Bermagui Brilliance

A trip to the Sapphire coast is a bit of a pilgrimage for all Landscape and Seascape photographers so I was delighted to get the opportunity to travel down to the South Coast of NSW last week to experience this gem of an area.

We based ourselves in the quiet town of Bergamui, a 5 hour drive South of Sydney. The town has some fantastic beaches as well as a plethora of cafes, restaurants and some of the best fresh Oysters that you’ll ever taste.

Beare’s Beach in Bermagui, NSW

But the real drawcard of the area for me was to visit some of the most dramatic rock formations I’ve ever seen.

Camel Rock lies at the end of a beautiful long beach just north of the town, as the name suggests the rock itself is in the shape of a Camel.. but o be honest thats not the best view of it. Getting up close particularly at a lower tide gives some amazing compositions.

Camel rock near Bermagui on the Sapphire Coast in NSW

Late afternoon Sun on Camel Rock, Green Algae on love heart rockpool in the foreground

A very short distance from Camel Rock is Horse Head Rock. As the name suggests this is a huge rock formation in the shape of a horse’s head that juts out to sea. This can only be accessed at low tide by scrambling across rocks from Camel Rock, there may however be another steep way down from the coastal path other end of the beach, again only at low tide. I was lucky to get a low tide at sunrise while I was there.

Morning colours at Horse Head Rock near Bermagui

First rays of sunshine light up horse head rock on the NSW Sapphire Coast

We had been due to swim the seals at Moreton Island near Narooma but sadly sea conditions put paid to the trip. This dint stop us from taking in some of the other local attractions though including Australia Rock in Narooma and the beautiful townships of Tilba (including the very nice Tilba Winery).

Our next sunrise was Glasshouse Rocks, a beautiful shark fin like rock formation on a stunning beach in Narooma. It was a hazy start to the day so had to get a little closer to the rocks than I would have liked for sunrise but still very happy with the results

Sunrise at Glasshouse Rocks in Narooma

Glasshouse Rocks sunrise in Narooma, NSW

Morning sun hits stunning rock formation at Glasshouse Rocks Beach in Narooma, NSW

All in all a fantastic trip, we stopped in Ulladulla on the way back for a fantastic Engagement portrait session. I’ll post some of those soon!

As ever all images in this blog are available as limited edition fine art prints, get in touch for details.

Ocean rocks at Beare’s beach, Bermagui

Mother Nature's Son

I thought it would be worth sharing a bit about a landscape shoot I did a couple of days ago. I’ve always been a fan of astrophotography but due to COVID restrictions hadn’t been out too much for this season. This time of year is great for astrophotography. The Milky Way rises just after sunset so you don’t have to sit up all night to get the best shots. Even better is that the Milky Way sets to the South meaning that there are opportunities to shoot it in that perfect arc across the sky.

Seeing a favourable weather forecast I booked myself a campsite and headed up to Putty Beach on the Central Coast. Unfortunately, a huge band of cloud rolled through which meant that I wasn’t going to be able to see the milky way rising. The clouds did lend themselves however, to a dramatic sky and a fleeting but glorious sunset.

I took pictures at a few locations around Wagstaffe, Killcare, and Hardy’s Bay.

Boat tied up at Wagstaffe Jetty with dramatic clouds

B&W image of the Jetty at Hardys Bay with dramatic clouds

Hardys Bay jetty taken from the mudflat with tide out

It looked for a moment that there would not be much of a sunset but there was a small gap in the clouds at the horizon and so for a couple of glorious moments the sky was turned several shades of orange.

Glorious Colour Burst at Hardy’s Bay for Sunset.

For the stars an alarm was set for 3.30am, I ventured round to the end of the Putty beach to shoot the milky way to the south. Unfortunately the other main thing south of Killcare is Sydney and so there was some unavoidable light pollution on the horizon. But I think it was worth it.

From Putty Beach The Milky Way sets over Killcare with Sydney lights on the horizon

I was awake now so headed up the Bouddi Coastal Track to get some shots of the sunrise (not much of one I’m afraid due to the clear skies, you cant have it all), the tessellated pavement and I was lucky enough to see a number of whales swimming by.

Sunrise over Maitland Bay on the Bouddi Coastal Track

look closely, theres a couple of humpbacked whales on their journey north

The tessellated pavement at Bouddi Coastal Walk on a winters morning

Hello Baby!

Newborn photography can be one of the most challenging genres of photography but it’s one that we at Tony Newby Photography love to do.

We recently had the privilege to be invited by Ashley and Vanessa to photograph their beautiful week old daughter Sienna. We took the portable studio to their apartment in Alexandria for the shoot on a very wet afternoon.

After multiple feeds we finally managed to get her settled and were able to produce a beautiful selection of images that the parents were delighted with.

Our priority always when shooting newborns is the safety and the comfort of the baby. We will never try to get a pose that is not in any way safe. We always sure that we have people around and we use a huge beanbag underneath our backdrops for safety and comfort.

Shoots can take place at our studio in Ryde but we can also come to clients homes throughout the Sydney and the surrounding regions.

We are also experts in editing and will ensure that all those cute little temporary blotches and scuffs that accompany newborns are cleaned up and you get the perfect images of your perfect baby.

We have very affordable packages starting at $495. Get in touch today to book in a session for your baby.

Naturally, during COVID-19 all necessary precautions will be taken and shoots will only go head in accordance with Government issued guidelines.

Some Help Choosing The Right Wedding Photography Package

When booking your wedding photographer there are many things to consider;

• First and foremost you wanna photographer that you can like and trust. Obviously, they have to have the skills and creativity to get you the best images of the day and ensure that you look awesome throughout.

• Check their websites and portfolios but don’t be afraid to prepare mood boards of other wedding photographs that you’ve seen and liked. The best photographers will be able to adapt their style where necessary to suit your needs.

• They should be professional photographers, check their accreditation with industry associations, this will give you peace of mind that they will deliver what they promise.

• Also, check that they have the necessary insurances.

• Of course, you need to find a photographer that can deliver what you want within your budget.

Tony Newby Photography now offers a full range of wedding services and packages to suit any budget.

We will tailor a package to suit your specific requirements, this means that you are not paying for things that you do not need, neither are you missing out on the things that you really want because they don’t come as part of the package being offered. So, here are a few examples of what you might expect to pay for a range of services from TNP. Remember, these are completely tailorable to suit you.

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For the more budget conscious we have an entry package that gets you to 6 hours of wedding photography by a fully accredited professional wedding photographer. All the best images will be edited and delivered to you digitally giving you a lifetime of beautiful memories from your special day. This costs just $1,850 Additional hours, photographers, re-touching and printed products can be added to this at any time.

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For those looking for a little bit more, we can tailor packages to suit your every need. For example we can offer a 6 hour package that includes all of the above as well as a 20 page album made up of all your favourite images fully re-touched, this would cost you just $2,450

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Some may want a more comprehensive package than that, so how about this;

• Full day’s coverage of your day.

• 30 page personally designed and hand bound album made up of all your favourite images fully re-touched

• 2 x Parent Albums

• A 30” Canvas of your favourite image

• Private online gallery

  Total cost $3,750

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No matter what package you opt for you will get the following inclusions

• Initial consultation in person or via video conference

• Personalised package depending on your need

• Great personal service throughout the process, from people that you will like

• Through professional photography from industry accredited professionals with full insurance

• Beautiful photographs and memories that will last a lifetime

• The best quality printed products produced at professional printing labs

Among the Sunflowers

With the terrible drought that Australia has been experiencing over the past couple of years finding fields of blooming Sunflowers has been an increasingly difficult thing to do.

So I was delighted to get the opportunities to join a group of fellow photographers for a shoot at the Yarramalong Turf farm on the NSW Central Coast for a sunrise shoot prior to their harvest.

The thought of leaving home at 4.30am could have been off putting but it was well worth the trip. The morning dew, the ladybirds/ladybugs, the bees and the sunrise all made for a wonderful shoot and I’m very happy with the outcome. I hope you like the pictures.

Sunflowers salute the rise of the sun

The bees go to work on the sunflower

Ladybugs on a sunflower

Yarramalong opens its doors for Sunflower harvesting a couple of times a year too. You can go along and pick your own flowers for a dollar a stem. Keep an eye on their facebook page for the next available dates. Focus Australia is the group I went with, a great group of landscape and seascape photography enthusiasts who have meet ups regularly up and down the coast. This is a great way to find locations, meet like minded people and learn a lot. Definitely worth joining if you want to get out there more taking pictures.

Wedding Bells

I had the great privilege recently to photograph the wedding of Erin and Jake. A lovely day, a lovely couple and a tremendously rewarding experience as a photographer.

It was a relatively small scale wedding held at the magnificent Sergeant’s Mess in Mosman, a beautiful venue overlooking Sydney’s Middle Harbour.

I was ably assisted by Truc who did an awesome job as a second shooter and played an invaluable role in ensuring that all wedding dresses and clothing were always in place throughout. I really couldn’t have done it without her.

Here are a few more images from the day.

As part of their package I was delighted to be able to provide them with a beautiful album and a canvas print of their favourite image. Thanks to the guys at Brilliant Prints for producing these for us.

