Entertainment
20 December, 2024
Stunning images on display
BREATHTAKING landscapes have taken over the foyer of Crystalbrook Bailey with the arrival of local photographer Steven Cooke’s exhibition ‘Honest’ now open to the public until January 31, 2025.
The professional photographer has always had passion for shooting landscapes and for his third exhibition and first one with Crystalbrook, Mr Cooke transforms ordinary scenes into visual narratives.
Compiling photographs taken since 2021, Honest, is a journey through Mr Cooke’s travels and beauty and magnificence through his eyes and lens. Although only 12 photographs are exhibited, over 50 of his photographs are also projected on the wall adjacent to the elevators every night.
“The title of the exhibition is ‘Honest’ and the reason for this is that I feel that I respectfully and honestly represent the images that I shoot,” Mr Cooke said.
“We, as professional photographers, shoot and take raw images, but when I’m in a scene, I stand back and look at that particular moment and try and remember the range of tones in the skies, in the vegetation, the acquas, the blues and the greens.
“When I’m editing a raw file, I try and accurately re-represent that, so that if someone else is inspired to go to that particular area that I’ve shot, they’re not going to be disappointed that I’ve created some magical and oversaturated image that doesn’t look anything like the real scene.
“I represent the scene before me in my style.”
The landscapes cover views from the Far North and its luscious green views to the Sydney night lights to the aurora from the New Zealand skies and Mr Cooke hopes people to find inspiration in these views.
“This exhibition was a pinch me moment, it’s a big deal to have an exhibition at such a prestigious hotel and the feedback has been amazing,” he said.
“I’d love for people to buy an image but that’s not my end game with this exhibition, my photography has always been about getting joy from being able to capture beautiful scenes.
“My ultimate goal would be for people to hang an image of mine and take pleasure from it, like they would of a beautiful scene or a beautiful piece of art, but also to be inspired, inspired to go and visit a place that I’ve photographed or inspired to pick up a camera so one day they can go to a place and do that scene justice.”
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