Ken Duncan: Lumix Ambassador
Ken Duncan is one of the country's most loved photographers with his striking landscape panoramas found in tens of thousands of homes and offices. His work has appeared in publications such as Time and National Geographic as well as several book projects in locations such as Malaysia, China and Hollywood. Ken Duncan was also named International Music Photographer of the Year for his groundbreaking work with Australian rock band Midnight Oil. Below are a selection of Ken’s iconic work and the stories behind them. For more examples of Ken Duncan’s work visit www.kenduncan.com
Midnight Oil, Lake Kambalda, WA
This is a photograph taken for Midnight Oil for their Blue Sky Mining international touring poster and Rolling Stone magazine.
Photo Tip: never give up, because moments before taking this photo, there was no sunshine and right at the end of the day, the light just broke through the clouds and illuminated this scene for about one minute! Patience is the order of the day.
Tears for a Nation, Uluru, NT
A rare fall of rain sends water rushing down the gullies of Uluru, fresh and pure and white as the tears of God. I believe this photograph is prophetic to our nation. God is grieved by the terrible division between black and white, and here, in the very heart of Australia, we see His pain. The Spirit only works in unity. Australia will only fulfil its rightful purpose if we move together, putting aside our past and looking forward to our future. Our destiny is controlled by something far greater than race. We have to learn from each other.
Photo Tip: never let adverse weather stop you taking photos. Wild weather provides wild shots!
The Power of One, Africa
I was on safari in Zimbabwe at a magical spot called Mana Pools. This huge bull elephant walked right past our camp and down to the river, then swam out tot he grassy islands in the middle of the might Zambesi. Our guide thought this might be a good opportunity for me to get close with my very wide angle camera, so we paddled out into the river and slowly moved closer to the big bull. We kept a watchful eye for crocodiles and hippos, which are plentiful in this area. In the distance, you can actually see hippopotamus on the river bank. This elephant was only about 30 feet from us but my camera makes him appear further away. You will notice his left ear is slightly blurred – that’s because it was twitching. Just as I took this shot, the elephant picked up our scent and began to charge. Fortunately for my racing heart, he stopped after only a few paces. He is an awesome sight – a great elephant in the mighty Zambesi River.
Photo Tip: when shooting animals, try also to incorporate them into a scene, otherwise it could look just look like a zoo shot.