Tasmania’s landscapes are purpose-built for stunning photography.
North-West based photographer Graham King is one of many Tasmanian photographers sharing the state’s beauty with people from across the world.
“I first started using Instagram a number of years ago as a personal profile to connect with my friends, but around two years ago I started using it to share photos from my adventures around Tasmania,” King said.
“I started to develop friendships through the app as I started to talk to photographers from around the state about photography and the outdoors.
“I wasn't born in Tasmania but I love being able to showcase the island on my Instagram and I feel privileged to now call it home.”
As social media’s influence on travel and landscape photography has grown, so has the thought and preparation King puts into each photo shoot.
King’s photography is full of the wild western coast of Tasmania, with golden shots of Stanley and Cradle Mountain frequently appearing on his Instagram feed.
“In the beginning when I was first getting into photography I was just taking photos from random locations and sharing those images,” he said.
“Now I put a lot more effort into planning trips to shoot some of the more iconic locations in Tasmania.”
Photography and its role in promoting tourism, and revealing hidden gems, is something many artists, photographers and travellers have capitalised on – not just to make money to support themselves, but to share the beauty of the natural world.
King said he is increasingly aware of how many people worldwide are viewing his photos.
“It is amazing to think people from around the world are seeing my images on the app and I am constantly receiving messages about people who want to visit Tasmania in the future after seeing the photos,” he said.
Knowing that more and more people are reacting to his photos means King is always driven to create higher quality images – better locations, different times of day, and different ways of looking at familiar, often iconic, locations.
One such challenge was a 4am hike up Mount Amos, at Freycinet National Park, to reach the peak before sunrise, with some of King’s fellow photographers.
The “golden hour” of sunrise created spectacular shots and a view of an iconic landscape rarely seen.
As Tasmania’s tourism boom keeps growing, debate around the risks of overexposure and commercialisation of precious wilderness areas has increased.
But for King, the risk of overexposure “is almost like selling Tasmania short”.
“Tasmania is a stunning island with so many undiscovered locations and for those who enjoy venturing into those locations, or even for those who dream of venturing into those locations, photography and social media provides a wonderful platform to do so,” he said.
“Like any other person who cares for the environment and loves being outdoors I believe that we have a responsibility in respecting each location and the rules that are set out for all of us.”
The Examiner