THE AUTHENTIC SAGA
Dena Churchman (DC) is currently in her third year studying for her National Diploma in Photography at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). In 2010, Dena participated in both exhibition's Co-ordinates and Graffitti Gardening which were group exhibitions that showcased student works from the Photography Department. "The Authentic Saga" is a self motivated project by DC initiated last year. I have been aware of her initiative for a while and been given snippets of it over the past year via email. DC has not 'exhibited' it as yet. I had a meeting with DC last week and asked if I could share this project on my Blog (and can't believe that almost a year has already gone by since we've been taking about this).
Due to the fact that I am Blogging this now, you must have already worked out that DC agreed. I am excited to feature this project and will be introducing the project in another blog entry, followed up by singular entries on ideas and images from the project.
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This smacks of osmosis:
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| self portrait |
I feel that this is type of project is extreemly inspiring as it promotes creative expression through collaboration. It moves notions of Photography outside of it's technical, didactic (only work with class assignments) and commercial domain into a 'space' where one individual utilizes conceptual and personal investigations from an inspirational moment into an idea and feeds it to a group of people.
It is the collective of the group and its outcomes that inform and embody the project and produce the body of work.
Before I feature this self motivated "collaborative" project by DC, first things first, in typical osmosisSTYLE, meet Dena and her views on Photography.
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I asked Dena 10 questions...
and this is what she had to say:
1. What does Photography mean to you?
It is the opportunity to create the memories of life, whether beautiful or disturbing.
2. What genre of photography are you passionate about?
I am most passionate about people, whether portraiture or documentary. There is always a story to an individual, many are overlooked but Photography can make someone and their story live forever.
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| ©Dena |
3. What aspects of Photography do you love?
The perfect captured moment that is able to tell a story, the way in which light creates mood, and that after feeling of a good picture
4. What aspects of Photography do you find challenging?
Sometimes the ideas in your head can be most challenging to successfully execute.
5. Where do you find inspiration?
Through other Photographers who share the same interests, even friends who have no real technical experience who are able to still create a brilliant image. Those who are not bound by the rules.
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| ©Dena |
6. If you could share one thing with others who are also interested in Photography what would it be?
Do it only for the love of it, then you will be able to be your best.
7. Name Photographers that have influenced you.
[Click on names and images to learn more]
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| ©Dena |
9. List 3 words that describe how it feels to be engaging outside DUT.
nervous, experience, learning
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| ©Dena |
10.Describe how you feel about next year?
Slightly apprehensive but willing to work hard to do what I love. I know where I would like to be and am going to try and get there no matter how long it takes.
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Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s [YAB] idea for 6 Billion Others, was born in 2003 from the simple desire to make contact with other people. When his helicopter broke down in Mali he spent a whole day talking to the villager. He says "I dreamt of understanding their words, of feeling what linked us. Because, from up there, the Earth looks like an immense area to be shared". YAB believes that in order to learn to live together, it is first necessary to get to know each other. To take the first step is to ask questions, to listen, and to become a part of someone else’s story. By bringing together experiences on film from across the world, he hoped to display on a single site that 'speaks' of the diversity of mankind, and enables people to experience the universal nature of humanity as one listens to personal feelings on universal questions and this in turn create dialogue with each other. The ?'s begin with the things that affect the lives of all of us: family, love, happiness, but also the things that divide us: war, certain values or beliefs.
• A common framework. Each face was filmed in an identical manner: centred, vertical full frontal shots, to the camera. YAB was looking for frank and direct relationships, and placed an emphasis on the closeness of the face so that ones relationship is a direct one. 
Dena Churchman (DC) is currently in her third year studying for her National Diploma in Photography at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). In 2010, Dena participated in both exhibition's Co-ordinates and Graffitti Gardening which were group exhibitions that showcased student works from the Photography Department. "The Authentic Saga" is a self motivated project by DC initiated last year. I have been aware of her initiative for a while and been given snippets of it over the past year via email. DC has not 'exhibited' it as yet. I had a meeting with DC last week and asked if I could share this project on my Blog (and can't believe that almost a year has already gone by since we've been taking about this). 
