Emerging from the world’s oldest living culture, contemporary Aboriginal art has taken to the global stage to tell tales of ancient landscapes and storylines. Read our full story on the history and future of Aboriginal art in AG #131, available now.
Photographers Stanley and Kaisa Breeden have focused their lenses on some very small forms of life. The pair are masters of ‘focal stacking’ photography, in which they merge images to create an otherwise unachievable depth-of-field. Here, they’ve used their skills to bring out some of nature’s smallest details, from the amazingly delicate textures of moth wings to the curled-up form of a sleeping wasp. All these images can be found in their book, Small Wonders: A close look at nature’s miniatures.
‘Dinosaur Art: The world’s greatest paleoart’, from Titan books, collects together truly incredible illustrations of long-gone species.
We think of Australia’s penal settlement and its wars as times of great turmoil for many, of events that changed things on a national and global scale. Yet, it is important to remember that amongst these events were people just like us. The Australian War Memorial and the National Museum hold an immense collection of material tracing the nation’s history and wars. In-between the battle plans and the official histories are many small gems which remind us of the resilience of the human spirit and the necessity of love. Most images and captions are courtesy of Rebecca Britt, a curator at the Australian War Memorial and author of the book, Stories of Love and War.
There is a plethora of stunning birds in south-east Queensland and photographer Graeme Toft, based on the Sunshine Coast, specialises in capturing them. His primary area of interest is the local residents and migratory species of SE Queensland. “There is a wonderful diversity of species within a three hour drive from my home. A lifetime could be spent photographing them all,” he says.
These galleries were among your favourite image collections to flick through this year.
A picture really is worth a thousand words when it’s underpinned by rigorous research and crafted with skill.
The aurora australis lights have been captured from a unique angle by the International Space Station.
The record-breaking aviator’s life, and why he was mourned around the world after his mysterious disappearance.
Every year, a festival in country NSW pays tribute to spring and attempts to heal the rifts of war.