Camping at Wilsons Prom - 6th to 8th December 2019

I had one of my best photography weekends. Despite the windy and at times wet conditions, I just loved every minute at Wilsons Prom. It’s an amazing place and I hope some of my photographs do it justice. There are countless shots yet to be taken on future visits. Some will have to be at dawn for the best light and to avoid people. All the pictures I am sharing here were taken with either the Nikon D850 and the 12-120mm F4 or 20mm F1.8 lens; or the Sony RX10iv. Feel free to email me at midgley.derek@gmail.com if you would like to enquire about buying prints.

Ok, I’ve not had the best experiences of sleeping in tents. Beginning with a camp called “mini-camp” when I was eleven where It rained so hard our tent flooded during the night soaking our sleeping bags. Waking to find your bed wet was never fun. So it was with some trepidation that I went camping with two other enthusiast photographers for the weekend at Wilsons Promontory. But so worth it. No flooded tents this time.

Wilsons Promontory is a beautiful peninsula at the Southernmost tip of the Australian mainland. Home to one lovely bay after another, beautiful beaches dotted with huge rugged granite boulders abandoned by time. There are many trails to explore. The park is large enough to accommodate the thousands of visitors who spread themselves over the various beaches and many kilometres of trails. There’s far too much to explore in one day and it’s too far to travel for a day trip. So the camping expert among us booked a campsite and the weather promptly turned wintery and windy just in time for the weekend. And for moody sky photography, that was probably not a bad thing.

Friday evening - Tidal River

1. Moody Friday evening at Tidal River : 1/5s f6.3 ISO64 24mm. The wind blew so hard I had to hold my tripod down else it would have blown over. Which it did the moment I put my camera back in the bag!

We reached Tidal River in howling wind with rain threatening to fall. Many hands held onto wayward tents till they could be pegged down. It was good to have an experienced camper guiding us else we’d surely have failed. Still, as we set off to explore the beach I thought we might return to find our tents had flown. Hopes of capturing a sunset fizzled. The sun hid behind ominous clouds before sinking into the night. I chased sporadic raindrops off the lens and took a couple of photographs. We found a wombat but it was too dark to take its pic. Then we found its cousin.

Supper was simple, but sleep, impossible. The wind raged all night with occasional showers for good measure, till Saturday morning when fellow campers emerged like zombies from shaken cocoons.

Saturday - Whisky Bay, Picnic Bay, Squeaky Beach, Tidal River, Pillar Point

2. A human like rock with a head watches over Whisky Bay : 1/500s f6.3 ISO100 190mm

We found breakfast then took the car to Whisky Bay. From there we explored Whisky Bay and Picnic Bay next door. There’s much to appreciate and explore here. Allow a few hours. A human-shaped rock with a precariously placed head watches over Whisky Bay. Near / below is an interesting slot-canyon eroded by the relentless ocean waves that rush in every few minutes at high tide. We indulged in plenty of rock scrambling and some dodge-the-wave trying to get photographs under the invariably moody sky. Huge boulders can be found near the entrance to Whisky Bay. Some half-egg shaped boulders reminded me of New Zealand’s Moeraki Boulders.

3. Narrow slot canyon at Whisky Bay : 1/125 f11 ISO64 20mm

4. Everything finds its place at Whisky Bay : 1/400 f11 ISO160 20mm

5. A “Moeraki Boulder” lashed by a wave at Whisky Bay! : 0.6s f11 ISO64 20mm + ND64 Filter (I had to run back quick right after this shot. It’s a game called dodge the wave)

6. Ever felt like the walls are closing in? (At Whisky Bay) : 0.5s f11 ISO64 + ND64 Filter

7. Looking down at Whisky Bay : 1/500 f4.5 ISO100 24mm

8. Looking down on beautiful Picnic Bay : 1/500s f5.6 ISO100 30mm

9. A perfect entrance to Picnic Bay : 1/400s f10 ISO100 24mm

10. Seagull owns my composition at Picnic Bay : 1/500s f11 ISO100 337mm

Speaking of egg-shaped boulders, I was intrigued by a single huge ‘split egg’ shaped rock at Picnic Bay. Both ‘ends’ of the egg lie next to each other, still intact. Picnic Bay also has many large boulders studded with smaller dark rocks that look like so many feet frozen forever.

11. Huge egg-shaped boulder split in two halves at Picnic Bay : 1/500s f4.5 ISO100 70mm

12. Wonderful boulders at Picnic Bay : 1/500s f4.5 ISO100 24mm

13. Show off at Picnic Bay : 1/500 f4 ISO100 600mm

14. Footprints in the sand, rocks frozen in rocks, leaving Picnic Bay : 1/400s f8 ISO100 24mm

15. Love bites? Blue-tongues foreplay? On the trail to Picnic Bay : 1/400s f4 ISO160 400mm

As we left Picnic Bay, Kim encountered a pair of Blue-tongue Lizards. One seemed to be trying to start a family. Though the feeling may not have been mutual. Any family plans had to be postponed as the lizards were forced to make way as other hikers came along. I’ve included a video link below that should probably have an age restriction 😊

Then we took the car to Squeaky Beach where the pure white sand seems to squeak with every step. Click the video link to hear my feet squeak. This is also home to some wonderful boulders and probably endless photographic possibilities. I took a few. I also found a small flock of Sooty Oyster Catchers. I spent half an hour following the birds and they helped me find, probably, favourite landscape/seascape composition of the weekend.

16. “Billions of bilious blistering blue barnacles”? Adorn the beautiful boulders at Squeaky Beach 1/640s f3.2 ISO250 40mm

17. This playful pair of Sooty Oyster-catchers were playing “nip the tail feathers” at Squeaky Beach. Never think birds don’t have a sense of humour! 1/1000s f4 ISO250 600mm

18. After action, time to rest. 1/500s f5.6 ISO250 600mm

19. Prehistoric times at Squeaky Beach. Yes I have photo-shopped in the Ibis so you can pretend it’s a pterodactyl keeping an eye on a monstrous dinosaur! main pic: 1/100 f4 ISO125 200mm / ibis pic: 1/1000 f5.6 ISO500 500mm auto-selected and merged with photoshop in about one minute :-)

20. Magical Squeaky Beach : What more can I say : 1/100s f11 ISO100 24mm The curve in the rock is supposed to match that of the waterline :-)

21. Pounding waves at Squeaky Bay. Who wouldn’t want to walk along that perfect sand. 1/160 f11 ISO64 20mm

22. Magnificent boulders that stood the test of time and more at Squeaky Beach. Long exposure = 30s f9 ISO64 20mm + ND1000 Filter [short exposure versions of this image are also available - email me for print requests]

23. Crossing the bridge over Tidal River : 1/13s f8 ISO500 20mm It’s much darker here (after sunset on Saturday night) than it looks. This must be one of the best places to be a “kid” on a bicycle.

We returned to camp late in the afternoon to eat and rest our weary feet. But, sensing a possible sunset, I walked to the interesting footbridge over Tidal River. Smoothly photogenic boulders rest in the water on the North end of the bridge. For the first time in two days, the sky had some colour. For a few minutes. After sunset we trekked the 2km from the footbridge to Pillar Point where one can gaze out, not only all the way along the coast toward Whisky Bay and beyond but also to the various islands dotted along the very southerly end of the coastline and also back over one’s shoulder toward Tidal River and Mt Oberon above.

24. A couple enjoying the after-sunset glow at Tidal River : I love these boulders. 5s f9 ISO64 20mm [ I have others, arguably cleaner images, some longer exposures, some shorter, without anyone on the bridge … but I like the people factor ]

25. The view back to Tidal River from the track to Pillar Point. Way after sunset and still beautiful. Did I tell you cameras can see in the dark. 2.5s f8 ISO640 20mm

We disturbed a Wombat scouting our campsite. It shuffled away sheepishly. Sleep came easily as the wind finally subsided.

Sunday: Mount Oberon

Sunday was a wonderful warm shorts and t-shirt day in total contrast to Friday and Saturday. Why couldn’t the whole weekend have been like this, we mused?

