RMIT Diploma of Photography + Photo Imaging
20 19 END OF YEAR EXHIBITION
1 Introduction 2 Makayla Atkins 4 Chao Bi 6 Erin Brown 8 Mai Buckley 10 Koreigh Conduit 12 Stephanie Davies 14 Malsawmsanga (Jeff) Fanchun 16 Katherine Fung 18 Jovita Gotama 20 Igor Hill 22 Xiner Huang 24 Riley Hunt 26 Cetiya Kiymaz 28 Maki Levine 30 Jarrod Limpacharoenkul 32 Yuwei (Lyn) Liu 34 Ashley Ludkin 36 Daniel Mallia
Cover image © Yuwei (Lyn) Lui
38 Kim Hien (Kimmie) Ngo 40 Ardiya (Ardi) Oetomo 42 Roberto Pettinau 44 Jade Saad 46 Kennardi Sebastian 48 Samantha (Sam) Stuart 50 Huong (Teresa) Truong 52 Sara Wilkosz 54 Gemma Wouters 56 Qiyuan (Fiona) Xue 58 Thanapat (Tan) Yoowang 60 Jack Zapsalis 62 The Collide Project 64 Institute of Professional Editors Conference 65 Women In Vocational Education and VE Photo Imaging Media Collaboration 66 « Odyssey Literary Festival 2019: Raze / Rekindle
67 The Photobook Project 70 Write it. Shoot it. Show it. 72 Ballarat International Foto Biennale 73 Photo Imaging Styling + Brunswick Fashion Project 76 Student + Alumni Awards 82 Graduate Profiles 82 Dani Watson 83 Aleksandar Jason 84 Kerry Pryor 85 Penny Koukoulas 86 Study Photography + Photo Imaging at RMIT VE (Vocational Education) 88 Short Courses in Photography at RMIT 90 Thank You 92 Acknowledgements IBC Sponsors
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Introduction I have no doubt that as you navigate your way through this publication, you will arrive quickly at the realisation that the work produced by the students in the Diploma of Photo Imaging is nothing short of stunning. Photography was one of the original vocational offerings at RMIT, extending back as far as the 1880s. The custodians of this program have a rich history of innovation and excellence in the provision of industry-relevant training, providing a platform for the launch of many successful careers and award-winning graduates. My first encounter with the work produced by students and staff in this program was in 2010. I was immediately drawn to the exceptional output of the students’ photography. The creative flare and the professional quality of the developed materials should come as no surprise; the students in this program are passionate, and they are guided and encouraged by a group of teachers who are also respected photographers, creatives and master practitioners. The teaching staff in this program have an ability to place a detailed lens on the nuances of professional photography, and through this to interrogate emerging student work, encouraging the students to extend their visual storytelling beyond expectations. The creative arts attract and support the curiously minded. The mix of passionate students and master practitioners, combined with deep industry immersion, provides a foundation for photographic excellence. This catalogue presents work that is typical of the output of students studying in the Diploma of Photo Imaging at RMIT University. The images on display, produced by our final-year photography students, is to be celebrated – it highlights the output of passionate creatives who are ready to take the next professional step in life and work. Take more than a moment to absorb the creative concepts and technical details on display in this end-of-year exhibition. These images present numerous hours of creative thinking, practice, refinement, stopping and starting again, and the ability to interpret the world through the lens of a camera. Congratulations to all the students and staff who have worked together to produce this amazing work. I commend these images to you and have no doubt that you will be as mesmerised as I have been, through my association with this program over the past 10 years. GLENN BLAIR DEAN, SCHOOL OF VOCATIONAL DESIGN AND SOCIAL CONTEXT
Makayla is a Melbourne-based photographer. She aims to create eyecatching images that draw her audience in and connect to their own emotions. Emotionally driven, Makayla’s images are influenced not only by personal life experiences but also by media trends. She takes great pride in seeing the human body as its own unique canvas, through which, she believes, one can express themself proudly. Makayla has accentuated the body as canvas through the application of art materials as makeup through a beauty folio. Her folio is entirely self-made, from canvas to capture.
Makayla is also drawn to photographing animals and has a strong connection to all types of animals, having been surrounded by animals her whole life. She is intrigued by their unique personalities and the bonds shared between humans and animals, which she works hard to express in her images. These two passions are only the beginning for Makayla Atkins. She can’t wait to explore different genres of photography in the future, and will continue her journey of photographic self-discovery.
Makayla Atkins + 61 429 551 099 MJADEPHOTOGRAPHY@OUTLOOK.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/MJADESPHOTOGRAPHY
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Chao is a fine-art fashion photographer based in Melbourne. Her distinct aesthetic originates from a delicate combination of western education and oriental background. She has five years’ professional experience in a high-end industry advertising firm in Shanghai. During this period she discovered her passion for photography, which naturally led her to study at RMIT. Chao’s final folio, Dreamer, is inspired by Chuang Tzu (Zhuang Zi, 399–295 BC), a Chinese Taoist philosopher. As a result of her ability to build strong collaborative relationships with her models, stylists and assistants, Chao has delivered a folio depicting a butterfly dream, as a metaphor for breakaway, transformation and rebirth.
Chao Bi +61 449 530 406 CHAO.BI.PHOTOGRAPHY@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/BI_CHAO CHAOBI.WIXSITE.COM/PHOTOGRAPHY
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Hailing from the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Erin first interacted with photography at a young age, when visiting her grandfather’s photographic studio. After acquiring her first camera at 15, she began to foster a love for the medium which has continued to flourish ever since. Her work is a mix of documentary, fine art and portrait practices, which sit alongside her knowledge and skill in fine-art drawing and graphic design. Erin’s folio is a documentation of places of personal significance that have shaped her from childhood through to the present day. The paired images become a visual diary, a visceral response to her immediate surroundings lending a sense of quiet nostalgia and the notion that the relationship between place and memory continues to ebb and flow as time passes. Upon graduating, Erin plans to continue with her own photographic practice and gain further knowledge within the photographic industry as a studio assistant and digital operator.
Erin Brown +61 408 299 422 ERINBROWN1711@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/RINNIERED
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Mai, 21, was born in northern Vietnam and adopted into an Australian family as a baby. They lived in Washington DC, then Canberra, tropical Darwin, and finally Melbourne, where Mai went to high school and RMIT. Always interested in the creative arts, she became focused on photography in her late teens, and draws inspiration from overseas travel (particularly to Japan), food preparation, nature, city life, fashion, music, tea and cats. As an artist, Mai is interested in breaking things down into their vital parts. Shape, colour, texture and light inspire her photography, and food has always been an essential part of her creative life. Her folio is a visual deconstruction of her favourite desserts broken into their main elements. Effective food photography is like solving a puzzle, and you have a brief period to get the best out of your ingredients. Deconstructed deliciousness was her aim.
Mai Buckley +61 458 194 775 MARY.MAIBUCKLEY@GMAIL.COM
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Koreigh found her passion for photography when she bought her first camera for an overseas trip in 2016. After this trip, she wanted to expand her knowledge and enrolled into the RMIT Certificate IV of Photography and Photo Imaging. Initially, Koreigh was interested in landscape photography, but during her studies she discovered a love for retouching and compositing. This passion has led her to build a portfolio that uses compositing to create a photographic narrative. Upon graduation, Koreigh would like to invest in building a home studio, so that she can composite to her heart’s content and refine her skills through personal projects.
