Innehållsförteckning för Aug/Sept/Oct 2020 från Capture

Welcome to this very special edition celebrating the art and the craft of black-and-white photography. In it, we feature the winners, runners-up, and all the Top 30 placegetters across the three categories of our second annual competition, The Mono Awards. Held in conjunction with our sister publication, Australian Photography, the single-image black-and-white photography competition seeks to uncover the very best imagery by Australian and New Zealand photographers. The response this year was unbelievable with entry numbers up more than 50% from 2019. The quality of work submitted was impressive and provided the judges with a rather challenging task to try and choose the best images. Thanks to all of you who entered, and a huge congratulations to those in the Top 30. I hope the work will prove to be…

Bee Elle specialises in wildlife and conservation photography. Her passion stems from a lifelong and profound respect for animals and a strongly-felt connection with wide-open spaces and the fauna that call these places home. A sensitive and empathetic observer of nature, she focusses on portraiture of animals in their natural habitats. Her signature approach of combining natural elements with various treatments of light and shadow allow her to express her respect for animals through her own style, and to evoke in others a deeper inquiry into, and appreciation for, the lives of our fellow animals in their natural way of being. Her photography is her main vehicle to creatively express her fondness of animals and to create calls to action to protect wildlife and the natural world. www.bee-elle.com Turn to…

Melbourne-based commercial and portrait photographer Brence Coghill is driven by moments of authenticity and connection. Conveying quiet, introspective, or unguarded moments, his images vary from striking character portraits through to exploring surreal or conceptual ideas. Since 2018, he has been working in the large-format wet plate collodion process, an analogue alt-photography technique from the 1850s. He revels in the ‘controlled chaos’ of wet plate: the sense of alchemy from hands-on manipulation of chemistry and the challenge of trying to control a process that’s inherently wild and unpredictable. Coghill has received numerous awards and commendations for his wet plate collodion work. In 2019 he won Silver and Bronze at the Tokyo International Foto Awards, Silver at Prix de la Photographie Paris, and an Honourable Mention at the International Photography Awards. In…

Mark Davidson is a photographer and radio producer based in Melbourne. His passion for photography was borne out of a love of travel, and his work focuses predominantly on capturing the shapes and shadows of Melbourne’s streets. His photography has featured in the street photography exhibition, Street Beats, as well as the exhibition, Into the Shadows, at the Victorian Archive Centre Gallery. Davidson is a member of the Australian Association of Street Photographers. www.markjdavidson.com Traindream.I was on my way home, on the train, and noticed how the light was hitting the concourse as we pulled into North Melbourne Station. I got off the train and took this candid shot as more peak-hour trains arrived from the opposite direction and commuters came down the escalators and onto the platform.…

Arguably, all photography is about time, in one way or another, but black and white, somehow, transcends it. Becomes timeless. These days, thanks to the digital sensor embedded in almost every device, colour is the rule, rather than the exception. But in 1822, photography was by definition, black and white. Nicéphore Niépce managed to make a photo of his Parisian window in glorious monotone, though it took him another three years to duplicate it. These days, thanks to the digital sensor embedded in almost every device, colour is the rule, rather than the exception. But in 1822, photography was by definition, black and white. Nicéphore Niépce managed to make a photo of his Parisian window in glorious monotone, though it took him another three years to duplicate it. So entrancing was…

PRESENTED BY A CELEBR ATION OF THE REGION’S FINEST B&W PHOTOGR APH ERS The Mono Awards is a celebration of the best black-and-white photography from Australia and New Zealand. This year, we introduced a new category, bringing the total number of categories in the single-image competition to three: Animals, People, and Places. Judged by a panel of eight renowned experts–all masters of the medium–with specialisations covering a wide breadth of genres from animals to landscapes to portrait to advertising and wedding. Only the second year that The Mono Awards has been run, the competition has seen a significant spike in interest with over 50% more entries than in its inaugural year. A massive congratulations to our category winners, runners-up, and all the Top 30 placegetters. Their stunning entries appear on…

