Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk Photo

Photographer’s Note

Sydney and the NSW governments have done a great job of setting up coastal walks around Sydney Harbour, and on the Pacific Coast. One of the easier, and most picturesque of these (I think) is the Bondi to Bronte walk. It’s a short walk, as compared to many of the others, of about 3 kilometers. Along the way you will pass many wind swept rocky shores such as this one, sandy beaches, and great spots to stop in to take a break and have a drink. And if you’re into it, there is a Bondi to Bronte Swim held each December.

Some of this from: http://www.visitnsw.com/Bondi_to_Bronte_P677.aspx

In this shot I wanted to catch the ocean with these awesome rocks. To get the shot, I got off the path, and went down closer to the water (still in a safe spot). The ocean doesn’t look that rough here and the rocks don’t look that large, but for a sense of scale you can see 4 people walking on the cliff path up in the top left corner of the shot.

Workflow:
I follow a generic workflow now as outlined in my Bio.
Details and differences to this are as follows:
Shot taken at 17mm, ISO 250, f/8, 1/180 sec
Saturation increased to +30 on master, +15 red, +15 blue (to match web colour with shot)
Overlay layer with 5% opacity white and black brush used for dodging and burning.

MLINES, skippy007, avene, mvdisco, alftrek, Dyerco, pierrefonds, zeca, bakes888, jusninasirun, angela926 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

mvdisco (11517) 2008-05-06 20:19

Bonsoir John,
Great composition and point of view wiht naturel colors, lovely contrast and details, Excellent POV. and light, Very well done.
Michel

alftrek (2799) 2008-05-06 21:42

Hi John,

This shot brings back to me lots of past memories. I used to spend a lot of time during weekends walking along here, hopping from Bondi, Bronte, Coogee, Maroubra to La Perouse. Sometimes, sat down in a sheltered spot for hours to admire the wonders of this natural coastline.

The result you have got here on such a cloudy day is really good, the colours and details of the rocks are clearly visible. The people in the background does provide the sense of scale. I just like it.
TFS, John

Best regards and have a great day.

Alfred

skippy007 (7053) 2008-05-06 23:27

Hello John,
I like the detail & clarity in your shots & again you have done that in this scene, Beautiful natural looking colours with an overcast sky but still showing a little bit of blue. A good idea including the people it does give some indication of the size of these rocks. Have read your intro. with interest, some don't like to divulge their "secretes". I have found it very helpful as I always find your workflow for a particular shot.
Thank you
Santo

bracasha75 (22117) 2008-05-07 0:59

Helo John
Maybe the day was no so kind but still the beach was good one for walk and explore..
Strong colors and great clarity
TFS
Cheers,Braca

pablominto (40712) 2008-05-07 3:56

Hello John,
The rugged coastline is well captured, I notice the fine texture in the rocks!
Is it possibly a bit dark, I cannot say for sure since I'm on a laptop screen that has fooled me before...
A simple but attractive composition, good diagonal and the surf always adds life!
Greetings,
Pablo -

avene (11008) 2008-05-07 4:08

hello John,
love the strong diagonal here, I've always thought such a line makes photo more dynamic, and in this shot it fits well with the sense of power of the natural elements. I really had to look close to find the people you mention in your note, and you're right, understanding the scale of the scene makes all the difference. but what I like most is how the sturdy shapes of the rocks contrast with the constantly moving and changing water. nice :)

with best regards,
Kristine

Dyerco (9078) 2008-05-07 7:29

Hi John
There is marvellous detail in the rocks as they look like sandstone. I would have liked to see a tad more light on the rocks as they occupy half the image. Godd strong diagonal line. well done.
Phil

lucski (3676) 2008-05-07 14:54

Hi John
very well done
great photo, sharpness, details and atmosphere just perfect
i rall like this one
TFS
regards lukasz

pierrefonds (26289) 2008-05-07 17:13

Hi john,

The capture of the waves movemnet comih=g to shore are an asset to the composition. The point of view leads our eyes to the horizon. The rocks in the foreground are a good addition to the composition. Have a nice day.

Pierre

MLINES (10884) 2008-05-07 22:54

Hi John, This has to be one of the best walking tracks in Sydney, even in poor weather. Very strong composition using the diagonal. The sea is dark and forbidding, but always attractive. TFS. Murray.

dvlazar (6478) 2008-05-08 19:13

Hey there,
a nicely framed shot of this landscape scene. The composition is just perfect - youve placed the horizon in the best part of the frame so it's very nice to look at.
Cheers
Dave

zeca (20026) 2008-05-08 21:33

Hi John!
The perspective of view is perfect, with that nice diagonal between the rocks and the sea. The rock's details are really interesting and beautiful and it is a pity there wasn't some little more light to enhance its textures. Anyway, a very nice capture!
Regards,
Zeca

bakes888 (18207) 2008-05-09 1:26

Hi John. You have a photo full of bold textures which all compliment each other well. Good colour and detail also. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

jusninasirun (10203) 2008-05-09 17:08

Hello John. You have done the calculation very well here before clapping the shutter here. The texture of the rock is rather sharp making it dangerous when the wave is a bit rough. The low angle capture here let us see the cliff and the four people (so minute) with the rushing wave pretty well against the the cloudy sky. Another good presentation and enjoyable note for the weekend. Thanks for sharing and very well done. Best regards. Jusni

crckt (7074) 2008-05-10 18:47

Hi John,
Really nice work, good sharpness and clarity. A very nice moody shot.
Well done,
Shaeri

pboehringer (770) 2008-05-11 18:54

John,
whenever people don't get out due to bad weather or hide there cameras for the same reason I have the feeling that the real opportunities for interesting photography are about to start. Your present shot is one of these examples for such statement. The darkness migth at the first moment not attract a lot of people, but the drama in the sky and the sea is terrific and exactly what I like so much. Have you considered in using a fill-in-flash for the rock in the foregorund?
Peter

angela926 (1882) 2008-05-12 17:29

Hello John,
Nice shot, good composition and point of view, lovely natural colors, excvedllent sharpness, good depth of field, nice textures and good light.
Angela