2010 Landscape Calendar

Well some of you may know about, or did see my 2009 Calendar, which went very well for a first off effort. Due to that success i’m happy to announce i’ve had a freshly published calendar for 2010.  A slightly different design, and much better images have combined for what i’m sure you’ll agree is an even better edition this time round!

Cover

As with last year, it’s a high quality machine pressed calendar, with a unique design and personal spiel for each image. Very different, and higher print quality to the mass produced calendars in most shops.

With a print run of 1000 copies, and sales outdoing last year you’ll need to get in quick if you wish to secure a copy. Appolgies for the lateness of the post notifying of this, as i’ve only just managed to get all the artwork together to get them on the net.

They are available direct through me- for $12 plus a small postage fee, which I can provide upon inquiry. Also if you purchase 3- you’ll receive a 4th for free.

If you’re interested, you can contact me via e-mail at

enquiries@swilliamsphotos.com

A big thank you to the team at Point Graphics who were fantastic during the process, and a big reason for the tweaks in design.

January

January Text

Back Cover

A beautiful Albany Sunset

Here’s the second image from what was an amazing sunset I was lucky enough to get at Whalers Cove in Albany. It really is a gorgeous beach, as close to perfect as you could get- the mozzies must agree as they were there in force as well! Once again this is facing East- and as you can see the clouds lit up wonderfully. Waiting for a small wave to wet the sand in front of the rock to give it the added bonus of a slight reflection I think has paid off.

Albany Sunset

 

It’s one of my favorite images from the trip- and is one growing on me everyday. I hope you enjoy it too

 

You can view more of my South West Coast Posts here

If you’re interested in purchasing a South West Coast image, please visit my site

Esperance

Here’s a image from West Beach looking out to button island- just minutes from the middle of Esperance. You hear of the beaches and water of this place, you see many images of the water and beaches of this place- but seeing it in person still blows you away! It is an amazingly beautiful place. And as someone who loves beaches, well obviously I loved this place. Despite it taking my camera as a sacrifice haha!

Button Island

I was really hoping to get some images like those i’d seen so many times- pure white beaches, pristine blue water, amazingly blue skies dotted with fluffy white clouds. Unfortunately the conditions I had weren’t going to allow me to capture these, but even when this place is not at it’s best it’s still so stunning. The clouds were more grey then white, and quite often thick. So I was forced to snap away crazily when the sun peered between the breaks in the clouds. The water was also quite choppy due to the constant breeze that was blowing. Due to this the sand near the water was wet, so also came up a bit more grey then white. To combat this I got into the water, and managed to get this shot as a result. I quite like the main wave cutting through the image, and the cloud- was pretty much the only white cloud in the sky. So I was glad to have it in a position I was able to use haha

After my brief visit here- it’s definitely somewhere I wish to head back to in the near future, a bit nearer then i’d originally planned… but I have some unfinished business with this area

You can view more of my South West Coastal images here

If you’re interested in purchasing a South West Coastal image, please visit my site

Kelmscott Show

Well the Kelmscott show was on this weekend and I entered a few photos in the photography comp again. And managed to have a bit of luck again, managing 3 firsts and a second in the 5 categories I entered. I’m not sure if the overall quality was as good as last year- but there was certainly some very nice images spread through the categories, so I’m quite pleased to have done well again. You’ve seen these images before so I won’t go into details too much- but if you wish to be bored you can go back to the original posts through the links

I was surprised to have done well in a couple of categories as I failed to read the size restrictions on them- and as a result had to take the images out of their mattes and have the photo hanging by itself. Obviously looking very plain compared to being matted. I’m learning a lot of lessons lately- and this is another…. read the bloody competition guidelines Stephen!!

Flare Baby

First image got first place in the Adults Open category- it also got best exhibit in the overall class for this image.  View the post here

Turtle

The next one received first in the Adult Animal Study category. View the post here

Karijini Sunrise

This image received first in the Adults Enlargement- Landscapes category. View the post here

S Bend Sunrise

And finally this image received the second place in the Adults Reflections and Patterns category. View the post here

More from an unforgetable morning on Bluff Knoll

Well here’s a couple more images showing the extent of the clouds that had formed on the South side of the peaks. It’s incredible that under this- the people were experiencing a drizzly, wet, miserable day. Meanwhile I was beaming from ear to ear! Despite knowing at the time I was still struggling to capture the scene in all it’s glory due to the enormous contrasts- I was still having a ball!

