Faces of Bega: David Rogers hangs up suit and tie for an adventure-seeking life behind the lens

David grew up in Tathra, coming from a long line of farmers in the region.

Secondary schooling in Sydney and university studies in Canberra left him feeling "hungry to see things" and with a strong drive to "get out and experience the world".

He started living in Sydney in 1992 after finishing an environmental science degree in Canberra.

At the time most of the jobs in that industry were in regional areas, and so he felt torn between staying in the city or heading back to the regions.

He found his way into a Sydney advertising agency though to "keep things going" and ended up loving it.

"I love that whole creative side of marketing and so forth, and I just met some really great people. I stayed in that industry for 25 years."

After working for many of the city's big advertising agencies, he worked in publishing houses where he held an executive role in client management and sales.

David said he loved working for lifestyle magazines and it was his job with Qantas magazine that inspired his journey towards photography, lifestyle journalism, and travel.

"During that time I worked with all the big advertisers in Australia and internationally. It was an interesting time because at that point traditional media was booming."

He said the shift came when social media began to blossom and the focus changed to digital and online media markets. "The whole traditional media was totally disrupted."

A stable year-to-year advertising budget was turned on its head and businesses quickly pivoted, those big budgets now headed into digital.

David said he kind of got on board, but also kind of missed the boat by not shifting to work for the big digital companies.

"It got to a point probably about five years ago where I was like, I can either just totally change, or be left here turning the lights out, so I decided to resign and reinvent myself."

In 2017 he gave himself 12 months to cease any "goal-setting" and focus instead on enjoying landscape photography. And some of the best landscapes he could think of were back home in the Bega Valley.

"I came back with totally fresh eyes and a new appreciation. I think the thing that caught me the most was just the beautiful pristine nature of the area, it's quite unique and really hard to find untouched beaches and coastal landscapes anywhere in Australia and internationally."

He said growing up in the Bega Valley can leave you not appreciating it enough, as you haven't got anything to compare it to. But when you travel abroad and see the places that "people pay big money to see", you realise that "unique beauty" still exists here.

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"I've travelled quite a bit around the world and I just think that this is one of the most stunning places in the world," he said.

It was the first time he had lived in the area in over 20 years and he moved back with the intention of relaxing, retraining in photography, and eventually starting his own business.

YouTube became his best friend to brush up on his skills and he spent his days shooting, scouting locations, watching tutorials, and editing photographs.

He said photography was a "very considered choice" as it was very prevalent online as more clients shifted their budgets towards digital and social media.

Big "hero images" that would be attention grabbing were suddenly highly sought after.

"I had always been quite creative but I just never explored and found my creative side until I picked up a camera."

After those 12 months he was "hungry for exposure" and his media background came in handy.

He used prior networks to get the edge he needed for commercially viable work.

He had a lot of luck reaching out to local and state tourism networks where he could marry up his advertising experience and creative passion.

In 2018 his business really took off when a photo he captured of bioluminescent algae in Tathra went viral.

It became a top image on Tourism Australia's website and was subsequently published in travel magazines.

"To capture that photo wasn't luck, it was a lot of research just from doing my photography around the area.

"I knew a fair bit about the wind and the currents and looked at places where it [the bioluminescent algae] could end up, so I spent all night driving in and out of places searching for it," he said.

He compared landscape photography to an adventure sport as often capturing his shots can involve long hikes or pushing the limits to get to places at sunset or sunrise.

For the past three years he has taken on the challenge to capture wildlife and has a keen interest in whale photography.

During the Far South Coast whale season from August to November he works alongside business Sapphire Coastal Adventures, to capture a range of shots on board their boat Bubbles.

"When you get out there, you're kind of among these whales that are so exciting as a photographer, but it's also exciting as a region, that we've got this incredible natural spectacle that is happening on our doorstep."

David has worked with a range of businesses in the region for products and people he resonates with.

"I'm really interested in, with those fresh eyes coming back to the Valley, people doing incredible things, whether it's producing amazing things, great accommodation, a festival, or an event.

"It just pays respect to the community and environment down here that have wider appeal outside the region," he said.