Southern Lightscapes

PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR TO THE AMERICAN SOUTH WEST... OCT - NOV 2011

2011-11-10T16:41:00.000+11:00

Having just returned home from a twenty-one day Photographic Tour I have put a small selection of images for everyone to enjoy. We travelled out from Las Vegas and our photographic adventure started in Snow Canyon just inside the border of Utah. For the next nineteen days we completed the grand tour of Canyons, Arches and Desert the are so magnificent in this part of the American West. Places visited include Zion, Bryce, Canyon-lands, Arches, Mesa Verde and the Grand Canyon National Parks. We also visited Dead Horse Point, Horseshoe Bend, Monument Valley, the Four Corners, Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam and Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon. The Autumn colours, the Sunrise at Arches, the Sunset at Monument Valley.... and the wonderful snow at two locations added to the amazing scenery we saw and photographed every day. Twenty-five people including myself had the most marvelous time capturing the colours and splendour of this region and filling memory cards quickly each day! A big thanks to Peter Walton for his wonderful input and support on this Tour, and also a big thank you to all who came with us on this trip... you were all wonderful and I loved every minute!!

A night of gently falling snow made the rim of the Grand Canyon the next morning a truly unforgettable experience.... and so pictured below is the group all smiling and... rearing to go and capture the scene before them!

United Arab Emirates - October 13th -19th 2011

2011-10-26T07:05:00.000+11:00

On our return journey from England and Scotland we spent a few days in Abu Dhabi a city south of Dubai in the UAE. We stayed with one of our cousins and his family who work here and were able to go out and see some of the sights. Hot and dusty are the first words that spring to mind, and its very hard to photograph landscapes as there are virtually none! However there are some interesting subjects to photograph which include the Royal Palace Hotel with its four tonnes of gold leaf! The third largest mosque in the world which houses the largest Persian rug in the world... The endless sand dunes at dusk,
the tall buildings and the harbour. The new hotel which has the formula one race track running through it
is an amazing sight at night, as the roof is made entirely of plasma screens which light up and change colour. Its hard to do much here in the day as the temperature stays well above 40 degrees, so not a great place to be outside for long periods with a camera!

England and Scotland September-October 2011

2011-09-19T17:23:00.007+10:00

Leaving Edinburgh we travelled south through the Scottish border area, a beautiful region of rolling hills and Castles, with Salmon rivers and woodland. I haven't worked on any images from this region yet and we travelled further south into the border with England and a quick look at Hadrian's wall. We spent a few days in the wonderful Yorkshire Dales and although the weather was fairly inclement I was still able to get a few quite nice images from the beautiful scenery here in this district. Some outstanding areas include Brinham Rocks and Fountain Abbey, set in a park-like setting and dating back to the eleventh century. Dry-Stone walls abound and sheep graze everywhere.

From the Lake District we have now travelled up into Scotland. Places visited include the Mull of Kintryre to see where my mother spent some time as a teenager, especially in the small village of Ardrishaig, where the boats still have to be lowered from the Drinan Canal into Lake Fyne. Spent a night in the town of Oban and then worked our way up into the Rannoch Mor area including Glencoe Pass. weather was mixed but around Glen Etive, it was sunny and clear and the scenery spectacular. This area is still wonderful in the wet and mist, and Scotland has a light I have nor experienced elsewhere.

From Bath we now have travelled up to the North West of England into the Lake District in the Cumbrian Mountains. A most beautiful area and although considered to be the wettest part of England for the amount of rain they get here, we were able to dodge the showers quite well. Light here is amazing when it peeps from behind the clouds, but even on the cloudiest of days the light is soft and the hills and lakes have that lovely softness of pastels and shades that is so unique to this area. One morning out of five the light burst out above the hill line just after daybreak and I was prepared! Standing on the far bank of Rydal Water (A favourite place of the poet Wordsworth) after a fairly long sprint from the where I had parked the car I then ran from pre-arranged spot to pre-arranged spot to capture the light. It was all over in about ten minutes but it was magnificent while it lasted!

Our Journey continues through to Bath in north East Somerset, a magnificent spa town made famous by the Roman Baths. The buildings here are wonderful, built centuries ago for the upper class as a holiday
retreat, with the warm Bath Stone clad on all buildings its a bit overwhelming. some of the villages in this area are a treat and tried to visit early in the day to avoid the crowds. Of note: Castle Combe and Lacock. There are some images here included of the roof of the Bath Abbey, the royal Crescent in Bath, The ancient Roman Baths, Lacock Abbey and Village, Hungerford Canal and the cute village of Castle Combe, irrisistable to most photographers!

My trip to Britain this time started in London. We are here for just over a month and will work our way west to Bath, then up to the Lake District and on to the West coast of Scotland.
London was mostly sunny with scattered cloud the four days we were here. It tried to rain a couple of times but seemed to miss the city itself. As I have photographed many parts of London before I tried to do things a little differently this time.
I tried to photograph some famous icons with Sunstars and was lucky enough to catch quite a few. Its hard to stay in position for long with people bumping past you but fun trying anyway!
some of the images below with Sunstars include Big Ben at Westminster, Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, Wellington's Arch and the Tower Bridge.

I have also worked some Panorama images of the city itself from the River Thames, From the top of St Paul's Cathedral and from around the Tower of London.
We now head of towards the West through to Bath, so my next images on this blog will include images from this amazing historical town and surrounding area.

