Jerusha McDowell is an award-winning photographer based on the NSW Southern Tablelands. Deeply rooted in visual storytelling, her unique blend of documentary and landscape photography is marked by restraint and poetic depth.

Connecting past and present, Jerusha’s photographs carry a quiet nostalgia; her restrained palette and careful composition invite viewers into a world beyond the comfort and complexity of modern life.

Her images are born from expedition, with much of her work captured while riding and camping in the remote landscapes of the Snowy Mountains. This immersive approach fosters a rare intimacy with the landscape and subjects she captures.

After studying photography and filmmaking at the University of New South Wales, Jerusha spent 17 years working in defence, intelligence, and counter-terrorism before returning to her creative roots.

“I feel as though I’ve come full circle — back to something I was always meant to do. I just took the long way round. Photography has been such an important anchor for me after many years working in some pretty intense roles. It has allowed me to return to my roots and to look at the world in a positive way again — something that was hard to do for many years.”

Born in the remote gorge country of the New England High Country, Jerusha now lives in Bungendore, NSW, with her husband and two daughters. In 2023, she opened her own boutique gallery — a space dedicated to showcasing her work and sharing her passion for the beauty and traditions of the Australian bush.

Inspired by early Australian impressionists like Frederick McCubbin and contemporary adventure photographers such as Jimmy Chin, Jerusha’s approach is both artistic and expeditionary, bringing unique, field-tested insight and emotional resonance to every frame.

“When a photographer takes a photograph, we’re not just capturing what something looks like — we’re capturing what it feels like to us. The image carries everything we bring to that moment. That, to me, is the essence of photography: connection.”