To join group: Join RedBubble or Login

New South Wales Photography

Photographs taken in New South Wales, Australia

Featured Work

Open Wide - Sydney Harbour - The HDR Experience by Philip Johnson

A WIDE SHOT BEST VIEWED LARGER This shot was taken from the 10th floor of a office building in North Sydney dawn is just breaking, it where i sit for breakfast. Yes I know it’s hard but somebody has to do it ! The view over Lavender Bay features Luna Park nestling at the foot of the Sydney Harbour Bridge it expands to the Sydney Skyline to the upper harbour with Mc Mahons Point on the northern shore and Sydney tower in the distance. Equipment: Nikon D300, Sigma 10-20mm Lens, Handheld / Technique: HDR 5 Bracketted Exposures, Photomatix 3.2, Capture NX
Smoke on the Water, Bombo, NSW by Malcolm Katon

Bombo Headland, NSW south coast. This is one of the roughest coastal areas that I have seen and there wasn’t even a high tide or storm brewing.
Rock Of Ages by Peter Hill

Canon EOS 5D Mark II / Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L Tilt+Shift Lens [used as a prime] with Lee 0.9 Soft Grad ND Filter / ISO: 50 / Aperture: f8 / Speed: 3.2 seconds / Focus: Manual / Mirror Lock-up: Enabled / Image: Single RAW file, shot in Monochrome / Location: Burgess Beach, Forster, NSW, October 2009 Featured by the New South Wales Photography Group October 2009 / Featured by the 5D Mark II Group October 2009 Best viewed large
the dawn... by Anthony Langlois

Karina my muse….
Darling Harbour Sunset - HDR by Michael Patsalou

Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia. Canon PowerShot A430 Tripod HDR 5 exposures
Three is a company... by Tatiana R

... here I know the proper saying is “two’s company, three’s a crowd” , but those three looked cozy together / :-)) Coastal shot near Forster, NSW on stop-over on the way back from Crescent Head. The weather turned nasty – we were driving towards some massive clouds which looked mighty fine on the horizon. Unfortunately by the time we stopped, the low clouds were upon us, and a little drizzle started for a couple of minutes, to give way to some sunshine.That didn’t last long though. So that great location is very much on a list for the next time I am at Forster, hopefully in a month or so. Thank you for looking, please view large. Featured in Live, Love, Dream October 2009 Featured in New South Wales Photography Featured in Dimentions Featured in Top Shelf Wildlife & Nature Art October 2009 Canon 5D, / Canon EF 24-105 IS Lens / Apperture: F 13 / Speed: 20seconds, / FL: 24, / Hoya NDX400 filter, / Lee ND Grad 0.9
Rock In Motion by Peter Hill

Yes, I realise this is yet another image of Jump Rock, at Burgess Beach at Forster on the NSW north coast, but it is different from this one in a very important respect. While still using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Canon TS-E 24mm f3.5L Tilt+Shift Lens as a prime, and ISO 50 and f8, on this occasion I wanted to capture more of the static movement of the waves, so sped this shot up from 8 seconds to 1.6 seconds. This was at the expense of some light but not clarity, and I again used the mirror lock-up facility. I promise this is the last image from this rather short shoot I will upload, if you promise to view this image large. It positively leaps from a 24” monitor, and is barely done justice with the small RB windows. Featured by the New South Wales Photography Group 20 October 2009 Best viewed large
Sunrise at Susan Gilmore Beach by Andy Gock

A sunrise at Susan Gilmore Beach. The photographer on the rocks is Naomi Frost 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L, ND400 filter. Web | Blog
Distant light by Tatiana R

The same rock at Forster, NSW as this just not sure if it works in a smaller view… Does look quite good on a large monitor and the details are great! Canon 5D, / Canon EF 24-105 IS Lens / Apperture: F 13 / Speed: 20seconds, / FL: 24, / Hoya NDX400 filter, / Lee ND Grad 0.9
Guidance by Kieran O'Connor

f/11 / Nikon d80 / Wollongong lighthouse, NSW, Australia / 1 raw processed in photomatix
Queenscliff by sparrowdk

this was sunrise at queenscliff (Manly0 Oct ‘09
Maelstrom by Ian English

Turimetta on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. An unusual sunrise. Nikon D700