King Island Photographic Workshop September 2011

2011-09-12T10:25:00.002+10:00

Have just returned from leading another amazing Photographic Workshop to this scenically beautiful and amazing destination. The month of September never fails to impress as winter is trying to give way to spring and the weather constantly changes before your very eyes. We had rain squalls, intense back-lighting, front-lighting and side-lighting, rainbows and scudding clouds that raced across the skies. the sea roared and thundered and we photographed it all.

Book your next workshop with Southern Lightscapes and delight in the photographic experience that is King Island. Check out the page on this blog-spot for more information or just email me at.....
ianrolfe@bigpond.com

Norfolk Island: southern Suburbs Photographic Society Tour. August 2011

2011-09-04T21:24:00.007+10:00

Seven Days on this beautiful little Island is not hard to take. Along with twenty others we rose early each morning to catch the early light: something that disappears very quickly here in the sub-tropics of the Pacific Ocean. The Island sparkled with a vibrant green hue after recent heavy rainfall. However no matter the weather, this small yet fascinating Island with its historic buildings and lovely coastline kept us busy with our camera's every day, with time out for a decent coffee break after all the hard work shooting scenery, rainforest, coastlines, beaches and the like. Everyone had a great time and no doubt came home with some very memorable images.

Arkaroola, Lake Eyre, Channel Country and Outback New South Wales

2011-08-24T12:01:00.000+10:00

Have just returned from a two week trip flying in a light aircraft in the Outback regions of South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. Beautifully piloted by Brendan Cosmer, we flew in total kilometres about a third of the way to England! Our trip was mainly to see the magnificent Lake Eyre in flood, a sight to behold and hard to describe. Our first stop was the Gammon Ranges in South Australia, at the Arkaroola Wilderness Lodge. We spent time travelling about in a 4wd to visit the waterholes and rugged terrain that make this spot so famous. After two days we boarded the plane and headed up to Maree and then across to the famous watering hole at the start of the Oodnadatta track: William Creek. This is a great pub, so Australian, and so typical of the Outback. Nearby are the beautiful Painted hills at the Anna Creek Station, with a late afternoon flight to catch the wonderful colours that are reminiscent of the North American continent. The next day was the first of two flights over the amazing Lake Eyre. To truly appreciate this vast interior Lake it requires a flight to each area, so the southern part was traversed firstly, followed the next day by a circuit flight over the Northern part including the Warbuton River. Basically Lake Eyre is the same size as Holland, with the basin that drains into it roughly the size of Germany and France combined!
Truly awesome to see and photograph. The colours are lovely and change as it deepens and moves. Following these flights we touched down at Innamincka on the Banks of the Cooper Creek and spent hours wandering along the banks watching the birdlife and the photographing the amazing sunset. Innamincka is another Aussie Icon and well worth a visit. How anybody lives out here defies belief, but some love it and good luck to them. We spent a day flying over the channel country after we touched down and looked at the famous "Dig Tree" (Burke and Wills) and then spent the next night at the infamous Birdsville Hotel. Wonderful food and Lodging and some amazing images at the local Lagoon in the late afternoon light. Highlights included a look at "Big Red" the 90 metre Sand dune and a low flying look at the flooded area and Lagoons in this beautiful channel Country. Goyder Lagoon was truly impressive and the colours of the water and desert country mixed up with the green growth truly spectacular!

Other area visited on this trip included Charleville, Bourke and the wonderful Camel Station in Outback New South Wales called Comeroo. This trip was a personal journey, a long time on my bucket list and the memories will definitely last a lifetime.

Southern Tasmania, Bruny Island and the Hartz Mountains.

2011-07-05T11:25:00.000+10:00

On a recent trip to the Southern Area of Tasmania including a few days on Bruny Island, the unpredictable weather helped in getting some amazing shots. The dawn light in Adventure Bay was wonderful, but the weather would close in by the afternoon and bring a wind from the south. The seas would then become choppy and so I decided to do the morning boat trip along the coast to the southernmost area near the Bruny Lighthouse. This boat trip is highly recommended as the towering cliffs along this part of the Island are quite spectacular. Not for those prone to sea-sickness. It really pays to pick your time and if there is a strong wind it would be no use for photography, as you need to stand up in the boat when they stop for a moment, and its quite a challenge I can tell you! Also spent some time in the Hartz Mountains National Park, and as is so often the case when I go to this spot the wind and rain arrived within minutes of getting out of the car. Undaunted I managed to photograph Lake Dobson and get wet....yet again. The Arve river area was also damp, but no wind, so the rainforest looked amazing. The wonderful thing about Tasmania is the diversity in the weather, expect anything and you wont be disappointed.

Photographic Day Out: Flinders Coastal area and Cape Schanck National Park July 12th 2011

2011-06-20T18:40:00.002+10:00

Drove down to the Cape Schanck National Park and the Flinders Coastal area last weekend with a friend from our Photographic Club. Spent the day at these two locations getting some very good coastal images with the ocean at low tide. Winter light was very favourable, and we also experimented with ND filters on the movement of the wave action in many of our photo's to create that special ethereal effect. Certainly this is a wonderful location to

re-visit on more than one occasion.

Bendigo Region Photographic Workshop June 4th and 5th 2011

2011-06-15T09:23:00.001+10:00

A recent two day workshop held in and around the Bendigo Goldfields district was very successful. We set out to photograph the wonderful cathedral in the first light of dawn and also to try some times exposures at night of this amazing church. We spent some time too in the vicinity of the Campaspe River at Kyneton, because the winter light was low and there was no wind to speak of. There we were able to capture some stunning reflections with the added bonus of the last of the Autumn colours, still lying on

the ground in various hues of gold, brown and red.

