Waterfalls and steps

After dropping my gear off at the Boyd River camping ground I did a quick run down to the Kanangra Walls which also holds a fantastic waterfall at the bottom of a rough bush track that is made up of slate and what only seemed like around 400 steps on the way down.

It’s a scientific fact that if you count the amount of steps going down to a place any account the amount of steps coming up from the exact same place on the exact same path, there are always four times as many steps going up. It’s really weird like that, and this place was no exception.

It’s return walk of about an hour but I think you can actually do it in about half an hour if you reasonably fit. You do have to be really careful however as there are no fences and the ground is made up of shale and can be very slippery in places with no chance of forgiveness for a slip could see you fall off the edge of the cliff. 🙂

It is however worth the walk because at the bottom you come to a fantastic little waterfall that has a fairly deep hole at the bottom of which makes for a very refreshing place for a swim on a hot day.

Kanangra Walls Waterfall
Kanangra Walls Waterfall

Given that this was peak season I had this waterfall all to myself which I thought was kind of amazing.

After all who wouldn’t want to be here!

I sat down there for around 45 minutes or so admiring the waterfall and testing out the cool freshwater, especially as it was really hot.

Kanangra Walls Waterfall
Kanangra Walls Waterfall

It was started to get dark down there so it was time to head off back up the 8 million steps so I could reach the top just in time before the sunset and giving me a fantastic opportunity to photograph Blue Mountains and the Kanangra Walls in all its glory while I enjoy the last few hours of 2015.

Well Hello There!

Over the new year I was up in and around the Blue Mountains of NSW taking in this wonderful countryside while capturing some landscape photo and what an experience!!!

Waking up on new years day I rolled out of my swag to get some early morning photos before the sun decided to cover the entire area with harsh shadows as the light pieced through the trees.

Quick stroll through the campsite revealed this little fella just having is morning breakfast. 🙂

Swamp wallaby
Swamp Wallaby

These little swamp wallabies are the cutest little things you’ll ever see. They only stand around 40 cm high and have the fluffy as coats that look incredibly soft. This little chap was happy for me to snap his photo while he went about his business of foraging around the campsite.

Swamp Wallaby hanging around on the rocks around the campsite
Swamp Wallaby hanging around on the rocks around the campsite

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this campsite but after a five hour drive was happy to see the sign of what would be the place I would spend my New Year’s Eve.

Kanangra-Boyd National Park - Boyd River Campsite
Kanangra-Boyd National Park – Boyd River Campsite

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised of the quality of this campsite. It had toilets scattered throughout and had the option to either camp next year vehicle or use one of the other predefined camp spots that had established fire pits with hot plates. The location of this campsite is ideal as it is located just down the road from Kanangra Walls, which was fantastic as I got to see 2015 out while taking photos and looking out over the gorge.

The campsite also has a small hut with a very impressive fireplace, one I could see myself sitting in front of. 🙂

Boyd River Hut
Boyd River Hut

No matter how impressive the campsite and the fireplace was it really couldn’t compete to what I was about to see!!!!  The Kanangra Walls and waterfall….

If you want to see photos of the gorge and the Kanangra Walls you have to stick around for a few days as they will come in a follow-on post. 🙂

All of these photos can be purchased from my online store and come as downloads or printed. Simply click on the link from the menu.

2015 Will Be Know As The Quite Year

Going through and doing some house cleaning to cut over to a new year, I noticed that in the last year I only kept 75,504 (I delete the photos that don’t make the cut) photos and clearly I take December and January off. hahahahaha

Maybe it is too warm or I just like getting out and about in the summer. 😉

When I conduct classes and workshops people ask me what is the best thing they can do to improve their photography…. My answer is always the same… practice, practice, practice…. On average my students take around 7000 photos a year.  I personally don’t think when you are learning that 7000 a year is enough.  🙂

The more you take the more you learn and the better you become. 🙂

How many photos do you take a year?

2015 the year in review
2015 the year in review

Where Will 2016 Take You?

As the last sunsets over the evening sky for 2015 we all generally like to sit back and bot reflect on the year that has gone and look forward toward the year that is ahead.  Most of us will have grand plans of what it will be like and the amazing things we will achieve.

Most will move on from new years day with little direction toward the grand plans they made just a few hours before.

 

I see the world through a lens and in a series of frames, with each frame different from the next and all frames unique and can never be repeated, so if you do just one thing tonight take a photo of yourself with all the warmth of these new and wonderful grand plans you have for the year ahead, and when you lose faith or just get busy in life pull out that photo and remember…..  Remember that moment in time where you were for just a fraction of a second free to dream and become whatever you want to be.  🙂

The process of capturing a fraction in time that lasts a lifetime is an amazing thing and one I don’t think I will ever get sick of.

Now for me I will be spending tonight not alone but with the love of my life.  Under the stars with my photography 🙂

For me the night life and the crisp early mornings make for fantastic photos so I will be spending it under the stars with my camera by my side to capture one of Australian’s true wonders……  The Australian Blue Mountains.

What are you planning for tonight? and what amazing things will you be doing over the next year?

Wishing on a star, night photography, camiping, rhino rack, foxwing sunseeker
Wishing on a star

PS: If you are interesting in learning how to capture night shots like this one and the technique of painting with light let me know as I am looking and conducting some workshops if the interest is there. 🙂

Technical Info:

  • Exposure: 30 seconds
  • Aperture: 2.8
  • Focal Length: 24 mm
  • Lighting: Used a flash light to paint the trees and everything in the foreground.

Photobomb Award For 2015 Goes to…..

A mate of mine put some extra bling on his bike and spend forever washing it I had to photograph it, so I asked him to bring his bike to my place as we could get a couple of quick snaps out the front of my place.

When he showed up there was a party going on just a few houses down the street and a heap of young blokes were out the front having a bit of fun.  Seeing us on the road triggered the peanut gallery.

As an event photographer and one that takes my studio out on location and generally in very populated areas I am used to the peanut gallery so I didn’t pay any attention to it, that was until the ultimate photobomb of 2015.  hahahahahaha

I don’t think I really need to have to explain it….  All I can say is that we all had a huge laugh and the gent in question apologized on his run back. 🙂

Photobomb streaker
Photobomb streaker