las aventuras de Andrea

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Guatemala | Monday, November 7, 2011 | 5 photos

I am passionate about other cultures and social concerns. Photography is an excellent tool for exploring these themes and a way of educating others about them. I love telling stories through photography and how it can bring faraway worlds and the lives of distant cultures into the lounge rooms of every day people. Photography more than any other medium creates a sense of connection between the viewer and the subject. This connection engages the viewer and can lead to them feeling connected on an emotional level. This is what drives me to take a better shot. People may stop because they see a photograph they like, stay and read the accompanying text or more into the image and leave being enriched with knowledge they didn’t previously have.

The National Geographic is at the forefront of story telling photography. Jason Edwards is a leader in the field. I feel the scholarship would be an amazing opportunity to learn from a professional, not just about photographic technique but also what it is really like to be on assignment, the relationships between the photographer and subjects, and other people with whom they interact and the length to which the photographer needs to go to get the image they want.

I have recently completed honours in photography at RMIT University in Melbourne. My major project was based on the experiences of former refugees and recent migrants living in Melbourne. My long-term goal is to use photography to raise awareness of social, cultural and environmental issues around the world. I would also like to work along side NGOs to help promote the contributions their organisations make. I feel the scholarship would be a great advantage and step into the industry providing a unique opportunity to gain experience through a world renowned organisation.