Our energy restored, and enthusiasm renewed by the sunshine, we needed a challenge. That would be walking up Mt Oberon, the nearest peak watching over the Tidal River campsite. We caught the (free for campers) shuttle bus departing opposite the visitor’s centre. The bus runs to Telegraph Saddle, I guess, halfway up the mountain. Then we trekked 3.5km to the top. The walk is quite aptly described in tourist material as being “medium / steep” which it is, but the hike is well worth it.

26. Incredible view from the summit of Mt Oberon. We were blessed with a perfect day. That’s our campsite at Tidal River way down there. This is a small segment of a huge multiple image pano captured in portrait format at 1/160 f11 ISO64 85mm. I used photoshop to add the boat (returning from touring the offshore islands) afterward from an individual image. There’s enough resolution to easily print the full panorama 1 metre tall by 3 metres across!

At the summit you can relax, picnic, take your time to soak in the extraordinary vastness of the seascape/landscape spread out way below. There are no fences or rails to spoil the view. With our longest lenses, we might just have been able to identify our vehicle in the distant campsite. I captured some huge panoramas, even while doing so, knowing they could never begin to express, in two dimensions, what it felt like to be there. This is one must-do walk. You just have to see for yourself. Be sure to set off with at least 1.5l of water… unless it’s really cold.

So we had to catch the bus down, pack up our car, and head back to Melbourne. I grabbed a very welcome Iced Coffee with extra icecream at Maccas in Leongatha and we were home in time for me to catch some bird photography at my local wetlands before sunset. All the while wishing I could still be at the Prom.

Some details, wildlife encounters

Booking at Tidal River Campground was done online and the site cost $33/night with a check out time of 11am. The sites aren’t pre-allocated. So it’s good to try to get there early on Friday. The fee includes one vehicle and, I think, a maximum of six humans. Extra vehicles would have cost about $10/night.

Wombats stay for free. An unlimited number are permitted on each site and they may pillage any tents that might contain anything they want. So we left all the food/snacks/etc. in the car except while we were actually eating. The site is also popular with many wonderful local birds. A gorgeous pair of Crimson Rosellas, one with a foot injury, visited the site each morning just to check for leftovers. One even hopped up on my knee, only to chirp and fly as soon as it saw I had no food.

We encountered plenty of wildlife including Wombats, Wallaby’s and several different birds: e.g. White-browed Scrubwrens, Superb Fairy-wrens, Seagulls, Pacific Seagulls, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Little Wattlebirds and even a flock of Sooty Oyster Catchers which I found at Squeaky Beach. And of course the blue-tongues at Picnic Bay. We saw some Emu’s next to the road on our way home.

Ablutions are comfortable enough including hot-water showers and were being regularly cleaned as we saw the cleaners early each morning.

A small souvenir and general food/supplies store and cafe are located near the Tidal River visitors/info centre. If you read this far I hope you find the info useful and please feel free to comment / questions.

Short iPhone clip from Squeaky Beach showing what it sounds like to walk on the beach in terrible wind. Sorry about the wind noise!

I shoot RAW because I still make mistakes. Do you?

Yes it’s true. Ten years after getting my first DSLR I still make mistakes. And I always will. To err is human. There’s error in our ways. We will never achieve the perfect photograph and I will never own the perfect camera. And this is all a very very good thing because we can only begin to imagine how boring life would be if everything was perfect. Which is why I shoot RAW.

Let’s put this in context: All the shots I took in my first year of photography with my first Nikon D60 were JPEGs. Because I didn’t know what Raw was. At the time the photographs looked great to me. And, for the most part, they were. But when I look back at them now I often regret not having the Raw files to “play with” and post-process. I can never go back and take those photographs again.

But what is RAW, exactly?

“Raw” is simply the original digital file written by the camera BEFORE it has been developed “to taste”. It contains a huge volume of data about the situation in which the photograph was taken. You need software to decode and display the raw file. The ability at least to view Raw files is often, but not always, built into the computer operating system. Not always because each new camera that is released will record images in a very specific Raw file that will NOT be viewable (or editable) on computer at the time the camera is released. Unless the camera manufacturer makes the specifications available to Adobe, Apple, Microsoft, etc. well in advance of release date. And I don’t think that has ever happened before.

Each new camera is, however, usually supported at least by the manufacturer’s own software. So if you ONLY captured raw files there would almost always be a way to develop and view them from day one. Many cameras now include the ability to develop from Raw images, individually and/or in batches, in their image review / playback menus. This can be very useful.

But I digress. The point is: Raw files (unless you have chosen a lossy compression method in camera) have ALL THE DATA there is to be had from the shooting scene. This can then be developed “to your personal taste” on the nice big screen of your computer. JPEGs are a summary of the data, developed by the camera applying its pre-set assumptions about the scene, time of day, light… yes cameras are indeed very (artificially) intelligent these days. But the “fun” is in processing raw files to one’s own personal taste afterwards.

Pro’s and cons

Here are three advantages to RAW FILES in the order in which they apply to my personal photography experience:

1. So much more dynamic range. Example of an error: The bird flew quickly from the open area into the shade and I under exposed the shady shots. Usually salvageable from a Raw file; not so from a JPEG.

2. White balance. Cameras are so intelligent these days that Auto White balance usually does a very job every time. But you might still want to tweak it. Especially if you’re planning to print that beautiful sunrise or sunset image. If you have your RAW file you can set your final image’s WB to any WB imaginable; just as you could have manually in the camera. That’s simply impossible if you don’t have the raw file.

3. Resolution. RAWS have all the available resolution. Sometimes JPEGs have very little. Some in camera JPEG compression choices e.g. “basic” as opposed to “fine” are probably intended for quickly archiving text documents. Not for recording precious photo memories.

And here are a couple of advantages to capturing JPEGS:

1. You save a lot of card space. But hey, card space is cheaper than it’s ever been.

2. The output file can be instantly shared to social media. You don’t need to convert it first using special software. However, some cameras do now have “Raw conversion” built into the play-back / image review menus, allowing one to quickly create a JPEG from a RAW in camera.

3. The output file is processed by the camera to its taste. So if you feel like you just don’t want to have any creative into the final file… go ahead and shoot JPEG.

The best of both worlds

This is so easy. Just set the camera to capture Raw PLUS Jpeg. Simple as that. Then you have both. You might even like the JPEGs so much you just save the Raws away on a separate drive. You might feel like you don’t need them today. You might not have the right software (e.g. Lightroom / Photoshop, etc. ) to develop Raws right now. But at least be saving them for the future. Because I wish I had done that with my early work.

Thanks for reading. If you want to see a couple of exposure errors and real example of how amazing the extra “hidden” data in a modern Raw file is, here’s a fun video I put together very quickly.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos claiming their nests - 5 October 2019

It’s nesting season. Activity is frantic. Much excitement amongst the crazy cockatoo pairs as they prepare to add to their families. All pictures and video captured with the Sony RX10iv on 5 October 2019. Enjoy!

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are seeking out and claiming their nesting hollows in Shepherds Bush. Much excitement as they prepare for the next generation!

Video was captured at 1920x1080 at 100p (i.e. 100 frames per second) captured at a shutter speed of 1/200 (i.e. twice the frame rate). First edits are at normal speed. Second half is slowed to 25% (i.e. 25 frames per second. Processed / made with iMovie. I love the sound they make slowed down. If you have sensitive hearing, turn down the volume!

Exploring Spray point and Montforts Beach, Blairgowrie and an introduction to ND Filters!

Small raindrops pelted the windscreen, heading South on Peninsula Link. The forecast was rain-free, with plenty of middle and high cloud. I glanced skyward, unconvinced. It looked more like boring low cloud than anything else. Still a few hours to sunset so, keep an open mind, you just have to be in it to win it, thought I. How many times have I forgotten this: gloomy mixed up weather days often end in the best sunsets.

