Boats at dusk – Town of 1770, Queensland.

Boats at rest during a tranquil sunset on Round Hill Creek – the Town of 1770, Queensland.

Seventeen Seventy 2AM-009255 ©Andrew McInnes

Seventeen Seventy 2AM-009260 ©Andrew McInnes

Seventeen Seventy 2AM-009401 ©Andrew McInnes

Seventeen Seventy 2AM-009545 ©Andrew McInnes

Seventeen Seventy 2AM-009552 ©Andrew McInnes

Seventeen Seventy 2AM-009556 ©Andrew McInnes

Seventeen Seventy 2AM-009571 ©Andrew McInnes

Cheers 🙂

Black Swans and Fishermen greet a golden dawn – Pumicestone Passage, Caloundra, QLD.

A pair of Black Swans (Cygnus stratus) greet the dawn over Bribie Island and Pumicestone Passage, as seen from Golden Beach, Caloundra.

Golden Beach 2AM-003674 ©Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

Oh to be boating (and fishing) on a tranquil summer morning such as this.

Pumicestone Passage 2AM-008338 ©Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

 

Cheers, 🙂

Fire onboard the Ocean Drover – Fremantle, WA.

On the morning of October 9, 2014, the livestock carrier vessel Ocean Drover experienced an onboard fire at the Port of Fremantle. It was reported that 50 crew members were taken to hospital for treatment, and no animals were on the ship at the time.

Ocean Drover fire 2AM-009330 ©2014 Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

Ocean Drover fire 2AM-009203 ©2014 Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

Ocean Drover fire 2AM-009302 ©2014 Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

Ocean Drover fire 2AM-009207 ©2014 Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

Ocean Drover fire 2AM-009260 ©2014 Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

Ocean Drover fire 2AM-009349 ©2014 Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

Ocean Drover fire 2AM-009158 ©2014 Andrew McInnes. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

Posting #10 of my road trip from Fremantle to Kununurra, Western Australia.

A collection of images from Lake Kununurra, Lily Creek Lagoon, Ivanhoe Crossing, and the iconic Cockburn Ranges – all proximal to Kununurra, Western Australia.

A delightful boat ride up Lake Kununurra – the dog enjoyed the trip, especially the breeze in its face.

Lake Kununurra 2AM-003377. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Lake Kununurra 2AM-003403. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Lake Kununurra 2AM-003421. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Lake-Kununurra-2AM-003422

Lake Kununurra 2AM-003422. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

A couple of the numerous and delightful inlets along the way.

Lake Kununurra 2AM-003425. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Lake Kununurra 2AM-003435. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

The exposed geology is fascinating and stunning.

Lake Kununurra 2AM-003437. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

The Kimberley region has numerous sites with indigenous rock art; this particular location is very near to Kununurra.

Aboriginal Rock Art 2AM-003475. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Aboriginal Rock Art 2AM-003480. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Aboriginal Rock Art 2AM-003483. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Aboriginal Rock Art 2AM-003485. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Aboriginal Rock Art 2AM-003487. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

The view from the boat ramp on Lily Creek where we began and concluded this trip up Lake Kununurra.

Lily Creek Lagoon 2AM-003504. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Lily Creek Lagoon with ‘Sleeping Buddha’ in the background.

Lily Creek Lagoon 2AM-003502. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Off on a road trip now, just outside of Kununurra…

Highway Outcrop 2AM-003088. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Highway Outcrop 2AM-003079-003082 panorama © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

A couple of images of vehicles crossing a small creek on El Questro where we stopped off for a refreshing dip (swim).

El Questro 2AM-003308. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

El Questro 2AM-003319. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Not far past El Questro, on the famed Gibb River Road, is the Cockburn Range which is adjacent to the iconic Pentecost River but the river was flowing too much for us to make a crossing. There was an unfortunate couple stranded during their attempt at crossing – their front axle fell into a deeply eroded hole resulting in a cracked oil-pan or something similar, necessitating a tow out of these croc-infested waters.

Cockburn Ranges 2AM-003366-003368 panorama. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

Having captured this late-afternoon image of a man fishing for barramundi with a live bait on a hand line at the fast-flowing Ivanhoe Crossing, Kununurra, I moved on to shoot other nearby compositions. This area is accessible for the numerous salties of the Ord River and is also thick with barramundi. Soon after I moved I saw this fisherman in a mighty tug-of-war battle that, with the aid of the deep and rapidly flowing water, soon had him precariously close to taking an involuntary bath! Ultimately he was saved the ignominy as his large gauge hook was straightened, thus losing whatever was on the end of the line!
The Ivanhoe Crossing is no longer open to vehicles.

