Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i Australian Photography

Welcome to my favourite issue of Australian Photography magazine, the annual Photographer of the Year special issue. Inside you’ll find the work of our best amateur photographers, all of whom have been recognised in the richest and largest competition of its kind in the Southern hemisphere. It’s our flagship competition, and one we watch closely as a sign of current (and past) trends in photography. It’s also a competiton we believe can truly transform an aspiring photographer’s career. The 2018 edition saw more entries than ever and more prizes than ever. And, unsurprisingly perhaps, even greater challenges than ever for our judging panel of pro photographers. Often the difference between a winning portfolio and a runner-up came down to the smallest of details: a composition choice here, a lighting decision…

Ok, the headline is a bold statement to make and an incorrect one at that! But I must admit that I now use flash far less than I ever have before. There are two reasons. The first is the quality of modern camera sensors, which are capable of recording a huge latitude range of information at the time of capture. The other is processing. We now have advanced programmes like Adobe Lightroom that offer tools to enable us to ‘bring out’ detail in parts of an image that once required a reflector, fill-flash, or some other ingenious technique. Today, I find myself just going ‘plus’ with the shadows slider. However, this strategy is all well and good, but it still has limitations in very low light, or instances when you…

UPCOMING COMPETITION THEMES APRIL ISSUE RAIN January 31, 2019 MAY ISSUE COLOUR February 28, 2019 JUNE ISSUE MINIMALISM March 31, 2019 JULY ISSUE TRAVEL April 30, 2019 AUGUST ISSUE THE NIGHT May 31, 2019 EMAIL DETAILS • Send your entry to yourbestshot@australianphotography.com • Include the name of the competition theme you are entering in the email subject line, for example ‘Rain’ or ‘Abstract’. • Please include the following details with your entry: your name, image title (if there is one) and 100-200 words about how you created your image. Please also include technical details including camera, lens, focal length, shutter speed, aperture, filter (if used), tripod (if used) and details of any software manipulation. • Entries may be submitted up to midnight on the evening of the specified deadline.…

SPONSOR JINGSHU ZHU WINNER 2018 LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR MAGIC OF NEWZEALAND Sydney accountant and amateur photographer Jingshu Zhu captured her winning landscape cateogry portfolio on a trip to the South Island of New Zealand in August 2017, a place she describes as a paradise for landscape photographers. “Winter is the off-peak season, but it is a good time for landscape photographers as most places are very quiet, so you can avoid crowds of tourists,” she says. “It was unbelievable that only my partner and I shot sunrise at the Wanaka Lake, where there could be hundreds of people in April.” The 47-year-old’s portfolio stood out in the hugely-popular landscape category thanks to her bold use of light, consistent composition and strong foreground elements. Planning and research were key…

SPONSOR NIALL CHANG WINNER 2018 TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR SCENES OF XIAPU, FUJIAN, CHINA Despite thinking of himself as a landscape photographer, it’s Niall Chang’s travel shots that caught the eyes of our judges this year. In fact Chang’s background in landscape photography (and not travel) makes his winning series all the more impressive. Famous for its mudflats and coastal scenery, Xiapu is one of the most popular spots for photographers in China. “Despite urbanisation of many towns and cities along the coastline, Xiapu has managed to retain its coastal village charm, at least in some areas, natural and man-made alike,” he says. JUDGES’ COMMENTS LISA MICHELE BURNS: A striking use of composition to highlight the lines, patterns and subjects within these images. As a series, these photographs present…

SPONSOR DEREK ZHANG WINNER 2018 PHOTO OF THE YEAR NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM Captured at the Australian Museum, Derek Zhang’s image of his three year old daughter staring in awe at a giant horse skeleton is a lovely example of candid photography. A facade designer from Sydney, he describes the image as a lucky storytelling moment for his daughter’s candid childhood. “Storytelling is always the core and pursuit of my photographic work,” he says. “That horse skeleton seems like a thousand feet taller than her from where she is!” “I love her exploring the world around us, especially showing the sense of wonder and whimsy in a quiet moment.” JUDGES’ COMMENTS ANTHONY MCKEE: They say never work with children and animals, but images like this are a worthy exception. Derek…

