Year 12 Photography student and recipient of a Marg Standen bursary, Meg Godfrey, has ended a brilliantly creative year by winning the Upper Secondary Category in the Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) photography competition.

Meg’s latest success was announced yesterday in Melbourne.

“I thought I was going to have a panic attack when my name was announced and I had to get up and give an acceptance speech.”

The competition is very tough—open to all New Zealand and Australian students—who had to submit images related to this year’s theme: ‘This makes me happy’.

Contributors had to send in three images and a short explanation of why the images ‘make me happy’.

“Each of my images is a combination of different photographs

[and] I wanted to create a nostalgic reminiscent look with each,” Meg explained. “Reminiscence has this bittersweet feeling that has always fascinated me and brought me a sort of melancholy joy.”

Meg’s Photography teacher this year, Leigh Norton, praised Meg’s style and technique.

“She firstly creates her photos and then uses Photoshop to composite and manipulate them as layers to generate her ideal vision,” he said. “She is very proficient with blending and masking.”

But such skills do not necessarily mean the process is rapid.

“Some photos take only three or four hours, but one backdrop alone took me 35 hours!” Meg said.

For her efforts, Meg is now following in the steps of some true luminaries in the world of Australian screen and images—people such as Rachel Griffiths and Adam Elliot are previous ATOM finalists.

Meg’s prize is $1000 to spend at Ted’s Cameras.

What a great way to finish Year 12. Our very best congratulations Meg!