Posts Tagged ‘Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE’
‘Our Home on the Range’ exhibition @ QCP
Maurice Ortega opens the QCP Exhibition – November 30, 2013 … PHOTO: Doug Spowart
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DOUG CURATES QCP STUDENT EXHIBITION: “Our Home on the Range”
Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE Certificate IV in Photoimaging students recently presented their work in Brisbane as part of the Queensland Centre for Photography’s Undergraduate Bridging Program. The images in the series “Our Home on the Range” are indicative of the intention for the program to allow students to develop both creative and personal directions in their studies. Throughout 2013 the exhibiting photographers have worked with teachers Alison Ahlhaus, Sheryleigh Burns, Bev Lacey, Rachel Susa and Doug Spowart. The exhibition was curated by Doug Spowart.
The QCP Undergraduate Photo Media Bridging Program profiles the work of emerging artists who are currently studying photo media at an Australian higher learning institution. The program provides a bridge between higher learning institutions, students and the QCP, providing an insight into work currently being produced by undergraduates recognising the outstanding cultural investment made by institutions and lecturers across Australia.
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The Our Home on the Range exhibition @ QCP ….PHOTO: Doug Spowart
A ‘selfie’ with Kirsten Butters and her work ….PHOTO: Doug Spowart
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Here is a gallery of the Our Home on the Range photographs …
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Jesse – Rawr Vanity by Kirsten Butters
The Colours of Light by Craig Seibel
St Petersburg by Carolyn Johnson
A chemistry experiment by Perri Hammond
Rest in Pieces by Anna Schwenke
The Planet of Garden by Linsey Walker
Shoot ‘Em Up by Rhianen Dodd
The colours of tranquiity by Sandra McEwan
A Lone Man by Riry Foran
Kirsten showing work to Rock+Roll photographer and publisher Dane Beesley ….PHOTO: Doug Spowart
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Toowoomba’s Mail Story about the exhibition
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QCP Logo
Thank you to the Queensland Centre for Photography for the support to these emerging photographers.
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QCP Director Maurice Ortega and Deputy Camilla Birkeland at the opening
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Copyright in the photographs remains with the the photographers.
PRESS THIS!!! Peter Wallis – Press Photographer
Peter Wallis with Vicky + Doug in Toowoomba (iPhone image)
We had a call today from Peter Wallis today to say he was in town and wanted to have yarn. Peter was a photography student of mine at Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE in the mid 1990s. For quite a while he has been one of the main shooters for Brisbane’s Courier Mail newspaper—mainly specialising in sports. As we sat sipping coffee Peter cradled in his hands an advanced production model from a well-known DSLR manufacturer that was being trialled by the newspaper. That seemed fitting as Peter always had a fetish for the latest and best camera technologies.
Peter Wallis was one of those people who truly loved photography and was a lot of fun in classroom and darkroom. One day he found our Canon 50~350mm zoom (white lens) and probably had it on permanent loan for most of the second year of his associate diploma studies. The lens went to the Birdsville races, to sporting events and places I daren’t ask about. His end of study folio was an impressive generalist photographer with a strong bias to media photojournalism.
On graduating from TAFE Peter fell into newspaper photography in the regional papers in towns like Bundaberg and Gladstone. His break came in the early 2000s when he was shortlisted for a position at the Courier. He and his fellow shortlisted applicant had to work at the paper for a few days to show how they would handle the job. At the end of their trial they were interviewed by the Pictorial Editor—they were both asked what they considered was their BEST picture. Apparently the other candidate pointed out their best shot from the folio laid out on the table—Peter was to tell me later that he’d remembered something I had spoken about during his study years, about the idea of thinking that the BEST picture ‘is the next one I’m going to take!’ He felt that way about his work and used that statement and got the job.
In the nine years since Peter has amassed a significant body of work in the newspaper genre as well as undertaken personal projects in India and Nepal. He is currently documenting the Brisbane Firebirds basketball team. In our conversation we discussed aspects of his industry over his 15 years or practice. He commented, ‘My first newspaper had a darkroom, then we shot colour film, processed it and scanned the images, and then finally we were presented with digital cameras.’
Firebird Shannon Eagland Photo: Peter Wallis
Firebird Elissa Maclead Photo: Peter Wallis
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He continues commenting on how the picture got to the back to the paper. Film was straight forward as its physical nature meant that you travelled with it and lovingly processed it. Instant digital capture led to instant transmission. ‘We used to send our images back to the Courier Mail via a satellite dish, then laptop and phone—recently I travelled with Bligh on the election and didn’t even open a laptop. Sent everything back via an iPad. And now we shoot DSLR video and send that back as well’.
A grab shot – On the hustings with Bligh and Newman Photo: Peter Wallis
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We spoke of concerns for the newspaper industry and the current challenge for the on-line 24-hour update and how images are syndicated through agencies like Getty. Peter has concerns about the future—but right now he’s living the dream that most photographers have that have a love of the challenge of being told by the editor to ‘go here … see the man … and make a bloody great image that I can publish’.
Sporting shadows Photos: Peter Wallis
Open any Courier Mail or Sunday Mail and on most days you’ll see a Peter Wallis picture and most probably it will be an amazing sporting peak action image or an editorial styled image with some kind of visual twist that captures your attention. As mentioned earlier most newspapers today are struggling to maintain print readership and their attempt to transition to online subscription is forcing a hybrid text, still image and video presentation. At this time Peter’s ability to conceptualise and create visually interesting images on the fly is as valuable as ever and stridently makes the claim that photos made by photographers are as important as ever in telling a news story in a moment, on the page, or … on the screen.
Doug Spowart
http://peterwallisphotographer.blogspot.com.au
Pater Wallis with elephant
GLEN O’MALLEY visits Toowoomba April 12+13, 2011
Significant Queensland documentary photographer Glen O’Malley visited Toowoomba over the last few days to catch up with old friends and acquaintances. On the evening of April 12 he made a presentation and showed recent work to students from the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE.
Glen is one of Queensland’s great photography characters. Well known for his street documentary photographs which go back to the earliest days of ‘art photography’ – his first solo exhibition was held in 1975. Coming from way up north, near Babinda, Glen has for years been a master of traditional black and white. In recent years he has ‘crossed over’ to the digital and that has opened up a whole new vision for him – one that is very coloured. Originally trained as an artist Glen considers his ‘colourist’ background has re-emerged in his digital capture.
Another aspect to the O’Malley style is that he is a surrealist. Images in recent exhibitions ‘Hotplate Heaven’ and the ‘Pet Show’ feature prosaic home environments which are inhabited by ordinary looking people who do the most bizzare things. His latest work for a new show at the Queensland Centre for Photography in June. The exhibition is entitled ‘What a night!’ and features not only his own work but also images by Kellie White.
Students viewing Glen and Kellie’s works
Glen and Kellie’s work feature images made at night or dusk with flash or torch work illuminating the subject. Technique is one thing but the images are something else – they are, as you might expect, surreal but there is more! The images appear as spontaneous, serendipitous and intuitive moments. Intrigue and mystery are embedded in each image and do demand intense and prolonged viewing
Glen frames his point
Some of Kellie’s images
Some of Glen’s work
Written by Doug Spowart
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