Gary P Hayes Photography in Mount Victoria, New South Wales | Education

Gary P Hayes Photography

Locality: Mount Victoria, New South Wales

Phone: +61 404 797 104

Address: 68 Kanimbla Valley Road 2786 Mount Victoria, NSW, Australia

Website: garyphayes.com/photography

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25.01.2022 COSMIC HERITAGE ~ NEWNES PLATEAU Here we have a typical view I see when shooting the night sky in the unprotected Pagoda Country on Newnes Plateau or Ben Bullen State Forest. Amazing 300 million year old platy rock formations lit by a setting moon, with a back drop of the rising Milky Way core, estimated to be 13 billion years old. More on the geodiversity of this area by Haydn G Washington after this short commercial break ... -- MY GALLERY THIS WEEKEND 11-4pm both days, n...ext to a smaller sandstone formation, Pulpit Rock in Mount Victoria -- and my Intro to Landscape Photography workshop includes an intro to astro too, Sept 19/20 details on my site ... "However, just as Australia has been slow to acknowledge its wealth of biodiversity, the pagodas show that we have been similarly slow to recognise the significance of our geodiversity, and the platy pagodas are certainly a distinct and significant part of Australias geodiversity. The formation of platy pagodas has yet to be full explained, but their geomorphic significance is not in doubt. We believe that pagodas and their associated sandstone landforms (such as slot canyons) are important and significant parts of the sandstone geodiversity of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and adjacent unprotected areas. This is of significance given the Commonwealth Government plans to renominate this World Heritage Area for geodiversity in the future (currently it is listed only for biodiversity). Pagodas deserve full and expanded recognition as a significant part of the geodiversity and geoheritage of the Blue Mountains region. Their natural aesthetic beauty, their biodiversity, and their significant geomorphological values mean they deserve enhanced recognition and conservation into the future." Haydn G Washington from a paper called The Geoheritage and Geomorphology of the Sandstone Pagodas of the North-western Blue Mountains Region (NSW) Sony a7r2 ~ 55mm FE ~ 10s ~ f1.4 ~ ISO 2500

25.01.2022 Life is not measured by time. It is measured by moments. Armin Houman WALLS SUNBURST MOMENT ~ GROSE VALLEY Taken last week on a little evening stroll on the northern Grose Valley walls. There is nothing more magical than being alone on a wild escarpment witnessing and capturing a single never to be repeated moment, forever. Sure some moments are more unique than others, but life is about spending the time to find those special ones, that show the beauty of our natural wor...ld and its relation to the cosmos, including a nearest star, the sun. Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm crop ~ 1/6400s ~ f16 ~ ISO 400

25.01.2022 LAUNCH PAD ~ KANIMBLA VALLEY Weekday late afternoons are my reccy days usually, a safe way to check out some new areas. I was actually on a different part of the Mount Blackheath escarpment this afternoon, but on the way back the light in the valley with the old paraglider launch pad just had to be captured panorama style. A couple of winter paragliders came past, now launch from the field area just to the left of here. Fuji X100F ~ 23mm x 5 hPano ~ 1/200s ~ f5 ~ ISO 250... 2 spots left on my Weekend Landscape Photography Introduction - details on my site Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

24.01.2022 HEAD IN THE STARS ~ CARINA NEBULA This evening a quick snap of an Australian winter deep sky object and not exactly a Blue Mtns landscape, but rather a world 8500 light years away taken from the Blue Mtns! One of the easiest nebula to capture this time of year, low on the southern horizon and a large target. Taken with my usual camera using a relatively wide field refractor lens/scope one of several, including a 1200mm reflector that those on my astro courses can use - along with earth landscapes incorporating the Milky Way of course. Sony a7r2 ~ William Optics ZS61 lens ~ 3 x 30s stack ~ f4.9 ~ ISO 1600

23.01.2022 I remember that as I was writing a poem on ‘Snow’ when I was eight, I said aloud, I wish I could have the ability to write down the feelings I have now when I am little, because when I grow up, I will know how to write, but I will have forgotten what being little feels like. Sylvia Plath FEELINGS ~ SYLVIA FALLS ~ VALLEY OF THE WATERS When I take my workshop participants down to these particular falls we often spend some time capturing the detail, not even as wide as this on...e at the base of Sylvia. There is something magical about the interaction of erosive water and soft sandstone that reminds us of the relationship, that the falling water however beautiful on the surface slowly changes the rock it flows on. -- MY BLUE MTNS GALLERY this weekend 12-5pm both days, next to Mount Victoria's Pulpit Rock -- Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW Blue Mountains Australia

22.01.2022 SPRING LAYERS ~ GROSE VALLEY The Blue Mountains is ideal to put into practise many key photographic composition techniques. This is demonstrated in the shot I took today on an incredibly warm (22C) afternoon walk to a northern Grose Lookout - I spotted this view which clearly plays with the idea of depth and layers. The slope, then the tree, then the dark vertical wall then the distant walls, further ridge beyond and so on. If you want to go on lovely walks like this and lea...rn about the basics of Landscape Photography then why not come on my 19/20 Sept Intro Weekend where you will learn everything to get you on the road to great landscape images, sunrise, set, astro, waterfalls and much more. Details on my site Sony a7r2 ~ 90mm FE ~ 1/320s ~ f4.5 ~ ISO 100 Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

22.01.2022 EARTH-LIKE ORION ~ MOUNT VICTORIA Just 20 minutes to capture this amazing Nebula last night, which when rotated slightly looks very Blue Planet - taken in lovely clear and warming skies up here in the Blue Mountains Workshop Gift Tokens - I have a range of workshops, usually 20+ up on my site, for astro, landscape beginners, Autumn, waterfalls etc etc: I also do gift certificates which make lovely presents :) ... This shot taken on portable backpack equipment ASI 183mcpro cooled camera RedCat 51mm/250mm Lens refractor 20 x 1 minute shots processed in siriL on Mac Guided & PA on SkyGuiderPro & iPolar

22.01.2022 The always dreamy sunset area of Vertigo Slot in the extended Gardens of Stone, Ben Bullen State Forest. Still unprotected. -- MY GALLERY THIS WEEKEND 12 - 5pm both days, next to Mount Victorias Pulpit Rock --

22.01.2022 "The magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all." Josiyah Martin SPRING START ~ LAKE LYELL My favourite photography seasons in the Blue Mountains tend to be Spring and Autumn. Not necessarily for the warming or cooling but because we get our best atmospheric conditions, rain and mist and clouds closing and opening, revealing light and change. This shot taken start of Spring 2018... Intro to Landscape Photography Weekend 19/20 Sept 2 spots left - "The Blue Mountains are a fantastic place to nurture your passion for photography. This two day workshop at the best Blue Mountains locations is aimed at all enthusiast photographers who want to get to the next level with their landscape art. Everything you will be covered in 2 days, sunrise, astro, sunset, waterfalls, midday shooting, long exposures and more, basically all the tools to become a great landscape photographer yourself." booking via my website Sony a7r2 ~ 55mm FE ~ 1/60s ~ f11 ~ ISO 100

22.01.2022 Thanks for the share ABC Sydney - little phone grabs so only appeared on my personal account :) But thought this page audience might like :)

21.01.2022 MOODY MONO MONDAY - Always a nice change from the Blue Mountains, the one and only Iceland - in moody black and white

20.01.2022 A dreamy Mount York aerial panorama this evening as the evening light revealed the cauldron like Lawsons Long Alley area (left of shot here) - the actual lookout area is closed but you can get to Bardens LO for lovely views across Hartley and beyond ... Mavic Air 2 manual pano.

20.01.2022 GOLDEN LEDGE ~ WENTWORTH FALLS A hundred or so years later this walk from the flat plateau of Wentworth Falls town to the base of the two stage falls themselves, along this safe but unlikely ledge and then down hand carved steps in the side of the escarpment, is one of the highlights of a weekend visit to the Blue Mountains. Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

20.01.2022 Running Man and Orion Nebula - Want to take images like this, from last night, of our universe? Using simple portable, astrophotography equipment - Book onto my deep sky, planets, moon workshop details here - https://garyphayes.photography/deep-sky-moon-planets/

20.01.2022 POSTCARD FROM THE BLUE MOUNTAINS ~ NARROW NECK TO MEGALONG Someone asked me yesterday in my gallery, 'what would sum up the Blue Mountains in a single image'? I hadn't given it a lot of thought but suggested an image that showed a combination of the mysterious mist, the rising vertical sandstone escarpment, temperate rain forests and rugged edge of cliff rocks on distant trails. Of course it is so much more, but then I took myself to the days we used to travel and send postca...rds to family and friends, a single image with a short bit of text on the back saying what we were up to, that often arrived 'after' we got back from said location! ... for the Blue Mountains early postcards were of course Three Sisters and Wentworth Falls etc: early ones handcoloured, but in a current world of FB and Instagram, they have been replaced by selfies, people sitting on the rock in this image looking longingly into the distance. Definitely a step forward from a personalised perspective but perhaps a step back from the slow, mystery of those paper/mail days? What do you think? -- MY GALLERY TODAY OPEN 12-5pm with temps around 30C, a nice break from the hot trails! NEXT TO MOUNT VICTORIA'S PULPIT ROCK -- Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW Blue Mountains Gazette

19.01.2022 "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." Dolly Parton WINTER BOW ~ GROSE VALLEY Today has been winter squalls intermingled with blue skies and strong winds, all a prelude to a very interesting weekend up here as rain and sudden drops in temperature can mean only one white thing. But testing a new telephoto astro lens today I was treated to a break in the clouds and the sun creating a rare (for me) rainbow in Govetts Gorge, so on with the ...wide angle and a magical colourful moment. -- If you are up playing in the promised snow, pop into my Blue Mtns photo gallery next to Mt Victorias Pulpit Rock, 11-4pm, if I pop out for photos myself, I wont be gone for more than 20 mins :) -- Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm crop ~ 1/640s ~ f8 ~ ISO 100 Visit NSW Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains

19.01.2022 Beautiful extraordinary warm last light this evening at my local rocks. Print enquiries for this and any other shots not in my online galleries please DM via Facebook. PRINT available here https://garyphayes.photography/stunning-sunset/ Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm x 7 vPano ~ 1/20s ~ f16 ~ ISO 100

18.01.2022 DREAM LAND ~ BOMBO ~ KIAMA Definitely one of my favourite images of the eastern coastline of Australia and as many things in photography, very serendipitous. The area around Kiama has a few great spots to shoot sunrise and I had intended to take Cathedral Rocks about 2km north of here. But arriving about 2 hour before sunrise I noticed the tide was too high to access it from the southern edge so on a whim I ventured down to the lesser visited north channel of Bombo. I had this area to myself for about 3 hours that morning and was treated to a wonderful dream-like sky. This shot is hardly without any processing as I was using both an ND filter and a graduated filter too on my 17mm shift lens - what I saw with my eyes and on the back of the camera were literally the same thing. Canon 5D3 ~ 17mm TSE ~ 3.2s ~ f14 ~ ISO 100

17.01.2022 FIRST 2021 WEEKEND - my boutique gallery set in a 'bush' garden on the escarpment in Mount Victoria open now for the year (wear masks of course) - 12-5pm this weekend, just follow the signs to Pulpit Rock from the highway going through Mount Victoria. Come and chat, browse, chill and visit the viewpoints here ...

17.01.2022 MARSHMELLOW DAWN ~ GROSE VALLEY 2 spots left for next one 19/20 Sept "The Blue Mountains are a fantastic place to nurture your passion for photography. This two day workshop at the best Blue Mountains locations is aimed at all enthusiast photographers who want to get to the next level with their landscape art. Everything you will be covered in 2 days, sunrise, astro, sunset, waterfalls, midday shooting, long exposures and more, basically all the tools to become a great landsc...ape photographer yourself." https://garyphayes.photography/beginners-landscape-weekend/ Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm x 2 ~ 1/5s & 1.5s ~ f8 ~ ISO 100 Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

