Karridale

This shot is from Easter weekend down at Karridale near Augusta. I went down with my girlfriends family, to live it up in the fabulous Margaret River wine region. We stayed at a farm which has a few cottages on the property.  So I thought i’d try something different and get some farm photos.

I’m really interested in these sheep ramps, not sure why exactly… but I think they really make fantastic subjects. We were down in the paddock scouting out on the first night, and after the light let us down headed back up to the cottages for dinner. As we went passed here some awesome light came through the tree tops, but left a nice even light on the structure itself.

Run to the Light

Being the first time i’d shot these, I tried a few compositions before coming up with this.

You can view more of my South West posts here

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

Mountains of Time

Here’s the final of my shots I got on my recent trip to the Stirling Ranges, and my favorite of the 3. While I love my Cotton Candy Hills image, that was just luck with the conditions creating an affect I wasn’t expecting. This photo is more like the shot I set out to achieve that weekend. The conditions still didn’t come together to give me exactly what I was after- So I will definitely return to hopefully get those conditions. Still, I feel this ill do nicely until then

Mountains of Time

Unfortunately the sunset wasn’t very spectacular again, as the trip seemed to be destined for. And with only a few clouds, basically what you can see here, thick haze in the air didn’t help. So after an hours drive, and nearly as long walking to get here- I thought at first the trip was a waste. I’d seen this awesome patch of ground, and decided to set up on the off chance something nice happened. And luckily I did because for a minute of so some nice light came across. The red pigface plant mixed with the dry cracks in the mud made for an interesting foreground. So I was glad I found some. Despite being so dry lately there wasn’t nearly as many cracked area’s as I had thought there’d be.

Anyway I hope you enjoy it too

More of my Stirling Ranges posts can be found here

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

Salt Lake Views

Well I have a heap of images ready to post, and had every intention of posting about 3 since my last post…. But damn, things take too much time! Hopefully things will slow down a bit and I can get some of these new images up. The more I post, the more I have to go out and shoot. Gets me off my butt a bit more anyway.

Salt Lake Views

Here’s another shot from the morning down at the Stirling Ranges. The haze basically wrote off most of the trip, but also created my previous shot. 15 or so minutes after I took that image, the sun had risen above the horizon and was casting some wonderful side lighting on these dead trees. After ending up shin deep in the mud (I wish I could say only once….) I got out to this spot and set up. I couldn’t set up with any conventional composition involving the tree’s and the mountains. So I thought I’d go for something outside of the box. Basically a 50/50 set up. I wasn’t sure how it would work, but when I viewed it back at camp I was quite pleased.

The light off the timber really catches my eyes. And basically I had clouds I had for the whole trip whisped across the sky, thank god for them! The peak you can see is Toolbrunup Peak. Which has to be one of the best climbs in the park. Definitely one of my favourite mountains,  apart from the Eastern Peaks.  But being so much more easily accessible it’s got to be one of the best.

More of my Stirling Ranges Posts can be found here

If you’re interested in purchasing one of my Stirling Range images, please visit my site

My second home

Well anyone who knows me, or spends any decent time with me- knows how I feel about the Stirling Ranges…. I love them!!!

Every chance I get I go there, even if that means a total of 15 hours (of which most was driving) to see snow there last year. Something i’ve experienced a few times there but could never get sick of. I worked down there for a year, which for me is heaven! I used to climb a mountain before work! Oh how many times i’m sitting at work these days dreaming of where i’d rather be. A few of them a week is good for the soul.

So with the global finance crisis taking hold. My company did as so many are doing and forced us to take excess leave. So I thought what better way to use them then going down to my beloved Stirling’s for a few days. So off I set, with a new image in mind. I’ve seen many images of the Stirlings, and really wanted to get out a new vantage point. Something that sums up my love for the place, and shows a different side to the tourist side which is what is mostly shown. A image which has been in my mind for quite some time, but i’ve never quite got it. Then as i’m driving down- I start realizing it might all be falling apart….

As they so often do, the farmers of the area are burning the remnants of their crops from last year, and clearing tree’s and rubbish- also burning. Now with the weather forecast (dry and no wind and no clouds) fresh in my mind I knew what this could mean… haze- and lots of it!

