The magazine business is a constantly changing and evolving organism. With the rise of e-readers, iPads and tablet devices the era of the ‘Digital Magazine’ has most definitely arrived. The true potential of digital magazines is just starting to be explored with a range of new offerings that are starting to leverage the full and previously untapped potential of digital interactivity. One such magazine is ‘Extraordinary Vision‘. Available exclusively for the iPad, Extraordinary Vision is a free magazine that features interactive content for both professional and amateur photographers alike. The current issue features one my photographs on the cover from the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in Iceland as well as a feature article on Photography in Extreme Latitudes. Did I mention its Free?

In case you were unable to attend the webinars I did yesterday on Tips and Techniques for working with images with Snow and Ice the good folks at X-Rite and Nik have archived the webinar online for on demand viewing.

Coloratti Joshua Holko spends a lot of time out in the ice and snow of Antarctica and Iceland. His photographs have won worldwide acclaim and give us a glimpse into another world that exists in some of the most difficult climate conditions on earth. Taking photographs in these conditions poses particular issues with light, reflection, shadow, glare, and more.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Joshua is a full-time professional landscape, nature and wilderness photographer who runs workshops and expeditions for other photographers and travellers to some of the world’s wildest and remotest regions. Specializing in the Polar and sub-Polar regions of the globe, his work celebrates the extreme latitudes of the Polar environment. An ambassador for the Polar Regions he gave up the corporate world to pursue his true passion for photography.

In this webinar Josh will show us his workflow using X-Rite ColorChecker Passport to solve some of the special issues that arise from shooting in these extreme conditions. This subject matter that can pose some difficult challenges for photographers. Josh also uses i1Display Pro to keep his monitors calibrated and profiled so that changes he makes using Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 4 and Viveza 2 can be properly evaluated.

Josh will share some of his favorite techniques using ColorChecker Passport and Nik Software for capturing and finishing beautiful images that you’ll be proud to hang on your wall. Even if you’ve never been to Antarctica or Iceland you’ll learn valuable problem solving techniques to help you in special lighting conditions.

Be sure to watch this webinar co-sponsored by X-Rite and Nik Software.

In part two of the new Gura Gear Bataflae series of videos we have a look at just what I pack in my camera bag for both international travel and local landscape photography. Depending on where I am travelling and what I am shooting I occasionally swap lenses in and out of this collection. As you will see, you can fit quite a bit of gear in a  Bataflae 32L! I actually discovered another tele-converter in the bag on top of all the other equipment when I was repacking the bag after we finished filming. Just click on the image to watch the video via You Tube. I hope you enjoy. You can order the Gura Gear Bataflae cameras bags directly from Gura Gear.

I was recently interviewed by the editor of Camera House’s Better Pictures magazine for their Christmas issue and the article ‘Outward Bound’ is now online. The magazine is free and can be viewed online in a web browser or you can download a PDF of the article HERE. Check it out if you have a few minutes spare.

How do you take what is widely regarded by many photographers as one of the finest camera bags on the market and make it even better?

I was pondering this when the guys at Gura Gear first told me that they were working on an update to the very popular Kiboko 30L camera bag along with a range of new accessory storage bags called the ‘Et Cetera’ range.I was an early adopter of Gura Gear bags. After I returned from my first expedition to Iceland I realized how unhappy I had become with my then current camera bag (whose name shall remain anonymous). For a variety of reasons it was no longer satisfying my needs and I was on the lookout for a new lightweight bag that met airline carry-on restrictions for size but enabled me to carry more equipment comfortably into the field.  Anyone who has travelled domestically or internationally with camera equipment understands the importance of being able to carry equipment onto the airplane to avoid the risk of damage or theft in checked luggage. I therefore needed a bag that could not only hold all of my equipment, but that was light, robust, suitable for moderate hiking, and still enabled me to glide through airport check -in with a smile and a wave. My search led me to the Kiboko which, after several years of photographic travel, has become my number one camera bag of choice for all of my photography.

Fast forward to 2012 – With a four week photographic trip to Europe and a workshop in Iceland in July and August this year it was the perfect opportunity to field test the new Gura Gear Bataflae camera bags and Et Cetera range. The good folks at Gura Gear agreed and a shipment of the new product range was soon winging its way to me.

I admit to being very excited when I opened up the boxes from Gura Gear and saw the new products. You know you have purchased a quality product when you open the box and are greeted by the super slick black dust covers bearing the Gura Gear logo. Whilst the addition of a dust bag might seem superfluous it does in fact prove very useful for long-term storage and can even serve as a pretty cool laundry bag when travelling.

Widely regarded as being capable of swallowing copious amounts of camera equipment with room to spare (the Kiboko 30L will hold just about everything you can throw at it) the new Bataflae 32L adds even more space. Overall, it is larger and deeper than the original. This extra space proved a real blessing during my field tests as Canon’s new 1DX camera with a really right stuff L bracket is a very tight fit in the original Kiboko, but slides perfectly into the new bag thanks to the extra head room. Users of professional DSLR’s, medium and large format camera gear will really appreciate the extra height available.

Those of you familiar with the original Kiboko will already be sold on the benefits of the unique butterfly openings that avoid that unwieldy large flap that most camera bags provide for internal access.  There are, however, times when it would be nice to be able to open the bag right up for packing and full access. Well, the new Bataflae gives you the best of both worlds with the traditional butterfly openings but adds the ability to open the entire bag up by releasing a simple clasp at the top of the bag. This really makes packing much simpler as well as providing full access to both sides simultaneously when required in the field. The centre divider contains extra strengthening to maintain rigidity even when the bag is fully loaded. In use, I found this to work very well.The rain cover has been relocated from inside one of the butterfly pockets to outside the bag in a small zippered pocket, which has freed up more room in the butterfly pocket. The rain cover now also utilizes a draw string which is an improvement over the original elastic cover because it can now also serve as a ground sheet if required.

Like the original bags, the new range is manufactured from highly durable materials, although the new material has more bling. The stitching, zippers and internal fittings of the new bags are improved in every respect. Even the finger zipper pulls are easier to use.  Additional padding has been added to the backpack harness, which makes the bag noticeably more comfortable when hiking. There are yet more refinements to be found in the way of improved clasps for carrying tripods which can even accommodate items such as crampons. Like its predecessor, the new range comes with a considerable number of extra dividers so that its internal storage space can be customized to one’s own particular needs. All of this amounts to a very compelling reason to upgrade to the new models.

When the new Bataflae is fully loaded with my camera equipment it was significantly over the normal carry-on luggage allowance during my Europe and Iceland expeditions, yet I had no issues on any of the five international and domestic flights, including several long haul flights. With the increase in size, the new Bataflae still fits in the overhead lockers on the aircraft I travelled and still retains its understated appearance. I am utterly convinced that the Bataflae is the best camera bag on the market for photographers who fly and travel.

During my four weeks in Europe I used the new Bataflae everywhere, from the bustling streets and Cathedrals of Paris to the more subdued provincial countryside and wine regions of France where I travelled by hire car. I took it mountaineering at 13,000 feet at Mont Blanc in Chamonix where it was -15 degrees Celsius, and trod the myriad of canals in Venice Italy during the peak summer season. I then travelled to Iceland for my 2012 summer Workshop where I spent time on the Snaefellsness Peninsula, the highlands of Landmannalaugar and the stunning Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon to name but a few locations. I undertook some fairly arduous hiking in the Landmannalaugar region and subjected the bag to everything from waterfall spray, rain, salt spray, sand and dust. I threw just about everything I could at the new bags and found them an improvement in every way over the originals.

