Saturday, May 31, 2014

Pilbara Gems: Python Pool Extended into Infiinity

A few weekends ago we ventured beyond the cliff face of Python Pool to the pools above. We were aided by the fact a bushfire went through recently, taking with it the spinafex, allowing us to walk relatively smoothly over red rocks. We climbed down, and the pools coupled with the view was spectacular!

Given that it was nearly midday - why is it always nearly midday!! - the photo opportunities were low. I attempted a HDR to expose the reflection in the pool as well as the view. It did not work out well - I didn't have enough exposures to make it worthwhile - so I had to content myself with editing one exposure in RAW by lightening the shadows and darkening the lights. The result is not great quality, it appears a little washed out, but hopefully it gives you a sense of being there.

The still water created a reflection that was pretty spectacular.

Infinity pool above Python Pool. Canon EOS 50D, f/4.5, 1/125, ISO 250, 22mm.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Moonrise

So it is no secret that I am enamored with the Pilbara landscape. At times it is dull and repetitive but all the while striking and extraordinary. I am convinced that the closest place like it...is Mars. Seriously.

A lot of people do find the Pilbara dull and boring,depressing and remote, hot and humid. But I find that it is intricate and interesting, exhilarating and free....and....hot and humid.

While driving home on the Millstream Road we stopped to take a photo of the sunset. There are gorgeous sunsets over the landscapes here - one day I will do them justice, but not this day. This day, after failing yet again to capture the colours of that sunset I looked behind me to the moon rising over the hills of the Chichester Ranges...or something similar to them anyway. (I once heard someone describe them as the chocolate tops). It made me think of a painting I once saw of a curtain being drawn over the sky as the sun went down, like covers to keep the world snug at night (or in the case of the Pilbara, a very light sheet) with that tiny heavenly body the sun uses to reflect its light to the world to let it know it is still here, and will return in the morning. Rays of hope reflected towards you, of the morning and the sunrise to come.

So I did what I do. I took a photo.

Canon EOS 50D, f/4.5 1/100 sec, ISO 320 22mm



Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The Macro, Depth of Field and handheld photography...while balancing on Pilbara rocks...

...in bare feet.

What is the photographer's ideal when sighting a new wildflower to snap? Perhaps, having a macro lens already attached to your camera body, and that body already attached to a nice sturdy tripod that you can set up perfectly, not a breath of wind and good solid ground to stand on to get a good view in the viewfinder.

HA.

Welcome to the Pilbara. More specifically the Burrup Peninsula which is covered in rocks. Mounds of rocks. And that grass in between? Spinafex. What do I do when I go kayaking up the Burrup? I take my camera...and no shoes.

Here I am, climbing a rock mountain to test out my wide angle lens...in my thongs that I decided to ditch because they were more trouble than they were worth. I take an ordinary photo of the bay, and start to amble down when I stumble across a purple flower I had not seen before. You beauty! Luckily I had the macro in my backpack. Upon sitting down to change my lens however, I discovered not a skerrik of flat rock to keep one lens while I took the other off. I only have two hands, one of which has to hold the backpack and my thongs, the other that has to hold my camera, all the while unscrewing a lens, unscrewing the macro dust cover, switching the lenses, re-screwing everything, all the while not dropping anything to its certain death down the rock hill.


I achieved the impossible and miraculously managed to change to the macro without a single crash. So I set about trying to shoot this purple flower. Tiny they were, under a centimeter across. I had no tripod with me and there was a slight breeze. At 100mm, a slight breeze is all it takes. I don't know how long I sat on that uncomfortable, unlevel rock, precariously clutching my camera at all focal lengths trying to get the depth of field just right...only to have a breath of wind breeze past moving the flower just far enough out of focus to ruin my shot. Incredibly frustrating. I employed a quick shutter and patience....and many many photos. (I had to stop and delete some off my full card...twice). Eventually I got a couple.

Canon EOS 50D f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100. 100mm macro


Canon EOS 50D f/6.3 1/400 ISO 100, 100mm Macro - Cropped

Canon EOS 50D f/6.3 1/400 ISO 100, 100mm Macro
I really quite loved playing with the depth of field. The tiny branches taught me a lot about focus...and patience. Hopefully next time it will continue to be better than ever!Still can't believe these guys were growing on a rock mountain.