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

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

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

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

Morning colours at Horse Head Rock near Bermagui

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

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

Sunrise at Glasshouse Rocks in Narooma

Glasshouse Rocks sunrise in Narooma, NSW

Glasshouse Rocks sunrise in Narooma, NSW

Morning sun hits stunning rock formation at Glasshouse Rocks Beach 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

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

Boat tied up at Wagstaffe Jetty with dramatic clouds

B&W image of the Jetty at Hardys Bay 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

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.

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

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

Sunrise over Maitland Bay on the Bouddi Coastal Track

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

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

The tessellated pavement at Bouddi Coastal Walk on a winters morning

The tessellated pavement at Bouddi Coastal Walk on a winters morning


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.

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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.

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The remote campsite

The remote campsite

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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

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

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

Moonlight on the foreground as first light appears on the horizon

Bombo Quarry just before sunrise

Bombo Quarry just before sunrise

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

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.

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.

Cathedral Rocks taken from the bat cave.

Alfie running on the beach

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.

Farm Life

With a yearning to escape the rat race of Sydney for the weekend, Truc, Alfie and I ventured to the Capertee Valley last week for a magnificent Farmstay weekend.

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Yarraglen Homestead is a fully sustainable farm that is situated just outside of Glen Alice, about a 3 hour drive from Sydney. Its less than a hour from Mudgee, Rylstone and Lithgow.

The fresh air, the isolation, the beautiful views of the Capertee Valley and curious animals made it a perfect getaway. The owners Sandy and Bill live up in the main house which they have been building for the past few years. We rented their cottage, a delightful self-sufficient accomodation with a large fully fenced yard that Alfie could roam freely in and chat to the neighbouring cows, goats, and chickens. 

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Bill has a wide and varied collection of old vehicles on the farm which made for some great photos at all times of the day and night.

It certainly wasn't easy leaving the cosy fireplace in the cottage to photograph the stars but when I saw that old truck I just had to give it a  go.

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The animals on the farm were more than happy to pose for photographs and some were even friendlier than that an, Alfie made friends with a  baby goat that Sandy named 'Saturday' after the day on which he was born a few weeks earlier.

Sunrise is a favourite time of the day for me although I admit it's hard to get out of bed at times, especially on a chilly morning. To be honest this particular sunrise was not the most spectacular but walking across the fields with my four legged friend by my side made this one that I will remember for a long time.

Man, dog, sunrise

Man, dog, sunrise

Alfie

Alfie

It was a such a beautiful place to relax and rejuvenate and I'm sure that we will go back there one day soon. The kids will love it and I'm sure Alfie is keen to play with Saturday again.

You can check out the Yarragelen Homestead website here. Their homemade breads, jams, milk and fresh produce were all fantastic too and Sandy even does cookery classes.

All images here are available to purchase as limited edition fine art prints - please get in touch for more details.


 

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New Zealand Part 5 - Wanaka & Franz Josef

Wanaka & Franz Josef

From Queenstown we headed back North, although this technically signalled the start of the way home there was still plenty to see and do.

First up was Wanaka, a relatively short drive from Queenstown across the stunning Crown Range Road. We found a fantastic campsite about 10ks out of town and managed to pitch the tent right on the edge of the lake. The image below is taken just a few feet from the tent and in the distance you can see the white cap of Mt Aspiring.

View from Glendhu Bay

View from Glendhu Bay

A highlight of the region is the Roy's Peak walk. An 8km uphill walk to lookout over the lake and Mt Aspiring national park. OK, so we only went half way (my physiotherapist still won't be happy) but the views were still stunning.

Roy's Peak

Roy's Peak

The most photographed point in Wanaka however is a small willow tree which grows a few metres into the lake. On first glance you are left wondering what all the fuss is about but it does allow for a nicely composed shot with the lake and the mountains. We were lucky enough to get a bit of colour in the sunset when we were there.

That Wanaka Tree at sunset

That Wanaka Tree at sunset

Twilight at the tree

Twilight at the tree

From Wanaka we hit the road again and headed across to Glacier Country. One of my fondest memories of New Zealand from my last trip 20 years ago was the help-hike on Franz Josef Glacier and I was keen to see it again.

We were greeted by some ominous low hanging cloud and it looked as though we wouldn't be able to fly to the top. The flight that we had booked for the morning had been cancelled and no further trips were available during our stay with that company. We did however find another operator with availability for that afternoon so we reserved a couple of spots and hoped for the best.

In the meantime we headed over to Fox Glacier to visit Lake Matheson. It's famed for its perfect reflections of Mt Cook but bearing in mind that morning's cloud and a breeze we weren't hopeful of much. But much as the rest of the trip we were so lucky with the weather, just as I set up the tripod the cloud cleared and the breeze stilled....

Lake Matheson

Lake Matheson

And we got further luck in the afternoon as the weather held off and allowed us to do the heli-hike. Helicopter is now the only way to get up to the glacier, when I had been there previously the Glacier reached a full 2km further down the valley and was walkable, but now  due to global warming that is not possible, and in 20 years time I doubt anyone will be able to go up there. More information about the glacier can be found here www.franzjosefglacier.com

Glacial Pillars

Glacial Pillars

Glacier Wave

Glacier Wave

Helicopter dwarfed

Helicopter dwarfed

Looking Cool on Franz Josef

Looking Cool on Franz Josef

Our luck with the weather had to come to an end at some point and so it was as we drove from Franz Josef to Arthur's Pass that the rain settled in and there were no views to be had. 

Our final stop on the way back to Christchurch was at Castle Hill, an amazing spot not too far from Arthur's pass and popular with boulderers. Its an area filled with giant granite rocks and boulders that looks as much like an art installation as a rock formation.

Castle Hill Monolith

Castle Hill Monolith

Castle Hill - Arthur's Pass

Castle Hill - Arthur's Pass

And that brings me to the end of the trip. New Zealand is a truly fabulous place and I urge everyone to visit at some point. I sincerely hope that its not another 20 years before I get to go back.

Thank you so much to Truc for joining me on this trip and for your all round awesomeness. Also thanks to Norm (Indigo Photography) for his photographic camaraderie and friendship.

Thanks for reading, I hope you have enjoyed these pictures - as ever, please get in touch should you wish to purchase any large high quality wall art of any of them.

 

Tony.