Lost Geographies

• Photographer
  Annette Willis, Australia
• Website
  http://www.annettewillis.com

Since 2008 I have journeyed into the north of South Australia to document places north of
the 10 inch rainfall line, called 'Goyder's Line' after the surveyor who mapped a line
across the country in 1865. Above the line rainfall was too low for crops but in the
landrush of the 1870s three hundred families went north to farm hardscrabble country.
Droughts since the 1880s saw abandoned farms on a large scale except for hardy descendants
who remain today.

• Biography
  I explore issues and themes through narrative photo essays featuring images that are often deliberate lyrical abstractions. My photographic style is defined by striking, closely cropped compositions. I am especially interested in street photography and abandoned places. I have had thirteen solo exhibitions at galleries around Australia and have had work shown in London, New York, Vermont, Ontario and at the 3rd, 4th and 5th International Biennial of Fine Art and Documentary Photography (Malaga, Spain 2014; Berlin, 2016; Barcelona, 2019).
• Awards
  Finalist places and honourable mentions in national and international photography awards including: Black & White Spider Awards (2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women in Photography (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) Prix de la Photographie (PX3) (2012,2015,2016,2017) International Loupe Awards (2013) International Monochrome Awards (2014,2016,2018) Mobile Photography Awards (2013) International Color Awards (2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018) B&W Charles Dodgson Award (2014) South Australia Living Artist Festival Awards (2014, 2016). Finalist in many Australian and international portraiture prizes including: Head On (2006, 2012) Olive Cotton (2005, 2007, 2008, 2017) Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize Sydney Life: Art and About London Photographic Association Portraiture Prize (2007, 2014) Winner 2006 Wollongong Portraiture Prize.