A Long Exposure Day.

I had planned a photo safari out to the Stockton breakwall to have a casual day out.  I wanted to play around with Bulb settings to get some exposures longer than the preset 30 seconds on my Canon 600D.

Well, Mother Nature was in a playful mood with me on that day!  It was very windy out on the breakwall and even me hanging onto the tripod for dear life could not stop the shake from the wind gusts!

Growling to myself after the safari didn't turn out according to plan, I decided to visit the usual haunts and try my luck there.  It was still windy but it wasn't gusting as it had been out on the breakwall. 

First stop was the lovely Merewether Beach.  With long views up to Bar Beach and the bluffs of Shepherds Hill Reserve, it is a great spot for surfers.  There is also a little kiosk overlooking the beach, a great spot for light refreshments and coffee!  The Ocean Baths at Merewether are undergoing a much needed renovation and so there was not as many at the beach as what I though there would have been.

The surf was a little rougher than normal with some big swells, and the wind gusts just off the beach were blowing the tips off the waves as they curled over; scattering them in a fine mist.  Perfect for some long exposure shots!  I didn't play with the bulb settings now; I think I need to plan that a safari a little more carefully and choose a subject that will suit those longer exposures.

I then moved on to the Newcastle Beach and the Ocean Baths area.  By now, about 3pm-ish, the swell had increased the size of the waves up that end of the Newcastle coastline.  The area there has a round wading pool area known as the Canoe Pool.  It is surrounded by rusted iron posts with a piece of chain forming a 'fence' that is usually held onto by daredevils during storm periods when the waves are twice the size and come crashing right over the rocks and into the pool!

Surfers were now heading out to the waves to make the most of the swell.  One thing about long exposure shots, even for a couple of seconds, it gives a great ghostly look to the people moving in the shot!  The Sun was setting behind me and this reflected some wonderful light off walls and the wet rock surfaces.

For the purposes of the long exposures, I had 2 x ND8 filters mounted on my Canon 18-55 mm lens. I wound the aperture down to f29 and when at full zoom at 55mm down to f36.

As it turned out, it wasn't a waste of the day as I had thought out on the breakwall earlier in the morning!

Hope you're all well!

Jordy

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Bar Beach from Merewether Beach.  Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

Cool Water.  Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

Ghost.  Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

King Edward Park from the Canoe Pool.  Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

Chains.  Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

The Pumphouse, Merewether Ocean Baths.
Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

The Incoming Tide.  Newcastle, NSW, Australia.