PHOTOGRAPHY
QCA15
QUEENSLAND COLLEGE OF ART GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY 2015 PHOTOGRAPHY
04 FOREWORD BY PROFESSOR JAY YOUNGER
41 Richard Fraser 42 Jackson Grice
07 CREATIVE ADVERTISING
43 Anna Harth
08 Kalen Armstrong
44 Gillian Jones
09 Miles Bennell
45 Ilisapeci Kubunameca
10 SalomĂŠ Cardenas
46 Erin McGowan
11 Tegan Corey
47 Arianne McNaught
12 Jared Finlayson
48 Sarah McRae
13 Alexa Hornick
49 Marc Pricop
14 Ottilie Krause
50 Harjinder Randhawa
15 Aleksandra Nisova
51 Elise Searson
16 Krista Perryman
52 Cale Searston
17 Elysia Roach
53 Kasia Sykus
18 Grace Rogan
54 Cameron Topping
19 Evey Skinner
55 Meggie Whitchurch
20 Ron Stephens
56 Mi Zhang
21 Jo Strother 22 Lisa Thorn
59 HONOURS
23 Alana Townsend
60 Jaala Alex
24 Meghan Van Leer
61 Lynette Letic
25 Julie Watson
62 David Mines 63 Kelly Morgan
27 PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE
64 Victoria Nikolova
28 Chris Bowes
65 Cory Wright
29 Brianna Niebling 30 Nicole Paulsen
67 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
31 Keyna Roberts
68 Photography Staff and Support
32 Annie Salter
69 Student Awards 2014
33 Ron Stephens
70 Supporters
34 Eva Turek-Jewkes
72 Credits
37 PHOTOJOURNALISM 38 Di Bacic 39 Steph Connell 40 Courtney Dunn
THE ROLE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER IN THE ERA OF PHOTO-INTENSIFICATION
The achievements of the graduating Photography students of the Queensland College of Art (QCA), Griffith University, are a constant wellspring of innovation and imagination. Since their first photographic adventures at QCA, these students have moved through their university studies, amplifying and extending their individual practices because of the confidence they have gained aesthetically, critically, ethically, and theoretically. But the study of photography is much more than learning to improve in the different components required of photographic practice. As any of these graduating students can testify, the practice of photography leads one into unexpected places, both literally and metaphorically. At its heart lies a process of questioning, discovery, understanding, and then more questioning. These students’ clumsy beginnings are behind them now and they are soaring to the heights of conceptual invention within the photographic medium—each in their own particular way. In the post-Internet age, amateur photography is ubiquitous, with the numbers of photographs taken growing exponentially. Triple the amount of photos taken in 2010 was taken in 2015, meeting the sensational threshold of one trillion (yes, 1,000 billion) images. In July this year, The New York Times reported that the cultural ripple effects of this photo-intensification are everywhere. Researchers have warned that taking too many photographs of your children may breed egocentrism, that oversharing pictures on social networks can damage reallife relationships, and that comprehensively documenting special moments impedes one’s ability to remember them.1 So what does it mean to be a graduating photography student in 2015 and to have your images swimming in a sea with a trillion others?
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Moreover, in an age such as ours, who needs more photographers? Interestingly, a recent article published in The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that jobs for photographers have increased 27 percent over the last decade, despite the pervasiveness of smartphone photography.2 This statistic is antithetical evidence to the idea that in this current era of photo-intensification, everyone is a photographer and thus professional photographers are no longer needed. To make a comparison with another ubiquitous language, almost everyone learns to write but not everyone is a writer. If photography is a vehicle with which to communicate and understand the world we inhabit, then great photographers, like great writers, are those who make a difference by bringing views to light in new ways that question the status quo. A story I have enjoyed telling new Photography students this year is that QCA graduate Raphaela Rosella, who received her Honours in Photography in 2011, won the 2015 World Press Photo Award3 (photography’s equivalent to an Oscar or an Olympic medal). Somehow this young woman’s photograph stood out from the other 92,000 entries. Rosella was not advantaged by a privileged background, but was driven to express herself in the medium of photography. There are two points to acknowledge here. Firstly, it is possible for a QCA Photography graduate to be noticed in this image-saturated world and rise to the pinnacle of their creative profession in a short period. Secondly, Rosella says that her success is due to her studies at QCA.