Touareg found a space in the small parking area at the end of Spray Point road, Blairgowrie. There I joined an adventurous group of photographers from Melbourne Photography Adventures together with George and Karolina from WeAreRawPhotography. George and Karolina offered excellent advice including encouraging us to visit, view, but more importantly, to not fall off the edge at Spray Point!

Spray Point is located roughly eight kilometres South East from Portsea “as the crow flies” down the “wild” ocean side of the Mornington Peninsula. The walk from the car park to the point is a relatively easy few hundred metres trek along a clearly marked and well trodden path up the dunes. Spray Point and neighbouring Montforts beach would be our playground for the next few hours because: photography is fun.

Facing North West, toward Sorrento and Portsea (16mm f11 1.3s ISO100 & a Six Stop ND64 filter)

Spray Point lived up to its name as a stiff ocean breeze whipped the tops of massive breakers into frenzied plumes of spray. The point offers fantastic views both North West (toward Portsea) and South East (toward Rye / Gunnamatta / Cape Schanck). One could probably spend several hours working all sorts of compositions of jagged cliff edges, pretty coastal bush, frenetic ocean activity. Just a caution: be careful not to fall off the cliff edges at Spray Point. They are well worn and quite likely unstable. Don’t let your first visit be your last.

I imagined magical images of sunlight catching plumes of spray atop huge waves. But this was not to be, due to the slightly ominous clouds that blocked the sun. Which is not necessarily a bad thing as the light was nicely diffused and we could capture images of the wider seascape/landscape without needing to deal with deep shadows vs extraordinarily bright highlights. So instead of zooming in on sea-spray, I decided to experiment with some long exposure photography. Which is where neutral density (ND) filters come in handy. These enable us to extend exposure times from “the usual mid day” mini fractions of seconds to larger fractions of seconds and even many seconds. Arguably the best way to improve our photography is just to get out and shoot as often as we can, irrespective of the weather. Experiment with different exposure times and how those interact with moving water and work out what you like and, later, why you like it.

View facing South East, over Montforts beach, toward Cape Schanck in the distance.

30mm f11 4s ISO64 and a Ten Stop ND1000 filter

Montforts Beach

If Spray Point wets your appetite, then it’s surely worth risking wet feet and venturing down to Montforts Beach just beneath the Point. Take the path leading left and, after about five hundred metres, find the wooden steps that lead up and over the dune. The platform on top affords a great view of the interesting rock formations including one shaped just like a bunny!

You probably want to visit this beach at or near to high tide so the water laps around the most interesting rocks. It’s been said that unless you get your feet wet, you won’t get the best shot when you’re trying to photograph the ocean. I believe this is often true and I’ve been known to get more than just my feet wet trying. So lose the shoes once you reach the beach, and just enjoy the water’s edge. But try not to drown your camera and lens.

Three monsters at Montforts Beach, Blairgowrie. (24mm f11 3s ISO64 & Six stop ND 64 Filter)

Getting more than my feet wet at Montforts beach. 28mm f11 3s ISO200 and a Six stop ND64 filter

A wave recedes over golden sand as the sun begins to break through. 28mm f11 3s ISO200 & ND64 Filter. About now a lovely rainbow appeared behind me. But the composition wasn’t a winner so I let it go. The rain didn’t reach us.

Very boring notes about Filters that you need to know ( so please skip this section if you already know all about filters )

I recommend getting a set of at least these three: ND8, ND64, ND1000 plus everyone should have a Circular Polariser. Filters come in almost every size imaginable. But purchase only the size that fits the largest lens you are likely to use. For most of us that will be 77mm. If you also use lenses with smaller sizes, simply buy “Step-up” rings (e.g. a 72mm to 77mm step up ring). Step up rings usually cost less than two dollars on EBAY, frequently including postage. Filters usually cost >$50 each. Step up rings can save hundreds of dollars.

Exposure correlation chart included in Nisi filters package (credit to Nisi Filters Australia)

Ok, so what does ND8 or ND64 or ND1000 mean?

Take a look at the chart alongside. The first column is the number of stops (from 1 to 20). In photography geek-speak, each stop HALVES the light. Thus a one stop ND filter is also called an ND2 because halving the light requires TWO times the exposure time to obtain an equivalent exposure. If we filter out a second stop of light we are, basically, saying 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4 i.e. a half of a half is a quarter; and that will require four times the exposure duration as compared to no filter at all. Thus a two stop filter is also known as an ND4; and of course a half of a quarter is an eighth. So a three stop filter is known as an ND8 which requires 8x the exposure of no filter at all. And so on and so on. Sometimes it’s easy to do this maths quickly enough in your head, especially once you’ve had enough practice. But it can get tricky when the light is changing constantly. So I’d suggest downloading a free app (Nisi and Lee Filters both have apps) or keeping a chart (like the one above) in one’s filter kit. The chart is simple: e.g. it shows you that if your exposure time without a filter is 1/125s then, all other things being equal, if you add an ND1000 filter, you will require 8s. An App or the chart can save precious minutes and get you closer to the winning photograph.

Dreamy sky a few minutes after sunset. A three second exposure without an ND Filter

So what happens if we stack one filter on top of another?

It’s worth mentioning that a circular polariser tends to cut the light reaching the lens by between one to two stops. So if you stack the circular polariser AND an ND filter (e.g. CP + ND8) you’re probably getting roughly half the light again i.e. 1/8 divided by 1/2 = 1/16 so you will then need SIXTEEN times the exposure vs NO FILTER at all. It is perfectly possible to also stack multiple ND filters. Stacking the ND8 together with an ND1000 will basically give you an ND8000 which would enable extra long exposure times even in the middle of the day.

I probably use my ND64 filter the most. It’s fun to think of the ND64 filter as a tool that changes seconds (or fractions of seconds) into minutes, or, fractions of minutes. Or if you’re trying to drain the battery, minutes into hours. (i.e. 64 approximates 60, so 1/2 a second without it becomes 1/2 a minute with it, etc.). One final, final note: when you use filters you should probably lock your ISO at the camera’s base ISO and work either in Aperture priority mode where you define the aperture and let the camera vary the shutter speed as required; or, if you’re making exposures longer than 30s you will likely need to work in full manual mode. Occasionally you might need to define both the aperture AND the shutter speed in which case you may need to bump up the ISO. That isn’t the end of the world. You may need to refer to your camera manual to work out how to shoot longer than 30s. I encourage everyone to get out as often as possible and just have fun with photography, especially in challenging conditions, changeable light, bad weather, etc. It’s the best way to learn.

Clouds in motion. Equivalent exposure using an ND64 filter turning three seconds into about three minutes!

Sunset at Montforts Beach

Yes, you guessed it, the sun appeared for sunset resulting in a click frenzy as everyone tried to digitise the moment forever. Here are two of my favourites. I took too many to choose.

The sun appears at sunset, Montforts Beach [16mm f13 2.5s ISO64 & ND64 Filter]

Bunny Rock basks in the setting sun, Montforts Beach. Look at that Seaspray! [24mm f8 1/13s ISO200 & No filter]. This image was captured hand-held with the Olympus EM1ii & Olympus 12-100mm F4 lens. All others were made with the Nikon D850 & Nikon 16-35mm F4 lens.

All Images have been processed to taste in Lightroom. However I do try to keep edits to a minimum. The evening sky is NOT faked. I prefer not to significantly modify my pics because I’d like them to reflect the way it really was and this sunset truly was AMAZING!

Below are three very simple shots to illustrate the effect on exposure duration for no filter, ND1000 filter, and lastly ND1000&ND8 combined. If you made it to this point, thank you for reading!

No Filters: Exposure Time = 1/60s

ND1000 Filter : Exposure time = 15s (should be 16s but camera’s nearest time is 15s). Look very carefully and you can see sixteen second hands. If you think about it you will begin to imagine how that happened.

ND1000 Plus ND8 Filters Combined : Exposure time = 120s (i.e. adding an ND8 adds 3 stops of filter to 15s which is: 15s x 2 x 2 x 2 = 120s) [ or say 15s x 2 to the power of 3] Here you need to look very carefully to see roughly sixty second hands… but, of course, it’s actually about 120 as it went round twice.

