Photography has always had a unique presence in Peter Carroll’s life. It first began with his mother who was the editor of local newspapers in both New Guinea and then in the Gold Coast Hinterland while he was growing up. “I was always surrounded by, and loved, the buzz of the newsroom and the magic of the darkroom. There was great energy and always cameras floating around. It was sure to rub off,” says Carroll.
Working as a hiking tour guide around Australia, Carroll learnt the basics of photography from his boss, who was an amateur photographer, as well as Darren Leal. These mentors fostered his love and respect for nature which guides much of his photographic direction today. Finding the initiative to plunge into photography at the height of the digital revolution in 2006 he chose Alice Springs as his base. “The move to Alice Springs enabled me to learn the craft over the next few years,” he says. Honing his craft after a few local gigs and awards, 2010 became a defining point in his career. “I captured Uluru during the big rains in 2010 and the images went viral. It was a crazy few months dealing with magazine editorials and newspapers around the world and taught me some serious lessons. The biggest lesson was probably that I had no idea and wasn’t ready for the business side of photography,” says Carroll.
Carroll eventually had his debut exhibition in 2011 as part of the Head On Photography Festival in Sydney showcasing his series Uluru Rain, which saw him as a finalist in the Head On Portrait Prize. In 2011 he went on to be a finalist in the Head On Portrait Prize and in 2012 was a Semi-Finalist in the Moran Prize. In 2014, Carroll entered the SA APPAs and was awarded four Gold and two Silvers, and was named SA Emerging Photographer of the Year.
