A few roads,
over the years

I'm Tom — a landscape and travel photographer based in Brisbane. Wildroad is where the memorable frames end up, roughly organised by where I was standing at the time.

Wildroad

How this started, and why it kept going

I became interested in photography when I bought a cheap eight-megapixel point-and-shoot camera for a trip to Far North Queensland. On the drive from Cairns to Port Douglas, I took some snaps of the mountain ranges at sunset from the passenger seat of a moving car and was surprised at how good the light made the image look.

That was enough to keep going.

In those early years, photography was closely tied to backpacking and overnight hikes. I was drawn to places that were remote, physically hard to reach, and not often photographed.

These days, with a young family, that kind of travel is harder to do. I’m still drawn to places I haven’t seen before, especially when there’s something striking about them, but I’ve also come to appreciate places I can return to. The same landscape can reveal something different with a change in weather, season, or light.

Some of the work I value most has come from places I’ve been able to get to know well, including the Kimberley and California. Spending more time in a place changes what I look for — not just another view, but the conditions that can make it extraordinary.

2008
Shooting since
20
Countries
26
Destinations
235
Images in the archive
How I work

Persistent, occasionally lucky

A few things I've settled on.

01

Be there

To get the shot, you have to be present. Conditions can be lucky, but luck doesn't get you out of bed at 4 a.m. or keep you on the trail after dark.

02

Go back

Many of the frames I'm happiest with take time. The first trip is often about learning where to stand. The photograph usually comes later, when you know what the light does.

03

Natural restraint

I edit to convey something of what it felt like to be there and to lead the viewer through the scene. The editing should serve the image, not compete with it.

What I carry

Body A full-frame mirrorless camera
Glass A wide zoom, a standard zoom, and a telephoto
Filters Polariser and three-, six-, and ten-stop NDs. Rarely anything else.
Support A tripod light enough that I'll actually strap it to the backpack.
Editing Lightroom and Photoshop

The rest comes down to being there at the right hour.

Prints & licensing

If you'd like to use something

Prints

Most photographs on the site are available as prints. Some of the older files hold up well at larger sizes; some do not. I’ll let you know which is which.

Licensing

Editorial, commercial, and travel-industry use are all fine to ask about. Tell me the image and the intended use and I'll come back with what's possible.

Interested in a print, or licensing something for your project?

Drop me a line and I'll come back to you.

Get in touch →