29 May 2026
On Wednesday 13 May, Ms Skewes’ Year 9 Introduction to Photography class, accompanied by Head of Arts Ms Turner, went on an excursion, cameras in hand, to the Adelaide CBD. Students aimed to compose and capture images in the styles of contemporary Australian artists George Byrne and Dane Beesley.
Byrne, who now lives in Los Angeles, constructs abstract-inspired compositions that evoke visceral beauty, imaginative narrative and striking optimism through bright natural light, vibrant colour and simplified forms of the built environment. Beesley, who lives and works in Queensland, shares similarities with Byrne in terms of compositional style, although his primary subjects are people. His lone subjects are captured in humorous and often surprising ways within simplified, strikingly colourful built environments. Our study of both artists has offered students unique, compelling and enjoyable ways of observing, engaging with and creatively capturing the built environment around us.
I am pleased to share that Dane Beesley wrote a personal message to our Year 9 Photography class after the class posed a question to him about the technological advancement of artificial intelligence and social media. We now know that artificial intelligence actively devalues the work of practising artists by stealing from and plagiarising artists’ original handiwork, formed and shaped through years of study and acquired expertise, without consent or compensation. Social media platforms, once envisioned as spaces to connect, share and celebrate the work of diverse artists, are now increasingly dominated by algorithmic bias and relentless advertising, leaving young people to navigate these misleading and, at times, unsafe online platforms largely on their own. Our class has considered what the significance and purpose of a photographer might be today in the face of these contemporary challenges.
In response to our concerns, Beesley offered this encouragement: “We are seeing a massive resurgence in film photography at the exact same moment AI is taking off, as a collective longing for something authentic. Ultimately, it serves as a powerful reminder [that] no matter what camera or equipment you have, true art lies in your ability to capture a real, honest moment.”
We hope that his words will affirm and inspire you too, as his message is relevant to all of our respective creative endeavours.
Please enjoy images from our excursion, including photographs taken by the students themselves. Students will now edit their compositions within Adobe Photoshop to further refine and elevate these works. To see the final works, presented by each student as a short curated series, please attend our end-of-year Art and Technology Showcase. We look forward to seeing you then.
Rosalynde Skewes
Senior School Teacher