The design changes and refinements to the new bags are in many cases subtle but they add up to a significant overall improvement that makes for a very compelling reason for existing Kiboko owners to upgrade. If, on the other hand, you haven’t already pampered yourself and your camera gear with Gura Gear then you are about to be presented with a fantastic opportunity with the release of these new products. They are highly recommended for their robustness and overall design.

The new product range takes everything that was great about the original bags and improves on it in just about every respect. I would argue that, outside of the camera and lens, there are few pieces of equipment that can have as much impact on your photography as your camera bag. If you travel or frequently change locations (and which photographer doesn’t!) you owe it to yourself (and your expensive equipment) to check out a Gura Gear camera bag.

Part Two – The Et Cetera and Tembo Range

As photographers we are constantly adding accessories to our equipment arsenal. Additional batteries, chargers, color checkers, CF and SD cards and card readers, adapter rings – the list goes on and on and there is only so many of these that can be shoehorned into a camera bag already overflowing with bodies and lenses. I am sure many of us have thrown all manner of photographic accessories loose into our suitcases before we travel because our camera bag was already overweight with bodies and lenses and at risk of airport check-in destruction.Solving this problem could well be Gura Gear’s masterstroke. Its new Et Cetera and Tembo line of products is designed to solve that annoying problem of finding a home for some of those accessories. The range is perhaps best thought of as the ‘Tupperware’ of camera storage and provides a range of different storage options for different accessories. I found these storage containers invaluable on my recent European trip and Iceland workshop and far more convenient than throwing items loosely in my checked luggage.

There is a range of different sizes and shapes from which to select and photographers will likely choose those models that best suit their needs and requirements.

Gura Gear products can be ordered directly from the Gura Gear Website

Tasmania’s 40 ° South magazine – issue 64, features a multi-page spread on the Wilderness Gallery at Cradle Mountain in Tasmania and includes my current exhibition ‘Colors of Iceland‘. A high resolution PDF of the magazine excerpt can be downloaded HERE (download is around 40MB). The Wilderness Gallery is a ‘must see’ for the many visitors who travel to the world famous Cradle Mountain  World Heritage park.  The gallery is an important part of the Tasmanian Federal Group company; which has a long history of supporting the arts and is the largest wilderness gallery in the Southern Hemisphere.

It occurred to me about a week or so ago (when I was forced to drop down into an ‘Everest gear’ to grind out one of the big hills on the mountain bike trail that I ride near my house) just how out of condition I am after my time in Antarctica (over-indulgence in good food during the Christmas New Year period has not helped either). During my time in Antarctica, on board ship, I never really did any exercise; yet I regularly stowed away three square meals a day (large three-course meals at that). Since I didn’t suffer from sea sickness, I was able to keep all those meals down (thankfully). My cardiovascular fitness has really deteriorated and it feels like I am missing a lung as I drag myself up the hills on the bike. After 20 kilometers on the trails, my body feels quite battered and broken. Overall, my time off the bike over the Christmas-New Year period has left me feeling quite unfit and out of condition. Subsequently I have actually managed to crack my bike frame and am undergoing a forced hiatus while I wait for my bike to be rebuilt.

The connection to photography may not be apparent at first. But physical fitness plays a major role in successful wilderness photography.  A good level of physical fitness enables you to hike faster, further and arrive at your destination ready to shoot, in better condition. It can be the difference between arriving at the top of the hill and getting the shot before the best light is gone and arriving on location exhausted and disappointed. It can even mean your not making it to the top at all. This is not to say the best shot is always at the end of an uphill hike. However, you will never know if you don’t make it up there to see for yourself. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to be a wilderness photographer, but I find a good level of physical fitness certainly helps.

