The Seascape

Seascapes are beautiful in that they combine the early or late light of sunset or sun rise, with the dependency of coastal rocks, and the fluidity of the waves crashing into them. They are stunning.

While camping at Warroora I had the perfect opportunity to capture my first seascape. In honesty, this is my second attempt - the first ended in zero results but a lot of lessons. The first of those being not pointing the camera directly into the sunset (sunrise is too early for me) - the light overexposes when the shutter is left open to create the mist. I suppose this would be easier on the east coast where the sun sets away from the water. But here on the west we are left with the conundrum of trying to have the light to our back or to the side to light the rocks but not overexpose the centre.

The first attempt at Maggies didn't feel like it went well - however I was pleasantly surprised by my photos when I returned. I liked the ones I took on the first night more than the ones on the second. The second I sought high ground on the rocks to avoid having to rescue my camera and tripod from freak waves - based on experience!

Taken the first night. Exposing the dark sections was the trickiest part - done in photoshop. Also, cropped to make a more pleasing composition. Canon EOS 50D f/22, 0.8 seconds, ISO 200 10mm. I kept the ISO down to reduce the noise. 

I like the mist in this once, but the noise due to the low light is a problem. Canon EOS 50D f/22, 20 seconds, ISO 200, 19mm

Taken the second night with the sun behind me. You can just see our camp. Canon EOS 50D f/9, 8 SEconds, ISO 200, 10mm. I tried to improve composition, and escape the waves by seeking higher ground but the impact is less. 

Gems you can visit from the Pilbara: Warroora Station

Warroora is not technically in the Pilbara, so therefore it cannot be classified as a "Pilbara Gem" but one could wager that it is even better. It is certainly one of the favourite places of my husband, and therefore warrants the 'gem' status.

Warroora is a working station along the coral coast of WA. It borders on the Ningaloo reef and is just south of Coral Bay. We went camping there this weekend - or a few weekends ago by the time this is published.

It blew a gale. We could do next to nothing which was disappointing. We did have a beautiful beach to ourselves - as my husband said it was either because it was an untouched spot or the weather was too lousy for anyone else to be there.

It's funny - we have been there before in April and it was hot as anything. This time we came prepared for heat - and met with wind. We knew it was going to be windy, but we went anyway to enjoy this beautiful place.

What it was good for was photo experimentation. The colours of the coral coast are incredible - blues, aquas and greens like you would not believe.

I took some of these panoramas - even with the 10mm, my lens was not wide enough to capture this beauty!

Elles Beach - Warroora. Canon EOS 50D f/13, 1/100 sec, ISO 200, 22mm. 3 photos stitched in photoshop. 

Maggies - our campsite. Canon EOS 50D f/10, 1/80 sec, ISO 100, 20mm. 3 photos stitched in photoshop 

The Lagoon - Canon EOS 50D f/13, I/160 sec, ISO 200 22mm, 3 photos stitched in photoshop

Pilbara Gems: Withnell Bay

This is an interesting one. Withnell bay has never been high on my list because of the gas plant. It's a gorgeous place, but the view is somewhat spoilt by the massive metal industrial site, the gas ships coming in and all the paraphernalia that goes with it.

But, it's here that we heave off the kayaks to explore the Burrup peninsula and it is here that we have seen dolphins, sharks, manta rays, sting rays, dugongs, massive fish and more. Life goes on despite the gas industry.

This particular morning, we arrived early in order to have the best chance of seeing dolphins. The tide was low - lower than we had ever seen it. So low, that the coral that it is normally really cool to see as you kayak over it at low tide was popping out of the water. It was incredibly still, too low for boats to get out, and the coral made these amazing reflections in the early morning light. Thus, Withnell Bay has made it to the Pilbara Gems list!

Canon EOS 50D, f/22, 1/320 sec, ISO 400, 50mm (the Nifty Fifty)

Canon EOS 50D, f/16, 1/200 seconds, ISO 400, 50mm (Nifty Fifty)

Early Morning Light

There is nothing that beats the early morning light. If you happen to be awake for it that is. That is one of the reasons I love camping. You wake up when it starts getting light, before the sun is up, and you know that you could get up and take sunrise photos and it wouldn't be much of a chore because the chances are the bed you are in is not that comfortable anyway!

This particular morning was beautiful. We were in the swag, with the midge net up and nothing else. I woke up to some stunning puffy clouds. I lay there looking, and realised some of them were tinged with pink. Sunrise! So I got up, grabbed betsy and as there were trees blocking my view, climbed on top of the ute to capture the moment.

Canon EOS 50D, f/14, 1/25, ISO 250, 10mm (10-22mm wide angle lens)

Canon EOS 50D, f/16, 1/4 sec, ISO 250, 10mm (10-22mm wide angle lens)

ND Graduated Filters and Sunsets

In my sunset experimentation, I have been making use of my graduated neutral density filters. This is made difficult by my not having the correct size for my wide angle lens, creating the need to hold the filter against the lens while I take a photo which is not ideal.

Nevertheless, it worked well for this sunset. I traipsed off to back beach to see if I could combine the sunset with some water. The features on back beach were not as appealing as I had hoped for the water shots but I did get to experiment with my filters and play with some silhouettes which was fun.

I also got to be eaten alive by sand flies, prompting me to include insect repellent to my photography kit! You live and learn!

Canon EOS 50D, f/22, 1/25sec, ISO100, 10mm (10-22mm Wide Angle lens)

Canon EOS 50D f/22 6 seconds, ISO 100, 10mm (10-22mm Wide Angle lens)

Sunsets and Wildflowers

While the wildflowers were not out in force as much as they have been in previous years, they never fail to amaze and inspire me. Whenever I see them I think they are beautiful and I just have to capture them!

So I've been trying to identify creative ways of doing just that, seeing as I have many stock standard mulla mulla and desert peas now.

I took a lot of sunset photos in September, to road test my new backpack. It's safe to say that I am now kitted out - the backpack is a little large so people might look at me weird but oh well.

With all the sunsets and not many places in Karratha, I had to get creative. On my walk up the hill to shoot the sunset one evening I came across a patch of mulla mulla by the road. These flowers are stunning when the light is behind them. It makes them glow.

Canon EOS 50D f/13, 1/40 sec, ISO 160, 22mm (10-22mm Wide Angle lens)