Farewell to Sydney

It was with mixed feelings that I attended my last Sydney shoot accompanied by a dear kindred spirit. Ruth and I always have such fun together and I was keen to show her a foggy lagoon in the Richmond Lowlands. In spite of this plan being thwarted it was a wonderful way to say farewell photographically speaking to some of my favourite haunts, laughing our way through the day and simply being thankful for the solace provided by the unbeatable combination of easy friendship and Mother Nature.

Travelling along the freeway we were treated to an unexpected magnificent sunrise. We were lucky enough to find somewhere to pull over and take a phone shot.

 Perhaps this was Mother Nature's apology in advance for her failure to provide me with the foggy morning I'd so desired.

The Richmond lowlands are renowned for their wonderful foggy dawns and Yarramundi Lagoon provides a great opportunity to walk on a strip on land right in the middle of the Nepean River with many comps possible. The reality was nothing like the expectation. Flood waters appeared to have washed away the old jetty (photographed on a previous trip)
 and access to the landmass was blocked by swirling waters. In spite of the absence of fog, the lagoon yielded some wonderful reflection shots, so our quest was not completely fruitless.

Foggy Morning At Yarramundi

My decision to head out towards Yarramundi Reserve in spite of no fog being forecast by the BOM proved to be one of the best I've made in recent times. So frequently I've become excited driving through patches of fog only to have it disappear within seconds. I had no expectations today and decided to do a reconn trip to the Richmond Lowlands with the intention of returning another day when conditions were more encouraging. A friend had provided very specific directions so it was easy to find and easy to access which is always a pleasant change. Fog appeared the moment I hit the Lowlands and even then I refused to be optimistic because too often I'd been disappointed. I was tempted to head towards the Paulownia Plantation to secure that 'trees in the fog' shot I've so longed for,  but decided it was more important to grab some shots before the fog dissipated. 

I commenced at the bridge and followed an established path.

 The walk through the Reserve was easy and revealed some interesting natural formations. The only area which concerned me was a small section adjoining two areas of the river as I was unaware as to the effect the tides would have on access and I didnt want to return from my walk only to find I had to wade through cold water.

I'm always pleased to encounter birdlife on my travels so after leaving the Yarramundi Reserve I spent some time watching a pelican and a lone black swan swimming leisurely by.

 

 

I decided to investigate the location of a windmill I'd seen in the Focus group while I was so close and was watched closely by a plump Willy Wagtail. These fast moving little birds appear to be distributed across a wide area from coastal to inland locations and are always difficult to capture cleanly.

Lying Low At Richmond

Had been planning a country drive with Mark Nolan from the Sutherland Shire Amateur Photographers Society and after a number of cancellations finally made it to the Richmond Lowlands. We were hoping for some fog which never eventuated but the location is a great spot for tree lined driveways, fence rails and ponds and of course it's close to one of my favourite spots, the Paulownia Plantation.

The Autumn colour was still clinging determinedly to many of the trees scattered throughout the properties and we spent a considerable time trying to photograph the geese and other waterbirds at Pugh's Lagoon. 

The Paulownia Plantation was inaccessible so we had to placate ourselves with taking some token shots from the highway and the side streets. I'd not seen the golden tinges on the tops of the trees before and the small white flowers dotting the surrounding grasses added a delicate touch to the scene. 

Another thing I love about this plantation is it's chameleon quality. Its moods and appearance differ with each changing hour and season. From the highway the dappled light spread a lacework pattern across the trunks.

The plantation is like a living battalion, trees lined in formations and the gnarled age spots resembling eyes peering from the gloom.

Only two trees had fallen and lay amidst their compatriots like wounded soldiers.

Paulownia In Bloom

Several trips to the Paulownia Plantation at Richmond have done nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for this location. Returned with the Focus crew to observe the trees adorned with their Spring finery. The blossoms were far larger than I'd imagined and although cloud cover prevented any rays from shining through the trees and creating the type of atmosphere I'd imagined, the experience was no less enjoyable.

Nature never fails to deliver. My gift on this occasion was the discovery of an unfamiliar type of dandelion and a felled tree which provided a different perspective on these magnificent trees. I was also able to spend some quiet time alone wandering amongst the trees as everyone else went to breakfast and I encountered a man who had come to harvest some turf and kindly allowed me access. 

For anyone who doubts the power of post processing I offer the following before and after examples of one of my countless shots from the day.  Irrespective of tastes, the profound difference is undeniable. 

SOOC

Post Processing

Post Processing Plus Oil Paint Filter using Topaz Impression

  A contrasting view of a different avenue, created using "Impressions",  the new Topaz software plugin for Photoshop.

Paulownia Plantation

As it nears the end of my holidays I decided to head for the mountains on a waterfall hunt. Travelling via Richmond I decided to spend some time photographing the Paulownia Plantation which I'd noticed on a previous trip to Mt. Wilson. A popular location for wedding photography, the plantation has also appeared in some shots from the Focus group on Flickr and Facebook. Although visible from the road the view is somewhat obscured by rampant choko vines and blackberry bushes so not to be deterred I elected to travel round the perimeter of the block to see if I could find a less obstructed POV.

My gift for today was a beautiful old gentleman called Clive who serendipitously pulled up next to me on the access road and invited me onto the plantation. Clive proudly told me he was 83 years old and had recently recovered from heart surgery. Accompanied by Brownie his faithful dog he headed off on his tractor to do some control burning after inviting me to stay for as long as I wished. He even suggested I call back in Spring when the trees are adorned with their lilac blossoms.


After a few hours spent wandering amongst the majestic trees I set off for Leura Cascades to try and capture some waterfall shots. It was great practice for slow exposures but I was limited for time having spent so long at Richmond. But it was worth it - another item ticked off my bucket list !!!!!!