Tasmanian AIPP EPSON Professional Photographer of the Year announced
Landscape photographer, Paul Hoelen from South Hobart, has been named overall winner at the 2016 AIPP Tasmanian EPSON Professional Photography Awards. He was also named the 2016 AIPP Tasmanian Landscape Photographer of the Year, and won the Highest Scoring Print Award, with one of his images being awarded a Gold with Distinction.
Hoelen’s winning portfolio comprised a series of four striking aerial images, captured on various journeys into remote areas of mainland Australia. Of the experience capturing the images, Hoelen says that the experience is not for the faint-hearted. “It can get pretty rough up there, but when you’re literally hanging out the side of the plane with the doors off and the wind rushing past you at 200 kilometres an hour, it can be pretty invigorating, to say the least.”
Through these images, Hoelen says that he’s looking to present a visual exploration of our relationship with land as a resource – a particularly topical issue at present. “On one level we can admire the design, structure and industriousness of our ability to extract what we need to support our quality of life, yet we also need to acknowledge some of the impact these processes can have,” Hoelen says. “Many resource-driven practices in Australia take place in very remote and restricted-access areas, and, consequently, remain hidden from view, and well beyond our collective sight. By taking to the air, these altered lands are unveiled and presented here with a striking visual strength for us to both witness and reflect on their unnerving beauty and shaping force on this land.”
About Paul Hoelen
Born in New Zealand to a Dutch sailor and an American nun, Paul Hoelen managed to put his four passports to excellent use before eventually settling on the beautiful, wild island of Tasmania. A 15-year career in Wilderness Adventure Therapy helped cultivate his belief and passion for the power of wild areas to bring healing, reflection and balance to our lives.
Hoelen is a multi-international award-winning photographer based in Hobart. He is a Master of Photography in the AIPP and Fellow of the NZIPP, two times Overseas Photographer of the Year in NZ, three times Tasmanian AIPP Professional Photographer of the Year, and five time Tasmanian AIPP Landscape Photographer of the Year.He judges regularly at state, national and international level, runs photo workshops, writes photography articles for numerous magazines and exhibits regularly in both Australia and the USA.With a great passion for diversity and travel, his commercial work and fine art subjects range from large-scale event photography, remote wilderness landscapes to boutique weddings and unique portraiture.
www.paulhoelen.com
