Ray Martin: From in front of the camera to behind the lens

THERE is an image in the Feathers of the Dragon exhibition which captures two Bhutanese monks sitting opposite each other both on mobile phones.

Ray Martin AM, ex-journalist and media personality, who took the photo said they are probably playing games.

“Something we all do, except these two are men of God and the story behind this is the Bhutan is coming into the modern times,” he said.

Mr Martin and Ewen Bell, a travel photography specialist, spent a month in Bhutan capturing a special collection of images from two perspectives, the birds that live in the forests and the Bhutanese who protect that habitat.

Feathers of the Dragon, the result of their collaboration, is now hanging in Mitchell Harris Wines as part of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale.

“I was there to take portraits, trying out a new Lumix S1R camera and Ewan was there to photograph the birdlife,” Mr Martin said.

“We found when we got there you couldn’t connect the birds and the monks and the people for every photograph so we had to go wider than that.

“We ended up with a combination of birds and portraits in separate shots.”

The theme of the exhibition is birds as a bellwether, in terms of how Bhutan is faring in balancing the environment and population with progress.

Two thirds of the country is national parks so the wildlife, birds and the environment is critical to who the Bhutanese are.

“I have never been to a place more harmonious,” he said. “They realise their tiny country situated between two aggressive giants, India and China, wouldn’t survive if the simply didn’t get along.”

Mr Martin sensed that the country wanted to come into the future without destroying the harmony and culture.

Almost the entire population has an iPhone mainly used for making calls and playing games.

“Our exhibition conveys the message, using the birds as the key, that it is possible to think of the environment and still progress.”

When reflecting on his time spent in Bhutan, Mr Martin realised he hadn’t been anywhere for that length of time and not seen anyone argue or witness any confrontation at all. He experienced the Bhutanese as being neither self-obsessed or self-interested.

Perhaps it was that reflection that prompted Mr Martin to talk about the three things that make his life comfortable.

“Firstly, walking my daughter’s beautiful border collie dog, I can’t be angry when I am with him as he simply wants to please me,” he said.

“My grandson, my first grandchild has taken 10 years off my life.

“And photography, I can’t be in bad mood if I am out taking photographs.”

Feathers of the Dragon will be officially launched by Mr Martin and Mr Bell on Saturday, 31 August upstairs at Mitchell Harris Wines, 38 Doveton Street North, Ballarat at 1pm.

Ballarat International FOTO Biennale runs until Sunday, 20 October at various locations across Ballarat. For information go to ballaratfoto.org.