Maroochy Dusk Photo

Photographer’s Note

My latest photo is from Maroochydore again. Most nights while I stay up here I walk up and down the quiet Maroochy River Esplanade looking for a decent ‘blue hour’ shot. Aside from my previous image of the Bradman Bridge, this was my favorite photo I managed to take during my visit. This time I walked a little further downstream along the shoreline, lit up with this orange streetlight hue. The reprieve in the weather meant I was able to take some reasonably still photos of the water. Due to significant recent rain, much sediment has been carried into the river over the past week so conditions were not ideal for a swim.

On the right hand side is Chambers Island, a sand island covered in native vegetation in between two channels of the Maroochy River. It is accessed by a long footbridge, usually full of anglers. There is a sailing club on the island and a playground and recreation facilities, as well as some tidal pools I fondly explored when I was little. Each year a Riverfestival is held on the island complete with tribal dancing, music, light show, parades and feasting all intended to celebrate the importance of the waterway.

Continue along the road westward on the left side of the photo and you can access the coastal resorts of Coolum and Noosa to the north, or Queensland’s Capital Brisbane to the south. The whole riverbank swarms with thousands of feeding Rainbow Lorikeets (taken my Murray Lines[MLINES]).

Enjoy.

P.S. I attempted a sharper version, but I settled with this smoother one because the other seemed more granulated.

Matt

Floydian, imrek, melmcree, degani, robertosalguero, bakes888, ChrisJ, krug100, Tue has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Floydian (30970) 2008-01-12 5:45

Hi Matthew,
A dark image also enhance by that black border but it creates a nice mood whith strong contrast between the left and right side. The light on the left looks magic with strong shadows over the beach. Best part for me are those tiny lights in the far background with there superb reflection in the lake, that looks wonderful and is creating that fine mood, just as the different blue tones in the sky and on the water...very nice work.
Regards, Henk

TopGeo (22213) 2008-01-12 6:14

Hi Mutheu! excellent shot! Exceptional picture and good management her nightly luminous orange and blue hour.. good plan and prospect, perfect choice, Bravo!
Georgios

imrek (4) 2008-01-12 6:19

Hello Matthew,
An interesting atmosphere here, i like the colour balance between dark water and brown sand, the reflection on the water is great detail...very good..!!!

regards,
imre

dkeus31 (26365) 2008-01-12 7:45

hello Matthew,
a nice blue hour with the reflexion of the lamps in the lake.
regards
didier

melmcree (2261) 2008-01-12 8:44

Hi Matthew,

I really like the color tones you got in this one. The blue and orange go very well together. I like the way the water's edge runs through the frame as well. Is there a particular reason you used f/3.5 versus another f-stop? I really can't see a lack of depth of field as I would expect with 3.5 it looks more like f/11. I do however really like the detail in the sand in the foreground.

Very cool shot,

Mel

degani (2876) 2008-01-12 14:47

hi Matthew,
I like this picture, it has very bright and warm colours, and the composition is really great, good job
ciao
franco

robertosalguero (110) 2008-01-12 23:58

Hello Matt,

I am really surprised at the quality of pictures your camera take. They are better than pictures taken with certain DSLR's. The warm lights again contrast very nicely with the cooler colour of the sky. The view is pretty and the reflections on the water just add that extra special touch. Thanks Matt :-)

Roberto

gracious (20017) 2008-01-13 18:41

Hello Matt,
This is a very neat and clean composition!
good pov with well balanced colouration, total sharpness and so much details in the shot!
thank you so much for the informative notes and useful
TFS
greeting
Tony

aadilj (17950) 2008-01-13 22:19

I like the way you have transitioned from curves to this superbly crafted dusk scene with such beautifully handled lights and colours. good balanced work. I am beginning to get glued to your work already!

bakes888 (18353) 2008-01-14 0:35

Hi Matt. You have another wonderful evening image in your gallery with this shot. I love the way the long exposure has smudged the nearer clouds to add a little drama to the sky. Great colours and reflections. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.
PS. Photos of Mt Taranaki may have to wait a little as our cycle round the mount has been canned ;-(.

ChrisJ (70443) 2008-01-14 2:02

Hi Matthew

A superb warm vs cold colour contrast, between the red tinged riverbank, & navy blue sky. Good sharpness, in this excellent time exposure, with marvellous reflections, in the placid waters. The diagonal riverbank adds dynamism, & a good lead in line. Tfs!

krug100 (383) 2008-01-15 1:02

Hi Mathew

Very interesting photo. I like reflection of lights in still water, I like feeling of dying day, but most of all I like the contrast of bright colours in the right low corner an gentle blue mood of the rest of the picture. Yours photos are the perfect example that people do not really need an expensive photo gear to make great shots. TFS

Cheers
Dmitri

capthaddock (28640) 2008-01-15 19:18

Everything is the way it should be for this type of shot I think, except maybe the horizon is leaing clockwise a bit, great timing with the lights, the remaining daylight, and the clouds. Why the double frame, the image could have been larger with one?

Tue (25608) 2008-01-16 12:34

Hej Matthew,
A very pleasant view from a great time of day. I like the warm tones of the river bank and the town surrounded by the blue colours of water and sky. The composition is excellent too. Good work!
Regards,
Lars

Bruno40 (6442) 2008-02-01 6:31

Hi Matthew
I like this kind of "blue-hour" photos. Yours is perfectly composed and with good light balance.
Well done
Jorge