Rodney Campbell's Blog

Well it had to come – it was very overcast the whole of Saturday and the weather started turning all through the day but by the evening it was torrential and not at all conducive to photography…

We made a vain attempt to try some shots of the factory in Oberon at night from a distance up on the hills but the fog and rain were so thick we could barely see a few metres in front of us.

Note: These images (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

It was still raining the following morning but we’d arranged with the owner to visit the local Oberon Museum and we wanted to check out the Heritage Railway right next to it. Thankfully the rain slowed to a drizzle whilst we were there so we were able to wander the grounds checking out the early farm machinery and other equipment from days gone by.

Better Days

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1/15 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

The Engine

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1/60 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Oliver

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 35 mm, 1/50 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Our evening of light painting at Forresters beach on the NSW Central Coast culminated in the arrival of our beautiful model Elyse all dressed an elaborate wedding gown (from Kel-Leigh Couture).

Steel wool, orbs, EL wire, cold cathodes, coloured LED’s & lasers all armed and ready. A model in a flowing white wedding dress, the ocean surging in and burning molten metal flying everywhere – what could go wrong….

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

This nice rock we’d spied earlier just on the waters edge made for an excellent platform for our model, and to keep her relatively clean and dry – we tried a number of takes with burning steel wool spinning in the background and a kiss of flash from the side to light our model but this is my favourite (and as it happens the first take – that seems to happen to me a lot – we mess with things trying to make it better but end up making it worse )

Glowing Bride to Be

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 20 mm, 28 sec at f/8, ISO 200

This one a little closer and a more central composition with just one whirling dirvish directly behind and the addition of some EL wire groundwork

Trapped

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 24 mm, 137.00 sec at f/8, ISO 200

and finally something a lot more simple – I lit our bride just using a blue LED torch – quickly on the face focusing the light spread and then a further controlled splash over the body and dress and then some “angel wings” were added at the back using a blue cold cathode tube

Blue Angel

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 24 mm, 38 sec at f/8, ISO 200

I joined a number of others for an evening of light painting at Forresters beach on the NSW Central Coast – orbs, EL wire, cold cathodes, coloured LED’s, lasers all armed and ready. A model in a flowing white wedding dress, the ocean surging in and steel wool alight – what could go wrong ….

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

The evening started with a number of rounds of burning steel wool spinning over this large flat area of relatively still water on the rock shelf.

Burn

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 121.00 sec at f/8, ISO 100

and since we had a number of people who hadn’t done light painting before they wanted to see what effects the different light painting tools might produce we almost threw the kitchen sink at this one incorporating all manner of light painting over one long exposure – yes it’s a mess but it was an educational mess

Spinning steel wool (left) + spun LED orb (middle) + red/blue EL wire (front) + blue cold cathode ribbons (middle) + green LED toch (rocks in the middle) + sparklers? (across the middle)

The Sink

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 362 sec at f/8, ISO 100

In the lead up to an epic evening of light painting – orbs, EL wire, cold cathodes, coloured LED’s, lasers all armed and ready. A model in a flowing white wedding dress, the ocean surging in and steel wool alight – what could go wrong …. that will come later

I joined a number of friends for an evening of light painting (lunacy) at Forresters beach on the NSW Central Coast. It was a very grey old day with heavy overcast skies and clouds from horizon to horizon and when I arrived at the beach an hour before sunset it wasn’t looking all that promising for that sunset shoot before our light painting session.

Whilst the location currently lacked in sky colour, it did have a large array of very interesting rocks leading out into the ocean with the rough swell coming in at regular intervals – perfect for getting the feet wet…

Note: These images (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

Mykal Hall working the scene (just before getting unceremoniously swamped )…

Mykal @ Work

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 22 mm, 1.60 sec at f/16, ISO 100

As sunset approached the colour in the sky started to appear and just as sunset hit the whole horizon lit with a subtle pinky red glow and eventually we had a huge band of pink and red clouds – the sunset in the west (which we couldn’t see from down below the headland behind us where we were) must have been fantastic and we were basking in the afterglow. Still it was an unexpected and welcome surprise…

Just ten minutes before sunset…

Pink Blush

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 19 mm, 4 sec at f/16, ISO 100

Just on sunset the horizon below the bank of thick clouds turned bright pink out to the west – it only lasted minutes but was a rare sight to see whilst some heavy swells provided a nice adjunct to the sky in my foreground

Candy

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 19 mm, 1/2 sec at f/11, ISO 400

and finally as the sun dipped over the horizon behind us a few minutes later the horizon in front dropped to darkness and it was time for the upper clouds to have their fill of pinks and reds

Red Setter

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 19 mm, 1 sec at f/11, ISO 400

Last year I entered the Art Unlimited competition for the first time and was really pleased to have received a Highly Commended award for one of my prints. The competition and exhibition (to enter you must supply printed, framed and ready to present art work) is held each year in NSW and has three major categories of art – Hanging Art (paintings), Photography and Ceramics.

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

This year I entered the Photography division again and I’m pleased to say that one of my entries has taken out first place (the Print Storm Prize for Photography). Along with the obvious pleasure of having your work judged and selected, first place also comes with a very welcome $3,000 prize

Subway Silence

NIKON D600 + @ 16 mm, 1/15 sec at f/4, ISO 560

Another of my entries this year also achieved one of the three Highly Commended awards and a couple of my entries have even managed to sell (the submissions can be marked for sale at the exhibition) which is always good.

Alien Green

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 17 mm, 196 sec at f/8, ISO 100