Koreigh Conduit +61 400 267 362 K.CONDUIT@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/KOREIGHCONDUIT
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Stephanie is an emerging photographer based in Melbourne. She has always had a keen interest in the arts and has now found her passion in photography. Stephanie’s final folio, Terra, stems from her love of animals and the environment. In creating this body of work, she hopes to help people understand what is happening to the planet and the effects of humanity, articulating her concerns around the climate crisis and how we might now work together to halt its effects. Her confronting photographs question how humans would feel if we experienced the same devastation that other species experience. Moving forward, Stephanie intends to continue raising awareness of environmental issues, as well as working as a photographic assistant and freelance photographer.
Stephanie Davies +61 400 740 045 STEPHANIE.DAIVES.PHOTOGRAPHY@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/STEPHANIEDAIVES
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Malsawmsanga (Jeff) was born and raised in Myanmar and moved to Australia in 2015, where he fostered an interest in the art of photography during high school. He has been pursuing photography ever since and chose to study at RMIT to further his knowledge. Jeff is obsessed with the feeling of creative freedom that he gets from photographing people and portraits. His focus is on angles and composition. He also shares a great passion for dance, and for his final folio worked with professional dancers from different genres for his series titled Why I Dance. After finishing his diploma, Jeff aspires to become a professional wedding photographer and a content creator for creatives on social media.
Malsawmsanga (Jeff) Fanchun +61 416 858 212 JEFFMSS.FANCHUN@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/JEFF_GREY_
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Katherine is a Melbourne-based photographer specialising in fashion, beauty and portraiture. Drawn to striking imagery, she finds inspiration in nature and from beauty in the mundane. Having discovered an interest in photography by chance, she has spent the past two years exploring the medium and establishing her photographic style. Katherine’s latest body of work explores the indulgence of escapism, distorted perceptions of identity, the mirage of a perfect future and the search for enlightenment, by delving into 12 fantasy worlds driven by astrology. Constantly evolving and seeking new challenges, Katherine will continue to advance her skills through photographic work.
Katherine Fung +61 432 852 158 KATHERINEFUNGPHOTO@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/KATHERINE.FUNG
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Jovita was born in Indonesia and moved to Melbourne to pursue her creative and photographic passion. She has a keen interest in fashion and portraiture which she has been exploring since her early teenage years and refined throughout her studies at RMIT. In her final folio, Frippery, Jovita experiments with various aspects of extreme adornment to explore ideas of beauty and form, both human and floral, natural and artificial. Floral couture and shimmer makeup have been utilised to enhance the natural beauty of her subjects. After completing her Diploma of Photo Imaging, Jovita aims to further her photographic skills and knowledge and continue to expand on her personal work.
Jovita Gotama +61 452 371 209 INFO@JOVITAGOTAMA.COM JOVITAGOTAMA.COM
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Originally from Scandinavia, Igor is a Melbourne-based photographer whose personal practice is based around a documentary-style outlook on contemporary society. His focus is on people, the in-between moments of everyday life and the relationship between human-constructed and organic structures, as well as finding beauty in overlooked places. For his major folio at RMIT, Do I Look Like I Care?, Igor has created a portraiture series in book form that investigates the effects of the role of support worker on practitioners in the social care sector. Having had work featured in VICE and in exhibitions around Europe, Igor will continue to assist established photographers and work on long-term photographic projects upon completion of his studies.
Igor Hill +61 434 445 629 IGOR.HILL@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/ THEREALFAKEIGGYSMALLS IGGYIGGY.COM
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Xiner picked up a camera to shoot for the first time in 2017. Before that, her main interests had been painting and design. Photography has now become her passion. Xiner views photography as an art form; she continues to draw, but the pen and the camera have become equally important tools in the creation of her work. Photographs allow their creator to have a voice, and Xiner believes that the image allows her to spread her ‘word’. The theme for her final folio is Isolate, exploring the invisible wall between the viewer and the image, and the frame within the frame.
Xiner Huang +61 435 945 468 XINERHUWANG@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/ XINER_HUWANG
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Riley is a Melbourne-based emerging photographer who feels that his studies at RMIT are just the beginning of his photographic education. After graduation, he would like to assist professional photographers to gain further experience in the industry. Riley’s greatest passion is landscape photography and his ultimate goal is to shoot landscape images for tourism companies and sell his own landscape prints. He also plans to establish himself as a freelance generalist photographer and is keen to explore any and all opportunities.
Riley Hunt +61 451 635 241 RILEY-HUNT-PHOTOGRAPHY@OUTLOOK.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/RILEY_HUNT_PHOTOGRAPHY
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Cetiya is a photographer based in Melbourne. She is also a graphic designer and stylist, having worked in the advertising industry for more than 20 years. Her tertiary studies include design, photography and mass communication, and she holds a master’s degree in business administration. Cetiya’s previous clients include the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times Magazine, as well as international seminars in Bangkok.
and business management in her background has enabled her to adopt a different style of photography. Cetiya loves fine-art photography, and has a special interest in culinary subjects with a commercial focus. She plans to continue working with clients to create exquisite product photos and design media for businesses.
Cetiya has been passionate about photography since attending art school and began her photographic career shooting film. Today, she fuses her experience in graphic design with new technologies of the contemporary digital world in design and photography. The unique combination of fine arts, design,
Cetiya Kiymaz +61 435 388 959 SUPERALMOND@HOTMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/CETIYAEXHIBITION MELBOURNEPHOTOGRAPHER.GA
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Maki came to study photography with a formative interest in landscape and portraiture, and found her niche after discovering the elegance of fine-art photography. Currently, Maki is experimenting with portraiture, fashion and nude images. For her final folio series, she designed synthetic landscapes where abstract bodies strike graceful poses across elements of the earth. Her nude images are truncated in ways that evoke a mild unease in the viewer. Maki’s photographs invite us to ponder both our vulnerability and our own role in the destruction the natural world in the Anthropocene epoch. Her work points
to a ‘naked truth’ hidden in figures who pose without eyes that see. Perhaps it is too much to fathom the distant fact that we may no longer exist, here. After completing her Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging, Maki will continue to advance her career in photography and plans to pursue her interests in portraiture and fashion within studio and natural environments.
Maki Levine +61 400 712 929 MAKILEVINE@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/MAKI.LEVINE MAKILEVINE.SQUARESPACE.COM
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Jarrod discovered his passion for photography through urban exploration during his years in high school. This passion led him to consider a career in photography after finishing high school, as he lacked interest in other studies. Jarrod enrolled at RMIT and has thoroughly enjoyed working with the creative people that photography tends to attract. After graduating, Jarrod hopes to assist full time to gain essential industry skills and knowledge. In the future, he aspires to work collaboratively with a team of creative people. Jarrod’s final folio has assembled a photographic team; he has explored his own community and articulates features that define each subject through a hybrid silhouette and environmental portrait.
Jarrod Limpacharoenkul +61 477 112 724 JARROD_LIM@OUTLOOK.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/KYATCHII
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Yuwei (Lyn) has thoroughly enjoyed her studies at RMIT. She is passionate about fashion photography and enjoys combining her love of accessories and fashion. Lyn’s keen sense of personal style enables her to bring her own unique fashion sense to her images. Lyn has worked with various lighting and projection techniques to create an alternative fashion folio, which explores the fashion crossover between Asian production and adoption of western fashion trends. Once her studies are complete, Lyn would like to open her own studio and is keen to pursue a career as a fashion photographer. Lyn is keen to receive messages from potential clients and collaborators.
