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An Avondale College sessional lecturer's first solo photography exhibition has earned praise from his supervisor.

Aaron Bellette launched "Moving still" in the Joanne Felk Gallery this past Sunday (November 11). The exhibition is part of Aaron's assessment for his Bachelor of Fine Arts (honours) at the University of Newcastle.

Keynote speaker Dr Allan Chawner, associate professor in the School of Drama, Fine Art and Music at Newcastle, described many of the photographs in the exhibition as "foreign and cool." He noted how they provide a figurative reference to Aaron's literal journey as a photographer.

That journey began on a working holiday in Tasmania in 2005, during which Aaron took photographs of the landscape while on weekend hikes. Aaron then returned to Avondale, completed several photography subjects as part of his Bachelor of Arts degree, served as photojournalist for the staff and student newsletter, Connections, and then as photographer for the yearbook, Jacaranda.

The photographs in the exhibition come from two of Aaron's series: "Society and technology enabled travel" and "The natural world that surrounds us." The travel series is strong and masculine, the nature series more fluid with a stronger sense of beauty. Three elements unify the photographs--colour (specifically the contrast between dark and light), perception and, as the title of the exhibition suggests, movement. Aaron created the later by using only in-camera effects--a pan or zoom burst with slow shutter speeds and low ISO ratings. "I become one with the camera," says Aaron.

He describes creating the two series as challenging. "I had to move outside of my own insulation to capture glimpses of an alternative view." Aaron argues we become more insular with age by subconsciously filtering information we deem unnecessary. "Our perception becomes constrained," he says. "To overcome this, I've challenged the perception of the mundane being both invisible and uninteresting by glorifying and renewing its lustre."

Allan ended his speech with a quintessentially Australian compliment for an "ideal student." "Maybe during the study for his master's Aaron will discover focus."
"Moving still" runs until this Thursday (November 15).