Category: opinion

Photographing abandoned farm houses in rural areas can be a rewarding and interesting experience. These structures often have a rich history and can make for beautiful and evocative images. If you’re planning on visiting and photographing abandoned farm houses in rural Australia, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

First, it’s important to do your research before you go. Look for information about the history of the farm house and the surrounding area. This can help you understand the context of the location and give you ideas for your photos. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with any local laws or regulations that may affect your photography.

Next, consider the best time of day to visit the abandoned farm house. Early morning or late afternoon can often be the best times for photography, as the light is softer and more diffuse. This can help create a moody atmosphere and add depth to your images.

When you arrive at the farm house, take some time to explore the location and look for interesting angles and compositions. Pay attention to the details of the building, such as the texture of the walls and the shape of the windows. These elements can add character and interest to your photos.

It’s also a good idea to bring a tripod with you to help steady your camera and allow for longer exposures. This can be particularly useful when photographing abandoned farm houses at night, when you may need to use a slower shutter speed to capture the available light.

Finally, be respectful of the property and the people who may live in the area. Don’t enter any buildings that are off limits or cause any damage to the location. And be sure to ask permission if you’re planning on photographing people or private property.

By following these tips, you should be able to capture some stunning and evocative images of abandoned farm houses in rural Australia.

Note:
This blog post was written in less than 15 seconds by ChatGPT using the prompt: “write a blog post describing how to photograph abandoned farm houses in rural areas in Australia.”

The remains of one of the piers at Clifton Springs, Victoria, Australia. The pier dates back to the time when tourists came by boat from Geelong to visit the mineral springs.

The image was a 30 second exposure using a 10 stop neutral density
filter.

Today I learned that Sir Clive Sinclair has died. Although I never met him, his invention of the Sinclair ZX80 computer changed the course of my life.

His obituary at the Guardian here.

And the story of Interface Publications, including a photo of Sir Clive with Tim Hartnell here.

Vale Sir Clive, and thanks.

2020 was a difficult year for most people around the world. Here we were restricted to home through several lock downs and movement restrictions, but we stayed safe.

We only have local travel planned for this year, but we hope to be able to visit other countries by the second half of 2022.

This is an image from our travel through Kazakhstan in 2019.

Point Richards is to the east of Portarlington on the Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. It is mostly sand and is still growing toward the eastern end. It features a boat ramp and is a popular fishing location. It also has a volunteer run miniature railway and a flora and fauna reserve.

I visited, along with a number of other sites, looking for something to photograph. The day wasn’t helpful, the light was terrible and the sky was full of haze.

At least the boat ramp was empty and there was no one fishing from the piers. I tried a long exposure and came up with this. The only usable image from a photographic day that was mostly just a pleasant drive.

Point Richards Boat Ramp

Dimboola is a town just off the Western Highway in Victoria. I have been driving past it going to and from Adelaide for many years. This month I decided it was time to stop and visit. It is a quiet town, not so busy since being bypassed by the highway. The town features wide streets, turn of the century buildings and friendly locals. In terms of photography I had superb evening light followed by an excellent morning.

Dimboola was featured in the famous Australia play of the same name written by Jack Hibberd. The play is set as a wedding reception in the town with the actors playing the families of the bride and groom and the audience as the invited guests.

I haven’t been for a walk around the city in Melbourne for a long time. Recently I had some business in town and took the opportunity to have a walk around with the Olympus and the newish 12-100 f4 zoom. This is a fantastic lens for me, almost my entire shooting range in one lens.

I managed to pick one of the hottest and brightest days so far for my walk, which was at midday of course. So, not the ideal time to take photos according to conventional photographic wisdom.

But that was the time I was there and those were the conditions, so I wandered about looking for opportunities.

 

I have added another new gallery of images under the Gallery menu. This set of images was taken over a 90 minute walk through the sand dunes at Coffin Bay National Park, South Australia.

Conventional landscape photography wisdom says that landscape images should be made at first light or late afternoon when the light is at its best; not in the middle of the day.

These images were taken in harsh midday sunlight.

See the Coffin Bay Gallery.