Nathan Clark Pictures.com

Princes Pier.
And, finally back behind the lens again...
On a slightly warmer calm evening, with a long exposure & large f stop, the colours glaze across the water...

Nikon D800E, Nickon 70-200 2.8 II

So, who else does this… they look at their nathanclarkpictures.com calendar, and think…. What’s the picture next month !?!?

27th APRIL 2024
MILDURA GRAPE VINES

Taking a short trip to catch up with the family, of course I took advantage of the local scenery to take some photos.

While the photos of the vineyards in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula showed beautiful mountains and large fields of vines, this trip to Mildura provided a totally different spectacle of beauty.
Here the leaves were still green, and the grapes were full and still on the vine.

Out here in the country there are areas where the fields are not fenced off from the public. It is left up to the visitors common sense and values of respect when visiting.

As discussed on the 12th April 2024 post, can you see the differences that changing aperture can make on the images.

Nikon D800E, Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 VR

21st APRIL 2024
THE CHANGING VINE LEAF COLOURS.

These pictures were taken along the Mornington Peninsula Freeway.

It is a beautiful sight to see the colors of the vine leaves changing.
But you have to be quick if you want to capture them in a picture, as it doesn't take long for them to change from green to red to yellow to having fallen off the vine...

Subject colours change throughout different times of the day depending on the weather, sun and clouds.
I captured these 15minutes before sunset when the orange in the leaves was highlighted.
A few minutes after I took these pictures the sun was hidden by the dense clouds, so unfortunately there was no beautiful sky colours tonight.

Nikon D5500 (DX), Nikon 18-200mm 3.5-5.6
A great grab and run camera, and a good quality lens with a wide 18mm full picture which you can also zoom in with 200mm

FRIDAY 12th APRIL 2024
Lets talk f stops..

I thought now would be a great time to discuss f stop adjustments.
Let me try and break it down so hopefully you can understand it.

f stop refers to the aperture setting on the camera.
It is the adjusting internal ring within a lens.
It is one of the settings that determines how much light gets exposed onto your photo.
It also sets a depth of field into a picture.
And, it sets what amount of focus or bokeh is in a picture.

This bit can be a little hard to grasp.
- The smaller the f number set on a lens, the larger the internal ring is.
- The higher the f number set on a lens, the smaller the internal ring is.
So, f2.8 is a big internal ring setting, where f14 is a smaller internal ring setting.

Confusing part..
- The smaller the f number, the bigger the internal ring, the more light is let in.
- The larger the f number, the smaller the internal ring, the less light is let in.

Fun part..
- The smaller the f number, the smaller the area of focus within a picture.
- The larger the f number, the greater the area of focus within a picture.

Hard part..
- The smaller the f number, more light will be let in, the brighter the picture will be.
- The larger the f number, the less light will be let in, the darker the picture will be.

There are 2 quick and simple ways to access the f stop adjustments in your camera.
1. Enter A (aperture) mode.
2. Enter M (manual) mode.

Note:
When you enter Aperture mode the other settings in the camera will remain on automatic.
When you enter Manual mode you will need to adjust the shutter speed also.

Do you see the differences changing the f stop has made in the below flower pictures ??

10th MARCH 2024
2024 CANBERRA BALLOON SPECTACULAR

Day 2.
Lift off, and, lots more colour and excitement.

Nikon D800E, Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 GII & Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 VR.

9th MARCH 2024
2024 CANBERRA BALLOON SPECTACULAR

Once again we have travelled from the Peninsula to Canberra to see the colourful balloons take to the sky from Patrick White Lawns in front of the National Library of Australia...

We were lucky that for the two days that we decided to get up early and photograph the balloons, they did 'lift off', as it is "weather permitting", and sometimes they can take off from different areas around Canberra, or just a few have tethered on the lawn.

There weren't many that 'dipped' into Lake Burley Griffin this year, but I did manage to capture a few that did.

We got good pictures of 'Lucy' the character balloon for 2024.
Although, she did make an entrance over the Commonwealth Ave bridge backwards.

