‘What is it that you’re seeing?’: Great Southern inspires photographer Meleah Farrell

Tucked away in the bush a few kilometres from West Cape Howe National Park, lies the studio gallery belonging to local photographer Meleah Farrell.

Originally from Perth, Ms Farrell and her husband moved to Albany in 2011.

“We used to visit every year, fell in love with Albany and just made it happen that we could move and live down here ourselves,” she said.

While always the artistic type, it wasn’t until she moved to Malaysia in 2001 for her husband’s work that she started treating photography more seriously.

Unable to apply for a work visa, she became a self-described “professional tourist”, developing her photography skills and studying remotely with an institute in New York.

“Back in those times, I was still shooting on film, and sending my photography via the mail and getting my feedback via a tape,” Ms Farrell said.

Returning to WA, she continued studying, taking night classes at Perth Central TAFE, while also working part-time at a professional photography printing lab.

Ms Farrell said working with professional photographers in the lab as digital photography was starting to change was a fascinating experience that provided her with a world of opportunities and contacts.

Alongside her late-night studies and part-time job, she was also working on her own photography and taking any work she could get.

“I was shooting weddings, portraits, domestic market, corporate events, headshots, you name it, I probably did it,” she said.

“But I was always really drawn to the creative side and creating kind of fine art abstract pieces.

“When I kind of realised that was what I really liked within the field, the idea of then moving to the country and opening up a gallery space became the dream.”

The eventual move opened up a world of new inspiration for her photography.

“After 12 years, I’m amazed at how I can still take different photographs of trees and forests and waterways and beaches and rivers,” she said.

Ms Farrell takes a more free-form approach, preferring not to hunt for the perfect shot.

“I don’t go out intentionally looking for photographs, I generally have my camera with me,” she said.

Finding creativity in her surroundings has allowed for some unique interactions with her community.

She laughs and recalls ‘lying on the grass at the park in Denmark, taking a photograph totally in my own little world, and a complete stranger came down, lay next to me and just said, “What is it that you’re seeing that I’m not seeing?”’

For many who work in the arts, including Ms Farrell, making a living from her work can be one of the most challenging parts of the endeavour.

Since starting her photography career, she has always needed to have “fingers in lots of different pots”.

Outside of her photography and gallery, Ms Farrell is heavily involved in the Great Southern art scene.

Started in 2015 with another artist, The Seasonal Creative helps artists share their skills and knowledge with others through workshops and over lunch.

The program is also open for those who were creative but don’t consider themselves artists.

Her other project Make a Scene is a not-for-profit that creates retail spaces for local artists who don’t have their own.

“We would go into unused spaces around Albany and Denmark, give them a freshen up, that might include painting work for the owner,” she said.

“But then we would create this really beautiful, artistic, creative space full of all of our ways, and then be able to sell it to the public.”

The program has been a big success, making roughly $120,000 in sales for local artists between December 2018 and March 2020.

Outside of her work and other projects, she enjoys cooking, exploring beaches, spending time with her husband and her dog.

As for what’s next, Ms Farrell said she would love to increase her online presence and get back into the darkroom, something she hasn’t done since her studies.

In the meantime, she encourages everyone to visit the galleries and exhibitions of local artists to not only support them, but also inspire something creative within themselves.