Herald and Weekly Times snapper shows flashbacks of a brilliant career
By Jamie First
Published in The Herald Sun
During his 36 years at The Herald and Weekly Times, photojournalist John Casamento took tens of thousands of pictures, with the best of them now on display for the first time.
From celebrities to criminals, sporting events to daily news, "Out of the Darkroom" is a retrospective showcasing the 75-year-old's career from 1955 to 1991.
"It's just the tip of the iceberg," Mr Casamento said.
"I've got boxes of pictures tucked away in the corner of an old room … and cabinets filled with them all."
Describing his images as a flashback, Mr Casamento said his love of the art stemmed from the diversity of the assignments he was given.
Motivated by his son (who is also a photographer) to open the gallery, the father-of-four said one of his greatest memories was covering the Australian leg of Pope John Paul II's visit.
"It was an experience that will always stand out. I was very lucky."
Mr Casamento said he got the "camera bug" from his older brother Peter, 78, who used to develop his own pictures.
"I was 12 when I first picked up one of my dad's cameras to take to a school picnic. I would take photos of my mates and, from then, I just got hooked."
John Casamento’s ‘Out of the darkroom’ exhibition took place at Photonet Gallery in Fairfield.
On a balmy summer's afternoon, sculler Alison Thorne leaves a trail of sparklers and circular wakes as she rows upstream on the Maribyrnong River.
The place for a village: Top-hatted coachmen and passengers re-enact the anniversary of Melbourne's founding as they ride across Princes Bridge.