Snap: Jacob Dedman with his prized camera.
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Digital Journey photography
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What started as a hobby using a digital point-and-shoot camera has rapidly evolved into strapping on two mirror-less DSLRs for the journey to every picturesque location Jacob Dedman visits.
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Jacob, 17, from Tatura, is the brains behind Digital Journey Photography, his online photography venture, which allows him to snap up every opportunity possible to get the perfect shot.
Much like spending 10 to 15 hours — or as his mother Cheryl Dedman would recount, more like 20 to 30 hours — on location to capture his runner-up-winning entry in the junior category of Australian Photography magazine’s Photographer of the Year awards.
The prized photograph tells a story of its own, but in 1000 words Jacob recalls the picture was taken in a less-than ideal-situation.
The Dedman family was all packed and ready for a holiday in Western Australia in July of last year when the night before the state’s borders were shut tight, leaving the family to a stay in South Australia.
Jacob said the family was doing okay for all of about five days before the borders also came crashing down in South Australia, but in retrospect, the tight restrictions had a silver lining.
“We’re pulling into the caravan park and a railway line is just across the road from the caravan park, I saw it and instantly thought, great photo opportunities across there,” he said.
The day started as it usually did for the photographer, up before dawn to capture the serene lighting.
“I was just taking photos of the train cars in the industrial lot, and I thought, ‘why don’t I get in it?’ Because a person makes a really good point of interest in a photo and it can make the photo,” he said.
On the self-timer went and, with more than 200 images shot, Jacob said one photo in particular stood out and “just worked”.
“It really just reflected how things were at the time, the next chapter of ‘where to now?’, which is what I called it,” he said.
Runner-up: Jacob’s image captioned ‘where to now?’ finished runner-up in the Australian Photography Photographer of the Year awards.
Photo by
Digital Journey Photography
Registered
The monthly photography magazine reaches a nation-wide audience and received over 3000 entries for the awards; Jacob also made it into the top 30 of the Black and White category.
With the runner-up status Jacob won a $200 Camera House voucher to be put toward his growing collection of gear.
Placing in the competition came as a shock to both Jacob and his parents, only revealed when opening a copy of the magazine.
“I couldn’t bear to look, it was just very suspenseful wasn’t it? As soon as he showed me I was, one might say, ecstatic,” Mrs Dedman said.
“We were just so proud and really happy that Jacob’s work had been recognised.”
Self-taught besides one online course, Jacob said he learnt his craft from practising, reading and writing about his work, and through home education, he’s had the chance to evolve his practice further.
A supportive network has also assisted with the early morning wake-ups and scenic getaways, anchored on finding the optimal picturesque location.
“He’s always had a way of looking at things differently in a creative way, always highlighting something that I would never have noticed, and this was showing in the places we went as well,” Mrs Dedman said.
“So I saw this was a great way to connect him with his education, I started revolving his school work around his photography.”
The image ‘where to now?’ encapsulates the 17-year-old’s ever-changing photography style and dedication to the art.
He hopes to keep growing as a photographer and teaching others through his YouTube channel.
“I reckon I’ve probably borrowed every single library book in Victoria on photography,” he said with a laugh.
“I would love for it to be my career, and that’s what I want to keep aiming for.”
