PETER Stone’s eerie photo of an Aboriginal girl blowing bubbles underwater is on display at Ellis House this month.
It is one of several artworks in the Aspects of Bayswater exhibition, celebrating the moods and scenes of the suburb in the lead up to the Autumn River Festival on Sunday March 28.
The 60-year-old Bayswater photographer snapped the “spooky” photo titled Still Water a couple of years ago while taking pictures of kids jumping into the Swan River.
“The photo is not about the girl – it’s about the water, the history and the spiritualism,” Stone said.
“You take photos about things, not of them.”
Framed in old jarrah, the piece now sits alongside three of Stone’s other photos in the exhibition.
The local artist, who has worked in computing for many years, delved into photography in 1994 when he started taking pictures for the theatre.
Today he owns a framing business and enjoys snapping local events, people and productions.
He said capturing school plays on camera was his favourite pastime.
“You’d be amazed what you see through the lens of a camera,” Stone said.
“You can tell the story of the play… you understand the plot.”
Stone said one of the best compliments he’d received for his work was from an old woman from Bayswater.
She attended one of his exhibitions, which featured photos taken in her suburb.
“She said, “I’ve been living in Bayswater all my life and I’ve never seen that before,” Stone said.
“Photography is about looking at things in a different way.”
About 20 artists feature in Aspects of Bayswater.
Some will attend Ellis House for the festival, meeting visitors and showing works in displays around the garden.