He was given his first camera for his 21st birthday and just three years later Jordan Robins has been crowned Photographer of the Year.
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Australian Photography magazine recently announced the 24-year-old Vincentia resident as their overall winner for the annual award for 2017.
The competition is the biggest amateur photography competition in the Southern Hemisphere.
This week’s announcement came as a shock to Jordan.
“I was over the moon, just ecstatic and so stoked,” he said.
“It was the first time I’d entered, so to win, I just couldn’t believe it.”
Jordan beat more than 2000 other photographers with his package of four images, ‘Tale of the turtle’.
He spent a week in the Great Barrier Reef last year, capturing the secret lives of turtles in an ‘over under’ style of photography where you can see above and below the water line.
“They were shot at different times, from sunrise to sunset, to portray the turtle’s behaviour throughout the day,’ Jordan said.
“Turtles are just so graceful and when you’re graced by their presence, you’re truly appreciative of it.”
Growing up in the local region, Jordan has always had a love for the water. After his parents gave him an underwater camera for his 21st birthday he enrolled in a photography course at the University of Wollongong.
While he had “no idea” how to use his new gift, that soon changed.
“I was doing a Science degree at UOW and this course taught me all the basics, shooting manual and gave me a full introduction to photography,” he said.
“Everything after that has been self-taught.”
The Science graduate is now studying to be able to drive commercial boats, doing a bit of labouring for a friend’s event company and has recently undertaken some real estate photography.
Jordan also sells his photographs at South Coast markets on the weekends. He will have a stall at Kiama Seaside Markets this Sunday, January 21 from 9am to 3pm.
With a new top of the line panasonic camera and $2000 thanks to his recent win, Jordan plans to further his photography work and has his sights set on achieving his photography goals.
“I want to continue to travel, expand my portfolio and get my name out there in the photography world,” he said.
“I’d love to open a gallery on the South Coast and the ultimate dream is to call myself a fulltime underwater photographer.”
Jordan’s work is available to purchase here. You can also find a range of images on Facebook at Jordan Robins Photography and on Instagram at @jordan_robins