Working as the local doctor in Sussex Inlet on the South Coast of NSW since 1984, for as long as he can remember, Graham Morgan has been attracted to rugged, remote landscapes and wild animals. Most of his images have been captured in sub-Saharan Africa, Antarctica, and the Arctic–the main reason being the repose that these locations effuse. Photography has given Morgan insight into the natural treasures that surround us and he’d like to think that his images encourage awareness of our environment and the threats that it faces. He first picked up a camera in 2004, having never taken a photograph before that. His approach to photography these days sees him getting close to his subjects, always looking for the best light, texture, and a different angle. Interesting behaviour,…

Xiaolian Zhang has learnt a great deal about photography from books as well as following professional photographers from all over the world, including Ethiopia, South/North Sudan, Niger, Morocco, and Egypt, amongst other countries. Her main passion lies in humanist photography and tribal life, especially given that customs and cultures continue to disappear. Over the years she has won numerous awards of international competitions held by the Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique and the Photographic Society of America (PSA), and recently she received the distinction award of Excellence from the PSA. She’s a lifelong member of the Australian Digital Photographic Association as well as being a member of Dayang Image (China). Adorable babies. I took this particular image in 2018 at the Guérewol–an annual courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula…

PRESENTED BY In this beautiful portrait of an elephant dusting itself, it is the exceptional use of light that has turned an otherwise common occurrence on the African plains into a rather extraordinary capture. Strong directional light accentuates the wonderful textures and shapes of this pachyderm’s skin and tusk, but it is the dust, captured against an otherwise dark background, that adds a beautiful softness to this image. Like most great photos, I think many of us will enjoy this image for a long time. –Anthony McKee This image captures fantastic drama as particles of dirt and rock are thrown into the air. The close-up crop works really well here to make the most of the scene and moment without providing any unnecessary distraction. The character of the elephant’s skin…

LESLEY DOWNIE Composition is very critical, especially when presenting an image in monochrome. Cropping successfully to isolate the main elements of the image without including superfluous aspects which can detract from the strength of the image is important. Too often, images contain too much competing information which weakens the image. MATT PALMER Capturing the behaviour and connection of a subject is vitally important, and even a landscape is alive and can tell a story through its behaviour. ALEX CEARNS For black-and-white animal images, texture stands out best, so seek subjects which have detail in their fur or skin, and surrounds. Watch for silhouettes, choose your angle, and get your timing right to nail your animal portraits. ANTHONY McKEE Monochromatic images don’t have to be black, white, and grey. In fact,…

Born in New Zealand, Liz Barker moved to Perth in her late teens. She likes to call herself a ‘Passionate Amateur’ photographer, having picked up her first DLSR six years ago. She continues to explore her capabilities and takes every opportunity she can to build on her knowledge and skills. In doing so, she strives for new and different ways to photograph her subject, regardless of what it is. Barker has a particular interest in urban landscape, architecture, and black-and-white landscape photography, and sometimes her images end up being a combination of all. www.instagram.com/lizbnw229 La Tour Eiffel. Looking directly up under the tower, I was amazed at the intricate detail of the steel work. It looks like delicate lace, yet is solid iron. The black-and-white conversion enhances the look of…

Ask a photographer, “What is the toughest time you’ve experienced in your career?”, and the answer will probably be, “the coronavirus.” And according to Perth-based animal photographer Alex Cearns, “The impact of COVID-19 is definitely one of the toughest times I’ve experienced in my career”. The Los Angeles-based portrait, advertising, and celebrity photographer Art Streiber agrees: “This is, by far, the toughest time I’ve experienced in my career,” he says. Likewise, American advertising and commercial specialist Tim Tadder has also felt the full brunt of the last few months. “The global spread of COVID-19 severely hampered the creative industry. Through this high-level of uncertainty, anxiety, and stress, I wasn’t able to fully utilise my creative mind as I’d done for the past fifteen years,” he states. “I truly live and…