Petra Matthews, As I Ebb'd With The Ocean of Life 3 (LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENT 2025)

I have always been drawn to the sea. Growing up in Western Victoria, with the Great Ocean Road as part of my everyday landscape, I was shaped by its wild, shifting beauty. One place in particular calls me back time and again—a quiet coastal hamlet known as Sugarloaf, home to just ten people and resting on the lands of the Gadubanud people. Much of my childhood unfolded here during school holidays, spent wandering its shores, thanks to a family holiday house we were fortunate to have in those early years. The series As I Ebb’d With the Ocean of Life takes its name from a Walt Whitman poem that speaks to the tides of existence. Within just a few hours on one visit, I captured a sequence of images that reflect the unique beauty of this secluded bay. On that day, the waves were powerful, yet graceful—each one drawing lines in the sea with a quiet intensity. Using slow shutter speeds and Intentional Camera Movement, I followed their rhythm, allowing the motion of the water to guide the lens, and in doing so, sought to capture the spirit of the ocean as it lives and breathes in this sacred place.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.