One of the things I've learned is that you can't be too prepared for an adventure shoot. I wrote about this and looked at how a photo disaster could have been saved with a little more prep. Here's the link to that article in Australian Geographic Outdoor magazine.
When I had a chance to revisit the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park in Tasmania I spent four days walking the trail from the Lyell Highway to Frenchmans Cap. The walk is rated a more difficult trail and the initial hardship filter is 6 kilometer slog through ankle to knee deep mud across the Loddon Plains. This photo is me in full Goretex rain gear on the mud walk section. Rain fell everyday on the trail.
From the sodden Lodden's you climb through extrodinary temperate rainforest around Lake Vera and Lake Tahune. Melanie and I arrived at the summit in a zero visibility cloud, but a 100 meters below the
Wilson's Promontory National Park is a few hours drive from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It's a place I have heard of and read about so when we were in the area recently I knew we had to stop by for a look. The wave worn granite we discovered in the park was an unexpected surprise. We spent half a day exploring the rocks, beaches and trails. On the next visit we'll plan a multi-day hike. Our favorite place on Wilson's Prom was the walk out to Sandy Point. Melanie had a camera as well and got some photos of me out photographing.
A massive fire, called the Wambelong fire, is currently burning out of control in and around the Warrumbungles National Park. I spent an amazing couple of weeks in the Park, as well as in the nearby community of Coonabarabran, shooting a story about the Park for this month's Australian Geographic magazine. My thoughts go out to all of those who have lost so much in this fire. Fortunately at this time there has been no human loss with the fire, but the loss in property, buildings, wildlife and livestock in and around the Park has been tremendous.
A recent photo assignment for Australian Geographic magazine sent me to Warrumbungles National Park in New South Wales, Australia to have a look around. Here's a link Here to the article and photos. Usually my skills with ropes, rock climbing and the like come into play as tools for access on most of my assignments, but when I was in the Warrumbungles, rock climbing and hikes were the story.
The shoot reminded me again how fortunate I am to visit these places and spend time with the incredible people who live, work and play in these parks. On this photo shoot, as with all of my photo assignments, I am in touch with and being assited by so many people. Their generous time and help makes these projects a success. Thanks to Warrumbungles Park Ranger Roger Row, in the picture below, and all of the other great people I met and climbed with in the Warrumbungles and showed me why this park is such an amazing place.
Doing some low tide exploration and crab chasing in Waratah Bay, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
Besides the Sydney Harbour and beaches Sydney's green belt of National Parks is it's best natural asset. The two Sydney area National Parks I've visited the most since I've been here is Lane Cove and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Parks.
Melanie crossing the rocks in Lords Creek
On the hottest day yet this summer, a sweltering 35c, Melanie and I decide to do a longish hike of around 25 kilometers in one of the nearby city parks.We considered the coast walk in Royal National Park, but
When someone mentioned to me that the Barrington Tops National Park in New South Wales had lots of sub-alpine mountain peaks I went there to see what there was. I am from Colorado so sub-alpine terrain there is something totally different than what I have found in Australia. In the Tops, where the highest peak is Brumlow Top 1,586 metres (5,203 ft) above sea level, the landscape is densely covered in eucalyptus.
The sub-alpine forest in the tops includes extensive stands of snow gum forest. What's really cool is what happens when you drop from the peaks into the creek bottoms. You discover yourself in unique rain forest environments, filled with gnarly ancient beech trees and ferns. I didn't expect two such completely different environments within meters of one another.
You can see in this photo why Iceland is such a popular photographers destination. At the moment I am in transit for a photo assignment in Iceland. I was last there in 2009 so I've been looking at pics from that trip to get psyched. I am looking forward to another dose of Icelands sublime landscape. This photo is on the Hafursey volcanic cone near Myrdalsjokull an icefield by the South coast.