Pro landscape shooter Ignacio Palacios has photographed every ocean rockpool in Sydney. In part one of a new two-part series, he discusses his obsession with these unique swimming holes and shares some clever tips for anyone wanting to capture beautiful rockpool photos of their own.
Sydney’s coastline is dotted with rockpools and ocean baths, most of them cut straight out of the rocky headlands on which they sit. Nearly every Sydney beach has one ocean pool – some were built by convicts, some by wealthy people in the 1800s and others by local councils. They come in all sizes and shapes and each has its own colourful history and anecdotes.
I have been photographing rockpools since I came to Sydney in 2008 and in February last year I decided to photograph every ocean pool in Sydney for a book and exhibition. I have seen many beautiful photographs of Sydney’s rockpools by other photographers but I always wondered why no one had ever published a book about them. After a few months of intense shooting I found the answer – it’s hard work!
One of the challenges is being in the right place to shoot when the light, tide, swell and weather are just right. In photography the best light occurs around dawn and sunset. High tides and big swell are also desirable conditions. But even with the best planning, sometimes it just doesn’t work out!
My passion for swimming and photography was the catalyst for this project. When I was young I was a swimmer in a small local swimming club in Spain, but when I came to Sydney I hadn’t swum seriously for 20 years. In October 2009, I settled at Dee Why beach and I loved the sound and the smell of the ocean, the breaking waves and the Australian beach culture. I soon discovered that Australia is the most swimming-crazy country in the world, and I became crazy about it too!
01 THE BEST LIGHT
I’ve photographed all of Sydney’s coastal rockpools at sunrise and sunset. Pre-dawn and sunrise are my preferred times to shoot and they are equally good in terms of light. During sunrise (and regardless of the weather conditions), there are always a few swimmers and they can add some magic to the photos. Early in the morning before the sun is up, or late at night after the sun has set, you can also forget about using filters.
You have to arrive early to plan a good composition. Once the sun begins to peer over the horizon the colours change very quickly and it’s less dramatic. In winter you might only have a few minutes before you lose that lovely soft light. The light at sunrise and sunset is always the best, but in some rockpools sunrise might make more sense than sunset, or the other way round.
It’s worth noting that most of Sydney’s pools are illuminated by sodium vapour lights. I hate the colour cast produced by some of these lights and you will need to remove it in post processing if you don’t like it.
Nature is the best teacher, and with time you’ll be able to see and predict when and where to expect specific types of light. There are no shortcuts with this. Only years of dedication and practice will give you this ability.
Bronte Baths. Pentax 645D, 55mm f2.8 lens, 4s @ f/11. ISO 100, tripod.
02 UNDERSTANDING THE WEATHER
Keep an eye on the sky and weather forecasts. Get into this habit and you’ll soon learn when not to wake up at 4.15 am and when not to miss dinner with your family. The weather is complex and unpredictable and with some knowledge of clouds and weather patterns you’ll be able to adapt, changing locations and subjects to photograph.
I always check the weather forecast the day before I plan to head out and if it looks promising, I set my alarm. In the morning, if the sky looks good and I feel there’s potential for a great sunrise, I pick up my equipment and go. I normally only cancel if it’s pouring rain!Remember that weather forecasts aren’t always that accurate.
I always say that getting a great sunrise is a question of statistics and perseverance! The more time you spend at a location the better photographs you will produce. To say that a different way, the more often you wake up early and shoot, the luckier you’ll get!
In any case, make the best of bad weather. Try to be ready and anticipate anything Mother Nature decides to throw at you. Although unpredictable weather and big swells can make shooting landscapes or seascapes a bit of a challenge, this is when you can capture some of the most dramatic and compelling photographs.
Freshwater Rockpool. Pentax 645D, 25mm lens, 10s @ f/8, ISO 100. Stitched panorama.
03 SWELL AND TIDES
As well as checking the forecast and sunrise/sunset maps, make sure you check the tide and swell. Sea conditions will not only make a huge difference to your photographs, it’s important to know what to expect for your own safety. Sometimes it’s too dangerous to access and photograph some of the pools at high tide from certain vantage points.
At sunset I always tell my wife where I’m going, and if I change my mind I send her a text. It’s not fun having to climb a cliff in the dark with 10kg of gear on your back! Respect the sea and always be aware of what the tides and swell are doing. And keep a mobile phone with you in case you get into trouble.