Recent Work

The Day I Met Bryce Courtenay by Vanessa Pike-Russell

I’m normally far more comfortable behind the lens but when there is the chance to have your photo taken with your favourite living author, the man who helped fill you with determination and optimism when you most needed it, you can’t say no because of vanity! I’d had two hours sleep thanks to a large bat that has taken up residence in a tree outside my bedroom window calling out to his friends all night. Then when he moves on, the native pigeon starts up, followed by the lorikeets and neighbourhood dogs. After lots of tossing and turning in anticipation of the coming day’s events I decided to catch the early bus into Wollongong and catch the train into Sydney and then Edgecliff to make my way to the Bellevue Hotel in Paddington to meet Bryce Courtenay and the other winners of a Facebook Fan Club competition for lunch. I have to admit that I had hoped to sleep on the two hour train journey but that soon changed when I spotted the man who once taught me at Primbee Primary School when I was 12. He was travelling up to Sydney with his Year 5/6 class and between my excitement at seeing the man who inspired me to become a teacher, plus the rowdy and energetic nature of his class, I decided that sleep was for the weak and I opened up the Bryce Courtenay book Fishing for Stars. I was really enjoying the book and once more the sights and sounds of the world around me faded away as I became enthralled in a book about a man with two lovers, women who were diametrically opposed from each other. One a rich woman who invested in oil shares and the other who was passionately protective of the environment and spent most of her life and energies in raising awareness, funds and a spotlight on the endangered animals and environmental issues including the plight of the Corroboree frog. The theme of the decline of the Corroboree frog features several times throughout the book. A warning system that is similar to that of the canaries which were sent down shafts of mines to check for air quality. This isn’t the first time that Bryce has encouraged a push towards conservation of this endangered amphibian. It was one of the first animals included within the Cadbury Yowie chocolate product along with a fact sheet about its habitat, status and featured in one of the six books Bryce and his friend Geoff Pike wrote for children. Fishing For Stars has one simple dedication – ‘to the Corroboree Frog’. I can’t tell you how much I respect this wise and wonderful man for writing a novel with themes such as conservation, politics, greed, raising awareness, environmental factors and outlines without lecturing what we can do to make a difference. I was one of the many teachers in Australia who downloaded the teaching materials from the Cadbury website and used the collectible figures found randomly inside the Cadbury Yowie products and taught children aged 5 to 12 about our Australian animals and most importantly about the many animals which are now extinct or endangered and a list of animals which are heading towards that path. When I heard that the train would be arriving at Central Station, Sydney I begrudgingly closed the book and took a deep breath, closed my eyes and said a little prayer for the Corroboree Frog and made a mental note to thank Bryce for writing Fishing for Stars and continuing his efforts to raising awareness ten years after the Yowie books were published. It made me smile and strangely caused me to feel even more close to this man who I had grown up reading the books filled with stories from his childhood or people he knew such as The Power of One and The Potato Factory. As the train slowly pulled into the station I made my way to the doors and prepared myself for a dash from Platform 1 to Platform 24 to make my connecting train to Edgecliff. It was my first time to visit Edgecliff and nearby Paddington and I was glad I had an hour up my sleeve so that I didn’t have to panic and could enjoy the adventure. After a frantic walk along the corridor and up the stairs I made it to the platform only to find that the train was running late. Phew! The heat of the day coupled with my physical activity caused a sweat to form on my brow. Thankfully I had learned from my experiences at the Windang Family Fun Day for Camp Quality Convoy on the Sunday and a visit to a fellow photographer friend on Monday and came prepared with a white facecloth. It’s amazing what a difference the little square of cloth can make. I took the opportunity to take the water (with a twist of lemon) out of my bag and rehydrated before the train arrived. I took a seat near the door and settled down, my mind filled with thoughts of the events of the next hour until I realised that I had ‘zoned out’ and snapped myself back to focus on my journey, remembering that Edgecliff was only a few stops from Central and I’d hate to fly past my station in reverie. Just to make sure, I asked some people nearby and they confirmed that there was three stops to Edgecliff. Despite my lack of sleep I was strangely alert from then on, ready to pounce when