Recovery Mode

Arrived back last night from 8 days in Western NSW with a couple of photo buddies.  Fabulous time, brilliant scenery and photo opportunities.

We began the trip from the Blue Mountains and headed west to Hay for our first night, then on to Mungo National Park where we stayed in the Shearers' Quarters for a couple of nights.

The first four images are taken from around Hay.  I had some fun panning and "blurring" as the car went along.

In Mungo, the history, the sense of being in a very special and ancient place was all around.  The Aboriginal people who now have responsibility for the stories that their elders know, shared with us as we walked on the Walls of China.  Impossible to fully explain the sense of significance in this place.  The Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area, in which Mungo sits is a very special part of Australia.  The discovery not so long ago of Mungo Lady and Mungo Man have changed this place.  It is a area steeped in both Aboriginal and European history.  It is a place where scientists, archaeologists, local Aboriginal people, farming families and government work together.

The sands are moving quite quickly each year and every new rain and windstorm bring a difference to the landscape.

For us, to spend some time here in the silence and with nature allowed us to really begin our photographic journey.  Emus, kangaroos, birds were all about and the recently renovated old shearers' quarters were wonderful to sit and think about what had come before.

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkWorldHeritage.aspx?id=N0049

The land here has experienced much.  It was also a working sheep station for many years.  The renovations at the National Park Information Centre are fabulous and allow you to get a strong understanding of all that has come before.  Quite a bit of interpretive work has been done for the displays and outside, the new landscaping has provided a dignified yet informative welcome.

This emu was around the old shearing shed with a few young chicks.

One of the roos we came across in Mungo.

These emu chicks were out with their father (not shown here)

We had a long drive around Mungo and this is typical of the landscape out there at the moment.  They have had some unusually high rainfall of late.

Even though the rains have been, it is clear what the ground will be like in the coming weeks.  It has begun to recede and dry up around all the waterways.

An opportunity to wander over one of the sand dunes.  Fabulous views!  I have tried this shot a few ways but like this interpretation as, for me, it captures the simplicity and the beauty.

The mono image above was also taken on the Dunes @ Mungo.









The Walls of China (below)

Then to Menindee .....

Menindee is on the Darling River and the large lakes surrounding the area can be home to many birds and animals.  With 2 heavy rain seasons in a row, the lakes are full to the brim.  One of the women in our group has visited Menindee on many occasions and has never seen such water.

The middle of the day was not ideal for capturing photos but I found on this occasion a few nice spots that came up well as almost a black and white image.  The image below is one such image.  Taken in the middle of the day in bright sunshine, the white milky looking water against the dying trees in the lake and reeds in front, looks as if it could even be in a snow field mid winter.   I was really attracted to the blackened bottom sections of the trees as they met the water.

These next two images (below) also taken at midday in sun shows the milky water beyond the pepper tree.

In the two images (below) I enjoyed the opportunity to get a pano look.  It was a stunning vista!

And then to sunrise.  I am not a morning person, but agreed to be shoved in the car about 5.30am to drive about 45 minutes to see if we could get a nice bit of early morning light.  Even if the images weren't award winning, the moment certainly was one to treasure.    I wandered a bit away from the area where we started because I could see this lovely creamy yellow streak appearing on the water parallel to the horizon and a bit below the trees.  This is a hasty edit of one image so I could upload today.  I'm looking forward to playing with a few of these a bit later to see if I can get one to print well.

The image above is the Darling Pea in early bud.












The journey home......

In all we did about 2800kms.  Heading east again, we stopped for lunch west of Nyngan and shared the table with the Apostle birds.  They in turn shared the water bath with a few hundred bees.  Harmony in nature!

Through the windscreen heading east on the way home. (below)

The sun was gone and the fog lights were on as we headed back over the mountains.  This image below was taken about Blackheath around 5.30pm.  What a difference!

In Search of an Early Waratah

I was in the upper Mountains this morning and I made a point of taking my camera and monopod because I knew that I had a small job to do up there after my other work was finished.

It was glorious bright sunshine, blue sky and spring blossoms in all the gardens.  The famed rhododendrums of Blackheath were quite spectacular and I was driving along wondering if indeed the whole Spring thing had arrived too early.  Many of the flowers were falling and being replaced by new leaves.  

But it wasn't the European gardens of the upper mountains that I was looking for.  I needed to know if the waratahs were out.  Not the domestic ones planted in gardens, but the bush waratahs.  The ones that appear out of the blue as tall, strange looking creations.  Big, solid, bold.  Different to so many of the other natives around.  I'm always taken aback when I see them.  The leaves look so cumbersome and they are an unusual green compared to the other plants.  The flower is usually so tall that short photographers like me need a bit of luck to get to eye level.  But they are spectacular and not to be missed.

I've always found quite a number along the path to Evans Lookout from Govett's Leap in Blackheath.  I think they are often the easiest to find, especially if you don't have much time.  

I hadn't been down that part of town since the big storm a few months back but today there was no mistaking what had happened.  The National Parks' workers have done a lot of clearing of the fallen trees and there are piles of chopped wood right along the walk.  I have a sense that perhaps a few of the waratah plants are missing.  Maybe the storm?  Maybe the fallen trees?  Maybe it's just not their year? 