Whilst I was puffing my way up the hill on my mountain bike, I also got to thinking that mountain biking is like photography in that to get good at it you have to do a lot of it. To stay in peak condition you have to be persistent. I have observed this many times when I am out on my photography excursions. My shots continue to improve as the days roll past and my ‘conditioning’ improves. It takes time to get into the ‘groove’ —the right frame of mind that enables me to recognize the good images from the bad. Antarctica was like that: it took me time to assimilate. After extensive international travel, the few days I had in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia gave me the opportunity to wind down, leave the stress of daily life behind, and start to focus on photography. This time was crucial because I had the chance to relax, which is just as important as being fit for the task. Buenos Aries itself didn’t turn me on photographically. It is a crowded and polluted city, quite unlike my expectations of Antarctica. But, at least, I was in the right frame of mind—relaxed—when we eventually left for Antarctica.

Before I arrive this July for my 2012 workshop in Iceland I am going to be spending a couple of weeks travelling through France and Italy (specifically, driving down from France to Venice) photographing the countryside as a precursor to the workshop. I am hoping to use this time to get my eye in, as it were, and ensure my state of mind is at or near its peak when I arrive in Iceland.

Landscape and Nature photography requires a serious commitment. You must be prepared to spend countless hours outdoors, frequently in inclement weather or harsh environments. It also requires hours of patience to get the best possible light. I have spent many hundreds of hours in the wilderness waiting for the right conditions. Nature and landscape photographers who are truly committed are a rare breed; we have to put up with a lot—fitness, patience, vigilance, and an eye for the main chance. It takes a certain mindset and dedication to stand around in freezing conditions and rain for hours, waiting for the right light when what beckons is a nice dinner and a glass of wine in a warm hotel somewhere.  You need commitment and dedication to get the shot.One thing I have learned through experience is that it is always worth sticking it out to the bitter end when waiting for the best light, no matter the prevailing weather conditions. Generally, brief moments of special light don’t fill the bill; you have to see it out to the end. All too often, the light changes in the last few moments and in these instances the light is often at its most spectacular. I recall a very poignant example of this, which I have blogged about before in Iceland in 2010 when I arrived at the top of one of the highest mountains in Landmannalaugar in Iceland, more than three hours before sunset. They skies were dull and grey and we were exposed to the full force of the Arctic winds. My friend Dmitry and I decided to hunker down and wait out the 3+ hours before sunset. I just wanted to hike back to the 4-wheel drive to warm up with a hot cup of coffee and a piece of cake, but the wait proved worthwhile.  The shoot provided some of the most spectacular light I have ever experienced anywhere. We had distant rain showers, rainbows and light that can only be described as sensational. Lesson learned – Never Give In. Above all, patience!

For as long as I have been into landscape, nature and wilderness photography I have been searching for the perfect gloves for outdoor winter photography. The problem has been that I have struggled to find gloves that are waterproof, yet are thin enough to retain enough ‘feel’ to enable me to use my camera equipment unhindered. I have a drawer full of potential candidates that have all ultimately disappointed for one reason or another; usually because the gloves ultimately lack enough tactile feel for camera operation or are not waterproof. Believe me when I say it has been quite a search.

Up until recently I had settled on a thermalite glove liner; which was both warm and thin enough to enable me to use my camera equipment relatively unhindered. The problem is that they are not waterproof and every time I have been shooting with them in the snow I have ended up with wet and subsequently freezing fingers. It also necessitated having multiple pairs (since one pair always ended up wet). Last weekend I was shooting up at Wallace’s Hut at Falls Creek at sunrise in a sleet and snow with the thermalites and yet again ended up with wet and freezing fingers. I told myself at the time I just had to find a better solution before I leave for New Zealand in a few days and before Antarctica later this year. I have no desire to find myself shooting from a zodiac amongst the icebergs in Antarctica with wet and freezing cold fingers.