Like Rosella, the graduates of 2015 are having important and informed conversations with the world in which they live, and future audiences will be the beneficiaries of their photographic dialogues. In a world that seeks to promote uncritical, homogenised communication, these students intend to make a difference through the force of their individual campaigns. For the Photojournalists and Documentists here, their work is about promoting an independent story in a world stifled by simplistic infotainment. For the Photographic Artists, it is about expressing ideas that do not conform to the predictable formulaic trends dictated by the art market. For the Creative Advertising Photographers, it is about finding new languages to convey new ideas (ironically, often implicitly critical of consumerism).
1 S tephen Heyman, “Photos, Photos Everywhere,” The New York Times, 29 July 2015,http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/23/arts/ international/photos-photos-everywhere.html. 2 A nna Patty and Neeleema Choahan, “Opening a Window on Australia’s Job Opportunities in the Face of Massive Changes,” The Sydney Morning Herald (Business Day Section), 6 September 2015, http://m.smh.com.au/national/opening-awindow-on-australias-job-opportunities-in-the-face-of-massivechanges-20150905-gjfs1c.html#ixzz3ktVNMqtG. 3 R aphaela Rosella won the Singles Portrait category in the World Press Awards.
The academic and other staff involved with the Bachelor of Photography and Bachelor of Photography (Honours) programs are all immensely proud of these graduates, and we wish them every success in the future. Professor Jay Younger Program Director Photography
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CREATIVE ADVERTISING
KALEN ARMSTRONG 8
CREATIVE ADVERTISING
Consume
kalenarmstrong.com
This series looks at erasing the line between editorial and advertising photography by bringing them together. Showing some delicious food aesthetics, style, and dĂŠcor as well as a look at behind the scenes in the kitchen and bar, Consume aims to change the way advertising is seen within restaurants and bars. Take a glimpse at the secret hideaways of chefs and bartenders to discover what goes on behind the swinging doors.
Consume 1 2015 photograph 22.5 x 15cm Consume 2 2015 photograph 22.5 x 15cm Consume 3 2015 photograph 22.5 x 16.07cm
MYLES BENNELL CREATIVE ADVERTISING mylesbennellphotography.com Public Area Cleaner 2015 photograph 30 x 42cm Front Office Manager 2015 photograph 30 x 42cm Housekeeping Supervisor 2015 photograph 30 x 42cm
Too often, photographic practice is defined and categorised by the imaginative boundaries of the three main photographic disciplines: advertising, photojournalism, and art practice. My work is an attempt to transcend these barriers by merging principles from all three disciplines to concurrently tell a story, promote a business, and question societal norms. This body of work is a typological portrait of fifty individual hotel staff, drawing upon the hotel’s history through the aesthetics of Renaissance paintings.
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SALOMÉ CARDENAS 10
CREATIVE ADVERTISING
DANZA
salomecardenas.com
Merging a series of different forms, textures, and colours creates an interaction between the space, the objects, and myself. It is important to juxtapose the various components without having them clash; the goal is to find the perfect level of harmony among the different objects.
DANZA 1 2015 photograph 22.5 x 17.3cm DANZA 2 2015 photograph 22.5 x 17.5cm
TEGAN COREY CREATIVE ADVERTISING tegancorey.com 1950s 2015 print 48.3 x 32.9cm 1970s 2015 print 48.3 x 32.9cm 1990s 2015 print 48.3 x 32.9cm
My body of work represents a fashion and beauty timeline over the last century beginning from 1910 and continuing to 2020. With inspirations coming from past and potential future looks, it uses noticeable and memorable fashions that stand out in each decade. As photographers, we use many forms of inspirations to help create our work, one being our history. So why not combine my interest in fashion photography with our ever-changing trends?
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JARED FINLAYSON 12
CREATIVE ADVERTISING 1 2014 photo gloss 59.4 x 42cm 2 2014 photo gloss 59.4 x 42cm
Trying to take away the experiences you have whilst unconscious is like trying to take away the ocean in your hands. —Duncan Trussel These images are my interpretation of the moment that one becomes unconscious; more importantly, the exact moment when the link to reality is broken while all recognition of self is lost. Here are the results of my experiences.
