Michael Franchi’s mother did not drop him on his head. Which is usually a pre-requisite. But he ended up working at the NT News anyway – News Corp’s asylum for those who have had their living rights back in the more genteel southern states revoked.
Michael was senior photographer at the NT News, after having previously led the quarrel of photographers as picture editor for four years - a job akin to herding chooks with cameras and multiple lenses. And then asking them to write a caption.
Michael takes photos. But not of aliens. Those photos are always contributed.
While he could never convince a journalist his job is anything more than pointing in the general right area, then clicking a button, in the past six years he has shot many great things, from the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Elliott to being embedded with the Australian military in Afghanistan.
And he has personally shot about 1400 metric tonnes of weather photos.
After photographing most things, on his wish list are maybe a couple more weather shots. But if there is a message in all this about the NT News, and there is, as Michael simply says: “It’s not entirely my fault.”
Accolades
• Gold Tripod: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'One of a Kind: Outback Amateur Races' - National Australian Cinematographers Society Awards 2024
• Gold Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'One of a Kind: Outback Amateur Races' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2023
• Silver Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - '7.30: Land Clearing for Cotton' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2023
• Bronze Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'The Feral Threat Facing Kakadu National Park' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2023
• Silver Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'Exercise Darrandarra' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2022
• Honorable Mention Editorial:Press-Environmental - 'Born on this land' - International Photography Awards 2021
• Gold Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'Katherine Youth' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2020
• Honorable Mention: Documentary - 'Nomadic Spacing' - Australian Photography Awards 2019
• Honorable Mention People: Children - 'Bulugambi' - Tokyo International Foto Awards 2018
• Honorable Mention People: Children - 'Bulugambi' - International Photography Awards 2018
• Honorable Mention People: Children - 'Dhunumbu' - International Photography Awards 2017
• Honorable Mention Special: Night Photography - 'Midnight Brumbies' - International Photography Awards 2016
• Honorable Mention Fine Art: Abstract - 'Midnight Brumbies' - International Photography Awards 2016
• All Media Best Online Coverage: Cyclone Tracy - Stories From The Heart of the Storm (Picture Editing) - NT Media Awards 2015
• Honorable Mention Editorial: Daily Life Category - 'BnS' - International Photographer of the Year Photography Awards 2015
• Highly Commended - PANPA Portrait Photography of the Year 2014 (Regional)
• Highly Commended - PANPA News Photograph of the Year 2012 (Suburban/Regional/Rural)
• Finalist – Walkley Young Australian Journalist of the Year 2012
• Semi-Finalist – Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize 2012
• Semi-Finalist – Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize 2011
• Gold Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'One of a Kind: Outback Amateur Races' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2023
• Silver Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - '7.30: Land Clearing for Cotton' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2023
• Bronze Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'The Feral Threat Facing Kakadu National Park' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2023
• Silver Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'Exercise Darrandarra' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2022
• Honorable Mention Editorial:Press-Environmental - 'Born on this land' - International Photography Awards 2021
• Gold Award: Syd Wood ACS Local/National News - 'Katherine Youth' - Australian Cinematographers Society (NT) 2020
• Honorable Mention: Documentary - 'Nomadic Spacing' - Australian Photography Awards 2019
• Honorable Mention People: Children - 'Bulugambi' - Tokyo International Foto Awards 2018
• Honorable Mention People: Children - 'Bulugambi' - International Photography Awards 2018
• Honorable Mention People: Children - 'Dhunumbu' - International Photography Awards 2017
• Honorable Mention Special: Night Photography - 'Midnight Brumbies' - International Photography Awards 2016
• Honorable Mention Fine Art: Abstract - 'Midnight Brumbies' - International Photography Awards 2016
• All Media Best Online Coverage: Cyclone Tracy - Stories From The Heart of the Storm (Picture Editing) - NT Media Awards 2015
• Honorable Mention Editorial: Daily Life Category - 'BnS' - International Photographer of the Year Photography Awards 2015
• Highly Commended - PANPA Portrait Photography of the Year 2014 (Regional)
• Highly Commended - PANPA News Photograph of the Year 2012 (Suburban/Regional/Rural)
• Finalist – Walkley Young Australian Journalist of the Year 2012
• Semi-Finalist – Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize 2012
• Semi-Finalist – Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize 2011