Sheridan Collage hosted its annual Grad Show in May. The year-end event celebrates the graduating students of the school’s Honours Bachelor of Photography Program. Usually, the night allows the graduates to not only display their work but also introduce themselves to their new peers – including photo editors, art buyers and fellow photographers – in person.
With this year’s event being virtual, the students showcased their work in other ways. The GRADWORK website – www.sheridanphotography.ca – features images by each of the 48 graduating students, along with a statement about their work. New this year, an outdoor exhibit displayed their work on 10 street-level billboards in the west end of Toronto for two weeks.
“GRADWORK provides an innovative forum to celebrate Sheridan’s Bachelor of Photography students and introduce their work to the broader community,” says Donna Braggins, Associate Dean, Design, Illustration and Photography. “Despite the pandemic, the physical and virtual spaces of the exhibition give our students an opportunity to showcase their work, and to highlight their diverse perceptions of the conceptual, technical and aesthetic possibilities of photography."
Judges presented 10 awards during the virtual event. Members of the Canon Canada team attended to give the Canon Awards to two deserving graduates.
Alexis Bergasse won the Canon Award of Excellence, awarded to the student with the highest fourth-year GPA, and received $2,000. A commercial photographer with an interest in concert, beauty and product photography, she likes to use colour and creative lighting techniques to create punchy and stylized images. An opportunity to experiment with gelled lighting her third year help formulate the look and vibe of her work. “Since then, I’ve experimented even more with gels, and through constructive feedback from my peers and professors I was able to push myself and my work,” she says. “By the end of my fourth year I was able to create a large variety of work using colour to stand out and refine my personal style.” The award recognizes her progress and promise. “Winning the Canon Award of Excellence means a lot to me. It means that all those hours spent researching, planning, shooting and editing these past four years were all worth it, and that it didn’t go unrecognized. It means that I’ve constantly improved since starting at Sheridan, and it can only go up from here. I can’t wait to see where my creativity takes me.”
Siyi Wang won the Canon Best in Show Award and received a Canon EOS R with RF 24-105mm F4 L IS II USM kit, as well as the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. Wang is a fine art photographer who explores relationships between nature and the objects in her frame. “I am very drawn to, and inspired by, the ‘almost right’ sense,” she says. “I think the most beautiful thing happens when there’s things unrevealed and questions unanswered. I look for that sense in my work.” Wang earned recognition in her second year when she achieved the highest GPA in the program. “I still think about that award because of how much it motivated me and how much confidence it gave me in myself and my work. It was the first time I felt recognized and felt that I could make great work as an artist/photographer. Now that I’m graduating with my four-year degree in photography, I can’t think of anything that can make me happier than receiving this Best in Show Award. Thank you for reminding me of my worth as an artist throughout the four years. Your support has genuinely motivated me to be a better student and to value my work more.”
This is the 14th consecutive year Canon Canada has supported the program with scholarships. In addition to the two graduate awards, Canon Canada annually presents $2,000 scholarships to the top students in Years 1, 2 and 3 of Sheridan College’s Honours Bachelor of Photography Program.
“Canon Canada is a long-time supporter of Sheridan’s photography community and has been instrumental in recognizing the award-winning work of our students,” says Howard Simkins, Professor, Bachelor of Photography. “For decades, Canon has been a leader in providing the best technology to develop the next generation of professional photographers, and we are grateful for their partnership and investment at Sheridan.”
Are you enrolled at an accredited Canadian secondary or post-secondary institute? Enjoy discounts on select cameras, lenses and printers, as well as on service and repairs. Membership is free.