Egret at Last Light

Great egret, Ardea alba

It was late. The sun was setting. A great egret presented a photographic opportunity in the fading light. The resulting photograph displayed the atmosphere of the evening, while capturing the behaviour of this majestic bird. Only 10 kilometres south of the Adelaide CBD, Oaklands Wetland Reserve is a hive of biodiversity.

Oaklands Wetland Reserve, South Australia

Canon 6D, Canon EF 300 mm 2.8 IS11 USM, 1/400, f/5.6, ISO 2000, monopod, 2x extender

Iceberg at Paradise Harbour

The iceberg has wonderful form and texture (which is accentuated in high contrast monochrome), and some of the 90 percent that is under the water can also be seen.

Paradise Harbour, Antarctica

Canon EOS 5D Mk III, Canon 17-40 mm f4 at 20 mm, 1/640, f/11, ISO 640, circular polarising filter, handheld, monochrome conversion with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

The Gathering – Starfish (Stichaster australis)

Starfish, Stichaster australis

On a low spring tide a small group of rocks at Ruapuke house a colony of starfish. As the water recedes it reveals a mass of interlocking tentacles. Processing the image in black and white really intensified the textures of the starfish and brought real depth to the composition.

Ruapuke, New Zealand

Canon EOS-1D Mk III, Canon EF70-200 mm f/2.8L IS USM, 0.5, f/11, ISO 100, tripod

Now you see me

Australian sea lion, Neophoca cinerea

The Australian sea lion is an endangered species with active conservation efforts underway in Seal Bay. This playful pup was blissfully frolicking in the sand but became quite intrigued as I approached. Our gazes locked momentarily before the distractions of surf and sun proved too strong for this young Aussie.

Seal Bay, South Australia

Nikon D800e, 70–200 mm f/2.8, 1/320, f/6.3, ISO 800, flash did not fire, handheld

Whaleshark

Whale shark, Rhincodon typus

In remote West Papua a whale shark feeds. I positioned myself to capture the sun beams and waited for the whale shark to swim below. The whale shark is the largest living fish, listed as vulnerable and threatened by the shark-finning industry, vessel strike and as by-catch in net fishing.

Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, Indonesia

Nikon D3S, Nikon 16 mm fisheye, 1/400, f/6.3, ISO 500, Seacam housing

Black-winged Stilts

Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus

I frequently visited the same tidal waterhole to capture the different mating rituals of black-winged stilts. I decided to convert the image to monochrome as I think it highlights the birds in the image.

Yorkeys Knob, Queensland

Nikon D500, Nikon 500 mm f/4.0 AF-S VR, 1/500, f/4.5, ISO 640

The Rock

Named after Henry Lidgbird Ball, Balls Pyramid rises to 552 metres and 23 kilometres to the south-east of Lord Howe Island. Locals call it ‘The Rock’. I have been there many times and still find myself taking pictures of the ever changing beauty of this sea stack.

Lord Howe Island

Canon 5D3, Canon 70-200L 2.8, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 800, handheld

Ice detail

Rising 1270 metres above the capital city Hobart, Kunanyi/Mt Wellington is a gift to the people of Tasmania. During winter, a short stroll among the frozen alpine moors reveal textures and patterns on a far smaller scale than the glacial ice that formed the landscape long ago.

Kunanyi/Mt Wellington, Tasmania

Nikon D800, Nikon 24-70 f2.8 lens at 70 mm, 1/100, f/11, ISO 100, tripod

Moonset over Mt Ngauruhoe

I had pre-visualised a shot of the moon directly over Mt Ngauruhoe at sunrise. Setting off in the dark, I could barely see from one snow pole to the next as the mountain was cloaked in fog. Luckily it burned off just minutes before the moon set behind the mountain.

Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

Olympus EM-5, Olympus M.40-150 mm, focal length 150 mm (300 mm equivalent), 1/640, f/5.6, ISO 200, tripod

Tridacna Mantle

The fleshy algae filled folded mantle of a tridacna clam lies exposed for the symbiotic single-celled dinoflagellate algae (zooxanthellae) to photosynthesise. A small triplefin also shelters in the mantle. Freediving image, Wakatobi Reefs, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Wakatobi Reefs, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Canon EOS 5D Mk II, Canon EF50 mm f2.5 compact macro, 1/200, f/22, ISO 200, single strobe