Winning Photography in Scone

THE photography culture in Scone continues to grow and this year’s Scone Photographic Prize at the Scone Arts and Crafts building has doubled in size.

MACH Energy came on board as a major sponsor and together with Scone Arts and Crafts, HelloWorld Travel Scone and Scone Instant Images, bolstered the prize pool to $2,250.

Amanda Gaffney-Ray, took out the first prize in the Horse Section with her candid image of Hannah Pinkerton and her pony titled, Peas in a Pod.

“Peas in a Pod” Hannah and her Pony. Photo: Amanda Ray Images.

“That particular image was taken on a family shoot; when you are processing images there is usually one or two which stand out and this one grabbed my attention straight away,” said Ms Gaffney-Ray.

“I didn’t realise until I was processing it that they almost have matching fringes and a pig tail flying like a horse’s tail – it wasn’t planned I was just lucky enough they looked at me and it worked,” she said.

“It’s not too cheesy, it’s natural and with kids you either get something candid which is great or nothing; she is good mates with her horse and it was a lovely moment to capture,” Amanda said.

Last year Amanda was awarded the Bruce Roberts-Thomson trophy at the Awards and said she was glad to pass it on to her friend Joan Faras.

“Honestly it was a little stressful having the trophy at home all year with children, I had to pack it away in a cupboard for safe keeping,” laughed Amanda.

“This year it was great for Joan to win; we met at the photographic prize four years ago, we liked each other’s photos, we started a conversation and it led to us working together.

“There’s a lot of really good local talent and it’s good because you can bounce off each other and Joan and I help each other when we are a bit stuck with editing and ideas; it’s great to have a supportive environment.

“For people thinking about photography I’d say go for it and don’t be afraid to contact some of the people who have established businesses, there are lots of great photographers locally and it is a supportive environment.

“When you hang out with other photographers you realise everyone sees things through the lense differently and the more you are around different photographers the more you learn

“Joan and I can go out for fun and shoot thistles in a paddock and our shots will be totally different of the same subject,” she said.

“It’s all about seeing things from a different point of view and expanding your own,” Amanda Gaffney-Ray said.

Joan Faras, turned her hobby of photography into a new career and credits part of that to the Scone Photographic Prize.

Spring Morning on Warren Hill by Joan Faras. Photo: Faras in Focus.

“It’s great to have such an event in Scone and that it is getting so much support in the last couple of years, more prizemoney and Roger Skinner was instrumental in building the Prize,” said Ms Faras.

“I just love photography, I’m passionate about it and now doing it full time,” she said.

“About five or six years ago I started taking my hobby more seriously and started taking courses; Digby Brown in Tamworth was really helpful and he actually spent two days down here photographing the farrier competition because he found it so fascinating,” she said.

“My main focus is still horse photography and the older I’m getting the better it is to be doing photography instead of dragging horses around, it’s great to be able to float into photography and still be in touch with the horses and the people who work in the industry,” Joan Faras said.

Scone Photographic Prize Winners:

• First Prize Open – Mary Ellen Stewart for Visions In The Dreaming Palace Temple, Bhutan
• Highly Commended Open Section – Arthur Roy for Dreaming
• Highly Commended Open Section – Joan Faras for Ahuriri
• Highly Commended Open Section – Anne O’Connor for Storms Of Time
• Highly Commended Open Section – Christopher Wilson for Lone Tree
• Highly Commended Open Section – Sharon Ann Ritchie for Creative Lights
• Highly Commended Open Section – Christopher Wilson for Remembrance

• First Prize Novice – Elia Bull for Summer Sunset
• Highly Commended Novice – Lynda Lomax for Chilli On A Fork
• Highly Commended Novice – David Hamson for Mountain Gum

• First Prize Horse Section – Amanda Gaffney Ray for Peas In A Pod
• Highly Commended Horse Section – Roy Arthur for Precision

• Bruce Roberts-Thomson – Awarded to Joan Faras for Spring Morning on Warren Hill