Waiting for a
moment that might never come
When people ask what type of photographer I am I answer very strongly
that I'm a documentary photographer. In years past it was a mix of landscape,
aerial, portraiture and mining genres. But now, every aspect of what I do
is about history and documenting this amazing world in which we live.
It is not done with a political purpose. It is done because I feel
that it is an important thing to do, though I realise that at the end of the
day ultimately nothing is important.
Every time I return to my native Pilbara in Western Australia’s far
north, that point gets drilled in to me. When I sit photographing fossils
that are 3.49 billion years old. If the first appearance of life on earth
could be equated to the start of a one hour movie, humans first appeared in the
last half second of that movie. These things give one a very good sense
of perspective.
So when you have that perspective to work with, one can only do what
feels important. And that must come from deep inside one’s persona.
You can never be 100 percent sure that you are doing the right thing,
but at the end of the day your gut feel and belief systems are all that you
have to work with.
So over the last sixteen years I have worked hard to document aspects of
the Pilbara and our world that are rapidly changing. People and their
stories. The effect of the Chinese industrial transformation on the
mining industry in Australia and Africa. Changing towns.
My landscape photographs are very different to how they once were.
In years past I chased beauty in the landscape. I watched for the
light. Then followed the light. But, as I learned along the way,
anyone can do that these days. If the light is on song, any person can
take a good photograph, whether they are a photographer or not.
So how to do things differently…….? How to do things differently
but still work in a way that feels important?
Today, I search for landscapes that are changing rapidly also. In
Australia, this is mainly because of mining. So I look for landscapes
that might not be around in years to come. Or I look for important
historical landmarks. I search for and find those landmarks and then wait
for the light.
My aim now is not to take beautiful photographs. It is to take
photographs of important places at their most beautiful.
This can be very challenging. Two recent photos in the
Pilbara came at the end of 17 days of waiting. That’s 17 days camped in
the bush with temperatures over 40 degrees on most days. Nothing, until,
at the end of those 17 days, the universe grants me a gift. Then
there was the teaser after
a 36 day wait, not the shot I was after but I love the image.
You learn much about yourself and learning to live with nature when the
conditions are like that and the opportunities are so limited. It becomes
a battle with oneself as much as it does the quest to make an important
photograph. Because nothing is certain in life and one cannot be certain
that the photo will even come.
Take a wait earlier this year. To date, I have waited 36 days for
a photograph in the Pilbara and it still has not yet come. Included in
there has been a direct hit from a cyclone and eleven successive days where the
temperature topped 45 degrees on all but one. But I will return until I
eventually make that photograph. Whether it takes me one day or another
two months.
Working in the Pilbara has yielded some of my greatest life experiences.
I live each year for the months from December to March. Working out where to
wait. Deciding when to go and when to stay. It's a bit like fishing a mate once
said to me. You have to know when to leave fish and when to stay for fish.
Photography is no different. But in the Pilbara the journey well and truly is
what makes the destination.
This ABC Open gallery showcases some
of Hugh's extraordinary photographs Published 01 Oct
2014. Mount Sheila WA
6751
A little bit
of cuteness (boy)
By antpattern · · From Pic of the Week
A little bit of cuteness for Thursday.
This Golden Whistler (only know ‘cause I googled) followed us for half an hour. Continually trying to pull out my boys’ hair. Must be a spring nest building thing. Weird though because we were up on the mountain. I've never sen this before. So it was pretty amazing to commune so close with nature. Published 10 Oct 2016. Melbourne VIC 3004
End of the
day
By Whitefella Walkabout · · From Pic of the Week
I took this shot on the farm of some good friends in Esperance, Western
Australia.
These good folk have rehabilitated the land their farm sits on, planting
thousands of trees to help the soil.
Much of their time is spent working with young people who need special
support in their lives. They provide a place where they can pull their lives
together and spend time in a healthy environment. Part of their farm is given
over to accommodation and a youth camp.
Around the farm are the remains of a few old farm vehicles. This truck
caught the light of the setting sun and I had to rush to get the shot.
Published 06 Aug
2015. Esperance WA
6450
Mesmerising
Mildura
By Lisa Milne · · From Snapped: My town
Mildura is definitely the place to catch some of Australia's most
stunning sunrises and sunsets. I’m out walking Ayla most evenings and have now
made it a habit to take my camera with me so I can share some of the incredible
sky displays that we see together. Published 23 Jun
2015. Mildura VIC 3500
Juna Downs
By pilbaralifeandstyle · · From My Back Roads
Dad riding with the Station Manager at Juna Downs
Published 06 Oct
2016. Juna Downs WA
6751
Snow brumbies
By AmandaH78 · · From Snapped: Your
Top 3 in 2014
So living alongside the Snowy Mountains has its benefits. One morning after a heavy snowfall we took a drive up into Bago State
Forest. We turned a corner and here was the most amazing herd of brumbies,
covered in snow. The contrasting colours were amazing and although the stallion made his
presence known, I still managed to get a whole series of photos...this one
being my favourite. I love the brumbies and getting shots of them in the snow was a huge
goal of mine! Published 17 Dec
2014. Batlow NSW 2730
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