Mid-high tide is my favourite time to shoot, when mini-waterfalls form around some of the most exposed pools. In some of the pools, when the tide is lower, rock shelves are revealed, and there are lovely waves and water flow which surround the pool. I find that it’s better to photograph some rockpools at low tide (Giles or South Maroubra for example) while others shine at high tide (such as Mona Vale, Avalon and Mahon).
Mahon Rockpool, Maroubra. Pentax 645D, 55mm f2.8 lens, 10s @ f/11, ISO 100, tripod.
04 SEASONAL CHANGES
The seasons have a key effect on the way the landscape is illuminated. In winter, the sun’s trajectory is far lower across the sky, and the lower angles create very flattering lighting and longer shadows. The seasons also have an important effect on lighting and air quality. Mist and fog can be used to drop contrast levels, and poor air quality can actually benefit your photographs and create more interesting visual effects. For landscape photography, the winter months are my favourite. The coast is often wilder, the skies are more dramatic and the air is clearer, which means better visibility and clarity. Summer is my least favourite season, mainly because I have to wake up a couple of hours earlier!
05 WHAT TO SHOOT?
As well as the pools, beaches and headlands, there are beautiful details around them like stainless-steel handrails, chains, stairs and rusty outlet valves, which are lovely features to photograph. Water flows can often be seen moving out of the pool as well, creating a multitude of mini waterfalls.
Mona Vale Rockpool from the air. Pentax 645D , 55mm f2.8 lens, 1/320s @ f/6.3, ISO 200.
06 COMPOSITION
You can follow the so-called ‘rule of thirds’, the golden rule, leading lines, perspective and framing techniques, but you can also break those rules and create something completely different. For some photographers the only rule that works is ‘less is more’ (because too much happening in a photograph can make it look very untidy).
For me, composition is the key element when it comes to getting great shots. The elements in the photograph should be balanced and have some space to breathe. Find harmony between the objects in your scene by moving around the rockpool. Think creatively about how to engage with the scene and find new angles and perspectives. These rockpools in Sydney have been photographed many times, so finding something original can be tricky.
Cropping the image can help to create a stronger composition by removing distracting elements or making a more powerful arrangement (eg; cropping it into a square format). But remember that composition is not just the organisation of objects and lines (such as clouds or water trails) within a frame. Colour, contrast, light and shadows are also an important part of the composition and they can significantly improve your photograph if you use them creatively.
Newport Rockpool. Pentax 645D, 25mm lens, 2s @ f/11, ISO 100, tripod.
07 FAVOURITE ROCKPOOLS
I find there’s something about Sydney’s Mona Vale and North and South Curl Curl beaches that make them very interesting to shoot. They are very natural. Avalon, Newport and Freshwater rockpools are also very interesting visually. Mona Vale is on the tip of a sand spit, set between two beaches. When the tide is high, the pool is surrounded by the ocean, making it look like an island. When the tide is lower and there aren’t waves crashing over the pool, the surface of the pool takes on a glassy, tranquil look.
The easiest way to access North Curl Curl Rockpool is via a path from the car park. The views from the cliffs of Curl Curl Beach and its pool are spectacular. At high tide it’s a bit tricky to access the pool, but you can take breathtakingly long exposure photographs from the cliffs on the way to the pool. In the eastern suburbs I find Mahon rockpool (in Maroubra) and Bronte baths are very photogenic, as well as Giles in Coogee.
Mahon Pool, Maroubra. Nikon D700, 24-70mm f2.8 lens, 1/200s @ f/5.6, ISO 400.
Next week, in part two of 'Shooting Coastal Rockpools’, Ignacio Palacios examines camera settings and post-production techniques. Ignacio Palacios’ book 'Sydney Rock Pools' is available at www.iptravelphotography.com.au.
Article first published in Australian Photography + digital, May 2014.
CAPTIONS
ABOVE
Freshwater Rockpool. Pentax 645D, 25mm lens, 10s @ f/8, ISO 100. Stitched panorama.
RIGHT
Avalon Rockpool. Pentax 645D, 25mm lens, 0.5s @ f/11, ISO 100, tripod.
Mahon Rock-pool, Maroubra. Pentax 645D, 55mm f2.8 lens, 10s @ f/11, ISO 100, tripod.
OPPOSITE
Bronte Baths. Pentax 645D, 55mm f2.8 lens, 4s @ f/11, ISO 100, tripod.
LEFT
Newport Rockpool.
BELOW
ABOVE
Mona Vale Rockpool from the air. Pentax 645D, 55mm f2.8 lens, 1/320s @ f/6.3, ISO 200.