Hasselblad Master Photographer Ben Thomas has a dynamic approach to photography. When he moved to Melbourne in his mid twenties, the camera was his key to discovering the vibrant city. Since then, he has photographed the Australian landscape in a uniquely hyperreal style, combining a documentary eye with a strong visual aesthetic that slowly reveals a hidden narrative playing out, and asks how people identify with their surroundings.

In his latest series, Water, Thomas explores Australia’s most impressive natural phenomenon: its ocean. Utilising distortion and perspective in his photographs, Thomas casts beachgoers and surfers as minuscule figurines in his vast landscapes, while his bleached-out vistas of saltwater swimming pools and sandy beaches adhere more closely to compositional traditions. Wherever you glance, Thomas is playing with your eye; you have to look twice if you want to experience the full impact of these visually rich and picturesque scenes.