Did you know it is Keep Australia Beautiful Week? Sometimes ugly things are happening in the world and it's easy to despair. I wonder how people in London and other cities in England feel upon hearing the "Keep it Beautiful" motto. After the damage and chaos of recent weeks, just cleaning up seems an overwhelming task let alone attempting to recreate beauty.
But as nature photographers we can't abrogate our responsibilities; it's our mission to keep places beautiful. We are always noticing the beauty around us; we depend on beautiful environments and places that support beautiful flora and fauna for our work. We notice when a stick is out of place or a candy wrapper is intruding into our shot. Getting out into the neighbourhood and doing a little clean up would be a generous contribution of our time - and all part of our awareness as outdoor photographers.
However I think there's an even grander way of making a contribution - by using our talents and creating a piece of work that demonstrates to others how truly beautiful our environment is. Whether that's a landscape shot of a remote location that others are unlikely to see in their lifetimes, or a macro shot that reveals a phenomenon new to science, the work of a nature photographer is all about bringing beauty to the people.
So let's get out there, before the weekend is over, and create a piece of beauty. Create a photo that makes the soul sing - not just your own - but print it up, show it and let others share in that good feeling too.
For those needing a little more incentive to get out there, here's news about a photo competition. It's just for local residents around Gosford, New South Wales. See if you can dig up some really beautiful places and inspire the locals with your work! I'll be judging the competition and to give you a good kick start, you can download for free my "7 Secrets to Emotive Photography"
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