Meanwhile, a young Cambodian girl survives the reign of terror of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge only to die in a dengue fever epidemic a few years later.

These are just two of the tragic stories told by photographer and cinematographer, Ossie Emery.

Mr Emery of Exeter has spent more than 50 years telling stories through the eye of a camera.

It’s a career that began in 1952 when Mr Emery left his job as an electrical draughtsman and launched into freelance photography and documentary filmmaking.

His early work included two films in Aboriginal Australia and a photo book in Africa before producing the ABC series “A Fisherman’s World” in the 1970s.

He was also part owner of the magazine Australian Angler, although he jokingly describes his role as “having a half share of the magazine’s overdraft”.

But it is his work in third world countries that is most memorable.

In fact, the photographer has made 144 trips over 15 years to third world countries to create documentaries for aid agency World Vision and others.

His documentaries on famine, disease and war ravaged people in Ethiopia, East and West Africa, South America and Asia became common place on Australian television in the 1980s and 90s as the agency campaigned for financial support for those less fortunate.

The agency managed to raise more than $100 million for famine relief and development of communities through the campaign.

Mr Emery’s efforts were not without challenges.

He suffered malaria, tapeworm, numerous stomach upsets and even spent time in a Kenyan Jail during the filming of a documentary entitled “The Boys of the Garbage Can”.

“While the film had been given presidential approval, a gathering of people at the back of a restaurant during filming was deemed as inciting violence and that was against the law,” he said.

The situation resulted in the film crew being jailed for three days.

For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Wednesday, August 27

jackie.meyers@ruralpress. com