According to one of their lecturers, David Lloyd, the students who are majoring in photojournalism as part of their studies for a Bachelor of Photography are, for the most part, passionate storytellers who seek to make a difference through the stories they tell.

The students are required to complete an intensive in-field project where they visit a regional town like Lightning Ridge, become immersed in the life of that town and document that life.

Mr Lloyd said although this project was a new addition to the requirement which needed to be fulfilled in order to obtain a Bachelor of Photography, majoring in photo-journalism, the university hoped to build it into an ongoing study of small regional towns throughout Australia and potentially the world.

“The work produced will add to the small, but growing archive in this area,” Mr Lloyd said.

The students intend to set up a small editorial room in the local SES headquarters on Pandora Street and work “24/7,” Mr Lloyd said. Although they should have some knowledge of Lightning Ridge, based on their background research, the students will spend the first day or two scouting around town for further ideas and sources and then, once they have the approval of their lecturers, they will begin to photo-document the town.

For the rest of their time in Lightning Ridge they will continue to “work the story up to the best that it can possibly be using image and text”, said Mr Lloyd. By the end of the week they hope to be able to hold a slide night for any locals who would be interested in attending. Their intention is to show their work in its raw form before spending the next week back at the university refining the story, editing, sequencing and publishing it - though it has not yet been determined in what form they will publish it.

Mr Lloyd said the students were very grateful for the support they received from Mayor Ian Woodcock who organised the SES offices to act as their editorial room.

They were also very appreciative of Carol McClory from the Wallangulla Motel for offering generous rates for their accommodation.