Welcome to the rodeo, the expression of raw emotion in a competition between rider and bucking animal. That split second makes the photo: the calf or bull with four legs in the air, the rider leaping from horse to bull or being hurled backwards in the saddle, that moment in mid-air before hitting the ground. If you miss that momentum, capture the triumphant animal charging away, leaving the rider behind in a cloud of dust. My initial interest in rodeo photography began last year, after I upgraded to a full frame camera and a better zoom lens. Hand holding the heavier equipment without pushing the ISO to the point of producing a grainy image had suddenly become an issue. A miniature weight training program came to the rescue. Easter was…

LEICA OPENS SECOND AUSTRALIAN CAMERA STORE LEICA Camera have opened their second Australian store and gallery. Located in the centre of Melbourne’s CBD on Collins Street, the new store is the 20th Leica Gallery worldwide, and second in Australia following the Sydney Leica store which opened in 2016. The new Melbourne space offers almost three times the floor space of Sydney, with 220sqm. Addressing the crowd at the official opening were Dr Andreas Kaufman, Chairman of the Supervisory Board (Leica AG), and Ryan Williams, Managing Director (Leica Camera Australia Pty Ltd). Besides a full range of Leica gear and the opportunity to sit in the space and enjoy barista-made coffees (all staff have been trained!), you’ll also find a Leica Gallery showcasing the work of Leica photographers from around the…

Take your photography to the next level as you explore Western Australia’s new creative frontier with Australian Photography, World Photo Adventures and your own personal photo guides. Join Australian Photography editor Mike O'Connor, TV presenter and pro photographer Darran Leal, and Adobe and Sony ambassador Mark Galer on the photo trip of a lifetime. Just two hours north of Perth lies Cervantes and Nambung National Park. Boasting some of the most photogenic locations on the planet, the area is notable for the spectacularly surreal Pinnacles Desert, the towering pearl-coloured sand dunes of Lancelin, native plant species and wildlife, and the stunning white beaches and emerald waters of the Coral Coast. You'll not only have the opportunity to capture these incredible locations in the best possible conditions, your personal tutors will…

THE AP TEAM The 26 year-old, who describes her passion as reptiles and amphibians, has won the prestigious award in what was a record year for entries. Vink says her aim with photography is to educate people about protecting frogs, amazing but often misunderstood creatures. For professional wildlife photographer and panel judge Shannon Wild, the secret to the success of Vink’s winning portfolio On the brink is her knowledge of animal behaviour paired with obvious photographic skills. “Jasmine’s work exudes a clear understanding and passion for her subject combined with technical execution and composition,” she said. Now in its sixth year, the 2018 Photographer of the Year, presented by Panasonic was open to amateur photographers in Australia and New Zealand. Photographers from both sides of the ditch competed for cash…

SPONSOR BRETT FERGUSON WINNER 2018 PEOPLE AND PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR THE SCHOOL Melbourne photographer Brett Ferguson’s series ‘The School’ is the end result of a unique personal project that’s been more than 90 years in the making. The setting for these beautifully lit and evocative images is the school that Ferguson’s Grandmother attended in the 1920’s in North West Victoria. Although now abandoned and derelict, the photographer collaborated with dressmaker and model Meagan O’Keeffe who, inspired by Ferguson’s grandmother, handmade her period costume from scratch for this series of bold portraits that show the photographer’s love of mood and depth. “Ultimately this series is one that took many hours of planning and execution but one that I am immensely proud of,” Ferguson says. For the judging panel, the…

SPONSOR DENNIS RICKARD WINNER 2018 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR SANDS OF NAMIBIA Developing a taste for photography a decade ago, Melbourne’s Dennis Rickard decided to buy himself a camera and ‘see how he liked photography’. It’s safe to say the decision was a wise one. Although he describes himself as relatively new to aerial photography, his series, captured from a light plane over the Sossusvlei Area in the southern part of Namibia, combines the best of abstraction with a lovely 3D feel, all wrapped up in some stellar light. “Sossusvlei is home to some of the biggest free standing dunes in the world, and as we flew further east to the coast the dunes flattened out somewhat, creating a series of roiling dunes which end abruptly at the South…