Yuwei (Lyn) Liu +61 426 825 375 748849410@QQ.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/ YUTHESEA
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Ashley’s practice combines documentary and fine art. Often photographing the banal and mundane, he creates images that speak to social issues with the hope of provoking reflection and conversation. Ashley’s folio is a survey of our relationship with the environment, which he hopes to publish as a photobook. After finishing the course, Ashley will continue with new projects while refining his skills by assisting and working in the industry.
Ashley Ludkin +61 466 534 134 ASHLEY.LUDKIN@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/ASHLEYLUDKIN ASHLEYLUDKIN.COM
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Daniel came to the course after travelling the globe in search of the most remote landscapes he could find. His love for photography would eventually take him from his daily job as an electrician into the studio, working as a photographer through RMIT. Daniel’s final folio explores developing technological advancements and the impact that these have on our personal and social relationships. He has created a suite of utopian/dystopian images which question the effects that AI and advanced robotics may have on our relationships with one another. At the conclusion of his studies, Daniel wishes to develop his fashion platform, ‘rogue the outcast’, while continuing to work in studio and out on location. His greatest ambition is to work closely with international companies that are tackling current sustainability and waste issues affecting our way of life.
Daniel Mallia +61 432 657 400 INFO@DANIELMALLIA.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/MALLIA__ DANIELMALLIA.COM
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Kim Hien (Kimmie) is an Australian-born Vietnamese girl from Melbourne. She has always loved photography and grew up going to different shows at the National Gallery of Victoria while at school. Kimmie enjoys sharing her photographic passion through her Instagram account, and has developed her photographic skills through exploring a variety of photographic genres. Ultimately, she strives to make images that make people feel happy. Kimmie’s final folio is a recipe book that shares the food that her mum prepared for her during her childhood. The recipes and accompanying images are her mum’s recipes and are simple, easy and affordable to make.
Kim Hien (Kimmie) Ngo + 61 403 546 063 KNGO43@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/K_PHOTOGH
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Ardiya (Ardi) is an international student from Indonesia. He is passionate about shooting still life, food, and architecture, and would like to shoot personal projects on film in the future. After he finishes his studies at RMIT, Ardi plans to go back to Indonesia and assist professional food photographers to gain experience and continue his education. His ultimate goal is to open his own studio and to shoot food. Ardi has produced a lively folio of extreme food images, playfully titled Ardi’s Lunch.
Ardiya (Ardi) Oetomo +61 452 221 307 ARDIYA8@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/ARDIYAJOE
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Roberto is a scientist turned photographer with a passion for all forms of photography. Having had a long-standing passion for photography, Roberto finally enrolled in the diploma at the age of 30 and hasn’t looked back. Roberto has skills in food, fashion, sport, wedding and portrait photography after studying at RMIT. His dream is to become a Formula One photographer and follow the circuit internationally. Roberto’s final folio delves into the strange, showcasing images which have an oddity to their frame and form, as well as an inherent darkness.
Roberto Pettinau ROBERTO@PETTINAU.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/PETTINAU PETTINAU.COM
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Jade is an emerging photographer who was born in Queensland and grew up in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Jade’s interest in photography emerged in her mid-teens. The birth of her younger sister sparked a specific interest in child and family photography. Her final folio allows her to combine her interest in photographing children in a studio environment with the creativity of using props, sets and styling to provoke questions around children in the media. After completing the diploma, Jade wishes to pursue her newfound interest in family lifestyle photography, sparked by the documentary book that she completed in the first semester.
Jade Saad +61 452 550 218 JADE.SAAD@HOTMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/JADE.SAAD_PHOTOGRAPHY
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Kennardi knew he wanted to be photographer since he was 11 years old, when he first began taking photographs. Ken’s enthusiasm for life extends to his photographic practice and his interests are varied. Research at the age of 13 led him to RMIT, and he has pursued his dream with tenacity ever since. Being able to study in Melbourne has been a dream come true for him. His concept for the final folio explores escapism and the relationship between real and virtual personas. Ken has used his project, AVATARS, to extend his still- and moving-image skills and to explore new technologies to enhance his project. After completing the diploma, Ken plans to continue his studies in the bachelor program at RMIT.
Kennardi Sebastian +61 421 525798 PHOTOGRAPHY@KENNARDI.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/KENNARDI KENNARDI.COM
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Samantha (Sam) grew up in the English countryside and made her first trip to Australia after completing a Foundation Course in Art and Design. Several trips later, she settled in the Dandenong Ranges, south-east of Melbourne. After working in the corporate world for 20 years, Sam decided to follow both her creative side and her heart, and enrolled at RMIT to study photography. Sam is interested in the genres of food, interiors and lifestyle; she loves to capture the detail and beauty in and around us, creating images that are natural, bright, timeless and full of colour. Her final folio is titled Home and explores the elements that make a house a home. Having already taken on several assisting and photographic jobs, Sam is looking forward to continuing these relationships and developing these skills further through assisting, before ultimately working as a freelance photographer.
Samantha (Sam) Stuart +61 438 698 551 HELLO@SAMSTUARTCREATIVE.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/SAMSTUARTCREATIVE SAMSTUARTCREATIVE.COM
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Huong (Teresa) is a photographer with a keen interest in food and wedding photography. She has also developed a huge crush on astrophotography, and combined her photographic passions to create her final folio based around the Mid-Autumn Festival. Her first successful astrophotography shot was of the Lagoon Nebula and Trifid Nebula, which are 4100 light years away inside the constellation Sagittarius. This capture has also marked one of her first steps into astronomy photography. Teresa would like to experiment more and improve her skills in astrophotography.
Huong (Teresa) Truong
+61 452 487 705 INFO@CWCAT.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/CWCATCOM CWCAT.COM
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Sara has been interested in photography for as long as she can remember. From the age of seven, her dream job has been to become a photographer and have her work published in magazines. The course has helped Sara explore a range of photography, with beauty and fashion being her favourites. Sara has also found a love for retouching and is continuing to build her knowledge and skills. After finishing the diploma, Sara hopes to work in the industry, either assisting professionally or beginning a career in retouching.
Sara Wilkosz SARAWILKOSZ@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/SARAWILKOSZ.CO
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Growing up in regional Victoria, Gemma was committed to photography from the get-go, saving her money to purchase a Canon DSLR at 12 years old. After years of taking her camera anywhere and everywhere with her, Gemma chose to leave high school at the end of year 11 to study at RMIT. Since then, she has fallen more in love with the art of photography. Although she is mostly drawn to shooting portraits and fashion, she hopes to explore a range of different photographic genres and styles, while continuing to refine her skills and further her education through assisting after graduating.
Gemma’s final folio, Through Time, is a series of images highlighting the evolution of fashion and home décor over the course of the 20th century. Starting in the 1900s and finishing in the 1990s, the images showcase the classic trends of each era. They explore the way in which world events, such as wars and women’s rights movements, have influenced the trends over the course of 100 years, as well as giving a feeling of nostalgia or an appreciation of times past.