Ivanhoe Crossing 2AM-003178. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

 

The next blog posting will contain images from Marlgu Billabong and Wyndham.
Until then, cheers.

 

 

Posting #2 of my road trip from Fremantle to Kununurra, Western Australia.

I hope you enjoy these images of a portion of my recent travel up the Western Australia coast.

 

Dunes_Port-Denison-2AM-002209

Winnowing among the sand dunes. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

 

Dunes_Port-Denison-2AM-002211

Stark and simple – dunes and a stunningly blue autumn sky engulf me (and a coastal tree). © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

 

Dunes_Port-Denison-2AM-002256

Footprints among the sand. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

 

Dunes_Port-Denison-2AM-002259

Sand dune aglow. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

 

Dunes_Port-Denison-2AM-002266

Wildlife tracks in the sand. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

 

Plain-Tiger-butterfly-2AM-002222---Copy

Plain Tiger butterfly. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

 

Port-Gregory-2AM-002455

Rusty bollard and a boat. © 2014 Andrew McInnes.

More images to follow in upcoming photo-blogs.

 

 

 

A few quick photo shoots in Halifax and surrounds – Nova Scotia, Canada.

I recently undertook an express visit with my wife to visit friends who were staying in Halifax for a period. I only managed to get out and photograph on a few occasions but was enamored of the area. Magnificent vistas, abundant maritime history, so ripe with scenery and scenes; I would have thoroughly enjoyed more time exploring and photographing. Nevertheless, here is a sampling of images from the very few times I was able to go walkabout. I hope you enjoy!

This is the first image I captured  – I love the posture, gait, and apparent enthusiasm of the youngster; the dog’s tail; and the fact that the father had a bright red sweater on (excellent for ‘pop’ of people out in nature).

Halifax 2AM-000802

Halifax 2AM-000802
Canon 7D with Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f4.5 for 1/800 second at ISO 800.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

A chicane of sorts …

Halifax 2AM-000834

Halifax 2AM-000834
Canon 7D with Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f5.6 for 1/2000 second at ISO 800.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Although we witnessed some glorious fall color, it was the same old situation of “you should have seen it last week!” 🙂
the next two images include a birch tree – the bark and patterning thereof fascinated me.

Halifax 2AM-000851

Halifax 2AM-000851
Canon 7D with Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f8 for 1/800 second at ISO 800.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Halifax 2AM-000860

Halifax 2AM-000860
Canon 7D with Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f8 for 1/400 second at ISO 800.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Definitely much color still available around the area, even if the leaves had fallen.

Halifax 2AM-000887

Halifax 2AM-000887
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f4.5 for 1/1600 second at ISO 800.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Early in our visit our hosts took me out for a brief but wonderful excursion to Herring Cove. Although very overcast and gloomy, the light was lovely for scenes that didn’t include much, if any, sky. After this mini-hike it was time for lunch so we stopped in at “Now We’re Cookin’!” where I had the superb gastronomic pleasure of a dozen perfectly fried and ultra-delicious “Digby Clams.”

Here are a series of images from the Herring Cove Provincial Park Reserve from that visit:

I call this image “The Admiral” – hopefully you can deduce why 🙂  I captured one of our hosts overlooking a temporarily tranquil Atlantic Ocean – it was a fleeting opportunity to get the shot, so I did not have time to adjust the camera settings, hence the very slow shutter speed for a hand held shot. Thankfully I managed to be stable enough for a sharp image.

Herring Cove 2AM-000977

“The Admiral” – Herring Cove 2AM-000977
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/13 second at ISO 400.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Early into the gorgeous walk I found this scene and liked the various elements so much – hence this image to capture it 🙂

Herring Cove 2AM-000976

Herring Cove 2AM-000976
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/13 second at ISO 400.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Loved these rosehip berries!

Herring Cove 2AM-000982

Herring Cove 2AM-000982
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f4 for 1/100 second at ISO 400.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Herring Cove 2AM-001009

Herring Cove 2AM-001009
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/15 second at ISO 1000.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Same general scene, different interpretation. My photographic mentor drummed into me to shoot and shoot and shoot a scene from numerous angles/interpretations, with a strict caveat that each composition/interpretation must be appealing to me, not just shooting a bunch and ‘hoping’ one of them will be ‘good’.

