Australian seascape and landscape photography

Posts tagged “landscape

The Mists of Kilcunda

On an unseasonally warm winter’s day last weekend, I took advantage of the fine weather to reintroduce myself back to our fine ocean coastline.
Upon arrival at Kilcunda, located on Victoria’s Bass Coast, the sea was remarkably calm and there was a thick haunting mist in the air. A wonderful sight indeed. 🙂

The Mists of Kilcunda - Jim Worrall - Australia - Bass Coast - long exposure - black and white

Technical stuff – The image was taken mid afternoon using an ND400 filter to lengthen the exposure time and thus soften the appearance of the sea.


The Noojee – Toorongo Photo Trip

It was one of those spur of the moment decisions.
Chris and I took off for a leisurely drive intending to have lunch at the Noojee pub followed by an afternoon of shooting at the Noojee trestle bridge and the Toorongo River.
As it turned out things were very quiet in Noojee that Friday.
We entered the strangely vacant Noojee hotel dining room and spent a few minutes looking through the menu whilst hoping that they were actually open for business.
After a short time we were discovered by a helpful barmaid who ushered us into the bar area whilst explaining to us that the dining room was closed.

Pictured below – Dappled sunlight across the middle of the Noojee Trestle Bridge.
Noojee Trestle Bridge - Jim Worrall

After being seated in the bar area Chris and I both chose the beer battered fish n’chips for lunch. Perhaps it wasn’t the most “heart smart” choice from the menu but it was indeed very tasty and satisfying without being too heavy. 🙂
As we ate our lunch Chris and I would occasionally glance over at the only other occupant of the room. One of the elderly locals was perched at the bar with beer in hand and kept nodding off to sleep. He appeared to be very skilled repeatedly awakening himself just prior to losing balance.

Pictured below – A shot taken from the top of the trestle bridge looking down on the access road. I’ve applied an Orton effect filter to this image to soften it a bit.
Road to the Noojee Trestle Bridge - Jim Worrall - Orton effect

After finishing our delicious meals we visited the nearby Noojee trestle bridge. The light wasn’t particularly friendly that day as the morning clouds had dispersed causing a problem with harsh shadows and bright spots but we did our best.

Next stop was the wonderful Toorongo River. I always enjoy the scenic drive along the Toorongo Valley Road that leads to the falls.

It’s great to see the river with such a strong flow and healthy green mosses and small ferns growing on the moist rocks again.

The Run of the Rain - Toorongo River - Jim Worrall - Noojee - Australia

During this trip I decided to try out the camera built into my phone and capture some images using an Android app called Retro Camera. It uses some interesting processing techniques to imitate old school cameras. A fun app!!

Pictured below – The Retro Camera interpretation of the Toorongo River.
Toorongo River - Retro Camera version - Jim Worrall - Noojee - Australia

Pictured below – A serene image from along the Toorongo Valley Road processed by the Retro Camera app.
Along the Toorongo Valley Road - Jim Worrall - Noojee

Pictured below – Chris checking her shots on the banks of the river behind the Noojee pub.
Image processed by the Retro Camera app.
Chris - AmbientCapture


Cyclical Rendezvous – water motion at Rye beach

Pictured below, a long exposure image capturing the remnants of spent waves returning to the relentless ocean at Rye beach, Victoria, Australia.

Cyclical Rendezvous - Rye beach - Jim Worrall - Australia - ND400 - long exposure


Number Sixteen beach – reprocessed

A couple of images from the previous excursion to Number Sixteen beach, reprocessed in black and white, ……and with a little more drama added.

A long exposure from Rye back beach, Victoria, Australia.
The Shark's Fin - Rye beach - Jim Worrall - Mornington Peninsula - Australia - ND400

Rye Back beach.
Out to Sea - Rye - Jim Worrall - Mornington Peninsula - ND400 - long exposure


Swimming at the Sixteen – Rye Beach

After a recent photographic excursion to Koonya beach two weeks ago, I swore not to return my feet to the icy waters of the ocean until the warmer weather arrived.
Alas, the lure of the salty seas proved to be too much for me.