Madagascar in June ( it's a work in progress / blog not final yet )

Life moves at a different pace here. Power is rationed. Two water heaters are on timers to avoid simultaneous operation. Compete with either and the limiter trips taking one outdoors to turn it back on. Some appliances are protected by UPS’s so you don’t always notice the power is out. Internet is getting scarcer. Last time I visited it was slow. Now it’s slow and severely restricted. Just like the electricity. Hard to say what’s worse.

Each evening, along with twenty five million inhabitants of the world’s forth largest island, we helped warm the planet. The log fire is a wonderful invention. The living room floor stays toasty for twelve hours after the embers have died down. Unfortunately, keeping the planet warm does make the air a bit smokey. Maybe more smokey than last year. I guess you get used to it. Except when the wind changes direction driving plumes of smoke back down the chimney and into the living room.

Soccer seems to be the thing this year. Super Mario Kart is being rested and Fifa 18 is in. As are daily games on the local field. Madagascar had an extraordinary run at the Africa Cup of Nations. Sometime after sunset on Sunday 30th June we heard screams and cheers and a general commotion echoing over the paddy fields. Kim quickly bought some internet to learn that Madagascar had scored a goal against Nigeria. About an hour later huge celebrations could be heard from afar. Another goal and certain victory over Africa’s largest nation. The city hummed for hours late into the night.

Hockey’s another new thing contested most vigorously at the nearby mini sports ground. Too vigorously for my old legs. I must have run more in one day than since I was a teenager. Saved only enough strength to limp up the stairs to the bedroom to rest up. Still it’s extraordinary how a decent night’s sleep can repair a wrecked human body.

There are pics I didn’t take that I should have. I didn’t get a photograph of Andy on his bike. Nor of Jem on his scooter. I think I should have tried riding these machines. Next time. I whisper prayers everyday for the riders. Be safe, guys.

Here are some pics and videos. Many taken with the iPhone. Many far from technically perfect. But it’s the people in them that matter. Enjoy!

Relatively smooth landing. After Melbourne this is like coming back to summer. It feels wonderful. We flew on an Embraer 190 operated by SA Airlink. A much more comfortable flight than the ancient Boeing 737 that brought me to Madagascar on my first visit in 2011.

I should have made better notes about this cold beef salad/meal. Genuinely delicious. The best light meal I’ve had on any aeroplane.

Loving his dog. Jem’s about six foot tall now. But he’s still Nuke’s little boy :-)

Trying to find a gift for a special brother. They’re all special. Except for the mannequin.

And Reece’s fifteen!

The young man with the hair wings who knows how to wrap. Mexican in Madagascar .. so good!

Queen Diesel keeping watch from the Nissan. She’s into birding. Just like me. Except her’s are digested, not merely digitised, for she rules with an iron claw. Kim, seeing one of my photos, mused: “I wonder how many Diesel has eaten. You know she eats them feathers and all!”. To which I replied: “I’m sure she only eats the Fodi’s (i.e. like sparrows)!”. Yeh, right.

Walking off a scrumptious breakfast after visiting Tanya’s maternity clinic.

Best birthday cake ever. Waited fifty one years for this one. Amazing work of art by Sue.

But wait, there’s more. The world’s best fudge. What a brilliant birthday gift.. Thanks so much, Sue! Yes I still haven’t finished it all. It’s so good one must savour each bite.

This is what it's like to drive in Antananarivo. Nothing too serious :-)

Independence Day!

So much fun with the lanterns on the eve of Independence Day. Anyone see a ghost?

Lanterns walk, eve of Independence Day

Painting with lanterns

Madagascar, land of Chameleons and other exotic creatures. This fellow’s wild and free to try to catch insects in the front yard.

And any visit would be incomplete if one didn’t see a lemur or two. Here we have a gorgeous Bamboo Lemur sharing a branch with a Sifaka.

No, it’s not Yoga, it’s SOCCER practice. Jem (not in picture) had the ball. But they’d all be trying to intercept it. Took me a few minutes to understand the unique game they’ve evolved. I tried to play but it’s hard to keep up :-)

Meanwhile an Olive Bee-eater watches from a nearby power cable. Do these guys know how blessed they are to have these incredible birds in their neighbourhood. OK, the bees are not blessed by their presence. But, seriously, these birds are amazing to see snatching insects mid-air. They go like a bat out of…

We have you surrounded, almost :-)

An unusually cold morning at the monastery. That’s when it’s good to have a cat.

No problem, I’m not ticklish, see!

Migrating phones takes an expert touch!

Simple treasures. Andy’s twenty!

Smile Andy. Sorry, caught him with his mouth full!

Yes, the truth is out there. So is the ball. Soccer’s the game this winter. The guys are wondering when their cousin will come join them for a game.

Feels like Christmas in June. Three birthdays. Three times the cake :-) AND now, in August, it’s congratulations to a TEENAGE E!

You know who’s going to win!

The winner. SIX today as I add this shot to the blog. Happy birthday J, you’re growing up so fast !

It’s fun trying to save the world, or build a new world. If we didn’t know better they could be twins.

Recorded on Reece’s birthday. Sneaked the camera onto the mantle above the fireplace. Reece, however, spotted it and played on :-)

I captured thousands of images of these guys playing soccer. Many great soccer moments on the hard drive. But it’s the moments in between that usually fascinate me the most. I love this one.

Surfing at Gunnamatta 20 April 2019

We’ve enjoyed the warmest Easter weekend in (almost) living memory. Except it turned normal again as I write this on Monday. But Friday, Saturday and Sunday were wonderful as is the true story of Easter.

On Saturday I took myself and a camera or few down to Gunnamatta Ocean Beach where, as it turned out, there was the occasional large wave and plenty of choppy / flat stuff in between. But the surfers persevered and I bumped in to someone there who ( not the first person to ) suggested I create an instagram page to make surfing photographs available for the surfers who are in them. I’m not sure the concept will work but as the pics were taken I put a few hours aside and set up a new insta account. I will post all sorts of seaside pics to it in time. And who knows, maybe some will sell. I like my Seascapes … so those will be available there too shortly.

Anyhow here’s some of those added to instagram today. Oh, and, the new account name is: @oceanlifepics

Actually I was quite pleased with myself to think of that and find it hadn’t already been taken :-)

So please go follow @oceanlifepics on instagram!

Starting with seagull pic which is appropriate because I rescued one trapped in a tangle of fishing line, hook, bait, sinker, the works. The poor bird had become completely mobilised on the sand at the water’s edge. It tried to nip me over and over until it settled in my hands. Turns out their bite isn’t nearly as bad as their squawk and gee can the squawk. Then a couple of other guys stopped to help which made it easier and, eventually one rounded up a fisherman with his snippers which were used to cut off the hook… then we were able to pull the line from the bird and release it. Amazingly it took off with no obvious injury to the wing and… never looked back to thank us. Seagulls are like that, aren’t they. Enjoy the pics.

A bird’s eye view of Gunnamatta beach

Taking it easy is fine

The lighthouse on the hill

Riding the lip

Making it look easy

Youthful precision

Carving it

See it’s easy and it’s fun

She heads toward the sunset

A man with several cautious admirers

Gone!

Surfers heading home as the sun goes down

Casting out the line at sunset. Oh, and the pure enjoy / chill mood on the beach as the sun set was wonderful.

Long exposure photography in Melbourne : A quick look at the Benro FIF19CIB0 Carbon Fibre Transfunctional iFoto Series 1 Tripod Kit

A successful tripod hunt in the city lead to a tripod test in Docklands. One could hardly find a more ideal location to become better acquainted with a new toy. Here brand new creatively conceived structures sprout from each salt water sided quay like mushrooms on steroids, providing countless photo-friendly views and even some reflections. Today was more cloudy than sunny with a little wind to drive the clouds across the sky. Just the kind of weather for long exposures. What’s the most important item of photography gear in your bag?

