shell Archives - Poodle Walks

September 17, 2019September 20, 2019

Spring 2019: the eyes

I returned from a successful photo trip to Mt Arapiles and the Wimmera Mallee to spring on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula, and to allergic reactions (allergic rhinitis) to the airborne allergenic grass pollens. This hay fever is especially intense ( itchy eyes and throat, sneezing and runny nose) when the north wind carries the pollen from the northerly grasslands across the landscape.

My response is to avoid walking along the back country roads within the agricultural landscapes because the grass pollens are currently hurting my eyes. I try to ensure that the poodlewalks are now along the beach and I walk as close to the sea whilst hoping for a southerly wind coming off the sea.

Kent Reserve or Petrel Cove are good starting points because I can quickly get to the beach from the car without walking through a lot of grasses, whilst wearing sunglasses and having previously taken preventative eye drops to help ease the irritation.

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February 2, 2019February 21, 2019

summer-time + impermanence

The Xmas break is over for this summer-time. The holiday crowds have left vacationing along the coast of the southern Fleurieu Peninsula during the extended school holidays, and returned to work in Adelaide. The schools are back and the photographers have gone.

The hot days came and went during January, with the minimium/maximium temperatures rising. The warming trend means that Australian summers are becoming hotter and the heatwaves more intense. Sadly, the sand has been disappearing from Dep’s Beach and Petrel Cove ever since the big storm in December, and these two beaches are now looking desolate.

Over the Xmas break I continued to photograph in the early morning whilst walking with Kayla. I focused on low key macro photography before the light became too bright and contrasty. The photography is hand held and quick. The conditions are not suitable for slow large format photography.

Currently, the mornings start cool, the days heat up and reach their zenith around 5 pm but, unlike drought damaged inland regions, the temperature usually drops at night. With the crowds gone, the beaches along the coast are quiet during the week, and we often have them to ourselves in the early morning around dawn and sunrise. We now have the space to be in the moment and see the transient and ephemeral nature of life on the coast. Continue reading “summer-time + impermanence”

November 21, 2018July 28, 2020

2 still life images

One early morning poodlewalk along the coastal rocks west of Petrel Cove last week with Kayla was very enjoyable and relaxing. The light was soft, there was little wind, and the light cloud cover meant that there was soft early morning light for an hour or so after sunrise. We were fortunate as the early mornings of late have been sunny, bright with blue sky.

These conditions allowed me to spend a a bit of time doing some photography amongst the seaweed, quartz and granite:

We have been having this part of the coast to ourselves in the last week or so. The only person I saw was Allan, who we see regularly. He does a daily walk from his home in Encounter Bay along the Heritage Trail to Kings Beach Rd, then walks back. Our paths often cross. Continue reading “2 still life images”