Ushered by an overworked conductor I made my way to the awaiting battered old vehicle, stickers strewn, broken and stripped. The taxis missing hub caps caused an uneasy unbalance; the station wagon leaning relaxed by the roadside. My thoughts crept up with my eyes…was this a taxi?
Fixated on my thoughts the driver leered over from the safety of this sanctuary, Broken English seemingly fitting his decrepit ride, “whereyou need to go?”
“Rose Bay” I announced, trying to mask my harrowing voice.
“Rose Bay? I know you come?” I nodded with hesitation agreeing to the shady reply.
After the drivers second attempt to unlock the rusty boot he continued to shake his head with frustration as I waited, heavy luggage in hand. The taxis behind me felt uneasy, the disorganised flurry continued to draw an uneasy attention. Suddenly the boot sprang open and an awkward smile hurried towards me.
My bags flew as they were propelled away, landing with a thickened thud into the open boot. Quietly I made my way to the rear passenger seat and calmed my anger. The driver jostled for rank as we exiting Sydney’s busy domestic airport, his fingers awkwardly flicked between the GPS and wheel as he typed in the destination.
Looking into his rear view mirror the broken conversation seemed pointless but I unwillingly engaged.
“Good trip?” He asked to which I detesting replied “yep”.
The minutes passed and foreign driver appeared in his element, comfortable in the wet, driving to the uneasy rhythm of rubber and metal etching its way into the dirty windscreen. The illuminated road twisted and turned before us until it disappeared into the darkened tunnel.
Almost as if on cue once we were bound to the narrowing darkness the driver tapped his disconnected GPS and murmured “which way, left or right?” It was then my heart sank knowing my instinct and guard had slipped, fooled by my long journey and jet lag – I had chosen the wrong cab.
“I have no idea” I replied in disgust. An uneasy silence lingered, turning to face me the driver replied, “no worry I know”.
Worry I did! Frustratingly the highway had become a distant memory in the ordeal. Side streets and traffic lights became a recurring norm. The rain had stopped and the streets were now full of water. Shaking his head the driver tapped the GPS; the small stagnate red dot lay entangled in a myriad of mess, yellow lines overlapped three to four fold. The trip was turning into a tourist bus nightmare, just without the therapeutic commentary of a Sydney-sider.
Coaching our way across Sydney we managed to traverse the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge for the second time before the driver noted his defeat. A forced iPhone landed in my hand as the desperate driver’s eyes quickly glanced and landed on mine. He spoke quickly “you look up and take me.” I acknowledged his request feeling a sense of pity.
I typed in my destination dodging the cracks of his dilapidated screen. Handing the phone back he insisted on driving in the heavy wet traffic while holding his phone to which I strongly disagreed. Instead I turned on Google Maps on my trusty Nexus and was relieved to hear the therapeutic voice of the assistant. “Turn right in 200m.” Ah the serenity.
Following the direction of Google my driver managed to find my destination in just over one hour. After the ordeal, I felt pity on the driver so I decided to give him a flat fee of $60 as by now the meter would have been in the hundreds. He thankfully replied shaking my hand apologising profusely.
So now it is the morning after and based on my story the best advice I can give – don’t judge a book by it’s cover, instead judge a cab by its condition!
Boarding a mosaic of patchwork symmetry the rows of seats sat empty awaiting their passengers. I clambered through to the end of the plane where the tail spoke a louder hum. Numbness set in early, the plane rumbled and briefly shook, accelerating weightless in the sky.
The overhead signage switched off providing freedom to some agitated passengers who showed a fear of Cathisophobia. Like horses at a starting gate, loud children climbed rows of seats dodging unsuspecting passengers as they played in their mid-air playground. The game had begun. Just as small child’s head disappeared behind a seat a replacement would take watch, giggling with a smile big enough to evoke reactions from the engaging crowd. The fiasco continued for a few hours before the screams broke my vanishing solitude. I was surrounded and my head began to throb. My headphones didn’t seem to provide enough protection from the agony.