A rock and a soft place

I quite like this shot, looking nearly directly South, from just around the saddle between Coyanerup and Bluff Knoll. It was my first proper look at what was in that direction and it’s amazing the energy boost you get when you know you have something like this to work with! I was a fair bit later then i’d intended- with my trip to the carpark half an hour before I finally set off, then upon commencement- I realised i’d left my headlamp back at camp. So proceeded to go back to get it. Silly for not thinking that by the time I get to where i’d need it along the track, the light would be bright enough for me anyway. Sometimes the brain just does not work at it’s prime at half 4 in the morning lol.

Heading up, at what is a much slower and painful pace then i’m used to. I was really worrying that I was going to miss the clouds for a fair bit of the climb! And having to take a good dozen breaks- instead of the usual 3 didn’t help the cause! But after being injured and not playing sport/running for a good 6 weeks i’d lost a fair bit of my fitness. So resigned to the fact I was only going to be able to plug along….. Luckily the clouds hung around for a long time.

Up-draughts

The second image here is also looking South. The up-draughts were picking up the cloud in the foreground which I found pretty cool to see.

You can view more of my Stirling Ranges posts here

If you’re interested in purchasing a Stirling Ranges image, please visit my site

Never Disappoints

Come to the Stirlings.. they say, walk with your head in the clouds… they say, ppffttt… I say. Why walk with your heads in the clouds- when you can walk with your feet on the clouds

As i’ve covered in a few of my posts in the past- the Stirlings are a great mountain range rising high from the surrounding plains. As a result when the conditions are right- clouds will form before your very eyes. Giving you the head in the clouds experience- a very magical experience at that don’t get me wrong. But when conditions are spot on- well you get this. To this stage i’ve climbed Bluff Knoll a good 80+ times, not once have I come off that peak not satisfied!! This occasion was not to be the first that’s for sure.

Flying High

After 2 weeks on the road with quite ordinary weather for the majority- I was stopping of at my baby’s- the Stirling Ranges on my way back to Perth. I knew I could rely on them to finish off the trip with a high, I knew they’d clear my mind and make me forget my stupidity of plunging the camera into the pristine Esperance waters, I knew they’d dry me off after 2 weeks in which nearly every day was wet, and I knew they’d get me excited for my next trip away. As I said they never let me down.

Heading up first thing in the morning is my usual thing here. I probably should appologize to the many people i’ve camped to- and woken up at the very early hours of the morning many times. But this is the reason I do it! The Stirlings are at their best in the morning I feel, and guess what- I had this to myself, for 5 hours!! Well I shared it with a Wedge Tail Eagle actually- but who’s complaining there

Now if you happen to be up in the early mornings- and there is a thick fog around… get your butt up the hill ok! Basically if there is cloud at ground level- you’ll be above it on the hill. Get up there quick before it burns away. I was lucky on this occasion the cloud on the South side stayed untill about 10am. The North side burned off by about 8am. I’ve been lucky to experience cloud like this 3 times (out of 80!!), first time I had no idea how to capture this type of scene, very difficult shooting conditions due to the harsh contrasts between sky/cloud/land, the second time, I managed to climb the hill with 2 flat battery’s… blew it! This time I was determined to get it!

I still don’t think i’ve quite got what i’m after, but I am even better prepared for next time I experience it- maybe another 30 odd climbs I will. But at least this time I think i’ve come away with a few shots at least. This is the first of them, and i’ll go through the rest soon to pick out what one’s are postable. This is looking East, over the spectacular Eastern Ridge. Which has to be one of the best walks you can do by the way- looks like i’ve missed doing it again this year but it is somewhere I want to get out along very soon. There were occasions out along there were even I was thinking this is just stupid haha. It is quite exhausting carrying 25 odd kilo’s worth of gear up and over the peaks- but so rewarding at the same time

Gota go- but will put some more up soon.

More of my Stirling Ranges posts can be found here

If you’re interested in purchasing a Stirling Ranges image, please visit my site

Kalamunda Photo Exhibition

Just a quick post as i’ve just got back into town, and not flat out back into it. It’s pretty late notice but there’s a Photo Exhibition/competition being run by the Gem Camera Club in Kalamunda over the weekend. It’s being held at the Performing Arts Center which is located on Canning Road, right near the footy oval. I’ve got 2 entries in there myself but there is a number of other very talented photographers entered as well, so if you’re in the area make sure you check it out.

I was just down there myself and the level of photographs is very pleasing- and with 60+ you’ll not be disappointed. Most works can be purchased as well, so if you’re looking out for a new photo for yourself- or even a nice…. i’m not going to say the C word yet ok it’s a good place to see a handful of images in one place.

The doors are open between 10am and 4pm on both Saturday 10th and Sunday the 11th.

Sorry once again for the lateness in this, but hopefully you’ll have time to pop in and see the display.

