Apostles Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

There are dozens of shots of this beautiful piece of the Victorian coast, the Great Ocean Road. Most of the shots posted to this site are significantly better than this one!

This scene (for those not from Australia) is of the rock stacks near Port Campbell, known as "The Twelve Apostles".

I was trawling through my collection of 12,000-odd images looking for something interesting to post, and I decided on this one. I chose it not because I think it is particularly good, but because it illustrates some of the things I've learned from my time here at TE.

This shot was taken very soon after purchasing my first dSLR, and looking back on the result and the EXIF information there are a few things I'd do differently to try to boost the shot:

1) I'd shoot in RAW. This was a JPEG and many of the adjustments I take for granted in post-processing now are unavailable to me for some of my earliest work. The extra space the files occupy is well worth it!

2) I'd use a wider angle on this excellent lens, and a circular polarizer, to make the colours (particularly the sky) really pop. As you can see, the sun was over my right shoulder for this shot so the CirPol would have worked wonders.

3) I'd use a tripod. Even at very fast shutter speeds, I reckon it's worthwhile.

4) I'd sacrifice most of the shutter speed for a lower ISO (there's noise here, even at ISO-400) and smaller aperture. I'd probably also have a go at chucking a ND4 or ND8 on the lens and blurring out the surf a little with a long exposure.

5) I'd have a go at two shots at different exposures, probably AEB, and try to build one of those High Dynamic Range shots in Photoshop. Detail is missing in the shadows.

Interesting to look back and realised how much I've picked up from you good people. Happy posting!

rewshearer, mphotographies, PJE, ribeiroantonio, Albatros, jrj, linask, macondo, joelgrant, xuaxo, RegisMinot, darrasin, chrisnet, zenskat ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

rewshearer (682) 2006-07-30 23:53

Well in my view it's a magnificent shot. I've got a Lumix FZ-20 so I can happily say "noise? You don't know what noise is!" and as far as sharpness and composition goes, this is a winner.
It gets my vote.
Rew

mphotographies (1976) 2006-07-30 23:58

Hey Simon,
You have taken beautiful & breathtaking landscapes here in TE. Apostles, Lake Matheison, Bushranger's Bay, Fox Glacier, Aoraki-Mt Cook, and more are the best I've seen! What noise, I don't see any at all, I agree with Rew...
Great gallery of images lol
JHCris

PJE (19465) 2006-07-31 0:00

Well Simon I have to stop by and say what an interesting photo you have posted. I am curious why you bumped up the ISO to 400 unless you didn't have a tripod. I have a link to Contrast Masking in the workshop of my latest posting. It would be interesting to see if more color could have been captured with a polarizer filter. Better yet to be here at dawn or dusk when the lighting angle is really low would make this a photographer's paradise photo opportunity. Thanks for sharing...Cheers! Paul

[2]

Albatros (338) 2006-07-31 1:30

Hi Simon

Although you criticize your shot here in a very extensive way I have to say that I like this shot :)
The colours are very nice (maybe would have been better with a RAW) and the sea's spray give your picture a decent look.
Besides: Most of your notes are things I learned here in the last 12 month, too. So I can only underline your comments on that - what a pitty, 'my' airline lost my tripod on my last flight to Thailand; I think I missed some very nice shots.

Nevertheless:

TFS
Regards,

Albatros

bakes888 (18257) 2006-07-31 1:42

Hi Simon. The colour of the sand, the colour of the water, wonderful. I also love the way the haze softens the distant rock formations. Excellent capture, this shot works well (despite what you would do differently). Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

ribeiroantonio (21955) 2006-07-31 3:50

The shot is beautiful but your note is even better. I hope to be able to learn as much as you did. Congratulations.
Antonio

gelor (3224) 2006-07-31 4:01

Bonjour Simon,
Un très beau paysage avec des couleurs superbes. Ce dégradé dans le sable est particulièrement beau.
Bravo.
Gérard

jrj (34779) 2006-07-31 6:52

Hi simon
Interesting comments as to have to improve the result. Still - I think the final result as presented in "TE format" is working well and the contribution absolute acceptable. Good compo, fine use of the coast - nice work

vjmite (1547) 2006-07-31 23:51

Hi Simon,
I think this is a great shot, partly because the colours are a little muted and misty, in contrast to most shots of this famous view. The composition is excellent and the photo is sharp. Some of the waves are overexposed, but that is not a big problem here.

