Colours of the Eastern Sector

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Hungary | Sunday, October 17, 2010 | 5 photos

My photographic series, 'colours of the eastern sector' was born in the hope of conveying the beauty and tenacity of Hungary. It is a land that has seen much hardship and tragedy, yet remains strong in the hope of a better day. Even when every street corner bears the reminder soviet occupation, the people of Hungary continue to smile and flourish. I am proud to call this place my home.

My parents and I left Hungary in the year 2000 when I was eleven years old and moved to sunny South Australia. It was ten years later that I returned, and documented with eyes wide open. I was astounded by the things I saw. It felt like the whole world had moved forward, but left Hungary behind.

When I visited my grandmother Etelka in her home in a village called Orosháza, I was amazed by her strength and quiet wisdom. She has run the farm by herself for over 25 years, and supplemented her income by selling eggs at her local market. Every day I was with her, she would tell me that without having a passion for what you do, and without love in your heart, nothing matters.

This is the reason I am entering this competition. To further my passion for photography and for documenting the world around me. It is hard to find words to describe how grateful I would be for this opportunity to travel, to grow and flourish with the help of the National Geographic and mister Jason Edwards. I am passionate, hard-working and enthusiastic. In my experience, the true spirit of travel lies in the connections you make with the people you meet. Not the monuments and fancy architecture. I have forgotten the names of a lot of places I have been to, but never the faces of those I've had the pleasure of meeting and learning from. If I were lucky enough to be chosen, I would be truly humbled by your faith in me and work my absolute hardest!