Preparing for Next Trip - Yellow Footed Rock Wallabies

I should be staying at home base post processing images from my recent America trip. But, with the few public holidays available at Easter, I've decided to do a quick field trip to South Australia.

Although this trip is substantially shorter than most of my trips (10 days thereabouts) it should be long enough to capture what I want. I intend to beeline from Hobart (via the vehcle ferry from Devonport, Tasmania) to Melbourne, Adelaide, and then onto the Flinders Ranges. The distance one way is approximately 2200 KM (one way). I know of three locations in the ranges (off the beaten track and only accessible with a four wheel drive vehicle) that provide the opportunity to photograph the rare and endangered Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus).

These wallabies are relatively small in statue and are probably one of the most beautifully marked wallabies within Australia. Photographing them well, in their natural habitat, is challenging. The "yellow foots" spend most of the day high on the cliffs seeking shelter within small caves and overhangs, and only venture down to lower terrain in the very late afternoon to spend the evening grazing on grasses along banks of streams, etc. In the early morning they begin their climb once again to the dizzy heights of the rocky escarpment.

Therefore, shooting is usually in very low light, in the we hours of the morning, or very early evening. Add to this the extremely dusty (and often windy conditions) in the desert and you have a situation not exactly conducive to acquiring good photographs.

It' unfortunate that my shooting partner couldn't make this trip, due to being involved in another shoot. Therefore, I will be alone and bush camping from my four wheel drive vehicle.

In addition to shooting at the three locations I know of, I will also be reconnoitering a few other locations in the area seeking areas to shoot on my next visit to the ranges. Other animals I expect I may encounter are emus, euros, kangaroos, lizards, and of course the usual selection of Australian endemic parrots.

I hope to keep this up to date on the trip via satellite internet - we'll see.

Back in Australia - Planning for the Next Venture

Well the seven week USA trip is over. I have 420 GIG of RAW files to sort, delete, keyword, and hopefully process a few for publication. It seems that as I ponder the images and think of some of the sites I have seen, I only start to think of the next trip around the corner, then the next after that, and so forth - it never seems to end!

The problem is that I end up with copious volumes of RAW files that never see the light of day as I'm busy shooting the next trip. Any unemployed darkroom assistant's out there want a job!

I feel a little discombobulated as this the first time I have returned from a trip without another already in the pipe! My normal "modus operandi" is to always have two trips organized at any one time, so when I return the next is around the corner so to speak. I feel that if I don't get something nailed to the floor very soon, with airfares booked and paid, I will miss out.

If some of you are curious as to what I do when I'm back in Hobart, well apart from trying to do my day job (which seems to get more part-time by the month), I post process, keyword and market my images, and do day trips within the state capturing further images of nature and wildlife.

Well back to that calendar and schedule. "I can hear the wolves calling my name"

Thank You

Wildlife photography by its nature is a relatively lonely pursuit for the majority of the time. Wildlife and crowds usually don't mix, unless you are photographing city pigeons and sparrows.

Despite this, the logistical support required to photograph animals in their natural environment can be very in-depth and require the knowledge and expertise of many individuals. Not to mention any extended stay in an overseas country usually requires help from another at some stage or another.

Many people helped me on this trip and I wish to thank them.

So was the trip worthwhile and would I repeat the trip?? Definitely.

America has absolutely stunning landscapes, many cute rural towns, exceptional wildlife, and many interesting and unique people from differing cultures. It seems that every time I visit this country, I want to return and spend longer than the previous visit......

So what's next? There's quite a bit in the pipeline - Another trip to Canada to photograph spirit bears and a trip to the arctic to photograph polar bears for a start. The prime time to photograph the Falklands is approaching quickly and if I'm to visit this area some planning will be needed.

Check out the website - www.AnaspidesPhotography.net

San Francisco and Australia

Arriving late into San Francisco after midnight, left little time to complete anything worthwhile in the city before my flight back to Australia the following evening. The morning was spent sorting, cleaning and packing, which left the late afternoon to briefly explore one of the local parks and take in the sunset.

As it is every time I travel, the amount of equipment needed for photography far exceeds baggage allowances. This trip was “heavier” than usual due to the nature of the trip (NANPA conference, local shooting in SF, desert shooting and shooting in a very cold climates) resulting in the need for a variety of equipment and clothing to be brought from Australia. I was very surprised when Qantas staff at KSFO motioned me through without a second look at the number of bags I had (2 large checked bags, 1 checked pelican 1510), and a think tank international roll on, hand-carry bag, and photo backpack as carry on!!

I guess I was lucky - as usually I'm "stung" with hefty fees for excess baggage!

Oregon Coast & Down

Leaving Wallace, Oregon was in our sites! Rebecca and I were both keen to reconnoiter the Oregon coast with a view to a future trip to this area. Oregon is renown for its many lighthouses, Art Deco bridges, and of course the largest tree in the USA – the California redwood.

Unfortunately, time was not on our side so not much time was spent in Oregon, other than driving south along the coast road and visiting the Yaquina lighthouse, America’s tallest lighthouse, which began operation as a in 1822 and was reverted to mains power (no lighthouse keeper) in 1966.

The interior of the lighthouse is as it was when in use and a tall spiral staircase leads to the brass encased light at the top of the structure.

At the base of the lighthouse, harbor seals use the rocks as a hauling out area. The seals are edgy and care must be used when approaching them otherwise they will stampede into the water.

One aspect regarding Oregon which surprised me was the quality of the food at some of the local eateries – the food was exceptionally yummy after the rather bland diet further east. The eatery we dined in had a local gal singing who was quite good and I dined on dungeon crab and shrimp which was a far cry from my usual SubWay vegetarian roll.

Humorous Experience

One humorous experience was when Rebecca went to fill her car with gas at the gas station. As she was pumping the gas, a man in an orange waterproof jacket approached her and asked if she needed a hand. Rebecca replied that she was fine and why would she want a hand. The man persisted in his intentions and Rebecca began to think that the guy was a “fruitcake” as he continued with his questioning. Rebecca thought “should I grab the thaser and “zap” him. Then, the man leaned toward the car and said “I see you are from out of state, referring to the California license plate. It then became apparent what was happening. In California you pump gas yourself. In Oregon, the gas is pumped for you. The man was the gas attendant and was only doing his job.