This blog was designed with one purpose in mind: to give photographers of any level, from those with their first camera to those onto their fifth DSLR, an insight to what is out there on the photography scene in Wollongong and surrounding areas.
Wollongong and the surrounding suburbs are part of the Illawarra region of New South Wales, with an approximate population of 195 000 persons. The closest capital city is Sydney, which is approximately 80km north of Wollongong. Wollongong city and the surrounding suburbs are geographically located between the Illawarra escarpment to the West and the Tasman Sea to the East. The traditional Aboriginal inhabitants of the area were the Dharawal people, who believe the land in the local area was raised from the sea by Spirit Women. Wollongong’s development owes a significant amount to it’s industrial past- coal mining began in the area in the mid-19th century, and steel mining began in the mid 1920’s, an industry that still plays a large role in the local economy.
In researching for this project, the existence of a small but passionate network of photographers became evident. At grassroots level in this network are the photographers in the area, who come from a diverse range of backgrounds and possess an equally diverse range of skill sets. This ranges from budding fashion photographers to surf photographers to award winning ‘photographic mappers’, and every extreme in between. Supporting these photographers are a range of galleries and exhibition spaces, which allow local photography to be exhibited locally and in turn strengthen photography in the area. Another element of the photography ‘network’ in Wollongong are the camera clubs, which build a bridge from the professional to the amateur by providing a social and educational setting to network, discuss new ideas and build up photographic skill sets. These camera clubs are also particularly instrumental in forging a connection to the wider community by getting involved and ‘shooting’ local events in the region.
In tandem, the photographic community in the Wollongong region teamed with the beautiful natural surroundings and closeness to Sydney, lead to the development of a photographic ‘scene’ that although still relatively small, is incredibly rich in content and diversity. This project aims to highlight this content and diversity, and provide valuable insight which will perhaps inspire others though their own lens to shootthegong…
Information sourced from Wollongong City Council: Community Profile and Register of Historic Places and Objects.