Herring Cove 2AM-001011

Herring Cove 2AM-001011
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/15 second at ISO 1000.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

A portion of the walking trail.

Herring Cove 2AM-001027

Herring Cove 2AM-001027
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/20 second at ISO 1000.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

More of the meandering walking trail and a very typical scene of this splendid coast.

Herring Cove 2AM-001025

Herring Cove 2AM-001025
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/30 second at ISO 1000.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

’twas a very blustery gloomy day and the smart one here (that would be me 🙂 ) decides to take a multi-hour exploratory walk around the Halifax waterfront to take in some of the history of this place. When I say it was blustery, it was really blowing! There is a bit of a tale from my home country that goes something like this: “Tie a brick onto a long piece of line and hang it so that it is free to swing. If the brick/string is vertical, there isn’t enough wind to go sailing; If the brick/string are horizontal, then perhaps there is a little too much wind for a sail; Anywhere in between = just right for a sail.” Well, the brick would have been darn near horizontal whilst I wandered around that particular day 😉
This block and blue line appealed to me as they hung and swung, suspended above the dark cold water. Hope you enjoy it too.

Halifax 2AM-000914

“Block and Blue” – Halifax 2AM-000914
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f8 for 1/160 second at ISO 800.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

I find the marine flora and fauna of cold water habitats fascinating, and Nova Scotia in early winter did not disappoint me.This image, and the mussel image following it, were taken on a bucking and rolling floating dock that was doing its non-level best to ensure that either I fell in the cold cold water, or dropped the camera into said water, or fail to get a sharp image of the subjects that were interesting me. I am very thankful that the 5D Mark III handles high ISO noise so bloody well!

Halifax 2AM-000931

Halifax 2AM-000931
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f8 for 1/40 second at ISO 3200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Halifax 2AM-000937

Halifax 2AM-000937
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f8 for 1/30 second at ISO 5000.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Some scenes need capturing, despite the quality (or lack thereof) of available light; I thought this public art installation the Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk to be such a scene. This public art installation is a collaboration between Chris Hanson and Hendrika Sonnenberg. One of the lampposts (at rear in this image) is peeing in the ocean. The other two are on their way home after drinking too much – the closest has stumbled and fallen, the other is bending over to check if all is okay with the fallen one.

Halifax 2AM-000946

“Drunken Street Lights” – Halifax 2AM-000946
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f8 for 1/30 second at ISO 5000.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Boardwalk boards (and nails)

Halifax 2AM-000958

Halifax 2AM-000958
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f4 for 1/100 second at ISO 500.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Whilst she isn’t particularly old, this yacht is reminiscent of a time apparently long gone, when vessels actually had lovely lines! Plus, what’s not to like about bowsprits, jib-booms, bowlines, and vertically seamed sails with stitched lines along the leech?

Halifax 2AM-000968

Halifax 2AM-000968
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f16 for 1/125 second at ISO 500.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

A new day, and, well, there were some trees still shedding their colorful leaves, and a stunningly sky, so why not?

Halifax 2AM-001342

Halifax 2AM-001342
Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f8 for 1/3200 second at ISO 800.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Halifax 2AM-001400

Halifax 2AM-001400
Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f8 for 1/2500 second at ISO 800.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Dusk was rapidly descending on a bloody chilly day when I happened upon this lovely little yawl at rest on its mooring in a secluded and tranquil inlet.

Halifax 2AM-001083

Halifax 2AM-001083
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/10 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Sometimes “hard to figure out at first” is intriguing – to me at least 🙂

Halifax 2AM-001084

Halifax 2AM-001084
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/10 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

A revisit to Herring Cove because the light was “cleaner.”

Herring Cove 2AM-001036

Herring Cove 2AM-001036
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/15 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

A little ‘overflow’ creek from Powers Pond to the Atlantic Ocean (via Herring Cove).

Herring Cove 2AM-001043

Herring Cove 2AM-001043
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/10 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

To me these next two images typify coastal fishing hamlets.

Herring Cove 2AM-001038

Herring Cove 2AM-001038
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/20 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

To my eye, when strolling around town, this image was very appealing. Initial concerns about it being “too busy” rapidly dissipated – likely due to the location of the colored elements, the reflections, and the leading line of the dock. Perhaps I am mistaken?

