Humpback Highway Ed. 1 of 10

I have had a few very significant encounters with these incredible mammals. On a Greenpeace assignment I found myself, in some down time, swimming eye to eye with a baby humpback. We looked into each other’s eyes for a good five minutes. When they swam off the captain yelled “what did it say to you?”. Bobbing in the ocean I yelled back “G’day!”. Another Greenpeace assignment, off the coast of Mackay Queensland on the Esperanza, I was gazing off to the ocean’s horizon with a lovely Greenpeace staff member. I pointed to where the evening sun was twinkling across the water and said “Look at that, the only thing that could make it more beautiful is if a humpback breached.” A marvellous thing followed. A humpback breached right where I was pointing. It was one of the most special happenings of my life, truly remarkable.
It’s time to revisit these awe inspiring creatures with my camera, to share what I see with you.

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Belinda Pratten grew up in Gadigal Land/Sydney and has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney. After studying photography at Sydney Technical College (1993/1994), Belinda joined Fairfax Newspapers as a photojournalist and Deputy Picture Editor in 1994. In 1998 she moved to Canberra to work in the Press Gallery, Parliament House, and since 2001 has been working as a freelance photographer, filmmaker and teacher.

Belinda's work has been collected by The National Portrait Gallery, Canberra Museum and Gallery, The Australian War Memorial, ACT Legislative Assembly Art Collection, The National Library as well as private collectors. Belinda has been exhibiting her work since 1996, with solo shows at The Sydney Opera House (1996), Brewarrina Council Chambers (1998), Corelli’s Cafe Newtown (1999), Belconnen Arts Centre (2008), Tap Gallery Sydney (2011), Bleeding Heart Gallery Brisbane (2011), Kindness House Melbourne (2011), PhotoAccess Canberra (2010/2012), and The Photography Room (2016).

Belinda has also been involved in many group shows in Australia and overseas, including Animals in Focus an exhibition held by The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) in 2006 - which toured the United Kingdom, Denmark, NZ, Tanzania, Brazil, CostaRica and Canada; and East Timor: through the eye of the lens 2001- touring Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Dili, Timor-Leste.

https://www.auswip.com.au/directory/profile/belindamorganpratten?rq=belinda%20pratten

Belinda is currently based on Wurundjeri Land.