My small space was interrogated even further by my fellow passenger as his hairy leg recited a small child on a bouncy castle. Occasional jabs in the back from an uncomfortable commuter reminded me I was yet again in the class of cattle. My rejected upgrade was laughing at me from behind closed curtains towards the front of the plane.
Despite my “adventure” I managed to keep a sound mind, for I was on a journey – a window of opportunity which rarely showed.
Pastels of watery bliss began appearing in broken clouds. The big city awaited me, thick clouds lingered as golden hues shone lost in the darkening overcast sky. The slight dribble of rain could be seen as the descent unveiled my final destination.
I had arrived. Sydney was now my place, my pad and my home.
Rottnest Island is surrounded by pristine waters and only a short trip from the mainland making it a great weekend getaway. The locals refer to the island paradise as ‘Rotto’. For me this photograph captured on the Fujifilm X-Pro 1, sums up the island perfectly. Pristine beaches, clear water and amazing views – what more could you want? You can even see the City of Perth (which is my hometown) on the distant horizon!
I’m having a quick break from editing wedding photos and I thought I would upload a photo for the fans!
Thank you so much to the regulars who stop by the blog every day. I am still blown away that you call this little corner of the internet part of your online home.
As always I have made this photograph free for anyone to download. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Enjoy.
THIS FULL RESOLUTION PHOTO CAN BE DOWNLOADED FORFREE – CLICK HERE
Iridescent clouds passed the reflective ocean tide. The lone paddle border waited with patience for the wave seemed a scarce occurrence. His gaze was fixed on the lonely horizon. The still ocean didn’t seem to want to break the glassy norm.
I could see his shoulders shrug with a sigh. Maybe it was a moment of relaxation or frustration, I’m not quite sure as he seemed to be somewhat transfixed in the moment.
Paddle ready the border balanced afloat the watery mass. From no where the glistening watery surface gained in height to form an elusive wave. A powerful strong standing stroke aligned the nose of the board to the beach. The paddler elevated gracefully with the energetic wave.
Awaiting the wave – the moment had arrived. The short thrill of a ride, a journey of freedom and escape.
THIS FULL RESOLUTION PHOTO CAN BE DOWNLOADED FORFREE
Have you ever sat in an amazement of a sunset in awe of its grandeur and beauty?
Yesterday I was fortunate to witness one of the world best sunsets at Cottesloe Beach located in Western Australia. I feel privileged to share this photograph with you and hope the best sunset in the world will bring some colour into your life. May you be inspired to create and share.
THIS FULL RESOLUTION PHOTO CAN BE DOWNLOADED FORFREE – CLICK HERE
I have had this image sitting on my hard drive for some time. The image has been stitched together from 18 images to create my latest fine art landscape.
I can’t wait to head back to this location at the end of the month to photograph another wedding at the beautiful Maitreya Private Retreat.
A moving box parks itself until the 5 o’clock freedom rings the office bell. Polished shoes and designer heels rapidly progress as they meet the cold concrete. The call of the office worker abides by the rhythm of the working day as it echoes within the urban jungle.
Fluorescent lights gleam upon the clinical cubicle illuminating the to do list. The awaking of the enslaved wired communication device, which sits before them, quickly changes the focus. The cloud and network entangles the inbox as the office worker gazes at the workload building before them. Messages and meetings overflow from their mind. The viral list never seems to end.
But hark a sound of freedom – the tick of the last second before the clock strains to five. The fight has just begun.
Accelerators hit the floor as the chorus of bleating horns flood the air. Egos dribble and spill from the monotonous radio. Slow moving metal clots the road. Minutes turn and the hour passes.
A beacon of light shines upon the weary traveller as the familiar driveway signals home. The castle door opens and shuts out the rush. A sigh of relief fills the halting car.
Another day. Another dollar. The time to hang up the suit has come. A deserving break awaits the tired worker for the cycle will continue.
Abstract art is one of my newly found passions so expect to see a few more like this.
