11.11.2013

SHELLY AU: Adobe Design Achievement Awards

 Sadness: a little girl sad about loosing her home. ©Shelly Au

Determination: to make life work even when things all around you has been torn down. ©Shelly Au

Stillness: as China Flag remains. ©Shelly Au


"China's rapid growth is both powerful and stunning, yet fast paced change has also ushered in the destruction of history and communities. Buildings for miles of square blocks are marked with the eight red brush stroke character (Chai) to destroy or take down. "Two Beautiful Daughters" is a meditation on the pain and anger that accompany powerlessness, and the courage and hope it takes to persevere through loss."Shelly Au

"Shelly Au has been working for an overseas nonprofit Organization for 20 years. He has spent 17 of those years living in various parts of Asia. His experience and ability to make his subjects comfortable have allowed him to capture powerful images among people who are ordinarily suspicious of being photographed."

"While living in Asia, he was drawn to the hearts of its people, and made it his mission to tell their stories through photographs. He has organized benefits in less fortunate communities, for example, photographing residents on white backgrounds and giving the portraits freely to them. In December 2011, he assembled over 90 volunteers from Nanjing to run 4 studios to help build community respect and local news picked up the story."

"While in New York, Shelly received the Paula Rhodes Honors Award when he was working on his Master of Professional Studies in Digital Photography degree at the School of Visual Arts under the chair of Photoshop Hall of Fame Katrin Eismann."

"Currently Shelly is one of three finalist for the 2013 Adobe Design Achievement Award in Photography that will be announced in New York on November 19th, 2013."


(text courtesy of Shelly Au Photography)

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