Tag: landscapes

Through the haze…

Many of you will have seen on the news the big fires here in Victoria this week.  This one has come a bit too close for comfort and people have lost their homes, property and livestock, so thoughts to them.  They say the fires will continue for maybe up to another 6 weeks and we have to be vigilant with wind changes.  This shot, taken at the rear of Hanging Rock (see previous post), was winging it – handheld as no time to set up a tripod and the sun more or less already set, but it shows the heavy smoke layer around….

Hanging Rock facing west
Hanging Rock facing west

Wind swept…

In my experience the weather in this part of Australia (Victoria) can be sometimes incredible.  Often after a period of very hot days we get a ‘southerly change’.  This is in reality quite a shock – it can go from 40 C to 20 C (104 F to 68 F) in literally 30 minutes…the wind changes from a hot northerly to a cool southerly and the winds are often very strong.  This happened on Monday and flattened the long grass in this paddock.  The prevailing winds are north/south as you can see from the way this tree has grown, bent from south winds.

flattened grass
Taken just after sunrise (as normal!!)

Shadow of a gum tree…

At last (at least for us) it has cooled 🙂  I took this yesterday early morning, is of a gum tree shadow on long grass (some may have seen this on my Facebook page).  I had to fit myself behind the tree and barbed wire fence so my shadow wasn’t visible….

gum shadow
Click for larger view

Dawn

The sky was spectacular a couple of days ago just before the sunrise.  The wind was already picking up causing the ripples on the dam on what turned out to be another really hot day.

dawn

Stark…

Final couple of images from the Pyalong area for the time being. These images were taken with the sky a deep cobalt blue and a very unforgiving light….beautiful 🙂

hill & fence a
A hill of long dried grass
burnt trees1
The tops of the trees are actually burnt hence why they are so dark

 

 

Between a rock and a harsh place….

Another outing to the Pyalong area in north central Victoria.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have a deep appreciation of this landscape.  This is only the start of summer, but the grasses have already started to dry and its stark beauty has begun – hence taken in harsh afternoon light.

tree and rock

Storm clouds gathering…

Yesterday was a precursor for the stormy weather that came last night and today.  I watched this sky literally churning before me yesterday late morning – it was very dramatic, if not a little unsettling.  Processed using a red filter and blue toning, once again to bring out the texture of the clouds.

storm clouds

First cut….

I had been watching beautiful clouds all day – the weather forecast was thankfully wrong and instead of the drizzle and cold we actually got a pleasant day.  I took this image on my way home from work this afternoon – first cut of hay for the season. Processed using a red filter to bring out the clouds.

first cut

Misty Mountain…

I took these on my way home from work yesterday afternoon with a long lens (all I had!).  Considering we are about to enter summer, this week has been cold and wet – we are still bringing in wood for the stove.  These are clearing rain clouds on the top of the nearby hills…

Bales & mist1
The hay bales have been there since last summer
rain cloud
I’ve been looking at a lot of autumnal images from the northern hemisphere – these coloured tinges are new spring growth on Eucalyptus trees from the south!

Click on images for a larger view.