It’s hard for a photo of a bridge in New York, now cliched visual shorthand for the city, to seem anything but boring. But Az Jackson managed to make the Manhattan Bridge exciting again. The thirtysomething Sydney-based lensman shot this last fall from Chinatown; it’s one of the finalists in the 12th annual Smithsonian Photo Contest. Unlike some pricey photos, this one is visually interesting.
“Most people never achieve such a thing so I’m very grateful to be in this position,” Jackson told ANIMAL. “To say your image is in the top 10 out of 26,500 entries is pretty bloody amazing!”
Contests, which typically require entry fees, aren’t always accessible to young artists. But in Jackson’s eyes, “it’s one of the best ways to get your art to the masses.” How do you know whether or not to submit? “Ask yourself: ‘How far do you want to go as an artist? How important is your work?'” said Jackson.
“If you feel people need to see your work then chase it and use whatever means possible. Sign up for online sites, start a Facebook page, sell your art in person and enter contests to build your name. Then get people to like you and what you do. The trend is popularity along with talent.”
(Photo: Az Jackson)
