Dawn Thomson Photography

Imagine ethereal, slightly dark, other-wordly, beautiful. Words I would use to describe Dawn Thomson‘s photography.
We met one freezing cold day to chat about her art, her creativity, her family and the fantastical world she likes to take children to in her photographs.

Also imagine two women in a cafe with tea, having just met and talking. Non stop. Well this was the way it went down that morning. I was trying to stuff breakfast down my face and interject by firing questions at the poor lady trying to find out where her inspiration and creativity comes from for these jaw dropping pieces.

Having lived in cities for most of her life moving to the small community of Glenorchy, must have been a shock. Quiet, serene but with breathtaking scenery.

Dawn has always been an ‘observer of the human condition’. This was the way she described it but we also know that as ‘could spend all day with a cup of tea staring tongue out at people’. I know. I’m the same. So naturally, this was what continued to happen when she moved. There’s always people to stare at. It doesn’t matter where you live.

The path into finding out what her niche was started in Brisbane at the College of Art and Photography in 2004.
Dawn came here with her little family in 2005 where she continued her study and found that photographing women, children and pregnancy was something that made her spark, the love of the people around her and their stories gave her inspiration.

The pieces could be paintings, children captured in a time when they think no-one is watching them. Mesmerising and haunting.

The landscape around Dawn (and all of us living here) is majestic and brilliant, catching us off guard when there is another sunrise or rainbow. But this wasn’t what captured Dawn’s imagination for her photo’s. The spirit in children and the ability to forget there is someone watching them, gave Dawn her real ‘lightbulb’ moment for what she wanted the subject to be.

I feel like I’ve scrambled up to an old attic and sought through boxes to find these gems. Dawn’s ability to capture something here and now but make it feel as though it could have been taken hundred’s of years ago is dazzling. Supplied by Dawn Thomson The ballerina is my favourite. The child looks older, wiser somehow captured in a time and space where nothing matters, not bothered by money or frivolities of life. Just the moment.