It was a 5 image HDR and although it did look a little unrealistic in parts, I submitted it in this month’s competition to my local camera club (Workshop Camera Club).

The judge gave it first place in the open colour print section but also commented on the relationship between the sky and the water.

So after the meeting one of the better Photoshop guys mentioned a way of toning down the HDR look by using active blur. Active Blur is applied to a new layer then the opacity is pulled bach to about 5 – 8 %.

I think it worked on this image and has toned down the over saturated colour look that it had.

I live on the 5th level of an apartment block in Applecross, Western Australia. It is the top floor with a lot of glass and when it hit I was genuinely concerned that a lot of my window glass would give way, but it held. I was so preoccupied with it’s ferocity that I didn’t even take any pictures.

The following day I went out into the bay in front of the apartment and a boat had dragged it’s mooring and ended up stranded on shore but the sky had those amazing after storm clouds.

This image is an HDR taken about 06:30am as the sun was rising. The water was clam but the sky showed some of the storm aftermath.

I took pictures of this boat for the next week until it was finally taken back to its mooring.

After the Storm

Taken from the steps on the beach with my 7D, a 100-400L and a 1.4 Extender.

I took several on the day but this little guy appealed to me as he rocketed down the wave.

I grew up in the suburb of Manning (on the right of this photo) in suburban Perth in Western Australia. My Dad was the local milkman and had milkrounds in several suburbs around here.

In the 60′s my Dad and I water skied from deep water point (where this jetty is) and surrounds. In the 70′s I rowed out of the rowing sheds at Canning Bridge in the distance (with ANA Rowing Club) and I really haven’t gone too far from here.

I now live at the Raffles Apartments which is the tall structure in the distance.

It’s really been a good lifestyle growing up here – and nice to see the wildlife such as dolphins and black swans coming back.

In an attempt to get some cover from the spray I went out along the viewing bridge but there was still too much spray. With the awsome storm surging over the rocks and under the bridge I saw a shot that I wanted to get but it took me two mornings to get the right shot.

The first morning I just got rained and sprayed on. Not that I minded but the front of the lens was a mess. The second day I used a shower cap over the front of the lens which allowed me to focus and get the right exposure. I then took the shower cap off for a second or so while I took the shot and then re covered the lens. Seems fine in theory but I had to keep going back to the car to clean the lens as the wind, spray and rain still made it difficult.

In the end I got this shot. The sun had just peeked up from the horizon behind me and through some of the cloud cover.

I entered it into the Open section of the Projected Images competiton last night and it wa placed first.

Pity I hadn’t saved it for the Lanscape contest as I think I may have a hard time finding a better one for that.

Elephant Rocks

As the Principal is a friend of ours, I donated a recent photo of a Redgate Storm to the Auction. Printed and framed it was about 1.2m wide.

I was pleased not only that it raised $625 on the fall of the auctioneers hammer (3rd highest price) but that out of 70 art objects I was placed 2nd in the People’s Choice award. This recouped the cost of printing and framing.

Redgate Rocks

Seems like I spend a lot of time at Redgate Beach in Margaret River but I love the fact that it’s got those beautiful red rocks and crashing seas.

I was down there again for the ANZAC long weekend and spent some more time on the rocks. This view is looking from the way in front of the Redgate lookout out to sea.

The image is a 30 second exposure at 5:30 in the afternoon.

How did I do that? With a ND x400 filter which I originally bought for the partial eclipse on Australia Day.

I always wondered what I was going to use Live View for on my 5D II ! It’s impossible to see through the viefinder with this filteron.

I’m back down there again there this weekend but I might go to Indijup this time.

The Editor of the Augusta-Margaret River Mail saw it posted on my website and asked if they could use it.

Well my Sister in-law finally got around to bringing the paper up to Perth and it got published in the March 11 edition.

Unlike many on my BlogRoll its my first published so I am really chuffed about it.

I am back down in the MR region again this Easter long weekend so I will see what happens. It looks like rain – which I like!

See my Redgate Storm image here