Out of the Shadows

The topic of ‘landscape’ in contemporary photography extends beyond traditional depictions of the natural environment, encompassing urban and industrial sites and places marked by events. While it includes idyllic and picturesque scenes, it also captures urban imagery, tourist snapshots, and digital representations like Google Maps. This work focuses on ‘place’ and its historical, political, and traumatic associations. Out of the Shadows explores the violence of the frontier wars between the British military, settlers, and Indigenous peoples, challenging the narrative of peaceful settlement. It highlights overlooked histories of massacres, Indigenous resistance, and family internment in missions. Each photograph ties to a traumatic event in Australia’s colonial past, forging links between memory, history, and identity. Captured using a pinhole large format camera, the soft focus and sense of movement evoke the passage of time, enhancing the historical resonance of the images. This series illuminates colonial violence, fostering a collective consciousness essential for reconciliation and a truthful historical narrative.