17.01.2022 VISITATION ~ MOUNT HAY Goodbye winter, I popped down to a Grose Viewpoint to try my new telephoto astro lens out for some landscape pictures and capture this odd spaceship cloud which was sat in the same spot seemingly all day?! I thought it was worth the mono treatment to emphasise the texture in the cloud and the now exposed trees on the top of Mt Hay - a good 9km from the camera! Sony a7r2 ~ Redcat 51mm (280mm) ~ 1/1500s handheld ~ f4.9 ~ ISO 100

16.01.2022 HAPPY EVER AFTER ~ KANIMBLA VALLEY MISTY SUNSET AERIAL We are being treated to some amazing atmospheres at the moment as a wet summer turns into a dryer, normal summer. Lots of mist and cloudscapes at the end of the day. An aerial 360 close to home on Mavic Air 2. Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

16.01.2022 A Grose Valley Heaven ....

15.01.2022 The always magical Valley of the Dinosaurs near Capertee, high on the plateau known as Mugii Murum-Ban ... (clouds from slightly later)

14.01.2022 Taken this morning, 2 years ago, one of my favourite ancient looking skies ... Also if you get time take a look at my new designed workshops page here, about to add a lot of summer courses, https://garyphayes.photography/workshops/

14.01.2022 MISTY RIVER ~ PULPIT ROCK over the Grose Valley -- My Blue Mtns photo gallery open only SUNDAY this week. 12-5pm next to Mount Victoria's Pulpit Rock --

14.01.2022 THE SKY CROWN ~ PULPIT ROCK A worrying day with high hair-dryer winds and fires breaking out around Sydney and in the lower mountains - but we were at least rewarded with a glorious deep sunset spreading nearly 360 degrees around the upper mountains. I have a few 'actual' aerial 360s of course but for now the 'crowning glory' Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm x 2 HDR pano ~ 1/13s ~ f11 ~ ISO 100

14.01.2022 STORM LIGHT ~ JAMISON VALLEY If you can endure a heavy rain storm out on location you are in first place to receive the breaking light afterwards. It comes down to finding good shelter or putting up with wet clothes :) Sony a7r2 ~ 16mm ~ 1/400s ~ f11 ~ ISO 100... Blue Mountains Australia Visit NSW Scenic World Blue Mountains

13.01.2022 Taken last night from a chilly Blue Mountains, the very dreamy Lagoon Nebula M8, NGC 6523 giant interstellar cloud about 4100 light years away ... taken on relatively portable, hiking friendly equipment and now used on my Astro Workshops. Sony a6000 and Williams Optics ZS61 scope, SkyGuiderPro, 20 x 1 min exposure.

13.01.2022 DREAMTIME DAWN ~ GROSE GORGE Lots of new works, 18 new frames, up in my gallery this week -- My Gallery open this weekend from 12-5pm both days, next to Mount Victoria's Pulpit Rock car park -- ... Sony a7r2 ~ 35mm FE ~ 1/60s ~ f9 ~ ISO 100

13.01.2022 From my Blue Essence Online Photo Gallery ... click to view others https://garyphayes.photography/blue-essence/

13.01.2022 VALLEY SQUALL ~ GOVETTS LEAP The magic when sunrise meets a little morning rain - and given the temps up here at the moment, it looks like the rains promised will turn into the white stuff! Friday evening and Saturday the upper mountains will finally get a decent dusting of snow this winter. So pop up to my gallery 11-4pm both days! Also two spots left on my Intro to Landscape Photography weekend 19/20 Sept - details here https://garyphayes.photography/beginners-landscape-we...ekend/ Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm crop ~ 1/50s ~ f13 ~ ISO 100 Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

12.01.2022 SAME PLACE DIFFERENT TIME ~ BALTZER RIDGE I am so lucky to have this spot 5km from home as the crow flys, not quite a straight line to get to this spot though, although a nice 6km bike ride on a quiet fire rail, so worth it. I usually go here for sunrise, but nice to be here at sunset planning an astrophotography shoot here, from this very angle (I think you get what will be replacing the clouds!). This pre sunset creates a wonderful atmosphere and hard to believe just over a...n hour later this would be in almost total darkness on a new moon. My physical gallery tomorrow 11-4pm Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm x 9 vPano ~ 1/320s ~ f8 ~ ISO 100 Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