I did find three plants.  Two were in bud but not yet full flower and the third was showing the early green bud only.

So why today?  And why waratahs?  My local photography group has organised a fantastic workshop and weekend of photography this coming weekend.  We are so privileged to have a number of professionals and serious photographers joining us to share their work.  Mostly they are sharing their knowledge and amazing photos with us for the sheer love of photography.  It will be a great weekend.  

Darran Leal http://www.worldadventures.com.au is flying in from the Sunshine Coast and to be our main presenter.  For some reason, I have this little nagging thought in the back of my mind that just maybe he might like to see a waratah in bloom???  

However, it wasn't just the waratah that was beautiful today.  Even though it was early afternoon, and not quite late enough for perfect light, the upper mountains were stunning.  I love the abstracty sort of look that appears in images when there is a bit of light, a bit of wind and raw native bush.

Enjoy the selection!

This waratah (above) is not quite out yet.  Another few days.  

Challenged to try to reach this waratah bud (above).

I love the form of this leaf (above).  They are always so photogenic and when you get some sun around the background becomes a painting.

Banksia hiding (above)

After the wattle.  (above)  I've included this one because I was quite attracted to the little red tendrils appearing after the best of the wattle has gone.  Another look altogether.

I'm not sure what this plant is.  I will find out.  There were a lot of them and they were quite beautiful.

These peas are everywhere.  Different varieties throughout the mountains.  Our own bush is full of yellow - these and wattle.  

The white gums behind the waratah are quite stunning.  Simple and strong.

And again here, behind the waratah.

A little extra contrast and the eucalypt leaves pop out.  Background could have been hand painted.

The banksias were very fresh and new today.

Inspiration, Opportunity, Great Company, New Knowledge

Just returned form a few days camping in the Wollemi National Park at Dunne's Swamp.  Our photography group organised a guided weekend with Len Metcalf and had an amazing few days in a truly beautiful part of the world.


I'm trying to process a few images to upload and will do a full post in a few days time but here today I'm offering a handful of mono images.


On the drive home I detoured into Blackheath and found a second hand copy of Ansell Adams Trees.  Couldn't believe my eyes!  So, with this lovely book in mind, I was inspired to start with mono and trees.  Here are just a few.

Along the Cudgegong River @ Rhylestone on Thursday (above).  Glorious light in the late afternoon on this stand of trees.

This stately old white gum was lit by the setting sun.  Again, along the Cudgegong River, Rhylestone.

Dunne's Swamp and surrounds are full of the most beautiful white gums.  No matter where you look, the sheer number, the curves, the light, the interplay are stunning.

Len Metcalf has been a wonderful and very generous teacher and mentor for me over the past couple of years and I love his subtle composition and framing.  This image (above) was seen and captured with Len's images in the back of my mind.  I love it!  I'm hoping that it prints well.

Huge boulders amongst the pagodas, trees and logs and everywhere brilliant wattle.

This year the wattle is spectacular.  I can't remember seeing it this beautiful for a number of years.  The blossoms (above) play beautifully with the white trunks and forest floor.

These beauties (above) remind me a bit of the men drinking in the Rhylestone pub.  Strong, solid, earthy.

Looking across the dam in the late afternoon sun.  This sapling stands tall.

The critics will comment that the overhanging branches detract from the image and they may well do so.  However, the sight of these young trees growing above and among the boulders and rocky outcrops were beautiful.  "Pruning" this image will clean it up, but this is what I remember so i include it.  

And so it was Autumn

Love Autumn!  Love the light, the colour, the aromas that begin to come from kitchens working and wood burning (sorry I know that's not good for the environment but I do love the smell of logs burning slowly).

I always dream for months about what I will shoot next Autumn.  Autumn comes and I'm still dreaming, planning, waiting... The local trees are never quite "right" .... another day, another week, another location...

The story is the same each year and suddenly, rather than waiting for Autumn to come and be at its best, I'm chasing images because Autumn is leaving and I wasn't on the bus again!!

However, when I look back at my collections from previous years it is this late Autumn bloom that I really love the most.  Less leaves on the trees, more blue skies, more light paths thru the branches, more shades of colour.

And so it is this year as it always is.  Panic sets in that I've missed the darn event again so off I head to see what is left.

I've recently spent a week with my elderly mother driving around the  country, enjoying the beautiful Autumn weather and seeing some of the country thru new eyes.  I'll add a post about the whole Thelma and Doris trip a bit later but today, I just want to celebrate Autumn.

A few images here that I grabbed a couple of days ago when a bunch of retired women were up at Norman Lyndsay's Gallery in the Blue Mountains planning a photographic workshop that we are running in September and as we were leaving we saw some wondrous mushrooms that we've not seen in these parts before.  http://www.normanlindsay.com.au/

I headed back in the mid afternoon and as I'm wont, I ignored the mushies and followed my heart to chase down wispy Autumn impressions.  Just a few attached here.

Enjoy!

(Above) Impressions from one of the fountain pools with bubbles from the water drops and colour from the overhanging Autumn foliage.

This one (above) is my favourite.  I've just printed it and I'm about to frame and hang in the house.  It looks stunning (if I can be so bold?)