ROBERT Baillie was driving along a classic country road, when he noticed a fallen tree and a flock of sheep. To him, this was a golden opportunity.
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This opportunity has now resulted in him being named the winner of the open category for the Regional Development Australia Central West, 2023 Central West is Best Photography Competition.
'This is Central West' was the theme for the competition, and entrants were encouraged to showcase the magic of our region as a destination to live, work and visit.
And, when out for a visit to Meadow Flat, he saw exactly that - a place that showcased the magic of the Central West.
"I just happened to be driving past and I noticed the scene out of the corner of my eye and I pulled over and walked back," he said.
"The sheep at that time had walked further into the paddock, but I just liked the shape of the tree and everything, so when I went over to photograph it, the flock moved closer, which really made it perfect for me."
During his 50 years taking photos as an amateur photographer, Mr Baillie has discovered a passion for landscapes.
And it's clear that his keen eye for the land provided him with the perfect picture to ensure that he was deemed the winner of the competition.
"I like taking landscape photos and things of nature and all that, so I had a few that I thought might be okay for the competition, and I was lucky enough that one of them was the winning entry," he said.
"Landscapes, they are by far and away the subject I photograph most."
This love for landscapes has led Mr Baillie to many an early rise to catch the sun coming up, with hikes and bushwalks to find the perfect setting.
But some shots just appear to him in the blink of an eye.
"Others just turn up in front of you. Your eyes are always open for a good shot to appear," he said.
And as a result of his keen eye, for winning the competition, Mr Baillie received approximately $1200 worth of vouchers for local camera stores and for photography related items.
This is something he said he was "very excited" about.
Since retiring, Mr Baillie said that he was also very excited to continue taking photos with his new-found spare time.
A gallery of all of the competition entries can be found on the Regional Development Australia website.
