A new temporary photography exhibition has launched at the Anzac Memorial, showcasing rare glimpses into life in military service as captured by ex-serving personnel.
Accompanied with stories from veterans, the Point & Shoot exhibition honours a range of modern conflicts, peace operations and service from the Second World War onwards.
The purpose of the exhibition is not to display perfectly captured photos but to share raw moments frozen in time that ex-service personnel thought were worth remembering.
Point & Shoot is the concept of Point Assist founder Mark Direen, a former Infantry and Special Forces soldier with over 20 years military service including six overseas deployments.
Mark took a plethora of photos to document what he saw during service. His experiences became the impetus for this project, which launched onto the national stage in 2022 and continues to grow.
The exhibition is open for a limited time only – until Sunday 6 October. Entry is free. The Memorial’s opening hours are 9am to 5pm, seven days per week.
Find out more about the Point & Shoot exhibition.
Minister for Veterans David Harris said:
“For Australians who have not served, it can be difficult to understand what military life looks like, including the unique sights and encounters that come with conflict or peacetime operations.
“Point & Shoot is an intimate opportunity to see through the eyes of our veterans and to reflect on their experiences during service.
“Thank you to Mark Direen and the other ex-service men and women who so candidly contributed their personal photos to this exhibition.”
Veteran and photographer Mark Direen said:
“Operating in remote, high threat environments as a combat soldier was both physically and mentally demanding.
“It was behind the lens of a camera that I found stillness and meaning and it was then I wondered, maybe others do this too and so the concept of this exhibition began.
“Through this collection of images, I also hope to shine a light on the sacrifices of the many that allow these stories to be told.”