The West is a series of landscape photographs commissioned for residents of the Doutta Galla aged care home in Footscray. In asking for the capture of local and recognisable landmarks, the brief layer the foundation of a project entailing a personal and contemplative exploration of place and belonging. Guided by the home’s Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator Roshna Dongol, and volunteer Sarah Littleton, NWH completed the first part of the assignment in 2025, which focussed on landscapes associated with ‘the west,’ before engaging more concertedly with Footscray (part two) in 2026.

Navigating the breadth of possible imagery by working with ‘themes’ (i.e. coastal, garden, urban), NWH explored and returned to different sites, producing images that not only show places recognisable to the home’s residents and workers, but quiet and considered moments conducive to introspective reflection. As the assignment extended to include the production and provision of beautifully mounted, archival photographic prints, NWH received an opportunity to gauge the impact of his labours.

With the response from residents being diverse, but similarly enthusiastic, the photographer marvelled at the ability of the medium to allow people to visually return to the places that shape their everyday experience and personal histories. In addition having two articles about the assignment published in the Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly newspapers (available here and here), this commission also led to an extended article in Aging Australia Magazine (available here).

Photos below by Damjan Janevski of Star Weekly Newspapers