About Steven Sklifas

I am an Australian writer, photographer, storyteller and researcher, drawn to the stories held within landscapes, ancient places, architecture, gardens, art, nature and the traces of people who came before us.

Wonder has shaped the way I see the world for as long as I can remember. I have always been curious about what lies beyond the surface of a place: the history beneath a ruined wall; the ideas embodied in a work of art; the memory carried by an old building, the intricate life of a forest, or the mystery of a landscape that has endured for thousands of years.

For more than two decades, I have travelled with camera and notebook across Australia, the Mediterranean and beyond, exploring ancient cities, archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, gardens, forests, coastlines and wild places. Some are celebrated; others lie quietly beyond the familiar paths. All have something to reveal when we take the time to look closely.

Photography and writing are inseparable parts of that exploration. A photograph can preserve a fleeting quality of light, a landscape, a fragment of architecture, or a moment in time. Writing allows me to journey further into the history, mythology, ideas, memories, and human stories that give those places meaning.

My interests range widely, from ancient Greece and the civilisations of the Mediterranean to architecture, literature, art, and cultural heritage; from gardens and botany to wildlife, biodiversity, and the extraordinary natural world. To me, these are not separate subjects. They are different chapters in the continuing story of Earth and humanity.

Much of what I create begins with curiosity: a place I want to understand, a story I want to uncover, an image I want to preserve, or simply a sense of wonder that I hope to share.

I continue to write, photograph, research, and explore because there will always be more to discover.

And because the closer we look at the world, the more remarkable it becomes.

The journeys, influences and experiences that shaped my creative life and work.

The philosophy of curiosity, attention and stewardship that guides my work.

A selection of publications, exhibitions and collaborations spanning more than two decades of creative work.

Journey through writing shaped by history, landscape, nature, and the enduring pull of wonder.

Discover selected images from my professional practice and journeys across Australia and the wider world.

Begin a conversation about a commission, publication, research project, speaking invitation or creative collaboration.