knowledge and experience left the crowd inspired and motivated by his passion and dedication to his craft. From personal stories about working with celebrity clients to the thinking behind developing a series, Gary has an incredible energy and a unique way of telling the story of his journey through photography. I couldn't recommend him more highly."
Glenn McKimmin, Aperture Australia
Bookings
For bookings, please contact Matt Chee at matt@cheeproductions.com.