Beauty found within the stark reality of life

An emerging local artist has been shortlisted amongst some of Australia’s best photographers and has had her work showcased in a major exhibition this month.

Danielle Fitzgerald was named a finalist in the 2025 Galah Regional Photography Prize, Australia’s richest photography competition for regional artists, thanks to her image, ‘Rinse’.

Selected from more than 1,100 entries across all corners of regional Australia, Ms Fitzgerald is among 37 contemporary photographers to be shortlisted for the competition that carries a total prize pool of $27,000.

The photograph was part of an exhibition at the New England Regional Art Museum in Armidale, NSW over the month, ahead of the celebratory winners party next week.

“I was so surprised when I received the news, to be recognised amongst the calibre of artists, as someone who is an emerging artist is such a privilege,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

It is an impressive achievement for the Margaret River region local, with this the first competition in which she has entered her work.

”This image was taken back in 2022. It was 17 years since I had picked up a camera and I had an interest in Australian subcultures and alternative communities,” she said.

“My work is very much a fly on the wall approach. It’s a conversation between artist and subject. I wanted to add layers and contextualise this project with meaning.”

Ms Fitzgerald said her work centred on a pre-performance approach to capturing subjects in the raw. Away from the male gaze.

“The pillars of community, identified diagnosis, work dynamics and LGBTQIA presentations are at the forefront when choosing subjects,” she said.

“I think this is vital in showcasing their multi-layered humanness.

“I’m big on depth of character I believe layers are what make us human and more interesting to study.

“I never wanted this to be just about ‘pretty pictures.’ I wanted the subjects’ complexities and humanness to shine through.”

The talented photographer said placing in the list of finalists had given her the confidence to submit more of her work in the future.

“I think it is so important for competitions like GALAH who focus the talent of our regional photographers.

“Regional Australia is brimming with talented creatives, and these competitions give us a platform for our work to be recognised and seen within a vast industry.

Galah founder Annabelle Hickson said the prize was created to celebrate the incredible talent thriving beyond metropolitan art hubs, showcasing the diversity, complexity, and beauty of regional Australia.

For more of Danielle’s work, follow @wild_fire____