Kara Rosenlund: The call of home

Very little escapes the inquisitive eye of Australian photographer Kara Rosenlund. Blessed with an adventurous spirit, a knack for storytelling and incredible skills as an artist, Kara has wandered far off the beaten track over the last year to seek out intriguing Australian interiors.

What she found is captured and shared in her exquisite book, Shelter: How Australians Live. Every page tells a yarn, celebrates the meaning of home and conveys an incredible beauty.

Taking the task of photographing interiors into a whole new realm, Shelter documents Kara’s journey across regional and remote Australia in search of houses that spoke to her, whispering their stories.

Accompanied by her notes from the journey and interviews with each home’s inhabitants, it’s a unique yet quintessentially Australian lens through which to traverse our wide brown land.

Why did you feel it was important to create Shelter?

I spend a lot of time on the road as a photographer, and I’m always looking out the car window. I wanted to celebrate the authentic Australian interiors and landscapes which I love so much, in all their faded, crumbling, rambling ways. Australia really is very exotic, and I think we have forgotten how striking our landscapes are, and what a unique lifestyle this country offers the people who live and listen to the landscape.

One person you met while creating Shelter who really struck a chord?

Shelter really was built on the generosity and spirit from the advice of strangers. Each person contributed in different ways to helping me, which I’m truly so grateful for. If there was one person who’s lifestyle set a tone, it would have to be artist Luke Sciberras’ home in country NSW. You’ll have to read the story in the book to find out more. It’s a cracker.

When you return home from an adventure, what is the first thing you do?

I unpack all great the things I have found while on the road and potter around the house.

One thing you’re especially proud of to date?

My online print shop is where I make my images from my travels accessible for everyone to have in their own homes

What’s next on the horizon for you?

So much more – I haven’t even begun! I would love to be able to do another book, but on a global scale – ‘Shelter, how the world lives.’ I am also working on my photographic prints series to sell in my print shop. Maybe even a TV show. I’m not sure, but whatever comes my way you can be sure it will be the real deal.

Shelter by Kara Rosenlundis published by Penguin Books and is available for $59.99. To follow Kara on her adventures, head to kararosenlund.com

Photographer Kara Rosenlund took a year-long road trip discovering and documenting how Australians live.