MELBOURNE APUG OUTING No. 3: NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

[Kevin Caulfield]

That's awesome, Shane. I'm very jealous that I missed the outing.

[LJH]

I'm very jealous that I missed the outing.

Given the light on the day, you should only feel jealous, not very jealous!

Anyway, I have thought some more about the day, and would like to put the suggestion forward that we perhaps try another day there?

Given those who hadn't been there now have, there could be value in looking to get there again early next year. We'd know what to expect and what to take (more beer, Mars Bars for Gary and snow shoes for the sand…)

I'd also suggest planning to get there as the tide's going out, so as to be able to spend some more time on the western side of the Cape (the rock pools etc).

Anyone else got any thoughts on this?

[Poisson Du Jour]

Given the light on the day, you should only feel jealous, not very jealous!

Anyway, I have thought some more about the day, and would like to put the suggestion forward that we perhaps try another day there?

Given those who hadn't been there now have, there could be value in looking to get there again early next year. We'd know what to expect and what to take (more beer, Mars Bars for Gary and snow shoes for the sand…)

I'd also suggest planning to get there as the tide's going out, so as to be able to spend some more time on the western side of the Cape (the rock pools etc).

Anyone else got any thoughts on this?

Mars Bars for moi! LOL! I must come on more of your trips!!

Yes! Yes! Another trip please, ASAP! We missed the sunset. And was it one to get all hot and bothered over...!

The route last weekend was a bit had going out, but at least the tide was out (coming in on the return walk). We could of course have taken the inland route to eliminate the tedious plod across that strange granitic sand that afforded very little grip or stability, and the tortuous rock-hop that made me feel like a washed up Adélie penguin, but of course the inland route would have meant a frightfully speedy bum-skid-clunk down the gully (Scene on the clifftop, dramatis personae: "mummy, look at all those 8x10 cameras strewn around the rocks..."), on a par with the terrible discomforture of Fractured Hip Track down to "once-pretty" Upper Sabine Falls in Great Otway National Park. I might take 15m of rope with me to descend that gully next time, but I can't be sure how long the gully is — 10, 15, 20m?? And what should I attach it to? If to a boulder, what if the boulder moves?

[Oxleyroad]

Lachlan I like the idea of a return trip. I'll only take 2 cameras at most this time, or if I have to take more they'll all be in one backpack.

[LJH]

Lachlan I like the idea of a return trip. I'll only take 2 cameras at most this time, or if I have to take more they'll all be in one backpack.

After trudging the 7x17" all over that god-foresaken, bird-infested granite version of Cranbourne, I'm thinking that I might taking a single small format camera next time - my soon-to-be-built 8x10...

[Poisson Du Jour]

Right. Everyone's now sorted their equipment.
Let's go — this week!

[Colin D]

It certainly is worth another visit to that spot. The rock hopping was no easy feat, but there were some interesting spots along the way and with the tide out maybe even more to see. I am interested to see Shane's pigface shot, and Gary's, they definitely had good prospects. I'll get to work on my shots taken from above some time during the week.

[Poisson Du Jour]

Andy, I'm confident the Coastal Pigface images will be the best I can manage with Velvia. Boots will have done the scene on the 8x10, but not sure if it was in colour of B&W. I credit him with stumbling upon the quite lively outcrop of Pigface blending in with native grass. But RVP was arguably not the best choice for the Pinnacles shots; I mulled a few times about sacrificing 5 frames of Velvia and loading ACROS in, but persisted and wandered about photographing draping Pigface on the rock ledges and studies featuring the lichen-encrusted boulders with the smaller Pinnacles rising boldly behind — a scene that bore a startling similarity to the rocky coastline of Eddystone Point on the NE coast of Tasmania. Other than these explicit applications suitable for colour, it was a location best suited for mono work in those prevailing conditions (but not always!), which is what I'm keeping in mind for the next visit, though ready to switch back to Velvia for that magical time before, during and after sunset.

For now, I'm heading back into the myrtle glooms of the Otways rainforests to revisit Wild Dog Falls on Sunday.

[SMBooth]

Andy, I'm confident the Coastal Pigface images will be the best I can manage with Velvia. Boots will have done the scene on the 8x10, but not sure if it was in colour of B&W. I credit him with stumbling upon the quite lively outcrop of Pigface blending in with native grass. But RVP was arguably not the best choice for the Pinnacles shots; I mulled a few times about sacrificing 5 frames of Velvia and loading ACROS in, but persisted and wandered about photographing draping Pigface on the rock ledges and studies featuring the lichen-encrusted boulders with the smaller Pinnacles rising boldly behind — a scene that bore a startling similarity to the rocky coastline of Eddystone Point on the NE coast of Tasmania. Other than these explicit applications suitable for colour, it was a location best suited for mono work in those prevailing conditions (but not always!), which is what I'm keeping in mind for the next visit, though ready to switch back to Velvia for that magical time before, during and after sunset.

For now, I'm heading back into the myrtle glooms of the Otways rainforests to revisit Wild Dog Falls on Sunday.

You need to buy another P 6X7 that way you can have B&W loaded into one and V50 into the other...

[Bob Carnie]

I just wanted to fit in with you all..

A great time was had by all. The sky did not perform as was hoped, but many fine instruments of image capture were out available for ogling.

Oh and Bob, yabbies or prawns are what are thrown on the barbie. Shrimp are just too small, and too fiddlely to shell.