Gemma Wouters +61 498 692 307 GEMMAWOUTERS@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/GEMMAWOUTERSPHOTOGRAPHY
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Qiyuan (Fiona) is an emerging Melbournebased fashion photographer, having developed her interest in photography at high school. She has experience in documentary, beauty, fine art and fashion photography. In her final year of photo imaging at RMIT, Fiona has collaborated with team of makeup artists, designers and professional models to set her on the path of fashion and beauty photography. After finishing the diploma, she plans to keep shooting freelance, as well as furthering her art studies by taking on the Bachelor of Art (Photography).
Qiyuan (Fiona) Xue + 61 405 399 989 FIONAXUE123.A@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/HAONAN_1997_
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Being queer is always reflected in Thanapat’s (Tan’s) works – images created with tenderness, sensitivity and provocation. He is inspired by fashion, pop culture and film. His final project is a magazine presenting the images mainly in monochrome. Madonna, vogueing and queer culture have been used as a vehicle to produce a visual narrative that subverts the heteronormative gaze and queers a vernacular image space. Tan has produced a body of work that expresses his perspective on gender equality and issues of homophobia.
Thanapat (Tan) Yoowang +61 434 834 948 TAN@TANYOOWANG.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/ TANYOOWANG TANYOOWANG.COM
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Jack is a photographer based in Brunswick and operating within the Melbourne performing arts industry. Jack comes from an acting background himself, and studying characters has given him a profound interest in people and who they are when no one else is around. Currently Jack is working on a project exploring images of Australian characters, and the nihilism they experience from living in a place with no tangible culture. He in the process of starting a business that creates promotional content for local theatre-makers.
Jack Zapsalis +61 422 994 958 JACKZAPSALIS@GMAIL.COM
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The Collide Project The Collide project is a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) collaboration between a number of RMIT Vocational Education programs, working together to produce a media and entertainment industry event that is both a music concert and a television program. Running as a series of six events over six production days, it allows students and staff from the Vocational School of Design and Social Context (Media, Art and Communication cluster) work together on a real-world live production event. The event is conducted in the New Academic Street media precinct television studios – broadcast-standard facilities that provide an ideal venue for these six events.
© Gianluca Carretta
‘The Collide project allows us to observe our students at work as they interact with industry professionals, and allows us to supervise and assess their performance in their allocated role. This is workintegrated learning at its best.’ ELENA POPA RMIT SOUND PRODUCTION TEACHER + PROJECT COORDINATOR
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‘Incorporating the Collide project within the Diploma (Produce Media Photo Images) unit is a great opportunity for photography students to collaborate with and document the progressive scheduling of liveproduction performances in an industry environment. As a WIL project, students are assessed on their ability to shoot, record and submit the required images.’ ROB LAWLER PHOTO IMAGING TEACHER
© Katherine Fung
This project allows the production to showcase the university’s industrystandard facilities in the context of a nationally recognised project and includes involvement from a number of industry professionals. These professionals liaise with the students throughout the production, guiding, instructing and giving real-time feedback using current production standards. This showcases the students’ abilities to work in an industry environment. Over more than three years of production, numerous students have made industry contacts through this project that have led to direct placement with facilities such as ABC Television and Bakehouse Studios. At the completion of each shoot, sound production students completed the post-production audio and video, working with professional writing and editing students and interactive digital students to showcase the production to the world. Photo documentation of production was undertaken by students in the photography and photo imaging program. The VE courses involved in the production include: – Music Industry (Sound Production) – Live Production and Technical Services – Photography and Photo Imaging – Screen and Media – Interactive Media – Professional Writing and Editing
© Ashley Ludkin
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Institute of Professional Editors Conference In May 2019, a group of RMIT photo imaging students and professional writing and editing students volunteered at the Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) national editors conference in Melbourne.
The conference attendees were very impressed with the students’ work, and many people commented that it was great to see such a positive social media presence this year.
Held every two years, the conference hosts editors from across Australia as well as from New Zealand. It is an opportunity for those in the profession to network and socialise with their peers, learn from expert editors and hear the latest industry news.
At the closing ceremony, the RMIT students received a special thank you for volunteering their skills. It was a great way to promote the vocational education program and showcase the professionalism of its students.
IPEd was keen to collaborate with RMIT to help boost the conference’s social media presence. Editing students attended a range of conference sessions over two days and live-tweeted the content. People who couldn’t attend the events were able to keep up with discussions by following the hashtag #IPEdConf19.
FELICITY SUTTON PROFESSIONAL WRITING + EDITING STUDENT
RMIT photography students captured images for the IPEd Instagram account and the Editors Victoria newsletter. They attended conference sessions, presentations and social gatherings to capture and promote the event. Collectively, the students were responsible for documenting, editing and distributing images – at times with real-time turnaround – for the conference stakeholders, social media and print media. The students worked together under the guidance of teaching staff: Jessie DiBlasi from photo imaging and Liz Steele from professional writing and editing.
© RMIT Diploma of Photography + Photo Imaging
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Women In Vocational Education and VE Photo Imaging Media Collaboration In the lead-up to the Women in Vocational Education (WVE) conference this year, students from the Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging worked exclusively with female students from the School of Vocational Engineering, Health and Sciences to showcase projects and relevant areas of work to present to their industry networks, experts and academics at the 2019 WVE conference. Focused on showcasing women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the photo imaging students documented current female
© Jack Zapsalis
STEM students at work in laboratories and workshops on the RMIT city campus. The images, presented as part of the conference, helped to provide visual examples of projects and developments happening right now, in this space – further supporting the aims of the conference to provide these women an opportunity to mix and mingle with female industry experts, many of them ex-RMIT students who now work for multinational companies. Together, this project and the WVE conference work to highlight where students can learn more about potential careers and the current job market for women in STEM areas.
© Jack Zapsalis
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Odyssey Literary Festival 2019: Raze / Rekindle The Odyssey Literary Festival is a one-day event produced by students of the RMIT Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing (PWE), designed to establish PWE firmly within the Melbourne literary scene. Each year, the festival aims to entertain, challenge and empower its audience to read widely and well, and to build networks across the reading and writing community. Odyssey is committed to championing the voices of emerging and diverse writers while equipping PWE students with valuable industry skills. The 2019 Odyssey Literary Festival, Raze / Rekindle, confronted endings and beginnings, change and resilience, destruction and renewal. Seeking to raze old structures and rekindle hope, it examined the concept of ‘the end’, the work of sensitivity readers, the responsibilities of writing for a new generation, and asked how climate stories can inspire change. Each year for the festival, photography students work with the Odyssey student organisers to document the day’s events, joining with them to celebrate the accomplishments of this vibrant writing community.
© Gemma Wouters Panel name: Reads Like Teen Spirit (Left to right) Moderator Danielle Binks panellists Alison Evans, Nina Kenwood and Astrid Scholte.
‘It was thrilling to watch the RMIT photography students at work covering the 2019 Odyssey Literary Festival. They made a splendid contribution to the day, navigating a darkened theatre and back-of-house areas to access the best viewpoints of The Capitol without disturbing the audience. Throughout a 10-hour shoot, five photography students took turns to document the day’s events, including audience participation and key portraits – all within a limited time frame. Their good humour and enthusiasm were really appreciated. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew.’ CATHERINE QUINLAN ODYSSEY PHOTOGRAPHY MANAGER + PWE STUDENT
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The Photobook Project For the past five years, students of the RMIT Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging have produced photojournalism books in collaboration with students from the Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing (PWE). This gives students an exciting opportunity to work as a cross-disciplinary team. Each photography student creates a narrative photo essay in the style of the 1950s Life magazine. Taking on the roles of traditional photojournalists, students follow their subjects, making images as unbiased observers and creating a story from what they have documented.
