I am Liam Keiller, an 18 year old photographer living in South Australia.
I have been interested in photography since I was about 10 years old. I remember reading a book from the school library about macro photography and being so amazed at the close-up photos of bugs. I started taking photos of bugs on my phone, and started to get good at photographing bees in the backyard.
It was about 2023 when I started using a proper camera (Fujifilm X-S1) to take photos with instead of on my phone. At first it was difficult to get the hang of. But I started to get the hang of it after a few months.
In 2024 I started getting 'good' at this whole photography thing. I upgraded to the Fujifilm X-T4 and did a lot more travelling around South Australia, mainly with my dad. I really enjoyed nature and landscapes the most. I didn't have a big zoom lens until the Christmas of 2024, so I was always struggling to capture wildlife, although I did manage to get some good wildlife photos with the 18-55mm.
I will remember 2025 as the year that I got into my first major competitions.
I got Highly Commended in Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2025.
Junior finalist in Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2025.
15-17 year finalist in 2025 Crikey! Magazine Photography Competition.
In 2025 I did even more travelling, and tried new types of photography including Real Estate and 4WD car photography. Early in 2025 I studied black and white photography at school and learnt new techniques like high key/ low key which was the technique I used for both AGNPOTY and Crikey! competitions.
I was also featured in two newspapers in 2025. The Leader Barossa newspaper, and The Australian both interviewed me about my photo 'Monochrome Marsupial' after it had been named finalist in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2025.
In December of 2025 I got to stay in London for 5 weeks as well as four days in Paris, one day in Barcelona, and one night (stop over) in China. I was able to get photos at all these places and really improved new techniques in a city environment. I experimented heaps with sow shutter speeds and ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) and took some of my best photos ever. I even got to photograph my first Squirrels and foxes.
So far in 2026, the moment that stands out the most for me is placing 19th in the black and white category of Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026 with my series Wildlife Portraits in Monochrome. It felt like a real step forward, especially because another set of my photos was also commended in the same competition this year. Seeing my work recognised again in a field I’ve been growing into over the past few years has been pretty motivating.
This year I’ve also been putting a lot more effort into building my own platforms — mainly my social media and YouTube — and trying to share more of what I’m working on. At the same time, I’ve been focusing on improving my product photography, especially outdoors where I feel most at home. It’s been a good mix of refining my style, learning new things, and trying to push myself a bit further each month.
Competitions:
Top 20 in Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2026.
Commended in Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2026.
Junior finalist in Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2025.
15-17 year finalist in 2025 Crikey! Magazine Photography Competition.
Highly Commended in Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2025.
2 photos in 2026 Barossa Photographic Calendar Competition.
