Pincushion Island Photo

Photographer’s Note

Pincushion Island or North Head as it was previously called by locals is sandstone outcrop at the mouth of the Maroochy River. The position of this island actually directs the mouth of the river to alternate flow to the south and north. Until recent months, the island was connected to the land I am standing upon (still visible if you take a look at the map function) to the north and the river passed to the south, but now it flows in both directions. It is estimated the flow will cease on the far (south) side shortly and once again the island will reconnect to the land on the southern shore. This pattern is repeated about every 10 years or so.

The small island is about 100m across and supports a small grove of banksias trees. The rock pools here are very attractive, many of which are large enough to sit in at low tide. A boardwalk used to cover the top section, but this fell into disrepair after becoming isolated by the river.

In the distance can be seen Point Cartwright, Mooloolaba, Alexandra Headland and Maroochydore beach, forming the main stretch of the Sunshine Coast. My previous shot of the sunset, as well as the ‘Maroochy Curves’ photos were all taken in a lagoon 180 degrees to my right. By the way, the fishing here is pretty good, I caught a 98cm flathead once…

ribeiroantonio, robertosalguero, InasiaJones, skippy007, Floydian, ChrisJ, lasscor, macondo, mvdisco, lilimih33, MLINES, berek, angela926, daddo, Wandering_Dan, Davidwh, cherryripe, avene, pierrefonds, ls7902, Alain, AROBN54 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ribeiroantonio (21753) 2008-03-25 1:03

It is a very section of the Sunshine Coast and I go there very often on Sundays. By the way, I was in Caloundra last Sunday and I did take some photos of people kite surfing.
I like the depth and colours of your photo and the inclusion of the sand was an excellent idea.
Antonio

barrufeto_77 (25619) 2008-03-25 1:05

Hi Matthew.

An idilic view for sure! I wish I were there now.

Nice colours and POV.

Rgs, Oscar

InasiaJones (19860) 2008-03-25 1:09

Hi Matt,

I can see Pincushion Island, but there's no pincushion effect on your photo... :-P)

The foamy waves create a nice pattern that suits the beauty of your image. The point of view with the dune in the forefront is well chosen, to which the clouds offer a good balance. The island is carefully placed between clouds and sand.

Great moment and light.

Cheers!

André

Floydian (30970) 2008-03-25 1:31

Hi Matthew,
Ahhhhhhhhh.........summer ;-)
At least a summer feeling, how we miss that here right now. Woke up this morning with snow..!!!
Lovely composition with the sand in front which creates a nice barrier to open sea and the big rock in the middle. Your S3 did well, but these are locations that shout for a dslr with polariser. Despite of that a very nice looking and good composed image.
Regards, Henk

ChrisJ (69618) 2008-03-25 3:10

Hi Matthew

Good horizontal layering into approximate thirds, with superb colour & sharpness. The surf looks rough here. Tfs!

kschanna (2604) 2008-03-25 3:52

Hello Matt

Brialliant take, you have included a bit of the beach giving the viewer an idea about how far the island is from the beach. The colors are nice and bright.

TFS
Cheers
Kamran

lasscor (7635) 2008-03-25 4:12

Hi Matthew,
Beautiful sunny composition.
I like the big green grass on the sand, the foam on the waves and white clouds in the sky.
Nice framing, colours and light.
TFS,
Corinne

macondo (12991) 2008-03-25 4:46

Hi Matt.
Very pleasant view of the island sandwiched between lovely clouds and waves. I particlarly like the composition with the triangle of sand and those delicate strands of grass. Looking down to the buildings on the horizon creates a great sense of depth for this pleasing scene. Good note as usual.
Regards,
Andrew

mvdisco (11380) 2008-03-25 6:00

Hi Matt.
Another great composition of you , beautiful seascape and perpective , lovely naturel colours and sharp picture, Excellent POV. and I love the sky and the triangle in front of your picture, Very very well done and composed , My compliments TFS, you have a great talent:).
Michel

agustos07 (971) 2008-03-25 7:32

Hi Matthew,

Wonderful shot, looks like a postcard! Nice windy place, maybe It's a windsurfing spot ( My favorite sport !)is it?

lilimih33 (9870) 2008-03-25 10:25

Hello Matthew!
What a nice image and lovely perspective!
Beautiful ambiance!
Best regards!
Lili

gracious (20017) 2008-03-25 10:49

Hello Matt,
This is a very fine and beautiful view of the coast!
good pov with depth with a good fg perspective!
the clouds formation and roaring waves just makes this composition so pleasing and enjoyable!
many thanks for sharing
regards
Tony

carper (64194) 2008-03-25 11:18

very nice one Matthew
I know for sure that adslr will bring you better shots. the talent for good compositions you have. Now the techinical and quality higher and the answere for you is the 450d or the 40d. good composition and nice photojob, have a good day.
gr. jaap

ElAprendiz (7370) 2008-03-25 11:52

Hello Mat

A beautiful composition which highlight the contrast of the foam water, compared with a shade of sand that had never seen before.