Oh well, i’m here so lets make the most of it! So up I got early to climb Bluff Knoll for sunrise. I misjudged the rise just a lil. Not that it was to matter anyway as when I rocked up at the carpark I bumped into none other then Kirk, Neil and Jamie. Who were down there on their trip. So I hung out with them a bit and watched a pretty ordinary sunrise (one of many to come). It was good to finally meet them. And I would have loved to have got out for a shoot with them- but that never eventuated.

Anyway the next morning I headed round to where I hoped I may be able to snag the shot I was after. They’re probably going to hate me for not informing them of this location. But not really knowing it yet- I couldn’t direct you somewhere I had no idea about. And also I couldn’t give away the prime location I’ve been waiting for, for the last 3 years! Sorry guys, you’ll get it next time

Cotton Candy Hills

Well that’s enough blab from me. Here’s the first shot. As you can see there was an incredible amount of haze. It’s really given the image a very different feel. I like it, i’m still thinking of converting it to B/W as well to give that a go- I just need some more work at the conversions. But the early light coming through the haze has given it some very unusual colouring. I saw the branch in the lake and thought that would make the perfect addition to the reflection part of the image. It would have been great with a nice clean blue sky with the same clouds white. But with the conditions I was given I came away quite happy with this image.

I hope you enjoy it too.

More of my Stirling Ranges Posts can be viewed here

Bibra Lakes

Well with a complete dry patch with about 3 months of not even taking a photo I thought it was time to do something about it. So with some clouds around (around March i think it was) and finally having some spare time I headed out to the lakes. I drive past these a couple of times a week as they’re on the way to where I play basketball, and have always wanted to get in to see what they’re like in person. I love how we can have these magical locations that appear to be so isolated, yet they’re in the middle of suburbia.

The Procession

I was struggling to find a composition I completely  liked as all of these elements were in such close proximity to each other, and could very easily over crowd the image. There was no real way to utilize just one. I was tempted to lose the shoes and wander out into the water. But seeing the sludge on the bottom I thought best not to. I also like my feet glass and syringe free. In the end I gave this angle a go, and feel the elements are a bit more in balance. Combining with a nifty sky and some nice light from the sunset casting across the water.

More from a magical Sunrise at Yallingup

Thought i’d better hurry up and get on here before the “blog keeper” tracks me down and does unmentionable things to me for not posting for a while… Yes Tony.. that is you!

Wake up World

It’s been even more crazy times lately and I really can’t believe that it’s already the end of April! That means that it’s about 6 months ago I was standing here witnessing something so incredibly beautiful. As i’ve said in my previous posts (probably that long ago everyone’s forgotten!) we had some terrible weather. Resulting in our tent being blown in on top of us. We binked down in a very foreign place for me- inside a cabin for the last night which was actually quite nice. Unsure whether to get up this morning I kicked meself and said “get up”.

The morning just kept getting better and everything culminated with these 2 shots. I’m still unsure if I prefer the vertical or horizontal format. But still pretty happy with both. The light started turning and I managed the previous shot I posted. I then saw this incredible light beam stretchin down so quickly ran to the rockpool which I felt benefited the scene a bit more. ‘ve never actually seen the beams fanning this way before. It’s usually the other way around with the beams widest at the horizon. I waited for a nice wave to partially break as the surf was quite big on this morning.

Surfers Heaven

I like how the rockpool and the rocks make a arrow pointing towards the light. I also named it due to the fact that I didn’t originally want to get up. And everyone apt from a few surfers were still tucked up in bed. Missing this sight! Using the polariser to this time pick up the reflections also enhanced the image.

Anyway I hope you enjoy them. And i’ll try and not be so long to the next post

You can view more of my South West Coast images here

If you’re interested in purchasing one of my South West Imgages please visit my site

Yallingup Sunrise

Rockpool Sunrise

After a couple of days of pretty ordinary weather down at Yallingup. I was very tempted to not even get up early on this morning. But forcing myself out of a nice warm bed (as by this stage we were bunked up in the cabin) I went down to the beach. It was after-all the last day down there, and I wouldn’t get opportunities like this back home.