ALEXA HORNICK CREATIVE ADVERTISING alexakatephotography.com Flawless Facade 1 2015 photograph 43.65 x 31.82cm Flawless Facade 2 2015 photograph 39.21 x 31.54cm Flawless Facade 3 2015 photograph 48.77 x 32.51cm
This series raises questions about the ongoing social expectation of the use of consumer products in the identification of beauty. Women are taught through social media to constantly compare themselves to unattainable archetypal representations of ‘beauty’. Based on an old and peculiar saying, “You can’t leave home without your face on”, the series takes a humorous approach to the literal meaning of this proverb, but has an underlying critical message for the viewer.
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OTTILIE KRAUSE 14
CREATIVE ADVERTISING ottiliephotography.com Untitled #1 2015 photograph Untitled #2 2015 photograph
My body of work exposes the change of society’s eating habits over the last few decades by juxtaposing fresh fruit and vegetables with sugar-laden confectionary. Each constructed still life seeks to prompt the viewer to question the ingredients in the foods they consume. My ultimate goal through this project is to promote awareness against false advertising.
ALEKSANDRA NISOVA CREATIVE ADVERTISING You Make the Rules 2015 digital photograph 22.5 x 22.5cm You Make the Rules 2015 digital photograph 22.5 x 22.5cm
We live in a world where women often express their emotions, identity, and personality through fashion.However, at times, we can lose ourselves in the stresses of everyday life and can’t find a way to let fashion in. This series seeks to convey fashion and its ability to be incorporated in any daily routine: looking after your child, cleaning, or even grocery shopping. When it comes to personal style, you make the rules. Don’t be afraid to explore.
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KRISTA PERRYMAN 16
CREATIVE ADVERTISING Through a Child’s Eyes 2015 photograph 22.5 x 15cm A Dog’s Life 2015 photograph 22.5 x 17.8cm The Alternative 2015 photograph 22.5 x 18.2cm
This body of work aims to disrupt the banality of daily domestic life. Each character within the environment seeks something more, a suspension of time and space and a fantasy of what could be in an alternate reality. My practice to date has focused on notions of optical illusion and spatial dimensions that can easily be attained through digital imagery and the imagination yet are not comprehendible in the physical world.
ELYSIA ROACH CREATIVE ADVERTISING elysiaroach.com Rust-ic Revenge 2015 15 x 22.4cm Cavalier Couture 2015 15 x 22.4cm Allium Allure 2015 15 x 22.4cm
Rust-ic Revenge ~ Ties can illustrate someone’s personality tremendously. Rust-ic Revenge is part of a series where each beautifully eco-dyed KJ Sculptural tie possesses a unique identity. Cavalier Couture ~ Haughtiness is a hallmark of high equestrian fashion, from gallant horsemen to supercilious royalty, which is relayed through this campaign. Allium Allure ~ Eco-dyed with none other than onion skin, this fashion campaign captures the vibrant aura of the brand KJ Sculptural Fashion.
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GRACE ROGAN 18
CREATIVE ADVERTISING gracerogan.org Untitled 2015 digital photographic print 59.4 x 47.53cm Untitled 2015 digital photographic print 59.4 x 47.53cm
With an insight into the diverse worlds of the natural and the man-made, this project explores the relationship between what is crafted by hand and what is biologically formed. Jewellery is often presented as constructed pieces against sterile backdrops. In this series of images, these pieces of adornment have been married with an array of organic osseous architecture from which new shapes and forms are fashioned.
EVEY SKINNER CREATIVE ADVERTISING eveyskinner.com Elysia 2015 digital photograph 16.43 x 22.5cm Anna 2015 digital photograph 16.15 x 22.5cm Anna 2015 digital photograph 16.1 x 22.5cm
Enter ‘freckles’ into any search engine and an endless list of websites confronts you with a plethora of freckle prevention remedies. Historically, and across cultural divides, we tend to stigmatise these little clusters of melanin. Questioning beauty stereotypes by focusing on women with freckles may highlight the impact and challenges that socially constructed notions of beauty have upon the wider female demographic. Hopefully, this project will inspire all women to be proud of their uniquely individual beauty.
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RON STEPHENS 20
CREATIVE ADVERTISING Still Life with Lemons 2015 digital photograph 42 x 59.4cm Still Life with Flower 2015 digital photograph 42 x 59.4cm
This body of work is a still life series influenced by the work of historically significant American and European still life painters. The works draws upon the formal elements of various paintings to create photographic representations of contemporary still lifes.
