Australian Government | Assistiveware| Atlantic Philanthropies | Bechtel Pty Ltd | Cathay Pacific | Cedar | The Courier Mail | Galaxy Resources | Geographical Magazine | Hayo | Hong Kong Airlines | Hitachi | Iluka Resources | Interlate | Ink Global | Linfox | The Lotus Centre | MDA National | Origin Energy | Petrofac | Philippine Airlines | Queensland Government | Qantas | Queensland X-Ray | Rio Tinto | Scoop Magazine | Sublime | UNICEF | Virgin Australia | Western Australian Government |
With more than 20 years photography experience, Mark Lehn helps his clients to create a narrative through imagery.
From photographing projects in the remote regions of Mozambique to local tribes in South-East Asia, Mark's wide scope covers commercial and editorial clients from around the world and his images have been featured in national and international publications and exhibitions.
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Mark now calls Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) home.
From high quality environmental portraits to underwater and CASA certified drone photography, contact Mark to discuss your shoot.
Contact Mark Lehn
Mobile: +61 (0)410 314 904
Email: mark@marklehn.com
Client list
Australian Government | Assistiveware| Atlantic Philanthropies | Bechtel Pty Ltd | Cathay Pacific | Cedar | The Courier Mail | Hort Innovation | Galaxy Resources | Geographical Magazine | Hayo | Hong Kong Airlines | Hitachi | Iluka Resources | Interlate | Ink Global | Linfox | The Lotus Centre | MDA National | Origin Energy | Petrofac | Philippine Airlines | Queensland Government | Qantas | Queensland X-Ray | Rio Tinto | Scoop Magazine | Sublime | UNICEF | Virgin Australia | Western Australian Government |
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Makrana is the marble capital of India. It is renowned for producing fine-quality, elegant white marble, which also covers the Taj Mahal, one of the most recognisable buildings in the world and a symbol of eternal love. In stark contrast to the beauty and positive symbolism the Taj represents, Makrana, located in Rajasthan’s Nagaur District, is a town marked by sorrow, hardship and illegal working practices. Makrana is home to a number of small marble mines, which are difficult to regulate. Many fail to comply with the safety standards required by Indian law. The stakes are high for the workers earn around $2.50 for eight to ten hours hard labour, with approximately three deaths per month recorded.
Mozambique is home to some of the poorest and most marginalized families in the world. For these vulnerable families every day is a struggle to achieve basic securities like food and shelter. Illnesses, including HIV and AIDS are common, as is economic migration. Often children are left without parents to care for themselves or are taken in by elderly grandparents. The UN, in collaboration with the government of Mozambique, have taken steps to help these families and provided them with opportunities to access greater security and contribute to social growth and development. However, this work is far from complete, the impact of poverty, HIV and other illnesses is still highly visible. The stories of these families inspire hope, as change happens through individual and institutional actions.
Around fifteen percent of Ethiopians live below the poverty line. HIV/AIDS is a key challenge for many of the most vulnerable populations, including women and children. This project tells the story of some of the many women and children living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. In 2013 an estimated 790,000 individuals were living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. There is also an estimated 900,000 orphans living in Ethiopia as a flow on effect from the disease.
The Lotus Centre is a Mongolian non-profit, non-government organisation. Founded in 1995 by Didi Kalika, an Australian moved to action by the children on the streets of Mongolia’s capital, today the Centre goes beyond providing just basic care for vulnerable and abused children. Orphans are given an education and are part of a caring community. Didi was awarded an Order of Australia in 2009 for her dedication to the welfare of the children of Mongolia through The Lotus Centre.
Mark Lehn
Current Location: Brisbane, Australia
Mobile: +61 (0)410 314 904
Email: mark@marklehn.com
Travel into the depths of the Indonesian jungle in West Kalimantan, Borneo, and you will find the Iban Dayak.
Considered the original wild men, today around 280,000 Iban Dayaks live in \"Rumah Panjai\" or longhouses and their surrounds, usually close to one of the hundreds of rivers located in the region.
While the influence of modern culture is clearly visible, many villagers still follow a largely traditional lifestyle: weaving, hunting and fishing, speaking the native Iban dialect, as well as following spiritual and tribal practices including tattoos, performance, music and dance.
