For two years I travelled the country with my Canon EOS 5 and a handful of lenses, working wherever I could to fund the next leg of the journey.
I processed photos in labs, picked fruit on farms, and followed the road from Perth to Broome, Kununurra, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Byron Bay, the Whitsundays and beyond. Eventually I crossed back through the Kimberley and returned home after two unforgettable years on the road.
I was only 20 years old, but those years shaped everything that followed.
Back in Western Australia, I continued working in photography while studying business and slowly building what would become Brooke Miles Photography. Weddings took me throughout the state, from the South West to Broome, introducing me to incredible people, landscapes and opportunities along the way. One of those opportunities brought me to Daydream Island in 2008.
And like so many visitors before me, I fell in love with the Whitsundays. What began as an annual photography contract soon became a new chapter of life, and in 2011, I relocated Brooke Miles Photography to Airlie Beach and spent the following years building a thriving, award winning, wedding and commercial photography business.
As demand grew, so did the business, eventually leading to the lease and then purchase of a studio space overlooking Cannonvale Beach.
Yet while photography was my profession, the ocean had always been my inspiration.
As a passionate scuba diver, the reefs, islands, beaches and marine life of North Queensland continually inspired my work.
Many days were spent exploring by boat or underwater, capturing the colours, patterns and moments that make this world so extraordinary.
Combined with my passion for photographing the islands and Great Barrier Reef from above in door-off helicopters, my vision was evolving into something bigger.
And in 2017, Above and Below Gallery was born.
What started as a collection of fine art prints has grown into a destination showcasing Australia's coastal beauty through photography.
Today, the collection spans aerial seascapes, remote islands, coral reefs, humpback whales, turtles, sharks, palm-fringed beaches, luxury resorts, sailing adventures and the ever-changing colours of the Great Barrier Reef.
Alongside the artwork, the gallery has expanded into a carefully curated collection of gifts and homewares, including a luxury range of silk scarves printed with my photographic prints.
Now, almost three decades after first picking up a camera, my passion remains unchanged.
I still find myself chasing light, searching for new perspectives and feeling that same sense of excitement when I discover a scene worth capturing.
I hope that my photographs bring a little of that wonder into your home. Bringing a daily reminder of the beauty, adventure and connection that can be found in the natural world.
Thank you for being here, for supporting me, and for supporting Australian-made art.
Brooke Miles
Photographer, founder, nature lover.
