About
The Naked Truth Project:
Bare Bodies, Brave Voices and the Fight to #StopAdani
Some projects land in your lap and feel like a normal gig.
And then some projects arrive like a lightning bolt — daring, disruptive, and impossible to ignore.
In 2018, I had the honour of serving as the lead Newcastle photographer for The Naked Truth Project. A bold fundraising calendar created to support environmental activists and to shine a spotlight on one of the most urgent climate battles in Australia: #StopAdani.
This was one of those shoots that reminded me photography can be more than art.
It can be protest.
It can be power.
And sometimes… it can be naked.
A Calendar That Tells the Truth (Without Clothes On)
The concept behind The Naked Truth was as cheeky as it was meaningful.
A fundraising calendar featuring activists posing nude — not for shock value, but as a statement. A visual pun. A provocation.
Because what better way to expose the truth than by stripping everything back?
The calendar was revealing and daring, with models appearing nude to represent something far bigger than bodies: vulnerability, courage and the raw reality of what’s at stake for our planet.
This wasn’t about perfection.
This was about conviction.
Newcastle’s Environmental Warriors
For the Newcastle shoot, I worked with five local gas and coal mine activists — true environmental warriors who have dedicated their lives to protecting land, water and future generations.
They weren’t professional models.
They were everyday people doing extraordinary work.
People who protest, organise, educate and stand up to powerful industries — often at great personal cost.
On this day, they also stepped in front of my lens.
Behind the Lens: A Different Kind of Photoshoot
Photographing activists next to nothing comes with a different kind of responsibility.
There was laughter.
There was nervousness.
There was vulnerability.
But above all, there was trust.
Trust in the message.
Trust in the cause.
Trust that discomfort can be powerful.
The naked truth wasn’t skin.
It was courage.
Mother and daughter, Tina and Gillian, representing the Knitting Nannas of the Hunter Loop, fight against the invasion of our land by the CSG industry.
This extraordinary group of nannas gather in flocks with knitting needles, wool and a fierce message, fighting to bring an end to the era of fossil fuel for our children.
It wasn’t long before alarms were raised at the gates of the Newcastle Coal facility to face a blushing security guard and bold Nannas on a mission.
Why #StopAdani Matters
The calendar was created to raise funds to support activists opposing the Adani Carmichael coal mine — a project criticised for its environmental impact, emissions footprint and long-term consequences for climate stability.
The movement isn’t just about one mine.
It’s about choosing planet over profit.
Future over fossil fuels.
Action over silence.
The Stop Adani movement exists because people are willing to stand up — sometimes at great personal risk — for what they believe is right.
This calendar helped them keep going.
Art With a Backbone
I believe deeply in art that means something.
Art that challenges.
Art that disrupts.
Art that asks uncomfortable questions.
The Naked Truth Project wasn’t designed to be easy or pretty.
It was designed to be bold.
To start conversations.
To make people pause.
To demand attention.
And it worked.
Why I Said Yes
When I was asked to be involved, it wasn’t even a question.
Because photography, at its best, doesn’t just capture beauty — it captures bravery.
These activists didn’t have to put themselves out there.
They didn’t have to risk judgement.
They didn’t have to get naked.
But they did.
For the planet.
For their community.
For the future.
And it was a privilege to document that
The Naked Truth
This project was never really about nudity.
It was about exposure.
Exposing environmental injustice.
Exposing uncomfortable realities.
Exposing the cost of doing nothing.
It asked people to look — really look — at what’s happening beneath the surface.
The naked truth.
Facebook shares
Social Reach
Raised
Final Words
Sometimes activism looks like marching.
Sometimes it looks like organising.
And sometimes it looks like standing in front of a camera — exposed, vulnerable and brave — trusting that the message matters more than comfort.
The planet doesn’t need more silence.
It needs more people willing to tell the truth.
Even if it means getting naked to do it.
Learn More & Support the Cause
To learn more about the calendar project:
