Looking back….Photographing a huge winters storm

Looking back….Photographing a huge winters storm

Approaching storm Ethels beach

Winter is here in South Australia and I am waiting once again for the stormy conditions that reguarly hit our coastline in and around Yorke Peninsula.

Whilst I wait, I look back at some of the times that proved worthwhile as a photographer and spectator of lifes grand occasions!!

The 29th day of September 2016, proved to be quite the day to remember. Not before and not to this day have I witnessed winds and sea spray so violent.
The bottom end of Yorke Peninsula has two beaches which are exposed to the open ocean and regularly get huge waves washing in. Ethel’s Beach and West Cape beach. On this particular day the skies darkened and the winds roared into these two beaches making the waves quite exceptional.

At that time we lived in Adelaide and I decided to rent a cottage and drive 4 hours to these beaches.
I was determined to get some shots, however in such weather conditions this proved extremely difficult. The rain just smashed against myself and my camera and I got soaked, and I mean SOAKED, drenched, saturated, in one second. So I devised a few methods to try and get some photos. I would cover my camera in plastic bags and myself in a rain proof coat. Whenever the rain seemed to have a slower spasm I would dash out grab about three photos and dash back into my car. Walking to any of my favourite locations proved impossible.
Beautiful, violent, magnificent and so brutal and powerful. Sea spray and mist towering up into the sky, winds stronger than black holes in the sky, and clouds dropping buckets of water on silly human photographers who thought they could outrun the earthly elements.
Due to these haphazard conditions all the photos look a bit hazy as focusing on an object certainly was not a priority.
What an experience, all the power and phones went down, the roads were closed, so I had to stay in my accommodation a couple of extra nights until things were restored.

Storm rolls in Ethels Beach

The two images above are of the storm rolling in, no rain as yet just a strong, howling wind.

Rainbow and windy conditions
Very stormy weather

Above…I travelled around the hill to Pondalowie Bay. If you look closely there is a tern flying above the waves. It seemed that some birds enjoyed the weather and flew against the winds.

Cliffs South Australian coastline

Above…looking out from Pondalowie.

South Australian coastline

Above…In the bottom right hand corner the normally sandy path is flooded with a torrent of rushing water.

Coastline
Green sea water
Mist and seaspray being windswept into the air
Mist and seaspray in the air huge storm

The two images above…looking towards the ocean, at Pondalowie cliffs, the misty seaspray would have been, I reckon, twenty times higher than myself. You can see vegetation in the foreground. This shot is taken from the car.

Wild waves
Wild weather
Wild weather

The weather over winter can be quite amazing. The waves that roll in are wild and the wind seems to add to the tumultuous conditions. I have read on google that the Southern ocean has some of the biggest waves globally.

Is pink a good colour in photography?

Is pink a good colour in photography?

Pink snow and sunset

Pink

Pink is rich in symbolism and can portray many concepts. Pink is timeless and over the years has been used for love, romance, babies and a general feeling of warmth. Pink is a combination of red and white, and sometimes soft hues of orange. Red is one of the primary colours and very bright and stimulating, hence the addition of white produces a soft and warm shade which appeals to our feminine side. However even men have a feminine side and can appreciate the beauty of pink!!

Pink is calm and soft and warm. A predominant shade when the sun sets and when the sun rises, pink is often spell binding in its ability to lighten and soften our thought patterns. Pink is used regularly and often in photography and is a great choice when photographing outdoors.

Here are some ideas on how to get the best out of your landscape photography incorporating the colour pink.

 

1. Sunset. I regularly see people gather in various locations to view a sunset. Why because of its beauty and no doubt its tendency to calm and soothe us. A sunset is a great opportunity to visit your favorite photography locations and experiment with settings as the sun goes down. I have learnt to slow my shutter speed as the sun gets lower in the sky.

2. Sunrise is not so frequented by the crowds, perhaps because they are still sleeping. A sunrise has a sharper and crisper element to it, whereas a sunset is more musky and muted. Sunrise does require you to get up early but when I visit the mountains I am never disappointed. So get up early and take a stroll to a good spot to sit and watch the morning light. I am not good at using a tripod, but I always do for early morning shots.

