Photography may pay the bills for Aaron Puls but it also wins him national awards.
The final-year design student was recently honoured as the Australian Institute of Professional Photography’s (AIPP) Student Photographer of the Year, snapping competition from universities and TAFE colleges across Australia.
Mr Puls said he had a good feeling about the three images he entered but was still surprised to win.
‘The award does open doors, and it validates my vision of what I’m doing and proves when I apply myself I can succeed,’ he said.
Although his main passion is now producing music and playing in his band, Mr Puls said he would always enjoy expressing himself through photography.
‘Photography pays the bills … and I still love it, it’s so easy, a quick way to put something down but at the same time it can be so complex,’ he said.
‘I’m inspired by life – there are so many beautiful things.’
Mr Puls said his three award-winning pieces, a self-portrait and two artistic works, were typical of his ‘moody’ style.
‘The pieces were all from uni work, ones that the class and lecturers had responded well to … my employers at Viva photography are real masters and they also helped me to select the works,’ he said.
‘I spent a couple of hours on each in Photoshop enhancing the colours and adding the yellow (which ties the works together), I think that’s what helped to get the set over the line and win the award’.
The award sponsored by Kodak, earned Mr Puls $1,000 of Kodak products and a trophy and certificate.
The exhibition of all twenty AIPP award categories is touring nationally. For more information visit the Australian Institute of Professional Photography website.
