Aussie photographer scores international success

5 October 2007

Australian photographer Fiona Lake has won an honourable mention in the world’s top photography award for rural photographers.

The Star Prize for Agricultural Photography is organised annually by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) to recognise the best photography covering on-farm aspects of agriculture.

Sponsored by DeLaval, the 2007 award was open to photographers from more than 30 countries affiliated with the IFAJ through national organisations representing people working in the rural media sector, including the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists (ACAJ). Winners were announced recently in Japan, during the first annual congress of the IFAJ to be held in Asia.

Based in Townsville and a member of the Rural Press Club of Queensland, Fiona Lake has specialised in photographing Australia's largest cattle stations for more than two decades.

Her successful photo, 'Danny leads the mob in his chopper', was taken on historic Wave Hill Station in the Northern Territory and published in RM Williams Outback Magazine in December, 2006. The mob of more than 1,000 Brahmans was typical but the handling was not.

“I've never seen cattle worked like this before,” Fiona said. “The pilot Danny Hayes spends a bit of time so he can get the mob to follow him but it's surprisingly quick. To get a photograph of cattle happily walking towards a chopper like this is very rare. Usually you only see a row of backsides and heels.'”

Fiona's book, 'A Million Acre Masterpiece', has become a best seller, ending up all over the world. She plans to begin work on a second book of cattle station photographs next year.

First place in the IFAJ Star Prize was awarded to Gerardo Prego of Argentina, and runner-up was German photographer H. Dietrich Habbe. Only one honourable mention was given this year out of a final top selection of 21 photos considered for the major prizes.

The award was judged by an international panel including German photographer, Janne Neuman, Satoru Mizuguchi from Japan and Jim Bret Campbell, editor of The American Quarter Horse Journal, USA.

Entries, including Fiona Lake’s photo, can be viewed at www.ifaj.org More information about the ACAJ and is activities can be found at the organisation’s new website, www.acaj.org.au

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For more information contact IFAJ executive member and Australian delegate, Liz Kellaway on 0409 674 941 or lizk@adam.com.au