My Myanmar

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Monday, October 3, 2011 | 5 photos

I am a 21 year old communications and international studies student at UTS. Photography was never a dream I thought I would pursue, however when my dad bought me a Nikon d3000 for my second 3 month trip through South East Asia I became obsessed. Nat Geo has always inspired me, and historic photographs such as Steve McCurry's 'Afghan Girl' have motivated me to get as far out of my comfort zone as possible and see the world. I want to be the photographer inspiring others to cast aside their fears and explore the world. In particular my trip through Myanmar at the beginning of 2011 changed my perspective on life completely. Surprisingly this was especially true with the old capital of Yangon. Although most tourists see Yangon as stopover, I saw it as something else. My heart broke to see the conditions in which the locals are forced to live by the corrupt government, whilst simultaneously I felt a sense of hope to see smiles on their faces. I tried to record our interactions with my camera, and I hope I have conveyed the personal, and profound effect these small interchanges have had on me. In my opinion, a photographers job is to record emotion and mood. To allow someone to dive into a world they never new existed whilst sitting at their desk, and feel the intensity of the moment. This competition means I will really experience the profession in which i want to make a career, yet regardless of my success in this endeavour know that eventually I will succeed.