The depth of field is important here. Great picture, with appropriate management of the light and balance. The branches on the beach, give much naturalness to the forefront.

John

MLINES (10842) 2008-03-25 18:38

Hi Matt, I very much like this wild sea composition. As a surfie in my youth it was often we found the sea like this and it has a strong emotive appeal still. Good POV with lots of interesting details visible. TFS. Murray.

Elanor (270) 2008-03-26 4:03

Amazing photo, what a wonderful place! Beautiful composition! I love the waves!

berek (28792) 2008-03-26 12:29

Hi Matthew,
beautiful nature your beautiful country. I like front part and lovely clouds. its great.
best wishes.
Burak Erek

angela926 (1882) 2008-03-26 18:39

Hello matthew,
Very nice seascape, good composition and nice pov, excellent sharpness and depth of field, beautiful colors and clarity,lovely light and good contrast.
Angela

daddo (11283) 2008-03-27 3:55

Hi Matthew. Looks like an enchanting place where one can let one's thoughts wonder. The sea breeze, the warm sun and the sound of waves are all there in this light filled photo.Quite a delicate composition ranging from the fine dune grasses to the fluffy clouds. Informative note. Anyone who enjoys seafood is on my wavelength. Regards. Klaudio.

Wandering_Dan (3191) 2008-03-27 9:40

Hi, Matt -

A nice simple landscape shot. I like the way the texture of the waves and the sand seem to match each other. Nice placement of the foreground sand against the island, too.

Regards,
Dan

capthaddock (28640) 2008-03-27 17:13

You got the right elements here Matthew, the triple horizontal layers each with their own textures and patterns. This would not have worked as well if either:
- the sky was cloudless
or if the water was uniform blue without the foam.

Davidwh (3652) 2008-03-29 12:45

Hi Matthew,
A beautiful place and an interesting note.Good balance of the exposure and the colours are very natural.I also like the little outcrop of the beach with its spikey grass as its added a sense of depth to the image. Take care down under.
Regards, David

robertosalguero (2759) 2008-03-30 0:48

Hi Matt,

The Land Down Under is beautiful. The views are always clear, with good light and lots of water. The island look very nice and close to the shore. I wonder if people can walk there during low tide. Good clear image with the white foam giving the water a nice texture. I think the sand on the bottom right give the image more depth. Thanks Matt.

Roberto

cherryripe (18830) 2008-03-31 3:10

Hi Matt
This soft sand looks so inviting. I like the way it fills up the bottom corner and contrasts with the frothy sea. The island creates good balance and there's so much depth looking down the coast. The clouds help animate the sky too.
Regards
Nikki

ls7902 (6046) 2008-03-31 18:42

Matt,
Beautifully exposed sand in the foreground. I like the sparse grass growing through it. Very nice & sunny atmosphere. I like the composition with letter Z formation with nice white clouds & blue sky. I can see that you are being constantly reminded to upgrade your equipments. Those are confirmations of your skill & potential. Regards. Latiff.

avene (10894) 2008-03-31 19:23

hi Matt,
good example that it's not the camera that matters most :) excellent shot, I like a lot how you have composed it with the triangle of the sand framing the scene and creating a great sense of depth. the white-crested waves nicely mirror the clouds, the colours are clear and details crisp. very good work, my compliments.

with kind regards,
Kristine

pierrefonds (25953) 2008-04-01 3:59

Hi Matthew,

A dream place to visit, the beach and the sea under a beautiful sky. The capture of the watyer movement is an asset to the composition. The point of view leads our eyes towards the horizon. The light brings out the beauty of the colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

AROBN54 (10705) 2008-05-04 12:35

Hi, Matthew,
I needed a vacation today, so I thought I'd visit your gallery and go seaside. Good choice. This is wonderful. Love the sand and grasses in the FG and the waves breaking in the back. Beautiful light and color, superb clarity and a lovely sky above it all. Ahhhhh... Great shot! Many thanks and kindest wishes,
Shelly

Waylim (10717) 2008-05-08 7:50

Hey Matt,
Nice image with beautiful and relaxing atmosphere. Great details, especically on the foamy water. Nice open area with beautiful clouds scatter across the sky, and the skyline of the city is nicely placed and visible in the distance. Great composition. colors and light are very well balanced, not over constrast or saturated in pp. Feels natural and refreshing. Thanks.
Way