Across a three-month period, the students produce a self-published photobook. This process includes seeking out their subject and following the story, developing the narrative storyline as it unfolds, and making relevant image selections to best convey that story. They also designed their own books, drafting a written introduction and related captions. Bringing everything together, they prepared print-ready files for testing through to their final book. The PWE editors helped to refine the project in various ways, assisting photographers with narrative development and writing as required, and undertaking copyediting and proofreading.
Š Thanapat Yoowang Out in the open is a story of love, sexuality and urban living lifestyle.
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The Photobook Project
© Erin Brown A fellow competitor, whose weekend was cut short due to an engine failure, offers a pair of racing gloves to Andrew so he can continue to race.
‘Working not only collaboratively but across disciplines provides complex challenges for the editing students involved. Creativity, flexibility and patience are crucial. In responding to and supporting each photographer’s vision, the editors deepen their knowledge and understanding of the publishing process and diverse editorial roles.’ STEPHANIE HOLT ADVANCED EDITING TEACHER
‘The Photobook project is a very impressive collaboration between large groups of students from different programs, that is strongly aligned to the RMIT values and ideally places students to be ready for the world of work across a number of professions, practices and partnerships. Sustained successfully over many years, it is a credit to the innovative pedagogies across the VE School of Design and Social Context, exemplified by these two programs and this project.’ PROFESSOR PAUL GOUGH PRO VICE-CHANCELLOR + VICE-PRESIDENT, COLLEGE OF DESIGN AND SOCIAL CONTEXT
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© Maki Levine Bedroom The Label started as a happy accident. Stumbling upon a discarded sewing machine by the side of the road, Grace Easton set up shop in her bedroom and taught herself to sew.
This year, we are also thrilled to announce that the project team received the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Learning and Teaching: Innovation in Vocational Education, along with a Vice-Chancellor Commendation for Distinguished Teaching. The project has been recognised as an outstanding example of a real-world project that demonstrates strength and innovation in learning, and teaching practice that provides a cohesive, collaborative approach to industry-relevant authentic assessment.
‘The collaborative experience for the photography students gives them insight into both the methodology and the approach taken by writers and editors. This complements and refines the learning that takes place within the construction and development of long-form narrative projects. This project provides the real-world experience of self-publishing.’ JESSIE DIBLASI + ROBERT GALE DIPLOMA OF PHOTOGRAPHY + PHOTO IMAGING TEACHERS
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Write it. Shoot it. Show it. Now in its fourth successive year, Write it. Shoot it. Show it. (WiSiSi) is an annual RMIT exhibition of collaborative, crossdisciplinary student work. Showcasing the creative achievements of students from the Vocational School of Design and Social Context, WiSiSi exhibits diverse projects ranging from photojournalism to animation, combining innovative conceptual thinking with sophisticated technical execution. Students of Art, Media and Communication, Fashion, and Architecture and Urban Design celebrated their exceptional accomplishments with their colleagues, academics and the wider creative community of Melbourne, while discovering the enormous range of talent on offer at RMIT.
VM + PI Collab For over a decade now, RMIT’s Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging students have been teaming up with students of visual merchandising to create stunning fashion photography of a professional standard. The visual merchandising students plan and execute styling, while photo imaging students take care of the photography, lighting and post-production.
© Sebastian Kennardi
Photobook Project For the past five years, students from the Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging have joined forces with the Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing to create the Photobook project, a fantastic work of crossdisciplinary photojournalism. Taking inspiration from the golden age of Life magazine, students create a series of narrative photo essays as unbiased observers, closely following their subject and weaving a story together through images.
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Triple Threat Games The Triple Threat Games project, undertaken by the students in the Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media (Interactive Media), brings together three areas of study – interactivity, game design and sound design. Working in teams, students spend several weeks developing concepts and realising and testing their games. The focus is not only on game play and visual appeal, but on the sound design and its appropriateness to the game play.
Animated Shorts Screening Enjoy the best animated shorts by students of the Diploma of Digital Media Technologies and the Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media (Interactive Media). These projects have been created across a range of mediums and techniques. The Post-it note morph animation project gives students the chance to learn the basic principles of animation, creating traditional frame-by-frame animation. The shop window animation introduces students to the concept of combining 2D characters with 3D backgrounds. The one-minute animations created in design studio classes provide a 12-week production timeline, from coming up with a concept to the completion of a very polished piece of work.
© Tamara Thorondor The Wolf and the Moon
The first day of filming Mediation.
Mediation Comprising 18 episodes, Mediation is a web series developed and written by students of the Advanced Diploma of Professional Screenwriting, designed by the visual merchandising students, and shot in RMIT’s state-of-the-art media precinct by students of the Certificate IV in Screen and Media. The series explores various mediation scenarios, where people in a dispute are able to sort out the problem in an informal environment without having to go to court.
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Ballarat International Foto Biennale On Monday 30 September, students and staff made their way to Ballarat for the 2019 International Foto Biennale. Putting aside for a few hours all the pressure and frenzy of end-of-year deadlines, over 30 certificate IV and diploma students arrived bright-eyed and early to the beautiful historic city, to soak up the photographic paradise that Ballarat transforms into every two years. After wandering through Liu Bolin’s larger-than-life exhibition, we were lucky enough to have the legendary Australian photographer Robert Imhoff speak to us. Robert candidly shared a condensed version of his life, his work and his enthusiasm and generously presented students with copies of his book, Imhoff: A Life of Grain and Pixels. Amongst anecdotes and stories of his remarkable professional trajectory and works, and how they came to be, Robert’s words echoed through the walls and rang true as he somehow made three decades of international acclaim in commercial photography and film-making boil down to the importance of finding creativity, freedom and excellence no matter the brief, no matter the confines, and no matter the client. With irreverence and wit, he drove home the message that creative and striking images can be made irrespective of the circumstances or constraints within which
© Jess Reftel Evans
a photographer has to work, and that sometimes they happen precisely because of those constraints. Robert’s talk was a timely and inspiring reminder to many of us, as we were listening to a master of the craft speak at the time of the year when assignment deadlines, reshoots and exhaustion can sometimes overshadow inspiration and passion. Robert’s energetic generosity and willingness to share his insight and wisdom as one of Australia’s most prolific and celebrated photographers was an invaluable experience. ALEJANDRA OLAVARRIA CERTIFICATE IV PHOTOGRAPHY + PHOTO IMAGING STUDENT
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Photo Imaging Styling + Brunswick Fashion Project This joint project with stylists and designers has been running successfully with the diploma students for over 10 years. After great groundwork laid by Eddie Javier, Rob Lawler and Justin Compton, this year Sue Robinson and John Owe-Young, teachers from graphic design and visual merchandising, stepped up to provide and coordinate stylists for an additional collaboration with our certificate IV cohort. In the past year we were also very fortunate to add to this project the incredibly talented fashion designers
from RMIT’s Brunswick campus. The work by Fashion Styling and Textiles teacher Betty Kanzurovski has been invaluable, and her hard work, humour, impeccable sense of style and professionalism have made this collaboration an ongoing success. Covering both semesters and involving hundreds of students, the Brunswick Fashion Project provides real-world experience of how to work in a creative team. It is great practice for students to work to and within team boundaries.