JO STROTHER CREATIVE ADVERTISING
crEATive
jostrotherphotgraphy.com
Combine a photographer, chef, and craft bitch and something unique happens. Mouth-watering images of food are given a three-dimensional treatment of selective hand embroidery to further enhance the allure of food photography. The current consumer infatuation with food has elevated a basic human need into a whole new realm, ‘food porn’. crEATive celebrates the hype and adds a little tactile seduction, taking the viewer to a meal they will devour with passion.
tea, cake and flowers 2015 embroidery on photograph 23 x 17cm
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LISA THORN 22
CREATIVE ADVERTISING gvrlwith1eye.tumblr.com Fashion Skater 2015 photograph 16 x 24cm B-Ball 2015 photograph 16 x 24cm B-Ball 2 2015 photograph 16 x 24cm
I don’t just want to be a photographer, I want to be unique; I want people to know who I am and what I do. I want the world to see my photos and be inspired. To travel the world and show people who will never be able to see the world for what it is. Sort of like giving my eyes to another person so they can see how I see everything.
ALANA TOWNSEND CREATIVE ADVERTISING
Urban Ballet
alanamareephotography.com
This body of work showcases ballet dancers out of the confines of the studio and into varying urban surroundings. These ballerinas seem to work the environments into their dance, effortlessly fitting in among their new surroundings. This project aims to create a connection between dancer, space, and environment, creating a sense of freedom and expression for the ballerinas while challenging more traditional notions of ballet.
Urban Ballerina 1 2015 digital photograph 42 x 59.4cm Urban Ballerina 2 2015 digital photograph 42 x 59.4cm
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MEGHAN VAN LEER 24
CREATIVE ADVERTISING Reservoir 2015 90cm x 60cm Inevitable 2015 135cm x 70cm
JULIE WATSON CREATIVE ADVERTISING juliewatsonphotography.com.au Noir 2015 digital photograph 22.5 x 33.7cm Silver 2105 digital photograph 22.5 x 33.7cm Gold 2015 digital photograph 22.5 x 33.7cm
Throughout my studies, I have enjoyed many genres of photography; however, my passion for portraiture remains the strongest. This body of work is focused on influences of an era passed juxtaposed with artistic make-up and popular products of today to create fashion/beauty portraits. The evolution of photography and its ever-changing nature make it an exciting art form with which to explore my passion.
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PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE
CHRIS BOWES 28
PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE chrisbowes.com.au Man-Made (detail) 2015 gelatin silver print 25 x 20cm
The images in Man-Made are created through a chemical reaction that takes place when human sweat comes into contact with gelatin silver photographic paper. This method aims to remove the camera from the image-making process, and in turn eliminate the distance between the subject and their photographic representation.
BRIANNA NIEBLING PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE photos-by-bri.com Untitled #1 2015 digital photograph 32.9 x 48.3cm Untitled #2 2015 digital photograph 32.9 x 48.3cm Untitled #3 2015 digital photograph 32.9 x 48.3cm
This series explores my connection to the natural landscape that surrounds me. Branches reach for the heavens, like arms praising the sky. Roots sprawl under the dirt, as if the veins of our Earth. Clouds paint the vast blue, which forms the backdrop to my world.
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NICOLE PAULSEN 30
PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE Kristy-Lea at Burleigh Heads 2015 photograph Scarlett at Home 2015 photograph Elyssa at Redcliffe 2015 photograph
Behind every photographic portrait series is a relationship between photographer, subject, and camera. In regards to this body of work, the audience is encouraged to reflect on the way each of the subjects reacts to having their portrait taken. There’s an ambiguity captured in this series that opens up questions about the subject in regards to how they react to the camera being present.
KEYNA ROBERTS PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE #702963 2015 cotton inkjet print 42 x 60cm #FFF8E7 2015 cotton inkjet print 60 x 42cm #FF033E 2015 cotton inkjet print 42 x 60cm
Stitched employs a combination of elegant images and tacky materials. Along with both hand and machine embroidery, each work is built from components found just before they are altogether lost and forgotten. This singular process provides ample opportunities for happy accidents to influence the final pieces. As an exploration into the blending of antique and modern forms, Stitched abstracts memory, loss, growth, and rebirth through raw edges, smudged ink, and untied threads.
