photography
Hello! What do you do? I’m Isabella Melody Moore, and I am a photojournalist. I often immerse myself in long-form stories about climate, health and art.
What’s making you excited about your industry right now?
The breadth of work being made by a diverse range of global practitioners, and all the platforms out there to show your work.
What advice would you give to a young photographer? Spend a lot of time building your portfolio, photograph what YOU love (not what you think other people might think is cool) and nurture your passion. Build up a body of work, then print your images, stick them on the wall and analyse them from time to time. Ask peers (whose artistic judgement you trust) to discuss your images with you. Don’t rush – remember that photography is a process, and sometimes it will take much longer than you expected to get where you hoped to be.
Aside from the ability to take a good snap, what else makes a good photographer? Photography is about going on a journey and then showing people what you found when you got there. Purposefully connecting with your subject is important, so don’t be afraid to portray the moment as it unravels. Try not to force an emotion or a specific way of looking or sitting if you want the portrait to look natural. Allow the image to speak and your audience will hear it.
What are you looking for in this year’s Good Stuff entrants? Work with a meaningful story behind it, or a photograph that is simply beautiful, where you’ve captured a moment with great lighting and good composition. Photography has no limits, so express yourself, be creative and the photograph will follow.
Any other words of wisdom? When I enter a competition, I usually pick 3–5 images I am proud of and sit with them for a couple of days, then try to follow my instinct on which to enter.