Edgecliff came into view, alighting the train with my camera bag and custom-made tote made of purple fabric with a butterfly detail. Today was the special occasion I had wanted to christen the bag recently purchased from a friend, featuring applique and embroidery, all hand-sewn. Fragile and beautiful and perfect for meeting Bryce Courtenay, just enough room for two of his books, a pocket brush with mirror, keys and wallet. As I made my way out of Edgecliff station I tried to orientate myself and find Ocean Road, based on the map that I had printed out from the Transport Infoline when visiting Wouter the day before. What they didn’t note on the map is how hilly Ocean Road, Jersey Road and Hargrave St were. The heat once more had me ‘glistening’ and I decided to slow down, take a deep breath and enjoy the walk with camera in hand. It’s amazing how quickly I ignored the irritants of weather, incline and the fact I was melting when I took the time to capture some images of the architectural details of historic Edgecliff and Paddington. I loved the masonry work and quaint old hotels such as the Lord Dudley and old sandstone buildings from the late 1800s. When I finally arrived at my destination, The Bellevue Hotel, I was surprised to find that the hotel was closed at 11am. I had wanted to cool down and freshen up inside but decided to make the most of my time and explore some of the local stores and art galleries. I bought the paper from a tiny newsagent across the road, scoured the walls of the art gallery which was holding an Australian Painters exhibition, and chatted to some locals about interesting landmarks to photograph located nearby. At 11.30am I saw someone unlock the front door and I decided it was probably a good idea to go inside and freshen up. Again I was thankful for my facewasher, using it to cool myself down on a 30 degree day and feeling more human as I rangle my hair as best I can. I feel the butterflies start to creep and yet a strange floating feeling as if it is all a dream. Can I really be meeting Bryce Courtenay? It’s just too good to be true! Thankfully when I make my way back into the sitting room a few fans start to arrive. We are told that Bryce is on his way, spending a moment to finish up some work at the offices of Penguin Publishing nearby and we start to introduce ourselves. I decide to take a quick photo of the interior of the hotel whilst chatting, the photojournalist within urging me to document the day before I become overwhelmed in the moment. Before too long we are invited into the upstairs private dining room and Bryce arrives, greeting each one of his fans who have won the privilege of spending a couple of hours enjoying lunch and getting to meet this wonderful warm and wise man. / It was Bryce himself who judged the winners, with eight people from Sydney chosen from the many who entered. There will be other fan lunches across the country but we were the lucky first to be welcomed with a warm hug and treated as if we were a long lost family member and allowed to see the world behind the books that we love so much, and interact with someone who has grown to know a little about each person through their entries. When I entered the room I placed my camera bag and butterfly tote in the bottom left hand corner of the room and then made my way around, introducing myself to everyone. When we came to sit down I went over to get my bag and just happened to sit next to Bryce who continued to squeeze my arm throughout the day whenever he was excited about our discussions, which thrilled me to no end. He was generous in giving of himself and delved into details which obviously pained him, so honestly that everyone in the room were moved to tears or hearty belly laughs, depending on the experience. My heart when out to him as it had when I was a teenager reading ‘The Power of One’ when he talked about his childhood. I had related so much to his story and I doubt he will ever know how much his optimism, determinism and outlook on life shaped my life. There is a theme to his books – overcoming adversity. He told us that he loves women, loves writing about them. Especially strong women. One of his stories was about The Family Frying Pan. I was fighting back tears as he went into details on how he met her, learned about her ‘magical’ frying pan but didn’t understand the extent of her attachment to it until after she died. Definitely a book I will get out of the library at my earliest convenience. I felt so guilty for having such a gap in my reading of books since I discovered the internet and became so addicted to reading online that dragging me offline to read has become somewhat difficult. I read when on holidays or when there is a thunderstorm or on the bus, but NOW I am enjoying reading a chapter a night of Bryce’s latest book. The signature in the front of the book ‘For Vanessa and Mary’ reminds me that once I read it, and Philip reads it, I will send The Story of Danny Dunn down to Mary as a thank you for sending The Persimmon Tree to my husband for his birthday and Fishing for Stars so that he can read the sequel. Bryce