SPONSOR DREW HOPPER DREWHOPPERPHOTOGRAPHY.COM Drew Hopper is a travel and documentary photographer based in Australia, specialising in the Asia-Pacific region. His curiosity for different ways of living have influenced his desire to travel to new and unfamiliar places. Through his travels he has developed a photographic style that is unique, simple and compelling. Drew is a regular contributor to Australian Geographic, covering photo assignments throughout Australia. He also regularly contributes and writes for Australian Photography magazine and has been featured in numerous travel, photography and lifestyle magazines worldwide. PETRA LEARY PETRALEARY.COM Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Petra Leary is an award winning photographer whose work is distinguished by her travels. Petra’s work captures a view out of the ordinary - whether through symmetry and motion in architecture or through patterns…

THIS MONTH'S WINNER THE EYES HAVE IT Mark Townsend wrote: “This image was captured at Nepean Bay, on Kangaroo Island, where my wife and I stayed for a week as part of a caravanning holiday. As you can see, I was up at the ‘golden hour’, to try to capture the peace and tranquillity of the new day, and I was pleased with the results!” This minimalist scene has lovely colour with good lighting, a good reflection and a nice contemplative mood. I like the presence of the little flock of birds just above the horizon line, but different placement could have made the image even better. As is, the birds are on the right of the centre “line” and so, in a visual sense, are leaving the scene rather…

TECHNOLOGY HIGHLY COMMENDED STAN PACZKOWSKI Fun with technology EDITOR’S COMMENTS: Stan Paczkowski says he decided to have some fun creating a new image using PaintShopPro X8 software as his editing program. We must admit we haven’t heard of this software, but the results are really interesting – giving a decidedly Star Wars attack-on-the-Death-Star vibe to the final image. “I blended the 3 images using HDR and chose a dramatic final image,” he says “This was then cropped and adjusted in contrast and saturation. I then used the effects filter in the program applying reflection and adjusting feedback until I achieved a pleasing result.” The only real negative is the blown highlights on the monitor(s) on the right – but the neverending effect is so cool that we’ll let you get…

SPONSOR JASMINE VINK OVERALL WINNER 2018 PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR WINNER 2018 WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR ON THE EDGE Based in Brisbane, Jasmine Vink is an ecologist with a passion for wildlife, specifically reptiles and amphibians. “From surprisingly tender parental care to fierce chorus battles between competing males, frogs are fascinating if you give them a chance,” she says. Captured in Ecuador, her portfolio shows a number of frog species captured in natural yet dim light - challenging conditions for any photographer. With striking portraits and unique images that reveal a deep understanding of her subject, Vick’s portfolio was a standout with all our judges. We need to learn to truly appreciate frogs before it is too late and these unique species are no more,” she says. JUDGES’ COMMENTS…

SPONSOR CAMERON MEACHAM WINNER 2018 BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR SHAPES OF MELBOURNE Minimalism is a popular genre in the black and white category, but it’s rare to see it executed as well as in this stunning portfolio by category winner Cameron Meacham. Currently studying part time towards a Certificate IV in Photography, the full-time child care educator from Melbourne captured these striking images at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. For the series, the 37-year old says he chose to focus his lens on the shapes and lines in the interior of the building. “I have tried to capture lines that lead your eyes to different points of interest, highlighting the tones, textures and patterns of this incredible building,” he says. The portfolio expresses perfectly the subtleties of…

SPONSOR HARMAN SINGH HEER WINNER 2018 JUNIOR PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR MONSOON MAGIC A runner-up last year, Harman Singh Heer came within a big cat’s whisker of winning the award in 2017. It’s a credit to his photography that he can finally call this year’s competition his. His entry, in what is his final year of eligibility for the Junior category, shows an evocative series of shots of the elusive black panther captured in the forests of South India. Born in Kenya but now calling Australia home, the 16 year old developed a strong passion for wildlife and photography after picking up his mum’s old DSLR. “For years it had been my dream to photograph and witness the elusive “black panther”, also known as the melanistic leopard, he says. “We…

I can’t remember a time when I have not been interested in photography. As a child I would escape to foreign lands through the images in books borrowed from my school library, fascinated by cultures different to mine. That child-like feeling is still with me today, when I walk the back streets exploring, meeting new people and capturing decisive moments of everyday life in places unfamiliar to me. I find myself very much at ease on the street looking for those decisive moments. Gut-feel and patience play a big part as to when I press the shutter. I do like an image when it creates a little tension to keep the viewer engaged. The scale of the person against the sculpture in “Southbank Perspective” is an example. When I look…