Captivating photo’s powerful message of resilience
It’s the photo that contradicts the old proverb, 'Red sky at night, sailors’ delight. Red sky at morning, sailors’ warning'.
The striking image, titled Bushfire Sunset, captures the aftermath of a raging bushfire, with the ethereal red sky and blazing horizon crashing over otherwise peaceful ocean views.
Set together the dynamics of the photo offer a dichotomy of beauty and despair – the serenity of a yacht cruising on calm waters a poignant counterpoint to the bushfire’s distant fury.
Budding Brisbane photographer Omor Robin snapped Bushfire Sunset during a family holiday in Darwin.
From the approximately 50 photos Omor took that evening, Bushfire Sunset was the shot that made an immediate impact on him.
For Omor that particular photo instantly presented a powerful message of resilience – even in the face of disaster you don’t lose hope.
Far from stopping the sunset, the bushfire smoke that hung menacingly in the evening sky created a spectacular scene, impressing on Omor that devastation will in time pass.
The photo presented to Omor another side of extreme weather and reminded him how resilient life can be and that nature always comes back.
Given its visual power, Bushfire Sunset was a popular selection for the People’s Choice Photography category at the 2023 Queensland Resilient Australia Awards.
The annual awards, delivered in partnership with the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, celebrate the people, work and inspiration building greater community strength in the face of natural disasters.
