After a cold front passed, I took advantage of the warmer weather to explore a new walking route up to the university, camera in hand. While the trail itself wasn’t especially photogenic, being out in the sun, and finding a plastic chair scene that felt distinctly urban Australia, made it worthwhile. The day wrapped up at the Uralla winter solstice celebrations, arriving just in time to catch the lighting of an impressively massive bonfire.

It felt like the right time for a photo walk around town to see what had changed, and which new shopping trolleys had made an appearance. Shooting in black and white for the first time in a while added a fresh constraint, even if only a few images really stood out. Still, it was good to take a long walk with the camera again, with bonus points for discovering a few street couches along the way.

June’s first adventure took us to New England National Park, just ahead of a cold front that signalled the true start of winter. Arriving late and underprepared turned the shoot into a learning experience, quickly highlighting the need for a long-overdue ND filter. Mediocre photos aside, it was a reminder that the journey matters more than the results, and we still had a great half-day exploring the park together.

After a quiet month, we hit the road from Armidale to the Gold Coast for my mate Mark’s wedding, stopping at a roaring Ebor Falls and catching a cloud-covered sunrise along the way. The celebration atop Mount Tamborine was beautiful and meaningful—especially considering Mark played a big role in sparking my photography journey in the first place. A few scenic lookouts and long drives later, May wrapped up not with quantity, but with moments that felt big and significant.

The Big Chill Festival once again returns to Armidale, and while I was only able to make it to one night, it was a night to remember.

We had an absolute blast at The Great Nundle Dog Races this year, pure country chaos in the best possible way, even if George chose the exit over the finish line. On the way home, we stopped at Gostwyck Chapel just in time to catch the last of the autumn leaves (and, of course, the sheep). A spontaneous detour along a back road has now sparked a new project idea: walking the 27 km from Uralla to Armidale with a camera in spring.

A return visit to My Hippy Shop to capture the new arrivals for winter.

I finally made it back to the Armidale Markets in the Mall for the first time this year, and this time I was shooting on a Nikon for a change. Getting used to the new system—and its menus—was a bit of a challenge, but the 105mm lens should be perfect for the upcoming Australian Celtic Festival in Glen Innes. Even with more misses than hits, it felt great to be back out at the markets shooting again.

On Anzac Day, Evelyn from Peacock Photography and I covered the Uralla parade for a documentary project before taking the scenic route home via Thunderbolts Way. We stopped to scout Yarrowyck Crossing Reserve as a potential future shoot location and found a few promising spots. Along the way, Evelyn befriended an inchworm, which of course became a photo opportunity in itself.