Later that morning when I was getting a late breakfast / early lunch in Bright I popped into a couple of outdoor stores just to see what they had in the way of gloves. Amongst the usual assortment of skiing gloves (which are just to thick), woollen gloves (which are to slippery and not waterproof) I found a pair of ‘Seal Skinz‘. On first inspection these gloves ticked all the boxes: Waterproof – Yes, Thin for tactile feel, Yes, Grippy and non-slip, Yes. The Seal Skinz are very similar in appearance to the Lowe Pro gloves (I have never really liked the Lowe Pro gloves finding them still too thick and not waterproof), however, they are slightly thinner for better tactile feel and completely waterproof. Only problem was they were just shy of $70 a pair and they did not have my size in stock. Unperterbed I decided to try and order a pair online when I returned to Melbourne; which I did and the gloves arrived late last week just in time for my trip to the South Island of New Zealand. As an aside, I was also able to find them significantly cheaper online. I ordered the standard version of the Seal Skinz glove. Seal Skinz also make a chill blocker version of this glove; which although warmer again with its fleece lining is too thick for photography for me. Time will tell if these gloves prove their worth. The South Island of New Zealand in the dead of winter should certainly be a good test. Last time I was there I experienced -19 Degrees celsius while shooting from Helicopter above the alps with the doors removed (and that was cold!).

As an outdoor photographer whose favourite season is winter I am willing to accept some degree of finger discomfort (cold) to keep good tactile feel with my camera equipment. I can put up with being quite cold as long as I am not also wet. The trick is finding the right balance of warmth and tactile feel and I am hoping these new Seal Skinz finally fit the bill. I will see how they fare in New Zealand as a precursor test to my Antarctica trip and report back.

One of the most accessible and easier walks/treks at Cradle Mountain is the 2 hour stroll around Dove Lake at the base of Cradle Mountain. The walk is relatively flat (only a short uphill section – depending on which way you walk it), well sheltered from the weather for most of its length and takes you through an area known as the Ballroom Forest. This very pretty area consisting of mountain streams, old gnarled moss and lichen covered trees and logs is a great location for forest photography – especially when the weather is inclement; as it was for most of my trip. Overcast skies and mist are ideal for this kind of photography. The dark skies help tame the extreme dynamic range of nature. Bright sunlit days just don’t work photographically under a forest canopy. The extremes of light and dark are to great for the cameras sensor to record; and indeed to great for the human eye. Whilst photography in these conditions is still possible through judicious framing and cropping – and even HDR (although I don’t do HDR) I far prefer a thick cloud cover overhead. Overcast days  add an effect I like to refer to as ‘Natures Soft Box’. The extremes of light and dark and gone and the light is softer and more subtle. In overcast conditions the challenge shifts from having to deal with dynamic range to a compositional battle with nature. The photographer is forced to contend with yet another of my favourite photography sayings ‘Nature is inherently Messy’. It takes a good eye, time and patience to make sense of it some times but the results can be very rewarding.

In my last blog entry I made mention that whilst I was at Cradle Mountain in Tasmania I had visited the Wilderness Gallery located adjacent to the Cradle Mountain Chateau. In the interests of full disclosure it was a pre-arranged visit not without ulterior motive. I have visited the gallery before (Australia’s largest wilderness gallery; with ten rooms of photography) on several occassions and have always enjoyed spending time perusing other photographers work. This time however, I had planned to meet with the Gallery Manager to discuss a potential exhibition for my own work. I am pleased to subsequently report that I will be having an exhibition of my photography at the Wilderness Gallery beginning 2nd December this year that will run for approximately ten months. The exhibition will consist of approximately twenty 24 x 30 inch Limited Edition fine art pigment on paper prints from Iceland and New Zealand’s South Island. Prints will also be available for purchase online from the Cradle Mountain gift shop. I will post more details toward the end of the year before the exhibition opens in December.

