Fiona Lake: The woman behind the lens

Photographer Fiona Lake isn’t afraid to speak up on issues affecting agriculture and to tell bush stories as they truly are.

She may spend a lot of her time behind the lens of a camera, or underneath a drone, looking to the heavens.

But Fiona Lake is not afraid to come forward and speak up for the needs and issues of remote Australia.

Whether it’s teaching farmers how to use new agtech and drones on farm, or entrenching herself on remote cattle stations armed with her camera, the self-confessed zealot always has the same goal: to be authentic, and engage with people truthfully.

Having grown up on a sheep and wheat farm in NSW, Fiona is now based in North Queensland, and understands the realities of what life is like outside the city limits.

Her experiences and frustrations at the way regional life was portrayed by urban storytellers first inspired her to pick up a camera.

A drone shot by Fiona Lake, demonstrating her keen eye and skill as an aerial photographer. Picture: Fiona Lake

Her career in photography started in 1984, back in the days of film photography, and was driven by Fiona’s dismay at professional photographs simply flying in and out of remote communities to cover stories.

“It was almost like they weren’t really entrenching themselves,” Fiona said.

A highlight of her 40-plus years in the industry was a magazine assignment in remote Australia, and one tough bloke who refused to talk.

“I was hanging around for four days. Finally he took me for a ride in the road train. And then he wouldn’t shut up,” Fiona said. 


“Before that: nothing. It was like getting blood out of a stone. And that road train was perfect, because finally, I got what I needed.”

Frank and candid about what she feels the industry needs, or how it should be focusing its attention, Fiona has since spent the better part of her time as a commercial photographer running workshops, and, more recently, teaching others how to operate drones.

Purchasing her first drone in 2016 proved another opportunity for Fiona to apply her trademark hustle to a new venture: teaching others how to use new technology in a friendly, accessible way.

“It’s been received well. You get all kinds of ages, from school students to people in their 80s,” Fiona said.

“And it’s great, because it’s mostly about building confidence. Particularly older people will say they’re not good at technology … stop presuming it’s a young person’s thing, because the truth is young people are no better at problem solving than older people.”

From shooting photographs in remote locations, to working directly with farmers to teach them how to use new agtech, Fiona has had an up-close relationship with agriculture and the people within the industry.

And she’s got a few things to say about the direction it should be headed.

Rural photograph and drone educator Fiona Lake. Picture: Fiona Lake

“One thing I would really like to see is industry bodies recognising the work done by advocates, who are basically doing it out of their own time, their own energy, and their own money, and everyone benefits from it,” Fiona said.

“No industry bodies that I’ve seen actually recognise that work.”