Thinking of Mark Gunter: a gallery in memory

The end of November is different to what it once was. It now marks an anniversary, a sad one – one that I wish we never needed to recognise. Tomorrow it will be one year since Mark Gunter passed away.

He is one of cycling’s good souls, a photographer and an ambassador who united people because of his passion. He loved our sport and he captured it beautifully and we miss him dearly.

Mark Gunter in action.
Jayco-Herald Sun Tour 2015.
Photo: Kirsty Baxter

For over 10 years Mark Gunter contributed photos to our magazine. He was at events others found too difficult to attend. He considered angles others weren’t game to experiment with. He captured spirit and emotion and endeavour and love, and he shared it with the world with good humour and a unique sense of humility.

On 29 November 2015 he died from the effects of oesophageal cancer.

With Leeanne and Lucus…
January 2015.
Photo: Kirsty Baxter

To mark the anniversary we have a few beautiful images of Mark taken by one of his peers, Kirsty Baxter, who was one of many fortunate photographers to work alongside Mark. She presents him in his element: on the back of a moto, with his wife Leeanne and child Lucas, and in front of the podium.

This is how I’ll remember Mark.

He worked hard. He enjoyed his craft. He brought people together. And he left us far too early.

In front of the lens…
January 2015.
Photo: Kirsty Baxter

For this little tribute one year on, Leeanne has also agreed that we should share a few of his images to remind people of the work Mark did.

Below is a small selection of images that illustrate what a craftsman Mark Gunter was. He was a pleasure to work with and it’s with a tear in my eye that I try to summarise what he means to me.

I was lucky enough to have seen him only a week before he passed away; he held my hand and we listened to Neil Young and he talked quietly, weakly – but with determination – about the future, about the support of his beautiful wife, about the joy his young son gave him, about the warm weather, and about other things we laughed about over the years.

By then he was a shadow of the strong man I’m lucky to have known and it was dreadfully sad to see him in that state but he was still able to make me laugh. He was a unique individual and I’ll never forget him.

– By Rob Arnold

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