Herring Cove 2AM-001108

Herring Cove 2AM-001108
Canon 7D with Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f16 for 1/250 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Speaking of reflections… here are two more from the walking trail at Herring Cove Provincial Park Reserve.

Herring Cove 2AM-001115

Herring Cove 2AM-001115
Canon 7D with Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f16 for 1/60 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

A stunning blue sky, granite, and grass.

Herring Cove 2AM-001062

Herring Cove 2AM-001062
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/25 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

My final image from Herring Cove showing one side of the entrance to Herring Cove; the great blue yonder is the fabled ornery Atlantic.

Herring Cove 2AM-001066

Herring Cove 2AM-001066
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/30 second at ISO 200.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

On the coldest day of the winter thus far (it having snowed the first snow of the season the previous night), we ventured on a quick trip down to Peggy’s Cove – a gorgeous sunset, some ice in the rocky depressions of the granite headland, and it was blowing stink, and we were right on the edge of the Atlantic. Not blowing quite strong enough for there to be whitecaps in the toilet, but darn near!
The following images were all captured within roughly one hour, and again, I present 4 images with the lighthouse in it, each sufficiently appealing to me.

There were some strange light behavior happenings last evening during dusk at Peggy’s Cove – one with my lens glare (this image), the other some neat atmospherics (the next image).

Peggy's Cove 2AM-001471

Peggy’s Cove 2AM-001471
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f16 for 1/200 second at ISO 500.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.


The three of us who were there together all were mesmerized by the vertical shaft of light – normally I expect to see crepuscular rays, but this instance had only the vertical element. As it was developing I was scampering around trying to find any element for foreground interest. “Beam me up” or  perhaps a 
“batman-like beam.” 😉

Peggy's Cove 2AM-001488

Peggy’s Cove 2AM-001488
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1.6 seconds at ISO 100.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Peggy's Cove 2AM-001474

Peggy’s Cove 2AM-001474
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/25 second at ISO 400.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

Peggy's Cove 2AM-001485

Peggy’s Cove 2AM-001485
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f22 for 1/8 second at ISO 400.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

And to wrap up this visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia – Canada, here is a light-painting of the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove – the primary purpose of the quick evening trip to Peggy’s Cove. I hope you enjoy this light-painting image – is was certainly the most difficult to make: my wife and our host said I looked a bit like a mountain goat running around over the rocks and boulders in the dark whilst painting the scene with my trusty Q-beam II Million power flashlight.

Peggy's Cove 2AM-001515

A light-painting – Peggy’s Cove 2AM-001515
Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. f5.6 for 30 seconds at ISO 400.
© Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malaysia (3 of 3) – Scenes from a ship on the South China Sea.

This is the third, and final, post covering my recent trip to Malaysia. As it was not a photography or vacation trip, I took one camera with one lens – no tripod, flash, etc. Consequently, all of these images are handheld or rested on objects, and all are taken essentially as ‘snapshots’ throughout the day/night and with whatever light was available, not targeted light. All images were captured with Canon 7D and Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens. Taking images with a slow shutter speed on a moving ship is certainly challenging 🙂

All images are Copyright © Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

South China Sea 2AM-116929_7D

South China Sea 2AM-116929
Clouds and some of the unidentified islands (to me at least) of the South China Sea, photographed through the plane’s window somewhere between Kuala Lumpur (on the Malaysian peninsular) and Labuan Island (just off Malaysian Borneo).

 

South China Sea 2AM-117331_7D

South China Sea 2AM-117331
A glorious dusk on the South China Sea off Borneo. This image includes some of the fender chains at the bow.

 

South China Sea 2AM-117315_7D

South China Sea 2AM-117315
More from the bow of the ship – a spectacular sunset.

 

South China Sea 2AM-117353_7D

South China Sea 2AM-117353
Ripples on a calm, golden sea.

 

South China Sea 2AM-117354_7D

South China Sea 2AM-117354
Gold and steel.

 

South China Sea 2AM 117300-117310

South China Sea 2AM 117300-117310
A ten image panorama.

 

 

So long Malaysia, you are lovely and diverse, as are your people.

 

 

 

 

 

Malaysia (2 of 3) – Labuan and surrounds.

This is the second of three posts covering my recent trip to Malaysia. As it was not a photography or vacation trip, I took one camera with one lens – no tripod, flash, etc. Consequently, the great majority of these images are handheld, and all are taken essentially as ‘snapshots’ throughout the day/night and with whatever light was available, not targeted light. All images were captured with Canon 7D and Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens.