The Melbourne Star, Docklands [330s F5.6 ISO200 ND64 + ND1000)

So, the Benro FIF19CIB0 Carbon Fiber Transfunctional iFoto Series 1 Tripod Kit .. seriously how do they arrive at these names … is a compact travel / backpacking tripod. Kit because one leg is removable and can function as a monopod. Kit because the centre column is reversible so you can get the camera very near the ground if you need to. I needed a tripod that could fit IN, rather than ON, my bag. This one qualifies as it folds all the way back on itself to 35cm. But extends to some 146cm .. call it 1.5m tall. It weighs 1.4kg but is claimed the pre-installed head can support an 8kg load. I am quite sure it would support more though it’s always advisable to play by the rules. The tripod comes in the obligatory box that includes a nicely thought out canvas bag with a usable handle/sling. Unfortunately the sling isn’t removable from the bag which means you can’t quickly interlock it to/around your backpack without using extra fasteners. Still it’s always a nice touch to have a nice strong bag to carry equipment in. Also included in the bag is a hex/allen key for maintaining some of the joints on the body.

Sky rushing over the Bolte Bridge, Docklands [176s F5.6 ISO200 ND64 + ND1000]

Ok, starting with the FEET: It comes clad with nice sturdy rubber feet and, in the box, three sharp stainless steel spikes for icy conditions. Each foot screws in to the base of each leg in a very secure way. They seem unlikely to tear off like those of some inferior tripods.

Modern buildings look so stylish : Docklands [281s F5.6 ISO200 ND64 + ND1000]

The BODY/LEGS: Ok, so, the good news is I really like it. The appearance, build quality, feel, fit, use in the hands, is excellent. No sharp edges, nothing to bite me. Yes I’ve been bitten badly by one tripod… plenty of blood… these things you only discover in the field when a perfect moment must be captured quickly and you’re rushing. Once bitten… so careful ever after with “that other” tripod. It is easy to open, close, fold, whatever. Each five-section leg is equipped with four twist-locks. All, together, can be conveniently loosened with one smooth twist of the wrist. That’s probably the key advantage of the twist-locking system. Of course you can’t see if they’re locked but they’re easy enough to lock… I didn’t find any legs unexpectedly shrinking. At the end of the day after several hours of use there were no fuzzy photographs so the conclusion is: it works. ( For the record I used the Olympus EM1-ii and the 12-100mm lens with a Nisi filter kit on it … so we’re not testing the mass limit of the tripod ).

A neat angle selection mechanism allows each leg to be locked at 23, 55 or 80 degrees. The system isn’t unique to Benro, but on this tripod seems perfectly implemented as the locks feel just right and are easy to set. All set up the tripod stands super firm. I felt very confident to walk away and not return to find it blown off its feet. No complaints with the legs after a few hours use.

The centre column is easily enough removed by unscrewing the sturdy hanger mechanism at its base. The centre column comprises two tubes which enables one to almost double it (the column) length. This is particularly useful when it is attached to the single leg as it enables the monopod to reach 1.5m height. That is probably tall enough for most, although not all, photographers. One trivial complaint is that the twist-lock mechanism controlling the extension of the centre column operates in the opposite direction from all the other twist locks on the tripod. I found that counter-intuitive and slightly confusing. But it’s not really an issue once you get used to it. One would (imo) only use it when using the monopod as raising the centre column in tripod mode is normally not a good idea except if there’s really no other way to get the height.

Wait, that’s not a tripod shot : But I simply had to take this portrait of a beautiful Docklands resident

The HEAD: I used to think I could just get a nice body and worry about the head later. WRONG. You pay so much more if you do that. Now days we have choices. So many choices. There is no reason to buy a tripod without a decent head. Unless you already have a favourite you intend to transplant. This tripod comes equiped with a BENRO IB0 Ball head. It’s a reasonably neat, solid head weighing about 320g, and equipped with three knobs. The largest, maybe disturbingly labelled, a “Ball lock”; the next a “Friction control” and the last, a “Pan lock”. They do as their labels suggest. I like that one can independently control the friction from the locking/unlocking. It worked very well enabling me to find a position where I felt the right amount of friction making it easy enough to quickly level the camera before locking the ball. Importantly, their was no noticeable change in alignment on actually tightening the ball lock. Shifting alignment on tightening can be a real ball breaker (excuse the pun) with some ball heads. Finally it’s worth noting the head attaches to the body with a very solid 9mm bolt. The head is easily enough removed by twisting off the body but it won’t fall off in a hurry as several full twists are required. I see no double locking mechanism to prevent the head from being unscrewed but no need for one either. Ok, moving on.

From wharf to Harbour Town [155s F5.6 ISO200 ND64 + ND1000 Two Images, Focus Stacked]

The top PLATE: A compact PU30 Arca Swiss type plate sits atop the head. The plate includes a small spirit level. It’s works well enough, although users of larger cameras may find it too small to properly lock on to the base. That’s not a show stopper because it’s Arca Swiss compatible and many will substitute with L brackets anyway. The release lever includes a double locking mechanism. Unscrew it to loosen but the camera can’t fall off as there are locks left/right; one must pull the lever away from tripod (toward yourself) and then rotate it further to enable equipment to be removed. Seems almost idiot proof. And I could too easily be the idiot who would loosen the plate screw instead of the ball head… so including this protection can be a camera / lens saver.

In conclusion: In a one-day-test situation it’s all good. Nothing negative to be said for it other than it would have been even better if the carry bag could have had a removable carry strap. Overall it’s quite reasonable value for money at AUD329 from digidirect.com.au in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, considering that one is able to call it a “Two for the price of one” including the monopod.

I will update this blog from time to time as this tripod weathers with me. And of course the tripod is the most important item in your bag for long exposures.

But wait, there’s more!

Black Swan : They know they have us wrapped around their gorgeousness… they do.

Image from the Benro website

Family moments in Madagascar

It’s been a busy year. Almost six months have gone since I visited Madagascar. Better late, than never, then to share some more images. These are for you guys who I miss. Till next year, happy 2019.

Please don’t throw me in?

The view at sunset

See, it’s easy!

Ok this takes a little more concentration!

That winning feeling

Independence Day lanterns are serious business

Watch it burn, don’t get burned

Pull !

Smile

Walking the plank

Trying to be Gangsta

Of course!

The long walk

The long voyage

Paddling causes wet sleeve trouble

Dreaming about a fire

The ember effect

Gathering too much fuel to feed the fire

Hey there’s a storm coming

Storm coming?

Storm chasers

Chase the rain

Nineteen!

Sleepy gets the girl

The gentle art of being the little big brother

The art of play

Mrs Stonechat, the neighbour

Melbourne : Reflections in the rain

Saturday 11th August was one of those "Four seasons in a day" days. Huge clouds flirted with the sky and, occasionally, the earth. Starting with steady rain on the roof. Clearing by ten or eleven. Plenty of puddles remained making for some great reflections. And seeking those opportunities, Saturday's plan. It's handy to walk with a plan. To try to focus on. Rather than shoot everything.

As I walked the day turned to sunshine; and then, just when one might have thought it would be sunny till sundown, the rain returned, together with icy cold sleet that left a real chill in the air. Sony batteries are tiny. I had five but the freezing cold air chilled them to early retirement forcing me to call it quits sooner than I would have. But it's all good. I had a great walk.

All pics made with the 'special' street Sony. I compressed shots to make it easier to view. With the exception of the shot above, in the order taken. I hope you enjoy.

There's some interesting street art beneath this underpass beside the railway lines running in to Flinders Street Station. The spire on the left is St Paul's Cathedral. The next key building with the dome is The Forum theatre.

A young couple walk by. City Sightseeing Melbourne, parked opposite The Forum Theatre building on Flinders Street. Look at those cleverly decorated concrete blocks!

It's great to be taller. So the big concrete blocks are useful after all.

The men in the mirror. And yes, i'm there too.

Wet, slippery and cold. Outside the shed on the West end of Victoria Market.

