If the Weather’s Rubbish go Anyway
ISO160 | f14 | 22mm | 60 seconds
Expect Nothing, Experience Everything
Let me be honest right out the gate — I wasn’t planning to film this morning. It was one of those typical landscape photography days where expectations are low, the forecast is gloomy, and motivation could’ve stayed in bed. But here’s the thing: when you’re a landscape photographer, you get out anyway. You just do. Rain or shine, storm or calm — you chase the moment.
Low Light and Long Exposures
It was pitch dark when I arrived, with the forecast promising nothing but rain. But Australia being Australia, that changed fast. It was already 25°C an hour before dawn — warm, steamy, and unpredictably beautiful. The light was minimal, the clouds were heavy, and I knew that meant one thing: perfect conditions for long exposures.
Took advantage of the pre-dawn gloom for some super long exposures, starting with an 8-minute image
Focus was tricky, so I got creative — placed a torch on the stairs to lock focus.
The classic staircase shot required some careful composition and a bit of focus stacking magic.
Focus Stacking and Compositional Twists
There’s a beautiful estuary down a flight of slightly sketchy stairs (spoiler: my tripod did some acrobatics). While the sunrise itself was muted, I focused on the textures and shapes in the composition — especially that staircase, which I’ll absolutely revisit at sunset one day.
Focus-stacked 3–4 exposures to get sharpness throughout the stairwell.
Adjusted the angle for a cleaner shot, avoiding obstructions from the walkway.
Kept ISO low (50–100) and aperture tight (around f/14–f/16) for clarity.
ISO50 | f14 | 20mm | 50 seconds
Sea Spray and Surprises
After wrapping up on the stairs, I explored a stunning little spot by the water. The sea spray was relentless, my lens cloth worked overtime, and Raffy… well, he lived up to his nickname “Footprints”. He’s great company but a real hazard to pristine sand compositions!
Played around with a polariser to control reflections.
Experimented with 1.5-second shutter speeds to create silky water motion.
Then threw on a 6-stop ND filter for some beautiful 50-second to 1-minute exposures.
Wrap-Up: Why the Best Days Are the Least Expected
Despite the rain, sea spray, and slightly chaotic Raffy moments — this morning was pure joy. No dramatic sky, no blazing sunrise — just the quiet satisfaction of turning up, doing the work, and playing with light and time. And honestly, those are the moments that make this hobby feel like therapy.
Thanks for joining me at the mouthful that is the Onkaparinga River Mouth. Now, if you’ll excuse me — breakfast is calling.
Take care of yourself, take care of your loved ones, and until next time, see ya’.
If you wish to follow the adventure and see how I overcome the challenges that hinders us all on location. If you do please visit the full video on my YouTube channel here.