Philip Island coast

[Lightstream]

Drove to Philip Island recently, and no, I did not see the little penguins the island is famous for, because they've banned photography..

At first I thought it was because they didn't want the flash going off in the penguins' faces (I would be mad too if I was a penguin), so I was prepared to declare that no, my 5D does not even have a flash to begin with and therefore won't tick off the penguins. Then I found out it was for other reasons. Oh well. Never mind.

So I left the 70-200 f/2.8 at home and took a 17-40, 24-105 and 300 f/4L intending to go visit some other residents of the island, the seals that hang out at Seal Rocks. I got there, and figured that I would need a 1200mm and a teleconverter to engage properly, so much for the best laid plans!

The landscape was wonderful, and for probably the first time, I found the 17-40 (full frame) too wide. I normally shoot in the city, or near a city, and in cramped quarters, and a 10-22 (16-35 equivalent) on APS-C or 17-40 on FF are my favorite tools to get the job done. When it was just me and the wide open world with a view all the way to Antarctica, the 17-40's a little too wide, so I changed over to the 24-105 (FF). These shots are mixed between the 17-40 (long end) and the 24-105.

C&C welcome! Let me have it!! (horizon-not-100%-level has already been noted, someone has been lazy and not straightened 'em up. I need a bubble level in the viewfinder ;) )

http://pix.lightrefineries.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=440&g2_serialNumber=1

http://pix.lightrefineries.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=443&g2_serialNumber=1


Going for a pano crop of the rocks... looks better in full size but I am trying to stay within the image posting guidelines. CLIC HERE (http://pix.lightrefineries.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=444&g2_serialNumber=1) for full size version
http://pix.lightrefineries.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=446&g2_serialNumber=1



http://pix.lightrefineries.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=449&g2_serialNumber=1

http://pix.lightrefineries.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=455&g2_serialNumber=1

http://pix.lightrefineries.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=452&g2_serialNumber=1

[Inspired Photography]

Wow Kevin,

These are awesome! Especially love the second one.

Rob

PS: Rec'd the BIGMA this morning! It's AWESOME!

[SoaringUSAEagle]

Beautiful wave action! Very nice Kevin.

[Lightstream]

PS: Rec'd the BIGMA this morning! It's AWESOME!

Now THAT'S what I want to hear! I am really glad that you are happy with it! Left you some positive feedback in the sticky thread at the top of the sell section, hope it helps you if you ever find yourself buying or selling any more gear. As we all know this is probably not the last step in the journey.. every time I tell myself "last lens" - who am I kidding, really! :mrgreen: it's like telling myself "last peanut" or "last cookie" - no, there must always be another one.. :lol:

And thanks to both of you for the kind words.. :) It was pretty amazing standing there watching the waves pound the coastline, and I was indeed trying to portray the power of the waves.

The last time I tried to do this stuff, I burned up 4 rolls of 36-exposure film on a film P&S with some serious, serious shutter lag - and had basically nothing to show for it. Glad things are now different.. I emptied a 2GB CF card and the surprising part - I like most of them. I normally don't..

I was also attacked by a shrieking gull as other tourists gawked and pointed, wish I had my monopod to fend it off :p

And I saw two gulls, uhh, getting it on. They are tremendously noisy too, the one on top was going "AWK AWK AWK AWK" and really enjoying himself, and you can imagine my surprise as I turned around to see what the din was about and saw, well, the two of them. Well, I guess nature will be nature.... all facets included, waves, birds, or where birds come from!!

Glad I got some good pictures to make it worthwhile.