Michael Mclean, The diversity of this land (LANDSCAPE 2025)

I have always dabbled in photography as a hobby. When I was younger, I did portraits for friends and family and dabbled in some street photography. I never expected to take up landscape photography as a discipline. 5 years ago, I made the move from Perth W.A. to Melbourne Victoria for the broader music scene and nightlife and employment opportunities. My wife and I began exploring our new home state to familiarise ourselves with our new home. I shocked and amazed by this new world of amazing and diverse landscapes available to me within only hours of Melbourne. This selection of 3 images represents that incredible diversity of this state I love, Victoria. I chose these images for several reasons. Firstly, the diversity of the landscapes themselves, from soft lush green forests to red and rocky mountain ranges and the calm and flowing beauty of Victorias waterways. Secondly, they show a diversity of textures available to us as photographers. The details of the images range from fluffy and vibrant ferns, to hard and sharp rocky outcrops and soft and smooth rivers. Finally, together, these images form a cohesive representation of the RGB color palette, emphasizing the extraordinary variety of landscapes Victoria offers. From vibrant greenery to fiery mountain ranges and serene blue waters, this collection celebrates the remarkable beauty of the state I now call home. The Beginnings - A lush green rainforest scene, where vivid ferns and mosses thrive alongside a flowing creek. Taken in January 2024 this image started my new obsession with capturing nature. The sun peaks through the canopy and draws the eye down the flowing river, a slower shutter chosen to show its flowing motion. This was my first step back into photography after many years and my first real attempts at landscape photography, when I look at this image I feel a sense of growth, news things and vibrancy. The Crimson Hills - A striking vignette of the Grampians mountain ranges painted in shades of red and purple by the setting sun. The rugged terrain shows both the texture and harshness of Victoria’s highlands, a beautiful place but where harsh challenges exist. This was the first trip I took specifically for photography and weas captured in June 2024. When I look at this image, I feel a sense being in a place other than what I’m used to, a new planet or world that’s different and exciting. The Quiet - A serene river landscape shrouded in morning mist, where soft blues and gentle reflections create a tranquil, dreamlike scene. It embodies the calm and quiet loneliness that can be found exploring in Victoria’s waterways. This was taken at Aire river in the Otways in October of 2024 at sunrise.

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