This week’s excursion was a low tide expedition to Number Sixteen beach at Rye on the Mornington Peninsula.
Unfortunately I arrived just a little bit too late in the tidal cycle to safely photograph my intended target. Rather than risk my life on the rocky shelves I decided to play around on the beach photographing easier targets, …..and only got wet up to the knees. 😉

A long exposure image from Rye beach.
Pod 16 - Number Sixteen beach - Rye - Jim Worrall - Australia - Mornington Peninsula
This rock is one of the main features of the Number Sixteen beach. It dramatically changes it’s perceived shape depending on the direction from which you photograph it.

Water rushes back from the beach to join the pounding surf.
Swimming at the Sixteen - Number Sixteen beach - Rye - Jim Worrall - Australia

Water swirls around the foreground rocks as it enters the beach.
Vortex - Number Sixteen beach - Rye - Jim Worrall - Australia - ND400 - long exposure

The landmark rock from a different perspective.
The Shark's Fin - Number Sixteen beach - Rye - Jim Worrall - Australia - ND400 - long exposure

Out to Sea - Number Sixteen beach - Rye - Jim Worrall - Australia - ND400 - long exposure


Snapshots from Tooradin

Tooradin is right at the top of my list when it comes to escaping for a little bit of quiet time. Located just a few minutes down the road from my home, Tooradin’s features include a serene creek that runs through the town and winds it’s way down to a great foreshore area where it joins with Westernport Bay.
The foreshore area usually has lots of parking spaces available and serves as a fine place to devour whatever delicacy you’ve chosen from the local bakery, fish and chip, or pizza shop.
Alternatively you can bring along your own boring food and make use of the BBQs.

Pictured below – The view looking down the channel towards Westernport Bay at low tide.
Tooradin channel - Jim Worrall - Australia

During low tide, large expanses of mud are exposed along both sides of the channel.
You can stroll along the elevated edge of the channel and watch as thousands of tiny crabs, disturbed by your presence, dive for cover into their tiny holes in the mud.

Pictured below – The view looking up the channel towards the main road.
Tooradin channel - Jim Worrall -  Australia

Back to the serious topic of food for a moment, I highly recommend the Tooradin bakery with it’s fine selection of meat pies. They also have more sweet cake/bun/doughnut thingies than you could poke a stick at, …..and the coffee isn’t too bad there either.

The bakery is also conveniently located next to the fine Ice Cream shop, offering heaps of different flavours for those craving even more sugar. 😉

Fish n’chips must be big business in Tooradin because this tiny town has no less than two fish n chip shops.
On one side of the main road is the Tooradin Original Fish & Chip Shop and across the road is the Boardwalk Chippery. The Boardwalk shop boasts the use of “healthy rice bran oil”. The rice bran oil must be an acquired taste, …I’ve tried it but I haven’t yet acquired that particular taste,….but each to their own.

Pictured below – Down the channel a short distance, remnants of the old jetty pictured at high tide, complete with “god rays” shooting through the clouds signaling the end of a beautiful day.
Tooradin - old jetty remnants - Jim Worrall - Australia

Below – The same jetty remnants pictured at low tide, complete with an amazing number of mud dwelling crabs and their mud holes. 🙂
Tooradin - jetty remnants - Jim Worrall - Australia

For the curious photographers who might be reading this post, the camera I used was a Panasonic Lumix LX3 in “dynamic B&W” mode with some minor corrections later in Photoshop.

If you’re interested in using any of these images or would like to purchase a high quality print then please contact me at – jim.worrall@gmail.com


What a Difference the Tide Makes.

A couple of images from the Flinders foreshore showing what a huge difference the tide can make.
Both images feature the same structure albeit from slightly different angles.

Below – Flinders Hombres – high tide at the jetty remnants.
Flinders Hombres - jetty remnants - Jim Worrall - Australia

Below – liN – the same jetty remnants at low tide.
liN - Flinders jetty remnants - Jim Worrall - Australia


The Mentone Groyne

The Mentone groyne is located on Mentone beach just south of the Mentone pub. In the past this groyne has been incorrectly referred to as the “Old Mentone jetty” by myself and others. There’s off road parking close to the groyne but unfortunately the local council here tries to screw you over with a three dollar per hour parking fee.

All of the following images were taken using an ND400 filter to extend the exposure time and smooth out the waves on the water.