Labuan is one of three Federal Territories of Malaysia and is an island off Malaysian Borneo. This photo-blog will include some scenes from Labuan and some from nearby islands (island = Pulau).

All images are Copyright © Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Tiara Labuan Hotel 2AM-116933_7D

Tiara Labuan Hotel 2AM-116933
The Tiara Labuan Hotel, where I stayed for the first few days on Labuan.

 

Water Village - Labuan 2AM-116956_7D

Water Village – Labuan 2AM-116956
This is one of the “water villages” on Labuan Island, Malaysia. At high tide the water comes within about one foot of the floors of these homes. The people in this village were lovely, friendly, and apparently content with their lot in life – perhaps those of us with so-called ‘first-world problems’ could learn some lessons from these fine folks. This scene reminded me of areas in Papua New Guinea, where I was raised.

 

Water Village - Labuan 2AM-116959_7D

Water Village – Labuan 2AM-116959
A closer look at part of a water village.

 

As my purpose for this trip was marine related, i.e. working offshore on vessels, there are several images of boats and dry-dock…

Labuan 2AM-117376_7D

Labuan 2AM-117376
A storm and rainbow over a large assemblage of seismic vessels in Labuan Harbor.

 

Labuan 2AM-117371_7D

Labuan 2AM-117371
Pre-strorm light illuminates a portion of Labuan’s commercial district.

 

Fishing Boat - Labuan 2AM-117064_7D

Fishing Boat – Labuan 2AM-117064
A few local trawler vessels preparing for departure. I loved the character of the hulls of these boats.

 

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117092_7D

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117092
Scaffolding surrounds a ship that is dry-docked (photographed at night).

 

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117154_7D

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117154
A worker inside a dry-docked barge uses an oxy acetylene torch to cut out great plates of compromised steel that are part of the hull of this barge.

 

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117173_7D

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117173
Spectacular showers of molten steel sparks – a result of three oxy acetylene torches.

 

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117166_7D

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117166
Sparks rain down onto the great plates of steel as other plates are being cut out.

 

Water taxis were abundant and necessary for those, like me, who work on vessels.

Water Taxi - Labuan 2AM-117059_7D

Water Taxi – Labuan 2AM-117059
At rest – the bows of several taxis.

 

Labuan has an active bazaar which was both bustling and fascinating. All manner of goods and services are available including electronic repairs, jewelry, food, tailors, fashion, cobblers, etc.

Cobbler - Labuan 2AM-117069_7D


Cobbler – Labuan 2AM-117069
This shoe repairman was amazingly efficient with his workmanship, and a very pleasant fellow.

 

Cobbler - Labuan 2AM-117074_7D

Cobbler – Labuan 2AM-117074
Some of this cobbler’s tools of the trade – all manually applied instruments.

 

Bazaar - Labuan 2AM-117080_7D

Bazaar – Labuan 2AM-117080
A vendor watches a shopper stroll through a portion of the bazaar.

 

Arrrg! Almost without exception, whatever body of water I may be on, this is what I see, to varying extents (and this is only the visible stuff – I cannot imagine how much chemical contaminants are present). These images, though from Malaysian waters, are not endemic to this place.

Marine Trash - Labuan 2AM-117055_7D

Marine Trash – Labuan 2AM-117055
Quite the assortment!

 

Marine Trash - Labuan 2AM-117056_7D

Marine Trash – Labuan 2AM-117056
Trash piled up between two small barges.

 

As there were several days of downtime awaiting the arrival of the vessel which was the vehicle for my work, several of us – Australian, German, French, American – hired a local boat owner to take us to a few off the nearby islands.  These places, though offshore, are not exempt from marine pollution.

Palau Rusukan Kecil - Malaysia 2AM-117011_7D

Pulau Rusukan Kecil – Malaysia 2AM-117011
More marine trash – an aesthetics killer.

 

More scenics from Pulau Rusukan Kecil, this time sans trash. A thoroughly delightful and complex group of little islands, all very proximal to each other.

Palau Rusukan Kecil - Malaysia 2AM-116996_7D

Pulau Rusukan Kecil – Malaysia 2AM-116996

 

Palau Rusukan Kecil - Malaysia 2AM-117014_7D

Pulau Rusukan Kecil – Malaysia 2AM-117014
A lovely sense of isolation on this island’s beaches.

