Photographer

James Choi

Finalist in

Lower Secondary Category

Written Statement

I had loved the wilderness sensation of a forest ever since I can remember; walking down unsteady tracks to find yourself lost, deep into the long trunks of the trees above. I remember the only tool I had for photography was my iPhone 5. I had taken countless shots of weekly bushwalks, meet-ups and friend walks, photos that none of which were any good.

My family were on a trip to Katoomba. Some places like the Elysian Rock Lookout and the Three Sister Lookout were breathtaking, especially during sunset. But I really wanted to experience the forest in an unknown environment. We were off to the Grand Canyon Bush Trail. The walk was said to be harder than most tracks and we knew the sun would be coming down quick; the only option was to go at midday. I took sample shots while we were walking but the bright sun glared on my pictures.

Everything had changed though, as I stepped deep down into the canyon. It was a whole new world; every single shade of green I could imagine. I used quite a fast shutter to compensate for the 1.7 aperture. And I snapped these three shots.

My photos explore the concepts of texture differently to each other. My first photo depicts the tiny details of the leaves that were around me. Forests are never the same and have different textures and environments – this is what my second shot follows. To complete my collection, a pink flower was taken that has many textures: large, smooth petals; a furry, thin stem; and tiny specks of pollen that spike up on the surface of the bud.

I would love to explore the canyons of the Blue Mountains again.