We also spent an hour or two out in the vicinity of Heathcote where at close proximity to the town is an area the locals describe as the pink hills. these are remnants of the gold-rush, leftover alluvial diggings that are eroding away leaving spectacular colours and shapes to marvel at. These pink hills can be photographed in the middle part of the day during the winter months as the light is a lot less contrasty due to the sun being at such a low angle. Other stops included the flooded Mount Ida creek and the Botanical Gardens in the small village of Malmsbury. The winter sun was a delight here and the reflections in the ponds very attractive.

Waratah Bay Weekend with Southern Suburbs Photographic Society

2011-06-07T15:54:00.001+10:00

Recently our club had a wonderful three day weekend at Waratah Bay. We had an amazing lodge all to ourselves and over the course of the three days we drove to various locations nearby. As the road to Tidal River was still blocked some of the group drove down the five mile road at the Northern end of Wilson's Prom National Park to Miller's Landing. Very dramatic seascapes here and luckily the tide was out so some excellent seascapes presented themselves. The Big drift was a two kilometre walk and proved to be a great spot for some unusual landscapes. These sand-hills are huge and are simply amazing to walk over.

Other places the group visited were Fish Creek, Sandy Point, Walkerville North, Cape Liptrap and Port Franklin. This area is so good and with its relative closeness to Melbourne there is a strong indication from the favourable comments by everyone to visit this area again next year, with the group booking the same lodge too, as it caters for the needs of the club very well.

Phillip Island Photography Weekend May20th - 23rd 2011

2011-05-24T22:02:00.001+10:00

Last weekend the Victorian Association of Photographic Societies (VAPS) annual convention was held at Cowes on Phillip Island. A wonderful opportunity to mix with like-minded people and enjoy a weekend filled with photographic workshops lectures and social time with members from the various clubs in Victoria. I had been asked to hold two workshops on the Sunday and Monday mornings and it proved to be a great event as the weather favoured those that got out of bed early to enjoy the first light of day.

I have visited Phillip Island on a number of occasions, but have never seen such lovely Light perfect for photography as this weekend. The above images were taken at the following spots.... Cape Woolamai, The Nobbies, Churchill Island and Cowes Cemetery.

Weekend Workshop with the Benalla Camera Club

2011-05-11T08:39:00.001+10:00

I was invited up to Benalla again to spend time with this lovely group of people. Friday night saw me judging their open and landscape sections of the monthly competition. Some really good work was submitted and many of the participants received merits for their work....and justly so.
Saturday I conducted an indoor workshop on advanced photographic composition and landscape HDR with the afternoon and dusk dedicated to putting into practise what everyone had been shown.

Sunday morning we spend around the Benalla lake before enjoying a great breakfast at one of the cafe's in town. Waiting for the dusk out at the shoreline of Lake Nillahcootie and then getting the dazzling evening light was the highlight of our afternoon shoot. the weekend was a great success and I am always delighted to spend time with everyone in this photographic group.

Kiewa Valley and the Bogong high Plains

2011-04-30T17:28:00.001+10:00

Three Days of Personal Photography up in the wonderful high country of Victoria's North-East

Last weekend I anticipated a huge high over Southern Australia and its fine outcome up in the high
country. I was not disappointed as this tract of high pressure brought amazing Indian-like summer conditions. Cool evenings brought a layer of heavy mist which burnt off in the morning sunlight. Beautiful conditions for Landscape Photography, the sun does not rise too high in the sky in these Autumn days so contrast remains lower and photography is possible right through the day! I spent three days up here on the Bogong High Plains doing some personal Photography, but I think it would be a great place for a future workshop. Autumn colours were superb and reflections in the rivers and lakes to die for!!

Flinders Island Photographic Workshop March16th - 19th 2011

2011-03-21T15:07:00.002+11:00

A wonderful workshop has just been completed on the Scenically beautiful Flinders Island. Eight participants enjoyed the great hospitality of our hosts Ken and Carolyn at Vistas Lodge. It was a delight to come back from an intensive day out shooting the Coastlines and mountains of this wild spectacular Island to then sit, unwind and relax over a glass of red (or two) Four Days of photographic delights and much energy was used in rock-hopping our way over to the perfect location for photography. The group went out on two early morning dawn starts with some amazing images taken.
We also walked into rainforest to see the lovely fern gullies and creeks, drove to two lookouts for sub alpine images and scrambled over countless huge pink granite boulders for the elusive shot!

As this Island lies on the Eastern side of Bass Strait it often gets winds from the South East. Though they don't deter any determined photographer it is nice to have calm weather. I run workshops in late March and April for this very reason, as the weather is usually very stable...We were very fortunate that three of our days there was very little wind which made for pleasant forays indeed.The weather was kind and we had a superb mix of blue skies and passing clouds. At 40 degrees south we could photograph all day!

To book into the Flinders Island workshops for next year (2012) check the details outlined in a page on this Blog for this Island exclusively.

King Island Workshop March 4th - 6th 2011

2011-03-12T10:03:00.001+11:00

Another wonderful three day workshop down at King Island has just finished. Our Hosts Ian J and Lucinda were exceptional as usual. The service and food absolutely delightful and everyone on this trip was a bit overwhelmed. We got wonderful light for our photography and the only little drawback was that everyone said they could have spent more time at each location. However, as photographers we could always say that! Too many images to shoot....not enough time!
I spent an extra two days on the Island as our hosts from the King Island Holiday Village needed some images of the lodging and accommodation for a new brochure that's going to be printed soon.