‘The RMIT Brunswick Fashion Project was my first collaborative photoshoot that I had experienced. Being able to collaborate with fashion designers, stylists and models was a great way to expand our skills in photography, as well as our leadership skills. The creative ideas of each collaborative member really come together at the end of the project, resulting in a folio of images that showcases the work of everyone involved. Overall, I found the project to be a wonderful way to get a first-hand experience of working with a creative team.’ CERTIFICATE IV PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENT: ALEX SALEM BRUNSWICK FASHION DESIGNER: JOCELYN LAUW STYLIST: SHANIA PETERS MODEL: PROSPER GOZHO
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Photo Imaging Styling + Brunswick Fashion Project
This year one of the students, Gianluca Carretta, had his fashion work chosen for the blog of Broncolor, the world’s leading photographic lighting manufacturer. Gianluca’s work was featured on the Broncolor website along with a short article about RMIT Photo Imaging. A great honour. Much of the work from this project has become folio work for the students, and formed the building blocks of creative teamwork and friendships that extend well beyond the end of the course and into the students’ careers. GUY LITTLE TEACHER, RMIT CERTIFICATE IV PHOTOGRAPHY + PHOTO IMAGING
© Gianluca Carretta
‘The RMIT Brunswick Fashion Project gave me an opportunity to work collaboratively with a designer whose work I admired. The designer, Denise Hughes, said that she was influenced by Japanese fashions. I was interested in showing the design and detail of the garments through my photography. Denise provided several textile pieces that she made in a previous course at RMIT, and these lovely pieces were used to style the images that I made. Finding a model whose looks were consistent with the design concept was a key part of the project for me. I learned a lot about managing a complex task by collaborating with students from other disciplines. Thank you so much to my photography assistants, Alex Salem, Emily Tomada and Gianluca Carretta.’ CERTIFICATE IV PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENT: CHRISTINE DENNIS BRUNSWICK FASHION DESIGNER: DENISE HUGHES MODEL: FIONA DU
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‘One of the most valuable experiences I’ve had in the Photo Imaging VE program is the strong focus on preparing us students for industry training. Through that focus we were paired with students from the visual merchandising department to answer a brief mimicking industry requirements. Through our partnership, I gained knowledge of what to expect from the real working world of photography – something that would not have happened if it weren’t for my studies at RMIT.’
‘Students work together on the planning of the shoots, with visual merchandising students taking care of all the styling aspects while the photo imaging students manage the photography, lighting and post-production of the images. This joint venture has enabled the visual merchandising students to obtain an exceptional image for their folios. It also enables the students in each of the programs to focus on their own discipline, while learning about the other through observation and conversation.’
IGOR HILL DIPLOMA PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENT
JUSTIN COMPTON VISUAL MERCHANDISING TEACHER
© Jovita Gotama
© Sheridan Rothwell
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Student + Alumni Awards Current Students Gianluca Carretta
2019 Mono Awards – Commended 2019 Australian Professional Photography Awards (Commercial) – Silver + Silver with Distinction 2019 Epson Professional Photography Awards (Illustrative) – Silver + Silver with Distinction
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Alejandra Olavarria
The Usual Stop 2018 Victorian Archives Gallery ‘Moving Melbourne’ – Finalist
Kennardi Sebastian
True to Self 2019 Australian Photography Magazine People’s Choice: September ‘What matters to me’ – Finalist
Ashley Ludkin
2019 Sun Studios Emerging Photographer (Landscape and Architecture) – Finalist
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Student + Alumni Awards
Current Students
Alexander Salem
2019 Australian Professional Photography Awards (Commercial) – Silver x 2 2019 Epson Professional Photography Awards (Illustrative) – Silver with Distinction
Roberto Pettinau
2019 VAC Gallery ‘In the shadows’ – Finalist
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Alumni
Nicole Squelch Dani Watson
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Student category) – 4th Place 2019 Australian Photography Magazine – Photo of The Year – Top 50
Wynona Stock
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Editorial and Fashion category) – 3rd Place
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Editorial and Fashion category) – 2nd Place
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Student + Alumni Awards
Alumni
Bianca Murphy
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Student category) – 7th Place 2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Editorial and Fashion category) – 9th Place
Courtney Blythe
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Student category) – 2nd Place
Shuran Yang
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Student category) – 9th Place
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Dafina Trifunoski
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Student category) – 12th Place
Ruby Ryan
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Student category) – 12th Place
Cecilia Baker
2019 Capture Magazine Australian Emerging Photographer of the Year (Art category) – 3rd Place
Adrian Grasso
2019 Sun Studios Emerging Photographer (Lifestyle and Commercial) – Finalist Photographer: Adrian Grasso Stylist: Ray Chaisiwamongkhon
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Graduate Profiles Dani Watson (GRADUATED 2018)
Dani graduated from RMIT’s Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging in 2018. While studying at RMIT, she made the most of all the opportunities students were offered – not just access to the high-quality facilities, but forming industry experience in multiple fields and taking full advantage of working with the vocational education (VE) department on a variety of projects. The experience and access to these projects as a student has led Dani to a number of opportunities and life-changing experiences this past year. Since graduation, she has been immersed in all aspects of the photographic industry. Dani’s interest in photography is varied, but she is currently working in the documentary, landscape, aerial photography and travel industry. The importance of the RMIT alumni and VE department is something that Dani had underestimated until this year. Since graduating, she has been able to call on students and lecturers for help, guidance and advice, which has been essential in helping her transition into life as a working professional in the photographic industry, particularly while working interstate. The diploma pushed Dani to think outside the square, giving her a new level of confidence to work in education and establish partnerships with photographic companies in the industry.