 

Palau Rusukan Kecil - Malaysia 2AM-117027_7D

Pulau Rusukan Kecil – Malaysia 2AM-117027
Tropical paradise.

 

This next island is designated as a marine park – a “no-take, no damage” island and surrounding waters.

Palau Kuraman - Malaysia 2AM-116984_7D

Pulau Kuraman – Malaysia 2AM-116984
The red vessel is the one we adventured with. A lovely place for a swim/snorkel.

 

The following four images are from Pulau Daat, an island with a village populated by Philippine fishermen and their families. The colors were so vivid – almost startling – so much so that I was keenly wanting to explore and visit with the residents.

Palau Daat - Malaysia 2AM-117049_7D

Pulau Daat – Malaysia 2AM-117049
The approaching view.

 

Palau Daat - Malaysia 2AM-117038_7D

Pulau Daat – Malaysia 2AM-117038
A sampling of the colorful little fishing boats. The fishermen take these little, and highly unstable, motorized vessels offshore to fish – you might notice the outriggers that they troll their lines/lures off.

 

Palau Daat - Malaysia 2AM-117040_7D

Pulau Daat – Malaysia 2AM-117040
Home to a fishing family – how about the color!

 

Palau Daat - Malaysia 2AM-117044_7D

Pulau Daat – Malaysia 2AM-117044
I was fortunate to spend time visiting with some of the folks whereby verbal communication was challenging due to language barriers. One thing I already knew from my various travels was reinforced though… a smile goes a million miles in human interactions. What started as a chat with the four men (photo-front), soon became a delightful visit with over 2 dozen folks, most of which were children – once they “got their courage up.”

 

Back to Labuan.

Pond Cleaning Man - Labuan 2AM-116954_7D

Pond Cleaning Man – Labuan 2AM-116954
A worker harvest plants from a freshwater pond at the WWII Memorial.

 

As my last location before I departed Malaysia was at a dock in Labuan, I’ll close this post with a few images from there.

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117392_7D

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117392
Mid afternoon a storm began building and I was hopeful there might just be some amazing light as dusk approached. I was not disappointed by the storm or the color!

 

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117395_7D

Labuan Shipyard 2AM-117395
Industrial imagination.

 

Hopefully you experienced some of the sights, sounds, and scents , if vicariously, through these images.

I sure appreciate you visiting.

Cheers,

Andrew

 

 

Great Southern Region – Australia’s South West

The Great Southern Region of Western Australia’s South West contains rolling pastoral landscapes, mountain ranges, rivers and streams, and forested cliffs abutting the seemingly relentless Southern Ocean. There are also delightful cosy coves, tranquil inlets, and calm bays – it is primarily a few portions of the stunning coast that I share in this photo-blog.

 

Aptly named “Elephant Rocks.”

Elephant Rocks 2AM-112553Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Elephant Rocks 2AM-112553
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

This is the lovely tranquil cove adjacent to (western side) Elephant Rocks.

Elephant Rocks - Denmark 2AM-112563Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Elephant Rocks – Denmark 2AM-112563
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Greens Pool, on the eastern side of Elephant Rocks, is rated one of Western Australia’s most idyllic beaches.

Greens Pool - Denmark 2AM-112593 Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Greens Pool 2AM-112593
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Winter rain approaches the tranquil and very torquoise Greens Pool.

Greens Pool 2AM-112550Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Greens Pool 2AM-112550
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Greens Pool - Denmark 2AM-112588Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Greens Pool 2AM-112588
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Greens Pool - Denmark 2AM-112591Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Greens Pool 2AM-112591
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Greens Pool - Denmark 2AM-112572Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Greens Pool 2AM-112572
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Greens Pool 2AM-112587Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Greens Pool 2AM-112587
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

A light-painting amidst a cold winter rain – Wilson Inlet.

Wilson Inlet 2AM-112649_7D

Wilson Inlet 2AM-112649
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Sunset near “The Gap” and “Natural Bridge.”

The Gap 2AM-112517Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens plus Cokin Z-pro Graduated Neutral Density filters.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

The Gap 2AM-112517
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

Coastal wildflowers and scrub near “The Gap” and “Natural Bridge.”

The Gap 2AM-30178Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

The Gap 2AM-30178
Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

 

A lovely gentle swell enters Lowlands Beach.

Lowlands Beach 2AM-112540Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.

Lowlands Beach 2AM-112540
Canon 7D with Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens.
© Andrew and Allison McInnes/2AM Photography. All rights reserved.