An impromptu snap caught on his smartphone has paid dividends for Caroline Springs resident Michael Angelini.
The 24-year-old architecture graduate beat more than a thousand entrants to have a photo he took, dubbed Summer Heat, immortalised on a Jeanswest T-shirt and sold in more than 230 stores in Australia and New Zealand.
The Snap Shot Series competition, which has run for the past five years, offers amateur and professional photographers the chance to have their work bought and worn by the public.
Mr Angelini said he was thrilled to be one of seven winners chosen to have their photographs printed. “Many of my family and friends have said that once it comes out, they’re going to buy one for themselves and tell everyone that ‘my friend took this photo’.”
The winning snap was taken on a warm summer’s day at the shops. The part-time waiter said he usually kept his DSLR camera nearby but this time he only had his smartphone on him.
“A lot of people think it’s St Kilda because of the palm trees and clear blue skies, but it’s actually Doncaster shopping centre,” he said.
“I had just come outside and saw this magnificent sunset behind the palm trees and had to take a shot of it.”
Mr Angelini says Caroline Springs is also great for photography, and he’s hoping for another potential winning shot of the town centre or the lake.
Jeanswest menswear designer Clint Curtis said Michael’s striking shot instantly stood out.
“It’s a classic urban summer snap, a moment captured in summertime with that quintessential sunset that could be St Kilda, Manly or LA,” he said.
The limited-edition T-shirts have a unique label with each winner’s name on the swingtag.
