Blue Fields

Blue Fields was shot at the Useless Loop solar salt operation situated in Shark Bay, the westernmost point of mainland Australia. The series is part of a larger, long term project, Aesthetics of the Unexpected, which explores the relationship between perception, expectation and reality. The crystallisers - shallow ponds in which the concentrated brine slowly evaporates, leaving a 'crop' of salt crystals - take on the appearance of an abstract watercolour. The crystallisers appear blue because they are reflecting the sky while the brushstroke patterns are the tracks left by the salt harvesting machine. The images were shot from a light aircraft flying at between 4,000 and 5,000ft. The height was vital in order to flatten perspective by using long focal lengths. Time and cloud cover were also critical, the abstract effect being heightened by complete lack of signifying shadow.