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By KATE BANVILLE
WHEN Lisa Alexander snapped an aerial view of the Queensland Outback she had no idea the image would become one of the world’s best.
Titled “The Channel Country comes alive” Alexander’s photograph was awarded best landscape nature photography at the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists World Congress, held in Canada recently.
Captured during sunrise in Windorah in August 2022, the drone photo was part of a four-image series highlighting the patterns and colours rarely seen across the vast and arid landscape which is home to more than 50 ecosystems.
Knowing the region would be full of life brought on by flooding to the area, prompted Alexander to take to the skies but even she wasn’t prepared for the vibrancy of the landscape shown in the photo which became truly ‘one of a kind’.
“I only got three of those pink photos and there’s only one that I would use,” she said.
“I couldn’t get it again, I was just in the right spot at the right time with a drone.
“The next day I tried to do it from a chopper and I couldn’t get it.”
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Unable to attend the awards, Alexander was at home in Blackall when word came through she’d won from her friend and journalist Sally Gall who’d travelled to the event for her own work.
“I couldn’t believe it when I got the message from Sally to tell me I’d won and it was nice she was able to film it being presented,” Alexander said.
“I was amazed because I’m always hopeless at picking the ones people will like.
“I just photograph what appeals to me and I try not to overthink anything.”
The stunning photograph first captured the attention, and imagination of readers when it was published in the Bush Journal Magazine, before going on to be recognised as award-winning quality when it was judged as best landscape photo and then overall Queensland Rural Photo of the Year at the Rural Press Club of Queensland media awards last December.
Managed by the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists, Ms Alexander’s work was awarded as the winning photograph for the nature/landscape section of the Australian Star Prize for Rural Photography, before launching it on the world stage at the IFAJ congress.