Dr Anthony Langlois, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Flinders University, oversaw the opening of the exhibition “The Elephant in the Room” (April 8), where Tait and four other photographers – John Goodridge, Janine Matheson, Harvey Schiller, and Mandi Whitten – show what the aphorism means to them.

“My photography has grown from a lifetime of capturing my travel experiences on film,” Tait said. “In recent years, through the internet, I’ve reached a larger audience than I’d ever expected. The positive feedback has led me to seek out different ways to present my work and unleashed creativity from within.”

During last year’s Feast, Tait partnered with Mandi Whitten for the exhibition, “Breathing Space.” A successful collaboration, it led to the current showcase. “It’s a clever idea to capture an ideological issue photographically. Photographs tend to capture the physical beauty of a scene, while the topics we have chosen are abstract ideas,” Tait said.

“This exhibition embraces a range of ideas from privacy and urban decay to mental health and environmental sustainability; each affecting society as we experience it today. By presenting these issues in our photography, we hope we can challenge the community’s perspective, one person at a time.”

One of the ‘elephants’ Tait takes a look at is climate change.

“Natural resources make our way of life possible. Developing innovative ways to recycle and rely on sustainable energy sources through technology is the key to maintaining our standard of living. While governments and big business must demonstrate leadership, we as individuals also have power in the decisions we make on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

The other elephant he spotlights, that people can pretend to stare right through, is depression. “Personal struggles with sexual identity, discrimination, and bullying increase the likelihood of depression within the queer community,” Tait said.

“Alarming statistics describe a significantly higher rate of attempted suicide within this sub-group when compared with the greater population. Hope comes from extending a hand of friendship to those who are affected.”

Indeed, photography is Tait’s own mental health release, giving him the chance to focus on the art of taking an image.

“I’m inspired in various ways. Sometimes it’s a turn of phrase that sets an idea in motion. At other times, immersion in a foreign culture or exploring a new landscape fills me with ideas. I love to see the final product come together.”

And we’ll watch him finish many more projects as, at the start of his career, he’s only given us a glimpse of what’s he’s capable. Once he used foresight to predict his future, now he has a vision to change it.

Urban Cow Studio, 11 Frome St, Adelaide until May 4.

www.elephant-in-the-room.net

www.redbubble.com/people/voyage

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