I dropped my mum off at a lunch rendez-vous she had with friends at the Yarra Bay Sailing Club (Yarra Bay Beach, Sydney, Australia) and was pleasantly surprised by the area. I remember passing through here once before, a long time ago. So I decided come back the next day for sunset.

Sunset was around seven-forty-five, I arrive around seven o’clock. Straight away I found this composition. There were people swimming but luckily they were a fair way to the right. No where near my shot. It doesn’t show mush on the photo but it was very windy. Once I setup, I was trying to take photos whenever the wind died down a little. It was very difficult as the wind never stopped blowing. The shot I wanted was just after the sun disappears below the horizon. I had a bit of time on my hands so I chilled out a bit and snapped away whenever the colours in the sky changed.

About fifteen minutes before sunset, a family of five or six come strolling down the beach. They noticed me and you can’t miss the tripod and camera but I couldn’t help thinking ‘they’re not going to walk into my frame are they? I mean they can surely see that I’m photographing the sunset’. And funny enough (not!) they walk into my composition all the while looking at me. Unbelievable! I calmed down and thought maybe they’re just here for a quick swim and they’ll be gone before sunset. Nope. Lucky for me the beach drops a bit behind those rock before reaching the water so I couldn’t see them when they were in the water. They had put their towels on the rocks but thank goodness, out of sight. They were going in and out of the water constantly and it hard to get a shot without them it. I got this one though. The sun was disappearing below the horizon and it didn’t look like they were going to leave so I did. Not far, just thirty metres to my right for a possible blue hour photo.

I was trying to avoid the wind but not having the choice gave me a good photo. Not the photo I was after but a nice one nonetheless. I love how the wind’s blowing the sand between these rocks giving the image a dreamy effect. The lack of drama in the sky and it’s pastel colours, I think, add to that effect. I like it.

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1/500 sec @ ƒ/11, 18 mm, ISO 100

I was in a hurry to get to work on time until I drove by this beautiful view. It's so rare to see the sun like this at sunrise, here in New Caledonia. A white sphere in the sky that you can actually look at without hurting your eyes. And the sky, a beautiful orange colour and the silhouette of those trees... how can you not stop to appreciate it. OK so I arrive 5 minutes late for work but what a rare site to capture. I admit, it's not the best of photographs but it's a nice memory nonetheless.

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So at the end of my last time-lapse video, you would've seen this photo. I arrived early for this shot (and the time-lapse, of course) unlike the last one.

One of the reason I love landscape photography is because I find myself in front of beautiful scenes to relax and think. And sometimes reflect.

Rest in peace my friend and thank you so very much for that kind gesture 35 years ago. It has marked my life. 

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Copying one of my favoutire photographers here, Paul Zizka. He often posts landscape photos with himself in them to show the scale of things. That's not me in the photos though but a friend that I invited to tag along. I may do more of these kind of photos with someone in them to show thw scale of things. What do you think?

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I went up to a lookout tower in Mont Koghi (Dumbea, New Caledonia). I think it used to be a bush fires observation tower for fire brigades. It's just before you arrive at the Auberge du Mont Koghi. At this time of the year, the sun sets at the end of the valley of Dumbea. To the left is a gorgeous view of Noumea and the lagoon in the distance. You get a great view as well from the Auberge. A must for a sunset drink and a meal aftewards.

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