Foto Freo is on - Now!

Last night Foto Freo turned on a star spangled evening for its opening and it wasn't just the heavens that sparkled. On the ground were photography luminaries from around the globe. Opened by Martin Parr (Magnum Photos), the crowd gathered in the gardens of the Fremantle Arts Centre included noted social documentary photographers and photojournalists, here to celebrate a festival that has grown from an idea tossed about by three local photographers a decade ago - Max Pam, Brad Rimmer and Graham Miller - to become one of the most important on the international photography calendar.

In a scene that could be likened to the heady days of Paris at the turn of the last century when artists - visual and written word - came together to share ideas, spark off each other and enjoy a sense of community - Foto Freo's opening proved that in the Digital Age of the 21st Century we still gain more from face to face contact than we ever will via cyberspace.

Look out for my feature on Foto Freo Ten Years on coming up in a future edition of Pro Photo.

To find out more about Foto Freo please visit Foto Freo 2012 Programme

This is the image on the cover of Martin Parr's book - No Worries published by T&G Publishing. The exhibition of the same name and the book launch tomorrow, Sunday 18th March 6.30pm at WAMM Victoria Quay, Fremantle.

Photo: Martin Parr