From Mt Piddington

April 15, 2013 Peter Damo

Mt Piddington turnoff is to the left just before Mt Victoria heading west. I'd driven around the circuit drive that surrounds the peak but never took any of the walks from there. Last weekend I went with a friend and did the Cox's Cave circuit walk. It took us the best part of the day starting out around 10am. Its an interesting and varied walk. Steep in parts but plenty of leafy vegetation underfoot. As it turned out, weather was sunny and temp in low 20s. Ideal for bushwalking really. When you are walking through rainforested area a sunny day is not a bad thing with filtered light finding its way to the valley floor. Having said that, I'm looking forward to a return in more misty conditions.

Specs: f13/.8sec/ISO100/-1ev

Most of the time was spent on the first half of the walk only realising later how much time was spent in each place exploring the overhangs, fern groves and grottos.

Specs: f13/1/6secs/ISO100/-1ev

Fern branch. Specs: f5.6/1/6secs/ISO320/-.67ev

Rock overhang (above).

Sunset in the west

April 7, 2013 Peter Damo

This shot is a conversion of a colour file using only the red channel. It shows a good range of tones - a suitable softness for a sunset image. Colours were quite dramatic, ranging from pale green to strong pink and orange some of them just out of shot. Remarkable.

F13 1/13sec 100ISO -.67ev

Change of seasons

April 4, 2013 Peter Damo

I could post a shot of the mist and rain that has made the mountains home again. But then there is not much to see right now. No transition here to speak about - we're right into winter. Let's not muck about with autumn. Well its not that cold just yet. I thought I would post a shot from the world of film...

I have been missing some of the subtle colour palette that comes with film like Kodak Portra. Here is a shot taken during the last of the sunny weather we are likely to see for some time. In fiddling about with the Mamiya C330, I missed the delicate rays that slipped behind the clouds last weekend. Its been gone ever since.

This is one of the three sisters in Katoomba (hiding the other two). Just a little light left to illuminate the scene. I'll have to get back in the habit of taking notes about the film stock and shutter speeds etc now that I'll be posting some film`based images again.

A day in the valley

March 18, 2013 Peter Damo

Well not a whole day but a few hours in the middle of the day to get some sun through the trees. There are several mini waterfalls in Coachwood Glen that provide good subject matter. A solid tripod and gumboots are pretty much essential. This shot is a converted colour image taken with a Nikon D800E with 24-70mm @24mm - f13 / 1 sec / +1/3ev ISO 160

The colour image below has an almost studio lighting quality about it. That is to say, its evenly lit all over as if a huge softbox was used. If you take photos in the forest, you will either encounter situations involving high contrast where the suns rays have made an appearance and are shining directly onto an object or you will have reflected light which requires you to take longer exposures.

This photo shows the amazing variety of rocks to be found here. Colours appear rich and textures are detailed. 24-70mm @38mm - f13 / 5sec / +1/3ev ISO 160

This shot gives a view of the surroundings. There are a few of these mini falls to explore. They provide good opportunities for some closeup shots. Some waterproof footwear is required for some of them. 24-70mm @24mm - f13 / 1 sec / +1/3ev ISO 160

Where to look?

March 2, 2013 Peter Damo

Depending on your destination and why you are traveling there is a wide range of photo ops to look out for. There have been occasions where I would have preferred to have another more independent mode of transport than a train or a taxi. But even these methods can provide opportunities for a keen photographer. Its true you don't have the autonomy and can't just pull over at will. It does however free you from having to 'watch the road' or pay attention otherwise.

The following images are from travel in India. They were taken either from a taxi window or shot from a train.

Journey from Delhi to Haridwar - taxi window

The above shot and the following were taken through a taxi window using a 50mm lens. A lot of life goes on in the streets. The shot below though appearing posed was taken before I was noticed. The instant he saw me, he moved away. Most people don't mind too much having their photo taken but are a bit shy and become more self-conscious when they see the camera.

Just briefly, For most of the street photography that I do the question of getting permission does not arise. You can see the complexity and really, impossibility of this while traveling. In any case the photos in this section would have lost their spontaneous quality had this been the case.

