Oculi (latin for vision or eye) is an Australian based collective of award winning visual storytellers offering a narrative of contemporary life.
Born in 2000 of a collective response to the lack of support for local independent documentary storytelling, Oculi's founders shared a sense of frustration with the limitations in publishing and recognition of their uncompromising stories and images. The collective now sets the tone in Australia and beyond for the best in reportage, and art photography and is the country’s premier destination for commissioning and licensing work.
At the heart of our projects lies a central conviction: To reveal the beauty, wonder and struggle within everyday life and to show the extraordinary in the ordinary. Oculi's position in the industry has been established through a dedication to high quality personal and commissioned work, exhibitions in leading galleries and museums, appearances at major photo and film festivals and a commitment to mentorship through teaching and workshops.
Oculi members have been recognized with some of the most prestigious awards in photography including The World Press Photo Awards, Pictures of the Year International, The International Photographer Awards, The American Photography Awards, The Walkley Awards and The Moran Prize. Their work is regularly published in major periodicals such as TIME, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, GEO, Harpers, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, Mother Jones, Monocle, The Guardian, The Washington Post, The British Journal of Photography, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Guardian among others. The group's archives are syndicated throughout Europe by L’Agence VU in Europe, Redux in North America and Sipa in China.
Current members are James Brickwood, Nick Moir, Jeremy Piper, Raphaela Rosella, Dean Sewell, David Maurice Smith, Tamara Voninski, George Voulgaropoulos, Alana Holmberg, Matthew Abbott and John Feely.