Feathers, Fur & Flames, 2018

In my Feathers, fur and flames photography series I confront and illustrate the terror of bush fire and the plight and re-emergence of our wildlife.

Feathers, fur and flames aimed to raise awareness of the plight and borderline survival of our native wildlife as well as showcasing their beauty, character, vulnerability and resilience. This project evolved in 2018 after I made a move back to the area where I grew up as a child. My new home is surrounded by beautiful bushland and nearby national parks. It soon became my ritual to take long walks throughout these areas. As the seasons began to pass I noticed how landscapes changed. The increase of green foliage after heavy rain would have the birds singing loud and clear and the new greenery would mask the hidden landscape of ridges, caves and boulders that would be revealed in the Summer months. It got me thinking of our native wildlife and how their habitats would also vary throughout the year. Most of all I wanted to know more about the effect bush fire would have on our wildlife population and for those that would survive where will their new habitat be?

I never imagined the degree of devastation Australia and our beautiful wildlife were yet to experience.