And then the sun appeared and lit up the doughnut kitchen. The line was too long. So I still haven't tasted these. I noticed (from the banner) Victoria Market is open till 10pm every Wednesday through to 29 August. Visitors to Melbourne should check it out!

Food to eat. Look: Doughnuts make you smile!

Words for life, and, to quote a Switchfoot line: The Shadow proves the sunshine.

I love corner buildings. Then we have awesome dramatic sky. Silhouetted figures framed by bikes. So I had to take this picture. This is diagonally opposite the entrance to Victoria Market.

After grabbing coffee at the market I walked South on Elizabeth Street. I passed this dude talking on his phone. I turned, focussed, and waited just long enough for him to notice me. Click. Then I walked on and i reckon he talked on. Sun's still shining. But that's about to change.

Little men with feathers. Now the sky is dark it's about to rain again.

Sharing a laugh. They seem to enjoy the crazy weather feeling as much as I do.

The umbrellas come out. I love shooting trams when they're moving while the people wait.

And then the sky opened and all that's missing is the cats and dogs. Yes there's sleet (small bits of ice) mixed in.

Escaping the rain is fun!

Taking care: some puddles are much deeper than others!

Centre Place is one of Melbourne's most popular laneways. I think Melbourne's laneways set it apart from most places i've ever been. I love how everything reflects in this place. This guy was waiting for others to clear the scene so his photographer could get the pic. They had "professional" kit .. i.e. off body wireless flash. I wouldn't know if he's "anybody".

I went in to South Gate mall and grabbed a "Smokey Chicken Fajita" in a bowl at Salsas. It's become my favourite. Especially when it's cold out. Then I walked up stairs and stepped out to find a small rainbow. Late afternoon sunlight breaking from (obviously) behind me. And the rainbow set against more dark clouds in the East. Just have to love these four seasons in a day kind of Melbourne Winter Days.

Madagascar : Through the windscreen

Here are a selection of shots, mostly grab-shots through the windscreen, taken during my two weeks in Madagascar. Yes I got to sit in the front seat this time. Some taken with the special Sony; others with an amazing iPhone. Often one can't tell the difference!

The driver is at the back and he's standing on the brake. It's a crude system but it works. I reckon they've mastered the art of improvisation. At least when it comes to their vehicles!

These people seem to be pulling stuff ( I know not what ) from the water to their raft. It's a tight crop.. so I couldn't zoom in further. It's a different life!

I'd just told Kim I would no longer deliberately shoot into the sun when I had him stop the car so I could jump out and shoot this one. I was 'taken' by the extraordinary amount of smokey haze in the air. They burn stuff. And there are people everywhere. This place is not for those wishing to breath sweet mountain air!

Taken a few minutes before the previous one. You can just see the line of smoke above the ridge. I took this one to show how an ordinary suburban road cuts between a very rough embankment and a neat garden wall! 

A pastoral scene. In the distance kids play soccer.

A tighter crop of the shot above. What can I say. It's a different life. And they're carefree in the moment.

Roadside commerce. It's incredible to think those two tiny children (and thousands of others) play and somehow survive on the narrow edge so near the wheels of so many vehicles.

On his way to Hogwarts with a delivery.

Some roads are easier than others. This is not in a suburb. It's a main / national road threading its path through narrow 'gaps' in various villages. It took us 3.5hours to cover about 60km from Lake Mantasoa to Antananarivo!

Bamboo scaffolding systems were everywhere to see. And I don't remember seeing a single unnecessary bright yellow safety vest. Anywhere. Thanks goodness the yellow (high-vis) fever hasn't spread everywhere.

A road-side sofa store?

Going bananas

Two "Vazaha" buying bread rolls from tiny stall on roadside. Amazingly we were charged the normal price, not the inflated price sometimes charged to 'vazaha' (light-skinned tourists). Thanks, Andy, for sneaking this super shot!

Not an oxcart, but a zebu cart. See the humps. Zebu are thought to have originated in Asia (possibly India). But Madagascan Zebu are special: "Genetic analysis of African cattle has found higher concentrations of zebu genes all along the east coast of Africa, with especially pure cattle on the island of Madagascar, either implying that the method of dispersal was cattle transported by ship or alternatively, the zebu may have reached East Africa via the coastal route (Pakistan, Iran, Southern Arabian coast) much earlier and crossed over to Madagascar." (wikipedia)

An everyday scene. Every few hundred metres. People, bicycles, cars, wagons, anything / everything must share the same roads.

French cars of various ages. And a bicycle and one or two japanese vehicles.

Independence day lanterns for sale. Sue bought a bunch and we all had plenty of fun later that evening. Must still blog that.

Look at those beds!

Sunset from the road side. Near Antananarivo. Yes I broke my rule and shot into the sun here again. If you made it this far thanks heaps for having a look. Hope you enjoyed. Leave a comment or a like!

Two weeks in mad-land: glimpses from the 1st 3 days

I thought I'd get back and put together a series of blogs on Madagascar. It's not easy. One must make up for time away. And before you blink two more weeks will be gone. I thought of doing themes. But I'm not sure. Maybe it's easier just working through the days. Maybe today will be a small selection from 19th to 21st July. And maybe I'll double back later. Maybe. Here goes.

Early morning: I wake up and walk outside finding two sweet Madagascan White Eyes in the tree nearest the house. A great way to start a bird walk!

Mid morning: Diesel is in the tower. There's probably only one thing on Diesel's mind. White eyes. Ok, two things, White Eyes and Fody's and the warmth of the sun. Wait that's three. And come to think of it, since Diesel is female, I think She should probably be re-named Dieseline!

Mid-day: Justin and I took a walk with our cameras. Ouma and Joelle followed a few minutes later. So we photographed them.

Justin hoping his young model approves. I think she did. I was playing paparazzi hiding behind the bushes :-)

Stuff you photograph when you're slightly bored. And it's good to just have some time sometimes. It did have amazing eyes though. It's hopefully since been eaten by one of the amazing Madagascan Bee-eaters or many Stonechats that worked the neighbourhood. We'll feature some of those another day.

Burning off energy outdoors. Sometimes literally. Boys will be boys.

Evan would spot this Raptor almost every morning maybe around 11. He'd come running and I'd do my best to shoot it. Which wasn't good enough as it was always too far by then. We think it's either a Red Kite or a Black Kite.

Burning off more energy indoors. Fortunately I don't think they've really discovered Fortnite. The flavour of the holidays was good "old" Mario Cart on the Wii.

Speaking of Forts... 

Let me finish with one more beautiful moment. I can only imagine what she's saying.

Two weeks, eighty three candles

Two weeks in Madagascar went by too quickly. I turned fifty a day after R turned fourteen and eleven days before A's 19th. Three cakes, huge thanks to Sue, and plenty of other goodies too. Ok we didn't use eighty three candles. Maybe fourteen.

But before we get to pictures of cakes, just want to write there's no way to write a short blog about two weeks of madness in the Midgley household in Madagascar. A photo book will be made. In the meantime I may share an extract here or there from time to time.

I wish I could say I came away with a pack of amazing images to share. But I don't think so. And that's not the point. I left with a bunch of beautiful memories to treasure. You (in Madagascar) have no idea how precious you all are. Wow, just wow, how the years have gone by, and the last two weeks have been such a blessing. So I'll be back soon. But right now I just need to shake the jet lag and maybe an extra kg ... where's that bicycle.

Now, a handful of pics from a special birthday party.

Delicious cake! 

Fourteen candles smoked!

Cake being cut while the guys shout a unique version of Happy Birthday!

An empty plate is an opportunity :-)

Cake needs to be consumed!

Savouring number 77?

Feeling a little left out?

A misty morning (sunday 10th june)

I didn't sleep well. Waking at 03:47 and not sleeping again. Some may say that's normal, but not for me. I turned on the radio and learned it was foggy in Melbourne. So around 6:15 (at least 1 hour before sunrise) I departed for the city. At 06:30 and half way there I pondered how it could be totally dark so close to sunrise. I stopped at McDonalds for a large Cappuccino and made my way into Melbourne. But the fog, if it had been there earlier, had vanished with any thoughts of shooting the city skyline shrouded in mist.