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ANNIE SALTER 32
PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE Dog and Bed and Man 2015 photograph
Combining the two languages of reality and abstract, my work attempts to blur the lines between the boxes we live in.
RON STEPHENS PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE Untitled 2015 video
I have created a series of short video works that reflect the discomfort, disorientation, and unease created by rapid changes in the modern world.
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EVA TUREK-JEWKES 34
PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRACTICE evaturek-jewkes.com Untitled #1 2014 C-print 84.1 x 118.9cm Untitled #2 2014 C-print 84.1 x 118.9cm
An obsession of mine, the Australian landscape is intriguing and all-encompassing, and I frequently make journeys across it that I capture through photography. Performing nude under white cloth, which I use as a membrane to connect with and absorb the environment, I move, bend, and contort, reacting to feelings developing in that space. I am constantly compelled to renew and revisit my connection to landscape. Through this process, I am learning more about my own identity and our place in the landscape we inhabit.
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PHOTOJOURNALISM
DI BACIC 38
PHOTOJOURNALISM dibacic.com We Are Family series 2015 inkjet on premium lustre 59.4 x 42cm
“Family: a group consisting of two parents and their children living together as a unit.” (Oxford English Dictionary) “A family is defined as two or more persons, one of whom is at least 15 years of age, who are related by blood, marriage (registered or de facto), adoption, step or fostering, and who are usually resident in the same household.” (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Life happens… and love happens.
STEPH CONNELL PHOTOJOURNALISM Lois 2015 photograph Untouched 2015 photograph
For the past forty years, a group of ebullient characters have gathered at dawn for an ocean swim. The beauty of their daily ritual is not in its complexities but in its profound simplicity.
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COURTNEY DUNN 40
PHOTOJOURNALISM www.courtneydunnphotography.com.au Sana, Afghanistan—“I feel proud of who I am and what I represent” 2015 digital print 33 x 48cm Emily, Poland—“I feel as if my heart belongs to many different places” 2015 digital print 33 x 48cm Jevarna, Vietnam—“I’m just another half-caste” 2015 digital print 33 x 48cm
I often feel as though I am a foreigner in this new land while simultaneously feeling like a stranger in the old. —Motoya Nakamura As someone from an English/Irish background, I have constantly questioned where I belong and what makes someone ‘Australian’. By photographing young women from multicultural backgrounds, I have highlighted this issue of identity—on a personal level and as an observer.
RICHARD FRASER PHOTOJOURNALISM Pup Arrow 2015 digital photograph 18 x 27cm Sir and 13 2015 digital photograph 18 x 27cm Max and Tim 2015 digital photograph 18 x 27cm
This series documents the diversity of personalities, approaches, and experiences that can be found within kink and BDSM subcultures. Focusing initially on the phenomenon of pup play, the scope of the work was subsequently broadened to encompass other kink and BDSM practices, including rope bondage and impact play. The work provides a visual account of the physical, emotional, and psychological components of this often secret world.
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JACKSON GRICE 42
PHOTOJOURNALISM jacksongrice.com Untitled 2015 photograph 42.9 x 28.7cm Untitled 2015 photograph 33.7 x 50.8cm Untitled 2015 photograph 30.2 x 45.9cm
Don’t get lost inside a maze you build yourself.
ANNA HARTH PHOTOJOURNALISM Medicine 2015 photograph 33 x 22.4cm Corner 2015 photograph 33 x 22.4cm Help 2015 photograph 33 x 22.4cm
I have a very mild form of Cerebral Palsy (CP). This project explores my experiences growing up with CP, and how the different hurdles and experiences that I had to overcome shape my current identity. Through this work, I also compared the experiences of my twin brother against mine and the different trials he had to face at the same age.
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GILLIAN JONES 44
PHOTOJOURNALISM gillianamberjones.com Consequence 2015 digital photograph
I’m forty-three. I thought I was certain but now it’s beginning to hurt. I am one of an increasing number of women who will never be mothers. Our success cannot be measured by pregnancy nor progeny; however, society still deems that it should be. My work is a visual contemplation of conversations I have shared with other independent women who don’t have children, be it by choice, chance or circumstance.