I created this art by combining 5 photos from a recent photography session at Circular Pool. What do you think? Is this type of photography your cup of tea?
After working on weddings all of yesterday and this morning I decided to post another photo from my recent holiday.
The light in the South West of Western Australia is magnificent to photograph especially when the light warms the side of the hill as cool clouds roll by.
Photographed with the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 near Bridgetown, Western Australia.
I’m back from my little trip away! It feels great to be back in the chair after having a small holiday. I will be planning on posting a few images in the next few weeks in between editing a beautiful wedding photographed in Perth.
This ethereal photograph was taken as a two image stitch on the beautiful Fujifilm X-Pro 1 using Velvia mode.
Check out my last Middleton Beach photograph and story here.
Fujifilm Cameras Australia have come up with a brilliant concept for any photographer to have the opportunity to hijack their Facebook cover photo making them Fujifilm Famous for one month! This months theme is Australian Landmarks. Have you been anywhere in Australia that stands out?
If so I challenge you to go to the Fujifilm Cameras Australia page hit LIKE to hear about how you can become Fujifilm Famous! There is only 13 days left before the comp has finished. So get to it! This was my entry I posted on the Fujifilm Cameras Page to become Fujifilm Famous! I took this photo of the Sydney Opera House from the Harbour.
As a photographer I have travelled around various places and seen some amazing sites…some of them I didn’t even have a camera with me! Oh No! One of my favourite places to visit here in Western Australia would have to be around Geraldton area also known as the Coral Coast. The rocky coastline and beautiful sunsets are beautiful on any day. Whenever I head to the ocean around that area I can always rely on capturing something special.
Taking about taking special photos, the last two Fujifilm Famous hijackers have had some really amazing photographs. This months photographer is Paul Pichugin who found some amazing water detail along the West Australian coastline. What an amazing photographer and an amazing image don’t you think? The clouds on the distant horizon seem tame compared with the swirling water in the foreground and I love the way the water trickles over the rocks creating a cascading waterfall. Simply beautiful.
The previous months Fujifilm Famous photographer, Sue-ann Tilby captured another beautiful sunset which rocked the community on the Fujifilm Cameras Australia Facebook page. The colour in this image is simply amazing! I would certainly have a big smile on my face if I captured this image. I’m sure Sue-ann did! Have you ever tried taking a photograph like this before? Why not get out this weekend and give it a go then share it with the world so everyone can see it….who knows you might be the next Fujifilm Famous photographer!
I am planning a beach shoot this weekend down at my local beach however I don’t think I can match these two photographers….however I will give it a go.
I’ll leave you with this question: If you could go anywhere in the world to take a photograph where would it be?
Wind swept through my hair as I left the car park. Keeping to the sandy path the sight of dune grasses dancing in the breeze caught my eye. I felt the cold gritty sand between my toes which instantly translated into a shiver throughout my body. My warm woollen jumper cut the air as the storm approached. I felt alive.
The outdoors was smelling like a salt pan. The developing scene before me was a place where lifesavers swam and whales sang. Middleton beach was a special place for so many people. Stories unfolded as my camera pointed in different directions. I could see people engaging with others as mans best friend yapped at the approaching tide. Laughing children ran with excitement giving chase to unsuspecting seagulls which tumbled into mid-air. The beach was alive and entertaining.
Waves rode close to the ocean shoreline crashing with anger. The distant sounds of conversations were muffled by the developing gusts. Crashing waves echoed in my mind as I lined up the composition. The tripod was sturdy and heavy in my hand. Brushing sand from the lens I had to take the shot before the storm rolled in – rain was no friend to my camera. Flickering light caught my attention as it shone boldly through the passing clouds. Emu Point dotted on the horizon was disappearing due to the sand storms forming along the beach. As I adjusted my focus the light broke from the cotton wool blanket above me. The beach grasses shone with vibrance. The colour jumped out and was lifted from the white beach canvas. Shadows filled with an array of colour while the ocean danced with aquas and blues.. I was photographing mother nature at its grandest. The light show had begun.
