who's stage?

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Wednesday, October 13, 2010 | 5 photos

“Taking photos from this perspective involves a physicality; a connection between the cause and the effect. The performance then becomes a vehicle to record expressions of emotion and energy”

- Ross Waterman talks to Ashley Crawford, Watermans Passion, ‘Photofile’, August- November 2010, issue 90, p.42.

These photos were all taken at the Falls Festival in 2009, a three day music and arts event which takes place over new years at Marion Bay, Tasmania.

There are so many elements that make up a festival. It becomes as much about the festival atmosphere and the punters it as the bands and music. Although I was there to take photos of the bands, I found the crowd and punters the more interesting subject. They became the performers creating a stage of their own, the bands taking their energy from the crowd to create their show. There is a push and pull, and apart yet together feel. I enjoy turning my back on the obvious in favour what’s going on behind the scenes, in the background or around the corner and looking a little beyond the obvious to take my photographs.

I admire how a great photojournalist can tell a whole story simply through images with little or no words. The challenge I admire in photojournalism is how one photograph can capture a moment or expression so poignantly, but how a great photojournalist must be able to perpetuate this moment with a series of images to formulate a cohesive narrative. The success of this is evident of the good connection or knowledge the photographer has built up with the subject or the place. I wish to improve my skills in these areas and believe this opportunity to learn hands on from a professional in a challenging environment would be incredibly beneficial to my photographic development.