ILISAPECI KUBUNAMECA PHOTOJOURNALISM The Lost and Found Aisle 2015 digital photograph 22.5 x 15cm Here’s to New Beginnings 2015 digital photograph 22.5 x 15cm Days Out 2015 digital photograph 22.5 x 15cm
The Sinisas are not your everyday family, but, just like any family, they have their own set of challenges. How they have overcome them has made this year one filled with new self discoveries, an abundance of love, and deeper levels of friendships. It truly is the simple things in life that we should never forget to be grateful for.
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ERIN McGOWAN 46
PHOTOJOURNALISM Kollective 2015 photograph 42 x 59.4cm
Kerbside Collection is an annual festival of clearing out furniture and freeing up homes of unwanted bits of just about anything. But waste is only defined as an item eliminated or discarded as no longer useful. What we put out to be collected is only what we decide for ourselves is waste, though it may not yet have met its true end.
ARIANNE McNAUGHT PHOTOJOURNALISM Cigarette 2015 photograph Reflective Moment 2015 photograph
Runaway Months ago, I met a fourteen-year-old girl who hitch-hiked between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast aimlessly with her fourteen-year-old boyfriend. She lost her mother at the age of twelve. She has been in and out of foster care since she was ten years old. She is now expecting a child. With her lack of education and an abusive background, the future is very uncertain for this girl and her unborn child.
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SARAH McRAE 48
PHOTOJOURNALISM
The Many Faces of Australia
sarahmcraephoto.com
Australia is becoming more multicultural by the year. We may know many friends and family who have immigrated here, but do we know their stories? Why did they come here and what did they sacrifice to be here?


Bruno and Ans 2015 digital image sensor 8.47 x 22.5cm Hania 2015 digital image sensor 22.5 x 8.47cm Maribel, Fe and Mylene 2015 digital image sensor 22.5 x 8.47cm
I wanted to create a work that would display the many faces of Australia and tell their stories to the world; to make the piece feel intimate to viewers through the participants writing about their experiences.
MARC PRICOP PHOTOJOURNALISM marcpricop.com Tomas 2015 photograph Bella 2015 photograph Tyron 2015 photograph
These photographs of friends and family were made upon returning to my hometown of Queenstown, on the west coast of Tasmania. A sleepy mining town that wears the scars of its history in the walls of the valley it dwells in, Queenstown has become the backdrop for a personal exploration of memory, time, and what it means to go home.
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HARJINDER RANDHAWA 50
PHOTOJOURNALISM harjinderrandhawa.wix.com/photography In Between 2015 photograph 22.57 x 33.86cm Rosa 2015 photograph 22.57 x 33.87cm Embroidery 2015 photograph 22.57 x 33.87cm
Hope South Sudan assists disadvantaged women, children, and men with education, shelter, medicine, and other necessities. Rosa Yor is originally from South Sudan and faced many hardships when living there. She now helps fundraise for Hope South Sudan by selling embroidered and handbeaded objects, which have been made by the people in need, who are being supported by the charity, as well as recruiting sponsors and hosting various fundraising events.
ELISE SEARSON PHOTOJOURNALISM elisesearson.com elise@elisesearson.com Driven to Suicide 2015 photograph
Karen contracted Lyme disease over twenty-five years ago. She was bitten by a tick and later found out through US testing that she was positive for Lyme. Lyme is ignored by the Australian government, as Dr. Steven Graves (leading pathologist) insists that people with positive overseas results “probably don’t have Lyme”. Karen’s story highlights how the alienation has taken a mental, physical, and emotional toll on her life and relationship, stripping her of independence and dignity.
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CALE SEARSTON 52
PHOTOJOURNALISM
On the Beach Road
csphoto.org
This body of work considers the concept of Biophilia, our instinctive need as people to connect with natural systems and organisms. I followed the coast to immerse myself in the environment—at times with company, and other times in solitude. The trip honours the world around us that makes up our very fibres, with no true destination but the moment in hand.
Homeland 2015 photograph 57.6 x 37cm Tea Tree 2015 photograph 57.6 x 37cm Ocean Road 2015 photograph 57.6 x 37cm
KASIA SYKUS PHOTOJOURNALISM kasiasykus.com Child’s Play 2015 photograph All in Place 2015 photograph Graduation Day 2015 photograph
An intrinsic look into the mergence of a family with children from two different marriages. The Milford family finds themselves in a situation captured by the term ‘blended’.
