Rosella Soars in Youth Photography Awards

It has been a huge year for young Brisbane-based photographer Raphaela Rosella who has just been named winner of the 2012 Qantas Spirit of Youth Award (SOYA365) for photography. It’s the third big accolade for Rosella in 2012 having won the Documentary/Photojournalism category in Capture magazine’s 2012 Emerging Photographer of the Year awards and been named a finalist in the 2012 Head On Portrait Prize.

More than 800 photographers submitted images to the SOYA365 photography awards this year, vying for a chance to win $5000 in cash and a trip to Les Rencontres D’Arles in France to experience Europe’s biggest photography festival. Rosella has also won a 12-month mentorship with UK-based Australian photographer Polly Borland.

Borland, who regularly shoots for international publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Independent and Dazed and Confused, also judged the photography competition.

“I have decided to award the prize to Raphaela Rosella for the subjects she’s interested in representing and the beautiful way she depicts them” says Borland. “Raphaela manages to document and articulate subjects in a poetic yet direct way.”

More info: www.soya.com.au

After visiting her son's gravesite, Gillianne sits in the backseat of a car with her Son Djamahl, daughter Cienna and her nephew Mikah. Photo by Raphaela Rosella.


Being a single mother means Mimi has to shower with her son because she doesn't have anyone to watch him. Photo by Raphaela Rosella.


I asked Tammara if she got to speak to her son for his third birthday... Photo by Raphaela Rosella.