Wagga Wagga professional photographer Jypsie Cronan with her father and son. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
Riverina photographers have turned their lenses towards the older generation to shine a light on their lives and legacies.
The Forrest Centre’s Shine a Light photography competition and movement aim to celebrate ageing and honour the lives and legacies of community members.
As part of this year’s competition, local photographer Jypsie Cronan took the People’s Choice award for her photo of her daughter holding her late great-grandfather’s hands and the Professional Photographer award for a photo of her son and father.
Wagga Christian College student Isabelle Armstrong won the Teen Photographers category with her picture of her grandmother picking a lemon.
“Holding Onto The Next Generation is of my grandfather, who passed away in April, and my daughter,” Jypsie said. “They were holding hands, and I just thought it was a sweet photo.
“And the Professional Photographer one, Just Like Grandad, was actually planned by my dad for my son’s fourth birthday.
“They had matching little red trikes and a Harley. Both wore their leather jackets, had their hair out, and sunnies on. It turned out really well.”
Jypsie’s photo of her father and son won the Professional Photography award. Photo: Jypsie Cronan.
Jypsie was not expecting to win the awards and assumed another photo would have won the Professional Photographer category.
The photographer said the competition to capture and showcase the older generation was vital.
“It’s a generation we’re losing too fast, and we need to take their photos and share their stories.”
Holding Onto The Next Generation photo won the People’s Choice award. Photo: Jypsie Cronan.
Sixteen-year-old Isabelle went out for a photoshoot with her grandmother, grandfather, and little brother and took several photos.
“We took a bunch of photos, and A Spot of Yellow was one that stood out to me,” Isabelle said.
“It is of Grandma’s hand with the lemon in her garden at Dalrido, where she used to live on the farm.”
Isabelle Armstrong with her grandmother. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
The young photographer shared her excitement about winning an award for her photo.
“I am very grateful, and I think it’s amazing,” she said. “I was not expecting to win.
“There was a lot of tough competition.”
For the amateur photographer, photography is a special craft and a “nice way to almost escape life”.
A Soft Spot of Yellow tells a story within itself. Photo: Isabelle Armstrong.
Isabelle said it was important to showcase the older generation through photography.
“They are all amazing people with the kindest hearts,” she said.
“They are often overlooked, and it’s nice to be able to shine the light.
“I am very appreciative of Grandma for coming out and doing the photo shoot.”
The Forrest Centre CEO Evan Robertson said the aged care provider was privileged to be working with older people.
“Older people are essential members of our community – they work, they volunteer, they create, they laugh, they love,” Mr Robertson said. “Yet too often, their stories remain untold, and their contributions go unnoticed.
“The Shine a Light photography competition is our way of saying it’s time to break down stereotypes and shine a light on ageing in all its richness and diversity.”
Original Article published by Shri Gayathirie Rajen on Region Riverina.
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