was touched when I read out the note still tucked in the Fishing for Stars book as a bookmark which read: “Dear Phil / Here’s the book I promised you. A bigger read than the last but just as good! I love this guy’s books – hope you enjoy! / Love Mary” So of the three books signed,the latest was signed ‘For Vanessa and Mary’, the ‘Fishing for Stars’ which is owned by Mary, ‘To Mary’ and / and since the Persimmon Tree was Philip’s birthday present I requested ‘For Philip’, which touched Philip to no end. Unfortunately the invitation to lunch was for one person. I would have loved to include Phil but as it turned out I was very grateful that he stayed home and took delivery of my new mobile interent modem for the laptop. When I came home I was online within 30 minutes and SO relieved. After lunch we took turns stating which book/s were our favourite and Bryce gave some information about each and allowed us to ask him questions. He was so gracious and humble and easy to talk to. Like a long lost relative that you met at a family function. All fears about being tonguetied in front of Australia’s best-selling author flew out the window. Instead we just made the most of every moment with him and afterwards had a smile on our faces and exhilaration that lasted for days. When you hear his life story, living in an orphange full of people that hated you because of the colour of your skin and the nationality of your family, beaten on a daily basis, sent to boarding school during the school year and living on the street in the holidays – you marvel that he could be the warm, generous and well-adjusted man that he is. From a young age he learned the key to his freedom was through education and telling stories to the bullies so that they wouldn’t bash him. A quick-witted young man he soon had them captivated, and has been doing so with the Australian public ever since. One of the things that stuck with me was that he felt fortunate that he didn’t have parents to tell him what to do or who he was. It allowed him to invent himself and not be restricted into a family business or based on the prejudice of a parental figure. He was free to learn from the many people who lived on the street and earned a scholarship and fought his way up to a job at McCan-Erickson International advertising agency, where he met my Grand-father’s brother, Geoff Pike. That was how I first learned about Bryce. My Grandmother told me the story of how Geoff had drawn the cartoon and animation and Bryce wrote the jingle. Most Australians know of Bryce’s involvement with the famous advertisement for Mortein fly spray but most have never heard of Geoff Pike, despite the fact he was a famous artist and animator who has worked on some of the most famous cartoons and commercials on Australian TV. Despite vowing that I wouldn’t mention my Great Uncle lest I hijack the conversation, I couldn’t help but mention the Corroboree frog in Fishing For Stars and Bryce’s involvement in the Yowie Power books and lesson plans surrounding the Cadbury Yowie phenomenon. Not many people know that it was Geoff’s project for many years before he turned to his friend Bryce and asked for his assistance in getting it off the ground. Together they created an education kit which was sent out to all Australian schools When I spoke softly to Bryce ‘I’ve been told that you know my Great-Uncle’ he looked enquiringly at me and asked ‘oh? who is that?’. Geoff Pike. Within moments he reacted and said ‘Yes! I do know him. Very well! I spent some time with him just the other day’ :) After we had our photos taken together he smiled wide and said that he would tell Geoff that he had met me and show him the photo. I was ten years of age the last time I met Geoff and his children. I have always wanted to meet him again but he is a very private man which is understandable. When you’re rich or famous people want things from you. You would never know if they want to get to know you or just use you. I wish I could tell him that his success allowed me to believe that I could achieve. He had a hard childhood and through meditation, tai chi and hard work has created a life for himself despite his background. It was wonderful to have a painting Geoff created for his Mother’s birthday on my bedroom wall from the age of 11 when my Grandmother allowed me to choose my favourite painting after they were left with her after my Grandfather moved on to greener pastures. I often wonder if he would be delighted to see it and own it once more. It is a lovely tropical paradise scene that allowed my imagination to transport me to its sandy shore with flamingos and palm trees swaying in the breeze. He painted it at the age of 16, a testament to his natural talent and love of the tropics. I have treasured it, re-framing it when it had seen better days and it now hangs in the middle room with matching purple walls, cheery and positive and full of life. Thank you Geoff and Bryce for the gifts of your words and art. They meant so much to me as a child and teen and now as an adult you continue to mentor and teach from afar. Thank you!
The Crow by Tainia Finlay

