A senior editor at National Geographic has heaped praise on one photographer from Mount Isa in Qld who edged out shutterbugs from around the world to take home the winning prize in a global photography competition.
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Isa mother of five Renee Johnstone walked away with $1000 in prize money after winning The Independent Photographer's open call competition in November for a photo of her two daughters during the January 2021 wet season.
The photo was chosen ahead of artists from the United States, Iceland, Tibet and Trinidad and Tobago among others.
National Geographic Senior Photography Editor and competition judge Molly Roberts commended the winning image, describing it as "dreamlike and meditative" as part of her jury feedback.
"One is drawn to this image by the immediate intimacy of the scene," Ms Roberts wrote.
"The photograph begins to capture the secret trance of childhood and the depths of innocent imagination."
Ms Johnstone has been in the photography game professionally for around five years. She said she's been using her skills to document her identical twin daughters through childhood and tell her story of motherhood.
"I was just surprised to open that email and be told that I had won, which was awesome," she said.
"This year was really the first time I put any sort of personal work out in the public eye.
"As a family we had to discuss kids all over social media, but I think when you establish a boundary between just posting things for the hell of it, and it being a piece of art ... you find a lot more comfort in it."
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For Ms Johnstone, the photo was the culmination of 18 months of work, trying to capture the "special" connection between the twins.
"I do love just documenting the kids as they are, as they play. I know how quick they play," Ms Johnstone said.
"They're of an age now, I guess where they can take part in creating art with me.
"It's a nice way for us to connect."
The 38-year-old said she was grateful for the recognition, considering the limited opportunities for photographers in North West Queensland.
"Where we live, there's not a lot of opportunities to be seen or to network and go to galleries and meet other artists.
"It was just really nice for it resonate with somebody that has that status."