Anyone that wants additional information on these workshops please feel free to email or contact me and I will happily send it out. Check out the page dedicated to these workshops on this blog:

Mount Buller and Mansfield district Weekend Workshop

2011-03-02T19:11:00.000+11:00

I was invited by the Knox Photographic Society up to Mount Buller for three days last weekend to give lectures and lead practical field excursions on the mountain. Over thirty attended and we had a wonderful time together, with the wet weather on saturday night hardly putting a dent in the enthusiasm shared by all. I am sure all of those who attended the workshop will come home with some amazing images and the photo's I have posted here will only give you an indication of the fantastic array of subject material that's to be found up here in the high country of Victoria.

Otway Ranges and the Shipwreck Coast

2011-02-15T09:21:00.004+11:00

A friend of mine from London arrived in Melbourne for his first visit to Australia last week. Among the many places my friend Hank wanted to visit.....the Twelve Apostles was near the top of his list. It seems every tourist wants to go there! (Well it is Good, even though we Victorians are slightly biased!!! ) I naturally agreed to take him down on a two day visit ( a chance for more wonderful images!!! ) which would include a round trip to see some of the magnificent rainforest and waterfalls of the Otway Ranges. We spent some time in and around the Hopetoun falls area and included Triplet falls in this visit as well. The weather was cloudy, thick near the coast and I thought it might be a dull time near the sea when we arrived there in the afternoon. I mentioned to Hank that sometimes the weather lifts just before dusk and that it would be worth the wait......we waited and waited.....fingers crossed, but the cloud was thick and almost gloomy and so very reluctantly I was just about going to give up ( Even the most ardent Landscape Photographers pack up if there is no light)....
Then literally about fifteen minutes before dusk, the clouds parted! A blast of the most incredible light shone through a hole in the heavy cloud as it hit the limestone cliffs and swept around the sea-stacks! Needless to say I went almost completely ballistic as I fired off frame after frame, running between vantage points to capture as much as I could!

The wonderful light lasted about eight minutes and the gloom came back.... but those eight minutes were unbelievable in their light and luminosity!
The next morning we caught the first of the morning light in and around Loch-Ard gorge and the view further to the West. Again the light was magical and the clouds continued to disperse so we continued our way along the Great Ocean road with stops at Apollo Bay Lorne and Aireys Inlet. the Spit Point Lighthouse looked great in the full light of the Summer Blue skies.....This journey is so good a landscape photographer should almost put it on his or her yearly to do list!

King Island January 2011 visit

2011-01-26T19:31:00.000+11:00

Last week saw me return to King Island for a few days to look at some new locations for upcoming workshops i want to conduct here on the Island in 2011. I found some amazing coastal scenery which I will not share with you on this blog just yet. I want to show those who attend my workshops and be amazed at the new photographic sites. The local council has just put in a new gravel road to a bay that up until recently was a sandy 4WD track at best known to a few local and overseas surfies. Undoubtably many visitors to the Island will have seen this spot but when you have a three day intensive workshop you don't get much time to set out on foot for hours at a time, so consequently I have not taken any photographers there before. I spent some considerable time in and around Cape Wickham and trudged over to Victoria cove.....the six images on this new post are all from the Cape Wickham and Victoria Cove area.

This area is an incredibly beautiful spot and I hope to get here one night and time expose the beam from the lighthouse and the pounding water....

King Island Photographic Workshop December 3-5 2010

2010-12-09T19:36:00.001+11:00

Another Three day Photographic Workshop on this amazing Island has been a huge success. Weather was generally fine and sunny and all those attending came away with some wonderful images. This trip included a few hours at the king Island racetrack, with special permission to go trackside and also to observe first hand the starters gate and saddling area. A misty front moved in on Sunday morning for an hour or two and provided a dramatic darkened backdrop to the seascapes, it soon dissipated and fine weather returned. Images shown here Include the group on Fraser's Beach, photographing Seal Bay, the King Island Races and the lovely City of Melbourne Bay. Late Spring flowers were still out in dazzling display's of colour and were a highlight especially in the South of the Island.

The Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsular of South Australia

2010-11-30T13:39:00.000+11:00

November is the month where like magic the blue Lake at Mount Gambier changes from a dull grey to the unbelievable vivid blue colour that has made it famous. A short drive away is the Crater Lake which is usually a very scenic spot and I wasn't disappointed........ The Limestone coast is amazing in its diversity and seaside Towns like Beachport have incredible seascapes. At Beachport one of South Australia's longest jetties heads out into the aqua waters of the Great Australian Bight....... Our drive along the Coorong was a highlight of this trip. I knew from the media reports that it had suffered badly in the last decade from serious drought and lack of water flowing down the Murray River. Now it looks magnificent, just the way it should. The Government has funded the opening of the Murray mouth and fresh sea-water is flowing into the Coorong. Both Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert are full of fresh water and the Coorong now has its fresh sea-water. The area is getting back to normal and its a great time to see it.

The Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsular of South Australia

2010-11-30T13:25:00.001+11:00

A stay at the Town of Victor Harbour saw me out at dusk because there was a full moon. The Maria creek runs into the sea here and I was able to find a spot where the moonlight had brightened up the water. .........A Panorama of the unbelievable aqua waters in the coastal area at Robe, a lovely spot on the Limestone Coast.......The region around Lake Albert between the Town of Meningie and the River Murray is open grassland with salt-pans. the area is of course famous for its Pink Lakes. These will always dry out in the summer months and if there has not been sufficient rain through the winter you will not find the lakes with water at this time of year anyway. What makes them so special is the amazing Pink colour which is real! The algae in the water produce carotene, a substance found in things like carrots, which actually protect them from the sun's rays. As the lake dries out it leaves salt and the algae die. Pink Flamingo's get their colour from the same algae. These lakes are a sight to behold, especially on a sunny day.

The Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsular of South Australia

2010-11-30T13:12:00.000+11:00

Noarlunga beach and the river mouth is great for sunsets as there is a good vantage point right at the spot where the river meets the sea. This is the Onkaparinga river which runs through the heart of the Fleurieu region, starting its course up in the Adelaide hills. The river cuts a gorge through the landscape near the historic town of Old Noarlunga. Afternoon light can be amazing in this area.

The Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsular of South Australia

2010-11-30T13:02:00.002+11:00

Willunga Bay at Dusk is often so colourful as one of the images here shows. On Moana beach just after dawn you will often find horses being exercised in full harness as they trot up and down the water's edge.

Some parts of the Peninsular remain dry-looking despite all the spring rain but some amazing images can be made in these regions. I particularly liked the cloud formations above the ruins of an old farmhouse.

The Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsular of South Australia

2010-11-30T12:31:00.002+11:00

At this time of the year on the Fleurieu Peninsular the sun sets at a particular angle to the Coastline to colour the cliffs in a magnificent display at dusk. Maslins Beach, Willunga Bay and Noarlunga beach are among the best spots to observe this amazing display of colour. The dams are full as plenty of spring rain has fallen over the area. Mypongo Dam Panorama shows this clearly.

The Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsular of South Australia

2010-11-30T12:23:00.002+11:00

At this time of the year the region experiences constant change with rainfall and storms that move in from the Southern Ocean. A wonderful time to experience Light shows in the Skies over the vineyards. Every afternoon for about five days I made sure I drove up to good vantage points and waited for the light to change. Sometimes it did and especially around dusk. Storms approaching from the coast only added drama to the scene.

The Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsular of South Australia

2010-11-30T12:12:00.000+11:00

The whole of South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsular is a Landscape Photographer's delight and I have been here on numerous occasions. From the hinterland down to the coast its a palette of colours rarely seen in other parts of Australia. However this is the first time I have been here in the month of November. As much of South-East Australia have received above average and much needed rainfall this year the countryside looked spectacular. I now plan to return here again and try for the month of October which apparently is even better.

King Island Photographic Weekend October 28th to November 2nd 2010

2010-11-05T12:04:00.002+11:00

This past weekend which took in Melbourne Cup day saw me back on King Island Photographing a special event. I had been asked to take images of a group of people involved in using products including the wonderful cheeses that National Foods Produce. My good friend Ian Johnson from King Island Holiday Village had organized the weekend on behalf of National foods and the King Island Dairy.The whole weekend proved to be a resounding success and the rain that swept over the Island did not put a damper on the event at all. The weekend included a unique tour of the King Island Dairy and two day trips in the south of the Island to savour some of the Island's amazing coastline and scenery. Ian and I had time on our own to also explore some other areas including the amazing Yarra Creek gorge which was in flood.

Mount Tamborine South East Queensland

2010-09-28T16:23:00.001+10:00

A Selection of Images from a few days spent in and around the Mount Tamborine area in South East Queensland. A beautiful spot with numerous National Parks, that have the last remnants of Rainforest the once covered much of this Mountain top. Cedar Creek runs through many of the Parks and it rained quite heavily during our visit.

Leeches were our constant companions during our hikes through the various parks. Although a few of the days were quite wet with low hanging cloud it only amplified the wonderful conditions that exist in these wonderful rain-forests. The creeks were not running at their full capacity so it was quite easy to cross over them and set up the camera to include the tumbling water as it cascaded over the rocks. Although Queensland Light is certainly not my favourite by any stretch of the imagination, here within the rain-forest itself, especially in the gloom it was just lovely.

King Island Workshop September 2010

2010-09-11T16:07:00.002+10:00

Wild Weather from the South West, squalls and surging Oceans all added to the drama of the three day workshop. As usual our host Ian Johnson proved amazing and effortlessly drove the Okka 4WD to all the destinations for some amazing wild weather photography. Wonderful gourmet food and succulent King Island steaks on the Barbie greeted us when we all returned from yet another fantastic shoot. All participants shot many excellent images and learnt so much from this workshop. The wilder the weather the better the photography! Our nocturnal shoot of the little penguins coming home to roost just topped the weekend off.

Southern Tasmania July 2010

2010-08-08T17:09:00.001+10:00

Flew down to Hobart with Ann for a couple of days Rest and Recreation. Winter Light was superb, with very little contrast even in the middle part of the day....... and as usual the morning and evening light show especially at this time of the year was amazing. Walked into the Hartz Mountain National Park and encountered misty rain and fog....lovely and quiet. Huon Valley in the early morning was cold and had rising mist, but turned into lovely sunny winter days. The dusk around the Hobart Dock area was amazing with the red dusk light show lasting around thirty minutes. This was my first visit in July and it will not be my last!

