Whether it’s an image of the most famous person on the planet, or a little-known victim of tragedy, the best of the photography will stop you in your tracks. “A good photo will jolt you from your day to day, force you to pause and look,” says the managing editor, photographic Mags King. A collection of arresting images from the will be on display in the at the NSW State Library from May 25.
Wolter Peeters’ snap of the most photographed person in the world, Taylor Swift, still finds a way to tell an unfamiliar story. “Wolter has framed Swift as a mere human in the middle of a massive stage, while the humungous projections on either side show us how the world sees her,” King, who curated the exhibition, says. Less recognisable but no less arresting is Theresa Ardler, a member of the , captured in a stunning portrait by Rhett Wyman.
Through Wyman’s lens, we see what Ardler has endured as carcinogenic chemicals poisoned her home. After losing both her parents before her 18th birthday, the 51-year-old now fears for her own health. She suffers from coronary heart disease and has had a cancerous cyst removed from her pancreas.
The photography is grounded in the wealth of experience of photojournalists like Kate Geraghty, who has been with the organisation for 25 years. Geraghty’s unique ability to cover conflict was evident again last year, when she travelled to Israel and Palestine after the October 7 attacks, capturing female mourners as they surrounded the body of.
