Looking for a great location to shoot stunning landscape photographs? In the second of this three-part series James Ostinga talks to five more photographers about their favourite landscape locations.
01 KIMBERLEY AND PILBARA, WA
Ken Duncan: The Kimberley and Pilbara regions are just such beautiful places. There are plenty of secret spots around these parts to be photographed, but you have to work at it to find them. One of the things I like about the Kimberley is that it isn’t over-regulated at present, so it’s fairly easy to get in and take photos there – but give the bureaucrats time and I’m sure they will find ways to take away the freedoms of photographers!
The best time to visit the Kimberley is straight after the Wet, as there is still water flowing in the waterfalls. One of the things you have to watch out for in the Kimberley is being seduced by the obvious. What that means is sometimes you’re so overwhelmed by the grandeur that you forget to put it into perspective. You fill your frame with a waterfall, rather than concentrating on the emotion of the place and getting everything in context with the surrounding environment.
The images below shows just one of the pristine sanctuaries within Karijini National Park, Western Australia, that has remained virtually untouched over the years because of the difficulty in accessing this spectacular place. To enter this secluded chamber you have to manoeuvre through the narrow neck of the canyon under a two-metre-wide rock, wedged above the waterfall. From the top it is impossible to see what is going on below so a leap of faith is required to drop into the waterspout and allow yourself to be launched over the falls into the emerald waters below. Once committed to the spout there is no turning back. The only way out of this magnificent place, is to jump off more waterfalls, swim a couple of kilometres through more breathtaking gorges, then scramble up a rock slope.
I love this shot because it reminds me what wonderful places we can discover if we can overcome our fears and commit ourselves to the journey of life.
www.kenduncan.com
02 WHITSUNDAYS, QLD
Steve Rutherford: Certain places in Australia and New Zealand always seem to draw me back. Photography does that to you sometimes, beckons you to revisit a place.
For me, the Otago highlands region of New Zealand – around Queenstown, Wanaka and Cardona – boasts some of the most photogenic places on earth, with some hard competition coming from the Fiordlands area around Milford Sound. Such places, while being naturally beautiful, almost take on their own ethereal atmosphere, simply by the mere fact of where they lie on the Earth’s crust.
Another favourite is the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland. Stunning beaches and water as clear as glass adorn the many coves and inlets around the islands. Hill Inlet at low tide is one of my favourite places to shoot. In fact anywhere in that area is great. Whitehaven Beach is spectacular, whether you photograph it from the shoreline to hanging out of a chopper at 400 feet.
The colours and patterns that lie within Hill Inlet are simply breathtaking. Capturing them from every angle, every viewpoint is a must. If ever I was told, you may only photograph one place in Australia, it would always be the Whitsundays.
www.steverutherford.com.au
03 COOGEE AND MAROUBRA, NSW
Steve Turner: My favorite locations are Coogee and Maroubra, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.?Coogee has so many areas to find good shots including the cliff, pool and beach. I have sold over 2000 images of the area worldwide and have just sold four to someone in New York. If you’re shooting around Coogee explore the place first – spend half a day to pick your spots then come back in the right light. If you do this you can’t fail.
Coogee North rock pool can be a fantastic spot for photography. In a big swell – four meters plus – you'll often find a most impressive display of wave power mixed with teenage thrill seeking (see image below). The action is best shot from a safe low spot, but you need to be careful. I have been photographing these events for many years and I've seen some very bad accidents. During this shoot, two people were washed out of the pool and into the ocean, resulting in a rescue. Another person fell off the cliff onto the rocks – and all that happened in two hours. Unless you're very proficient in the surf, play it safe and shoot from above the cliff – you can get some great shots from there.?Maroubra is the place for surf shots, mainly due to the very low point of the setting sun. When the surf is big you can shoot from the rocks at ocean level and get shots that look like you were in the water, though I don’t recommend it unless you are experienced in the water and have big surf knowledge. ?Anywhere near the water you need to have non-slip shoes and an escape route. Try not to photograph the locals unless you ask first.?
www.steveturner-photography.com.au
04 LAUNCESTON, TAS
Philip Kuruvita: For me the best location is Tasmania. We moved here 22 years ago and it still captivates me.
Being so far south, the light at the start and end of the day can be amazing, and you only realise how long our twilight period is when you travel closer to the equator.
Towards the end of summer, when the leaves are starting to change colour, and the early morning mists roll in down the river, my home town of Launceston can produce some beautiful images.
www.kuruvita.com.au
05 SCENIC RIM, QLD
Andrew Thurtell: It may seem a little strange for a photographer who lives on the Gold Coast, but I am very much drawn to open, austere landscapes – landscapes that tend to make you feel very small. For me, South-East Queensland’s Scenic Rim is a place I love to go to recharge my photographic batteries.
It is a beautifully diverse place with enormous peaks, open fields, winding back roads, rolling barren hills, rainforests and lakes. You often get fog in the mornings and as the light changes, your opportunities to create images changes too.
You can enjoy the Scenic Rim any time. Summer brings massive electrical storms that build up over the ranges then funnel down through the valley on their way to the coast. Many times I have seen a storm come through in the late afternoon, full of anger and drama, and then watched as it is replaced by warm afternoon light illuminating the hills and the departing clouds, rendering the landscape in rich detail and tone.
The cooler months are wonderful too with gentler light, frosty mornings, mist and fog. The Scenic Rim is great to enjoy with a couple of photography mates as well. Accommodation is plentiful and locations are always nearby, and it really is great fun going through your images at the end of the day.
www.thurtell.com
This article first published in the April-May 2010 issue of Digital Photography + Design. To purchase a PDF of the complete issue click here.
Note: Images on this page may be cropped. To see full-size images click on any of the images below
What’s your favourite landscape photography location? Tell us about it – and what makes it so special – in the comments section below.