Oculi

The light that remains.

Where the Floodwaters Escape. Wilcannia, NSW.

Oculi photographer Matthew Abbott @mattabbottphoto has been awarded in the 2026 World Press Photo Awards (Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Stories) for The Last Dolphin Hunters, photographed on Fanalei Island in the Solomon Islands. What began as a regular assignment stretched into weeks on the island, working through rough weather and isolation. The work follows a small settlement on Fanalei Island, clinging to a narrowing strip of sand and coral as rising seas reshape daily life - graves moved, buildings lost, the island rapidly retreating. For generations, dolphin hunting has been a deeply embedded cultural practice, providing both food and income, but as seaweed farming emerges as a more stable source of cash, it is beginning to reshape the social fabric of the community and may ultimately bring an end to the controversial tradition. The @worldpressphoto jury described the project as “multilayered and visually compelling,” recognising its ability to hold the intersection of culture, survival, and environmental change, while allowing tensions to remain unresolved. You can find the whole edit on the World Press Website and original story in the New York Times @oculi

A portrait of chef Mindy Woods, a proud Bundjalung woman, native chef and advocate for food sovereignity. Woods runs Karkalla On Country, an immersive culinary and cultural experience on her property in the Northern Rivers. @guardianaustralia @blakesharpwiggins @piceditor.theguardian.au

Where the floodwaters escape. Wilcannia, NSW.

For the month of January, I had the privilege of being an artist in residence at Mabiang Seni near Ubud, Bali. I came to Bali to heal after a year of successful but deeply challenging cancer treatment — chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and drug therapy. In this interview I share my journey of creative, physical, and spiritual survival, and how I searched for renewal in the natural beauty and powerful energy of Bali. Special thanks to @mabiangseni and amazing @olenriyanto and videographer @dstory.of and master printer @devfto where I expanded my printmaking techniques and craft and support from artists @georg_popov @rezkyafriza . #lifeaftercancer #cancersurvivor #artinbali #healingjourneys @tamara_voninski @oculi

Oculi member @tajette.ohalloran completed a 12 month project commissioned by @powerhousemuseum and @24houreconomynsw documenting nightlife in the Northern Rivers region of NSW alongside @andrewquilty @smithmedia.au and @jadedamico who were assigned Sydney city, greater Wollongong and the western suburbs of Sydney respectively. The work exhibited at Parliament House, Sydney and paste ups around the city. Text from Tajette's body of work titled 'Regional Rituals' "In regional and rural contexts, nightlife is shaped by a different relationship to time. Cultural change moves more slowly, operating through continuity rather than acceleration. Unlike urban nightlife, which is often driven by market forces, visibility, and constant reinvention, these events persist through repetition and return. They function as rituals rather than destinations, offering informal rites of passage that unfold within already established social worlds, where repetition reinforces belonging rather than novelty. Maintained by families, volunteer committees, and local institutions, these gatherings are sustained through intergenerational care rather than commercial reinvention, remaining largely outside cycles of commodification and gentrification."

Last year, I had the privilege of working with Hugh Sando to create an artist video to support the release of my photo book, We Were Just Little Boys, published by Tall Poppy Press. This video shares my process and intention behind creating the work, and features Uncle Harry Ritchie, who shares his story. A big thank you to @magnumfoundation for funding this work and for feedback that took this video to another level, @hugh_sando for your creativity, collaboration and support, @matt.dunne for kickstarting this video and support throughout, @kinchelaboys and @tiffmcc76 for supporting this project, and most importantly, to Uncle Harry for sharing his story. Link to full video in my bio. Directors: Hugh Sando @hugh_sando and Tace Stevens @tacestevens Cinematographer: Hugh Sando Post Production: Haitch Studio Post Audio Facility: Envelope Audio @envelope.audio Mix Engineer & Sound Design: Julian Oliver @julsey__ Archival Footage: The Footage Company @thefootagecompany This video was produced by Magnum Foundation, with support from Stanley Cohen in memory of Jacoba Molenaar.

