This year Canon asked Australian photographers, amateur and professional alike, to submit images that focused on what they were passionate about. The idea was that a truly poignant image can really change the way people think and talk about a problem.
The winner of Canon Shine 2014 has their photograph brought to life through a national ad campaign, a documentary made about their process and a two-month exhibition in the New South Wales State Library.
The winner of Canon Shine 2014 is mother and photographer Julie Kerbel, whose photograph of her young daughter dancing on the beach encapsulates the importance of children’s imagination beyond the influence of television screens and computer games. More generally Kerbel is concerned with the level that Australians depend on their digital devices rather than living in the reality in front of them.
When talking about her winning photograph, Julie said: ‘I think in recent years its become more evident that people are glued to their screens constantly, everyone is so often on their screens that their missing out on the moment’.
We were lucky enough to catch up with Julie in the aftermath of the contest to ask her a few questions about her success.
In your opinion, what do you feel is the biggest risk concerning the use of screens all around us?
Australians today live in a world where communication is constant, fluid and most commonly via their smartphone or computer. Yet while the amount of online chatter is increasing, I feel that people in the real world are at risk of forgetting how important it is to live in the moment, and connect with those around them. For example, we used to think that an interruption in a conversation was rude, but today it’s simply normal for someone to stop a conversation to take a phone call or check their emails mid-way through. It feels like people have a fear of missing out on things if they aren’t constantly glancing at their screens. However, the irony is that when we’re on our screens, we are missing out on the real issues, the real people and the real world around us.
Australians today live in a world where communication is constant, fluid and most commonly via their smartphone or computer. Yet while the amount of online chatter is increasing, I feel that people in the real world are at risk of forgetting how important it is to live in the moment, and connect with those around them. For example, we used to think that an interruption in a conversation was rude, but today it’s simply normal for someone to stop a conversation to take a phone call or check their emails mid-way through. It feels like people have a fear of missing out on things if they aren’t constantly glancing at their screens. However, the irony is that when we’re on our screens, we are missing out on the real issues, the real people and the real world around us.
How do you feel that your photograph encapsulates the meaning of ‘going screen-free’?
My winning Canon Shine image shows my daughter, Maya, twirling and dancing around – which she does 24/7. In this moment, she was free to explore, to have fun, and to develop her talent as a little ballerina. To me, the image encompassed a sense of freedom and connection with the world around her without a smartphone or computer in sight.
My winning Canon Shine image shows my daughter, Maya, twirling and dancing around – which she does 24/7. In this moment, she was free to explore, to have fun, and to develop her talent as a little ballerina. To me, the image encompassed a sense of freedom and connection with the world around her without a smartphone or computer in sight.
What advice might you have for people your daughter’s age, who are going to grow up in a world where screens are increasingly part of everyday life?
My Canon Shine message is not that screens are bad, in fact technology plays a big part in managing my daily household. Rather, it’s about finding a balance and not letting screens become a distraction. I think that we need to teach our children to be more considerate about putting them down sometimes when they are around other people, so they can fully appreciate and enjoy each other and the world around them more.
My Canon Shine message is not that screens are bad, in fact technology plays a big part in managing my daily household. Rather, it’s about finding a balance and not letting screens become a distraction. I think that we need to teach our children to be more considerate about putting them down sometimes when they are around other people, so they can fully appreciate and enjoy each other and the world around them more.
As a photographer, is there a risk that you might be as likely to miss a moment while trying to capture it as there is for somebody who is glued to their screens?
I absolutely love my job and I feel so privileged that as a photographer, I’m able to capture beautiful and real memories for other people to enjoy. There have been times when I’ve tried to create and stylise moments in the pursuit of capturing the perfect shot. At the end of the day, authentic moments make the best photographs and you have to be there, and mentally present, to capture it.
I absolutely love my job and I feel so privileged that as a photographer, I’m able to capture beautiful and real memories for other people to enjoy. There have been times when I’ve tried to create and stylise moments in the pursuit of capturing the perfect shot. At the end of the day, authentic moments make the best photographs and you have to be there, and mentally present, to capture it.
What impact will the Canon Shine prize have on you both personally and professionally?
Winning Canon Shine has been the most amazing and surreal experience and I feel so humbled to have been selected as the winner. I am proud of the message that I have to share and I thank Canon most sincerely for giving me a voice and a platform to share it. I am passionate about both my family and my work, so to combine my image with a message that speaks to other families is wonderful. I am excited to see where it may lead me professionally. Who knows what lies ahead?
Winning Canon Shine has been the most amazing and surreal experience and I feel so humbled to have been selected as the winner. I am proud of the message that I have to share and I thank Canon most sincerely for giving me a voice and a platform to share it. I am passionate about both my family and my work, so to combine my image with a message that speaks to other families is wonderful. I am excited to see where it may lead me professionally. Who knows what lies ahead?
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