In February 2019, Dani moved to Sydney to take the next step in her career in landscape and travel photography – working with Australian landscape photographer Ken Duncan and the Walk A While foundation, continuing her RMIT folio Instafame, and juggling her own personal projects, including the awardwinning Land of Elemental Beauty. Dani plans to continue on the path of landscape and aerial photography and work with the Walk A While foundation in central Australia, teaching photography in remote Indigenous communities. INSTAGRAM.COM/STAR.PHOTOGRAPHY.AU DANIELLEWATSON.COM.AU
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Aleksandar Jason (GRADUATED 2012)
Since 2012, Alek has established himself as a photographer with a broad range of skills and growing client list. Commercial work is an amazing part of Alek’s life. As a photographer in today’s generation using social media, he has created campaign work for clients such as Mini, Oakley, Subaru and Target, along with sports brands including Nike, Puma and Under Armour. Since 2015, Alek has also been the official club photographer for A-League football club Melbourne City (MCFC), travelling across Australia and documenting the club’s history. Wedding photography was something Alek never planned; his first wedding was featured online, and it all took off with a bang! With a growing Instagram following, Alek continues to travel the world and collaborate with clients in Spain, England and Japan. Alek credits RMIT with teaching students how to maintain a level-headed approach when dealing with their clients. The experience of studying the diploma gave him the opportunity to meet and learn with like-minded, creative friends and peers. The teachers taught more than photography: everything from business and tax to how to communicate with potential clients. The program was flexible and gave Alek enough time to grow outside of school hours. Having access to all the lenses, cameras – and, of
course, studio space – will never be forgotten but always missed! Combining his commercial, wedding and travel work is largely thanks to social media. Currently, Alek is focusing on a range of global projects. Recently he has wrapped up an Australian campaign for Nike’s Touch of Class, featuring some of the best AFL and WAFL athletes. Alek is in his fifth year with the MCFC, whose 2019/20 season campaign has been painted on walls across Richmond. Campaigns in the works include Watch Me for the upcoming 20/20 and women’s cricket season. Keep an eye out for many more campaigns! ALEKSANDARJK@GMAIL.COM INSTAGRAM.COM/ALEKSANDARJASON INSTAGRAM.COM/ THATFOOTBALLPHOTOG ALEKSANDARJASON.COM
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Graduate Profiles
Kerry Pryor (GRADUATED 2008)
After graduating from the RMIT Diploma of Applied Photography in 2008, Kerry started her own freelance photography business working in a variety of disciplines shooting portraits, products, annual reports, and events. Her ability to associate with people in a variety of situations, her love of storytelling and her gentle personality have seen her personal work and style really come into their own in her documentary collections that have been exhibited internationally. Kerry’s love of documentary photography has seen her continuing to work in the field while running a commercial freelance photography business. She travels regularly to Ethiopia, Nepal and Kenya on assignment for Eyes for Africa and Beyond the Orphanage, and other local
NGOs. Her talent for connecting with people has brought Kerry into some of the most humbling and hair-raising situations in life, both of which are brought to the frame with ease, flair and dignity. Natural care, patience, and an ability to connect with her subject are part of Kerry’s signature style. In September 2018 Kerry moved to Nepal, spending 10 months working on projects that she has been documenting over several years. Her first trip to Nepal was just a month after the earthquake in 2015, and she has made several visits since then to work on a variety of projects. In June 2019, Kerry was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to photography and to international charitable initiatives. +61 438 428 676 KERRYPRYOR@BIGPOND.COM KERRYPRYOR.COM.AU
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Penny Koukoulas (GRADUATED 2001)
Penny picked up a camera for the first time when she was only seven. It was her grandfather’s camera, a Kodak 210, and she used it to photograph animals at the zoo. Her passion for nature and for capturing this world and its inhabitants in vivid colour has taken her around the world and across Australia. Graduating with a Diploma of Applied Photography from RMIT in 2001, Penny was soon working in Vancouver, Canada, as a photographic assistant. When she returned to Australia, Penny processed high-end commercial images for some of Melbourne’s top photographers at Lab X in St Kilda.
With over 20 years of experience shooting food, lifestyle, travel, flora and fauna, Penny also turned her attention to sharing her knowledge and passion for the industry through running photography courses and travel and night photography workshops in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra. In 2009, Penny had an exhibition at 45 Downstairs focusing on the plight of dogs at The Lost Dogs Home in Melbourne. Her most recent travel expeditions have taken her to Cuba, Laos, Cambodia, Spain and Canada. While running her business for the last 15 years, Penny has continued to develop a diverse portfolio of work from a life truly lived in colour. INSTAGRAM.COM/ PENNYKOUKOULASPHOTOGRAPHY PENNYKOUKOULAS.COM
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Study Photography + Photo Imaging at RMIT VE (Vocational Education) The Certificate IV and Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging are one-year, full-time programs. This is a hands-on practical and contemporary program with a strong commercial and industry focus, where you can build a career in professional photography. The program is widely regarded by the industry as producing some of the highest quality photography graduates in Australia. You will work with professional and committed staff, students and industry professionals to produce a series of folios covering a wide range of disciplines. Graduates from the program are industry ready, and our current students and alumni work in many sectors of the photographic industry as freelance photographers, photographic assistants and digital retouchers, both nationally and internationally. Our teaching staff, alumni and students are continually recognised as finalists and winners of Australia’s leading photographic awards, including the Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers Award, the Olive Cotton Award for photographic portraiture, the Bowness Photography Prize, the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, the Iris Award, Head On Photographic Prize, Aussie Street competition, the National Photographic Portrait Prize, British Journal of Photography Portrait of Britain Award, and the MAMA Photographic Prize.
What will I be studying here in the VE photography program? During the course of your study you will work in varied styles and genres of photography, expanding your ideas, creative vision and technical skills to a very high level. You will develop skills in areas of photography such as advertising, architecture, industrial, portrait, documentary, video, design, business practices, compositing, digital retouching, photojournalism, illustrative, fashion and commercial photography.
Your journey starts in Certificate IV This intensive year of study is designed around hands-on practical skills that build the foundations of a professional photographic practice. These will include image capture (studio and location), digital design and image manipulation, video, high-end print output, and business and photo theory.
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Diploma – the next stage You will continue your studies in the Diploma, where you’ll build on your technical studies in the studio and on location, while producing collaborative long-form projects that include a selfpublished book and a professional folio of work, culminating with a group exhibition. You will graduate with a readiness to join the professional industry in your chosen field.
Learn from professional photographers You will learn directly from teaching staff who are professional photographers and work in a variety of roles within the industry, such as commercial, industrial and advertising photography. You’ll gain insight and first-hand information from people who are immersed in the world of photography.
Industry connections and real-world collaboration Our program works with creative programs within RMIT, both Vocational and Higher Education, and major industry players through established collaborative projects and work experience opportunities. Throughout your studies, you will work on industry-based
collaborative briefs, establish professional networks and develop connections within the local and international creative community.
Study tour Students will have the opportunity to participate in a two-week study tour to southeast Asia, where they will observe and work collaboratively with undergraduate and master design students alongside one of the largest commercial studios in the Asia-Pacific region.
Pathways Graduates can articulate to the Bachelor of Arts (Photography) with advanced standing of one year. Our Certificate IV and Diploma programs are also accredited by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). For further information:
Program Manager Jessie DiBlasi +61 3 9925 3020 jessie.diblasi@rmit.edu.au goo.gl/MKC91x
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Short Courses in Photography at RMIT Learn the art of photography, develop your photographic skills and build a standout portfolio by enrolling in one of our short courses in 2020: Introduction to Photography Level 1: Technical and Aesthetic Introduction to Photography Level 2: Technical and Aesthetic People and Portrait Contemporary Travel Photography Food Photography Photojournalism Adobe Photoshop Introduction Artist Books Lightroom for Beginners Photoshop for Photography: Introduction Photoshop for Photography: Advanced Styling for food photography: Level 1 Courses are scheduled regularly throughout the year. Also keep an eye on our website for new photography courses in 2020. For further information and enrolments, please call +61 3 9925 8111 or visit shortcourses.rmit.edu.au.
TEACHER PROFILE – DEBORAH DORMAN INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY AND PEOPLE AND PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
Deborah Dorman is a qualified professional photographer with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. She loves sharing the joy of photography with others, and has a skill for explaining the complex in a way that is easy to understand. Deborah established Wild Honey Photography, a successful portrait, wedding and event photography business, in Queensland in 1998. She moved to Melbourne in 2010 and began teaching photography at RMIT. You’ll find Deborah teaching Introduction to Photography Level 1 and 2, as well as the People and Portrait short courses. Deborah also runs photography travel tours and regularly exhibits her fine-art photography, with images in both public and private collections. WILDHONEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM.AU
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Short Course Student Work
Jeremy Wong (People and Portrait)
Irene Tan (Introduction to Photography Level 2)
Sally Paterson (Introduction to Photography Level 1)
Raphael Owen (Introduction to Photography Level 1)
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Thank You The graduating students would like to offer their thanks and appreciation for the support and assistance of many different people, both throughout the two years of our studies and during the last months in making this exhibition possible.