I don’t photograph lot of weddings but it is certainly part of my suite of family photography services, and I’d be happy to do more. One of the things I love about this job is that there are always surprises and challenges and that you are always learning, thats certainly been the case here… and I can’t wait for the next challenge.

Feel free to get in touch if you or somebody you know is getting married soon, I’d be happy to chat through the options. Meanwhile here’s a little slideshow video of Jake & Erin’s big day.

Slideshow of Erin & Jake's wedding on 4.5.19 at Sergeants Mess in Mosman.

Easter fun

With Easter and Anzac day being so close together this year there was the opportunity to take an extended break and I was able to get away with friends and family to see some of New South Wales prettiest parts.

For the first part of the trip a group of us ventured to New England National Park. Its a 7 hour drive from Sydney and sits on the Waterfall Way between Armidale and Coffs Harbour. We stayed in a couple of cabins high up in the rainforest at nearly 1500m altitude. A beautiful place but we did spend most of our stay living in the clouds. However that lent itself to some beautiful rainforest scenery and atmosphere.

And outside of our little cloudy cottages the scenery was also stunning and it made the trip so worthwhile. All along Waterfall Way there are national parks and waterfalls and vistas galore, its well worth the visit.

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For the second part of the trip Truc and I took Alfie for a few nights camping at Chapman Valley near Putty. This vast piece of farmland is home to a horse riding centre and is also used for cattle. The real pleasure here though is that they allow camping on very remote parts of the farm. This means that we were able to camp miles away from anybody else and enjoy nature at its very best. There are many hiking and riding options on the property itself and we were a short drive away from the wineries in Broke and the beautiful Cold River.

From photography point of view we were blessed with clear skies and an opportunity to watch the millions of stars. We also were spoiled with gorgeous countryside and panoramas.

The remote campsite

All Images on this trip were taken on the Fuji XT-2 its a great little mirrrorless DSLR which is great for travelling. Its packed full of features too and extremely versatile in all conditions. As ever all images here are available as limited edition wall prints. Available in a range of sizes and finishes.

Bombo Quarry - a sublime location.

I’ve made a promise to myself this year - I must get out there and shoot more landscapes. Afterall it’s what drew me to photography in the first place and much as I love what I’m doing with corporate photography I have been missing the buzz of chasing the perfect sunrise.

So this weekend Truc, Alfie and I ventured down to Kiama ,about 2 hours south of Sydney, to see what we could see. Originally we had planned to join a group to shoot some astrophotography down there. It’s that season now where the galactic core can be photographed in all its majesty on a clear and moonless night.

Unfortunately the forecast cloud cover meant that the group shoot was postponed but we carried on regardless.

Bombo Quarry is just a few kilometres away from Kiama and has some of the most dramatic coastline features in Australia. Its an old blue metal mining quarry which has been disused for 100 years now but the majestic Basalt columns give the place a moon-like feel. its a favourite destination of landscape photographers from all over the world and has long been somewhere that I’ve been wanting to visit having jealously admired images from other photographers.

Taking the shot

After taking Alfie for a swim at Bombo beach (parts of it is dog friendly) we wandered up to the quarry for sunset. Although more famous for its sunrise images there are still a lot of opportunities here at any time of day (and night!). Our patience was rewarded as we were treated to a fleeting burst of colour which helped to perfectly frame the impressive surroundings.

Bombo Quarry at Sunset

Although the skies were turned out to be fairly clear we didn’t attempt the astrophotography (but I will go back), instead opting to get back out there for sunrise. Unfortunately conditions weren’t great with a thick band of cloud on the horizon and clear skies above. The exact opposite of what you want as a photographer. But we persevered and despite the 5am start we still got nice selection of images. (and an even broader selection of mosquito bites!)

Moonlight on the foreground as first light appears on the horizon

Bombo Quarry just before sunrise

First rays of light hit the rock as the waves crash in.

And of course if there isn’t a lot of colour in the sky there’s always the option of making something moody in black&white. And I love the way that this one came out. I really want to go back there when the seas are a tad fiercer as it has the potential to be absolutely spectacular.

The sea, she was angry that day.

Ideally we’d have spent a few more days down there to get a greater understanding of the variable conditions; you can see how it would change with every season, every tide, every type of weather. I’ll definitely go back and when I do I’d like to spend a bit of time also visiting Cathedral Rocks which is nearby. This awesome sea monument will be great for sunrise and astro photography. Unfortunately we only had time to see it in the mid-day sun on our way home, but still got some nice shots …. and of Alfie having a great time playing on the beach.

Cathedral Rocks taken from the bat cave.

Alfie running on the beach

Can’t wait to go back. Happy for the company if anybody wants to come along.

And of course all of these images are available as limited edition wall art prints. Get in touch for more details.

Tony.