Charlie's WorldHolidays, part 4 – Kalbarri Gorge to Denham via Hamelin Pool
Posted on October 7, 2010
It was a long drive between the gorge and Hamelin Pool, long, hot and boring with most of looking like the road below. For hours and hours.
We stopped at the Billabong Roadhouse for lunch – this place is really in the middle of nowhere and offers an oasis of fuel, food and erm, a place for a much needed ‘comfort break’ They did a good range of gluten free food too, which meant Anja could at least eat well, rather than having to live on just chips (not that she would really have cared too much, she’s a starch machine)
We turned off the highway and onto the road to Denham – there’s still an hour or so of solid driving to go from that point, but we were making good time so we stopped off at Hamelin Pool, a tiny homestead and former telegraph station at the bottom of Shark Bay. It’s famous for its Stromatolites, which are rock like structures, formed from the actions of tiny cyanobacteria that grow in the hyper-saline waters, slowly trapping sand and mud which forms new layers, growing only few mm a year.
These creatures are some of the earliest life forms on the planet and and form a major constituent of the fossil record for about the first 3.5 billion years of life on earth. Using sunlight, they synthesise carbon dioxide to produce oxygen. In fact, it is thought that during those billions of years, they were pretty much solely responsible for creating the oxygen rich atmosphere we enjoy today.
It is also totally unspoiled here, being a protected world heritage zone – the place is gorgeous!
We drove the hour or so down the only road to Denham, undulating its way though the scrub like bush, before the first signs of human habitation appear and we pulled into town. Denham is a lovely little place, a few restaurants, caravan parks, a hotel or two, some supermarkets and petrol stations. Its really the only town in Shark Bay, so it has everything you could want.
Our self catering apartment was nice – basic but clean and with lots of space and only 30 seconds walk from the beach and gorgeous sunsets every night.
Next up, Shell Beach, Monkey Mia, Dolphins and adventures off road.
Holidays, part 3 – Kalbarri Gorges
Posted on October 5, 2010
Day 3, we set off from Kalbarri early as we had a long drive (again) to Denham in Shark Bay.
Stopping briefly for petrol and a quick walk along the beach (we arrived in the dark the night before so we thought we’d at least have a 5 minute poke around), we quickly decided that Kalbarri is a place we’d come back to. Clean, pretty, lots of variety of food (for vegetarians, vegans and gluten and dairy free) and enough to keep children occupied for a week.
We drove up the Ajana Kalbarri road towards the Kalbarri National Park so we could have a gawp at the amazing Murchison River Gorge. This was a little way off road – 20km or so along well made dirt tracks – through the vast open bush.
It was a pleasure to see to no evidence of mankind (the road excepted) as far as the eye could see in all directions. We even saw emus wandering through a thin patch of bush just off the road.
We parked up at a little car park and walked out into the heat – it was really warm compared to Perth – and took a walk down a little rocky track to a lookout over the Murchison River.
Wow – it was an awesome view. Not very many folks about either, just a few brave souls and a teenage kid who was curious about my Hasselblad camera. This was also the first time we really got to see the red rocks that make this part of the world so famous.
It’s spring in Australia at the moment, so there were a fair few desert flowers about – very pretty.
We still had a long drive and Anja was in a foul teenage mood, so we didn’t get to see the fabled ‘Nature’s Window’, which I was ok with – it was hot and there were lots of flies about, and besides, its such a stupid twee name for a gorgeous rock arch.
We drove back down the track and continued north along the highway into ever more barren countryside and ever increasing temperatures.
Next up – Hamelin Bay and Shark Bay
Holidays, part 2 – Lancelin to Kalbarri
Posted on October 4, 2010
We left Lancelin early, as frankly the hotel accommodation left everything to be desired and we couldn’t stand being there any more. That and we had a huge drive to Kalbarri to do before the end of the day.
Before last week, there was no road north from Lancelin, you had to go east inland 30km or so and hop on the main highway, which didn’t really come back to the coast again until Geraldton, 3 hours or so up the coast. But the highways agency in Western Australia have been busy and have pushed a new road straight through the bush, joining up with the small coast road at Cervantes 100km or so away.
The new road is awesome and goes through utterly deserted bushland. Deserted as its is part of a military firing range! There are hardly any cars and nothing but huge wide expanses of virgin bush as far as the eye can see – perfect!
We stopped off at the Pinnacles, a national park with strange limestone rock formations that just stick straight out of the bright yellow sandy desert. The Aboriginals who once lived in the area avoided the place and in stories said that the rocks were the fingernails of those who ventured there and got sucked into the sinking sands.
There were spectacular views across the bush to the Indian Ocean, 10km or so away.
The Pinnacles has to be one of the most accessible national parks areas in Australia, as they have actually laid out a track right through the desert that you can drive on, right through the rocks and emu. No need (if you are spectactularly lazy) to even get out of the car. I’d recommend having a look in the discovery centre and actually walking about though – it’s an amazing place.
The girls got told off for this – apparently you’re not supposed to climb on the ancient and unique monuments… 😉
After an hour of exploring and driving round the little stone edged desert track, we headed off to get some lunch and petrol in Jurien Bay, a little town an hour or so up the road. Refreshed and loaded up, we headed on up to Kalbarri – which was still 6 hours, or 400km or so away.
The old Indian Ocean Drive snaked its way through deserted and sometimes scorched bushland, the road half the width of the new sections earlier on and only affording small glimpses of the turquoise ocean as it headed towards the Brand Highway at Dongara.
We popped in for coffee in Geraldton and realised we still had a lot of driving to go, so we cracked on, heading for the pink lake at Port Gregory – its a huge lake, right on the edge of the ocean, that is totally pink. Sadly, we just didn’t get there before the sun went down, and without the right light, the colours just weren’t there. The scenery on the way was gorgeous though, fields and farms and rolling hills, lit with soft and dreamy light. Light that shone right into my eyes for nearly an hour of driving, meaning my view was a light washed bug splattered windscreen with occasional views of the road!
Another couple of hours of driving along deserted roads in the dark, and we arrived in Kalbarri and to the Tudor Holiday Park, where we had a little cabin for the night. What a difference from Lancelin – this place was very cool – clean, quiet with lots of restaurants only a short walk away.
We got a really good night’s sleep before heading off early for the next leg..
Next post, “off roading” to Kalbarri Murcheson River gorge and the drive to Shark Bay..
Holga and Hasselblad
Posted on July 22, 2010
So, as you are aware, I got my films back – I was especially looking forward to seeing the shots from the Hasselblad, given I paid a small fortune for it and am betting the farm that it’ll produce images that will stir my creative soul. I know, not too much pressure then.
First, the Holga, which never ceases to surprise and amaze
Next, the Hasselblad – early days with this beastie, only just got hold of a lightmeter so the early films were guesswork and counting back from Sunny 16..
I think it’s safe to say that the camera has done ok 🙂
Pretty happy with those so far. I have another 2 films I’m scanning and there are some interesting shots there too.
Can’t wait to get out again and take more shots now!
first shots
Posted on March 28, 2010
As I mentioned previously, I bought a B+W110ND filter – a wondrous thing which is basically a piece of very dark glass that reduces the amount of light into the camera by 10 stops.
For those that have no idea what I’m talking about – a stop on a camera is, for example, like the difference between a shutter speed of 0.5 and 1 second.
So if your camera was going to shoot at 1/125th second, adding a 10 stop filter means you have to shoot for 8 seconds to let the same of light in. Which means you can have quite a lot of fun at sunset when exposures are already down to a second or so without the filter. You have to check the exposure based on the aperture settings you want, frame the shot, get it to focus where you want, switch the camera to manual everything (inc focus), screw the filter in, which is so black you can’t see anything anymore. Then work out the correct exposure with the filter on, set the remote timer and basically leave it to do its thing for the 200 odd seconds that is needed.
Anyway, all this technical mumbo jumbo is all well and good, but the upshot of the camera being open for at least 3 minutes is that the ocean is totally smoothed out and the camera has captured the clouds moving.
Like this:
And yes, I am pleased with the results!
Next step, more location scouting and to start thinking in black and white…
I see dumb people!!
Posted on March 27, 2010
Yes, I feel like Haley Joel Osment in Sixth Sense, only with less creepy 10-year-old girls under the table with poisoned sick coming out of their mouths.
Went out this morning to get presents for Henry’s birthday for when I go back to England next week and also a few other bits and bobs and oh man, the dumb people are out in force today.
We’ve had people taking ages to pull away from traffic lights so they are the only ones to get through, morons not stopping at zebra crossings, blocking aisles in the shopping centre, driving the wrong way round car parks and people blocking roads waiting to turn into a drive through bottle shop.
All in the space of an hour.
What is wrong with you people!
1. Acceleration. It’s the right hand pedal of the two or three that you have. When the lights change, you press the pedal and go. I know this will come as a terrible shock to a lot of people, but the go part of that manoeuvre should happen within seconds of the light changing, not at some point before end of the day. Also, you have to *keep* pressing the pedal after the initial press and continue to accelerate. So many people just stop accelerating once they start going. I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else in the world. It can take minutes to get up to the speed limit sometimes behind some cars. I know we don’t have to rush, but I’d like to get home before I have to retire.
2. Zebra crossings. You have to stop at a crossing in Oz, same as in the UK. It’s not an option like in France or Italy, it’s a mandatory thing. So, fucktard in the carpark today where the road rules still apply, almost running us and another couple on the next crossing down means you’re an arsehole. Pure and simple. I hope your knob rots off.
3. Blocking aisles. I don’t think teenagers get taught respectful behaviour any more. 5 teenage kids totally blocking one side of the narrow bit of the mall today so no one can get past. Are you not embarrassed by this? Does it not penetrate into your tiny hormonally challenged brains that there are other people who might want to get past because, wait for it – newsflash – it’s a fucking Saturday at the busy shops. And no, it’s not funny when someone tries to squeeze past.