Below – Running West – Mentone Groyne
Running West - Mentone Groyne - Jim Worrall - Australia

On the afternoon I visited the groyne it was almost high tide so these photos are only showing the very top bits of the structure above the water. Next time I visit I’ll be making sure I arrive during a low tide when the structure appears more like a series of small arches. I think that would be worth getting wet feet for. 🙂

Below – Charging into the Night.
Charging into the Night - Mentone Groyne - Jim Worrall - Australia

Below – an overview of the groyne.
Old Mentone Jetty - Jim Worrall - Australia

On the walk back to the carpark, some kind of territorial dispute erupted amongst these seagulls on a small rocky island just offshore. The image below doesn’t properly convey the ensuing ruckus but it was quite impressive to watch a little bit of nature’s drama playing out in front of me.

Below – Lord of the Gulls – ruckus on the rock.
Lord of the Gulls - Mentone beach - Jim Worrall - Australia


Magic of the Phillip Island coastline.

Following on from previous posts I thought I’d share with you just a few more images from the Phillip Island coastline. I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface down there, …….there’s just so much beauty to explore and discover.

Pictured below – The Roost – old jetty remnants that serve as a safe roost for the local birds at Cat Bay.
The Roost - jetty ruins - Jim Worrall - Cat Bay - Phillip Island - Australia

Pictured below – Evidence of Life – a soft misty view of some wonderful wave action off Cowrie beach.
Evidence of Life - Cowrie beach - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island - Australia

Pictured below – The Long Swim Home – another view from Cowrie beach looking towards the Nobbies in the background.
The Long Swim Home - Jim Worrall - Cowrie beach - Phillip Island - Australia

Pictured below – Pyramid Rock, taken in strong windy and wet conditions from a vantage point ahead of the lookout area.
Pyramid Rock - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island - Australia


In Lieu of Rapture

I’m dedicating this image to the recent passing of Rapture Day, May 2011.
Never has such a silly idea generated so much noise in the media and on social networks.

Pictured below – In Lieu of Rapture.
In Lieu of Rapture - Jim Worrall - celebrating the passing of Rapture Day

The image was captured at Cat Bay on Phillip Island.


A Trip to the Pointy End – Phillip Island

Over the weekend I did a quick reconnaissance trip down to the pointy end of Phillip Island.
The images below were taken on a stretch of unsealed road named “The Boulevard” which runs along the south coast of Summerlands and ends at the Nobbies. The Boulevard is a grand name indeed for what amounts to a narrow dirt track, however the coastal views can be quite impressive from here.

Pictured below – The view from The Boulevard looking west towards the Nobbies.
Looking west along The Boulevard towards the Nobbies - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island - Australia

Unfortunately for those of us who like to immerse ourselves in these kinds of coastal environments there is no beach access permitted. We’re reminded of this fact by strategically placed signs warning of penalties for such breaches.

Pictured below – The view from The Boulevard looking east.
The view from The Boulevard looking east - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island - Australia

Pictured below – a zoomed in view of the coastline. It looks like a fine place for a photographer to play.
Summerlands south coast - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island

When finished with the south coast I made the short trip over to the north coast to visit Cowrie beach. I’ve been here once before but I had some unresolved images in my head that I wanted to try to capture here. Most of the northern coast is photographer friendly, allowing one to get as close to the water as one dares.

Pictured below – Bull in a China Shop, one of the less sedate Phillip Island waves attacking from left of frame.
Bull in a China Shop - Cowrie beach - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island - Australia

Pictured below – A long exposure image using an ND400 filter, The Course of the Penguin, one of the many corridors used by the penguins of Phillip Island.
The Course of the Penguin - Cowrie beach - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island - Australia

After finishing at Cowrie beach I left the island and crossed the bridge over to San Remo on the mainland. As I was crossing the bridge I noticed some amusing looking stairs below, surrounded entirely by the water of a high tide. It appeared to be a stairway going from nowhere to nowhere.

Pictured below – From Nowhere to Nowhere, San Remo.
From Nowhere to Nowhere - San Remo - Jim Worrall - Australia

The day concluded with a delicious meal of fish n’ chips from the Fisherman’s Cooperative, …..what bliss!


