Mother Nature the artist at Wyadup Rocks

Looking back at a few shots from Australia in February I remembered I never got around to posting the sunset from Wyadup Rocks. Now; this really was an extraordinary afternoon and sunset at the best location I reckon on the Southwest coast of Western Australia. Waves like we had never experienced before and some pretty clouds came out to play as well and to top it off, Mother Nature lit up the sky.

It was such an incredible experience and so beautiful that all my images are sorely lacking. There’s just no way to capture this as we experienced it. The waves, the light, the sun, the sound, the smell, the feeling, the smiles. Cannot capture it. Not for lack of trying; I shot plenty but there just isn’t one image which is just right. Only the memory of the experience is just right. There is about 3-4 contenders from the sunset, shot in between the rocks and I can’t get any of them to look quite right and the composition is not quite right either. Good processing ideas much appreciated as I’ll have another whack at developing these in a few months or so when my new website (bet ya never get tired off hearing about it) goes online.

Here’s one of 3-4 final contenders, pretty much straight from Lightroom:

Wyadup Rocks - blog

14 Comments on “Mother Nature the artist at Wyadup Rocks”

  1. Thanks my friend. Yeah I want to go down that way again for sure, beautiful place and Fletcher needs some competition anyway 🙂

    Did you just break the world record for fastest comment, posting a comment roughly 4.65 nano seconds after I posted! I am flattered that you follow my blog that closely 🙂

  2. Just a thought for your consideration.

    This is a bit abstract, but another way of conceptualizing about landscapes. I find myself trying to distinguish what is more (and less) expressive about a scene as a way to learn and get at more of the essence of a place.

    I think of such scenes as a "visual story". We see the clouds playing out against the context of the bigger sky. There is a lot of visual similarity between the flowing clouds and the fluid Sea. It is more "resolved" as in a 'more complete visual story' if we can see the sea playing out over it's bigger context which includes the beach. There isn't much beach included in the shot; I think that the image would be more successful if we could see more of the beach.

    We perceive meaning largely though opposites or counterpoints. So to include something that is "not Sea" gives the Sea more meaning if you will. The rocks contribute a lot in that respect (static objects against the kinetic sea), but including more beach rounds out the all important context that makes this place unique. Consider the experience back when you were standing there. A lot of the experience was probably the sea rhythmically crashing on the beach and rocks over and over. That part of the experience isn't completely included in your "visual story" that is in this image. You were standing next to the interface between sea and land, that is the drama and including that makes for a more expressive image that captures the experience of being there.

    This concept also applies to waterfalls. I think waterfall shots are more successful if we can get some idea where the water is coming from and where it is going to; that is again "more resolved" as a 'visual story'. Thus including the pool at the bottom and showing where all that water is going tends to be more complete and satisfying.

    Same for bridge shots. It is more resolved if one shows what the bridge is crossing over, where the road comes from and where it is going to. An image that includes that (visual) definition of a "bridge" tends to be more expressive and resolved.

    Hope that makes some sense and helps a bit!

  3. Also, capturing more of the colorful reflected sky in the wet sand (where the surf is receding) could serve to tie the image together.

    It's still a visual feast ;~]

    1. Thanks very much Zane, for your insight and ideas, helped and inspired me a lot over the years. I might try a different crop and find many of the things you say true. Like I wrote, not entirely happy with the composition, wish I could go back, lower the tripod etc. 🙂

  4. This is a beautiful shot – the clouds almost look painted. There is something about the look you create with your images that is a little different to most others and it has a lot of appeal. Look forward to the new site 🙂

  5. it's not too bad at all Flem. 🙂
    i think one thing we're all guilty in doing is…. can you guess??
    well of course comparing to the Fletch is the answer. which I think is near impossible to not do (I find that anyway)
    and then yes- I don't think we can be as happy with the image we got haha.

    but I like this- it has a real dreamy effect to it. i'd say caused by the battle against sea spray??
    i'm looking forward to seeing some of these seascapes you've taken though- something very different and i'm bursting to see your take on the locations you visited down south 🙂

  6. Ah Flemming, Flemming, Flemming, mate you know Christian Fletcher, he makes swords and medieval stuff!! haha Nice pic but the lack of dynamic range is always going to cause you problems. Your Danish, why not support Phase and get yourself a P65, hehe got ya on that one. Still trying to get you that ambassador status, very close but they keep saying Flemming who??? haha

    1. Google reveals some seriously weird and different Fletcher's – which one are you mate? 🙂

      Yeah you got me on that Phase thingy, but not for long. When I get to Copenhagen I will visit the office of Phase One, set things right!! 🙂

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