Instead I parked in Linlithgow Avenue, beside the Queen Victoria Memorial, and proceeded to make the most of an unusually (for me) early wake up. Most of the Melbourne shots were taken around the popular (for wedding shoots) Janet Lady Clarke Rotunda.

Around 07:30 I hopped back in the car and headed home. Then I noticed dense fog in one of the local valleys just above the Dandenong Creek. So I detoured to Nortons Park and took a few slightly misty moments. Hope you enjoy!

Autumn leaves still lie easily 10cm thick on the ground here. Doesn't look cold but it was no warmer than 3.5 degrees c!

A selfie ten minutes before sunrise.

Reflections of the Janet Lady Clarke Rotunda (07:28)

Some real mist in Nortons Park and filling the valley beyond. (8:08 am). No sunshine to be seen yet due to dense clouds on the Eastern horizon (behind me).

A darker feel using Lightroom's "Punch" B&W preset.

Misty simplicity 

The streets of Melbourne

The mission was to find gifts at Vic Market. I parked at Fed Square and walked there, stopping at Michaels Camera House (on Elizabeth Street) for invaluable advice about triggering a Nikon SB600 on a Sony. Turns out it's easy as. But that's another story.

Fifteen minutes later I'd reached the market. The pace was frenetic as always. But people were polite, often saying "Sorry!" as they bumped into one another. Perhaps Winter days are better because we're not as 'hot and bothered'. It certainly was a gorgeous day. Fresh air, brilliant sunshine, no wind; long shadows. I like this kind of Winter day.

I took my favourite 35mm street camera along for the walk and for photo therapy. There was no 'photo plan'. I didn't take many but quite liked some moments. Here are my favourites. Quick disclaimer: The aim is not perfection cause then there'd be no blog. Just photo-therapy. Guess I walked 6km today and that's good too.

Pics are in the order in which they were taken.

Winter daze on Swanston Street. People conversing, smoke in the air, backlit sun, and bicycle shadows... just had to take the shot. I flipped it horizontally because it feels better. 

Some pics are very special.

St Francis Church is located on the corner of Elizabeth and Lonsdale Streets. It is the oldest Catholic church in Victoria. I find it interesting how it has been assimilated into the surrounding urban landscape. Including the alignment of the dome behind. BTW the dome protects the historic shot tower in Melbourne Central.

Old Vic Market vs Progress. I hope and pray this market remains. And we do need to pray. Because money has no soul and those who chase it would like to make  unwelcome changes. Spend a half a day here and feel the character of the place. We don't need another same as all the others over priced over hyped glossy shopping mall. No. No. No. But Money has no soul.

Giants in the land. And more growing on the right-hand-side. Focussed on the light bulbs to slightly separate my POV from those huge new buildings.

"Searching for the songs to play." (from "The Guitar Man")

1500kg of Plastic Trash in the shape of a Wave at Fed Square to promote World Oceans Day. 1.5tons of plastic is thought to enter Australia's Oceans EVERY SINGLE DAY. Some invades the food chain. "Shock" advertising by Corona. The Seagull was a last second extra.

I can't help photographing these iconic City Circle Trams. It stopped at the light. I walked ten metres East and then waited for the lights to change. And hoped for a moment the Tram could find its place in the scene. I think it worked. As a bonus there are at least two passengers gazing intently out the windows. Applied a 'Matte' preset to this one.

The wheels of Winter ... are larger. I stood here waiting for the light to change thinking "wouldn't it be great if a bicycle came along" as the sun sank low. Five seconds later this fellow rides into the scene. So I shot him.

Heading home. Bet their other bikes are Harley's. Their safety vests were so bright I desaturated the image to save your eyes. Thanks for making it this far :-)

It's Autumn, but it feels like Winter

Yes, it does. Colder than last year for sure. But we do have a way of forgetting how extreme our less pleasant experiences are. Which is, generally, a good thing. Unless you enjoy freezing your skin off. But I digress.

Autumn is, surely, the most beautiful time of year for the eyes. It's hard to take an ordinary photograph. Just walk down the street and look at the trees. The leaves are amazing. Our brains filter out the ugly cars, wheelie-bins and other stuff humans leave on the sidewalks and we just think: "Wow!". It's the task of the photographer to find locations and make images without such distractions. Because once it's on the screen or wall, once we've forgotten about Autumn and all its charm, as the Winter chill sets in, we see those other ordinary things. But again I digress.

Ok, so last weekend I drove one hour North East to the Maroondah Reservoir Park. Such a unique setting. Here they built a huge Reservoir but, instead of closing it off to visitors, made it an attraction planting and maintaining beautiful gardens with Exotic and Native trees. There are forest trails, walks which can be quite steep; but also the must do Rose Staircase to enable visitors to reach the height of the Reservoir wall and explore. Rose gardens are maintained either side of the stairs. At the right time(s) of year it really wouldn't get much better. And it's free to visit and enjoy. On the North West side of the parking area is a substantial picnic area on the level below the Reservoir complete with barbecue facilities. Plenty of grass for kids to play soccer and Cockatoos to hang out. There were plenty of the latter, much to the pleasure of some visitors photographing the birds.

I didn't photograph the birds, play soccer or test the barbecue facilities... this time. I was too busy walking and photographing the remains of Autumn leaves. Probably one or two weeks two late, but better so than never. Here they are. Please comment / like if you can, if you enjoy!

Autumn leaves are everywhere. In the background the Reservoir Wall is visible, holding back up to 22,179 Mega Litres of Water. Now that's water!

Looking down from the top of the wall. In the previous photograph I stood near the top left of this one. Of course you can't see me :-)

While up on the level of the wall the sun fell sweetly on some interesting skinny (maybe dead) trees far away. At the same time it was very cloudy and misty everywhere else.

Some great Architecture even in the functional structures at this Reservoir. Even though we had heaps of rain a couple of days before it's obvious we could use more!

Standing on the huge wall. The view East. Heavy clouds threatening rain. I like this sort of day more than summer sunshine for photography. No editing is needed to make it moody!

Looking down on an old Pump-station surrounded, covered, by leaves. ( who knows ... i'm guessing ).

A view down on the huge wall. Plenty of water below, and an occasional drop from above.

Ascending the Rose Staircase. Unfortunately the rose blossoms are already gone but Autumn colours can be seen. Even by me.

Descending the steps while others ascend. Lovely autumn colours. I hope you enjoyed!

Pathways strewn with the beautiful leaves. Fall Autumn. Till next time.

Tamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD : A quick in use review

I bought this 'lens for all situations' for go anywhere / everywhere use. Mainly because it's small enough to take with on bicycle rides. But also to pack for trips anywhere. Because, in decent light, it has such an extraordinary range it should be able to capture almost anything.

I thought long and hard about this one. Over many months. Didn't want to get it unless it was good enough. I've been blessed to use some very good lenses. No point in adding to the collection if it wasn't going to perform adequately and, consequently, never get used.

Well i've had it for two days and about 30km on the bicycle and so far I'm more than impressed. This lens is able to surpass my expectations both at 18mm (effectively about 27mm field of view on Nikon D7200 / D500); and at 400mm (600mm fov on D7200 / D500). Ok, it's not quite as sharp, or as contrasty and free of chromatic aberrations when shooting into the light, as my Nikon 200-500mm F5.6. But that thing is a huge brilliant beast of a lens by comparison; and couldn't accompany me on bicycle rides. And it sure beats my iPhone at 28mm (think the iPhone starts at about 28mm) for detail when you pixel-peep... as it should.

