One weekend in and three winners have already been announced.
Ballarat International Foto Biennale is a month long photographic biennale that seeks to unearth photographic talent and exhibit both emerging and established photographers.
The biennale is filled with opportunities and prizes for photographers, including the Portfolio Review prize and the One for the Books amateur and professional prizes.
The Portfolio Review prize emerged from a two-day event that allows photographers to present their portfolios to industry professionals for feedback and direction, with the best portfolio being awarded a prize.
This year the portfolio review panel has named Amber McCaig as the lucky recipient. She has also been invited to submit a proposal for inclusion in the 2015 BIFB core program, an annual event that exhibits leading Australian and international photographers.
‘A lot of work goes into my photographic projects, so to get the feedback that I am on the right track is a real positive,’ says McCaig.
Her work Imagined Histories turns back the clock in a unique way by compiling portraits of historical re-enactors. With this in mind McCaig warns Ballarat about costumed folk stepping out see her work. ‘I think Ballarat should brace itself for an influx of historical re-enactors coming to see the exhibition!’
Winners in the One for the Books amateur and professional sections, sponsored by Blurb, have also been announced. This prize is designed for self-published print on demand books and seeks contemporary format and innovation in the presentation of photography.
Erin Stonestreet won the amateur section with her work Air + Earth: The View from 30,000ft. Aerial views of Earth were created with an abstract and magical approach and an artistic disregard for scale.
Charles Klein took out the professional section with his work Dadslides. The work contains his late father’s slides from 1950-1981 and explores the nostalgia and themes buried within.
These two winners were rewarded $1000 in cash and a $500 Blurb voucher.
The BIFB is regional Victoria’s only internationally significant photography festival with over 200 events in various locations including workshops, talks, seminars, portfolio reviews, and competitions.
It also includes an open entry Fringe exhibition program.
The Ballarat International Foto Biennale runs from 17 August-15 September in various locations around Ballarat. All the finalists can be viewed until 15 September.
Visit the website for more information.
(Pictured: Dadslides (cropped) by Charles Klein)
