Telling outback stories from behind the lens

There is the banter of cockies laughing, with just a hint of angst behind those smiles, as they bank on a good dollar for this mob.

It's a typical setting seen across much of rural Australia every week but photographer Bella Gale is determined to capture stories of the land and those that call it home.

"I've always been interested in bush people and their stories - and I love that everyone has a story to tell even though it might not seem like that at the time," Bella said.

"I take photos of mum and dad all the time in the yards, doing what they love; it tells a story from the bush.

"It's one single moment in time they won't remember years from now but in that moment it's been preserved forever."

Bella, who grew up on Pincally Station, north of Broken Hill, says not only did she have the perfect backdrop for photography inspiration but her parents Zanna and Matt Gale have also been creative inspiration.

"Both of my parents, through very different ways, have been a constant source of inspiration," Bella said.

"From dad building our growing collection of coffee tables and undertaking many a welding project with my sisters and I, to mum's dream kitchen, which I saw blossom from sketches to the beautiful home we have today."

While Bella drew at school, it wasn't until 2023 that she purchased her first camera, which hasn't left her side since.

"I didn't leave school and say I wanted to be a photographer, I picked it up and used it as a creative outlet where I would give photos to friends and family, so it just grew from there," she said.

Since then, Bella takes her camera everywhere from outback events, to working on a guest ranch in Canada as a riding guide for tourists, and to rodeos.

"I went to a few rodeos in Canada and America and found my way behind the chutes. One of my favourite photos was from there," Bella said. "The cowboy was riding a bronc and there were beautiful mountains in the background. It was just on sunset and all the elements came together for that one shot."

But as she dives into Bella Gale Collective head-first, where she has now launched her own website, Bella is excited about what the future holds.

"I can't wait to see where this takes me," she said.

When she is not attempting to convince her family to pose, you can find Bella on horseback behind a mob of cows on an outback station in North Queensland.

"I went to work on a cattle property in Queensland for a gap year after school, loved it and stayed for three years in the end," she said.

"There are lots of opportunities for inspiration and creativity up there. I love capturing the beauty of untold stories and those who call the bush their home.

"I'm inspired every day by the landscape, its animals and the vibrancy of reds, greens, yellows and browns of the varying Australian bush."