Himba village, Nambia, October 2021
Went for a little walkabout this morning before leaving Mount Remarkable National Park, abundant wildlife and even more insects. Good thing I brought bug-net clothing, too bad I left it in the van.
I'm on my way north to the Flinders Ranges for one night and then I start making my way back to Sydney tomorrow. It's really starting to hit me that this journey is drawing to a close. As always, thank you for following along.
Colin
My first night on Kangaroo Island I found myself sitting at a picnic table in the caravan park, editing through photos on my laptop when I heard the most god-awful guttural grunt that I can only describe as some sort of demon pig sound. I grabbed my flashlight and had a look around but saw nothing, though the noise continued. It wasn’t until the following evening that I discovered what was making this terrifying sound, it was the infamous “drop bear” that I’d only recently learned about. To my surprise, when I aimed my light into the trees and saw where it was coming from, at first it appeared to be a harmless, cuddly koala when in fact, it was a drop bear. Never in a million years could I have ever imagined that noise emanating from a koala -apparently they are koalas by day and drop bears by night.
After shooting out near the coast my final evening on the island and returning to the caravan park well after sundown, I parked the van, stepped out and was immediately greeted by the chilling grunt of a drop bear, directly above my campsite. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, I set up my 400mm telephoto lens with a flash and LumiQuest Pocket Bounce diffuser and began capturing images of the beast, glowing red eyes and all. If you should find yourself in Australia, beware after that what appears to be a cute, teddy-bear-like creature during the day will transform into the dreaded drop bear after sundown.
Disclaimer: most of the information in this post is accurate, including the beastly sound that koalas make at night. From what I understand, koalas can be quite vicious when cornered but otherwise, they are relatively calm-mannered marsupials, probably because they spend much of their time in the trees high on eucalyptus oil from the gum tree leaves they feed on.
On that note, I am on my way north from Adelaide to Mount Remarkable and the Flinders Ranges for the next couple of nights before making my way back to Sydney. I’ve been in country two weeks now with just under one week left. As anticipated, this journey has gone by quickly but when I look back on all the places I’ve visited, the wonderful people I’ve met along the way and the images I’ve created (even the drop bear), it feels like a lifetime.
Cheers,
Colin
Say hello to my little mate, Joey! He looks like he's had a couple already, while mom seems a bit more concerned about my presence.
Farewell, Kangaroo Island! It's been a wonderful stay and once the winds finally subsided, I got out to capture some wonderful images. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality, breathtaking scenery, and abundant wildlife. Mark my words, I will be back...
Trust me, you have not seen cute until you've seen a pint-sized koala. I spent part of the morning with the local marsupials near the holiday park where I am staying on Authentic Kangaroo Island. One thing is for certain; they are absolutely not in any hurry, ever...
As they say in Oz, "It's bloody windy down here, mate!" The wind has been blowing steadily the past couple of days, bringing some rain with it. Hopefully it will calm down a bit, as forecasted, so I can get out and do some more exploring. Here is my classic Kangaroo Island brekkie (yes, I really do love the Vegemite)
Colin
"Can't you hear, can't you hear that thunder?
You better run, you better take cover, yeah."
Shortly after arriving to Kangaroo Island Australia today, I was greeted by one of the most brilliant and powerful storms I have ever experienced. Skies like these are rare in Alaska, so I fired off as many frames as I could before my gear was being pelted by beach sand and salt spray.
I made it back to the van just before the heavy bombardment of hail began.
I should have arrived at my campsite by now, I am still in the town of Penneshaw and have a couple hours of driving ahead of me to reach the west end of the island, but the purpose is to share my experiences, and this was a beautiful moment. Once again it is the journey, not the destination, that tells the story.
Colin
G'day all! Currently aboard the ferry out to Kangaroo Island. Yesterday was a long day of driving and I am looking forward to being on the island for the next 3 days. I don't have much down time to edit or write but I have a lot to share. Wifi is spotty here, I usually have to find a cafe that offers wifi with a purchase to update my Facebook page, website, and Instagram, check emails and map out my next driving route. After my time on the island, I will drive up to Adelaide for a couple days to visit a friend and take a break from being on the road. From there, I will either head north into the Flinders Ranges to get a taste of the outback or, depending on the weather forecast and what my intuition tells me, I may venture back down to the Great Ocean Road for the remainder of my journey. Right now, the ocean is calling me back...
Cheers!
Colin
Sunset, Great Ocean Road, 12 Apostles. This place is beyond words. I must travel on now but I have a feeling I will be back here someday, sooner than later.
Colin
I took a much-needed day off of the road yesterday, did some yoga and a bit of laundry. I've had a painful cramp in my left calf since the flight down here, thankfully that released and I am feeling much better. I've got a long drive today up to Deep Creek National Park and out to Kangaroo Island tomorrow.
Cheers!
Colin
Daybreak comes early in this part of the world, and the days are getting longer. As exhausting as it is, I just can't pass up beautiful light and opportunities like this. I was out to catch the sunrise, now it's time for a rest, a good stretch, and then get ready to explore the Twelve Apostles later today. I have one more day on the Great Ocean Road, 12 Apostles before heading north to Deep Creek National Park and out to Kangaroo Island on Friday (Thursday for those of you in the US). As always, thank you for following along.
Colin
Lock Ard Gorge , Great Ocean Road, Australia. The sun set on another spectacular day here. To call the scenery here stunning is vastly understated, it is otherworldly. Goodnight from Port Campbell, Victoria.
Image taken using LEE Filters.
Good morning from the Great Ocean Road, Australia. I can now add koalas to the ever-growing list of animals I have photographed in the wild. Feeling a bit more rested today as I continue my journey and no, I did not leave anything behind at my campsite today.
