Anzac Weekend - Kilometre 1850-1830

I’ve just returned from a long weekend visit to the Barmah Forest, the last trip before the Winter. The purpose of the trip was to do a reconnaissance of the markers from kilometre 1850 (Morgan’s Beach) to 1830 (Bunyip Hole). I also wanted to test out the Sinar F2, the Lisco sheet-film holders, polarizing filter and support gear.

At Morgan’s Beach there was no evidence of the 1850 marker even though it was marked on the Hayman's Map. After a close encounter with a mob of kangaroos, we proceeded down river to a campsite at kilometre 1848. Even though the light was deliciously golden in the late afternoon, I struggled to find an interesting composition.

The following morning we drove down the River Road to kilometre 1830. Much to my dismay we could not locate a single marker. This was despite exploring every campsite marked on the map. Not one to be discouraged easily, I will return in the Spring with the Murray Charts CD that includes GPS readings for the markers. It remains to be seen whether I will need to use a canoe to locate the signs from the river, or whether the GPS will allow me to locate the signs from the road and on foot.

On Saturday afternoon I did find an interesting composition where the K1848 marker was framed by large gum trees and a bed of leaves in the foreground. After a heavy night of rain, I returned to the same location the next morning to re-photograph the marker. Due to the high contrast between the overcast sky and the forest, I bracketed the shots over 4 stops.

As mentioned above, this trip also allowed me to test out the Sinar F2 in the field. On the whole it seemed to perform well and be reasonably quick to setup. I also had an opportunity to test out the support gear and bag. I’ve decided to carry the Nikon D200 and accessories in my Lowe Pro Rezo Aw 170 bag which allows me to access the D200 independently of the Sinar. The flexibility in storage is an important advantage when there are opportunities to photograph wildlife such as these Galah's at K1848.

The lack of success in finding the markers reinforced the following key points about photographic projects as documented by Chris Dickie in his book Photo Projects:

1. Keep it simple: pare your idea right down to its essence.
2. Choose a subject that intrigues you and about which you want to discover more.
3. Set yourself a plan to action to provide a framework for the project.
4. Persevere: stick with it and negotiate setbacks as they arise.
5. Don’t be put off if the project, or the way you are approaching it, changes en route: this is part of the process of discovery.

On the way home we stopped off at the Grain Silo's at Waaia which together with the Grain Silo at Picola make an interesting side project that brings in to play point 5.