20—25 Trent Mitchell

2025 is here. As we shift our gaze from 2024, we look to a fresh set of twelve months, new opportunities, new challenges, new dynamics and new frontiers for photography. To help navigate 2025, we turn to some of the most established photographic talents in Australia and beyond with a series of questions. About photographs and photographing.  But also about life.

20 photographers. 25 questions each.  

In the second instalment, we hear from photographer Trent Mitchell.

Trent Mitchell, who has been photographing professionally for two decades, has a narrative approach to his work, focusing on the environment in the broadest possible sense. Although best known for his water photography, he has also gained a reputation for his wry yet sensitive take on the manmade world, zeroing in on its various idiosyncrasies and contradictions. On both personal and assigned projects, his work is identified by an ability to not only compose his subject but distil the sensibility of the location and give a connection to place.

Working across digital and film, in both black and white and colour, this Australian photographer, who has a background in art direction, design and publishing, has received wide recognition internationally. He won the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize in 2015, and has been a finalist for the award over a number of years. He has also been featured in, among others, the International Photography Awards, Sony World Photography Awards, Head On and Australian Life Photographic Prize. His work has been acquired for many public and private collections, including the National Library of Australia.

What sort of cameras are you shooting with at the moment?

Leica MP and Mamiya 7ii

Favourite photo you’ve ever taken?

I don’t have a favourite. 

Favourite camera / lens of all time?

Mamiya 7 ii and 80mm f4

If you could only photograph one city/location for the rest of your life, where would it be?

Eyre Peninsula.

What’s the best thing about photography?

It’s limitless.

What’s the worst thing about photography?

It’s limitless.

Favourite photo book of 2024?

Big Sky by Adam Ferguson. 

Favourite photographer?

Chris McCaw

A location you’re yet to visit but would like to?

Somewhere with a great water view of Mount Fuji. 

35mm or 50mm?

35mm

Film or digital?

Film

What’s the best film you saw in 2024?

Motel Hell

Which band is on high rotation in your Spotify at the moment?

Mini Skirt

Favourite podcast?

Ain't that Swell

What’s your coffee order?

Iced Long Black

Favourite time of day to photograph?

Any time in hard light.

Where will photography be in five years from now?

Feeling useless.

Where will photography be in 25 years from now?

Feeling invaluable.

Thoughts on AI?

No thank you.

Thoughts on Trump?

I don’t do politics.

Thoughts on billionaires?

Financial parasites.

Your recent book Australian Lustre is an “ode to the Australian road trip”. What do you think will be the on-going role of photography in documenting/preserving/highlighting Australian imagery and cultural phenomena into the future? 

When the digital globe collapses physical objects will become significantly important. The purist in me hopes documentary and conceptual photography using film, making photographic artefacts, creating books and prints will be the ongoing approach and mediums used into the future for the purpose of preserving history. Primarily physical everything, with a digital back up.

Is there an Australian photographer whose work is piquing your interest at the moment?

I’ve been on an intentional visual detox for some time now, so I can’t comment or give a relative answer. Although, more than anything it’s the energy and approach of artists that inspires me rather than the results.

What are you looking forward to in 2025?

Bodysurfing a lot. 

And finally: why photograph?

My first sentence, “What’s that?” says everything about why I photograph.