Photography Studies College - Blog

Over 80 artists are donating their artwork to support the victims of Australia's ongoing bushfire crisis at the art fundraiser 'Small Mercies' from 20-23 February 2020. PSC's Master Of Arts - Photography Course Convenor Dr. Kristian Häggblom, Graduates Darren Tanny Tan and Nathan Larkin, and MA Mentors Siri Hayes and Jessie Boylan are contributing work. All of them briefly share their stories on how the fires affected their friends and family, why it's important for the local arts community to come together as a collective to galvanise action to aid the recovery process, and how an art fundraiser like this can be cathartic for the artists and public.

The huge task of Coordinating the exhibition has been undertaken by artists Tara Gilbee and is supported by Creative Spaces, which is a program of Creative City at the City of Melbourne.

'Small Mercies' opens this Thursday 20 February at 6pm in West Melbourne.

Instead of sticking it out in a field he no longer felt passionate about, PSC's Bachelor of Photography student, Erhan Tirli, didn't waste any time starting his degree. After a double degree in psychology and eight months working as a social worker, Erhan realised his career was way off track. This was the catalyst for making big life changes. Read about how he's finally turning his passion for photography, which started as a child, into his future profession.

PSC student Ahmad Sabra arrived in Australia from Lebanon when he was 12-years-old. His mother is ethnically Kurdish and his father is from Syria. Growing up in Melbourne, Arab-Australian Muslim Ahmad says he's had to prove his loyalty to Australia in order to be accepted by society. His current Master of Arts – Photography research project explores Islamophobia through a multimedia exhibition that features his series 'Creeping Caravans' – topographic photographs of Kebab caravans across Melbourne's northern and western suburbs. 

Read about Ahmad's work that highlights the absurdity of claims made against Muslim Australians, why he decided to do his MA at PSC, and his current major exhibition 'Invisible Frontiers' at Broadmeadows Town-Hall. 

PSC's Part Time Advanced Diploma student Lou Chen over the span of one year has documented the visual artists from Artist's Studio 106 in St. Kilda. She has captured their lives and work on film and photographs. Read about Lou's work, her collaboration with and grant from the City Of Port Phillip for the upcoming group exhibition, and the amazing local artists she has chronicled and will be exhibiting with.

Lou's group exhibition 'Chronicle 106 - Louise Chen and Studio 106 Artists' will open at The Carlisle Street Arts Space at St. Kilda Town Hall on 6 February from 6-8pm.

PSC's Bachelor of Photography graduate Whitney Arlana moved to South Korea in 2018. Once there, she soon learned about South Korea's illegal sex cam racket. Sexual predators place tiny cameras in toilets or changing rooms to record women in their most private moments. These videos are then streamed online for big money. 

In her photography exhibition 'The Screw of a Door's Latch', Whitney chooses to explore the psychological ramifications of these digital sex crimes on women and their daily lives. It's a timely topic, as the country's first spy-cam related suicide was reported in September last year. 

Whitney talks about her own experience, the solidarity of women in a society that appears to dismiss their palpable fear as irrational or an overreaction. She also explains the process behind her almost forensic style work – highlighting the insidious nature of this epidemic, and how it can slowly push potential victims to breaking point.

Whitney's show opens at Seventh Gallery on 5 February at 6pm.

PSC's graduate Jo Duck's career is on a roll. After graduating over 12 years ago, she is making a name for herself in the international fashion photography industry and art world. Currently, Jo photographs young up-and-coming actors, models and luxury fashion including clothing by Gucci and Prada. In addition, her images have been published in fashion's most elite magazines such as Harper's Bazaar and GQ. Not to mention, she's photographed advertising campaigns for the likes of Bonds and worked in London, New York, and L.A.

Jo keeps it real and talks about being rejected by magazines and how she stays driven. She also gives us insights into how to get work in the industry, photographing high-end fashion, and sustaining a meaningful and rewarding career doing what she loves.

PSC's graduate Keith Parsons has worked as a photo editor for the Daily Telegraph in London, freelanced as a photographer in Africa, and been a cinematographer/filmmaker on an expedition in Greenland. Currently, he is working for Oxfam in Melbourne, where he is producing mostly video content for their social media.

Keith initially dropped out of an economics course, and followed this by taking a year off to travel, before studying photography full-time with us.

Read about his fascinating career journey since graduating, that time he had to take the 'fake it till you make' approach, and why he thinks Melbourne has a host of opportunities for aspiring photographers. 

This month, we are hosting visiting teachers and students of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore for a second consecutive year. Rated one of the top 10 universities in the U. S., the institution has chosen Photography Studies College and Melbourne to run a three-credit Humanities course in digital photography. It's designed to imbue JHU's science major students with a creative skill set for when they graduate as doctors and scientists. 

We talk to one of JHU's program leaders, Phyllis Arbesman Berger from the Centre of Visual Arts at JHU, and Jim Davidson, PSC's Higher Education Council Chair, who explain this exciting initiative and growing relationship.