King Island Photographic Workshops

2010-07-17T16:28:00.000+10:00

December 3-5 Workshop is now fully booked.......March 4th-6th 2011 only three places left.
email me at ianrolfephotography.com or ring me on 0418560662 for the March 4th - 6th tour...... some places still available!

There will also be another tour in June and again in September and December for 2011

Photographic trip to the USA featuring the Colorado Plateau

2010-07-11T11:52:00.000+10:00

In 2011 I will be running a wonderful and exciting photo safari to the American South West. this will feature the Colorado Plateau and take in the Autumn colours around Zion National Park in Utah at the start of this trip. We will then tour on to Bryce National Park followed by Canyon-lands, Arches, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, The Grand Canyon, the slot canyons of Arizona and much more. The poster explains more (so click on the brochure to to enlarge) and I am also delighted to have friend and fellow Landscape Photographer Peter Walton accompany me on this trip to help with the tour and teaching photography tips with me along the way. Only 18 places are available for this trip to ensure everyone has space and time to learn and create some stunning images.
SEPTEMBER 12TH 2010 UPDATE......THIS TRIP IS COMPLETELY BOOKED OUT!

Southern Suburbs Photographic Society

2010-07-11T11:43:00.000+10:00

I am the current President of SSPS and am proud to be part of such a progressive club. For many years now we have been running basic photography courses to help people in our community who would like to improve their picture taking skills at very little cost. Last year we introduced an advanced course aimed at those wishing to hone their photographic skills that bit further, it was hugely successful and so we have decided to run this course again and also for the first time offer beginners and the intermediate as separate courses. My daughter Katrina designed the poster and we had this printed to display at shops and camera stores. We also ran some advertising in the local newspaper based on this design.
SEPTEMBER UPDATE.......... 56 PARTICIPANTS HAVE ENROLLED IN THE 3 COURSES

VAPS APOLLO BAY WEEKEND

2010-06-02T19:01:00.000+10:00

Some images from the recent Apollo Bay Weekend. Stormy Light and quite dramatic! Took some of the delegates from the VAPS muster out early on Monday morning for a shoot around the wharf area. Peter Dwyer and myself had also taken a few carloads down on Sunday afternoon to the Cape Otway Lighthouse for some lovely dusk shots.

Lightscape. New release Hardcover book by Ian Rolfe

2010-02-27T07:45:00.000+11:00

I am very excited to announce the release of my book....Lightscape.

It has over ninety photographs superbly reproduced and coated with a special laquer.

Complete with chapters on my favourite lighting conditions and descriptions of all the images.

Comes with a Dust cover for added protection.

email me through my website to obtain your copy. cheques and credit cards accepted.

Only $49.99

I would be happy to sign your copy and mail it out to you.

Grand Canyon South Rim

2010-02-27T07:34:00.000+11:00

To experience a winter's afternoon light and the coming dusk...and to rise early and see the first light of dawn light up the sky, and the sun's rays come over the rim; will stay with me forever.

Monument Valley

2010-02-27T07:25:00.000+11:00

An amazing place with great spiritual significance to the Indian tribes who make there home here. It was wonderful to carefully drive through the canyon floor and be able to stop and take in the magnificent vistas.

Oak Creek Canyon

2010-02-14T11:10:00.000+11:00

Not far from the Centre of Sedona is a magnificent park called Oak Creek Canyon. I had always wanted to photograph here since seeing an image Captured by Galen Rowell when he happened to capture the Creek in flood after a Storm. this place is a photographer's dream and it often photographed in the Autumn when all the Aspens are in Fall Colour. I had the place to myself, as it was the middle of winter. Late afternoon light swept across Court house Rock and made the perfect back-drop. There was enough water in Oak creek to get the desired reflections and the light just got better and better as I worked my way up the Canyon.

Sedona

2010-02-14T11:04:00.000+11:00

Situated just south of Flagstaff in Arizona, Sedona in one of the United State's top locations. Red Rock country, breathtaking in its beauty with sheer Canyon walls completely surrounding the Town.

Canyon De Chelly

2010-02-09T19:48:00.000+11:00

One of the places I had long wanted to see in this area of the USA was Canyon De Chelly. Located in the Arizona Desert not far from the New Mexico Border, it is still home to the Navajo people. they farm this Canyon today just as their ancestors did 1200 years ago. Horse Ranching, some crops and cherry orchards make up the farming community. I was stunned to see three Indian guys go down a rope ladder into the canyon to work. They said it was quicker this way than going around and into the front part of the Canyon. A massacre happened here in the 19th century...US cavalry shot and killed all the women and Children after they had cornered them in the back of the Canyon. At 1200 feet deep the Canyon is a wonder to see and is on the US National monument list.

Canyon De Chelly

2010-02-09T19:41:00.000+11:00

Minus eight C the morning but I decided to get the first light over the Canyon anyway. I stood transfixed not just with the cold but in wonder as the moon started to set over the Arizona Desert. It had been a clear starry night so it was very very cold! All worth the effort though... to see and experience the winter in this part of the world.

Mesa Verde Colorado

2010-02-04T22:00:00.000+11:00

Mesa Verde National Park is at an altitude of over 8000 feet. Normally a light dusting of snow falls in the winter. But.... this year as North America received an abundance of cold weather and snowfall this part of Colorado did not escape it. The park was open and one of the famous cliff villages was open for inspection. However the largest of all the "White Palace" could only be seen from the lookout. What an amazing place, and the sun shone through all afternoon making the preserved villages glow.