From the dark pre-light flight set-up to the early rising sun hitting the balloons, I hope you enjoy..

Nikon D800E, Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 GII & Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 VR.

SATURDAY 9th MARCH 2024
Meet Lucy !

The star character balloon of the Canberra Hot Air Balloon Spectacular 2024.
Morning 1, and we have take off !
It was extremely busy with people everywhere.
(May be partly because it is a Saturday, and traditionally their 1st flight day has been the Friday 🤷‍♂️)
It paid to leave the caravan park early in the dark of the morning to get into the car park in front of the crowd.

More to come…

Well… there you go.
What a nice surprise !!

14th FEBRUARY 2024
RAINBOW LORIKEET

An opportunistic capture in our backyard this morning...
One second he was there, and the next.. he was not.

Nikon D800E, Nikon 70-200 2.8 GII

18th JANUARY 2024
Nicholson River

Over the January school holidays the wife and kids managed to take the van down to another Beautiful little town in East Gippsland.
I managed to join them for a few days, and was very lucky to have some sun while there to get the camera out and take some photos.

A short walk from where we were staying at the Nicholson River Holiday Park is the East Gippsland Rail Trail Bridge which goes over... Nicholson River.

While I didn't get the best possible sunrise that I was hoping for, it is still a Beautiful place to see.

Nikon D800E, Nikon 24-70mm

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10th JANUARY 2024
"The boat, The boat"...

OK, well that's not actually the right phrase, but many of our younger generation wouldn't know anyway...
There's a bit of excitement on the Mornington Peninsula today for viewers and photographers alike, as the Young Endeavour has sailed back into our waters.
This afternoon it was moored some distance from the Dromana Pier.

Regretfully it wasn't possible to align the boat with the Beautiful sunset,
but I was able to take a few pictures of the pier in the sunset.
Visitors always add character to my pictures.

Nikon D800E, Nikon 70-200mm

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19th DECEMBER 2023
There's more out there than you think....

The Police Helicopter flies over head.
What better a time to grab the camera, and put the Big 200-500mm lens on, and see what we can get.

Just a minute later, standing at the ready after quickly changing and checking all the settings from the Aurora shoot a few nights ago, and...no helicopter now.

So, what better a reason, to move the camera around, and capture some different subjects in the afternoon sunlight, while practicing the stance and stability of long distance lens photography.

Nikon D800, Nikon 200-500mm 1:5.6 VR

17th DECEMBER 2023
Aurora Alert, Aurora Alert.., on a cloudy night.

Sitting back watching the sun prepare to set, when up pops an alert that the Aurora is happening right now...

Obviously there's no need to rush, as the light cycle still needs to go through blue hour until it gets dark enough for the Aurora to show.

Step out the door, and, yay... thick low level cloud...
Despite the outlook, I still take the short, (for me), drive to Gunnamatta beach.

It was a beautiful night, not cold, and the slightest landward breeze. Ideal conditions, except for that low level heavy cloud, that ruined any chance of it shining through tonight.

I captured this brilliant night shot though, with the Aurora glow hiding in the back.
The detail in the stars in the sky is 'drawing'... I can look at it time and time again, and I'll still see something new.
Look closely, and you can see the light beam from Cape Schank Lighthouse on the lower left of the picture. Off to the right is a cruise ship with their bright lights. And do you see the streak in the sky, do you think it is a falling star or maybe it is a meteorite !?

Nikon D800E, Nikon 24-70mm VR.

12th NOVEMBER 2023
Back to Nature..

A couple of pictures taken from the beautiful Alpine Park Playground with Morses Creek, Wandiligong.

Nikon D800E, 24-70mm 2.8G VR

7th NOVEMBER 2023
Sunny one Side, Stormy the other..

Today, the afternoon storms rolled across the beach and put an end to all the fun in the sun.

