[Kombisaurus]

I went camping with friends last weekend to a place we've nicknamed "Area 51". Its not actually a desert, just a large open area of sand dunes that starts about 1km inland and runs for kilometers as far as the eye can see. It's about an hour off-road driving from the nearest town (Lancelin), and only accessible by 4WD (or kombi ).
Although we've been there numerous times over the last 5 years, we've never seen another car or person there while we've been there. Its a great place to really get away from everything. This trip was also the first time I've taken my DSLR there, and although it was a huge pain to keep it sand-free the whole time, I'm really gald I took it.

This first post deals with just the Landscape shots I took while there.
There was nothing but sky and sand to see in every direction, yet despite this lack of variety I found myself running around urgently taking shots all weekend. It seemed the sky and sunlight was changing every 5 minutes and in a landscape like that, every minor change in the light made a huge difference to the scene. I really couldn't have hoped for better weather - even the annoying wind on day 2 was kicking up sand into the light which looked beautiful.

But enough of the story... on with the shots!


1. Camp site at dusk. George's tent set up with Rolf's car parked off on the next dune.


2. I was packing up my tent in the strong wind under threatening skies, and I looked around and saw these clouds gathering behind this dune. I grabbed my camera and started shooting, but only got a few shots away before I had to chase after my tent which had already blown several hundred metres away from the camp!


3. Another shot taken at the same time as #2.


4. A burnt bush near our camp.


5. Circle Work.


6. Some clouds moving in, casting a shadow on the ground.


7. Just some dunes with interesting shapes and shadows that caught my eye.


8. Interesting form and textures with dramatic light grabbed me this time.

[Banded Drake]

WOW , what a great series . I really enjoyed looking at these , thanks for sharring them.

........ Shawn

[wulinka]

Amazing, Kombi, they are beautiful!
You should really DO something with these... Don't want to say make a calendar, because it's to kitschy, but these shots have deserved to be shown somewhere!

Great work. Did you do much pp?

uli

[noisynoodle]

Kombi, these are absolutely stunning. I don't know about Area 51, they look totally "other-worldly", the first one especially reminds me of a lunar landscape. Fantastic shots, all.

--NN

[Russt]

Fantastic Kombi, it does not matter in which arena you take your camera to, your shots are always great. You make it look so easy with so many great shots making it hard to pick a favorite. Your use of light composition and PP etc are.........excellent

I enjoyed this sereis..........thanks for sharing

[Toad]

Sensational.

[Peted]

Up near Wedge Island, was there over last Christmas. Great shots, fabulous area.

[Schellamo]

Awesome, surreal, other-worldly, BEAUTIFUL!

I agree with Uli, shots like these need to be seen!
We are a lucky few here who get to see them!

[Kombisaurus]

Thanks for the comments

Uli, I'd love to do something with them... but what?
I don't know if I have the time or inclination to put a lot of effort into turning them into something like a calander though - I'd much rather spend the time getting back out there and taking more shots.
But they'll still be there later. Maybe a use for them will arise in time?
As far as PP goes, I didn't do as much as I thought I would have to (or usually do). Shots #4 and #5 have a bit done to extract contrast out of the sand without killing the sky, but the rest are mainly just a case of applying a tone curve to the whole image to darken the mid-tones and shadows and add contrast.
The sky and light in the first three shots was quite breathtaking, and I was the only person awake to appreciate the sky in shots #2 and #3.

Thanks NN - the place really does feel like another world! I'm glad the shots didn't lose that feeling. But being there is still much better than looking at photos.

Russ, Toad and Schell.. Thanks! They are lovely things to say

And Pete, you're right. The area is just north of the Navy Bombing Range up there (another reason we call it Area 51).

[Wedding Shooter]

1, 2, 4 & 6 really are superb. The quallity of light is what really distinguishes these shots (composition is also great).

Cheers,

Chris

[byrt_001]

hi

great shots, just amazing the colours. i really love the last one. love the curves on the sand and the tones.

thansk for sharing

christian

[Zig]

Sadly(unforgiveably) have rarely visited this part of the forum: what a feast I've missed.
Kombi, this stuff is confirmation for me that we do indeed misuse superlatives on other parts of the boards: fine, rare and totally arresting.
Sincerely head and shoulders above anything else here; masterful, restrained, majestic and with exemplary control from the front end all the way through. It's not just the composition, the texture and the richness that floors me; it's that Kombi "stamp" of the eye in completely the right place.
Flippin' eck, the man could make a jamjar radiate. I can look at some other very good shots and think, "fine"...but when I look at yours I'm actually moved, inspired and dumbstruck all at the same time.

[Russt]

I agree Zig, I am glad you brought this post back up...........it's a pleasure to view again!