Mesa Verde Colorado

2010-02-04T21:48:00.000+11:00

The National Park of Mesa Verde is situated in South West Colorado as part of the high Plateau.

Annasazi or "Ancient Ones" arrived here in 800AD and progressively upgraded their way of life so that by 1200AD they had extensive agriculture and Brick villages established all around this very high altitude area. No one seems to know why they built in such a way as it appears they had no enemies. Their way of life came to an end because the fertility of the soils was totally repleted and so they could no longer sustain themselves. These ancient ruins are now an integral part of the world's wonders and as such are an incredible place to visit.

Lake Powell, Mohave Desert and Lake Mead

2010-02-01T17:43:00.000+11:00

Driving through southern Utah and Parts of the Top end of Arizona, you can work your way around the largest man-made lakes in the world! by road of course!

Glen Canyon dam is almost as spectacular as the famous Hoover dam....but not quite.

The Mohave desert and parts of the Navajo tribal lands are in this region and are quite beautiful in their own way.

Lake Powell is the more spectacular of the two but at this time of the year no boats could be hired. So a trip to the famous Rainbow arch will have to be for the next time.

Winter in the South-West USA

2010-01-31T09:44:00.000+11:00

Driving through the Winter Wonderland of America's South West was a daily thrill. For someone whose only real appreciation for snow is the icy sludge we usually encounter here in Australia, the experience of America's desert winter was truly amazing. The photo's posted here show some different aspects from the roadside. Jagged peaks, bare trees, and icy creeks were just some of the photo opportunities. Getting up at dawn and driving out the light was magical and I always could bag a decent shot. After an hour or so, with frozen hands I would drive back to the motel and pick up my wife Ann and daughter Katrina and find a place serving a great hot American Breakfast! What a great start to the day!

Arches National Park

2010-01-31T09:25:00.000+11:00

Arches National Park lies on the Eastern Side of Utah near the border with Colorado. At 5000 feet above sea level it sometimes gets a light covering of snow in the winter. However what we experienced there was not so usual. Heavy snow fall the previous day had closed the park. We had arrived at the visitor's centre in the late afternoon to be informed that the rangers had arranged for an early morning snow plough to run through the park, so luckily the park opened again as soon as the roads were safe enough. What a magnificent place it proved to be. Snowfall had transformed this desert location into a white wonderland.

Arches National Park

2010-01-31T09:19:00.000+11:00

The weather changed from a very dark and heavy mist enshrouded morning and then mid-afternoon changed abruptly as the cloud dispersed and brilliant winter sunshine hit the rocks and peaks of the park.

The Colorado River

2010-01-29T08:13:00.000+11:00

The Mood of the Colorado River Changes Dramatically as it winds it way through the various Canyon Lands towards the Grandest of all. I photographed it in placid reflection near Moab in Utah, at Lake Powell, and at the Spectacular Horse-shoe Bend near Page in Arizona, and being totally amazed by the changing colours and contours that the river presented. All this even before it reaches the Grand Canyon itself.... which I will display in an upcoming section.

Bryce Canyon Utah

2010-01-28T19:28:00.000+11:00

Arriving at Ruby's Inn in the Late Afternoon, snow had been falling since we had left Zion National Park. The snow was a lot heavier here at it is 8300 feet above sea level. It snowed all night and I was beginning to think that maybe it had not been such a good idea to push my luck for photography at such a high altitude at this time of the year. However the Park remained open and Snow ploughs were operating inside the park all day. They kept the main roads open and the scenic rim outlooks. We had a great time. Quiet and peaceful with not too many tourists, it was a memorable day. Most of the photo's posted here were not too difficult to obtain. Some I trudged for a while, particularly if I wanted as good foreground.

Bryce Canyon Utah

2010-01-28T19:23:00.000+11:00

Heavy Snow falling through-out the night created a fairy-tale scene of white among the Hoodoos.

The snow fell gently during the day while we were here and the silence it created was deafening!

Upper Antelope Canyon Arizona

2010-01-26T16:19:00.000+11:00

One of the locations in the Colorado Plateau that I had been really wanting to see and photograph for many years were the famous slot Canyons near the Town of Page in Arizona. I had booked a tour in Australia on the internet before coming and we had chosen the Upper Antelope Canyon for preference. Its narrower and not so high and usually less crowded with tourists. You can only go into these slot Canyons with a Navajo guide as they are on Indian tribal land. The Canyon proved amazing. Over 1.4 kms long and often less than a metre wide in places, it is truly a remarkable experience. The light is stronger at the height of Summer at midday but I found that the winter light was perfect to photograph the muted colours and textures on the walls of the Canyon. Tripods are essential and our guide was fantastic as he allowed over an hour to walk through and back giving us plenty of time to expose many images. I was the last to come out of course and he joked that they were organizing a search party to come in and find me.

Upper Antelope Canyon Arizona

2010-01-26T16:13:00.000+11:00

The colours of this canyon are simply amazing, and every twist and turn in the narrow confines of this wonderland are just begging to be photographed.

2010-01-25T18:31:00.000+11:00

The Winter is special in this part of the world and I was constantly awe-struck by the snow and ice and what it added as a new dimension to landscape photography. The images in this post are of overlooks along the Colorado River near Moab and the Southern areas of Utah and just across the Border in Colorado itself, near Cortez.