This crow has a nest nearby, I saw him from the kitchen window taking a piece of bread to the fountain to dip, soften then eat. He has one twisted foot and as bad as the reputation is of crows I can’t help admire his glossy coat of feathers and brilliant eye. We are on a catastrophie alert here in the Central Slopes & Plains for bush fires as it’s been well over 40 degrees with hot winds for the last few days. His beak is open and standing near water to cool him. The Crow / by Tanwir Phool The crow is clever and cunning / It is immodest and shameless / Everyone has seen / This well-known / Large and black bird / Although it has no sense of honour / One is surprised to see this attitude / If a crow is caught by someone / Its leg is tied with rope to confine / You will see a swarm of crows / Loudly cawing as a strong voice of protest / See the sense of fraternity in crow / All of them are united / With the feelings of brotherhood / But the attitude of mankind is deplorable / Alas! human being is inferior to crow Canon 50D / Canon 100-400mm lens / f/5.6, 1/125 sec exp., ISO – 250, F/L 275mm / Taken through a window that needs cleaning … gotta LOVE Canon!! / Post edited CS3 Thank you for looking.
Love - Umina Beach by Kathy Silcock

Canon 30D / 18-200mm IS lens
the three sisters by colindove

found in Katoomba looking out across the blue hue of ‘endless’ mountains ,stands the Three Sisters, viewed by millions I would guess.
VOLVO BM #3 by Dennis Gay

THE SUBJECT: / Caught in the dappled light of a late spring afternoon a rusting, old and battered water tanker sits on the ground in retirement. THE LOCATION: / This close-up was made along Bob’s Road, (a gravel track), in the Queen’s Lake Nature Reserve, south of Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia. THE MAKING OF ‘VOLVO BM #3’: / I was on my way back home from a solo safari negotiating the pot holes and almost drove past this old tanker. / After the dust from my sliding halt had settled I made a few shots in the not ideal conditions and then decided on this close-up. / I used yet another lens loaned to me by a fellow Port Macquarie Panthers Camera Club member, the Canon 50mm f/1.8, also known affectionately in photographic circles as the Nifty Fifty. / Canon EOS D60 & Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II: RAW, f/5.6 @ 1/750sec, 50mm, -1EV, ISO100, Hand held. / Lightroom 2.2 & Photoshop CS3. Visit the Transport and Rust & Machinery collection in my BubbleSite Gallery for more trains, planes and automobiles. Enjoy! RUST & MACHINERY / (Click the links!) VOLVO BM #3 / Wheels Within Wheels / Manhole / On the Smithy’s Wall #1 / On the Smithy’s Wall #2 / Old Washing Machine / Seasoned by the Sea #1 / Seasoned by the Sea #2 / Steel Life with Rust / Top Gear / The Worn Won’t Turn / Run Out of Steam #1 / La Pompe / Bolt Upright / Link Lock / A Hub of Inactivity / Past its Prime / Shadow Shack /
The Octopus, The Tripod, and Me by Peter Hill

I have presented a number of images shot at North Narrabeen Rockpool over the past year, and this one probably isn’t too special. But it’s different. This was the first time one of my kids came with me, my youngest on this occasion had a good swim. Being hot hot hot as it was, approaching sunset, we whizzed over for a cool dip. This was the first time I actually had a swim there myself. It was too hard to resist. Whilst in the water I figured the low angle and the light presented an opportunity. So my able assistant passed me the tripod, which I rammed into the sand, then my camera, the Canon 5D Mark II, with a Carl Zeiss Distagon 21mm f2.8 lens and a Singh-Ray Vari-ND Filter. This shot was taken with the camera about 4 inches above the water. As I was about to engage the mirror lock-up, I felt something on my foot. Something moving and alive. I looked down and there it was – a big mother of an octopus with an unhealthy interest in me and my tripod. Foot extricated from its tentacles, the only thing left was the tripod leg, which said octopus proceeded to make out with. Though I uttered not a word, my sudden movement attracted a woman who had been watching me set up, and then a small crowd, including squealing kids and pointing adults. Well, I got the bloody shot didn’t I? Then resumed my swim. Gee it was nice. I figure the octopus had been unsettled by the vibration of me ramming the tripod into the sand, and came over to check out the intruder. God, he was big.
Boys and their Toys by TimC

Is it just my son, or are they all the same? Take the young man to a sensational national park and all I get is a video on his Transformer video camera!!! Taken at Dunns Swamp in the Wollemi National Park.
Byron Bay Lighthouse by PhotosByG

209 views at 21/11/09. Taken at Byron Bay, New South Wales. This headland is the most easterly point of Australia. Featured in “Don’t Fence Me In” July 2009.
Jervis Bay by PhotosByG

112 views at 21/11/09. Jervis Bay, NSW, Australia
Somersby cascade by sharath

Somersby Falls is a pair of attractive cascades situated near Gosford on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Took this at midday (no clouds) and was thankful the foliage created a complete shadow over the falls. Canon 5D mk2 / Canon 17-40 f/4.0L @ 40mm / Circular Polariser and Cokin ND8 filter / 15 seconds at f1/6 / ISO 50
Horse by starvingartist

Horse in a paddock, Yarra Valley, NSW, Australia / Canon 5D