Purple

Sometimes you just have to try and try (and try!) again. This is how I felt recently attempting to take this iconic Newcastle scene, but it really was worth it.

Taken on a blustery winter evening, The warm golden tones of the rocks at the Bogey Hole in Newcastle light up this image.

The rocks were extremely slippery, and I had to take extreme caution when getting to this spot, my backpack lowered down from above by my partner. Getting exactly the right composition was a challenge as the rocks fall away from where I wanted to take my image from. I used the full extent of my 2.5m Tripod to get this, as I sat perched on the rocks waiting for the perfect light.

This image is a panorama, stitched together from 4 full sized images to give me an amazing amount of detail and let me print this really large in beautiful Fine Art quality.

After a great weekend photographing Autumn Colours in the Blue Mountains, Amanda and I were returning home, hoping to stop at a beach on the Central Coast for sunset on the way. (That was the plan at least!) We encountered heavy traffic transiting through North Western Sydney, and ended up stopping for an early dinner.

As we got onto the freeway, the sun was already on its last legs. I was resigned to not getting to shoot this particular sunset, which looked like it would be pretty amazing, lighting up several cloud banks and starting to go pink.

We were frantically trying to think of places close by that we could stop to shoot, when it hit me that we were coming up to the Brooklyn Bridge, on the Hawkesbury River. We turned off the freeway, headed onto the Old Pacific Highway and I made a frantic dash to the waters edge with the camera to setup the gear.

It was now that I discovered (of course) that I must have left my shutter remote actuator somewhere in Mt Wilson in the Mountains... Thankfully my camera has a time set mode that I frantically programmed to try and get the last of the colours being displayed.

I only just managed to pull it all together for this beautiful shot, featuring Spectacle Island as it sits on the Hawkesbury River, with the last of that amazing sunset lighting up the cloud bank behind, in this, one of the most easily and often seen (but least thought about) landscapes in the Hunter Region of NSW.

This image was captured in the very middle of the Darwin dry season. The purple haze is caused by the smoke from bushfires catching the last of the sunset glow, as the aqua blue water of Fannie Bay reflects the dark blue sky above.

If you look carefully, you can see the last of the sun hitting the Paspaley Building in the city.

All that remains, a row of pylons emerging from the calm evening waters of Shoal Bay. This sunset was one that was beautiful in all directions, however the access to each different vantage spot was made extremely difficult as it was on a breakwall filled with large, slippery boulders. To change from one vantage to another was a painful, difficult experience.  

The main decision I had to make for this image during the composition process was the height that I wanted the pylons to appear, whether I wanted them above the horizon or not. I ended up choosing a composition that showed the pylons against the backdrop of the smooth waters of Shoal Bay.

This is a unique location, sheltered under Mt Tomaree, that has become a favourite picnic spot for my family and I.

One summer evening we decided to join friends for a picnic at Warner's Bay. They told us it's usually lovely there for sunset, music, cheese and crackers. But this particular evening there was a storm approaching after a rainy day so the music was cancelled. We convened with our friends and decided to risk the weather and enjoy a night off from working. Ha, who am I kidding, I'm always working when we are out and about at sunset.

We were all sitting there and then all of a sudden we looked at each other and said 'I think the sunset might actually do something interesting'. I left Amanda, Aria and our friends, Erica and Ash and ran to the car to get my gear.

As I set myself up, this young couple perched themselves on the end of the pier, enjoying the moment, each other's company and their love for each other. The sun continued to set and give off these amazing sun rays and light up the sky. The lake was silent, calm and elegant, it matched the mood of this young couple perfectly.

The storm was still getting closer, so not long after this shot we packed up to head home before we got wet. Such a contrast to what was miserable rainy day.

Story coming soon!

Taken as the very last light of the day leaves the sky, this image reflects the serenity of one of the worlds most precious regions, Kakadu National Park.

The looming cliffs contrast with the extraordinarily green foliage as the vegetation here thrives even in the middle of the Dry Season.

Getting in here is a 4WD only trek, but well worth it if you can ever get here to have a look.

The National Park manages saltwater crocodiles here to make it safe to swim, you can see their boat in the foreground, and if you have eagle eyes you can spot the huge Salty croc trap on the banks of the river.