A flock of Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) taking flight at sunset.
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This image is available as signed limited print with print run of 100 and can be purchased from www.michaelwillisphotography.com
Images copyright Michael Willis 2010.
Four photographs of the majestic Stirling Range National Park in south-west Western Australia. The Stirling Range has always been one of my favourite destinations in WA and I have been fortunate to be there when all the elements -scenic location, nice light, and something special happening- seemed to combine as one.
The first three images were taken on the same magical night from the lower slopes of Bluff Knoll. The huge storm clouds that dwarfed the mountains were impressive enough, but when sun began to shine and backlit the falling rain I realised I was witnessing something quite special. The sun bathed the surrounding bushland in a glorious warm glow as shafts of light shone down onto the distant mountains. As the sun dropped, crepuscular rays streamed down through the ever increasing gaps in the clouds. With the third image, I took a reading from the brightest point so the rugged mountain range became silhouetted against the against the sky while two huge shafts of light illuminated the valley floor. The final image was taken at sunset from the upper slopes of Bluff Knoll. Moments later the view was obscured by the cloud on the left of the frame.
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All four images are available as signed limited prints with print run of 100 and can be purchased from www.michaelwillisphotography.com
Images and text copyright Michael Willis 2010.
As dusk enveloped Marmion Beach, a 25 second exposure captured the smooth flow of of the sea and recorded both forked and sheet lightning in the skies above. I particularly like the way the post sunset glow above the horizon is echoed by the street lights at Hillary’s Boat Harbour and how the lightning brought out the texture in the clouds.
This image is available as signed limited edition fine art print with a print run of 100 and can be purchased from www.michaelwillisphotography.com
Images and text copyright Michael Willis 2009.
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As the sun set over Trigg Beach, the colour reflected in the wet rocks drew me to this spot. After setting up the camera on the tripod, I had a tense wait hoping that a large wave would roll in before the sunset faded. Fortunately the sky’s colour became more intense, and a short while later a one second exposure captured the smooth flow of the waves as they poured over the rocky coastline.
This image is available as signed limited edition fine art print with a print run of 100 and can be purchased from www.michaelwillisphotography.com
Images and text copyright Michael Willis 2009.
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Ornate Dragon (Ctenophorus ornatus)
An Ornate Dragon (Ctenophorus ornatus) basking on rocks beside Thistle Cove in Cape Le Grand National Park.
While visiting Cape Le Grand I was fortunate to come across an Ornate Dragon basking on the rocks. After capturing the standard stock photo, I tried to be a little more creative and attempted to convey how well the Ornate Dragon was camouflaged against the red rock. To emphasise this, I carefully moved to the front and used a smaller aperture so the lizard’s body gradually blended into the background.
If I am able, I always try and capture an image showing wildlife in its natural environment. I can’t imagine many better backdrops than Cape Le Grand’s beautiful Thistle Cove, so I was keen to include the sweeping white sandy beach and rocky headland in the image. As they are also known as Ornate Crevice Dragons, I also included the rock overhang on the right to illustrate the type of place that they shelter. Using a 24mm lens, I rested the camera on the rock and utilised some flash to fill in the shadows and ensure a catch light in the Ornate Dragon’s eye.
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Words and images copyright Michael Willis 2009.
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This photograph of the incoming tide flowing over Perth’s rocky limestone coast was captured a few moments before my ‘North Beach Sunset’ image.
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Image copyright Michael Willis 2009.
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While a wide-angle lens is my most used lens, on a crisp Lakeland morning, I found a longer longer focal legnth useful for picking out distant details. Rising early, I armed myself with lenses from 17mm to 200mm, and climbed some nearby foothills until I found a good vantage point. A splendid vista of rolling hills appeared before me, their glorious autumnal colour and deep shadow unified as one as they towered above the wispy mist that clung to the lush valley floor. My first instinct was to attach my widest lens, but with so much to fit in, incorporating a foreground of glowing bronze coloured bracken would overpower the most important aspect of the photo. With that in mind, I used a 70-200mm lens at 120mm to help compress the scene while isolating the mist and the prettiest hills.
This image is available as signed limited edition fine art print with a print run of 100 and can be purchased from www.michaelwillisphotography.com
Images and text copyright Michael Willis 2009.
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While my camera has been out of action, I’ve spent some time updating my website. New open and limited edition prints have been added to the Portfolio section and I’ve increased the size of the images throughout the website. You can check it out at www.michaelwillisphotography.com
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Waves rolling over the rocky limestone coast at North Beach, Perth.
Barring a miracle, this is probably the last exposure that the camera will ever make. Moments after capturing the photograph, I misjudged the depth of a rock pool and as I tumbled forward the camera swung around my neck and plunged into a pool of sea water. It was only submerged for a second, but the error message on the LCD quickly disappeared and the camera locked up and has showed no signs of life since.
After getting home, a google search only brought bad news of short circuits and severely corroded boards so it looks like a write off. Fingers crossed I can still salvage the lens…
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Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) in flight.
A Whistling Kite in flight over Herdsman Lake in Perth, Western Australia.
This image is available as signed limited edition fine art print with a print run of 100 and can be purchased from www.michaelwillisphotography.com
Copyright Michael Willis 2007.
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