A BATHURST-based university student has taken out a major prize in the 2018 Australian Photography Awards.
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Luke Fazekas won Best Student Photo for an image he captured inside the Kazan Cathedral in Russia.
The striking photo shows a local woman taking a brief work break and standing beside a soaring three-metre high portrait of Mother Mary.
Mr Fazekas is a photography student in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries and said the award was a great honour.
“I’m always on the lookout for quirky scenes - pieces that don’t quite fit together and juxtaposing concepts,” he said.
“I had to look twice when I saw the subject in the position that she was. I actually had a film camera on me but didn’t want to miss capturing the shot, so I pulled out my mobile phone for a less conspicuous and quicker opportunity.”
This judges appreciated the quirkiness and composition of the image.
“The composition is well thought out, the Mother Mary soaring above in a majestic piece of art that is possibly about 10 to 12 feet in height!” the judges said.
“The juxtaposition between this revered piece of artwork and the humble cleaning lady, with wardrobe similarities of her own, is a very cleverly seen and captured one. The rich blues of Mary’s outfit match that of the cleaning lady and both wonderful ladies have their own form of veil.
“While this juxtaposition is the key ingredient that makes the photograph, the concept is given space to breathe within the composition where other details can give more hints as to the environment this lady works in, the Kazan Cathedral in Russia.”
Mr Fazekas said he became interested in photography as it gave him a way to tell stories and to capture moments.
“My photography has evolved into an exploration of space and time,” he said.
“I look at the world slightly differently as I've begun to appreciate shadows, lines and textures. I enjoy seeing life through a viewfinder and sharing that with others.
“Getting to use different formats such as film and digital media has developed into a really enjoyable hobby, one in which I only hope I have the chance to pursue as a career down the track,” Mr Fazekas said.
The Australian Photography Awards were created by photographers with seven categories open for photographers to submit their work.
You can view of Mr Fazekas’ work on Instagram or at his website.
