Alexander Forrest, Primary Colours of Western Australia (LANDSCAPE 2024)

Image 1 - ‘Wilson Inlet Opening at Ocean Beach’ The unique mixture between the Wilson Inlet (near Denmark, Western Australia) and the mighty Southern Ocean. A channel is dug out of the sands of Ocean Beach manually by locals to optimise water exchange, and to reduce chance of flooding in resident areas. This arduous and unique process releases litres and litres of freshwater in an effort to empty the inlet to suitable levels. The initial result (captured here) is a stunning exchange between browns and greens from the freshwater, as they filter into the clear salty blue hues. Image 2 - ‘Green Misery Beach’ 'Misery Beach, Torndirrup, WA (near Albany)' - Previously named Tourism Australia ‘Best Beach’ in 2022, this natural spectacle of a beach deservingly gained the title, despite its name, due to its stunning environment! The sands overlook captivating views of the Frenchman bay, it’s islands, visiting fauna (the mid year annual whale migration!), crystal clear waters, bright white sands, and perhaps the most significant of all - the intimidating granite cliff to the South. This image captures a different perspective of the beach. Noticeably there are no conventional blues or cyan hues in the image. This is no colour grading wizardry but in fact a natural phenomenon. Green coloured freshwater sources exit their contents into the Southern Ocean around the stormy Winter months, creating a contrasting spectacle compared to the tourism publications! Image 3 - ‘Pilbara Artistry’ The endless stretching lands of the Pilbara region might seem desolate, but it’s rock formations like this one which really remind you of the artistry that is Australia. Captured nearby Nanutarra in the rugged Pilbara religion, this is likely a rock formation which has never been captured photographically in all of human history. It sits alone, surrounded by a flattened ochre-red landscape. Isolated and far from civilisation, it is a sacred Thalanyji place which is known by the locals for hosting initiation rituals in the past.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.