10/10/2026
"Little Leaves"
by Mieke.
Mieke's story: When I was a little kid, my parents bought a paddock which they transformed into a vineyard and winery. The whole family was involved, including me and my two siblings who were dragged out on the weekends to "the block" as the vines were being planted, sometimes entertaining ourselves - sometimes working in the vineyard. Not long after we opened the winery, my dad bought some deciduous trees as saplings to plant along the property boundary beside the highway where an old railway line used to run. Despite our fierce protestations, he insisted that the three of us children plant these trees. He had admirable foresight, because now, every year in Autumn, our avenue of magnificent Claret Ash and Silver Birch trees is admired by the many visitors who come to see the stunning Autumn colours in our region. It makes us quite proud to have contributed to people's enjoyment of our little town! This is a close-up of the delicate, draping leaves of one of those special Silver Birches on a particularly foggy morning.
Like many photographers, I was initially a "Grand Scenic" kind of landscape photographer - always on the hunt for the Epic, Glorious and Vast, often using a wide-angle lens, and trying to capture it in the most dramatic and colourful sunrise/sunset light. Over time, I have slowly come to fully appreciate more intimate and abstract scenes, as I feel that they allow a more personal approach where you can really share the way you see the world, particularly in places where one step to the left or right can result in a completely different perspective on the scene. I often use my 70-200mm lens for this purpose, and photograph subjects like leaves, ice patterns, reflections, water patterns, bark, interesting rocks and sand patterns. It gives me a wonderful sense of satisfaction to spend time exploring the more intimate side of Nature and discover compositions that are pleasing to the viewer!
"Little Leaves" is currently hanging in the Gallery at 102a Gavan Street, Bright.
Open 10am - 4pm daily except Wednesdays.
