Luke O’Brien Photography

My final venture to the autumn colours this year was with Brisbane based photographer, Michael Snedic, together with whom we will be presenting a Tasmanian Photography Tour & Workshop later in the year. While he was here in early May we ventured off to the Tarn Shelf at Mt Field, where we caught the tail end of the fagus season for 2012.

Pandani and the Tarn Shelf, Mt Field

The Tarn Shelf is, as it’s name implies a narrow “shelf” with a number of small tarns along it. The backdrop to the tarns is the Rodway Range with its covering of fagus, which in the photo above you can see is mostly grey and bare, with only a few very small patches of orangey yellow still to be seen. These pandanis just near the entrance to the Shelf caught our attention and provided a great subject in the foreground with the Tarn Shelf in the background.

The last leaves of Autumn

Once we made it to the tarns we were rewarded with small patches of coloured leaves, and in fact the starkness of the grey autumn clouds and pale sunlight really created a nice scene as the bare branches reached out forlornly to the cold sky.

Fagus leaves, Macro Detail

Finally, as it became apparent that sweeping landscapes full of colour and life were not going to be ours, the macro lens came out and it was time to get up close and personal with the delightful detail of the tiny leaves and branchlets of the fagus. The changing colour of the autumn leaves is a beautiful time to bushwalk in Tasmania, and an endlessly fascinating subject for landscape and macro photography. Each year I make at least one journey in the autumn months, and there are still plenty of places I am looking forward to seeing and photographing in their autumn hues. For now, winter is not far away which has it’s own unique beauty in its harshness.

Craig Webb at Tasmania’s Wildlife & Raptor Refuge has done it again – yesterday a magnificent young Wedge Tailed Eagle was set free in Richmond, to the cheers of a group of school kids.

Wedge Tailed Eagle Release, Richmond, May 2012

This eagle was taken to Craig after receiving a seriously injured wing after being intentionally shot. His recovery with Craig took around 14 months, but after some great signs of fitness recently Craig decided the time had come to set him free again.

Wedge Tailed Eagle Release, Richmond, May 2012

The young eagle is now free to in his new home around the Coal Valley, and Craig deserves a big pat on the back for his efforts – good on you Craig.

Wedge Tailed Eagle Release, Richmond, May 2012

I have some very exciting news to announce – Brisbane based Wildlife & Nature Photographer, Michael Snedic and I are teaming up to present a seven day Tasmanian Photography Tour & Workshop late in 2012. We have recently spent a week scouting out spots around Cradle Mountain & Freycinet National Parks and although the finer details are still being finalised, we are both excited to announce this new Workshop.

Cradle Mountain - Tasmanian Photography Workshop & Tour

Michael is a regularly published photographer, and his work has featured at Tasmania’s own Wilderness Gallery at the Cradle Mt Chateau as well as magazines such as Australian Photographer (check out his cover shot from the Bay of Fires on the April 2012 edition!). He has also featured in calenders, diaries and has produced his own photographic book on Australia’s wonderful wildlife.

Tasmanian Photography Workshop & Tour

Michael is an Accredited AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) photographer and owns and operates, with business partner Mark Rayner, Trekabout Photography Workshops. Their workshops are conducted “in-the-field” in stunning natural settings, including Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast hinterland, the Red Centre, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Fraser Island and Girraween National Park – and later this year for the first time, Tasmania.

Freycinet National Park - Photography Workshop & Tour

More detailed information will be coming soon, but to register your interest please get in touch directly – and quickly!

info@lukeobrien.com.au

Ph: (03) 6231 9964

Just as the mountains, parks and gardens come alive in the spring and summer with beautiful displays of wildflowers, the forest floor displays a stunning range of colour and intricate macro detail in autumn as myriad small (and some not-so-small!) fungi appear in all sorts of places. I am no expert in the field of fungus-ology so rather than adding lots of text I will sprinkle random macro photos of the autumn fungus between other posts I write in the coming weeks, just as the fungi itself pops up in between the trees, ferns and other denizens of Tasmania’s wonderful rainforest areas.

Brilliant purple mushroom, Mt Field. Probabbly best not eaten.

I followed up my brief visit to Mt Murchison from early this month with another trip on Anzac Day to photograph Tasmania’s autumn leaves. There was still plenty of yellow leaves to be found, although perhaps the peak has passed – there are also now plenty of bare branches meaning that winter is getting closer – certainly the sun is rising late and setting early now, meaning plenty of tent time on trips out!

Fagus & Mist, Mt Murchison

The clouds were skimming across the top of the mountain for most of my stay, but luckilly rain stayed away for most of my shoot, in fact just as I was lining up the shot above the first drops started to fall signalling an end to the days shoot.

Red fagus leaves, Mt Murchison

Just as I thought the red leaves were going to elude me this year I found the above little branchlet on a rockface. The yellow leaves are most common with the fagus, so I am always on the lookout for splashes of red. The bright autumn hues contrast strikingly with the grey tones of the twisted trunk and branches of the fagus, which at this altitude grow prostrate on the rocks.

The last leaves of Autumn 2012 - Mt Murchison

The hike to Mt Murchison starts on the Anthony Link Road (B28) not far out of Tullah. The start of the track is clearly signed. The walk to the peak takes around 2.5 hours of steady uphill climbing, first through dark forest, then through banksia and scoparia scrub before getting into the really rocky section where the fagus and King Billy pines appear. I wouldn’t class it as a difficult walk but it is strenuous. Take plenty of water, and care should be taken to keep your eyes on the tags and cairns that mark the trail at higher elevations, particularly when the weather is not cooperating.

Mt Murchison Summit Hike Tasmania

You will be rewarded with views of the peaks of the Overland Track, including Cradle Mountain, to the east once you leave the tall forest, and the view at the top of the hollowed out core of Mt Murchison with a couple of lakes and steep cliff walls is spectacular.