THAT'S HOW IT GOES (I S'POSE)

Roger Garwood and Trish Ainslie are living legends of photography. Over the course of six months in 1987, they drove 70,000kms to capture the last of the WA gold prospectors for their acclaimed book Off Like Flies. In this short, five minute documentary, Roger and Trish dust off their cameras and reignite their old project to take a portrait of a modern day prospector. Along the way, they highlight stories of the fascinating people they met and photographed, and reminisce on their heartwarming and often hilarious experiences they shared in the making of the book. In an ever changing world where information is faster, cheaper and more disposable, the work they’ve created stands as a lasting document of time, place and people, and a truly significant archive of WA’s history.

I first discovered Roger & Trish’s photographs of prospectors through the State Library of WA Facebook page, and was immediately struck by them (pardon the pun) - by the colours, grain, and composition of the portraits, and the gaze of the most fascinating subjects. As I dug a little deeper, I was amazed to learn that the creators of these photographs had lived and worked in my very own neighbourhood for more than 40 years. Roger and Trish shared with me just how much they fell in love with the people and places they photographed. Through working on this project, I’ve been able to experience this for myself. Embarking on an adventure to the goldfields was such an enriching window into this small slice of our state’s history, being immersed in the breathtakingly cinematic landscapes and meeting the most genuine and accommodating people there. I’m very humbled to have had this opportunity, and also very grateful to the shires for their support in bringing this story to life.

‍