Q&A Oculi

What were the driving motivations behind the formation of Oculi?

Dean Sewell: The foundations of Oculi are steeped in the traditions of newspaper photography, and it was towards the end of the 1990s that ideas of collectivism were already circulating throughout Sydney’s photojournalistic fraternity. Of a generation that had cut its teeth on the major metropolitan mastheads of the day, and those across the United States of America, the idea of the single image narrative had given way to more considered, long-form photojournalism, and it had felt that newspapers held neither the means nor the will to follow us on this journey.

These ideas collided with the awakening of the age of the Internet and the confluence of the euphoric states of both an Olympic year and a brand-new millennium. The air, it seemed, was pregnant with possibility. We would become the first real generation of photographers in Australia to fully embrace the Internet as a means of dissemination of our works. Being young and ambitious, we were no longer intent with being mere passive observers, but instead wanted to contribute to the global narrative of humanity and share with the world, stories from Australia and its neighbouring nations.

How can photographers, regardless of their area of specialisation, benefit from being in a collective?

There are some obvious benefits, such as shared knowledge, contacts, gear, and resources. Having a group of experienced and passionate photographers to call on for almost instant advice and insight is invaluable, particularly at the beginning of your career. For me personally, being part of Oculi gave me a lot more