Jason Zhang, Stillness Beneath the Storm (PLACES 2026)

On an autumn afternoon at Wentworth Falls Lake, I watched dark clouds gather over the Blue Mountains while two birds moved quietly through the shallows below. The contrast felt familiar: turmoil above, calm below; movement above, presence below. This photograph is less about weather than about attention. Even when the world appears unsettled, there remains a place within it — and within ourselves — where the water is still.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.