It is also a good record of a recent geological event; the pile of rocks in the foreground was a 50 metre high apostle that collapsed on July 3 2005, a few months before you took the photo. Several tourists saw it happen.
Vince

macondo (13165) 2006-08-02 2:42

Interesting commentary on your own photo, Simon. At least you have a DSLR - ever tried using a polariser with an EVF? Pure guesswork.
Certainly, there have been many photos of the apostles, but they're all different, and this one is a good one. I particularly like the tiered effect of the headlands, gradually fading in clarity, and surrounded by the incredibly fine mist coming off the breakers. The closest cliff bottom right, and the 'islands', have a very incisive presence. And for overseas TE members, there's the puzzle of the pile of rocks! I don't see any noise, and agree with Rew, you don't know what noise is with your Canon at 400.
Regards,
Andrew

yoxim (274) 2006-08-03 10:45

This is a breathtaking shot
Beautiful composition and momentum

Bluejeans (32633) 2006-08-09 18:55

Ola Simon, que paisagem impressionante, a cor da agua , as varias tonalidades de cor da arreia , parabens .

lucski (3676) 2006-08-10 17:29

wow Simon
well done i like this uncommon climat... lonely beach with amazing clifs. great photo
rgds lukasz

rozy975 (3047) 2006-08-16 16:07

Gorgeous panorama.
Misty conditions gave a beautiful depth.
Well done!

xuaxo (5765) 2006-08-16 16:34

Hi Simon
Amazing how this seems like the Portuguese south coast (Faro district, the Algarve).
Very interesting, complete note.
Regards
F

HIRAKZ (168) 2006-08-17 14:02 [Comment]

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daddo (11381) 2006-08-21 8:36

Hi Simon. You say what you would have done had you your current know-how. I think that what you did in '05 was highly admirable. You have captured the fine light, the mist and the wonderful colours of the earth there and of the sea.Great PoV which accentuated the vastness of this coastline. Great job. Cheers. Klaudio

jone (3229) 2006-08-23 2:20

Hi Simon ;)
great composition, very interesting forms and colors... TFS,
All the best,
J ;)

NikosG (196) 2006-08-31 3:13

this is a really great shot. i can see what you mean that you like layering. you do a wonderful job. here, i love how each rock seems to have its own personality. great.

RegisMinot (1317) 2006-09-04 16:24

You are right. This picture is awful. Poor colours, poor POV, and the subject in itself is so common ...
Of course, I am joking but your note is quite interesting.

lilimih33 (9874) 2006-09-13 20:08 [Comment]

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darrasin (2860) 2006-09-13 20:19

Hello Simon. Great shot and a very nice note! I have not seen the Apostles before so I appreciate the introduction. I particularly like how it looks like the one in the front collasped into a pile of rocks just before you took the shot. How'd make that happen?

Another thing to consider too is that a lower ISO and tiny aperature would lenghten the exposure and perhaps make for an interesting effect on the wake. This can be hard to do in broad daylight but if you add a ND filter or 2 you can get some interesting effects even during the day.

Regards,
Doug

Manuel1982 (942) 2006-09-14 9:39

This is a beautiful shot. Especially the colours are great.
TFS
Regards
Manuel

chrisnet (20376) 2006-09-23 6:22

Hello Simon,
Great landscape here!The POV and the colors are superb!Very nice composition.
Thanks for sharing.
Regards
Christian

zenskat (656) 2006-11-12 19:23

Hi Simon, good shot of the fallen apostle, if you took it now i'm sure it would be so much better. great note, jez.

Raticus (43) 2007-03-02 8:15

I guess everyone who visits the Apostles gets the opportunity to take this shot and everything depends on the time of day and the weather (when I was there it was chucking down with rain, which was pretty unlucky in late December!) What stands out for me about this one is the way the Apostle that fell a couple of years back appears to be lit up - it's a shot that has really good depth to it.
Cheers,
Graham

Photo Information

Copyright: Simon Bolch (Propofol) (1786)
Genre: Lugares
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-11-05
Categories: Naturaleza
Camera: Canon EOS350D/Digital Rebel XT, Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, Digital ISO 400, Hoya 67mm UV
Exposición: f/5.6, 1/1600 segundos
Versión de la foto: Versión original
Date Submitted: 2006-07-30 23:29