This review is based solely on my own opinion about the camera. I have been using the X-Pro 1 since the beginning of May and have seen some amazing results.
All my photographs were taken as a RAW file and edited in some way using Adobe Lightroom 3/4 or Adobe Photoshop CS5.
I have spread my thoughts on this camera across different aspects that are important to me. If you are after a detailed spec review then this is not the site for you. This review is based on a user experience the highs and the lows….so lets get started!
To celebrate the camera’s ability to shoot in low light I put this video together. Enjoy.
DESIGN
Fujifilm have managed to design the X-Pro 1 with style, class and quality. The full metal body speaks highly of the cameras design. The X-Pro 1 fits like a glove. The sleek stylish curved body accentuates and oozes quality. Many say a poor man Leica? I say touch of class.
However there are a few things that I don’t like so much about the camera. I’ll get into those later on.
I have found the bold black magnesium alloy shapes aesthetically pleasing. The designer in my has ignited. I simply wanted to get my hands on one. Two months later and I am thankful I have one.
Having a history with professional DSLR cameras the physical size of the camera and lens combinations have been a pleasure to hold. Most compact pro cameras out there have simply been too small. The Olympus OM-D EM5, Nikon V1, Sony Nex 7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 have all been in my hands before, all of which have lost their appeal due to their compact size (the closest thing to comfort out of these cameras would have to be the Olympus OMD with the grip on). Don’t get me wrong the other cameras out there take a great photo – what I am trying to say is coming from a Pro DSLR background, the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 simply feels better in my hands.
I think the Japanese do things well. For a camera to be in my kit it must be made in Japan or Germany. Quality is Japan and German – period. Luckily the X-Pro 1 was forged in Japan otherwise I wouldn’t even touch it!
CAMERA LAYOUT
All the buttons are ergonomically designed to fit the users hand. One of the main features I like about the design was the placement of the viewfinder. Too many cameras have the viewfinder in the middle. When you press your eye up against the viewfinder your nose becomes jammed up against the LCD which eventually smears the screen The X-Pro 1 has fixed that problem by moving the viewfinder to the side of the camera.
DIALS
The dials on the camera also reflect Fujifilm’s attention to detail. As you turn the on/off switch, the shutter speed dial or the exposure compensation dial you can be assured of the change as each movement is confirmed with a solid “click” as the dial moves into place. I have read a few reviews in my time and played with many cameras. One big issue for Fujifilm on the earlier X100 was the mode dial would move if you bumped it. This hasn’t been a problem on the X-Pro 1 as Fujifilm have added a much-needed lock on the shutter speed dial.
Coming from a Canon background I found when looking through the viewfinder navigating the button and dial configuration seemed second nature. When reviewing images on the 3 inch screen or through the 1,230,000 dot electronic viewfinder the colour and detail was very close to what I saw through my own eyes.
VIEWFINDER
Hybrid viewfinder. Now there’s an idea. I found myself using this feature all to often. I’ll give you an example. I was photographing some stars on a moonless night near Pemberton, Western Australia. I travelled there only to find there was no bright light source to set my focus on. I had two cameras with me the Canon EOS 1D MK IV and the Fujifilm X-Pro 1. After setting both up on tripods I attempted to gain focus on the Canon. Using only the optical viewfinder I set the focus point to the center point and half pressed the shutter button. The Canon 17-40mm f4 L lens whirred and hunted back and forth trying its best to focus on the brightest star in the sky. After five minutes of trying I had no luck. I’m sure if the Canon could talk it was saying “I think I can…I think I can…” My eyes were too bad to attempt to manually focus so the camera was useless on this occasion. The Fujifilm X-Pro had its chance.
I set the hybrid viewfinder to the electronic viewfinder. WOW! I was blown away. Not only could the camera focus in almost pitch black it was like I was looking through a window into clear daylight. The electronic viewfinder boasted amazing quality and only took less than a second to gain autofocus! To this day I am still amazed a camera can perform better than how I see in low light. Fujifilm clearly got something right!
