The Oliver Rock Art Photography Award |
Mark Oliver is a photographer living in Solvang, California. He worked with Bill Hyder and Georgia Lee to photograph rock art throughout southern California in the late 1970s and 1980s with an emphasis on the Chumash and Easter Island. Mark proposed and provided the initial funding for the Oliver Award after constructing a temporary studio and light setup inside Painted Cave powered by a portable generator. He reasoned that ARARA needed to encourage and reward photographers who made the extra effort to improve rock art photography. This award recognizes excellence in the art and science of photography in the service of the study and appreciation of rock art. Rock art photography must illuminate and educate people that have not had the opportunity to see a site first hand. The art of rock art photography is in capturing the experience of the site, not just in reproducing what is painted or etched upon a wall of stone, but also in evoking a sense of place and the feelings and emotions that invariably one experiences at a rock art site to help others appreciate the rarity and beauty of this art form. Consideration will be given to submissions which may include all conventional still or motion film mediums, scientific film mediums, video, and digital image captures done on location. It does not extend to multimedia "productions" although the scope of the award may be expanded in the future. Entries using digital enhancement must include a description of the techniques involved. The judges expect that the entries will include a discussion of the ethics of the enhancements or manipulations used in producing the entry and how they contribute to the science of rock art research. Entries may include a single image or a portfolio of images of a single site or cluster of sites. Entries should be accompanied by a cover letter that explains how the entry meets the criteria of the award. In other words, how does it provide a viewer with new information or a new appreciation of the site or sites. This is particularly necessary in the case of scientific studies where the techniques used may be unfamiliar to the judges. The letter should also summarize the applicant's previous work in rock art (a copy of a resume or curriculum vitae is acceptable). Nominations will be accepted any time prior to January 31 by: William D. Hyder Bill Hyder will make a decision at least one month before the conference and communicate this decision to the Awards Committee Chair and the ARARA Board who has the final decision making approval. An award recipient will receive $500 award and a certificate at the ARARA conference. The winning entry will become part of ARARA's archive of rock art photography. The recipient (or legal owner of the original images if not the photographer) will grant ARARA the right to exhibit the winning entry and to reproduce it in ARARA publications. All other rights to the use of the image(s) remain the property of the photographer or other legal owner of the original images. | Past recipients include (award not given in years not listed):
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