The Barmah Forest Project

The Narrows. Murray River, Barmah State Park, Victoria, 22/04/2008.
Nikon D200, AF-S DX VR Zoom Nikkor 18-200mm, f22, 1/30, ISO 100
This is an image I took with my Nikon D200 while metering and composing the image for the Toyo 45G view camera. The image was converted to Black and White using the red channel of the Channel Mixer. Using the red channel to convert the image is equiavalent to a red filter used for black and white photography. I used the red channel to darken the blue sky and make the clouds "pop."

Welcome to the the first entry of my large format photography blog. The proposal is to photograph the Murray River within the Barmah Forest in Victoria, Australia using the blue 2 kilometer markers as reference points. There are forty-five kilometer markers between Ulupna and Barmah. The kilometer markers measure the distance to the Murray River mouth in South Australia. There are 3 sections within the Barmah Forest:

Ulupna - The Gulf: Kilometer 1850-1820
The Gulf - Picnic Point: Kilometer 1820-1790
Picnic Point - Barmah: 1790-1760

Barmah State Park (7,900 ha) and Barmah State Forest (21,600 ha) are on the Murray River flood plain between Echuca and Tocumwal, about 225 km north of Melbourne. Together they make up the largest River Red Gum forest in Victoria. Equally, the area could be called a wetland as much of it is frequently flooded.


View Larger Map

I will be using a large format Sinar F2 camera to document the project. I've chosen a large format camera for a number of reasons including its ability to maintain perspective when photographing tall trees by raising the front standard. I've also chosen large format for it's monumental aesthetic and incredible detail when digitally scanned.