Kristin Walsh had only held a professional camera a few times before her photo managed to take out the top prize in a national competition.
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The Gerogery-based photographer won last year's Rural Aid Spirit of the Bush competition with the image she took of her five-year-old son, Finn, and husband, Kevin, sharing a moment together on their land.
"I had a good feeling about the photo, but I hadn't taken it for the competition," Ms Walsh said.
"I only started photographing when COVID started because I was looking for something to do and I thought, 'well, I've always liked taking photos and I blow my phone up all the time with all the photos I take on it'. I bought a second-hand camera and started."
The photo has now featured in Rural Aid's 2021 calendar and on billboards around the country after it was purchased independently as part of a 'stay connected' campaign.
"All I did was take a picture of my husband and my son as they were walking towards me, and to see that on billboards, I never thought that could happen," she said.
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Last year, 700 photographers sent an image to the Rural Aid competition, and CEO John Warlters said there was a very distinct aesthetic to the entries.
"Last time we ran this competition, most photographs poignantly depicted the heartbreaking reality of drought," Mr Warlters said.
"I hope that this time round, all of our farmers have been given the chance to capture some happier pictures. I'm excited to see green shoots, frolics in the rain and fattened livestock."
Trina Patterson from Rolleston, Queensland was awarded the third place prize last year for her image of a girl mustering cattle. She took the photo, she said, while the drought was "sinking its teeth into Queensland".
"I had no intention of entering it into a competition. I just turned around and saw the scene and wanted to capture it," Ms Patterson said.
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Having been photographing since 2014, Ms Patterson said she is always "looking for the beauty during the drought". But this year, she's hoping her entry will portray the land's restoration.
"[The competition] is a really good way for people to show off the positive aspects of agriculture and life in the bush," she said.
Photos can be submitted through the https://woobox.com/srqwkg page up until 5pm (AEST) on Monday, 31st May 2021.
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