Southern Utah

2010-01-25T18:23:00.000+11:00

We drove across southern Utah in what was basically a white-out. Not Bad by American Standards, as up North they were having real blizzards. I photographed these amazing snow scenes as it is so different to Australia and although it was cold it was amazing to get out of the car at designated rest stops and look for subject material. I shot these images wherever I found a scenic area and worked the scene often waiting a few moments for a touch of the sun's rays to light up the landscape.

Zion National Park Utah

2010-01-24T10:49:00.000+11:00

Zion National Park, situated not far from the Nevada Border, has so many visitors in the Summer season, that shuttle Buses are run by the Parks Service to Cater for the huge number of visitor's. So Winter is quiet by comparison and a wonderful time for a Landscape Photographer. You can pull into all the turn-outs and quietly set up your tripod and camera. The Colours are muted and the snow adds a little drama to this unbelievable place. Towering Cliffs and Rock formations seem to grow out of the Canyon, while the Virgin River quietly flows through. I tried some night photography here as it was a full moon, icy cold but well worth the effort. Zion is at 3500 feet above sea level so the snow was not too thick. The "Patriachs" ( A group of three towering Monoliths) which are located just inside the Park entrance rise to nearly 8000 feet! A very impressive sight indeed. One of the Photo's shows the road winding its way out of the Canyon and at this lookout there is a commanding view back into Part of the Canyon.

Zion National Park Utah

2010-01-24T10:34:00.000+11:00

I have been very re-miss in keeping my blog up to date. Its not that I have had nothing to record and show, quite the contrary, but rather its been my Gallery and Framing business in Cheltenham that has taken all of my attention recently, and left my with little time to catch up on other interests. We decided to have a well earned rest over the Christmas period and spend nearly three weeks in the American South West. What an incredible time to be there. Heavy snow had fallen right across the USA including the areas we wanted to visit. We travelled through what's called the grand circle taking in most of the Colorado's High Plateau, which extends through the Southern part of Utah, into Colorado itself and parts of Arizona. A magnificent area of Colours, Canyons, Deserts and Mountains. A mecca for Landscape Photographers! I will endeavour to display each section of the journey with some photographs. This could take a while!

I hope you enjoy the visual journey...

Storm Bay

2007-06-26T20:21:00.000+10:00

I would like to share an image that is currently my favourite. On my last trip down to Tasmania ( I go down there every year...for the fantastic photography and light of course! ) we drove down along the southern part of Storm Bay and believe it or not a storm was in fact brewing when we arrived, and menacing to Thunder down at any moment. Suddenly a small patch of light appeared and I fervently hoped it would move just enough to hit the lone tree on the far side of the bay. I rushed to put up my tripod and set up ready to take the shot in case it happened. Unconcerned about the incoming tide ( what's a little seawater when light is this good! ) I waited and waited and then my patience was rewarded as it hit the spot for the briefest of seconds.... But, one moment in time I will never forget.

Point Roadnight Reflections

2007-06-24T10:53:00.000+10:00

Last weekend we took a drive along the Great Ocean Road to capture some beautiful images. these included some walks into the Creeks and River gorges to view the waterfalls and taking time out to watch the dusk colour the skies over the Ocean. this part of Victoria always rewards you with some lovely images.

Point Roadnight

2007-06-24T10:49:00.000+10:00

Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet

2007-06-24T10:45:00.000+10:00

Erskine River at Dusk

2007-06-24T10:43:00.000+10:00

Ocean Sunset at Lorne

2007-06-24T10:41:00.000+10:00

Sheoak Creek

2007-06-24T10:39:00.000+10:00

St. George River

2007-06-24T10:37:00.000+10:00

Sheoak Creek Falls

2007-06-24T10:34:00.000+10:00

Dawn light at Eagles Nest

2007-06-20T18:32:00.000+10:00

Eagles Nest in the First Light of Dawn

2007-06-17T14:51:00.000+10:00

Another image taken minutes before the Shark Bay Photograph. I had to work fast as the light was changing very quickly and the tide was coming in swirling all around my Tripod legs.

Dawn at Shark Bay

2007-06-17T14:45:00.000+10:00

Last Sunday Morning at Inverloch having spent the night visiting my Parents who live there, I decided to get up very early and my reward was beautiful light for a few minutes along the coastline. I took a series of photographs of Eagles nest and the adjacent Shark bay was the light was so favourable.

My Passion

2007-04-29T10:12:00.000+10:00

My Photography takes me to places that have the most beautiful light and scenery. this could be up in the High Country of the Victorian Alps, down in Tasmania on one of my numerous trips or overseas like the North American continent, a place that has particularly stunning scenery and grand Vistas. Whether I travel alone or sometimes with my son-in-law Matthew Bennett, and even on Occasion with friends like Shelton Muller, the emphasis is always on enjoying the great outdoors, relishing the magnificent light and bringing home stunning Pictures to share with others. Photography is one of lifes great pastimes, which quickly turns to passion and obsession! The photograph taken by my good friend Shelton Muller is of me enjoying some stunning late afternoon light up in Victoria's High Country.

Wallaces hut in the Mist

2007-04-16T10:32:00.000+10:00

On a very wet and cold day in November I worked around the Hut trying to find an image that matched my pre-visualized concept of this Historic old building. I only had slide film in my xpan so I just shot with this emulsion knowing that I could work some magic in photoshop once I had scanned the image at home. A little dodging and burning and a some lovely sepia toning has produced an image that has to date won several International awards, including two Gold and Three Silver medals.