This shot surprised even me. These friends were standing on the footpath as I passed them by in a taxi on the same trip as the above shots (most of them). It was highly serendipitous that I could frame them in this way so perfectly and the expressions were 'perfect'. There must be a good story behind this shot!

Taken from an open train door somewhere between Mount Abu and Delhi. Not such a 'Fairy Queen' scene. Looking more like a set from a play.

Rainy day post....

February 23, 2013 Peter Damo

Architectural shot - Sydney

Since its howling wind and horizontal rain at the moment, its a good time to post some images from the past. Many of them unrelated to landscape work but satisfying none-the-less. The first an architectural shot of Sydney - well, a skyward view somewhere near Phillip St. This was taken when I first acquired the Nikon D800E with a Nikon 14-24mm lens which can only be described as stellar. Specs: f8 / 3secs / 14mm / tripod

While I consider the Nikon to be superior (I also use a Canon 5DMKII), there are many instances where the availability of the Canon 17mm Tilt/Shift lens makes the Canon setup preferable. Nikon lacks a decent Tilt/Shift lens which is why I have opted for an unorthodox combination of a Mirex adapter (a German made adapter with a tilt/shift mechanism) coupled with a Zeiss Distagon 55mm lens (originally used on a Hasselblad camera). I love using this combination for landscape work. The catch being the lens can only be used as a manual lens.

Lucky lens test

This image was taken some years ago in a park near where I live. I just received a lens in the 'mail' - the Canon 100-400mm. Although I had broken my foot a week or two before, I felt obliged to test the optics. Putting discomfort aside, I made my way to the park and hobbled a few metres into a position where I was greeted by the scene in the photo below. The person in the image is well known in the area and walks dogs almost every afternoon for other locals. The photo itself won an award and has been sold several times over. I was in two minds about making the effort to get out with my minor disability. It was certainly worth the effort.

The background of this shot appears to have rapid movement but its more the blur (bokeh) created by the lens. It is the water of the bay however - an excellent backdrop without distracting detail.

After this guy had a drink, the others joined in... except for one. This shot could have many captions.

Beautiful light

February 23, 2013 Peter Damo

A view to the west from Narrowneck. Very pleasing lighting as is often the case when ithe mountains aren't shrouded in mist.

Not all all landscapes shots have to be 'literal'. A few hours in the Megalong Valley gave me an opportunity to play around with a combination of shots leaving more of the interpretation to the viewer...

Even though I've been living here for a few years now, there still places I've yet to explore in the mountains. There are always favourite spots you tend to go back to. It was only last year that I went down the path along Leura Cascades.

A wet and rather humid day produced this image. The curved bough appears to be interacting with the water flowing in the opposite direction.

Macro flowers

February 20, 2013 Peter Damo

Don't own a macro lens at this stage but I borrowed one from a friend - results are quite pleasing, for me at least. I do appreciate the subtlety that you can achieve with a very shallow depth of field. These kinds of images seem to be popular as large canvases.

Another attempt at a macro flower shot.... f3.5 / 1/125s / 400iso handheld

Always watchful - a Blue Mountains local.

December 12, 2012 Peter Damo

Local beauty

November 27, 2012 Peter Damo

A short trip to Tablelands Rd (area) offered the chance for some shots of the bush. Some converted to b&w. We're enjoying a little more of the summer this year. Hope this post doesn't scare it away.

Shooting late in the afternoon gives some beautiful rich tones.

Biggest snowfall in years

October 13, 2012 Peter Damo

Most people weren't used to driving in these conditions.

We woke up in the Blue Mountains to find a blanket of white that continued to build for hours. No one I spoke to had seen this amount of snow fall in the region before. It looked more like a location in Europe or middle-America in winter not close-to-Sydney in spring. By mid morning cars were abandoned not by the side of the road but in lanes. They were left due to the black ice that was now around in many of the streets. The GW Highway was closed for most of the day. A few days before we were basking in warm sunshine.

Snowman waiting for the bus in Leura (iPad photo).

It felt like we were transported somewhere on a holiday.

No carrots..... but candles will do. Leura Mall.

Tour alone or with others?

