By Abbey Cannan
A young Sunshine Coast surfer who put his civil engineering career on hold to pursue a photography business was thrilled to see his work used to transform the Bendigo’s Community Bank Marcoola branch.
The captivating image captured by talented local photographer, Josh Whiting, was unveiled on Thursday 4 May at the Community Bank.
He spent the majority of his time in the ocean as a young kid, which later turned into his subject of choice for his photography. The ocean’s sporadic moments and interaction between water and light hooked Josh in.
Trish Radge, chair of the local Community Bank branches of Bendigo Bank said, “We are dedicated to supporting artists in our community, with a particular interest in helping to promote emerging artists like Josh Whiting.”
“Josh is a perfect example of this having grown up on the Sunshine Coast and honed his skills since he first picked up a camera at 14 years old. He has an exceptional talent for capturing the beauty of our beautiful coastline.
“We love the photo of Point Cartwright and reached out to Josh to ask him if he was interested in having this photo on the Marcoola branch window. It is a beautiful sight and most certainly worth seeing.“
Josh said the image was taken a few years ago and would be tricky to replicate.
“It sums the coast up well. It was perfect conditions, the water was clear,“ he said.
“I’d like people to take a look at the mural and see how special the Sunshine Coast is.“
Whilst converting his hobby into a full time business, Josh also completed his Civil Engineering Honours Degree.
“I had to toss up whether to do photography full time or pursue an engineering career but I’ve been out on my own doing the photo stuff for about a year now and it’s my full time job. The lifestyle is well worth it,“ he said.
“As soon as you’re leaving school you don’t really know what you want to do in life. I was always doing the photos and that’s where my passion is at the moment and the degree is something to fall back on in the future.
“I’ve got an online store on my website joshwhitingphotos.com and I’ve got a little gallery in Warana that I can open up by appointment if people want to check out my work.“
Pop in to Bendigo’s Community Bank Marcoola branch to view Josh Whiting’s incredible image and be sure to chat to the friendly team who can also assist with your banking needs.