4. Wrong way around carparks. There are big white arrows on the ground and entry or no entry signs on the end of each row. It’s not really too hard to follow these really simple instructions. Except it is for some people. If you can’t obey the simplest direction, then you need to give me your sorry excuse for a car and take the damn bus. It’s not even funny – I wonder what else they aren’t paying attention to or don’t care about on the roads?
5. Waiting to pull into a drive through. I hate drive through’s. They are a haven for fat and stupid lazy people who can’t be bothered to get off their fat arses and walk into the bottle shop (liquor store/off licence) or fast food joint and actually pick the items up for themselves. I know these places are for fat lazy stupid and thoughtless people as there were several matching just that description today just waiting in the road to turn in to the bottle shop as there was a queue. So rather than drive 10 metres, park, go in, buy the beer and walk back again, you’d rather queue in the road and inconvenience everyone. A lady was trying to pull out of her parking space, but you were in the way – but hey, you were waiting and why should you move? So she just had to wait, trapped in to her space, as did we have to wait behind you in the road. You couldn’t reverse a few feet to let her out, or even realise how much of an obstruction you were causing to everyone and park and go in on foot. Selfish, dumb jerkoff.
So yeah, moronic idiots – how these people manage to earn any kind of living is beyond me. They all have to be on welfare, they are way to mentally and socially challenged to be able to do any kind of paid work.
And now, we’re staying in until 6pm until the dumb people have all gone home.
new toys
Posted on March 20, 2010
I just bought some new stuff for my camera as I’m very interested in long exposure shots.
I got a B&W ND110 filter reduces light by 10 stops so enables long exposures during the day (interesting, but not *that* useful) or more importantly, longer exposures at or around sunset.
The longer the shutter is open on the water/rock/beach sunsets that I like, the smoother the water and the sky become. So focus onto something nice and sharp, like a jetty or a bold rock and set the camera to take a shot for 5 minutes, you’ll get (hopefully) amazingly smooth looking landscapes which tend to convert well to black and white.
I had a little go today, but I didn’t get anything totally fab, just the slight oddness of a daytime shot with smooth waves over rocks.
I need loads more practice, but at least I have something to aim for.
take a look at these guys if you have time
http://www.davidburdeny.com/
http://www.silverlandscapes.com
http://www.michaellevin.ca
Some target, eh? 🙂
club night
Posted on March 15, 2010
I go to a photography club every month in order to learn from other people, but also to have my photos judged by some top class judges from locally in Western Australia and also nationally.
I’ve only been going for about 6 months, and so far, I’ve managed to get at least one photo each time I’ve been in the top 3 of the submissions – at least I’m doing something right then!
Last month was no exception – managing to get 1st, 3rd and 4th in the open (non modified) class – I was pretty pleased as I think I’m improving month my month.
The club has a monthly theme, which I aim to have a go at if I can – however I’m normally rushing about at the 11th hour trying to think of something to take a shot of! So, in order to avoid that this month, I thought I’d start early. The theme is “abstract macro” which is tougher than it sounds. It really requires a macro lens, which I do have, although it’s only a 50mm which is really the wrong focal length.
Umming and ahhhing over what I’d take, I had a go with some flowers and a chilli in the garden, but as nice as the shots were, they weren’t abstract.
see what I mean?
Nice, might even do well blown right up onto a canvas, but not abstract enough for me.
So, onwards and upwards, we try again, this time, a different subject
can you tell what it is? I think the first and last shots kinda give it away, but I’m not submitting those 😉
style
Posted on March 15, 2010
I was determined to be a cool street photographer.
I had designs on my camera collection down to a simple Leica M6 or M7 35mm rangefinder and a few tasty lenses, shooting exclusively in black and white and generally taking cool shots a-la Cartier Bresson and his ilk.
Well, the nearest I’ve got is my Trip 35 (which, despite being very cool and unflappable is still woefully underused)
and a couple of second hand autos from the 80’s
You might think I’m a bit gutted, and in some ways I am, but it transpires that I’m actually starting to like landscapes and also, rather incongruously, sports photography. Neither of which lend themselves to the Leica in any way shape or form.
I’m on the save up for an ultra wide angle lens for the D300 plus some very tasty filters that would enable me to take the shots that just can’t quite get with my current setup. Handily, I’d like to use said ultra-wide angle for sports photography too.
Here’s some recent landscapes that I’m rather fond of..
Okay, true, they are all sunsets, but I haven’t invested any time into daylight shots yet (plus I need better filters, mine are fine for sunsets, but tint clouds purple during the day). I have a few location ideas in mind which I think I’ll start to work upto in the next few months, especially as the cooler weather is coming.
So we’ll see how it goes, I might be getting up at the crack of dawn to catch that sunrise yet.
girl on film
Posted on March 6, 2010
An homage to the missus. Taken with the Holga and (mostly awful) Diana Mini.
looking good, wifey 🙂
Charlie's World 