Photography Exhibition April 28 – May 8, 2022, Corner Gallery, Stanmore
2020 and 2021 were difficult years for many people around the world due to the Coronavirus pandemic. I was one of millions of people whose travel plans were thwarted by local and global lockdowns. At various times in this period, intrastate travel restrictions were eased. Debbie and I were lucky enough to plan several road trips within the NSW state borders which went ahead without disruption. This included a north coast trip in February 2021 to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary in Byron Bay. We had originally booked this to take place in New Zealand.
I always carry several cameras with me on my travels. Often this has included a black and white film camera. For these trips, however, I decided to capture the diverse landscapes of NSW in glorious digital colour. Hence the title of the exhibition – colour photos taken within the NSW state lines. This also hints at the admonition to stay within the lines when colouring in a childrens’ picture book. Stylistically, I primarily stayed inside the lines of representational photography; nothing too adventurous or abstract! Choice of subject, time of day and composition were the key considerations in attempting to record the landscape at its best.
These road trips also provided a number of important insights. Firstly, how much there is to see in our own country and how diverse is the landscape. Secondly, how those with the means to travel the world had become blasé about jumping on a plane and being on the other side of the globe within a day. We had travelled internationally almost every year since 2010 and had not properly appreciated what an easy privilege this was. Finally, the pandemic reminded us that we are fragile organisms and it is important that we care for each other and our environment. I really don’t think Mars can compete with the natural beauty of our very own backyard.
Oh, and surely a pandemic puppy can make up for missing out on two months in Italy?
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