For photographer Drew Hopper, New England National Park in Northern NSW, is a constant source of inspiration. He recalls a visit when he came across very special Antarctic Beech tree.
New England National Park in Northern NSW boasts some of the lushest rainforest in Australia. Part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, it’s a place of remarkable beauty. Not only does the park offer stunning panoramic views from the Great Escarpment, there are myriad bushwalks that meander through this pristine ecological wilderness.
I’ve spent many days hiking and bushwalking through this area and I am always fascinated with these magnificent Antarctic Beech trees draped in lush moss. It really feels like you’ve walked onto the set of Jurassic Park. This shot was taken with a wide-angle lens, with a circular polariser, which helped enhance the colours and eliminate the glare. On an overcast day everything seems to glow and it was this sense that I was trying to capture in post-production. Moments after this photo was taken it started to bucket down with rain. They don’t call it a rainforest for nothing!
Canon EOS 5D Mk II, 17-40 f/2.8L lens, 2s @ f/16, ISO 50.