12.01.2022 THURAT SPIRES ~ KANANGRA A lovely afternoon capture of the very unique landscape opposite the formal Kanangra Walls - as described by Canyoning Australia (link in comments) "Thurat Spires are imposing outcrops on the long ridge that divides Kanangra Creek from Danae Brook. Ascending the ridge is one of the most spectacular trips in Kanangra. It is an Alpine-like ridge traverse with long sections scrambling along the ridge, some spectacular knife edge" -- MY BLUE MTNS PHOTO GA...LLERY OPEN TODAY 11-4pm, next to Mt Victorias Pulpit Rock -- Solny a7r2 ~ 55mm FE ~ 1/160s ~ f8 ~ ISO 100 ~ Processed in On1Raw2020 and alternative to Lightroom

11.01.2022 An aerial 360 this afternoon of the wonderful Carne Creek area - badly burnt (the creeks escaped mostly) on the ridges and slopes last December and recovering very slowly. You cannot drive to this spot and the trail in is littered with medium and large fallen trees still, but good to visit it after so long. A location we visit on my Hidden Blue Mtns and sometimes on my Intro to Landscape photography workshop ... Mavic Air 2 ~ 360 x 26 images ~ 1/500s ~ F2.8 ~ ISO 100

11.01.2022 Victoria Falls, Mount Victoria. Nestled deep in the valley created by Victoria Creek (lots of Victorias around here) these falls are one of a handful that tumble over actual bedrock, under the mostly soft sandstone cliffs above (geologists may want to elucidate!) - but happened to be sat here for an hour improvising some music so took the shot. I never recommend midday high contrast shots if you want to capture anything beyond a postcard or magazine style image, but here I put on an ND32 (5 stop light block) and a polariser (to deepen sky and get rid of glare/reflections) resulting in a softer image of these enigmatic falls in medium low flow. Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm crop x 2 bracket ~ 2s ~ f16 ~ ISO 100

11.01.2022 I like the stars. Its the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, theyre always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds dont last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend... Neil Gaiman, Brief Lives TH...E FACE WATCHES ~ MILKY WAY Testing out some new equipment this evening. After shooting various nebula I trained my astro scope on random parts of the sky just to catch abstract elements of the core and for some reason this one reached out of my processing software. Might print it big for the weekend. Sony a7r2 ~ William Optics ZS61 ~ 60s x 2 ~ f6.9 ~ ISO 2000

11.01.2022 PARADISE BY THE TUMBLING WATER ~ VICTORIA FALLS top Down here on a Monday afternoon alone with the sounds of the creek, sweet smell of spring in the air, a few birds scattered around and small fish in the pools below, this shot above the remote Victoria Falls (well only a few km from home, but vertically, not a walk in the park) could do with some creative cropping - too much going on. But sometimes you want to stay wide, the sense of a creek coming to a sudden drop, a peacef...ul glen, then in the middle distance forests lead to distant northern walls of the Grose and Asgards Head on the left. Trees in silhouette against the afternoon light, reflected in the still water. Perfect spot. I was taking shots below the falls too of course and even did a bit of music recording (yes a 22kg backpack again!) before the climb out ... Not for the faint hearted. Its a long way down into the valley to see these falls, a good hour down 400m and then, well as long as you need back up. It is great that National Parks have repaired a lot of the track down to the cascades, top of falls and right to bottom of falls too. But you cant got further to Burra Korain and into the Grose, just yet, too many fallen trees.

10.01.2022 Trying out a new, cheap refractor telescope this evening - lovely clear skies in the Blue Mountains fantastic for astro photography ... check out my workshops coming up this year!