The bollard, the boat, the buoy and the beginning of a rainbow.

Saturday’s excursion was down towards the pointy end of the Mornington Peninsula.
After a hearty lunch of fish ‘n chips on Dromana beach, it was off to Sorrento for a cappuccino and also check out the surf conditions on the ocean side.
On arrival at the back-beach the surf was violent and unruly, fueled by a ferocious onshore wind.
I’ve tried to capture long exposure images under these conditions a couple of times before and come away from the experience with disappointing results. A howling wind always manages to soften my long exposure images regardless of tripod technique.

With this in mind I resigned myself to exploring the calmer more docile side of Sorrento, the bay side. The view from the beach here was quite nice with small boats bobbing and wobbling around in the water. I took a few shots of the little boats but couldn’t find anything particularly satisfying so I moved my attention to the huge bollards near the pier.

Pictured below – Bollard.
Bollard - Sorrento - Jim Worrall - seascape - Australia - black and white
Above – In this image the huge concrete bollard remains motionless whilst surrounded by the blurred movement of waves on the water. It’s nearby neighbors, the boat and the buoy wobble and rock in compliance with the waves. I used a high key effect to eliminate some distracting elements from the background. Both ND400 and ND8 neutral density filters were attached to the lens to achieve the desired long exposure under fairly bright conditions.

Pictured below – The Sorrento Bollards.
The Sorrento Bollards - Jim Worrall - Australia - seascape - black and white
Above – The massive bollards are used to assist with holding the Queenscliff-Sorrento ferry in place at the pier during the exchange of passengers and cars.

After shooting the bollards, mother nature tried to grow me a rainbow. The left and right ends of the rainbow were developing nicely and gradually growing skywards then suddenly fizzled into nothingness.

Pictured below – the left end of the incomplete rainbow.
Left end of the Rainbow - Jim Worrall - Sorrento - Australia

Pictured below – the right end of the incomplete rainbow.
The Right End of the Rainbow - Jim Worrall - Sorrento - Australia


HMVS Cerberus shipwreck at Half Moon Bay

After a delicious lunch at the Ricketts Point teahouse, Chris from Ambientcapture and I drove to Half Moon Bay where the wreck of the HMVS Cerberus rests semi-submerged some distance offshore.
The HMVS Cerberus was launched in 1868 and is the only remaining breastwork monitor class warship left in the world. You can find more details about the ship’s rich history at it’s Wikipedia page here, or it’s dedicated website here.
My idea from a photographic perspective was to capture the Cerberus using long exposure techniques to blur the motion of the water and clouds, and yet keep the wreck in sharp focus.

I had to wrestle with this one in post processing due to the extreme brightness of the background but I think I finally found a unique vision of the wreck.

Pictured below – HMVS Cerberus is available as a print in various sizes and formats here.

HMVS Cerberus - Jim Worrall - Half Moon Bay - Australia - shipwreck

Pictured below – a long exposure view from the Half Moon Bay pier looking north along the coastline. The little blurry bit at the lower center of the image is a buoy bobbing around in the waves.

Half Moon bay - coastline - beach - Jim Worrall - Australia

Pictured below – a more distant long exposure view of the HMVS Cerberus.
Cerberus - shipwreck - Half Moon Bay - Jim Worrall - Australia

Pictured below – the structure behind the Cerberus wreck.
I have no idea what it is, but it’s very popular with the birds.
Half Moon Bay - Jim Worrall - Australia- seascape


Downtime – a relaxing afternoon at Warneet

I have mixed feelings about the changes being made to the coastal village of Warneet.
Many of the grand old pine trees along the beachfront have been cut down and it appears that the main dirt roads are being surfaced. Progress, …..I guess.

Pictured below – Downtime – An iconic landmark (watermark) at Warneet coastal reserve.

Downtime - Warneet - boat - Jim Worrall - Australia - travel

Pictured below – some of the locals.

Warneet - gulls - Jim Worrall

Warneet - pelican - Jim Worrall


Plateau – Sorrento back beach

Below – Plateau – A long exposure image from the Sorrento back beach.
An intriguing place to visit at low tide.

Plateau - Jim Worrall - Sorrento beach


The Sleeping Sphinx – Sorrento

An image from the Sphinx rock formation after an enjoyable day of playing in the surf.

