Discover Australia Through Lens: Lisa Michele Burns Captures Its Indescribable Magic in Stunning Landscapes

Capturing Australia’s Landscapes: A Photographer’s Journey

For photographer Lisa Michele Burns, documenting Australia’s landscapes became a passion project fueled by unexpected circumstances. In 2022, she embarked on a journey to capture the diverse beauty of her homeland, a place she realized she knew less about than she thought.

The Vastness of the Outback

Burns recalls the daunting experiance of driving through the outback during her two four-month road trips. The seemingly endless highways, bordered by “rust-orange dirt, spiky spinifex grass, and the occasional gray-green mulga tree,” created a sense of isolation. “That road, it’s just — it’s so straight,” Burns saeid, “There was a point where I had to pull over and go, ‘What are we doing? This place is so big.’”

Despite growing up in Australia, Burns, now 40, had spent much of her career photographing international landscapes. “I probably knew more about Greenland than I did the center of Australia,” she admitted.

A Pandemic-Inspired Project

The coronavirus pandemic presented Burns with a unique chance to explore her own contry.”It became an opportunity for me to see Australia,” she explained. With a focus on the country’s “vibrant color palette,” Burns and her partner traveled across Australia, capturing everything from “ocean blues to white sand beaches, dense green forests to rich red desert plains.”

“Sightlines”: A Photographic Preservation

Her experiences culminated in a photobook titled “sightlines,” published in December by Images Publishing Group. Burns hopes her work will “preserve the ‘indescribable magic’ of australia’s landscapes” and spark conversations about conservation efforts. “I think it’s important to appreciate the variety of landscapes across Australia, but to also document them as they are today, because they are changing,” she emphasized.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta

the Importance of uluṟu

Reaching the Red Center and witnessing Uluṟu,one of the world’s largest sandstone monoliths,left a profound impression on Burns. she described feeling “the indescribable awe” of the landmark and its striking “red hue against the blue sky: ‘I didn’t realize how notable that would feel.’”

Sacred Spaces and Unseen Wonders

In the nearby Valley of the Winds, photography is prohibited due to its sacred significance to the Aṉangu people. This restriction, tho, enhanced Burns’ experience. She recounted it as “one of the highlights of the entire trip,” allowing her to develop “a new level of connection with the landscape.”

Burns described the experience: “We lay on a platform and listened to the wind funneling down between the domes, and the birdsong,” she said. “That was really magic, because you do need to look around and observe to get those creative ideas. You just need to put the camera down,sometiems.” This underscores the importance of experiencing a place fully, beyond just capturing its image.

The Power of Visual Documentation

Burns believes that photography plays a crucial role in raising awareness about climate change and landscape preservation. “I think it is important to form a collective visual of what these landscapes look like today,” she said. “photography can raise awareness about climate change, even if it’s through stunning imagery rather than hardcore documentary imagery. A good balance of the two across media is really important.”

Roebuck Bay

Balance and observation

• Appreciate the beauty of landscapes,but also understand the importance of conservation.
• Sometimes the best way to capture a place is to put the camera down and truly observe.
• Photography, even through beautiful imagery, plays a crucial role in raising awareness.

Lisa Michele Burns’ journey through Australia highlights the importance of connecting with the land,understanding its significance,and advocating for its preservation.By documenting these landscapes, she hopes to inspire others to appreciate and protect these natural wonders. explore your own backyard – you might be surprised by what you discover!

What inspired Lisa Michele Burns to focus her photography on Australian landscapes specifically?

Capturing Australia’s Beauty: An Interview wiht Landscape Photographer Lisa Michele Burns

We sat down with acclaimed landscape photographer Lisa michele Burns to discuss her recent project documenting the diverse and breathtaking landscapes of Australia, culminating in her new photobook, “Sightlines.”

Discovering Australia: A Pandemic-Inspired Journey

Archyde News (AN): Lisa, welcome! Your photobook “Sightlines” showcases stunning Australian landscapes. What sparked this deep dive into your home country?

Lisa Michele Burns (LMB): Thanks for having me! It was really the pandemic. Like many, I was grounded and unable to travel internationally. It presented a unique opportunity to explore Australia,a place I realized I knew surprisingly little about compared to other continents where I’d previously focused my photographic efforts. It was time to appreciate the vibrant color palette and unbelievable natural wonders right here.

The Outback Experience and Personal Connection

AN: You mentioned the vastness of the outback being especially impactful. Can you describe that experience and how it shaped your perspective?

LMB: Daunting is the right word! Driving those long, straight roads, surrounded by seemingly endless rust-colored dirt and sparse vegetation…it’s isolating. There was a point where I had to really question what I was doing. But that isolation also forced a deeper connection. It made me understand the scale and the resilience of the Australian landscape in a very profound way.”

Uluṟu and Sacred Spaces: Beyond the Lens

AN: Uluṟu clearly left a significant impression. You also touched on the experience in the Valley of the Winds, where photography is restricted. How did these contrasting experiences influence your approach?

LMB: uluṟu certainly did. Witnessing its sheer size and striking color against the blue sky was unforgettable. The valley of the Winds, though, was equally powerful precisely because I *couldn’t* photograph it.It forced me to be present, to listen to the wind and the birdsong, and to connect with the landscape on a deeper, more sensory level. Its a reminder that sometimes the best way to truly capture a place is to put the camera down and observe.”

Photography as a Tool for Conservation

AN: you hope “Sightlines” will spark conversations about conservation. How do you see photography playing a role in raising awareness about climate change and preserving these landscapes?

LMB: I beleive photography can be a powerful conservation tool. It can create a collective visual memory of these landscapes as thay exist today. Even stunning imagery, not just hardcore documentary photography, can subtly raise awareness and inspire people to appreciate and protect these natural wonders. A balance across media is really significant.

The Art of Observation and Future Directions

AN: What’s the single most critically important lesson you learned from this project, and what’s next for you?

LMB: The most important lesson learned is the power of observation. Sometimes, the most impactful moments happen when you’re not looking through a lens. As for what’s next, I’m eager to explore more of Australia and continue documenting its changing landscapes, focusing on under-represented regions and highlighting the unique challenges they face.

A Final Thought: Your Turn

AN: A final question for our readers: What landscapes in your own “backyard” do you find most inspiring, and how do you connect with them beyond taking photos? Share your thoughts in the comments below!