10.01.2022 FLY ME TO THE MOON (give me your own caption!!) ~ MOUNT VICTORIA Taken about 10 minutes ago from my back garden, a cockatoo warms himself in the dying embers of the sun, while waiting to invade the left over seeds below. A tricky handheld shot with a new lens (actually an astro lens but is a nice landscape telephoto), as focus is very fine so as you can see in the comments, many shots required to get a nice two shot focus stack! (also super sharp too! in 2nd comment) Sony A6...000 ~ RedCat 51 from Williams Optics equiv 448mm ~ 1/2000s ~ f4.9 ~ ISO 100 -- MY GALLERY TOMORROW 11-4pm now, next to Mt Victorias Pulpit Rock, follow the signs from the highway -- Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

09.01.2022 Thanks for the share ABC Sydney "Saturday is set to be the coldest day of the year in NSW with high winds, low temperatures and snow expected to hit parts of the state. Places along the Great Dividing Range will see the coldest temperatures, including Goulburn, Canberra, Katoomba and Orange. "[Those places] shouldnt see too much higher than 5C during the day and then when you add the windchill factor during the daytime, temperatures more aligned to -3 to -5C," said Jane Golding from the Bureau of Meteorology. This great pic of a rosella in the snow in Mount Victoria by Gary P Hayes Photography shows what the winter wonderland might look like!"

08.01.2022 FIRST QUARTER ~ MOON FROM BLUE MOUNTAINS A quick 7 stack shot of a 47.1% moon this rather chilly evening. Sony a6000 ~ 608mm Williams Optics scope with flattener ~ 1/250s ~ f4.9 ~ ISO 100

08.01.2022 Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein Hope you are all managing during these on-going difficult times. Hoping 2021 will be a new dawn for everyone. Sony a7r2 ~ 55mm FE ~ 1/1250s & 1/125s ~ f7.1 ~ ISO 100... Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

08.01.2022 An almost mythical sunset last night over Kanimbla Valley ... A magical aerial 360

08.01.2022 My gallery open today 12-5pm. Next to Mount Victoria's Pulpit Rock - PLEASE wear a mask and leave a name and tel number in case of contact tracing. This shot a lovely delicate falls on the Den Fenella, slightly off the beaten track in Wentworth Falls Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm ~ 5s ~ f16 ~ ISO 100

08.01.2022 Light and Shade - Landscape photography doesnt always have to be wide of course - I took my Redcat for a walk into the Grose last week, one of several 250mm shots looking for contrasts and shape around the escarpments.

07.01.2022 Pagoda Improvisation - Carne Creek As well as intentional shoots in magical light or reccy wanderings looking for new compositions another aspect of my trips in the unprotected Gardens of Stone are responsive musical improvisations. If the walk in is less than 5km or so I will often pack a small instrument (usually music tech vs carrying my harp, guitars, saxophones etc:) - this is so if I am waiting around for the light or the urge takes me I can capture a responsive piece... of music in the area. This one on a Pagoda overlooking Carne Creek gorge recently is a good example, where I created a sound then improvised it and had time to do some aerial b-roll all in the space of an hour, waiting for the sun to drop. Obviously music is a very subjective thing and different from photographic appreciation, but I also try to capture the remoteness (to most) or beauty or current state of an area after for example recent fires here (note the walk in was on an official bush track, blocked from 4WD by fallen trees, and as usual much care taken on the ancient pagodas). But more than all of this it is the synergy of light, photography, music all being captured at one moment in time. A fuller version is on YouTube, link in comments

07.01.2022 MOUNT VICTORIA SUNBURST ~ ACTUAL MOUNT VICTORIA This evening a slab of cloud hovered over the upper mountains while below on the distant Oberon horizon a large bank of winter clouds grew. A few minutes the sun popped out and lit up the Mount Victoria escarpment shining a light over the actual Mount Victoria. Below me a tailback of two lanes of Sydney cars backed up for 10km from Blackheath to below the pass here as winter winds blew in gusts approaching 50kph. Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm ~ f16 ~ 1/60s ~ ISO 100

