Leith Young embarks on new chapter at PSC

While Leith Young has worked in trades for most of his life, he has finally chosen to follow his passion and embark on a photography career.

Currently enrolled in his first semester at Photography Studies College (PSC), Leith is balancing his studies remotely while running his business from Hobart.

“I used to do a bit of photography in college when we were using black and white film. But since my daughter was born in 2011, it’s been more of a focus,” Leith said.

“Street photography is what I like to do for fun, I like black and white, high contrast things. I think in my photos you can sort of recognise what it is, but it’s abstracted with light and shadow. It’s just about creating something beautiful.”

For Leith, photography has served as an outlet for expressing his creativity while managing the demands of work and family.

Now, he aims to hone his skills at PSC in pursuit of a professional photography career.

“It’s kind of like a little break from reality. If I’ve got a Saturday where I can just go and shoot and spend time out in the city, it’s just really relaxing,” Leith told Southbank News.

“I’ve worked full-time since I was 17 and I’m 42 now, and I’ve never really had something to go and do to bring me out of that world. So doing this, it’s a nice respite. There’s no deadline, there’s no expectations, I can just do what I want.”

Despite the challenges of remote study, Leith enjoys the occasional visit to Melbourne for student exhibitions.

The latest showcase from Leith’s cohort, titled FRESH 2024, is currently being exhibited at the PSC Captured Gallery in Southgate.

“I’ve learned a lot of stuff just by myself, but there’s a huge amount that I still need to learn so this is great for a bit of networking and feedback from people that understand the industry, and to give me the confidence to go forward into a career,” he said.

“At the end of the day, it’s nice to just get feedback that I’m headed in the right direction. Even though I enjoy what I create, it’s nice to have a bit of validation from people that I should keep going.”

FRESH 2024 will run at the PSC Captured Gallery until July 9. •