Shoal Pattern, Shark Bay, Western Australia
Fujifilm GFX100S II, Fujifilm Fujinon GF100-200mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR, f5.6 @ 1/2000 second, ISO 125

I remember a Mad comic book from years ago. A young writer desperately wanted to get published in a magazine, so he sent off article after article to magazine editors, carefully aimed and written for the magazine's market. Unfortunately, he would always receive a reject letter. This was in the days when editors had money and time (or staff) to reply to contributors. Anyway, after months of rejection, he decided to change tack. He had an idea. Instead of being the most published writer in the world, he'd try to be the most rejected. He started collecting rejection letters, writing absolutely horrible articles - problem solved.

Except as soon as he changed his approach, the editors loved his work and the rejection letters dried up. He became a huge success!

In hindsight, I think Mad magazine could have been the 1970s' version of Deepak Chopra's new age of enlightenment. In fact, I am pretty sure Deepak was a subscriber, but what has all this to do with the photograph taken above Shark Bay?

I guess I'm not really changing direction, but when I post photos onto my blog, I like to think readers will like them. It doesn't always work, of course - some of my favourites are dismal failures and I receive the equivalent of a rejection letter!

This is a photo I would probably not enter in a photo competition. I'd include it in a book or an audio visual, but I'm not sure if it would carry sufficient impact to stand on its own. I mean, it does for me, but I'm making a value judgement for everyone else.

But I like it. In fact, I love it - the subtle curve of the sand bar submerged a metre or so below the water's surface; the ripples of both wind on the water and the water on the sand below; the way post-production allows me to enhance the textures. It's minimalist and, I hope, quite elegant. 

So why am I publishing it? Have I run out of better photos to share with you? Far from it. Over the past few months I've been working through new portfolios from Shark Bay and Broome where Tony Hewitt and I run our annual aerial photography workshops. There's always something new to shoot, no matter how many times I visit - and that's as much about my mindset when I'm shooting as the subject down below.

I'm sure there will be a range of thumbs up and thumbs down as this photo isn't for everyone, but I'm not looking for confirmation or likes. I don't care whether it's popular or not. Well, it would be nice if others did like it, of course, but I'm suggesting that all of us should post photos we really love, rather than photos we think others (or the 'algorithm') will like.

I think it's more important to share a photo you love with a small group of people, than a photo that leaves you lukewarm with thousands.