Brisbane in its best light - LMPA
Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards, a contest capturing Brisbane's beauty. This year's theme "Brisbane in its best light", has motivated me to explore the city and hone my photography skills
Brisbane City council hosts an annual photography competition, the Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards, where they ask anyone that lives, works or studies in Brisbane to share their favourite experiences, unique places and memorable moments, from sub-terranean secrets to kaleidoscopic skies, bustling bayside precincts to tranquil hilltop escapes. Basically, they want photos showing that Brisbane is a great place to live, work and relax.
Always competing
I have been submitting photos for the competition since 2019, some years have gone a bit better than others. At first I started doing it for the money, as there is a chance of winning up to $5000, did anyone say Apple Vision Pro? Just kidding. But the more I started competing the more I got into expanding my photography skills and explore the city I am currently living in.
What I found interesting was to see how my photos changed over the years, because even though the theme for each year changes, the main part of the theme is about the city of Brisbane. I’m not saying I mastered photography in five years, no siree, but I do feel like the photos that I have taken over the years of the same subject to tend to become a tad nicer to look at and start to tell a story instead of just being a photo of some grand vista.
Brisbane in its best light
This year the theme is “Brisbane in its best light”, which is quite tricky, or is for me. I want to have the photo immediately remind you of the city of Brisbane, but at the same time show off something new and unique to Brisbane, or even show an up and coming activity that all Brisbanites could enjoy.
Saying it sounds simple, taking a photo of it is not.
This is where the fun of these competitions start for me. It forces me to just explore more of the city I love and go to places I never even knew about. Some days I just drive through suburbs looking for that perfect photo, and most days I come up with nothing, but other days I find a scene to take a photo of that I am actually proud of, and for now that is enough for me.
Photography for everyone
This competition isn’t exclusively aimed at professional photographers; amateurs and enthusiasts at all photography levels are encouraged to participate. They are seeking photos that beautifully capture and celebrate the essence of the vibrant city of Brisbane. Below are a few examples of the stunning snapshots I've had the privilege to capture throughout my years behind the lens.
