Big Southerly Coming #3

This awesome photograph of a huge storm front approaching does not really do the scene justice. This is meant to be viewed as a large print so you can take in the enormity of what I saw and photographed that day.

My camera club mate and I were doing our regular “beach patrol” on the lookout for likely subjects and this place was the last port of call. We had seen part of the cloud formation as we were driving along but it was not until we got to the top of the hill that we realised just how big this thing was.

The shot was made on top of Tacking Point, overlooking Lighthouse Beach in Port Macquarie , NSW, Australia on a great Spring afternoon.

People began gathering from all around and I’m sure that each one had a different camera. For a while it was almost elbow to elbow as we all tried to get the best vantage point. I ended up as far to our right and as far back as common sense and the cliff allowed and even then with my lens at its 28mm widest I could not fit it all in.

The camera was hand held as I braced myself like a bipod in the stiff breeze as I had left my tripod in my car at home as we thought we would not need it that day. There’s a lesson in there I think!

What I really like about the final result is the sense of powerlessness this scene gives me as the massive southerly front looms larger and larger up and over the scene and the beautiful luminosity of the clouds.

Find out more about Port Macquarie beaches if you wish.

Visit the Seascapes collection in my BubbleSite Gallery for more stupendous seascapes.

UPDATE: 27-7-09
This awesome cloud formation has WON the 1:1 with the News Group’s Weather Challenge.

UPDATE: 15-12-09
BIG news! A framed 60cm x 100cm (24”x40”) B&W print of my stormy scene has been sold as part of a collection of 16 of my Port Macquarie photographs to be displayed permanently in the Coast Apartments complex.

Enjoy!

SEASCAPES – Tacking Point & Lighthouse Beach
(Click the links!)

Big Southerly Coming #3