After it all, I was very glad I went down there. It ended up being quite a stunning sunrise. I captured this image just as the light started turning, and it got even better

Using the polaring lens to cut through the reflections I saw into the heart of this beautiful rockpool. I really like the colours throughout the pool, and managed an interesting sky for once on the trip.

You can view more of my South West posts here

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

Yallingup Beach

Look out!! 2 posts within a week! Lol.

Well I thought I should get my act together a bit, and try and post some more. That way i’ll have to get out and shoot soon as otherwise,  i’ll run out of shots! This is Yallingup Beach. Not far from Dunsborough in the magnificent Margaret River region.

The last morning of our stay, after having horrible weather the day before. Resulting in a busted tent, so we were forced into some luxory- taking refuge in the last cabin the park had to offer. Unlucky for some who had gone out for the day and also had tents blow apart, letting the rain in. Not realising until they returned at the end of the day. So we were very fortunate.

Mossy Shoreline

I headed across the road to the beach, and was walking out to the headland to see what I could get. It was about half an hour before sunrise, so I was still going by torchlight. I stumbled upon these mossy rocks, so setting up the torch on the rock I was able to focus. Then a 30 sec exposure came up with this. They’re pretty cool rocks and the huge waves created a very interesting white line on the horizon.

Anyway I hope you enjoy it.

You can view more of my South West posts here

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

More from Shelley Cove-Dunsborough

Sorry it’s been a while! I’ve been quite busy, and will be for the next month. And I’ve not had any chances to get out shooting for quite some time either.

It’s been killing me lately as there has been some awesome light finally!! So here’s back to another couple of shots from late last year, still a few more to come from this trip as well when I get some time.

As the afternoon light quickly disappeared I shot a few more compositions from the lovely little cove. We basically had it to ourselves the entire time. Apart from the whales breaching a few hundred meters out. How can you top that!?

Gnarly Cove

Alysia entertained herself watching the whales, and I clambered up the hill a bit to try and use this tree in a shot. It’s wicked branches provided some nice interest, and also helped control the exposure by holding out the harsher light in the top right. I really like the Gnarly fingers of the limbs reaching into the heart of the cove. I would have liked to include the entire shoreline on the left, but there was a stinking great big mess of seaweed all along it! You can’t have it all i spose

Water on Mars

The second shot here is a bit different. There was some nice red Lichen on these rocks I quite liked the look of. So using them in the foreground I warmed it up with the white balance, and combined with the long exposure came up with an unusual effect. I reckon it looks like Mars anyway

You can view more of my South West posts here

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

Shelley Cove-Dunsborough

This is another shot from my trip down South in October last year. Despite seeing many photographs from this region I’d never actually been there myself. So when we rolled into Dunsborough I really did not know what to expect.All I knew is that I was going to be hard pressed to get something I liked… As many of my favourite photographers have extensively done this area to such a high level.

Obviously the main man being Christian Fletcher, someone who’s work has amazed and inspired me for so long now. And then in recent years Neal (Spool Photography) and Kirk, who’s work continues to amaze as well. And then countless others who have shot that area as well!! But with the absolute beauty of that area it is not hard to see why so many photographers have!

This was the last night of the trip, and after a visit to Christian’s main gallery, which was as inspiring as it was intimidating You can’t help realise the shots you take are going to look poor compared to his. But at the same time, makes you want to get out there and try and get you own stunning bit of coastline!

Rainbow Coast

We ended up at Shelley Cove, a wonderful little beach near Meelup. As soon as we turned up I took a liking to these trees on the hill. But just couldn’t find a composition I liked. So giving up for the time being I took some other compositions that had the right conditions. I looked up just as this rainbow appeared, right above the trees I loved. Sometimes nature chooses the composition for us!

Quickly fighting against time before it disappeared, I rushed to this spot, quickly set up and took a couple of shots just before it vanished. At first I was disappointed, as the rainbow wasn’t as strong as I would have liked. But it’s really starting to grow on me now. It really was in the nick of time

You can view more of my South West posts here

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