Rural NSW photographers creating beauty through pictures

For some it is simply a hobby, while for others it forms their career, yet they all have a strong passion for photography and rural life.

A life on the land has been born and bred into Rachael Lenehan so capturing it and sharing those stories through photographs was only natural.

Busy running her beef, lamb and wool farm at Murringo Rachael also turned her passion for photography into a business.

"It's a wonderful creative outlet to have," she said.

"I truly love taking photos and working with people to help share their stories."

Follow Rachael: @rachaellenehanphotography

Life on the farm is inspiring for Belinda Dimarzio-Bryan with camera in hand capturing her rural life.

Born and bred in Sydney she and her husband moved to his home town of Warren and it was here she became fascinated with every element of the bush.

"Life in the bush was the perfect place to grow my photography skills," she said.

"I came to realise the true aim of my photography - the impact of telling a story was much greater than just taking pretty pictures.

"They had to be honest. Not all photos had to be happy, pretty or colourful to tell that story - the lens doesn't lie and why would I want it too."

Follow Belinda: @bee_bcreative

By day she's teaching Kindergarten but in the early morning and late afternoon golden hour you'll find Caroline Cattle with a camera in hand chasing pockets of light.

"Photography has been a huge part of my (heart) life for approximately the last eight years. It is a passion, one which I could never live without anymore," she said.

"I started my journey after my three children were born - they are the light of my life.

"I love being able to mould my feelings, moods and love of the Australian bush into something magical to someone needing a lift."

Follow Caroline: @carolinecattle

Telling a story with the photos she captures is Alexandra MacAlpine's favourite part of being a photographer.

"All these beautiful photos of the land and the livestock that we run can be forever cherished by those who come after us, and that's the same way I feel when I am photographing for a client and their business," she said.

Living on a sheep and grazing property, photography is both a passion project and a job for Xan, who runs marketing business, The Social Herd, for clients in the agriculture industry.

"I love photographing livestock," she said.

"You can't control what they'll do next - you've just got to go with it and think on your feet. The perspective you can get from photographing livestock from the air is always beautiful."

Follow Alexandra: @thesocialherd_au

Working on an Angus cattle property inspired Valentina Aliprandi to pick up her camera and her passion for photography has grown.

"During the calving season of 2020, I spent the frosty mornings and late afternoons trying to capture cute shots of the calves," she said.

"I would share them on social media and quickly got a large following."

Her photography and videography business, Some of Smudge, took off from there and she works with a number of brands and clients in the agriculture industry with her favourite subject being animals.

"I adore watching these curious critters from behind my lens," she said.

Follow Valentina: @someofsmudge

Inspired by her Dad, Georgia Bragg has been doing photography since she was 15 after he bought her a camera.

Growing up on a sheep station near Bourke there was always plenty of inspiration for Georgia with wildlife and vast landscapes to capture.

"My favourite thing to photograph would probably be during the first light of the day when we are yarding sheep - capturing the light and dust is a beautiful combination and always makes for a good image," she said.

"As well as this, the river was always a go-to as there is an abundance of birdlife - from red tailed black cockatoos to sea eagles."

Follow Georgia: @georgiabragg_photography

For Kim Miller photography started as a hobby as an outlet during the drought.

"During that time, my husband and I had been feeding on our sheep and cattle property and juggling three young children along with off-farm work and taking photos became a way to have a few moments to myself," she said.

Running her photography business alongside managing the farm, Kim said she likes her images to tell a story, be thought provoking and evoke emotion.

"I tend to capture life as it happens, rather than posing people, I don't subscribe to fads or the implication that you necessarily need to have a niche in photography to do well," she said.

Follow Kim: @surroundingsphotography_au

For Kim Storey photography has been a part of her life forever and more recently as a business for about eight years.

On a sheep farm at Eugowra Kim said she loved how photography allowed her to share the landscape around her with others.

"Also that I can capture some really good memories for families that will be treasured for generations," she said.

Kim said her favourite subject was kids who were always good fun and the farm kids she had met in her travels became inspiration and the subjects for her coffee table photography book Little Farmers.

Follow Kim: @kimstorey_photographer

For Marni Evetts her job as a station hand provided the inspiration to start capturing the land.

"I have been playing around more with photography for the past two years, taking full advantage of a good camera that was politely stolen off my mum," she said.

"Through admiring the beauty that I am surrounded by every day; it was only natural to play around in different ways to attempt to capture it.

"My job provides the opportunity to live and experience the moments that create these shots and enables me to play around different ideas and ways to capture the land, and everything on it."

Follow Marni: @wildwarra

Annabel Lugsdin bought her first DSLR camera while at university and has not looked back since.

"I went into it to decorate my own walls with things that mattered to me then worked out that I really really enjoyed it," she said.

Splitting her time between being a professional photographer and working on the farm at Jerilderie with her partner Annabel said she loved to capture sheep.

"I like the fact that you can capture an individual moment in time and have that as a memory and being able to share how you view the world with people," she said.

Follow Annabel: @bels_rural