My first photography tutorial- Tripods 101

***For starters- if you don’t know what this is about, read my last few posts on the blog. It will make sense after that haha ***

Well motivation was back up a bit more today- with news that the camera store in town will charge my batteries for my Olympus after leaving the charger at home. I’d prefer not to have had to use the back up camera for starters- but we won’t go there again. So I headed out as the weather was quite nice, snapped a few images and then the clouds came back in again. And judging by the forcast- may be in for a while. So as I was waiting for some breaks in the clouds I thought hey- why not do a fantastic tutorial…. on how to use a tripod. Everyone’s into tutorials lately so why not me. I have an arvo doing nothing anyway (as you can see in the images it’s not the best conditions for photography right now) so I may as well pass on my experience

First step is to extend the legs to the desired length. It is crucial that these be reasonably the same, to ensure a level head. And maximum stability. If you are on a slope, make necessary adjustments for that.

Next is to check for stability. This can be achieved by slightly shaking the tripod.

If this passes the test we’re good to go!!

However if your tripod legs are looking something like this…..

Look out! Because this may happen. Which when you’re in water, is not good at all!

And if you’re in water- after the mad dash around to get it all out and dry….. There may be some of this going on…..

S0 dont be silly like I was, make sure and double sure. It’s something we all do so many times that really don’t even give it a second thought. But it doesn’t take much for it to go pearshaped. And when it’s your camera, over the water- well yeah…. Make sure!!

I hope anyway that this does it’s job- in case you haven’t already figured out, more of a laugh then anything. And taking the piss outa myself! Please note i’m not a actor, nor a model… so please don’t hold any of that against me here ok! haha. I may need to resort to selling my body now though to afford a new camera body- so offers are welcome

Anyway my job here is done. Take care

The highs of photography

Well after the doom and gloom lately I thought i’d best post something a bit brighter. Who would have thought that 24hrs later- my emotions would be completely the opposite as when I stood here on this beautiful beach in Albany. I headed out for a new location to shoot- and went into the Torndirrup National Park. Better known for the Gap and Natural Bridge. Instead of heading all the way out to that end of the headland I went out to the Vancouver Peninsula. As usual racing against the light, which was looking very very promising- I dismissed the first beach I went to, and then came across this stunner!

Whalers Cove

Whalers Cove, really just lends itself to photography. The sky to the West was fantastic! But I took preference to the East facing beach in the hope that the clouds would light up also. Facing West I think would have been a waste anyway as there was no real way for me to capture the beauty that was unfolding. Needless to say my punt paid off- and in an amazing 10 min light show I strolled along firing at will. Wow, this photography stuff is easy isn’t it

Probably got 3 keepers from the session- and another couple that weren’t too shabby either.

I hope you enjoy this also

You can view more of my Albany posts here

If you’re interested in purchasing a South West image, please visit my site

Bugger…….

Well photography hey- the highs, and the lows. Definitely it doesn’t come easy. I’m down in Esperance now after a week of quite ordinary weather on the south coast. And guess what!? There are blue blue skies, nice fluffy white clouds, amazingly blue waters and white sands. Just as I have been hoping for the whole trip! It is amazingly bueatiful. Now you may ask- why the hell am I on here doing a blog post then with all this magical landscapes outside!!??

Well… dumbness basically…..

Something to always remember- is the basics. Now with photography I don’t think it gets much more basic then setting up a tripod. Now we’ve done it a million times, could do it in our sleep even. So last night i’m shooting the dusk light over at Twilight Bay. Got the tripod set up at the waveline- as i’ve done countless times, shooting away as the light gets better and better, totally blown away by the beauty of that place in that soft light. So blown away that I failed to notice that my tripod was slightly off balance, one leg was still a bit further extended then the rest from the previous location.

So in comes a wave, tiny tiny thing, but it comes up slightly further then the previous ones had…. I think you can see where this is going….. Now when the water runs under the tripod- the sand unsettles a little bit. Not much at all, but just enough usually to crooken the horizon, change the composition a bit or cause a bit of camera shake if your shooting at the time. All a bit of a nuisance, but not too bad really. Except this time, where due to me taking in the scene before me didn’t pay too much attention to the tripod/camera- and when I did…. well it was half way down to the water. Of course it’s the cable release end that gets submerged, so it has no protection at all. Mad rush follows to try and dry etc…..

So now i’m down here with a camera, that has some functions, but will not take a photo. Kinda a bit of a problem huh. Being a smart boy I brought along my old Olympus as a spare *pats self on back*. Stupid me didn’t bring a charger *stabs self in back* so now I have 2 useless camera’s haha.

As a result am forced inside surfing the net to try and locate

A) a charger for the Olympus to at least get me by while i’m here

B) a new 40D for my return to Perth.

So kiddies, don’t forge to always have a level tripod, especially when shooting in such situations as the above. It really doesn’t take much to toally unsettle the set up.