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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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Meeting Mr S

Well now for something on a lighter note. After Neal and Jamie have openly discussed their fears for anything slithery, I thought back to a few occasions where i’ve been in pretty close proximity to the lil fella’s myself.  And I guess someone has to try and reclaim the Aussie image… lol.

Nah, it’s more to show that these creatures aren’t all bite, and really unless you stand on them or threaten them you don’t have anything to worry about. I’ve even been held up on a thin mountain path for 30min, due to a Tiger snake that decided it made a good place to sleep. No waving, stomping, clapping, throwing stones (not at it, but next to it) was moving it!! And there was no room to go around it. So i waited.

The first image here is a Tiger Snake on Toolbrunup Peak in the Stirling Ranges. These things love being high up on the peaks, and take on a very different look to any i’ve seen on the flats. They are a lot thinner and really have the lovely yellow bands they’re known for. These snakes are said to be extremely aggressive. But i’ve never personally come across any that are.

I took this with my camera 1.5m away, and I was leaning back as I was actually too close to get him focused. He didn’t seem to mind me at all, even firing away with a flash for a couple of minutes. He wasn’t cornered and I didn’t make any quick movements so I guess he didn’t feel threatened at all. I do admit that if this was something like a Taipan or a Brown snake I would not be anywhere near this close. As they will actually chase you!!

The next one here is a Dugite. It was about 1.5m long and was actually the main turning point for me with snakes. I was definitely more on the cautious side, i’d creep up to 4-5 meters of  them but that was it. This snake was behind the grass, preventing a decent shot. So I crept closer and tried to change the angle. I got to about 2.5m away and it completely flipped out. Banging it’s head into the rock you can see in the upper left of this image. I was wondering what it was doing, but then all of a sudden it disappeared into a hole in the ground. It really made me realise that they are even more afraid of us. Since then i’ve had more faith and quite enjoy watching these creatures in the wild.

Now obviously i’m not saying run around picking them up or anything, as we do have a huge number of the most venomous snakes in the world residing in Oz. Depending what info you get (each site seems to be different…) the Tiger is number 7 and the Dugite number 14. And I think it’s about 13 of the top 20. So precaution is always best!! I do usually wear long pants, theory i’ve heard is that the material helps with our snakes in the South West-not that i want to try that one

But they’re stunning to watch all the same. Hope my stories ease your nerves a bit anyway. As i’ve said to Jamie, I freaked when I saw a lil reef shark while snorkeling. Legs and arms took over before the brain caught up and said what the hell are you doing!! And he loves diving with sharks. So maybe one day we’ll get used to the other! haha.

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Bluff Knoll Clouds

As the Stirling Ranges rise very abruptly from the surrounding plains, they generate magnificent cloud formations around their peaks. While spending time on a summit, you can actually see clouds form in front of your eyes as the winds blow warm air which hits the mountains and rises very quickly. It is quite an experience and one I never get tired of seeing.

This was one of my more enjoyable times on Bluff Knoll. A peak I have climbed a good 60 times, with plenty more to come i hope. On this day I headed up with a couple of mates. When we reached the summit there was not a cloud to be seen. Then as it does many times, Bluff Knoll turned on a show for us. The clouds blew in around mid level, and spilled over the Eastern Ranges. They then continued to rise and enveloped us. I have been lucky to have experienced all of this before, but never had all of this on the same day.

Here is one of the shots I got on that day

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Sometimes everything just falls into place….

Every so often things fall into place, and Western Australia  experiences snow. I’ve been lucky enough to be in the Stirling Ranges on 4 occasions and it truly is a remarkable thing to see. It is usually extremely rough, with near blizzard conditions usually required to produce the white stuff.

This last Friday was one of these times where everything lined up. At the last second Friday I decided to shoot off down to my beloved Stirlings. Arriving a little after 12 I set the tent and tried to get some sleep before getting up at 5:30 again. Setting off I passed 3 groups and 1 lone walker coming back down. I was there to experience a lovely snow flurry around 7am.

There was no-one around and i had fresh snow to work with for about half an hour. I spent around 2 1/2 hrs in the snow before heading down as the masses started arriving.

Quite happy and feeling satisfied that my drive was now worthwhile i walked back down to pack up and return to Perth. While saying bye to my good friend Tony and Ayleen at the Retreat the phone rang and the Sunday Times was asking about the snow. Upon saying that i had been taking photographs they requested that i send few some photos and if they liked them, they would publish them in the paper. After all was said and done my photos got published on page 4 of today’s paper. And it was not a little insert tacked onto the bottom. I was really quite please with that. My little brush with fame, although i was outed by the pope and Mrs Spears…..haha. Anyway here’s some of the results with a couple more to come

Thanks

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Bluff Knoll Sunrise

I was lucky enough to work down in the Stirlings for a year back in 2006. I’m a born mountain goat and fell in love with this area a long time ago. As i was working as a care taker at the retreat, i didn’t have much time to climb any hills. So to make this up i did my climbing before work. This enabled me to see many sunrises from the summit of Bluff Knoll and other mountains. This is one of the better scenes i got from these mornings.

This is looking East over the Eastern Ridge from Bluff Knoll summit. For me, it has to be one of the best ways to start a day…atop a mountain with nothing but yourself and the eagles soaring past

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Afternoon Light

Afternoon Light

This has been one of my favorite photo’s for quite some time. This is taken from Bluff knoll looking west over the Western half of the Stirling Ranges some 370km south of Perth. There were some clouds building around the summits of the peaks in the afternoon. I decided to head up at the last minute to try and get some sunset shot’s from the summit with the clouds in the picture.

I was half way up when i saw this magical light to my right. I scouted around for some foreground interest and loved the way the light hit the leaves of the grass tree. I framed it with the Eucalypts as i also liked the redness caught in the leaves.

After taking a few exposures i headed up the rest of the hill. I made it up for the sunset but unfortunately the clouds came in so i couldn’t get any shot’s i was initially after. I was more then happy with this shot though.

Thanks

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