September 19, 2012 Peter Damo

*Interesting scenery may not be enough to lift everyone's spirits*

This consideration will have a significant impact on the photos you end up bringing back. I prefer to travel alone if the trip is strictly photographic. Firstly most photographers are on the lookout for subject matter when traveling. That goes without saying. I drive very slowly in these situations while doing my best to accommodate other drivers simply out for a holiday. Frequent stops are a fact of life. Acceptable when you are on the job with another photographer but if you're traveling with family members - forget it. With interesting landscape its not uncommon for me to stop every few hundred metres or to sit somewhere and wait for conditions to change - a fog to lift, sunshine to come through etc. Few people sit comfortably through this process.

Photography for me is akin to a meditation process where you become reflective, observant and part of the nature you are exploring. It requires careful consideration and assessment. If your thoughts are occupied with the well-being and mental state of your companions you won't be able to give this process its due attention.

Other things to consider are food and bathroom stops. A certain category of people like to stop more frequently and tend to their needs. Iceland as an example has relatively few places where you can stop and relieve yourself with privacy. There are also times when I went without a substantial meal for the sake of getting shots I really wanted. Following an afternoon spent in the 'wilderness' I arrived back to the accommodation late and happy to hit the sack knowing I had a good days shooting. There are certainly amazing scenes you come across that will lift the spirits of fellow travelers but it may not be enough to keep everyone's mood up for the length of the journey. Consider the extra expense and freedom and travel alone if you want to maintain sanity, good mood and come back with a bag of shots you'll be happy with.

Journey to another planet...

September 18, 2012 Peter Damo

...well almost. Its just that there are scenes that have made Iceland the flavour of the month for an exotic movie location. If you've seen Prometheus you'll recognise this landscape from the opening scenes. You can see why after traveling just a short time around this amazing island. The distinct lack of trees for a start makes for an unearthly looking terrain. It seems that original settlers from the 9th century did their bit to rid the land of anything above head height. An amazing feat in itself given the current population of Iceland stands at around 320,000. Then you have the massive sloping mountains that envelop you from all directions – there is not much of anything man-made.

That's one of the beautiful aspects of this country. Even at the site of famous landmarks. Detifoss (one of the many famous waterfalls) is one example. If it were located in Australia or the US you can be sure there would be wire fences and signage everywhere together with perhaps a hot dog stand and souvenir kiosk right next door. Not here. People who visit this place and many others like it seem to have common sense and don't need to be told they shouldn't walk of the ledge.

“Það er löng leið frá Íslandi til Himnaríkis.
It is a long road from Iceland to Heaven.
Gullna hliðið (The Pearly Gates), Davíð Stefánsson”

Omar Ragnarsson (pilot) makes a quick call to the tower before take-off. The plane is an old Cessna affectionately known as "Missus". Omar has clocked up thousands of hours and knows the landscape of Iceland better than anyone.

The trip

I spent just over three weeks in Iceland. The first few days went in waiting for weather conditions to improve for a flight over the Vatnajøkull glacier. It didn't improve. So after a few days I continued with the trip around the country by land. Traveling around Iceland on Hwy 1 with no stops will take around 15 hours. If you are a photographer, allow a few weeks. The speed limit on the open road is 90kmph. A reasonable limit given the nature of the road which for the most part, isn't in bad condition. However, you can't stop everywhere as often (more often than not), the road lacks a shoulder where you can just pull over and take photos.
Most of the roads also don't have a barrier. If you fall asleep while driving it could be a long roll down a steep embankment.

Nice surprise

September 17, 2012 Peter Damo

If you are under the impression that you'll have to eat whale blubber while touring Iceland, you'll be pleasantly surprised.I ate out only once the whole time as I acquired my own cooking gear and was determined not to spend all my cash on eating out which would soon deplete my funds.

If you are a vegetarian, even better. Plenty of pre-packaged salads, tofu, if you're into that plus a good variety of vegetables, dairy products and a fantastic product called 'Skyr'. A suitably minimalist name for a yogurt like product boasting 13% protein. You can also get the flavoured variety weighing in at 10%. Its origin is Iceland and Norway is the only other place you can find it. Hope it makes its way down under soon. Small packets of bread containing 9 or 10 slices are also a lifesaver. Seeded rye and other varieties available. Locally grown tomatoes are surprisingly tasty!

Source: http://wikipedia.org