Monday 1 October 2012

Long Weekend Downunder

The downside to unemployment is you don't have the funds to travel and see other places with opportunities for photography.

The upside is when you live in a location like Lake Cathie when each day can offer something new, whether it be a different cloud formation, a wildlife visitor or just a change in the tides.
The following nine images are from this morning and the next ten are from Sunday morning of this long weekend.
Click on images for a larger view.
Early this morning before the sun rose, a Full Moon was sitting over the main bridge at Lake Cathie.
It looked like being a good sunrise. As I walked towards the lakes entrance, I disturbed a Black Swan wading in a large pond, isolated from the main channel at low tide.
The south side of the entrance has taken on a new appearance, with the tides from this months moon cycle.
The Black Swan moved upstream towards the main bridge. As I followed I turned for another sunrise capture.
Near the main bridge he swam into some golden light, reflected from the adjacent sandy beach.
Rather than swim around a shallow bank he walked across. It is not often you see a Black Swan on the ocean side of the bridge and I suspect that he was separated from his family, and perhaps resting after a long flight.
Looking across from the main bridge towards Lake Innes which is about 5 kms. further upstream.The Black Swan swam under the main bridge and spent some time in the deeper water, far enough away from the banks to feel safe.
Here he is just near the main bridge, being watched on by the Cormorants in the following image.
The following images are from yesterday, Sunday 30th September 2012.
Looking across the lake from the little bridge towards the boat ramp. The smoke was from the motor of a small powerboat.
A Pelican glided across the surface of the lake towards the little bridge were I was standing. The larger birds have to suddenly climb, to miss the power lines on the road that link the village to the houses on the western side of the bridge.
A White Faced Heron glides across a small lake island in the search for another food source.
From the Little Bridge at Lake Cathie I drove north to the Village Track where the Spring Wildflowers are blooming.
One location along the track has a unique ecology due to a wet weather creek that passes through.
Leaves from the Scribbly Gum, turning to a rust colouring, as they reach maturity.
A pair of isolated Scribbly Gums frame the surrounding heathland wildflowers with their beautifully marked trunks. 
The Flannel Flowers are out in full display. I used heavy back lighting and shallow depth of field for the following two images.
The beauty of the coastal heathlands may be vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels.
My SLR Camera tip for today is for heavily back lit scenes use Spot Metering, a shallow DOF and increase shutter speed to avoid highight blowouts.

Fair Dinkum!!

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