You have to be very careful when taking pictures in these environments, as a strong wind can easily pick up sea spray and cloud over your lens very quickly. And, if the wind is very bad, it can even mean a sand blasted lens.
You also have to be careful if using a 'vacuum' lens, Lenses that expand and retract from within their main outer casing, as they are renowned for sucking in sand, as well as dust, as you zoom in and out.

I believe the best Storm cloud pictures come before you are actually in the storm. Find a place with cover if you can, and enjoy!

Nikon D800E, 80-200 2.8 G II

5th NOVEMBER 2023
Water lilies and a Windmill

It was a Beautiful sunny day that opened the lilies.
And, it was nice that I was joined for a Daddy and Daughter fun picture taking afternoon. It was great to see her working on different angles, and her perspectives, as well as the different subjects that she captured.
(Zoe’s pictures are after my 6)

Flowers are out bright and colourful everywhere at the moment.
It's a great opportunity to get outdoors, have a look around, and get some practice in with that camera !

Daddy: Nikon FX D800E, 70-200mm 2.8GII
Zoe: Nikon DX D5500, 18-200 3.5-5.6 G ED

22nd OCTOBER 2023
Kryal Castle, Ballarat

A perfect cold drizzly day to dress up, and spend time at a medieval castle.

Also a great day to play with the new 70-200 2.8G II ED
Love the focus, VR, and brightness of the pictures on this dark and gloomy day...

21st OCTOBER 2023
MG'S at the Bell Tower Motel, Ballarat

A fortunate set of circumstances led us to spending a night in Ballarat at the same motel as an MG car club.

I was quite reserved, and only snapped a few of the cars.
I love their small size and they have lots of character.

It was extremely lucky that they had roof's, as when they all left the following day, there was a cold breeze and heavy drizzle.

Taken with, a new for me, (2nd hand purchased, deceased estate), Nikon 70-200 2.8G II ED and Nikon D800E.
The version II is an awesomely sharp lens. Is it better than VI ?
It doesn't have a focus hold button :-(

26th SEPTEMBER 2023
Lake Hume, 2 Days away.. Day 2

Day 2, for me, and first up it included a family visit to see the animals. Yes, they have a cow, Stuart, chickens, sheep, goats, and pony’s at the caravan park... could there be anything else ?

We also took a drive around the lake , which involves driving in both NSW and VIC, and includes a short ferry ride on the Spirit of Wymah, which crosses between Wymah in NSW and Granya in VIC. The ferry is toll free, but check for operating dates, times, and if you are carrying a van there are size limits.

On the drive, we visited Hume Dam. This is an amazing structure, rich in history, and well worth the walk down the stairs to see the inside of the Power Station.

Here's some interesting fact questions for you to look at the pictures and answer..
1. How many homes can the station provide power to when at full output?
2. How much of the catchment area is located in VIC?
3. Who is the dam named after?

To finish the day off, we ate at the Hotel at the Ettamogah site. The meals were fantastic, and area is so worth a stop, with a giant shed full of inflatable jumping castles for all age kids and lots of Ettamogah history. It is located not far from the NSW Albury/VIC Woodonga border, in NSW at Kellyville Ridge.

TUESDAY 26th SEPTEMBER 2023
Lake Hume, 2 Days away..

A couple more canola fields pictures, and another of the sunset...

Nikon D800E, 24-70mm

MONDAY 25th SEPTEMBER 2023
Lake Hume, 2 Days away..

Finally I managed to get away for a couple of days. It was fantastic to join the family during school holidays at Lake Hume.

Of course there were a few picture opportunities as well.
I've been wanting to get back to the canola fields, and on the way to the Lake Hume caravan park I came across a few of them.
Now, you know I always try to limit my posts to a maximum of 10 pictures. But, I've noticed with some subjects, as much as the photographer sees the beauty and difference in all their slightly different pictures, the viewer can get bored very quickly. So, I'm going to make a few posts over a few days.

I hope you enjoy the canola fields and sunset at Lake Hume.

Nikon D800E, Nikon 24-70mm.

TUESDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 2023
Been lacking a little inspiration...