X-PRO 1 – 18mm – ISO 400 – f2 – 30 secs
MENU
The camera’s menu took a bit of getting use to. Although after the first week I seem to have mastered it.
Conveniently placed the menu button sits nestled in-between the selector keys. Once pressed the shooting menu tab is the first out of eight tabs to be displayed – five of which are camera settings and the remaining are playback settings.
Previously on the Fujifilm X100 menu you had to fight your way through various functions to get to the next page of settings. The main menu on the X-Pro 1 has been laid out with some thought – thanks Fujifilm for listening! The X-Pro 1 menu allows you to bypass all the unwanted settings by selecting a tab on the left hand side. Navigating your way around the menu is simple. The selector keys scroll up, down, left and right while the command dial controls the function of the mode you have selected.
For changing settings on the fly the X-Pro 1 features a Q (Quick) button. 15 of the most common settings appear as symbols on the back LCD allowing you to bypass the main menu. I was able to control what settings appeared on the Quick menu as the camera allowed 7 different custom screens. Each custom screen allowed me to save my favourite camera settings to the quick menu. For example I set a custom quick menu for low light shooting which centred around ISO and bracketing controls; the other custom menu was set for landscape photography where I pre-saved my film simulation mode to Velvia.
I think without the Quick mode Fujifilm would have made a huge mistake. This button was designed to keep the user out of the menu so they could spend more time shooting and it certainly worked for me!
Check out the video from the Fuji Guys on how the new menu works.
Auto (400), Auto (800), Auto (1600), Auto (3200)….ok now that’s over….. I tended to use ISO 400 right through to ISO 2500.
The camera has really challenged me with my photography. I am so used to carrying my clunky tripod or flash to capture the dimly lit scenes in life. With the X-Pro 1 I didn’t have to worry about all the other photographic paraphernalia. I was able to go anywhere and photograph anything.
Setting the ISO control to 3200 my head was telling me ARRRGHHHH what are you doing???? I wanted to explore the camera…I mean if Fujifilm were going to put a setting on the camera it had to be good right? I had to test it – sort of like when you have to test if the paint is dry just after painting…I got that feeling! The question was at ISO 3200 was there going to be noise?
Really ISO 3200?
BOOM!
No noise.
The shutter had been pressed when shooting some low light urban scenes in Melbourne and Fremantle and look no noise! Crazy!
This would definitely be one of the very best features on the camera. High ISO with no noise. What more could I want?
Fujifilm X Pro 1 – ISO 2500 – 35mm – f1.4 – 1/170sec – Split Toning in Adobe Lightroom 4.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f10 – 5 secs
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f10 – 30 sec
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f2 – 1/4 sec
MOVIE
HD Video on the X-Pro 1 is a feature I am still dabbling in. However if you want to see what the quality is like at 720p I found this video showcasing the video quality. Remember to change the YouTube video setting to 720P HD for better viewing quality.
SWEEP PANORAMA
This sort of setting is not new for me. I have used this setting mainly on compact Fujifilm, Olympus, Canon and Sony cameras. The first series of cameras to bring this feature out were …how do I put it….crap.
The X-Pro 1 must have majored in sweep panoramas at production school! When it comes to sweeping the X-Pro 1 knows! The quality of the stitch is seamless if done correctly.
I pushed the camera to the limits by acting as a drunk and even portraying the smoker withdrawal shake. The pictures weren’t pretty….lets just say I found the limit. This mode is definitely not for the drunks. To be expected there were some problems with stitching due the rapid hand shake. My advice would be to use a tripod or monopod if you like your drink or smokes and suffer from withdrawals…this camera setting isn’t for you….but for everyone else all you need is a steady hand and you will be fine. This is the result in a high contrast scene. The outdoor light was pouring in and I don’t think I could have photographed this almost 180 degree view without the use of the sweep panorama mode.
Power consumption was probably one of my only dislikes on the camera (maybe because I used it so much!)
