Nature Transformed: The Search for Symbiosis

Photography, Photo Essay, Environment, Abstract Aerial Art, Aerial Photography, Shark Bay

All of the photos shared in this photo essay were taken while flying open door in a Cessna light aircraft over the Useless Loop saltfields in Shark Bay, Western Australia. My aim in sharing them is to show how I've taken a mundane subject, a salt mining operation, and portrayed it in a visually compelling way. The goal being to make the viewer want to look at the subject and consciously, or subsconsciously, remind them what they are looking at. Although I've purposefully used abstraction to add in a level of ambiguity regarding the subject matter and its scale. This allows and empowers the viewer to create their own narrative around what is being portrayed in each image.

My ultimate aim is to bring awareness to the discomfort created when humanity and nature meet. Our success is still pushing back nature. This has to change. And change fast. My aim is to prod us to bring better alignment between humanity and nature, reducing the discomfort and increasing the symbiotic relationship that our ancestors enjoyed with the planet.

Consider the saltfields of Shark Bay. The environment on which this operation is carried out is an extremely sensitive one. Despite this sensitivity, within the 130 square kilometres of Shark Bay, the largest bay in Australia, these saltfields were built in the 1960s, and the 70 square kilometres of ponds went operational in 1967. These ponds have been operational for 57 years, which includes 37 crystalliser ponds, a salt-washing plant, a stockpile area and a loading port. Earthmoving equipment and trucks are used on a daily basis around the saltfields and there is a small airfield, staff accomodation, recreational facilities and schooling. All of these activities put strain on the environment.

What I find interesting is that Shark Bay Salt, which operates the Useless Loop saltfields, is owned by a large Japanese trading company, Mitsui & Co.

I don't want to be alarmist as there may be arguments how such an operation is benefiting Western Australia. However, I do want to ask the question: over and above raising awareness of the cognitive dissonance between humanity and nature, how can we generate hope that things will and are changing, that we are going to be able to restore balance?

:: Rand

If you'd like to delve deeper into my photography visit my website and Instagram (@randleebdutoit). Please reach out if you'd like to suggest a collaboration.

All images are copyright Rand Leeb-du Toit, 2024