Hi guys, yes it's been a while..
Sometimes there's only so many Beach and Pier pictures you can take...
Winter does seem to take its toll, with everything else that life keeps you busy with.

Well, you'll be pleased to know, I hope, I finally had a reason to take some 'new' pictures the other night.
I worked in the city, which is always a great inspiration when its not freezing cold, and I got busy after I finished.
My aim was to bring you some new angles, of which I have not taken before.
I was also very lucky it was low tide, and there was hardly a ripple on the water, so the reflections were fairly nice.
Apart from the ducks which kept following me up the river bank and disturbing the water.. never a dull moment.

I hope you enjoy..

Nikon D800E, Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 VR, hand held.

SUNDAY 2ND JULY 2023
Go for a drive and stop the car !

These were a few of the interesting features I came across while driving on a short weekend trip away.

Remember, you can't take the pictures if you don't stop and get out...
There were a few times here that I doubled back and got out of the warm car into the freezing winter weather.

Nikon D800E & Nikon 70-200mm 2.8

SATURDAY 1ST JULY 2023
I can't count 12...

A quick trip away in the middle weekend of the school holidays lead us to this famous spot.
While the setting looked just right, a huge band of cloud came from over the background to spoil the shot.

Still though, it was good to get out with the immediate family, and get the camera out for some pictures...

Nikon D800E & 24-70mm 2.8

THURSDAY 1ST JUNE 2023
First day of Winter 23'

I've been admiring these flowers on the bush at the front of our house for the last few weeks.
I just had to wait for the sun to come out and shine on them.

The flowers colours and shapes are just beautiful, I'm sure you agree...

Nikon D800E, 24-70mm 2.8 VR

SATURDAY 6th MAY 2023
Mount Macedon Memorial Cross

An overnight stay for a Saturday and Sunday away...
Our first day's travel involved a side step from our main destination of Shepparton, to the Mount Macedon Memorial Gardens and Cross.

While the weather had been raining at home and for the start of our journey since we were on the Calder Fwy the sky had now turned a bright blue in the direction we were travelling. All be it, that was, for one mountain off to our right which seemed to be hiding in a grey cloud. And yes, you guessed it, that there grey mountain top was our first stop.

The memorial gardens and cross, were covered in a foggy cold air.
While there was no chance of a view of the surrounding valleys or mountains, it was a majestic atmosphere all the same.
The Tea Rooms were open, and provided a warm place to sit and have some scones and coffee's.

Maybe next time we are travelling by, there will be blue sky all the way to the top, and a clear view to match..

I hope you enjoy these few pictures.

Nikon D800E, 24-70mm f2.8 VR

MONDAY 24th APRIL 2023
Aurora at Gunnamatta Beach

It was a warm still night with a slither of moon, making it perfect for taking night sky and aurora pictures.
The Social Networks were full of peoples photos from night before, and the forecast for tonight was looking to be just as positive.
The fact that I had worked all day didn't add to my enthusiasm to venture out, as well as the thought of joining hundreds of other people travelling from afar, all aiming to capture their own picture of the magic coloured sky.

I chose to visit Gunnamatta Beach first up. It is local to me, being just 15min away, and a very southern point, which is ideal for taking these pictures.
As I entered the last bit of road that is the entry into the car park, I was dismayed to be met by easily over 100 cars.
My fears were confirmed as I walked the sandy track to the top of the hill that overlooks the stair case leading to the beach, to see the whole place was full of people.

Now, while I love to promote photography. But when you have such a large group of people, the fun and enjoyment is out the window along with photography etiquette, which seems to disappear.
The Aurora was not visible to the naked eye, as it had been reported it had the night before. This led to a lot of restless people, many of whom were more interested in lighting up their phone screens while on the beach, and walking up and down the stair case, so any possibility of a picture without shake or light streaks required picture after picture.

However, from amongst all the challenges, I was able to score a few amazing pictures, which I can proudly share with you.
I will make another post soon discussing the camera settings I used.

Enjoy..