The Sleeping Sphinx.
The Sleeping Sphinx - Jim Worrall - Sorrento - sunset


The Vagabond Tide – ND400 long exposure

Following is a series of images taken at the Sorrento back beach, Victoria, Australia, using an ND400 filter during bright afternoon light conditions.

Pictured below – Dorsal.
Dorsal - Jim Worrall - ND400 - Sorrento - Australia

Below – The Vagabond Tide.
The Vagabond Tide - Jim Worrall - ND400 - Sorrento - Australia

Below – The Rinse Cycle.
The Rinse Cycle - Jim Worrall - ND400 - Sorrento - Australia


By the Seaside – Tooradin and Corinella

Following are some images from the shores of Westernport Bay.

Pictured below – The Journey Home, seagulls at the Tooradin foreshore take off en masse as the day gives way to night.
The Journey Home - Jim Worrall - Tooradin - Australia

Below – Corinella Sunset, a series of “God beams” appear from behind a cloud as the sun sets at Corinella pier. These “God beams” are also known as crepuscular rays and are explained at Wikipedia here.
Corinella Sunset - Jim Worrall - god beams appear from behind a cloud

Below – The Living Jetty.
At Corinella a jetty platform disappears below the surface during a king tide.
The local sea birds take advantage of the exposed posts by using them as a safe roost.
The Living Jetty - Jim Worrall - Corinella - Australia

Below – The best position for overseeing the activities at the Corinella jetty area.
Corinella jetty - Jim Worrall - Corinella - Australia


A King Tide at Grantville

My initial plan was to stop at Grantville, visit the bakery for a mandatory steak pie and cappuccino, then take a long stroll along the beach.
The consumption of the pie and cappuccino went nicely to plan. On arrival at the beach all that had changed.

Where’s the beach gone? ………….
I had apparently arrived at the peak of a king tide. There was no sand to be seen anywhere, much less walk along.

Pictured below – looking out towards the jetty the fishermen appeared to be almost walking on water. It was unusual to see the water lapping across the platform on the lower section of the jetty.

Grantville jetty during a king tide - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay

Luckily there aren’t many jumping sharks in Westernport Bay!
Fishermen on Grantville jetty during a king tide - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay

Pictured below – A few images from along the beach, north of the jetty, taken with a Lumix LX3 camera.
It’s amazing how salt tolerant these trees can be.

Grantville beach at high tide - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay

Grantville beach at high tide - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay

Where’s my sandy beach gone?
Due to the king tide, navigating the coast required walking through low lying vegetation, and it didn’t feel right. 😦

Grantville beach at high tide - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay

Grantville beach at high tide - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay

I should check my tide charts more often.

If you’re interested in buying any of these images as prints then please contact me at – jim.worrall@gmail.com


An Afternoon at Cowrie Beach, Phillip Island.

Cowrie Beach is located just a few hundred meters north-east of the popular tourist destination “The Nobbies” on Phillip Island, Australia. The beach sits just inside the entrance to Westernport Bay and is subjected to rough surf originating from Bass Strait.

The thinly vegetated sandy portions of the beach are home to Fairy penguins and some other more endangered species so there are signs present advising which areas to avoid.
The main attraction here from my perspective is at the water’s edge. The beach is blessed by the presence of dark basalt rock formations continuously pounded by waves.

Below – The Nobbies – an image from Cowrie beach with The Nobbies in the background.
The Nobbies - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island

Below – Down the Winding Path – a long exposure looking out to sea from Cowrie Beach.
Down the Winding Path - Jim Worrall - Cowrie Beach - Phillip Island

Below – Awaiting the Devil – a frightening part of the beach where unexpected waves suddenly inundate the dark basalt platforms. There’s a warning sign on the beach reminding fishermen and other visitors how easy it is to be swept off these rocks.
Awaiting the Devil - Jim Worrall - Cowrie Beach - Phillip Island

Below – The Ordeal – How the Phillip Island penguins manage to survive the violent Bass Strait surf combined with rocky beaches escapes me.
The Ordeal - Jim Worrall - Cowrie Beach - Phillip Island

Below – Through the Vapour
Through the Vapour - Jim Worrall - Cowrie Beach - Phillip Island


Exploring the light at Right Point, Phillip Island

Saturday’s excursion to Phillip Island turned out to be very rewarding from a photographer’s perspective.
In the late afternoon I stopped at a place called Right Point, which seems to be a very popular destination for surfers. As I peered over the edge of the cliff towards the beach I instantly fell in love with this spot.

