Point and Shoot; Australian Veteran Photography Exhibition

Showcasing a collection of career imagery and accompanying stories from Australian veterans, this exhibition brings a voice to the unique experiences of serving personnel.

From its Tasmanian beginnings in 2020, Point & Shoot launched onto the national stage in 2022 and continues to grow. 

Covering military service from post-Second World War onwards, the exhibition commemorates a range of modern conflicts, peace operations and service and provides a rare glimpse into the life and experiences of fellow Australians who have served their country.

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 6 overseas deployments. Mark’s own experiences as a soldier were the impetus for this project. 

Operating in remote, high threat environments is both physically and mentally demanding. It was behind the lens of a camera, capturing both the ordinary and extraordinary experiences as a combat soldier he found stillness and meaning. Looking back at a plethora of images post-service, Mark then began to wonder, maybe others do this too and so the concept began.

The purpose of the Point & Shoot exhibition is not to display perfectly captured photos from professional photographers. But rather, to share some of those moments frozen in time that those who serve our nation thought were worth remembering. Australian veterans are invited to submit an image. 

The exhibition will be open from 2-6 October in the Memorial’s Auditorium on Lower Ground level. The Memorial is open every day, 9am to 5pm. Please note that access to the exhibition is dependent on the Auditorium’s availability, so we encourage you to call the Memorial in advance on (02) 8262 2900.

Entry is free.

Image: Australian soldiers prepare their equipment for the mentored patrol with the Afghan National Army during Operation OMEED ATIL in Deh Rafshan Valley. ©Department of Defence.