The CIPA (Camera and Imaging Products Association) standard is said to be 300 images from one charged battery. CIPA test under strict conditions. Each camera is turned on, the shutter button is pressed once taking a photo and the camera is then turned off. The process is repeated until the camera won’t turn on again. Fujifilm reached 300 cycles.
Fujifilm amped up the power from the previous X100’s NP-95 battery to the new Fujifilm NP-W126 battery. I would definitely recommend a spare as I found myself running out of power too often. The battery drain can really be likened to a car. Performance vehicles use a lot of fuel so really you should expect the X-Pro 1 to use a lot of battery.
LENSES
The XF lens system has produced some amazing results. No detail was spared when designing these lenses. The tow lenes I have been using are the Fujifilm XF 18mm F2 R and the Fujifilm XF 35mm f1.4 R. My favorite out of the two would have to be the 35mm as it gives a true representation to what I see. Recently Fujifilm announced the XF 14mm f2.8, 18-55mm f2.8-4, 56mm f1.4, 27mm f2.8, 55-200mm f3.5-f4.8 and the new 10-24 f4.
I just wish I had the 10-24mm as it would provide a nice wide-angle for shooting my landscapes. Currently I am stitching all my photographs which is quite time-consuming.
Pictured below is the road map of Fujifilm XF lenses which will be released shortly.
IMAGE DETAIL
Overall I think when it comes to reviewing a camera the image detail is one of the most important things. I won’t write too much more on this subject as the Jpeg images taken on the APS-C sized senor will show you . Take a look.
Full sized compact pro – fitted perfectly in my hands
High ISO with extremely low noise. I was able to shoot ISO 3200 with no problems at all.
Quick Menu allowed me to bypass the main menu for ease of operation
Hybrid Viewfinder worked well in low light situations.
Horizon tool on the rear LCD allowed me to get all my landscapes straight!
Magnesium alloy body meant I could take the camera anywhere without any problem.
XF lenses – clean, sharp and crisp – especially the 35mm f1.4
Amazing detail due to the removal of the low pass filter
Camera strap – the underside of the strap was rubberized and provided good grip. Never slid off my shoulder!
THUMBS DOWN:
Battery life – didn’t seem to last two days of shooting.
Diopter adjustment lens seemed to want to unscrew itself from the camera. I found it in my camera bag on one occasion.
Slow start-up time (compared with a Pro DSLR)
OVERALL
Overall I can recommend this camera to the keen enthusiast or professional photographer. The camera is light and perfect as a stand alone or second body. Shooting in low light stacks up against some of the bigger players like the Canon 5D MKIII and Nikon D800. I think the removal of the low pass filter to mimic film has paid off. Fujifilm have really developed a ground breaking camera adding to the overall success of the X series camera lineup. I look forward to seeing what other photographic boundaries can be pushed by Fujifilm in the coming year and I’m sure the X-Pro 1 will be just one of many X series cameras to wow the photographic world.
Dimly lit street signs guided my way as I left the bright city lights behind me. The fog filled roads lay in my path as my vehicle turned and climbed in the darkness. Small towns came and went, my journey to Pemberton was drawing to a close. I could almost smell the decaying forest as I opened the vent to let in some outside air. My eyes were alert and the smell of coffee was fading. Pemberton was fast approaching.
My imagination was running. I started to recall countless customer’s photographs of tall trees I had printed in my working life. Picturing light as it broke through the blanketing canopy and fell upon glorious fern beds or capturing the morning calls of the local wildlife waking up to the day – these were the pictures I wanted to capture. I was so excited. With hands gripped to the steering wheel I navigated the fallen logs hindering the road to arrive at my destination around midnight. Eager to capture the forest I had ended up in the car park at the Big Brook Dam just outside of Pemberton town.
Stretching my legs from my long journey I witnessed tree trunks silhouetted against the starry sky. Rolling my head back and looking toward the sky the trees seemed to reach endlessly into the night sky. The giant trees clustered together to form a thick forest surrounding the car park making me feel dwarf like. The stars only had brief shining moments as the leaves rustled about covering their shine.