Below me were the remains of an old jetty being pounded by the violent surf.
With the sun starting to drop towards the horizon what more could a photographer ask for?

I grabbed my tripod and camera bag and dashed down to the beach like an excited child. The images were already forming in my mind before I had even reached the sand, ……..oh what a feeling !! 🙂

Below – Drawn to the Ocean
Drawn to the Ocean - Jim Worrall - Right Point - Phillip Island - jetty

Below – The Penguin Pool
The Penguin Pool - Jim Worrall - Right Point - Phillip Island - jetty

As the sun dropped even closer to the horizon a good situation became even better when suddenly Crepuscular rays broke through a gap in the clouds.
Crepuscular rays, also known as “God rays” or “God beams” are explained here.

Below – Running to the Light
Running to the Light - Jim Worrall - Right Point - Phillip Island - jetty

Below – Sky Burst
Sky Burst - Jim Worrall - Right Point - Phillip Island - jetty

Below – Agaze
Agaze - Jim Worrall - Right Point - Phillip Island


An Afternoon at Sorrento

A selection of images from the photographically rich area along Sorrento back beach.

Below – “Her Outstretched Arms
The sun has dropped close to the horizon giving a warm hue to the sky and rocky plateaus. The vigorous surf is tamed by the camera’s long exposure time.
Her Outstretched Arms - Jim Worrall - Sorrento back beach - Australia

Below – “Sphinx
In the foreground the violent surf swirls under and around a rocky platform whilst in the background the iconic Sorrento Sphinx rock formation stares out to sea.
Sphinx - Jim Worrall - Sorrento back beach - Australia

Below – “The Call of White Water
Low tide at St Paul’s beach Sorrento as the surf crashes over the rocky plateaus filling one of the many natural pools.
The Call of White Water - Jim Worrall - Sorrento back beach - Australia

Below – Water continually cascades off the edge of the platforms as waves push across them.
Cascading water - Jim Worrall - Sorrento back beach - Australia

Below – A memorial on the cliff tops at Jubilee Point, Sorrento.
A sobering reminder of how dangerous this area can be.
Memorial - Jubilee Point Sorrento - Jim Worrall


The Flinders Pier Excursion.

Images from a recent trip to Flinders with friends Christine Wilson and Caroline Gorka.
The objective for the afternoon was to capture some images of the old wooden pier before it’s replaced by the concrete monster that’s currently being constructed right next to it.
As usual I became distracted.

Below – “IiN” some ghostly remains from further along the beach.
IiN - Flinders beach - Jim Worrall

Flinders beach - Jim Worrall - Morington peninsula

Below – “Flinders Point” just around the corner from the calm harbor area there’s a lot more ocean wave activity.
There were waves crashing all over the place here but the long exposure makes it look deceptively calm.
Flinders Point - Jim Worrall - Mornington Peninsula

Below – “Flinders Back-Beach” near the blow hole area. Stop giggling, that’s what it’s called !!
Flinders Back-Beach - Jim Worrall - Mornington Peninsula

Flinders - Jim Worrall - Morington Peninsula


ND400 Long Exposures at Safety Beach (Bracketing and tonemapping long exposures)

Following is a series of bracketed and tone-mapped long exposure images from Safety Beach, Victoria, Australia.
All were shot in the late afternoon using ND400 and ND8 filters combined to achieve the desired long exposure times.

