Byron Bay has a dark history with whales where it was a slaughterhouse for these beautiful majestic creatures of the ocean and local photographer Naomie Jenkins is proud now to be celebrating the brighter side of Byron’s relationship with whales at her exhibition at the Byron Bay Gallery.
‘Now we have the opportunity to educate people about the whales and take people out to enjoy them,’ she told Echonetdaily.
‘I’ve been taking photos for a long time and about four years ago I jumped on board with with Byron Bay Dive and started going out with them and photographing the whales, dolphins and other animals. It has taken hundreds of hours on the water to get what I have. There are photos of whales with Mt Warning, Mt Chincogan, and the Byron Lighthouse in the background. They are just beautiful creatures.’
Having worked as a vet nurse since she was 17 Naomie now works as a full time postie in Bangalow.
‘So I’m now friends with all the dogs,’ she says with her infectious laugh.
But it is raising the need for protecting the ocean and the creatures in that is really close to her heart.
‘I want to highlight the beauty that is below the waves in the oceans and needs to be protected. This exhibition is a chance to make people aware of the need to protect these beautiful whales. They are beginning to migrate earlier and earlier as the ocean temperatures are warming up and we need to protect them and their environment.’
The photographs will be on exhibition at the Byron Bay Gallery, 1/17 Lawson St, Byron Bay for another week and can also be viewed on their website.
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