Too excited for sleep I decided capture my surrounds.
Fumbling about the boot I quickly packed my camera bag and with head torch leading the way I set off for the path. The still night air was interrupted from the sound of my footsteps as they crunched the undergrowth beneath me. The smell of damp wood rose from the ground bringing a smile to my face. Stumbling along, hands thawing within my jacket pockets I reached a clearing.
I was in amazement at the scene that lay before me. The stillness of the night has produced a perfect mirror across the body of water. Surrounding the water were tall trees that stood trunk to trunk, their shadows simply blackened voids on the surface of the water. My head torch was no match for the light that was energizing the night. The stars shone with brilliance reflecting their glow on the watery mirror in front of me. This was truly an amazing moment. I had to capture this scene!
Navigating my way along the muddy bank I located the southern cross above me and aimed the wide angled lens toward the constellations. With freezing fingers bouncing about the back of the camera I set the camera’s mode to Bulb and attached the cable release. Nestled on the tripod the focus was locked and aperture set…all I had to do now was wait 20 minutes. 10 minutes for the exposure followed by a 10 minutes walk back to the car (which was enough time for the camera to process noise reduction to the capture).
Arriving back at the car the heater was set to full blast as I waited for the red light to disappear from the back of the camera. Finally the moment arrived, noise reduction was complete.
The back LCD of the camera lit up producing the shot. AMAZING – I thought to myself. I had captured a night scene I was finally happy with!
All I needed to do was to get to sleep as I was getting up in 2 hours for the sunrise!
I found myself standing in front of billions of grains of sand forming a monumental mountain. The dirt danced in the air as short breaths of wind thrust the sand about. The wind howled, choreographing its own sandy air show. Sand clouds appeared before me – rising and falling in unison as they laid to rest upon the great dune. The sand was forever forming and changing.
I had a small window of opportunity to capture the magnificent wonder. My time was short and my lips were becoming parched from the windy conditions. I felt the threat of rain steadily approaching as the blackening gang of clouds rolled over toward me.
The camera strap felt secure around me neck as the cold wind tried to flatten me. My heels buried into the forgiving sand as I lined up for the shot. With a short steadying breath and cold metal pressed to cheek, I clicked the shutter button forging my first photo. The light and dark tones seemed to jump from the rear screen as I deciphered the small details of the dune. Upon noticing the detail it struck me the entire dune simply did not fit onto the small screen on the back of the camera – the dune was simply too big. Thinking about my options I decided to return the camera to a vertical shooting position and attempt a multi row panoramic.
My excitement to capture the perfect formation was child like. From left to right, overlapping RAW photos fired off one after another to replicate the scene in front of me. Full of energy and a spring in my step I proceeded to the car after the files saved quickly to the memory card. My thoughts of marrying the photos together and applying an artistic touch were unfathomable. I simply couldn’t wait to get home and put the photographs together.
I have included the original RAW photos below and additionally captured my screen as I turned the merged photos into a fine art photograph.
The above photos were stitched together using PTGui Pro
The people in their cars behind me must have thought I had a rubber neck as I consistently moved my head in every direction panning the skies for Osprey followed by more horizontal pans looking across the lifeless earth for the perfect landscape composition. I had been on the lookout for the momentous shot for some time and now the light was beginning to turn a golden hue. Time was running out.
I had frequented this road before. The long open road that produced a distant hopeful shimmer. We’ve all been there only to find the road continues on into an endless journey, and my journey had taken me to the beautiful Coral Coast in Western Australia. Bustling along my eyes rested upon a majestic pink lake nestled alongside the road. The wheels were spinning in full rotational motion as some of the scene passed, a quick stomp applied by my feet applied a relieved halting pressure to the brakes – I simply had to capture the developing scene before me.
The sound of the car door was behind me as I flurried into position. Jostling tripod and camera into some sort of balancing act I clicked the X Pro 1 into a starting position, the camera proceeded to perform with some sort of magic. The focus arrived as the composition fell perfectly into place – this was going to be one for the pool room.
