Shot in the Heart of Australia

Exhibition 2023


The Australian Association of Street Photographers is proud to bring the eleventh “Shot in the Heart of Australia” exhibition.

Held in the beautiful Frater, Hammond and McCubbin galleries at the historic Victorian Artists Society building, the exhibition is focused on each photographer’s personal interpretation of street photography within the Australia.

Shot in the Heart of Australia 2023 Application Form

To apply click the button below. This will take you to the application form.

Exhibition Details:

27th July to 7th August

Victorian Artists Society

430 Albert Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002.

Important dates for Exhibitors

  • Application Opening Date                   Wednesday 10th May 2023

  • Application Closing Date                      Sunday 4th June 2023

  • Date for curation outcome                 Sunday 4th-9th June 2023

  • Last Date for Payment                          Sunday 11th June 2023 (for exhibition fees)

  • Hanging Day                                              Wednesday 26th July,2023

  • Exhibition Opening Date                      Thursday 27th July 2023

  • Opening Event Date and Time           Friday 28th July 2023 7pm-8:45pm

  • Exhibition Closing Date                         Monday 7th August 2023

  • Dismantling Day                                       Tuesday 8th August 2023 10am-2pm.

Shot in the Heart of Australia 2023 Resources

Link to the SITHOA 2022 Resource page for relevant forms and informational sheets

Printing and Framing for Interstate Members

In conjunction with Matte Image in Abbortsford, AASPI has arranged a printing and framing option especially for Interstate exhibitors (and anyone else) who would otherwise have difficulty with the logistics.

Exhibitors can contact Matt at Matte Image directly to arrange the printing and framing of images.

AASPI will then collect the final images and hang them in the gallery.

Pricing

AASPI recommends a maximum of four images to fit a single row in the gallery, or maximum eight images for a double row.

Payment would be made directly to Matt Images.

Go to the Matt Image website for contact details. Please ensure you advise Matt that they are for “Shot in the Heart of Australia"

http://matteimage.com.au/

About "Shot in the Heart of Australia" 2023

The Australian Association of Street Photographers Incorporated (AASPI), who exhibit under the banner of 'Shot in the Heart of Australia', are a group of avid photographers in the "street photography genre", or as it's commonly called, just "street".

Shot in the Heart of Australia is a street photography and photojournalism exhibition that celebrates the decisive, and often indecisive, but always graceful moments on the streets of Australia.  

This will be the 11th annual AASPI exhibition showcasing individual captures from diverse and enthusiastic collective of street photographers with a focus on Australia.

They capture ephemeral moments. Raw, candid and completely unique. Shot in the Heart of Australia is a candid homage to the people, architecture and street life that bring this country to life every day.

In recent times, it seems that the time honoured traditional form of street photography has been overshadowed by a flood of more contemporary, staged, digitally manipulated and over processed genres of photography.

Those who love the genre of "street", know the elation inside, when they capture the moment of something truly unique, fleeting, decisive, and never to be repeated!

What is "street photography"? This definition is subjective and varies from person to person, but at best, it's a visual documentation, focusing on a moment in time, of everyday life of society, un-manipulated and usually without the subject's awareness. Street photography doesn't necessarily need people in it. An object, shadow, ray of light can be the subject, rather than a human form.

 “I love the people I photograph. I mean, they’re my friends. I’ve never met most of them or I don’t know them at all, yet through my images I live with them.” – Bruce Gilden

A Definition of Street Photography

Street photography is difficult to define and is constantly evolving and being debated. It does however have a number of traits that have been associated with it throughout its history.

Street Photography is about capturing a spontaneous, candid moment from the energy and chance juxtapositions of life. Street photography distinguishes itself from reportage and photojournalism in that it contains the artists intent and interpretation of observations of everyday life caught as it unfolds in front of you.

Despite its name these moments need not necessitate the presence of a street. ‘Street’ simply refers to a place where human activity can be seen, a place to observe and capture social interaction.

While street photography usually involves people it can be of object that projects a human character or an environment that is decidedly human.

Framing, composition and timing are key aspects of the genre, with the aim of creating images at a decisive or poignant moment.

Guide to Curation for Shot in the Heart of Australia

SITHOA is a curated exhibition which aims to capture Australia in the street photography genre.  Submitted images are reviewed by a curation team who consider the following points when evaluating an image. 

  • Style - Street photography, documentary or urban poetry style

  • Location - Must be shot in Australia. Traditionally limited to urban, town or suburbs.

  • Urban - Traditionally limited to urban, town or suburb. Submissions will be considered for which the photographer considers to represent Australia in their own heart.

  • Candid - Images should be un-staged where the subjects will mostly be unaware that their picture is being taken

  • Dignity - should not demean or ridicule any person, so please no homeless people or local ‘characters’

  • Natural - black and white or natural colour only and limit processing to minor cropping and other minor adjustments. Effects such as HDR, selective colouring, double exposure or distortion will most likely not be accepted. We want to see the image in its most realistic, yet artistic form

  • Original - must be your own work and photographing another artists artwork may not be accepted, including images of street performers performing their art.

Full details on curation criteria can be found in the in the Shot in the Heart of Australia Terms and Conditions, and if any image is rejected by the curation committee you will be given the opportunity to resubmit.