I am back from four days photography in and around the Cradle Mountain National Park in Tasmania. The weather and conditions were not great for this trip and as such I actually did more hiking than photography – the light and weather were most un-coperative. Apart from a few hours either side of midday the mountains were ‘clagged’ in with cloud and mist with dull grey overcast light – such is life. Not much one can do as a landscape photographer in situations like this except wait it out. I cannot help but think however, that if this had been my first trip to the area, or if I had come from Europe or somewhere much further afield that I would have photographed anyway. Its easy to get spoiled when a great location is so close to home and to not shoot when the conditions are less than ideal. I abandoned my back up plan of driving down south to the candlestick as the prevailing weather forecast was always for it to clear. And indeed it did – the morning I was leaving.I did keep a sort of journal during the trip as there was no real internet access to speak of at Cradle Mountain for blog updates – or at least I did not want to drive out of the park to try and get some mobile reception. Below is a brief recount of the few days I spent in the area.

Journal

Arrived in Cradle Mountain early Friday morning around 9am to be greeted by overcast conditions, mist and cloud – the Mountains socked in with some very average weather and grey dull overcast light. Decided to go for a stroll around  Dove Lake for a couple of hours and unwind from the office and get into a more relaxed state of mind more suitable for photography. Stumbled upon some Pademelons grazing on the wet grass and spent a few minutes photographing the inquisitive little creatures. I then headed over to the Tasmanian Wilderness Gallery to have a look through the gallery and a spot of lunch (all quite civilised really). More to come on the Wilderness Gallery in my next post.

The weather forecast is currently predicting some afternoon breeze/wind along the coast – which; with a bit of luck will blow off the cloud later this afternoon. Tomorrow is supposed to be better. I am planning to hike up to Crater lake this afternoon for a sunset shoot – wether its successful or not will be very weather dependant. I have been up there before and the scenery is spectacular – so as long as the light and conditions are co-operative I should be able to get the shot I want.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I will get up for sunrise at Dove Lake and then take a leisurely breakfast before heading up for the long steep hike to Twisted Lakes and little Big Horn to scope it out for a sunrise shoot the following morning. I have seen some photography from this area before and it looks very promising.

If the weather holds tomorrow I will then possibly charter a helicopter for an aerial sunset shoot over the summit area. If it’s a bit dicey weather wise and if the helicopter cant fly or conditions are not ideal for photography I will then take a bit of a chance and instead make for the summit of Cradle Mountain on foot. I have had two attempts at the summit proper on other ocassions. The first time with my wife – we got close before she decided she had had enough and we came back down. The second time I was on my own and was turned back by waist deep snow just past Kitchen Hut after trudging for hours in horrendous conditions.

The following morning – Sunday; will very much depend on wether I got the right light and conditions on Saturday. If I manage to nail Dove Lake on Saturday morning then I will rise extra early and head back up in the dark to Twisted Lakes to photograph little Big Horn. But again, its very weather dependant.

Update Friday evening Sunset – Or rather lack of it. Hiked for two hours up to Marions lookout and crater lake late this afternoon. A strong wind sprung up and gusted across the mountain tops making the whole hike in the wind and rain quite arduous and very cold. Unfortunately for me it did not clear – despite my patience. Waited for two hours at Marions peak in the hopes of it blowing over before descending in the dark with my headlamp. With any luck it will all blow over tonight and dawn will provide better opportunities.

Update Saturday lunchtime – I got up at 5am this morning but the bad weather had not cleared. The mountains were still clouded over and there were high winds. I hiked up to twisted lakes after breakfast and the weather has continually improved throughout the day. The sun is out and the wind has died down. If it stays like this there should be a good sunset and some decent light. As you can see in the photograph below: By Midday the skies were relativley clear; it was not to last.Update Saturday night – Hiked up to Kitchen Hut for sunset but the weather did not hold and rain clouds blew in obscuring everything. Sunset was a non event and it was another long cold descent in the dark after waiting a couple of hours in the frigid weather near the summit. Arrived back at camp at 10pm.

Sunday morning – raining and cloudy. Sunrise was not to be seen – hidden behind thick cloud and rain. After breakfast hiked up to the base of Dove Lake falls from the Ballroom forest and did some photography. Wonderful wilderness- atrocious conditions.