Borneo is best known for it’s pristine beaches and ancient, biodiversity-rich rainforests including orangutans and clouded leopards, but it is also home to a unique community of stateless citizens who are born, live and die at sea. \n \nTraditionally Bajau Laut are a boat-dwelling nomadic group that can be found on the Celebes Sea. The group, known more broadly as Sea Gypsies, live through trading and subsistence fishing. I learned that today their population is diminishing, with many moving to the mainland to seek work.\n \nIn the Sabah region of Borneo, their close proximity to the Southern Philippines and the home of the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist network with international links, mean the movements of the Bajau Laut are restricted due to recent kidnappings in the area and associated curfews being enforced by the Malaysian Military. Combine this with ongoing challenges, including a high dependence upon marine resources and depleting trade and food sources, as well as outside pressures for cultural assimilation and modernization, many of the local sea gypsies are abandoning their culture and lifestyle and moving to nearby towns to find work.
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Borneo, best known for it’s pristine beaches and ancient, biodiversity-rich rainforests including orangutans and clouded leopards, is also home to a unique community of stateless citizens who are born, live and die at sea.
Traditionally Bajau Laut are a boat-dwelling nomadic group that can be found on the Celebes Sea in the Sabah region of Borneo. The group, known more broadly as Sea Gypsies, live through trading and subsistence fishing. Today their population is diminishing, with many moving to the mainland to seek work.
Their close proximity to the Southern Philippines and the home of the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist network with international links, has seen the movements of the Bajau Laut restricted due to recent kidnappings in the area and associated curfews enforced by the Malaysian Military.
Combine this with ongoing challenges, including a high dependence upon marine resources and depleting trade and food sources. There are also outside pressures for cultural assimilation and modernization, presenting more reasons for many of the local sea gypsies to abandon their culture and lifestyle and move to nearby towns to find work.
Makrana is the marble capital of India. It is renowned for producing fine-quality, elegant white marble, which also covers the Taj Mahal, one of the most recognisable buildings in the world and a symbol of eternal love. In stark contrast to the beauty and positive symbolism the Taj represents, Makrana, located in Rajasthan’s Nagaur District, is a town marked by sorrow, hardship and illegal working practices. Makrana is home to a number of small marble mines, which are difficult to regulate. Many fail to comply with the safety standards required by Indian law. The stakes are high for the workers earn around $2.50 for eight to ten hours hard labour, with approximately three deaths per month recorded.
Personal work is driven by curiosity—a desire to better understand how people live, what shapes their identities, and the stories that connect us across cultures, languages and borders. Through photography, Mark Lehn seeks out communities, traditions and ways of life that are often overlooked, creating opportunities for audiences to engage with perspectives beyond their own experience.
These projects are about more than documenting people and places. They are about building connections. Photography has the power to spark interest, challenge assumptions and create empathy by bringing distant stories closer to home. Whether photographing Indigenous communities in Borneo, maritime cultures in Southeast Asia or individuals navigating a changing world, the goal is always to share authentic human experiences with respect and understanding.
Many of these bodies of work develop over time through travel, conversation and immersion. Rather than arriving with predetermined narratives, I approach each project with an open mind, allowing the people I meet to shape the story. The resulting images aim to celebrate cultural diversity while highlighting the values, aspirations and challenges that unite us all.
In an increasingly connected world, understanding different cultures has never been more important. These personal projects are an invitation to look beyond headlines and stereotypes, fostering greater awareness, curiosity and appreciation for the richness of human experience.
Personal work is driven by curiosity—a desire to better understand how people live, what shapes their identities, and the stories that connect us across cultures, languages and borders. Through photography, I seek out communities, traditions and ways of life that are often overlooked, creating opportunities for audiences to engage with perspectives beyond their own experience.
These projects are about more than documenting people and places. They are about building connections. Photography has the power to spark interest, challenge assumptions and create empathy by bringing distant stories closer to home. Whether photographing Indigenous communities in Borneo, maritime cultures in Southeast Asia or individuals navigating a changing world, the goal is always to share authentic human experiences with respect and understanding.
Many of these bodies of work develop over time through travel, conversation and immersion. Rather than arriving with predetermined narratives, I approach each project with an open mind, allowing the people I meet to shape the story. The resulting images aim to celebrate cultural diversity while highlighting the values, aspirations and challenges that unite us all.
In an increasingly connected world, understanding different cultures has never been more important. These personal projects are an invitation to look beyond headlines and stereotypes, fostering greater awareness, curiosity and appreciation for the richness of human experience.