The Colours of Ku-ring-gai

The Colours of Ku-ring-gai

Australia | Monday, November 7, 2011 | 5 photos

Even before hearing about this scholarship, I was intending my next trip to be to Africa. With so many unique cultures, landscapes and history, I am drawn to the potential I see in the continent.

I feel I am different from most people my age, as all the money that I earn I put towards travel and improving my photographic skills. I wish that I had bought a DSLR before I went on my gap year, as many of the places I visited deserved so much more than a point and shoot.

I think I should win because both travelling AND photography hold a special place in my heart, neither of which I seem to lose any love for the more I do them. It is serendipitous that they both go so effortlessly hand in hand; and when I do get to go travelling, I get the opportunity to more deeply explore the culture by seeking intimate and unfamiliar moments. I spend many hours a week browsing the internet and my University library in an attempt to constantly immerse myself in new techniques and discover new photographers and their styles; I can’t get enough of it.

I believe that this scholarship is the perfect opportunity for me to learn the art of seeing beyond the lens by learning from a master. An image can often reveal so much more about a place, a person, or a culture than a simple photograph. Technique is essential, but one needs to train the eye to see the unseen.

For me, taking photos is the highlight of my day. I relish waking early for a sunrise over the ocean, capturing the perfect portrait, or being amazed by the intricacies of life through macro. It’s what I live for.