FORMER Toowoomba-based photographer John Elliott is looking back on a career capturing performers and musicians with his exhibition Gifted Country.

The exhibition is a return to the region for Mr Elliott who last year presented works from a portrait project with residents of Crows Nest.

"I always go back to the places where I've worked, I've done it all my life, you reconnect with people you meet and photograph," he said.

Some of the portraits in the Crows Nest Regional Gallery exhibition have also featured in an exhibition titled A Thousand Mile Stare at the National Portrait Gallery.

"This collection of portraits is of singer songwriters who inspire and enlighten me with their songs," he said.

"Their music celebrates a sense of place and the Australian landscape... their songs help define who we are and where we fit in the world."

During an eclectic career Mr Elliott has met musicians and performers, capturing intimate moments and creating iconic images.

"One job of this exhibition is to draw attention to some of the people I believe demand to have another listen to or look at," he said.

Now living in Winton, Mr Elliott continues his passion for photography, teaching people the skills in workshops across the country.

With photographs from fifty years of shooting, Mr Elliott said he looks back on images and finds they still connect with him.

"If you capture the essence of a subject, the photo tends not to wear out over time," he said.

The exhibition Gifted Country is open at the Crows Nest Regional Gallery until September 11.

The gallery is open from Tuesday until Saturday, 10.30am until 3.30pm.