Photographer

Doug Shobbrook

Finalist in

Open Category

Written Statement

Living in South East Queensland, we have access to diverse ecosystem at our doorstep. From beautiful golden beaches to tropical stretches of rainforest. This year my family and I spent part of our Easter holidays exploring the walks in Tamborine National Park.

As soon as you take your first steps on a rainforest walk, your senses are stimulated by the richness of the natural environment. With my young daughters at my side, I enjoy being able to point out and explore the unique textures that surround us in the rainforest.

The three photographs I have submitted are of rainforest textures that my daughters found and delighted in. The textures of the rainforest can be found as you brush your hand across a fern, kneel down low to peer at a fungus or rest against a giant fig tree. These images represent the natural beauty and diversity that can be found when you take the time to immerse yourself in nature. They also represent for me, the joy of spending time with my family.

The images were all photographed on a FujiFilm XT-2 with a 35mm lens. The fixed focal length of the lens allowed for me to keep a constant perspective which I feel helps tie the images together. The image of the fungus was photographed at f1.4 to isolate the central fungus and the texture of the moss from its surroundings. The other two images were photographed at f5.6 to maintain depth of field and sharpness, drawing out the texture of the entire scene.