Fantastic Friday

A fantastic Friday morning starting with some great fog in the Ballarat city centre, then a quick fly over the railway station before I headed out to Mt Warrenheip for the sunrise above the carpet of fog....I've got a heap more to share when I get the chance....I have a group down from Shepparton Camera Club this weekend thats keeping us pretty busy!

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Slowing Down

After all the excitement of the previous morning, things were a bit more sedate on a cold, windy Thursday morning at Lake Wendouree.

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Unique and Spectacular

As those who follow my blog know, I visit Lake Wendouree very often. So sometimes it can get hard to find something new worth sharing. Well all that changed on Wednesday morning when an early morning visit paid off big time with one of the most spectacular cloud formations I have seen any where. I was actually planning on heading out of town though as I was getting petrol I noticed this massive band of clouds sitting above Lake Wendouree so I quickly changed plans and made my way up to the lake to capture some amazing images of the roll or shelf cloud formations (still not exactly sure of its title, though I'm leaning towards shelf cloud.) The first 3 images cover 18 minutes, in fact the first image here is the first image I took, and then I proceeded to watch and marvel as the light changed. And the last 3 here gives a very unique viewpoint, don't they?!

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50/50

Chasing the light again on Tuesday, and the only place that had any potential was once again at Lake Burrumbeet.......I thought this 50/50 refection was pretty nice!

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The Birds

Though there was a pretty nice sunset at Lake Burrumbeet on a cold Monday evening, the nights images were really all about the birds...the pelicans in particular. In the north east corner of the lake I came across the biggest batch so far that I was actually able to get close enough to to catch some great images as they all rose as one into the sky. Fortunately one of these liftoffs was just as there was a break in the sky to let the setting golden sunlight through. Just another example of why I'm such a regular visitor to Lake Burrumbeet.

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Sunday Selection

Sunday was a very cold day here in Ballarat, and I know I was not the only one hoping for some snow. We did get a few fleeting flakes around mid afternoon that had me ready to go. Nothing further came from that and when I headed out later in the day the best I was hoping for was some nice, stormy skies. A first stop out at Wombat Hill for a couple of panoramas, and then I chased the light right up to Smeaton to finally catch a rainbow with Mt Kooroocheang in the background, and then a late burst if light over the lower slopes of Mt Moorookyle.

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Waterfall Way

I've got a group coming down from Shepparton Camera Club next weekend, so on Saturday I made another trip down to the falls on the Moorabool River to check on conditions for next weekend. The flow is actually up a bit from last weekend, and with more rain forecast this week things should be ideal for an afternoon of exploration.
First here is my favourite view of Granite Falls and some breaks of sunlight really helped light up the trees. Then a quick view of Moorabool Falls before I spent some time playing in the cascades halfway between the 2 falls. There is a spot up on the south embankment where you can get a glimpse of the 2 falls from the one spot just by doing a 180....quite a unique occurrence, especially as these 2 falls are so totally different.

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Some Local Wildlife

Here's a few more from Thursday...firstly the morning visit out to Learmonth where the sheep were quite inquisitive for a change...usually they bolt the other way when you get near. And boy, were they vocal! They probably thought I'd come to feed them.
And then after lunch on my run around Lake Wendouree I noticed a sulphur crested cockatoo perched in a hole in one of the trees, and as soon as I got home I rushed back with camera to find this pair getting ready for their upcoming family additions.

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Three Hills

On Friday late in the day, though the sun was no where to be seen, we had a huge storm front move through with some spectacular clouds. I was out on the side of Wombat Hill for this first one, looking to the east across the newly sown potato fields. Then just a kilometre up the same road there was some nice views looking to the south east. Coming home through Ballarat a quick detour up to the Black Hill Lookout for a view across Ballarat just as the lights of the city are coming to life. I reckon this is post is a great example of finding worthwhile images when you feel the lack of sunlight, or brighter conditions may be holding you back. 

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From Lake to Lake

Thursday started with an early morning visit out to the dry Lake Learmonth where a low mist was hogging the lakebed, creating some nice conditions as the sun slowly rose. Shortly after that I was passing by the road to the Learmonth Cemetery where I could see a band of lingering mist across the fields, making for this lovely layered view with the big zoom lens. To finish off the day some spectacular clouds at Lake Wendouree, and a good example of why I keep going back to the lake...the conditions are so changeable and just once in while you get something out of the ordinary.
I do have a few more images to share a bit later of some local animals from Thursdays travels......

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Windfarming Wednesday

Some great, calm conditions on Wednesday evening allowed me to capture the wind towers out past Learmonth. The blades were totally still on all but a couple of the towers and that chilly, cold winter weather was almost a memory (well, not quite!). I was pleased when the moon made appearance for the last one here and adds that nice extra element into the frame.

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Close To Home

I didn't have to travel too far on Tuesday to capture a couple of nice images. Some early morning colour at Lake Wendouree on a very windy, chilly morning looking across to the Yacht Club precinct as the reverse sunrise added some nice soft colours onto the western horizon. Then later in the day around 3.30 I noticed some great mammatus clouds passing through and grabbed a few images. These clouds always amaze me with their incredible formations.

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Warming Up

It only got down to minus 4 on Monday morning! A trip out west around the totally dry Lake Learmonth and then over to Addington and back via Weatherboard produced quite a range of images all with something to offer. I especially liked the frosty grasses on the lakebed at Learmonth just as the rising sun started to light them up.

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