I finally got motivated to get something printed and into a competition/exhibition.

This image “Sakura” is one from a series I’ve been working on for a while now, in a side road near Guildford in Central Victoria. The landscape here has been ravaged by the gold rush, and subsequent grazing, drought … to the point where it is so stark and compelling (to my eye), I can barely ever go down that road without seeing more photographic compositions, or new takes on old ones.
The cherry blossom stands out against the desiccated hillside and a clear blue sky – but desaturated to black, white & skin tones – giving it a Japanese name hinting at the successive phases of colonisation of this area by people from all over the globe – none of whom have cared for it as much as its Dja Dja Wurrung traditional owners once did.
“Sakura” is 1/10 in a limited series print run. Beautifully printed at A2 size on Canson Platine Fibre Rag 310gsm by Ian Hill in Malmsbury http://ianhillphotography.com.au
It is currently on exhibition at the Centre for Contempory Photography in George Street, Fitzroy in the 2019 ILFORD CCP Salon (and available there to buy 🙂 ) until 22/12/2019. Go and have a look! https://ccp.org.au/exhibitions/all/ilford-ccp-salon-exhibition
I made this image with a Lumix GH3 Micro Four Thirds Camera and a Pana-Leica 25mm prime lens. Thoroughly modern process, in a comprehensively ancient landscape.
Best seen “in the flesh” as a print, or on a large high resolution screen. It looks dark and lonely here … 😦