HMUAs
Robyn Ashley Rianna Arhontissas Stefania Di Lella Sharni Chandler Bron Morris Alexandra Anna Tiffany Kiong Rianna Arhontissas Sarah Meilak Kimberley Hansen Tetyana Matyukhina Ashleigh Masters Jessica Ellyse Smith Alexandra Cox Natasha Felicite Emily Warren Georgie Pell Alanah Ellen Brand Fran Santa Cruz Fiona Xue Stefania Dilella
Models + Agencies
Nietta Frances Shajuty Islam Victoria Carrier Desi Day Kaysea Hayes Melody Lam Emily Coatman Jessica Tulic Tia Maher Ellie Newton Jessie Su Pixie Mcelroy Chelsea Evans Darcie Keil Patrick Kenna Diana Benjamin Johnson Eng Venny Liang Sam Toyi Georgia Doslov Angelica Santini Yakubu Daffi Tony Nguyen Pacome Parent Jack Birdseye Bingbo Wang Marlon Ribeiro Moro
Felippe Canale James Bade Ruben Majok Justin Hwang Timothy Jagger Josh Elton Patrick Kenna Luke Buckland Lan Yee Laurie Delmore Jen Guillen Nuii Pannipa Maneedam Dian Indira Clayton Michael Casimir Oliver Kiymaz Chantapat Thirawat Tabatha Graham Demi Djemal Shordy Marley (Esset Kahsay) The Dhammakaya Foundation Luang Por Dhammajayo Phrarajbhavanajahn (Luang Por Dattajivo) Wat Phra Dhammakaya Melbourne Venerable Ronrawee Rawipphapo
Wat Phra Dhammakaya Western Australia Phrakrusamu Tawee Sukhito Pramaha Choopong Dhammiko Claudia Bodnar
Assistants
Sara Wilkosz Gianluca Carretta Emily Tomada Alexander Salem Emma CunardNaramos Bo Pang Harris Zervakis Mark Basmadji Gianluca Carretta Alex Salem Chao Bi Jared Kyatchi Ardiya Oetomo Daniel Mallia Mark Anton Liu Yuwei Thanapat Yoowang Katherine Fung Fiona Xue Ardira Oetomo
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Mary-Ellen Lane Chien-Yu Liu Jade Saad
Stylists/Designers Diba Aanafcheh Yee Wey Lee Kimberly Koelyn Marina Bassett Bethany Puckridge Lucy Caney
Editors
Felicity Sutton Liz Robinson-Griffith Jessie Roder Xanthea O’Connor Alex Croft Sidney Dobson Kongngeune Dedphakhoun Wichita Triwichien Karawee Chokkunawattana Dr. Murat Kiymaz
ADEAL Peter Iorlano Matthew Harper KAYELL Robert Gatto Scott Squires Michael Marlborough EPSON Bruce Williams CPL DIGITAL Bryan Gracey Darren Rokkor BLUE TREE STUDIOS Joseph Feil Saville Coble
NIKON Julie Kimpton Tony Steele Melissa O’Brien FUJI Kevin Cooper IMPACT DIGITAL Heath Nankervis Stuart Smith BAMBRA PRESS Sean Egan SPECULAR Rory Shinners Michael Griffiths
HELL STUDIOS
PHASE ONE DENMARK Peter Marshall
RUFUS & COOPER
PROFOTO SWEDEN
WELLCOM WORLDWIDE
AIPP Randal Armstrong
MICHAELS Peter Michael Cameron Levett Matt Gee Tom Kinkel Tony Menz
HIROYOSHI NAGAMI CAMERA REPAIRS
TED’S Teresa Marino Andrew Nunns
OURS CREATIVE STUDIO AND SPACE Sean Hastings
BRONCOLOR Michel Caillet Urs Recher
BORGE’S IMAGING Borge Anderson Frances Sergi
C.R KENNEDY & COMPANY Damon Rulach
CANON Paul Stewart Mia McKenzie Alessia Calvi Kim Noakes Nada Naim
THE BROWNBILL EFFECT Sally Brownbill
HEARTFELT Gavin Blue Adrienne Gilligan
Industry Thanks SUNSTUDIOS Andrew Miller Michelle Tuddenham Rob Goldie
MONSTER + BEAR STUDIOS Kayzar Bhathawalla
RSL Jessica Antcliff
David Amos Emma Woods Dr Michael Coyne Rob Imhoff Sheran Azmi David Johns Greg Desiatov Jacqueline DiBlasi Mike Bannenberg Paul Gough Ken Duncan Kim Tonelli Darren Sylvester Sheryl Thai Donna Blackwood
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Acknowledgements The 2019 RMIT Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging End of Year Exhibition celebrates the passion and creative endeavours of the students. The staff acknowledge the hard work and dedication of each student across their chosen discipline. Congratulations to all of you! Thanks to the photo imaging team for their commitment and continued support to vocational education: Keren Dobia, Deborah Dorman, Jessie DiBlasi, Rob Gale, Kate Inabinet, Eddie Javier, Rob Lawler, Guy Little, Arrayah Loynd, Kirsty Macafee, Peter McDonald, Lisetta Moscardo, Lucia Ondrusova, Martin Reftel, Krystal Seigerman, Tim Turner and Craig Wetjen. We thank them for their great support across both years. Sincere thanks for the valued contributions of our industry advisory committee, and to all the guest speakers, industry practitioners and alumni who generously gave their time and shared their stories and experiences with our students. We also extend our thanks to the organisations and sponsors who foster and support the students throughout their studies and beyond. For the continued support and encouragement of the collaborative projects within photography and photo imaging, we would like to thank Sam Falanga, Justin Compton (visual merchandising), Associate Dean Lliam Freeman, Penny Johnson and Stephanie Holt (professional writing and editing), John Phillips (sound production), Rebekha Naim and Rowan Humphrey. We also thank the team at The Capitol, including Alison Leach, Ghita Loebenstein and Darren Brown. For their wonderful ongoing support and assistance, we offer our sincerest thanks to Judy McGannon, Paul Gough, Dean Brooks, and the Dean of the School of Vocational Design and Social Context, Glenn Blair. We also make special mention of the photography and photo imaging technical support team, including Jason Wade and Gabriel Nilsen, James Maher, Faiza Rezai, Pablo Vasconcelos Becerra, Jessica Curry, Rob Harding, Olivia Tran, Cecilia Baker and Felix Trinh – thank you all. And last, but certainly not least, thanks to the entire RMIT administration and support team from the School of Vocational Design and Social Context (Media, Art and Communication), with special thanks to Winnie Lau and Fiona Clark. PROJECT MANAGER Jessie DiBlasi PRODUCED BY Emma Woods
COPY EDITOR Felicity Sutton
Sponsors Principal Sponsors
Sponsors + Support
RMIT Diploma of Photography + Photo Imaging 2019 End of Year Exhibition RMIT VE Photography Studios Building 94, Level 4 23–27 Cardigan St Carlton VIC 3053 14 November – 29 November 2019 OPENING NIGHT Thursday 14 November 2019, 6pm – 8pm OPENING HOURS Mon – Fri 10am – 4pm Sat 11am – 4pm
ISSUU.COM/RMITPHOTOIMAGING INSTAGRAM.COM/RMITPHOTOGRAPHY