Kiama’s waterfront has been transformed into an open-air gallery, with 20 striking outdoor sculptures on display from Hindmarsh Park to the harbour until October 15.

Thanks to ArtPark Australia, locals and visitors can wander through an eclectic mix of bronze, stainless steel and Corten steel creations, each a contemporary talking point designed for gardens and public spaces.

Among the many people appreciating the works in a unique way is local photographer Darren Parlett, who has lived in Kiama for nearly four decades.

On a whim one recent morning, during a hectic week of rehearsals for a stage show at Wollongong’s Phoenix Theatre, Parlett grabbed his camera phone and headed to the foreshore at sunrise.

“It was a seemingly perfect morning,” he told The Bugle.

“There was plenty of cloud about, but that helped create these spectacular backdrops. I tried to position each sculpture so the light and colours played into the shot.”

The resulting images are as much about Kiama’s landscape as they are about the art itself.

They join a growing portfolio of local landscapes Darren has been compiling, including aerial drone shots of Kiama Harbour.

One of those harbour photos will feature in his upcoming calendar, due to be released on October 31.

Photography became a passion for Parlett nearly 20 years ago, sparked by an unlikely experience: a ghost tour at Picton.

“Every time you take a photo, you’re actually telling a story. It’s capturing history, a moment in time,” he said.

But his creative streak extends well beyond the camera. Since the early 1990s he has been involved with the Roo Theatre Company in Shellharbour.

He encourages others to give acting a try.

“You don’t have to be a NIDA graduate to participate,” he said. “All you need to do is touch base and ask about the acting classes.”

He has also found himself in front of the cameras as a film and television extra, including an extra’s role alongside Pamela Anderson in Place to Be, a part in ABC’s Return to Paradise, and most recently, in a thriller dark comedy called Fangs, starring Joel Edgerton, due for release next year.