VPL Photography Competition

Bruce Esplin AM - Former Victorian Emergency Services Commissioner

Bruce is the former chair of Regional Arts Victoria, and former Deputy Chair of Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. He was a judge for the Australian Photography Awards for four years from 2015 to 2019. His company (BruceEsplin Pty Ltd) is employed to provide expert advice in the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. The former, and first, Victorian Emergency Services Commissioner (a position he occupied for 10 years), he held senior positions in emergency management in Victoria for over 20 years. He was honoured to be appointed a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2013 and awarded the Centenary Medal for his public service in the emergency management sector in 2001.

Bruce is a photographer and sculptor and is a very passionate advocate and frequent speaker on the roles art can play in assisting individuals and communities rebuild their lives after trauma. In his creative practice, Bruce demonstrates his love of light and texture particularly through the use of available light in his images, and his strong belief that the viewer should engage with his sculpture using not only their eyes, but also their hands – their sense of touch. With a passion for capturing the essence and raw beauty of people and their environments – built and natural, Bruce has an innate ability to create photography and sculpture that is engaging, confronting and intricately beautiful.

Robyn Campbell - Melbourne Headshot Company / Australian Photographic Prize

Robyn Campbell is one of Australia’s most highly respected female photographers and judges with 25 action-packed years of experience in the Professional Photography industry. Her work has been exhibited internationally and has been a finalist in The Moran Prize, Fremantle Portrait Prize and Head On Portrait Prize. Robyn panel chairs and judges photography nationally and internationally, for two years running representing Australia in the World Photographic Cup. In 2022 Robyn Co-founded the Australian Photographic Prize, an international competition for professional photographers to celebrate excellence in their fields across many genres.

Sarina Lirosi - Photography Studies College

As Bachelor of Photography First Year Convenor, Sarina teaches in the Bachelor of Photography program at Photography Studies College (PSC) and also in PSC’s Advanced Diploma program.

Sarina is one of the most experienced lecturers in photography education in Australia. She has been teaching at PSC since 1991, in both VET and Higher Education courses. With a Bachelor of Education in Visual Arts and a Master’s in Fine Art, plus her extensive experience in the design and implementation of undergraduate programs, Sarina successfully applies her administrative and organisational skills to manage the first year of PSC’s Bachelor of Photography course. Sarina has coordinated numerous successful student exhibitions and is a member of PSC’s Academic Board and Academic Leadership Team.

Sarina is also a multi-disciplinary artist who has exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions across Australia. She has been a finalist in several prestigious awards including the Olive Cotton Award for Photographic Portraiture, the Darebin La Trobe Art Prize, the Artecycle Art Prize, the Williamstown Contemporary Art Prize and the Hutchins Art Award for works on paper.