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CAMERON TOPPING 54
PHOTOJOURNALISM camerontopping.com Classroom 2015 photograph T-Bear 2015 photograph Karl 2015 photograph
The experience and knowledge gained through an education are invaluable in allowing youth to follow their aspirations. Unfortunately, due to factors such as bullying, family issues, and disengagement with a traditional schooling system, many young people struggle to connect with the world around them. Wounds to Wisdom illustrates the stories of students from Albert Park Flexi-School, their challenges and experiences, in the hope that it may provide awareness of the issues that adolescents face.
MEGGIE WHITCHURCH PHOTOJOURNALISM meggiewhitchurch.com Shae and Darcy 2015 photograph 19.8 x 29.7cm Shae and Darcy 2015 photograph 19.8 x 29.7cm Darcy 2015 photograph 19.8 x 29.7cm
Animals become mirrors of our emotions and desires; in this series, the canines become extensions of their owners’ personalities. Whether they are a champion show dog or a household pet, these animals are treated as a part of their families.
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MI ZHANG 56
PHOTOJOURNALISM mimiphotographymakeup.com In Front of the Rooms 2015 photograph 22.5 x 22.5cm Mum’s Online Cooking Tutorial 2015 photograph 22.5 x 22.5cm The Bed 2015 photograph 22.5 x 22.5cm
As of 2015, there are 86,179 overseas students in Queensland, and the majority of them are from China. Most of them were born after 1990. This series of images is focused on the real domestic life of such Chinese university students. As foreigners, these young people try every means to bring their hometown living to Australia.
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HONOURS
JAALA ALEX 60
HONOURS jaalaalex.com “I’m the girl with the body!” 2015 video
As a young female artist, I have found myself grappling with my place in the world, my sense of self, my connection to my body, and my relationship with feminism. In this investigation, I have revisited moments in my childhood that exuded a strong, innate sense of self, confidence, female-ness, and empowerment. Through methods of hypnotherapy, re-enactment, performance art, and video documentation, I intend to reinvigorate my own sense of empowerment as a young woman.
LYNETTE LETIC HONOURS lynetteletic.com Untitled (Dancing Man) 2015 photographic inkjet print on rag pearl 60 x 60cm
Roland Barthes proclaimed that photography is “a kind of primitive theatre”, a figuration of the “made-up face”. One could then deduce that under the direction of the photographer, the act of constructing the photograph becomes an intersubjective experience of the spectacle. Recording the ritualised celebrations of regional communities outside Brisbane, I became complicit in the social ritual of documenting an event, sustaining the narrative of community as performed for my camera.
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DAVID MINES 62
HONOURS davidminesphoto.com Gold Coast (from the series Beautiful One Day, Perfect the Next? ) 2015 digital 160 x 110cm Brooyar State Forest (from the series Beautiful One Day, Perfect the Next? ) 2015 digital 160 x 110cm
The frequently used catch phrase for selling the Queensland lifestyle of “Beautiful one day, perfect the next” suggests that the quality of life enjoyed by Queenslanders can be measured by the clarity of the state’s skies. Through the agency of documentary practice, locations throughout South-east Queensland were photographed in an attempt to capture the differential colour palette caused by population size and its impact on our sunny blue skies.
KELLY MORGAN HONOURS The Queen with the Pearl Earring 2015 photograph 225 x 150cm Portrait of Taylor Ette and Sasha Trajik Mole 2015 photograph 150 x 225cm
This body of work seeks to uncover the unwitting testimony inherent in dominant value systems. It blends heuristic and practice-led research models with camp methods of the drag subculture to disrupt mainstream value systems.
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VICTORIA NIKOLOVA 64
HONOURS victorianikolova.com Gas Detector 2015 photograph Kenya Gas Fields 2015 photograph
Ominous residues, inexplicable odours, dust clouds, glowing skies, acidic rainwater, and vast areas of excavation appearing almost overnight—these are just a selection of the protestations made by residents living amid an increasingly hostile environment.
