Mark Lobo is a photographer in Melbourne Australia, working in commercial, editorial and portrait photography. Often bringing his studio out on location, he combines technical precision and natural expression to form his well recognised, clean and colourful style. Playing off the surrounding environment and the genuine nature of his subjects, the result is both spontaneous and polished.
Outside of professional work, he finds inspiration through the people that surround him, travel photography and through his many side projects.
This series of hilarious pics documents the lives and stories of high school teachers from around the world that he shot in his studio from the 1970s.
1. Gavin Potts.
Gavin Potts teaches music at Shepherd’s Sheep High School in Nambour. He is a classically trained oboist and on weekends can be heard playing in a Credence Clearwater Revival tribute band. Gavin will occasionally organise “Rock Weekends” for his students to travel to the Brisbane, a nearby city, to see his band play at the Stafford Leagues Club. Within his oboe quartet, Gavin has held the record for the longest note held in one breath on an oboe for the last 6 years.
2. Marj Figgins.
Meet Miss Figgins. In the early 70s, Miss Marjorie Figgins experienced great success as a romance novelist selling in excess of 1 million copies of her debut title ‘You’re tearing me apart’. Following a disastrous appearance with her singing cats on a local radio program, she now teaches high school English and Geography. She owns 4 cats, 3 birds, a turtle and is treasurer of the feline literacy program.
3. Marko - The PE teacher.
4. Mollie Katzen.
Meet Mollie Katzen, the author of internationally acclaimed vegetarian cook book, "The Enchanted Broccoli Forrest". Her signature dish is the Spicy Tofu Nut Ball, which won her many awards at the annual Norwich community cook off. Unfortunately, before she could claim her 5th consecutive year of victory, a judge choked on one of the nut balls and sadly passed away at the judging table. She left town and lives a quiet life, teaching home economics at Baconsthorpe secondary school in Norfolk.
5. Nakamura Coltrane.
Nakamura Coltrane is a photography teacher at Radishweed High, in tropical North Queensland, Australia. After a failed career as a documentary film maker, Coltrane reluctantly turned to teaching. At the peak of his game, he received a 2 star review for his self funded documentary about his distant blood relation to Yoko Ono. The documentary famously ended with him losing a court case to Yoko and being issued with a restraining order. He is currently going through a second divorce and taking anger management classes.
6. Nancy Davis.
Meet Nancy, a Christian studies teacher from Cedar Pine Highschool. On the weekends, Nancy holds a denim patchwork class at the outreach centre. Her latest creation is a four person tent made from 10 pairs of old stone washed jeans.
7. Professor Roger Collins.
Meet Professor Roger Collins. In the late 70s, Professor Collins developed radar technologies that helped further understand the flight patterns in seasonal bird migration, for which he won multiple awards in avian research. He now teaches high school physics and drama. He is also the president of the double breasted cockatoo preservation society.
8. Greg Edwards.
As a child, Greg Edwards dreamed of working on the police force, but soon realised that his poor eye sight, and surprisingly, sense of smell was holding him back. He is now a part time lecturer at Keio University in Tokyo where he teaches canine forensics. He likes going for walks and is an ultimate frisbee enthusiast.
(Photos © Mark Lobo)
 |
| High school teachers from around the world taken by Mark Lobo in the 1970s |
Outside of professional work, he finds inspiration through the people that surround him, travel photography and through his many side projects.
This series of hilarious pics documents the lives and stories of high school teachers from around the world that he shot in his studio from the 1970s.
1. Gavin Potts.
 |
| Gavin Potts |
Gavin Potts teaches music at Shepherd’s Sheep High School in Nambour. He is a classically trained oboist and on weekends can be heard playing in a Credence Clearwater Revival tribute band. Gavin will occasionally organise “Rock Weekends” for his students to travel to the Brisbane, a nearby city, to see his band play at the Stafford Leagues Club. Within his oboe quartet, Gavin has held the record for the longest note held in one breath on an oboe for the last 6 years.
2. Marj Figgins.
 |
| Marj Figgins |
Meet Miss Figgins. In the early 70s, Miss Marjorie Figgins experienced great success as a romance novelist selling in excess of 1 million copies of her debut title ‘You’re tearing me apart’. Following a disastrous appearance with her singing cats on a local radio program, she now teaches high school English and Geography. She owns 4 cats, 3 birds, a turtle and is treasurer of the feline literacy program.
3. Marko - The PE teacher.
 |
| Marko - The PE teacher |
4. Mollie Katzen.
 |
| Mollie Katzen |
Meet Mollie Katzen, the author of internationally acclaimed vegetarian cook book, "The Enchanted Broccoli Forrest". Her signature dish is the Spicy Tofu Nut Ball, which won her many awards at the annual Norwich community cook off. Unfortunately, before she could claim her 5th consecutive year of victory, a judge choked on one of the nut balls and sadly passed away at the judging table. She left town and lives a quiet life, teaching home economics at Baconsthorpe secondary school in Norfolk.
5. Nakamura Coltrane.
 |
| Nakamura Coltrane |
Nakamura Coltrane is a photography teacher at Radishweed High, in tropical North Queensland, Australia. After a failed career as a documentary film maker, Coltrane reluctantly turned to teaching. At the peak of his game, he received a 2 star review for his self funded documentary about his distant blood relation to Yoko Ono. The documentary famously ended with him losing a court case to Yoko and being issued with a restraining order. He is currently going through a second divorce and taking anger management classes.
6. Nancy Davis.
 |
| Nancy Davis |
Meet Nancy, a Christian studies teacher from Cedar Pine Highschool. On the weekends, Nancy holds a denim patchwork class at the outreach centre. Her latest creation is a four person tent made from 10 pairs of old stone washed jeans.
7. Professor Roger Collins.
 |
| Professor Roger Collins |
Meet Professor Roger Collins. In the late 70s, Professor Collins developed radar technologies that helped further understand the flight patterns in seasonal bird migration, for which he won multiple awards in avian research. He now teaches high school physics and drama. He is also the president of the double breasted cockatoo preservation society.
8. Greg Edwards.
 |
| Greg Edwards |
As a child, Greg Edwards dreamed of working on the police force, but soon realised that his poor eye sight, and surprisingly, sense of smell was holding him back. He is now a part time lecturer at Keio University in Tokyo where he teaches canine forensics. He likes going for walks and is an ultimate frisbee enthusiast.
(Photos © Mark Lobo)