Below – “Safety Beach Jetty
Safety Beach Jetty - Jim Worrall - Port Phillip Bay - Australia - beach

Here’s how I do my bracketed images – Many of my waterscapes are long exposure tonemapped images generated from 3 exposures at 0,-2 and +2 EV. In order to achieve these 3 exposures I set my camera to aperture priority mode, enable auto bracketing and set the ISO as low as it will go. I then tinker with the aperture value, iso value and either add or remove ND filters in order to force the camera to achieve a shutter speed of 8 seconds for the first exposure (0 EV). Now when the shutter button is activated the camera gives me 3 exposures at 8 seconds, 2 seconds and 30 seconds (which corresponds to approximately 0,-2 and +2 EV)

When these 3 exposures are blended together (tonemapped) in an HDR program the resulting image contains the misty silky effects from the 8 and 30 second exposures and also contains some details from the slower 2 second exposure. When shooting REALLY fast moving water I usually aim for a faster initial exposure time of say 4 seconds. The camera then gives me 3 bracketed exposures at 4 seconds, 1 second and 16 seconds (0,-2 and +2 EV)

The aim is to catch some detail in the fastest exposure but also benefit from the misty effect of the longer exposures.

UPDATE – Oct 2012 – If you’re looking for an introductory guide on how to use the ND400 have a look at my other blog post here.

Below – “Seep” a stormwater drain at Safety Beach.
Yes, a drain can look beautiful. 🙂
Seep - Jim Worrall - Safety Beach - Port Phillip Bay - Australia - drain

Below – “Jettison” another stormwater drain at Safety Beach.
Jettison - Jim Worrall - Safety Beach - Port Phillip Bay - Australia - drain


The Window of Opportunity – Grantville Beach.

Amongst the photographic gems that Grantville beach makes available to photographers is a set of 3 rows of short pylons.
No doubt these pylons are the remains of an old jetty but they differentiate themselves from other such sites in a couple of interesting ways. Firstly, it’s unusual to see 3 rows of pylons like this. Most old jetties leave behind only two rows of pylons.
Secondly the pylons are extremely short here, with most of them extending from the muddy base by only a few short inches.

The short stature of these pylons provides photographers with an interesting challenge. At high tide the pylons are invisible as they’re completely submerged by water, and at low tide they’re an awful looking series of posts sitting in mud.
The challenge for the photographer is to arrive at the site during a narrow window of opportunity whilst the tidal transition ideally has all of the pylons surrounded by water around their bases and yet not enough water to make them shorten or disappear below the surface.

Below – “Runway to the Afterlife
Runway to the Afterlife - Jim Worrall - Grantville - jetty pylons
On my first visit to the site I was extremely lucky and caught the tide at just the right height. I wasn’t aware of how elusive these pylons could be until subsequent visits, hoping to catch the pylons in a different light, I haven’t been fortunate enough to arrive at the right time. 😦

Below – “Mortality” an image taken near the pylons on a different evening. The dark brooding sky sets the mood of the image. In the foreground lays a dead jellyfish, stranded by the outgoing tide.
Mortality - Jim Worrall - Grantville - jellyfish

Below – “Deep Creek Reflections“, also near the pylons Deep Creek enters the Westernport Bay.
Deep Creek Reflections - Jim Worrall - Grantville - Westernport Bay


Trolling around under bridges and piers

On excursions where I’m near a bridge or pier, my inner troll has a tendency to take control and drag me under.
Sometimes the results are quite pleasing. Strangely enough I often find the underside to be more photographically pleasing than the top side.

Below – “Gateway” the underside of the San Remo bridge.
Gateway - San Remo bridge - Jim Worrall

Below – “San Remo Bridge” the gateway to Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia.
San Remo Bridge - Jim Worrall - Phillip Island gateway

Below – “Dromana Downunder” the underside of Dromana pier. No trolls under here!
Dromana Downunder - Dromana Pier - Jim Worrall - HDR


Contrasts – Views from Jam Jerrup

Contrasting views from the beach at Jam Jerrup, Victoria, Australia.
It’s interesting to see how different a location can appear under different light and tidal conditions. This is exactly the reason why I like to return to the same places many times.

Below – “Aspirations” is a minimalistic long exposure image taken at high tide.
Aspirations - Jam Jerrup - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay - seascape - long exposure

Below – “Blunderbuss” is a wider view of the same area taken at low tide with some more drama taking place in the clouds.
Blunderbuss - Jam Jerrup - Jim Worrall - Australia - Westernport Bay

Below – “Exploring the Meme” is the boat ramp and single post at Jam Jerrup.
Exploring the Meme - Jam Jerrup - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay - Australia


A Photo Exploration of Grantville beach.