07.01.2022 OVER THE SHOULDER ~ BLACK COCKATOO ~ MOUNT VICTORIA Great to see so many faces (albeit covered in masks) today at my gallery. And a few folk asking if I do much wildlife photography too - well at about 4pm today two Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos flew onto the tree above my gallery and started nibbling some of our banksias ... so I grabbed my RedCat (an astro lens, which is also great for birding) and snapped away - this is the first one that grabbed my eye, a nice over the shoulder cheeky grin. We do get a lot of these ancient birds around, often in flocks of 15 or 20 and I still want to catch some in the mist, but they are usually very shy and it takes a little bit of stalking to catch them in the act so to speak ... Sony a7r2 ~ RedCat51 (250mm) ~ 1/1000s ~ f4.9 ~ ISO 320

07.01.2022 NEBULA RISE ~ taken from BLUE MOUNTAINS This morning I rose early to check out the clouds as potential for sunrise, but all I could see were stars and high in the south eastern sky, a defined Carina Nebula, albeit faintly with the naked eye. So from my back patio I set up my portable deep sky equipment (takes about 10 minutes now) and took a series of 28 tracked images as the sun rose. An hour later I broke all the rules and decided to process it (best to do that later normal...ly with 'clear' non tired eyes) and this is the result ... a spectacular firey rendering, one of my best so far of this big, southern hemisphere target. (note: 2nd shot, I spotted a lovely plume emission in the central part of the image and did a crop to show some lovely detail) Tech: William Optics Refractor lens, RedCat51 (250mm equiv) Zwo ASI183mcpro cooled camera iOptron SkyGuiderPro tracker and iPolar, aligner Svbony UHC 2" filter 28 x 1 minute shots using ASI Studio Stacking in siriL on Mac, final processing in Lightroom

07.01.2022 A lovely drizzly rain this morning and within minutes in Mount Victoria the mists start to build up, magical. Here a shot down below the escarpment edge in Katoomba entitled Witches Leap Underworld, in my "Misterious Land" print gallery.

06.01.2022 "It began in mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between." Diane Ackerman MYSTERY COUNTRY ~ JAMISON VALLEY It is always a privilege to wander the Blue Mountains safely when the mist rises or descends. The evocative mood it creates is truly why many of us live here. An old shot on an early Leica digital camera.... -- My Blue Mtns photo gallery only open Sunday 12-5pm this week -- Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

06.01.2022 "Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home weve ever known." Carl Sagan CHERISHED PLACES ~ CARNE CREEK An image that does not show the real damage close to here - I have been dreading going back to some of my regular spots in the extended Gardens of Stone. The fires of last year have decimated some spots on Newnes Plateau and State Forest, that are still struggling to reach any level of regeneration. The ground bush has all but been removed (exacerbated by the ma...ssive flooding rain straight after the fires) and the trees are a mixed bag of, little shoots from the trunk in places and very few new seedlings. For me as a photographer the vistas have opened up here and new angles are possible everywhere, so capturing that is very compelling, but one is aware that this may not be temporary (see Nat Geo article in comments). These areas cannot handle two massive fires within 6-7 years, and combined with over forestry and a new massive open sand mine in the area, with long lines of trucks, it is a long way from the green paradise in the upper Blue Mountains (Wentworth Falls to Mount Victoria) only 30 minutes away. BTW: Because of many trees fallen on the access trail, you have to walk about 3km to get to the viewpoint. Sony a7r2 ~ 35mm FE ~ 1/200s ~ f6.7 ~ ISO 100 Protect Gardens of Stone

05.01.2022 SPACE LYREBIRD or STARS AWAKEN ~ aka ORION NEBULA Took this on Thursday night as we had a lovely clear sky up in the Blue Mtns between midnight and 3am. I used a few new techniques which allowed me to capture some more detailed nebulosity, given the equipment can fit in a normal camera back pack! But I like this scene too as it is emblematic of some changes that have occurred more locally on our little planet in the last few hours, which bring hope. My NEBULA, MOON, PLANETS: ...DEEP SKY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP bookable here https://garyphayes.photography/deep-sky-moon-planets/ And my BLUE MOUNTAINS PHYSICAL PHOTO GALLERY open today 12-5pm, lots of new works and layout (99% blue mountains artworks) ... next to Mount Victoria's Pulpit Rock ... details here https://garyphayes.photography/gallery/ Tech Details: Camera: Zwo 183mc pro 20mp astro camera Lens/Scope: William Optics, Zenith Star 61mm & flattener Filter: SVBONY 2"Ultra High Contrast Guider: iOptron Sky Guider Pro Alignment: iOptron iPolar Capture: ASI studio on Mac Stack & Stretch: siriL on Mac Final process: Lightroom on Mac

