Melita Whittle, Please Proceed to the Exit (SINGLE SHOT 2026)

My family and I live regionally, where distance teaches patience and belonging has a postcode. The city is only two and a half hours away, yet it might as well be another country. Convincing my family to visit is always an exercise in persistence. This photograph was taken in the Queensland Museum and Art Gallery. My enthusiasm at this point was still high. Theirs was not. Each family member sits in their own chair, physically together but emotionally scattered. My husband leans back, tired, his body language a gentle surrender. Our son leans in toward him, seeking connection that may or may not be returned. One daughter reclines, absorbed in the artwork she has just created, while the other is elsewhere entirely, content in a world only she can see. There is irony here. We are surrounded by culture, art, and intention, yet the moment captured is one of depletion. The city has done its work: overstimulated, weary, ready to leave. This image holds the tension between my longing for wonder and their readiness for home. It is a family portrait not of awe, but of endurance. It is proof that sometimes the most honest images are made after the inspiration has already peaked.

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