3. Pink is often associated with babies, children, girls and clothing and rooms. watch out for shades of pink in homes, and clothing.  And as I said before don’t exclude men, Rick Stein a TV food presenter very often wears a pink shirt and it looks great! Hence when putting people into your landscape shots a hint of pink will make them stand out and yet add a touch of gentleness and warmth.

4. Most times in a setting sun I will actually not photograph the sun but will turn in the exact opposite direction and photograph from this angle. In fact most of my shots below are of this type of shot. The pinks are vivid and and slowly turn to a purply blue shade. Timing is critical so be in your location at least an hour to 30 mins before the sun sets.

5. Try slowing your camera shutter speed down to create an even softer effect. Practise and practise again. I constantly check my shots in the view finder and then make any alterations to my camera settings.

 

CHECK THIS OUT a great article by Lisa Michelle Burns on how to achieve those pastel shades in your landscape photography.

Enjoy the evening hues when you next view the heavens as the sun is setting.

Girl on a pink sandy hill
Pink water tank in a wheat field

5 ways to photograph fog.

5 ways to photograph fog.

Fog on the jetty

Fog…a moment in time when one cannot see what’s right in front of you.

Fog adds a dimension of ethereal beauty to our world. What was so obvious the day before is now enshrouded in mystery. For a photographer it is a wonderful opportunity to gaze upon a landscape that is out of focus, magical and vaporous.

One particular morning last week I got up early and photographed the fog lingering along the shoreline. As the sun rose the colours turned from dark grey to pink, then to orange then back to pink, then a purple blue.

Minimal imagery, which I love, is ideally suited to foggy days.The fog limits any background objects and adds a hazy, watery feel to the picture.

A few quotes about fog:

 

Fog stimulates your imagination into places where it may be afraid to go.

The fog always lifts.

You may not see clearly in the fog, but rest assured peace can be found simply enjoying its beauty. 

Sometimes when you lose your way in the fog, you end up in a beautiful place.Dont be afraid of getting lost. (Author, Mehetmet Ildan)

So here are my five points on making some awesome foggy photos.

Birds on the jetty

1. If you dont want just one big haze you must put a relatively close and clearer object in the foreground. In the image above I placed the begining of the jetty in my foreground.

Foggy morning
2. Chose a brighter object in the middle of the fog.  
This can really make the fog stand out. In the image above the sun started to rise and made a perfect scene.
Sunrise on a foggy morning
Seagull on a foggy morning
3. Chose a darker object that is standing out from the fog.
Two sea birds in the fog
Trees in the fog
Yacht in the fog.
4. Find a point of interest to include in your image.
This yacht (above) just caught the morning sun and looked beautiful in the quiet of the morning.
Fishing boat in the fog
5. Be patient and walk as far and wide as you can.
The fog changes very quickly as it moves and then is absorbed by the sun. You can get some very interesting images.
Fishing boat in the fog
Misty morning
Tree top in fog
Sea bird flying in fog
Minimal is probably the concept that comes to mind when photographing fog.  
Remember to adjust your settings to gather in a bit more light.
Lower shutter speed for darker scenes and a higher iso.
But you may need a tripod for those early morning shots. 
For more information on fog photography CHECK THIS OUT

Is light blue a good colour in photography

Is light blue a good colour in photography

Cloud on a bee beach

 

Colour lightens our life and adds such a beautiful dimension to all we see.

How clever is our God to come up with a concept like colour. Through our eyes we absorb the beauty of creation in an array of colours. Each sunset, each green grassy slope, each red harsh desert, the ocean, greens to deep blues… one certainly could write pages of descriptions, endless and timeless.

We need light to see these colours, darkness cannot comprehend or display any colour at all.

 

One of the most tranquil and calming colours apparently is light blue.

 

Soft and gentle, cool and clear. From snowy mountains captured in the South Island of New Zealand to brilliant coastal sights captured in South Australia.