I visited Grantville the day after Victoria had been hammered by unusually high rainfall.
Apparently the extreme rainfall was a side effect of cyclone Yasi’s passage across Queensland and into central Australia.
With the worst of the rain over, the day provided some beautiful photographic conditions with the sun filtered through an interesting arrangement of constantly changing storm clouds.

I love the beach down this way. Each time I visit here I discover something new.
Before I discovered photography I would never have guessed that I would find storm water drains interesting. 🙂

Below – “Purge” a storm water drain running into Westernport Bay.
Purge - Jim Worrall - Grantville - Westernport Bay - beach - drain - hdr - long exposure
For those who are interested in the technical details, the drain images are constructed using HDR tone mapping techniques. The long exposures were achieved using a combination of ND400 and ND8 filters on the end of the lens to smooth the waves on the water.

Below – “Running from the Idols” – another drain dumping water into Westernport Bay.
Running from the Idols - Jim Worrall -  Grantville - Westernport Bay - beach - long exposure - HDR

Below – A long exposure self portrait, standing at the end of the Grantville jetty.
Grantville Jetty - Jim Worrall - self portrait - Westernport Bay

Below – “Grantville Jetty” – a view from the jetty looking out towards the boat ramp marker posts.
Grantville Jetty - Jim Worrall - Westernport Bay - pier

Below – “After the Rains” – a long exposure image from Grantville beach as rain clouds exit. An old boat trailer sits semi-submerged in the foreground.
After the Rains - Jim Worrall - Grantville - beach - Westernport Bay - Australia - long exposure


A Photographic Trip to Tenby Point.

Tenby Point is a coastal village located on the shores of Westernport Bay, just a few kilometers east of Corinella, Victoria, Australia.
On this particular photography excursion conditions weren’t ideal. The sun was harsh and high in the sky, and there were no clouds around. Due to these harsh light conditions I chose to make a series of high key images whilst the tide was favorable.

Below – The Counsel of Many

The Counsel of Many - Jim Worrall - Tenby Point - Westernport Bay - Australia

It’s important to know what the tides are doing here from a photographer’s prespective.
I think it’s best here to avoid visiting at low tide unless you’d like images of sticks or trees sitting in mud.
The black and white images in this post were taken with both an ND400 and an ND8 filter attached to the end of the lens to achieve long exposure times in bright sunny conditions. The goal behind using such heavy filtering is to achieve long exposure times in order to blur as much detail as possible from the sky and water.
The result is a more minimalistic image.

Below – Sweet Survivor
Sweet Survivor - Jim Worrall - Tenby Point - Westernport Bay - Australia

Below – The Path to Yesterday
The Path to Yesterday - Jim Worrall - Tenby Point - Australia - jetty

Eventually all good things come to those who wait. The afternoon dominated by harsh white light gave way to a pearler of a sunset when some clouds moved across the sky at just the right moment. I drove home from Tenby Point wearing a satisfied grin. 🙂

Below – Sunset at Tenby Point
Sunset at Tenby Point - Jim Worrall - Australia - seascape


Exploring Beachport, South Australia.

I visited the town of Beachport just prior to the summer “silly season”. This provided me the with the opportunity to explore the area without the usual crowds of holiday makers cluttering up the splendid beaches.

The town sits on the end of a small cape with one side facing towards the open ocean and the other side facing more towards the mainland providing a relatively safe harbour area and calmer beaches.

Below – Thar She Blows – a storm approaches Beachport from the ocean.
Thar She Blows - Jim Worrall - Beachport South Australia - storm clouds over beach

Below – Beachport Pier – located on the calmer east side of the cape, is apparently the second longest pier in Australia. You need a cut lunch and a sherpa to trek from one end of the pier to the other. 🙂
Beachport Pier - Jim Worrall - South Australia

Below – The Pool of Siloam at Beachport contains water which is claimed to be seven times saltier than seawater which makes floating really easy. The pool is fed by underground springs.
Pool of Siloam - Jim Worrall - Beachport South Australia

Below – Back on the rougher ocean side Post Office Rock at Beachport provides some nice wave action.
I lost a pair of runners and socks here to an unexpected wave.
The Post Office - Jim Worrall - Post Office Rock Beachport South Australia