Continuing on the Black & White theme here an image I took a year and half ago at Yosemite National Park. Reworked with some of the new Black & White treatments I am slowing learning. Inspiration comes from an Ansel Adams image he took in New Mexico. The image is of a small town against a back drop of mountains with an almost black sky that was at least 70% of the image. He once said the dark dominating sky drew your attention to the small town beneath.
When the color version is junk what do you do … Mess around with light and shadows in Black & White. Getting a serious liking to Black & White photography of late since a few of my Yosemite National Park ones turned out so well. Been checking out a few photographers that do quite a lot of black & white and trying to learn a little more about the niche … Here is a simple edit of a color version of some California Aspens that really had past their prime for those stunning yellows, instead they where a slight burnt orange and looked very dry … But can not see all that in Black & White … 
Some of the best beaches in Western Australia are located along the Cape Naturaliste coastline. Yallingup Beach a favorite with the surfing crowd for its large swell and clean breaking waves is one such beach. Home to some of the worlds best surfers it also hosts the Malibu Surf Classic each December. Maybe it should be renamed Yallingup Surf Classic, but I guess Malibu is the sponsor for naming rights, just seems strange to name it after another beach where there is little or no surf.
Here is my take on this popular beach. This being a stitched image to produce quality resolution for larger prints I had to wait for 3 waves that all looked as close as I could tell being the same and all breaking at pretty much the same spot. A long hot wait endured with countless frames taken to produce the end result, its always the last frame that seems to having me waiting the longest, it must of been 45 mins between the second frame and the 3rd. The result was worth the burnt shoulders face and arms … As I achieved what I saw with one long curling waves breaking right on shore.
If you use facebook, check out my facebook page where I list some images and several photographers that provide inspiration that drives my passion …
About a year ago I took this image just east of Perth during one of those very hot summer weather patterns. Those afternoon storms brewing to the east. I love the smell of approaching rain after a really hot day. Hoping we get a few in the coming weeks.
A few months ago I received an email from a artist Matt McVeigh asking if he could use an image of mine for reference to a painting he would be painting. I said yes as I thought that would be very cool to see an interpretation of a scene I shot on camera taken and painted by a brush.
Earlier today I had a chance to see what the outcome would be. I was pleasantly surprised by the results and quite taken back that someone would actually use an image of mine to paint in the first place. I like the painting a lot and the added depth by way of the artists brush is very nice.
The Artist is Matt McVeigh. Matt McVeigh does creative art for stage / film and events. Matt is hoping to have an exhibition at the end of the year that will feature his paintings and sculptures, the below image will be featured in the exhibit, so I am quite excited to see this painting in the exhibition. I will post dates and the location of the exhibit when I have more details and wish Matt all the best with his plans this year for his planned exhibition. I would love to see this painting up close and personal …
Cheers Matt …
Below I have included the original photo and the Artists Painting.
An Artists Impression “Waiting For The Wet” By Matt McVeigh
A Photographers Impression “When Will It Rain” by …. err me
Sorry for the lack of updates in recent weeks. Things have become busy this year as I am finding myself splitting time with shooting for Spoolphotography.com and a gallery / business in US. Last week I travelled to Victoria and ventured down to the Great Ocean Road for some iconic shots for the US Business interest so I was not able to do any post production for the blog.
Before I get stuck into the post production for that venture I thought I would have a little fun with this old tree Luke and I stumbled upon last year while hiking the Eastern Sierras early one morning. Not my usual post production just having a little stretch of the wings so to speak before I tackle the Great Ocean Road images for the next few days, before flying off to another location …
Another image from the Lake Tahoe collection. Of the images I have taken from Lake Tahoe this would be my favorite so far. Would love to one day photograph the lake in the snow season. As the lake is pretty much the same temperature all year round, snow covered rocks and those clear waters would make a nice image at dawn. Maybe next time …
This image is available as an “Open Edition Print” from Spoolphotography.com or by contacting myself through the contact form on the site.
Most landscape photographers have their special spots, locations they feel one with nature etc. For me this would be one of many on my list. This whole location provided myself with a very special memorable experience. The 50 foot falls flow from the volcanic rock layers and seem suspended in mid fall as they flow over the green moss. With the flow running around 100 feet wide at a very even rate the sound of the falls is quite amazing. The falls flow into the Sacramento River surrounded by leafy trees that turn on the fall colors in season. I had to on several occasions put the camera down close my eyes and just listen for a few moments. Some folks live less than a mile from these falls and walk there dogs along this area, how lucky are they ….
This image will be made available through Spoolphotography.com as a “Limited Edition Print” of 60, ranging in sizes from 30 inches through 90 inches in length. Numbers 1 and 2 are currently SOLD.
Mono Lake in the strange place. Tucked behind Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Lee Vining, Bodie and between Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges to the west and east sits this small lake that is around 1-3 million years old among the oldest in North America. The Mono Basin as it is commonly called is actually a tectonic basin formed by downward warping and faulting plates of the earths crust, the visual signs of it are everywhere when you stop and look. The lake on the southern side is surrounded by the Tufa Towers, strange bizarre structures made from common limestone, but what I found interesting was the way this limestone is formed, from the lake bed UP. Underwater springs feed the deposits that over 1,ooo’s of years build these huge towers layer upon layer some reaching well over 30 feet.