Colin
No great story comes without some bit of adversity, this I know. Today was a classic example. I arrived in Australia just four days ago, early in the morning of November 3. I could have easily slept when I got to my hostel, I was exhausted, but it was a beautiful day and I was staying a mere five minutes from the beach, I wanted to get out and soak up the vibe.
That night I got decent rest and was up early to catch the sunrise the following day. Soon afterward, I picked up my camper van, grabbed some groceries and somehow found my way out of Sydney in heavy traffic while adjusting to driving on the other side of the road. I drove to Jervis Bay and met up with a mate I crossed paths with in India three years ago. We camped and went for a good hike the next morning and had a swim in the ocean before I was on my way to the next destination. Since then, I’ve covered well over 1,000 km’s with the van. I was up at 5 am today to make use of all the available light I had at Wilson’s Promontory. The images I captured certainly made the drive down there worthwhile, and I will likely return someday and spend more time, it was spectacular.
In my haste to edit photos, pack up and hit the road today, I left my AC power adaptor, extension cord, camera battery charger and a battery plugged in at my site in the Tidal River Campground, all of which I desperately need. I realized this when I was nearing Melbourne, three hours later. In a state of semi-panic, I found a shopping center and located an electronics store, who then put me in touch with a camera store in the next town who had a charger that isn’t the same as the one I’d brought, but it would will for now. I also called the visitor center back at Wilson’s Promontory and thankfully, they’d found everything I left behind and are going to mail it to my friend in Adelaide, whom I will be visiting next week. After a while, I was able to look back and laugh it off. It cost me a few hours, a little extra money and some frustration, but it’s going to be fine. In the end, there is always a lesson. I need to slow down, I need to breathe, I need to rest.
The next few days will be spent covering a much smaller area and should give me a chance to slow my pace a bit. Tonight, I am going to rest, my body is telling me I need it. Goodnight from the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia. This place is powerful, and humbling.
Coli
G'day everyone! I'm checking in from the southernmost part of mainland Australia. It's taken me a few ways to adjust to being on the other side of the world, the time change, living out of a camper van and driving on the other side of the road but I feel I am getting settled into the groove. I spent the night at Wilson't Promontory - the opportunities were plentiful and I encountered a number of species including wombats, wallabies, emus and several other birds, even the kookaburra. The wombats are quite unique and seem to be a type of badger with the body shape of a pig and the face of a teddy bear. They are very docile; in fact I nearly tripped over one while making dinner next to my van last night. I'm on my way through Melbourne and on to the Great Ocean Road for 2-3 days before heading out to Kangaroo Island on Friday. As always, thank you for following along.
Cheers!
Colin
The sun rises over Coogee Beach this morning; this is the dawn of my Australian journey. Locals greeted the day by getting their morning exercise with a variety of activities - jogging, swimming, beach yoga, tai chi, even kickboxing classes. I haven't been here 24 hours and already, I have a soft spot for this little corner of Sydney. I may return before I depart later this month.
I'll be getting my camper van today and driving to Jervis Bay. Stay tuned for more and, as always, thank you for following along.
Cheers, mates!
Colin
Thinking back to the last time I stood in the Tasman Sea - New Zealand 2014. I am about to embark on my first journey to Australia, which will find me looking across this same body of water from the other shore. I should arrive in Sydney tomorrow, which, after crossing the International Date Line, will be November 3 in Oz. What lies ahead remains a mystery, as it should. Please stay tuned...
"There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity." (Douglas MacArthur)
Colin
As I have stated before, when I create an image that evokes an emotional response from my viewers, then I have succeeded as an artist. Beyond that, there may be no greater compliment than to hear that my work has inspired someone else to create something beautiful, whether it is with a camera or other medium. After posting one of my recent bear photos, I was contacted by an artist who had been inspired to paint the image on canvas. As promised, she sent me a digital copy of the completed work. Thank you, Maureen Clarke, I am honored that you have created your vision of this bear in early morning light and shared it with me. I am inspired to continue creating and sharing with the world.
Here is another image of and his faithful companion Freija, who is sporting her K-9 pack from Mountainsmith on our trek over the Crow Pass Trail last month. Recently, I've been catching up on editing photos in the lead-up to my Australian journey, which is barely one week away! In doing so, I am able to relive past moments and reminisce about what I was thinking and feeling at the time when an image was created. I took this just after we crossed Crow Pass and were passing by Raven Glacier. The sun had dipped behind the mountaintops and the temperature dropped sharply as we began our descent toward Eagle River Valley with a punishing headwind. The valley below was bathed in warm light, the last of which we would experience as the rain arrived the following morning and persisted throughout the rest of the trek. This was the turning point, when I realized we had truly left our creature comforts behind and were now at the mercy of the weather and the Alaskan backcountry. Stepping outside of one's comfort zone, this is when the best moments happen.
Wildlife photography involves a lot of waiting, sometimes for hours, for what typically amounts to just a few minutes or even mere seconds of shooting. During the down times, one is constantly making adjustments for changing light and any shift in an animal's behavior, to be ready for the moment when everything comes together. We stood in the cold for hours today, waiting for this massive bull moose (pictured in the background) to get up and move about, which he did just as soon as the light faded. All in all it was a good day - we got nice footage of a cow & calf in the fresh snow this morning.
Today was my final day guiding the film crew. I have thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity and look forward to future endeavors. It will air on British TV next year and I hope my mates can get me a copy; I would love to see the final edit of the wildlife and scenery we've been chasing all week! Now to get ready for tomorrow's slide show & print sale - 2 pm at the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center. I hope to see you there!
Cheers,
Colin