Light blue is good for your health and your soul. As we view this soft colour endorphines are released and we are calmed and soothed. Being a cool colour it also has a cleansing and refreshing effect on us.

Conclusion….Yes, light blue is a fabulous colour to use in your photography!

Tips to get that soft light blue colour.

*Editing your photos becomes a must, as the blue of the sky or the ocean is quite a vivid blue and very often is not that soft gentle shade we want. I generally desaturate my images and try and tone down the brightness of the blue. I often raise the exposure a little as well.

* You may try adding a haze of white over your blue sky to soften it. I use photoshop for this.

* Snowy scenes are often perfect for that light blue shade. The sky in the early morning around the mountains can look quite spectacular. Once again try the desaturation slider if the blue is too intense.

* Try photgraphing on a cloudy day and try different settings. Experimentation is a great way to perfect your art.

* In South Australia there are some magnificent salt lakes that are that exact soft light blue shade. So if you are fortunate enough to live near some salt lakes, try your hand at photographing those.

* Dial the shutter speed down a bit so your images are a fraction lighter. Take a look and make the necessary changes.

Good luck and have fun.

 

Gallery

Yacht sailing by
sand dunes
Moon
Yachts at sea cliff
Snow in the cool of the evening
Misty mountains at dawn
Snowy mountains NZ
Frozen grass
girl in desert sands
Sand dunes
Blue wave
Alone on a hill
Spponbills flying

Black and white images of our coastline

Black and white images of our coastline

Black and white ocean with one white cloud

 

Black and white images stand out as being simple and yet bold.

Photographing the coastline and then converting the image to black and white often makes for calming, simplistic and interesting scenes.

 

To make my home beautiful is to make my life beautiful.

The spaces I create around myself must be calming and nice to look at. They should be enjoyable for guests and practical to live, sleep, cook, entertain and move around in.

I have a soft coastal theme in my home. White walls and neutral coloured furniture. My prints and paintings are mainly of the ocean.

Let me try to explain what the ocean vibe does to my soul….. and how I enjoy black and white prints. (Let me say, not all my prints are black and white, I love a pop of colour here and there in my home for a bit of vibrance and that uplifting feel.)

1. Waves have patterns, lines and give you a sense of motion. The creation of a wave is beyond my understanding but they are inspiring and the many different facets of a wave make them wonderful to photograph. From enormous, daunting, misty waves to completely calm and tranquil scenes, sometimes I just sit and absorb.

2. A boat or yacht can convey a sense of freedom. Yachts are one of my favorite things to photograph. The white sail contrasts beautifully with the darker background colour of the ocean.

3. Seabirds also give a sense of freedom. Soaring, flying, gazing. Seabirds make great images which can be converted into black and white.

4. A splash of colour in a dark ocean image, mystifying and elegant. This can draw the eye to a particular object.

5. People…Busy beach scenes seem to be all the go at the moment. If you are in the mood to take a few photographs of this genre, choose a hot afternoon and head to a crowded beach. It’s so much fun planning and instigating a simple photoshoot like this. Take lots of images and then view the details up close. You’ll see people chatting, people eating, swimmers, dogs, children, sandcastles, and all manner of things. These images can be a “Wheres Wally?” to a viewer. Lots of fun and very interesting.

6. Black and white.  When I get my images home I usually transfer them to a programme called Silver Efex so that I can convert them to black and white. I then usually use the structure slider and minimise the hard lines. It’s personal and about what YOU like. Take your time to experiment with your settings and then choose your preferred option.

Black and white is timeless. It will not date as quickly as colour. I encourage you to get your black and white ocean images framed and put them on your walls.

 

Two basic colours at the end of the spectrum provide room for our imaginations. Two extremes of light and dark with many shades of grey in between. It’s perhaps the shades of grey that provide the connections between the black and white. This makes it easier for our eye to roam around the image, appreciating the variations.

 

 

surfer runs up the beach black and white
pink sunset and a distant lighthouse
pink sunset and a distant lighthouse
Big waves and distant lighthouse
sailing boat and waves
Surfer surfing the wave black and white
An amazing wave in black and white
Seabird flying over seaweed
Two yachts