Mono lake is also the first time and place I heard a Coyote Call in the distance. While I never saw any at this location, the calls at dusk produced insane chicken skin, an awesome awesome wild sound, I guess could only be topped by hearing Wolves howl in the night. Thats something I hope to get a chance to hear one day.
Below is an image taken as Luke and Myself wandered down to the Lake’s Edge … I’ll have a few lakeside edge images coming soon as well …
As will all my images they are for sale and come in a varies array of sizes through Spoolphotography.com This particular image is a Open Edition.
One could spend all day hanging out at this beach, with no wind, warm clear waters and access to deep water just offshore as well as a tidal mangrove lake all within 2 minutes make this one damn nice spot. Scored nicely on the day as the weather cleared up from the previous days rains these great big white fluffy clouds appeared, the ones you feel like you could reach up and touch, blue skies abounded touching those stunning green mountains to the west and blue endless ocean to the east. It felt very tropical.
This image is available as an Open Edition Print on Fujuflex by contacting me through the web form on my website Spoolphotography.com
Taken one afternoon with my Brother In Law down on the beach at Narrawallee. We had a fair amount of rain and low cloud over Christmas, but there was still opportunities to photograph. I love the color of the water after a few days rain and low cloud in Summer, it has that amazing blue smokey tone to it. This shot was taken on the 27th at 4.30pm and there was just a handful of people on the beach … I gotta get back down there ….. To Live 
This image is available as an Open Edition Print on Fujiflex by contact me through the contact form on my website Spoolphotography.com
What to do on a Sunday afternoon? Join the throngs of others at Bodie and shoot what you can. While not a primary shoot I had alway wanted to visit an authentic ghost town, not a movie set replica. Bodie is the real deal once home to 10,000 residents in 1879 this thriving gold mining town had another one or two claims to fame. One being it was believe the 2nd or 3rd largest city in California in 1880, the other claim to fame was the amount of gun fights in the streets, some say it was a daily occurrence. Tough town I guess to live in.
Today however it is a State Park, although you can easily imagine Clint Eastwood or John Wayne character riding into town at high noon …
Very cool place to visit … Below are 3 images from some of the interiors of Bodie … Looking to put together 3 external shots in the coming days/weeks.
As with all my images they are for sale. These 3 images are all Open Editions and can be sold individually or as a group
My first trip to the NSW south coast and it will not be my last. I thought the central and north coast beaches where nice but there’s a handful on the south coast that are some of the best if not the beach beaches I have seen anywhere in Australia. Insane water colour, warm waters, tropical clouds forming on the horizon, not many people around and it was christmas as well, best yet, no freakin strong wind in your face. You could walk for 100 plus meters and just be knee deep at this particular beach. Was fun shooting with the tripod in the water up to my waist, will have to do more of it.
Middle or there about’s of the day shoot while out scouting every beach and cove I could find.
Merry Christmas to all the readers and followers of this blog and their families. Thank you all for your support and encouragement over the past year, I have had one of the best years of my life with the birth of my daughter, the locations I have been able to visit and shoot, and the growth of Spool Photography. Thanks to all those folks that supported the blog and Spool Photography through encouragement and affirmation, I could be getting the hang of this photography thingy and financial support, your purchases are extremely grateful. All sales allow me to reinvest 100% back into my photography and I am very grateful for that.
Over the year I have met and photographed with some new faces and caught up with some friends, I have enjoyed every moment, even the minus 10 degree mornings, cheers Leon and Brian. Thanks Luke for the awesome time we had shooting some of the most stunning locations on earth, till next time buddy, Thanks Brent for sharing your home and hospitality with a very weary photographer. Thanks Christian for your inspiration and kind words, your a busy man and you still take the time, thats huge, and lastly thanks to my good friend Patrick for an always always positive attitude, kind words, encouragement and help, not many like you buddy.
Have a safe and merry christmas to all …. Cya in 2010 …
Thank the heavens for the rain …. When Luke and I first turned up to Yosemite National Park it looked dry, very dry. Yosemite Falls was not flowing at all and the Merced River was very low. I think this was a monday, but the following day as we set up for the morning 6am shoot it started to rain and it never stopped till after 6pm that evening. We woke the following day to a national park transformed overnight. The Merced and the many creeks where running high and loud, Yosemite Falls was a completely different place with huge amounts of water coming over the falls. The parked looked greener and photo opportunities exploded …
Below is a shot of Yosemite Falls the morning after the rains.
Larger view is accessible by clicking the thumbnail preview below …
I had visited the Marin county hills on many occasions dating back to my hike up Mount Tam back in 1988. This time was a little different I ventured past Mt Tam and just let the road take me where ever it went. I had completed the morning shoot and with the sun high in the sky there was no point heading back, I thought I’d just drive all day till the evening shoot before heading back … So thats what I ended up doing hitting the road around 5am and getting back in round 9pm. A pretty full day with a few stop offs at small seaside diners and coffee shops just taking in the atmosphere of my surrounds …. This is one of the shots from the day … At the time I knew it was going to be a Black & White image of the City. If you look close enough you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Trans America Building and the Bay Bridge as well as a few other lessor known San Francisco Landmarks … I was staying right on the waterfront in this pic on the lower left corner where you see a bunch of boats …
My site http://www.spoolphotography.com
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