For this weeks learning activity, I have chosen two possible topics for my photographic essay.
Topic 1:
The first topic is historical in nature and relates to the rich gold mining history that is the foundation for the city of Bendigo. With the city being literally built on top of quartz reefs laden with gold, Bendigo became the second largest gold producing loaction in Australia and seventh largest in the world.
A possible sub-topic for the essay is the involvement of the Chinese who flocked to Bendigo and it’s surrounds to flee violence and poverty and find wealth and prosperity. The Chinese immigrants were met with hostility and prejudice with thousands of Chinese miners hastily laid to rest in segregated, makeshift cemeteries around the city. Despite their less than favorable reception , they brought with them their colourful traditions and as a result, many of their monuments, temples and festivals have now formed a strong part of our community identity.
Topic 2:
This topic is of a more personal nature but one that I feel may benefit others with shared experiences.
The impact of terminal illness on families.
The idea is to follow some of my family members through a month, through multiple different shoots, to show how supporting and caring for a family member with terminal illness involves and impacts the lives of the entire family unit.
Possible angles:
The family unit and how it pulls together to support the family member in all of the various ways required throughout the stages of their illness. How families who live in remote areas cope and adapt to the struggle that distance can have on accessing medical professionals, accessing support and the isolation that can happen as a result.
How the diagnoses and progression of terminal illness impacts the person suffering the illness and the family in not only negative ways but also in positive ways which can be surprising.
As mentioned, this would be a personal topic as it is my Father who suffers from terminal brain cancer. There was no way that we could have prepared for what was to come when he was first diagnosed. It might be beneficial for other families in similar situations to see that they are not alone in these experiences even though it can sometimes feel this way.
There are numerous Australian publications that feature stories from people and families experiencing terminal illness.
Amber Lyons Photography 