THE iconic Lake Eyre has given Albury aerial photographer David Taylor one his most powerful palettes yet.
Wind induced patterns in layers of salt over vivid clay criss-crossed with the tracks of wildlife is the distillation of outback Australia at its most breathtakingly beautiful.
Over two visits in January and March this year, Mr Taylor and his son Rowand took to the skies above the lake to capture its very essence in the morning light.
The result is a collaborative exhibition, titled Kati-Thanda 15 Below, showcasing his photographs of the lake at 80 per cent capacity.
Mr Taylor said weather patterns combined with salt, algae, weeds and wildlife to create stunning patterns and colours.
“It is about the beauty of nature and the millions of years of blending colours, swirls and patterns,’’ he said.
Re-named Kati-Thanda in 2011, Lake Eyre is the nation’s largest lake at 9500sqkm and is the lowest natural point in Australia at 15m below sea level.
The lake fills only a few times in a century, with record inflows were recorded in September.
Mr Taylor has flown over Lake Eyre eight times, including a visit in January this year.
“A one-in 80 year event of a local rainfall had filled the lake – it was a highly unusual sight with the red desert against the green grasses and spinifex,’’ he said.
“We photographed the salt lakes of Frome, Eyre, Torrens and Tyrrell on that trip.
“We based ourselves at William Creek and flew from sunrise to 11am over three days to capture the images.’’
“I love the peace, the colours, nature and the sheer rawness of the landscape,’’ he said.
“It’s about listening to the land and being aware of what you are feeling.’’
These days he shoots his images from a four-seater Glasair Sportsman, a tail dragger ideally suited to bush flying. Most of the aerial images are taken at 2000-2500 feet.
He flies an average of 100 hours a year, crisscrossing the continent at 130 knots and armed with an open-platform, high-end medium format Phase One camera.
Aside from photography, Mr taylor is the stud advisor for Paraway Pastoral Company’s Pooginook Merino Stud, Cooinbil Station and Borambil Station, in the Riverina.
He has a combined flock of more than 60,000 ewes under his guidance, supplying classing expertise, genetic selection, pasture and grazing management advice.
“I want people to join me in appreciating our amazingly beautiful earth and to explore how we can better manage it,’’ Mr Taylor said.
“What interests me most is to be able to share in the beauty and peace I see from above.”
The exhibition will open at MAMA, Albury, on December 8.