Oculi Workshop Last Minute News We’re thrilled to be inviting our three new @oculi members @tacestevens , @elise.derwin & @rummin_matt along to our 2026 Almost Autumn Photography Retreat! We also have one more available spot for any photographer wanting to join the workshop and the eight Oculi photographers! Our retreat is happening Friday 6th March 11am- Sunday 8th March 2pm. Set in a stunning retreat on the Hawkesbury River 90 minutes from Sydney, this exclusive experience is specifically designed and curated for photographers looking to refine their craft, develop ongoing projects, and gain valuable insights from some of Australia’s leading documentary and artistic photographers. Come connect with and learn from Oculi’s workshop tutors @dean_sewell @tajette.ohalloran @meghewitt_ @jeremypiper @conorashleigh @rummin_matt @tacestevens @elise.derwin Visit our website or email [email protected] for all the workshop information and reserve your spot now and we’ll see you there!

***NEW OCULI MEMBERS*** Over recent years, Oculi has developed strong momentum and a clearer understanding of the role we can play within the photographic fraternity. Through exhibitions, workshops, projection nights and collaborative projects, we’ve worked to help sustain independent documentary practice at a time when the institutions that support it continue to diminish. Last year, we began conversations with image makers whose work felt naturally aligned with the collective, and who we believed would bring fresh perspective and renewed energy to the group. After a careful and considered process, we’re very pleased to welcome three new members to Oculi: Elise Derwin @elise.derwin , Tace Stevens @tacestevens and Matt Newton @rummin_matt Elise Derwin has unwaveringly documented her community in Lismore through flooding and its aftermath, building a substantial body of work while maintaining a close and enduring connection to both the place and its people. Working across motion and still imagery, Tace Stevens, a Noongar and Spinifex woman, draws on lived experience to produce quiet, intimate work from within her own community - an approach that lends the stories both authority and care. For decades, Matt Newton has remained committed to environmental photography in Tasmania, pairing long-term focus with a rare ability to connect the work to audiences beyond traditional media. Their addition marks a significant moment for the collective and we look forward to the work ahead together  Elise Derwin - Images 2-6 This Is Where We Live Lismore Flood  Tace Stevens Images 7-11 We Were Just Little Boys Tjilpi To Be Silent  Matt Newton Images 12-17 Albatross Island Another Country

Oculi photographers @mattabbottphoto , @jeremypiper and @dean_sewell attended this week’s demonstration at Sydney Town Hall on Monday, 9th February, covering the protest against the Albanese Labor Government’s invitation to Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Thousands gathered to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and to oppose both Israel’s actions in Gaza and the government’s decision to host Herzog. The demonstration began with chants, flags, and speeches, but tensions quickly escalated. After the speeches, some participants moved onto George Street, with calls for a march. Confusion over police orders to disperse left many unsure of how to exit safely. What followed was chaos. Hundreds of officers, including mounted officers and riot squads armed with capsicum spray pushed through demonstrators, resulting in widespread confusion and violence. Protesters were shoved, pepper-sprayed, struck and thrown to the ground. Those trying to leave peacefully found themselves trapped and struggling to breathe as the crowd was pressed from all sides.

We now have two available spots at Oculi’s Almost Autumn Photography Retreat next month in March! Looking to connect with like minded photographers? Strengthen your practice or get guidance with a long form project? If it’s a yes then these photography retreats are for you! Step away from the everyday and immerse yourself in a transformative two-night, three-day workshop with Oculi Friday 6th March - Sunday 8th March. Set in a stunning retreat on the Hawkesbury River 90 minutes from Sydney, this exclusive experience is specifically designed and curated for photographers looking to refine their craft, develop ongoing projects, and gain valuable insights from some of Australia’s leading documentary and artistic photographers. Oculi Workshop tutors @dean_sewell @tajette.ohalloran @meghewitt_ @jeremypiper @conorashleigh Visit our website or email [email protected] for all the workshop information and reserve your spot now and we’ll see you there!