Year 9PDM visit Cockatoo Island

On the 3rd of September, the Year 9 PDM class ventured into the picturesque ruins of Cockatoo Island to analyse the beauty of decay and capture how time intertwines with memory to create history through photographs. The trip proved to be an enriching experience that gave us an opportunity to not only capture magnificent images but also to learn about the history of the land and bond with our peers.

In class, we have been studying how photographers utilise compositional techniques to explore the aesthetics in aging, transformation, and deterioration. Our class visited Cockatoo Island to try and implement their techniques to create photographs that were successful in capturing the decay of the island. The main purpose of the excursion was to take a multitude of photos to submit for our assessment portfolio and to use it to create a photographic montage through photoshop, which many of us achieved very successfully. The class spent the whole day exploring the island and taking photographs of anything that appeared intriguing, with a majority of the students taking up to 700 photos.

The island in itself was an incredible sight to witness, seeing all the heritage buildings, views and the unique glimpse into Australia’s history. We all had such a great time taking photos, and just being in each other’s company. In the build up to the excursion, simply being on the ferry, we all eagerly began taking pictures, with a special re-enactment of the iconic titanic scene featuring a beautiful Celine Dion singalong. Huge thanks to Ms. Capel for her supervision and planning to ensure that our experience could be as enjoyable as it was!

By Stephanie Ha and Victoria Zhao