Sunday afternoon and the weather has finally started to improve – almost all of the cloud has blown away. Hiked up to Kitchen Hut just below the summit of Cradle Mountain for sunset and was finally rewarded with some decent but brief golden light. Relatively clear skies meant that twilight did not end until nearly 9pm. Yet another long cold, dark descent back to camp under headlamp – arrived back at 10:30pm; pretty physically shattered.Monday morning – Rose at 5am to be greeted by clear skies; not a cloud in site and not a breath of wind. Managed to squeeze in a few frames just before sunrise at Dove Lake before I had to high tail it for Devenport to catch the 8:00pm Spirit of Tasmania Ferry back to Melbourne. Made it with less than 5 minutes to spare.

Overall this was an enjoyable trip – if not an overly successful one photographically. Despite a few brief minutes of golden light it was pretty uneventful photographic wise. Still, that gives me reason to go back and try again – perhaps in winter this time when the mountain is capped in snow.

I am heading to Tasmania later this week for a few days photography in and around the Cradle Mountain area. Cradle Mountain is my favourite location in Tasmania for landscape and wilderness photography – it is an iconic location. This is I think my fifth or possibly sixth trip to Cradle Mountain and probably my twelfth trip to Tasmania.  There is almost limitless potential for producing beautiful photographs from nature in the Cradle Mountain National Park and I am looking forward to spending time there again. On top of being just a fantastic location for photography the largest wilderness photographic gallery in Australia is located just outside the park – a perfect place to spend an afternoon if the weather is uncooperative.

I am taking the Spirit of Tasmania car ferry from Melbourne so that I can take the 4WD and as much kit as I can fit (in other words all of it) and will spend a few days in the Cradle Mountain National Park. With a little bit of luck the weather will be co-operative and there will be some great light. I am planning to make this an ‘icon’ shoot and will photograph Dove Lake as well as several other of the most famous and recognised landmarks – weather and light permitting. Cradle Mountain has its own micro-climate so one is never really sure what the weather is going to do until you are amongst it. I do have a back-up plan in mind if by chance the area is ‘clagged-in’ with bad weather. This being the case I will head down south to the Candlestick and southern coastline. Internet access is extremely limited in the Cradle Mountain area (at least it was during my last visit)- so it is doubtful I will be able to post updates or photographs during the trip.

Sometimes it takes several edits to make sure I have selected all the best frames from a given shoot and today was no exception. While reviewing some of the photographs from my recent Tasmania trip this one jumped out at me. I had initially passed it over, but on reflection feel the combination of composition and light is strong and that there is indeed a story to be told.  The photograph was taken at Crescent Bay near Port Arthur (close to the South Eastern most tip of Tasmania). The foreground rocks that mimic the shape of the bays name greatly appeal to me. As does the thin band of cloud between the horizon and the soft upper clouds.  The confused seas add a storm element that completes the photograph. This was quite a difficult location to get to as it required scrambling down quite a steep cliff to access this rocky ledge. I used a tripod with a three stop graduated neutral density filter to hold back the sky and a slow shutter speed to semi blur the water. I then timed the waves to set up and get the photograph before the next big set rolled over the rocks. Tasmania is one of my favorite locations for photography in Australia and I already can’t wait to go back.

After returning from two weeks in the South Island of New Zealand in July and catching up with all the work that had mounted up in the office I had the itch to get back out there into the wilderness for some more landscape photography – this time a bit more of a family trip. So I booked a quick ten day trip to Tasmania with the family; piled the wife and kids onto the plane and put myself and the car on the boat. The idea being to pick up the wife and kids at the airport in Hobart and spend the next ten days exploring the East Coast of Tasmania. This was I think my eighth trip to Tasmania and it most certainly will not be my last. We had a great time and I even managed to squeeze in some photography. This photograph being one of my favourites from the trip. Taken at the Bay of Fires at sunrise.