05.01.2022 "It is the soul itself which sees and hears, and not those parts which are, as it were, but windows to the soul." Marcus Tullius Cicero WINDOW TO THE WHOLE ~ GROSE VALLEY A lovely warm spring day on the northern edge of the Grose escarpment, and a good opportunity to explore new compositions. This mini cave / overhang provided a great natural frame and colour compliment to the scene below and deep blue sky. (there are several walks open on the Northern Grose off Bells Line of... Rd at the moment - see NPWS site for details) Explore scenes like this on my Intro to Landscape Photography weekend in 2 weeks 19/20 Sept - 2 of 3 spots still left https://garyphayes.photography/beginners-landscape-weekend/ -- MY BLUE MTNS PHOTO GALLERY open this weekend 12-5pm both days. Next to the famous Pulpit Rock in Mount Victoria with glorious views over the Kanimbla Valley -- Sony a7r2 ~ Voigtlander 15mm ~ 1/800s ~ f8 ~ ISO 100 Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

05.01.2022 SYLVIA DREAMS ~ VALLEY OF THE WATERS Always interesting the challenges of running fixed date workshops. For my waterfall ones I am obviously hoping for water, lots of it. For aerial workshops clear skies and little wind. For my weekend ones as much variety as possible, mist, cloudy, rainy, sun peaking through and a bit of blue and the most critical case is astro, hoping for clear night skies - for personal photos of course I can go with the flow, shoot for the prevailing conditions, and that is part of the joys of living in or close to a National Park, I am only minutes away from great locations when the light and atmosphere do their thing. Sony a7r2 ~ 55mm FE ~ 1.3s ~ f7.1 ~ ISO 100

04.01.2022 Beautiful Mount York, the end of the Upper Blue Mountains, looking resplendent at sunset from the air. Mavic Air 2 nine shot mosaic.

04.01.2022 If you get time when you are next up here, explore the magical temperate rain forests below the escarpment, in our Blue Mountains.

04.01.2022 THIS DAY 7 YEARS AGO ~ HASSANS WALLS ~ LITHGOW I find it interesting going back into the archive and exploring both my different style of work and particularly composition. But also in areas close to towns, how things change and develop for good and bad ... the Great Western Highway below the walls here are now expanded and the forested small road is now an open white dual lane eyesore (from a photographers perspective) - also landslides here and there and changing climate or... fire damage alter scenes dramatically. Also you can't officially get to these rocks without going around and beyond the metal walkway - even in 7 years at key lookouts, things change. -- MY GALLERY TODAY 12-5pm next to Mount Victoria's Pulpit Rock -- Lithgow Tourism & Events Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

04.01.2022 "The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." Christopher McCandless NEW HORIZONS ~ HANGING ROCK ~ GROSE VALLEY May you have good change and a good weekend! --- My Blue Mtns Photo Gallery open this weekend 11-4pm both days, next to Mt Victorias Pulpit Rock.... Sony a7r2 ~ 180mm ~ 1/1250s ~ f8 ~ ISO 100 Blue Mountains Australia Scenic World Blue Mountains Visit NSW

01.01.2022 Lovely panorama and skies at Mount Victoria, very similar to this evenings sunset ... -- My gallery this weekend 11-4pm both days. Next to Mount Victorias Pulpit Rock --

01.01.2022 A lovely sunset last night, an aerial 360 over Corroboree Rocks and the Kanimbla Valley - close to Pulpit Rock where ... My gallery open tomorrow Sunday 12-5pm, next to Mount Victoria's Pulpit Rock Car Park AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP - two dates now for my drone workshop, Sat 21 Nov 2020 and Sat 23 Jan 2021 details and booking here https://garyphayes.photography/aerial-drone-photography/... This shot Mavic Air 2, manual 360 raws, stitched in PTGui, Lightroom and Photoshop.