By JACINTA CUMMINS
A WANDOAN photography exhibition is showcasing images taken by locals growing their photography skills at a workshop run by the Wandoan Arts Council and delivered by Toowoomba photographer Syd Owen.
The exhibition’s opening at the Wandoan Library was attended by a small but enthusiastic audience because of rain related road closures.
It features 28 framed photographs which are a mix of portraiture and landscape shots taken during the day and at night together with some crystal ball photography.
Crystal ball photography uses a glass ball to capture a refracted image, giving the photographer a fresh perspective on a subject which may have already been photographed many times.
Wandoan Arts Council spokeswoman Chris Sinnamon said the workshop was the second photography workshop the Arts Council had run recently following excellent feedback after a two day aerial and drone photography workshop presented by Fiona Lake in November.
“There are lots of people interested in photography not only from Wandoan, but from further away and these workshops attract them here so it’s a win-win; we are getting a name for the events we host and bringing more people to town at the same time,” Chris said.
Wandoan has established itself as a mecca for rural photographers in recent years with the Wandoan Photo Challenge more popular than ever in 2022 with 257 entries compared to just 79 when it was first held in 2017.
All entries must be taken within a 100 kilometre radius of Wandoan as the crow flies with the competition designed to showcase the Wandoan region.
This year it was a mix of locals and budding and professional photographers from Brisbane, Chinchilla and Condamine who shared in the $5,500 cash prize pool.
Hope Powne and Leesa Rathbone are the new Wandoan Photo Challenge coordinators and took the opportunity to announce the new categories for the 2023 competition on Friday night.
The categories will be “Faces”and”Places” and it is hoped they will inspire photographers to document local history as they capture people and places.
The Wandoan Arts Council Photography Exhibition is on at the Wandoan Library untilFriday, September 23 and entry is free.