So a few practical observations. I'd heard the Vibration Compensation was good for about 2 stops and I'd say that's probably how it feels. It's not the best; but, for what it is, it feels stable enough. Sharpness is certainly adequate; even impressive considering the range they've achieved. I've not pixel-peeped the edges. But, for my bird photography, the centre's are sharp enough. Also the fall off from in-focus to out-of-focus areas is smoother and more pleasing than I had hoped for. Contrast and colour also seem better than I'd anticipated. The lens is prone to purple fringing edges shot against a harsh white sky. The hood is quite shallow and a longer one might help shield the front element more... who knows. But fringing is very easily corrected in post-processing. Yes one loses some colour/contrast/sharpness in the process but, in an ideal world, we wouldn't be shooting subjects against harsh white sky. Birds in flight will do that to you sometimes. Many lenses are prone to this issue in extreme situations. Some are better than others. This one is probably about average in this area. But in all other areas, for what Tamron have achieved in such a huge zoom range, it's very quite remarkable indeed.

And speaking of birds in flight I had no difficulty getting focus lock with this lens on the D7200. I haven't tested it on the D500 yet... but it goes without saying that focus will be effortless on the D500.

Lastly: build quality. Looks / feels pretty solid in the hands. I believe it's even fairly well weather-sealed. Wow how far we've come. Ten years ago I started with an 18-200mm. Now I'm playing with an 18-400mm and loving it. That's what this is about: having fun. Being able to take it everywhere and not worry too much. Ok, here are some shots from the first two days. All with the D7200, all handheld. All locations reached by bicycle with the exception of the Spotted Dove on my back fence.

Australian Black Swan : The ecstasy of bath time! (350mm 1/3200s F6.3 ISO500)

Australian Magpie : Why use two if one will do? (400mm 1/640 f6.3 ISO500)

Soon the leaves will begin to fall (18mm 1/500 F6.3 ISO500)

Autumn colours everywhere (55mm 1/160 F6.3 ISO100)

Cattle Egret (400mm 1/3200s F6.3 ISO320) - Yes I exposed for the bird, not the background. And it was very dark almost raining at the time. The bird was far away and am so impressed with the clarity here!

Spotted Dove on my garden wall photographed through glass window (400mm 1/250 f6.3 ISO500)

Masked Lapwings under an overcast sky (400mm 1/1000 f6.3 ISO320)

Cats and dog at the Knox Vet (18mm 1/400 F8 ISO100) You can see from the sky what the weather was like : Mostly cloudy with more than a hint of rain!

Photographing Kookaburras

The forest in which I found the Kookaburras this weekend is only five minutes from my house. Fog had been forecast for this morning. Then it was expected to yield to a beautiful sunny Monday. With the opportunity to photograph trees in the mist and Kookaburras, I took the day off work, hitting the park by 7am for the foggy trees. Home for breakfast at 09:30. And back at 10:30 to find the Kookaburras. Home at 12:30 for lunch and to lodge a few 'have to lodge' returns ... work till 4pm ... then rush back to the Kookaburras by 4:15. What a day!

"Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28–42 cm in length. The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, onomatopoeic of its call." (wikipedia). We also call them Laughing Kookaburras because they do, seriously, cackle away as if in hysterics.

The birds were soon found. Their modus operandi is: perch on low branch and watch. Hear or see lizard, insect, worm, or anything that looks like living protein: plummet from tree and grab it. Kill it by beating it against the ground. Eat it on the ground. Then rocket to another nearby branch. They're very smart. Smart enough to admit you to their 'comfort zone' if you don't make sudden moves. And to work around you. This makes them easy to photograph in a tree. But they are not easy to photograph in the air because the flights are erratic, short, and between trees. Well that's my experience anyway. The lack of strong light and/or varying light levels between trees also complicates photographing them in flight in the forest. Basically I pre-set parameters (shutter speed / aperture / ISO) and then just wait... and try to resist taking too many boring 'in the tree' shots. Put a few hours in and hopefully come away with a couple of print-worthy moments.

The thief: One of the 'flock' had caught a smaller bird ( I don't think that happens everyday ). There was much commotion, laughter, and arguing and I suspect this Kooka had stolen some of the other's meal!

Eye on the branch: You look where you want to go!

Those wings!

Escaping the tree. It's amazing how it can thread its way between branches at a crazy speed. Almost looks like a sea creature!

Always alert: The next meal could be moments away!

Wow, those colours!

Feathered rocket: Vertical flight to the branch!

And that's a wrap!

Like catching up with old friends : The Scarlets are back!

I have the worst cold. But it was a beautiful day outside and I wondered if the Scarlets might be back. I've been photographing the same pair (in some woodlands only about 3km from my house) since 2015. So I had to go and see. Could they be back?

We don't know where they go during Spring / Summer. Some say they go to "the hills". I'd last seen them in July or August. When you can't find them you realise you've developed quite an attachment to the tiny insect eating birds. And I always hope to see them next year.

I usually find them by listening for the reassuring but subtle 'tick ticking' between them. I've never heard them call loudly. Often you'll only spot one when it drops from a tree onto an unsuspecting prey before quickly returning to the safety of a tree. Fortunately for photographers they prefer low branches. They're also far from shy. More than willing to work an area while I click away. Smart enough and self assured to assess risk, I reckon. 

Well the great news is I found both of them safe and sound in exactly the area they've called home for Winter for (at least) four, maybe more, years. Here's a collection of the gorgeous pair taken over the last few years, beginning with one of each from this evening.

Mrs Scarlet: 7 April 2018: Oh, it's you again!

Mr Scarlet: 7 April 2018 : Surveying the world below

Mrs S : 2 July 2016 : At her most beautiful

Mr S : 25 April 2017 : In the mist!

Mrs S : 25 April 2016 : On the fence at sunset. Robins like fences so much. 

Mr S : 27 April 2015 : So proud of his catch!

Mr S : 6 June 2015 : Almost adorable!

Photographing the Groyne at Balnarring Beach

A Groyne is "a low wall or sturdy timber barrier built out into the sea from a beach to check erosion and drifting."

I'd seen photographs of this one on the internet. So it's quite popular. I scouted it once before and found the tide too far out. With more clouds than sky and high tide falling in the middle of today I made the one hour drive to this fairly secluded beach.

Photographing a structure like this is much more difficult than it looks. Thank goodness we have digital cameras these days so each click is free. I took >150 today and I only really like a few. Finding the right focal length, position (from left to right) and height is tricky. The water seemed to be full of little scraps of seaweed leading to a messy shore line every time the water receded. That makes some of my favourite 'minimalist' shots messy. So I cropped the messy bits out of my favourite shots and then wished I'd known to zoom in more... not as many megapixels in the final image as I could have had... oh well... just have to get used to going back because perfection is elusive. 

Fifteen seconds gets one a clean minimalist take. Tide was on its way in at about 2.5m

No clever post-processing here. The sun literally poked its face through a small gap in the clouds and shone at my feet and I grabbed the shot before the rest of the sea filled with light. Amazing moment.

Water lapping and pounding the Groyne. I liked the patterns. But you can see on the bottom left scraps of weed literally washed up with each incoming wave. The top of the shoreline is ankle deep in seaweed. Weird!

Swirls. Actually it is surprising these structures endure the ocean for any time at all!

A larger square-crop of my favourite 20s exposure.

Those Silos

I awoke at 05:40 thinking I was early. Unfortunately the clocks had been set back an hour which meant that the sun would be up in fifty minutes, not in one hour and fifty. It turned out to be a very beautiful sky. Which I enjoyed while making my way to the Silos. Unfortunately any colour had vanished by the time these pics were taken. So I'll try to go back. But rather than waste them, here are a couple for the record.

Handheld at 1/50. So the water really was this mirror like. Not a breath of wind... yet. You would not get this in the evening.

Then this happens: They get up early too. Must feel extra cool gliding through such still water. Wouldn't want to fall in though!

On the tripod with a filter for 15s. 

All of a sudden I see this A380 flying super low from North to South crossing the Yarra right above my head. I can hardly believe my eyes, nor my ears as it was so quiet. Almost felt unreal seeing one so low... except I have the pic to prove it (this was not taken with the bird lens).

A six-shot stitched pano (at 70mm) facing East toward the Hoddle Bridge (1938). Time for the City of Melbourne (or someone) to take responsibility for the shocking run-down graffiti-infected sign on top of those Silos!