I had been waiting for this sort of scene since the sun experience deja vu from the day before. The atmosphere was filled with silence as I quietly navigated the quick mode on the back of the cold metal camera body. Fingers easily falling upon the self timer mode I rested knowing the picture would be perfect. One click of the shutter button had confirmed my belief. My journey was complete.
Fujifilm X Pro 1 – ISO 400 – 35mm – f8 – 1/1900 sec
The sunset was striking yesterday as I pointed my lens towards Rottnest Island, Western Australia. This photo was taken just as the sun disappeared over the horizon.
This image was straight out of the camera with some sharpness added and a hint of saturation. Taken on my monopod for a total of 6 seconds. Impressive!
Thought I better post one up in between renovating the back yard, living it up in the Hunter Valley, portraits, Fujifilm (taking most of my time these days) and the family!
Shot on the Canon EOS ID MK III somewhere in Geraldton….I forget where….Shawn where was it again that we went?
I caught up with some of the guys from the world tour driving this extremely economical car. Couldn’t help myself I had to take a portrait!
A little bit about what they are trying to achieve:
With the “Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive” we will prove that the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL can manage not only challenging street and weather conditions but is also ready to inspire the world. Consistent with the 125th anniversary of the automobile, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL will circumnavigate the world in 125 days, giving journalists and Automotive Fans the opportunity to join in a round-the-world-trip while experiencing fuel cell technology at its best. The hydrogen required during the tour will be supplied by the Linde AG, who supports the F-CELL World Drive.
Facts of the “Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive”
Start of driving on January 30th, 2011 in Stuttgart
Ending on beginning of June, 2011 in Stuttgart,
Three B-Class F-CELL vehicles, driving-distance per car: about 30.000 kilometers
Countries: Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, USA, Canada, Australia, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany
Funny story actually….about seven weeks ago, as I was driving to Geraldton from Perth and about 200kms out of Perth, I saw this guy walking by the side of the road with two camels. I considered pulling over and taking a photo of the human caravan but alas as we all know photographers can be quite lazy so I ended up driving by and not thinking much of it at all….until last Thursday as I was driving from Port Hedland to Karratha I saw him again – seven weeks later! I decided it was time to put my portrait skills to good use.
I pulled over and introduced myself and asked if it would be alright to take a portrait. Stephen was more than happy to pose and even get on the camel for me. Stephen Geppert explained that he is walking around Western Australia and the least I could do for the somewhat energetic traveler was take his photo for him.
From the research that I have conducted it seems that Brisbane born Geppert is planning to walk from Perth to Mitchell Falls at the top end of our massive state with two camels from Kalamunda Camels. In the scorching heat of the Pilbara it seems that Stephen was in good spirts with his two companions, Wasim and Herman. He explained that one of the camels would normally be carrying the majority of his water (a total of about 238 litres) but he ran into trouble when the camel developed a saddle sore. As the dilemma unfolded he planned to have the camel’s saddle couriered from Karratha to Port Hedland to give the 20 year old beast a rest.
I am just amazed at what we can achieve if we can put our minds to it. Stephen seems to be the kind of guy who makes one believe that anything is possible. I only met him for about ten minutes but he certainly left an impression. His journey will take him through this great State of Western Australia where he is yet to experience the Tanami, Gibson, Great Victoria deserts followed by the Nullabor before continuing on back to Perth. I wish him all the best. I have sent this photo to him so he can treasure the memory forever.
Something about this image grabs my attention. I think it is the clear blue water in the background. I was keen to get out and about and try my new 400mm f5.6 L lens. I’m planning to take this lens to Africa – September next year. Can’t wait!
After my new office set up (see previous post) I was inspired to post another Karijini photograph.
Also an update on the massive Stirling ranges multi-row stitch…..with so many files it takes my computer a long long time to process anything. Hopefully I should have it done soon so stay tuned!
Until then – Happy Shooting
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LEIGH DIPROSE 