CORY WRIGHT HONOURS coryjwright.com Contact Visiting Area 2015 digital photograph 84.1 x 59.4cm Untitled 2015 digital photograph 42.0 x 29.7cm
My interest in the relationship between incarceration and the family stems from the omission of incarceration’s deeper effects from widely understood crime-and-punishment narratives. This series explores themes of absence and stigma by exploring the experiences of families of prisoners who form part of a growing population as Australia’s prison numbers continue to increase. I take this opportunity to thank the family members who were generous with their time and in sharing their stories.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF AND SUPPORT 2015
FULL-TIME LECTURERS
SUPPORT STAFF
Ms Amy Carkeek
Ms Lisa Brown
Associate Professor Marian Drew
Mr Tony Hamilton
Mr David Lloyd
Mr Greg Hoy
Mr Peter Thiedeke
Ms Christine Ko
Mr Peter Wanny
Ms Emma Leslie
Professor Jay Younger
Mr Louis Lim Ms Carol Marron
PART-TIME LECTURERS
Ms Athena Zelandonii
Ms Angela Blakely Dr Ray Cook
EXTERNAL ASSESSORS
Mr Bruce Reynolds
Mr Peter McKay
Mr Martin Smith
Dr Doug Spowart Mr Phil Tamblyn
SESSIONAL STAFF Mr Earle Bridger Ms Michelle Bowden Ms Renata Buziak Mr Gerwyn Davies Ms Jodie Haines Mr Mike Hallson Ms Marianne Henriksen Ms Elise Hilder Ms Kelly Hussey-Smith Ms Christine Ko Ms Emma Leslie Mr Louis Lim Mr Dan Marsden Ms Raphaela Rosella Mr Josef Ruckli Mr Brodie Standen Mr Shehab Uddin 68
STUDENT AWARDS 2014
JAALA ALEX
LAURA SEEDS
CORY WRIGHT
Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society (Adfas) Youth Arts Photography Prize – Winner
The Queensland Centre for Photography Award
John Mckay Memorial Scholarship
Presented to a graduating student for artistic merit
Presented to a graduating student for experimentation and innovation within Photographic Art Practice.
KATELYN-JANE DUNN
VICTORIA NIKOLOVA
Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society (Adfas) Youth Arts Photography Prize – Runner-Up
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School Scholarship
Presented to the graduating student with the highest GPA continuing into Honours JOE BYFORD
Presented to a graduating student for artistic merit
Presented annually to a graduating Photojournalism and Documentary student continuing into Honours
Allchromes Award Presented to the graduating student who produced the most creative folio ANDY WILLIS Ted’s Camera Store Award
CHELSEA MILLER
CHERIE BLYTH
Australian Photojournalist Award
Jacky Owens Photography Staff Award
Presented to a graduating student for the best example of social documentary photography
Presented to a student for significantly adding to the culture of the department
BREANNA SHEATHER Kayell Australia Award Presented to a graduating student in recognition of excellence in advertising for a single image
DOMINIQUE MILLS Sun Studios Best Image Award
Presented to a graduating student in recognition of excellence in portraiture ADAM GREEN Camera Pro Award Presented to a graduating student in recognition of excellence in an advertising body of work with a strong conceptual framework
Presented to a graduating student demonstrating technical and conceptual clarity within the politic of the Photography Major
ADAM GREEN
RGB Digital Prolab Award
VICTORIA NIKOLOVA
Presented to a graduating student in recognition of excellence in Creative Advertising
Street’s Imaging Award
Presented to a graduating student in recognition of print mastery within a conceptual framework.
ALEX COPPO
DOMINIQUE MILLS AIPP Photography Business Mentoring Award Presented to a student with the highest standard of visual and lighting ability
Des Beyond Creation Award
Best overall series from any major, presented to a graduating student going on to Honours
SIMON HARDY
CORY WRIGHT
Presented to a graduating student with the most innovation in portraiture
St Aiden’s Anglican Girls’ School Scholarship
Anna Smith Portraiture Award
Presented to a graduating Photojournalism and Documentary student continuing into Honours 69
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
John McKay Memorial Scholarship
EXHIBITION
PUBLICATION
QCA Showcase 2015 26–29 November 2015
Designed at Liveworm Studio
Queensland College of Art Griffith University South Bank campus
OPENING NIGHT Thursday, 26 November 2015
Designer: Chelsea Eaton Creative Director: David Sargent Editor: Evie Franzidis Published by Queensland College of Art Griffith University ISBN 9781922216939