Being a completely amateur photographer I find that my photography is confined to weekends so I am often reliant on the weather being nice on those days. Unfortunately, it seemed that in Canberra the first half of 2022 had many weekends with inclement weather meaning that the light was not great. I still took my camera with me when I kayaking but it was discouraging when the light just did not seem to be there. However, it did give me a chance to play around with some moody light conditions. Fortunately, there were also days when the sun was out providing lovely light, such as the morning I came across the Purple Swamphen above. These are very common birds around Lake Burley Griffin, especially close to reeds where they roost of a night. It is easier to ignore them after a while because they are so common but when the light hits them and the blue of their feathers shine, they become a glorious sight to see. Over two months in 2022 I saw the lake in different light conditions and I wanted to share the result. I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
More of this story is on my blog at https://bit.ly/3ydUAZZ
The morning sun highlighting the blue of a Purple Swamphen
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 227mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Black Swan emerging from the lake on an overcast morning
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/6.3 and 1/400 SEC])
Purple Swamphen on an overcast morning with its colour subdued in poor light
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 400mm, f/16 and 1/100 SEC])
Purple Swamphen when the sun hits the plumage
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 227mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Pacific Black Ducks
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Clouds covering the Dairy Farmers Hill in the National Arboretum
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 248mm, f/16 and 1/100 SEC])
Black Mountain Tower wrapped in low cloud
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 176mm, f/7.1 and 1/250 SEC])
Hot-air balloon floating over Spinnaker Island
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 170mm, f/6.3 and 1/400 SEC])
It is interesting seeing the lake in its different moods when the light changes. While the overcast sky can make for a dramatic landscape I still like the clear light over a cloudless day for photographing birds to catch their beauty. Whether that is the light in their eyes or the shimmering of feathers, I just love the extra character that the light brings.
Thanks for reading this post and thanks also for looking at my photos. I hope you come back again to read more about some of the wonderful natural things that the Australian Capital Territory has on offer. All the best until the next post.
