Rodney Campbell's Blog

I was back at Taronga Zoo again tonight for a special preview night for “Lights for the Wild“.

Tigers Roar

NIKON D750 + 12.0 mm f/2.8 @ 12 mm, 1/30 sec at f/4, ISO 1600

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

The fantastic new content from Ample Projects was on display on the Zoo’s heritage-listed main entrance.

Water ‘n Ice

NIKON D750 + 12.0 mm f/2.8 @ 12 mm, 1/15 sec at f/4, ISO 1600

Inside it was time to check out the horde of giant multimedia light sculptures – also from Ample Projects.

Pine Life

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 17 mm, 1/4 sec at f/8, ISO 100

Little Devils

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 35 mm, 1 sec at f/8, ISO 100

Seeking Ants

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 5 sec at f/13, ISO 100

Including a giant interactive Port Jackson Shark that will literally swallow you whole :).

Shaaaark

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1 sec at f/8, ISO 100

Each of these incredible installations and light sculptures tells a fascinating tale about conservation. Discover the stories about these beautiful animals and learn how the zoo is working to help save 10 species from extinction over the next 10 years.

Familiar Faces

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 22 mm, 1/25 sec at f/7.1, ISO 800

Beedom

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 23 mm, 1/2 sec at f/9, ISO 100

If you get the chance to visit the zoo this year one evening for Vivid I can highly recommend it. The kids will love it. It all starts this Friday night May 26 2017 @ 16:30PM through to Saturday June 17 2017 21:30PM.

Vivid Sydney hits Barangaroo for the first time. Whilst it’s interesting to visit Vivid each year, what keeps you coming back is the amazing new ways they make use of this technology each year.

A Day in the Light

NIKON D750 + 12.0 mm f/2.8 @ 12 mm, 1/5 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Barangaroo is the newest precinct in Sydney to get the Vivid touch.

Stormcell

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1/15 sec at f/5, ISO 3600

One thing that doesn’t change is the happy kids. Standing slack jawed looking in awe and wonder and all the weird and wonderful that is Vivid.

Storm Surge

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1/15 sec at f/5, ISO 2000

Here the installations are more interactive. None more so than Trap Door which the kids had an absolute ball being an integral part of the projected scene.

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Cracked

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1/8 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600

Trap Door

NIKON D750 + 12.0 mm f/2.8 @ 12 mm, 1/40 sec at f/4, ISO 2000

Once again it’s almost Vivid Sydney time again here in our fair city. From this weekend photographers and punters alike will be inexorably drawn to the glamour of the lights and sounds that are Vivid.

NIKON D750 + 12.0 mm f/2.8 @ 12 mm, 1/25 sec at f/8, ISO 800

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

As day turns to night the city will light up like jewels in the night sky. For it’s second year Taronga Zoo will play host to some fantastic projections on it’s heritage-listed main entrance. Inside you will again find amazing light sculptures to celebrate Lights for the Wild.

NIKON D750 + 12.0 mm f/2.8 @ 12 mm, 1/4 sec at f/8, ISO 800

Likewise everyone should prepare for their feeds to be inundated with photographs from the amazing lightshows and projections at Vivid.

NIKON D750 + 12.0 mm f/2.8 @ 12 mm, 1/20 sec at f/8, ISO 800

The photographic options at Cape Banks were so good I decided to get up early the next morning and do a sunrise reprise.

I know this one looks like it’s daylight here – however to the naked eye it was quite dark and this is a natural long exposure at the edge of twilight. Taken from the headland just in front of the lighthouse looking out over these fantastic rocks and the sea.

Softly Reprise

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 42 mm, 277 sec at f/8, ISO 400

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Now out on the rocks looking back at the headland and the lighthouse. I’m standing just in front of the first pile of “rocks” which tower behind me. This is a stitched panorama comprised of five (5) vertical frames, with the sun struggling to punch through the overcast skies.

Highrise

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 19 mm, 30 sec at f/11, ISO 100 x 5 Frames

Now up on top of the rock pile (perhaps 8 metres up) looking back at the headland. A Lee LittleStopper long exposure dragged out to over six minutes. Overcast skies turned to nice long streaks overhead – thankfully the wind (and thus the moving clouds) were heading in just the right direction for me.

Tales

NIKON D750 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 19 mm, 369 sec at f/8, ISO 100

I’d just arrived back at the car after our sunset session here at Cape Banks in South Australia where my daughter was waiting patiently for me to finish up. It was dark now – the sun had set an hour ago. I was packing my gear into the car when I looked up at the heavens and lo and behold the sky had cleared and it was a nice clear night. The milky way was streaking overhead and here I was right next to this fabulous red lighthouse.

Star Light

NIKON D750 + 12.0 mm f/2.8 @ 12 mm, 20 sec at f/2.8, ISO 3200 x 4 Frames

I begged another fifteen minutes from my daughter and quickly setup for some astro photography.

I wanted to give the new Laowa 12mm f/2.8 a try with some milky way action. It’s likely not the best lens for this type of work (with pretty noticeable coma in the corners). But hey I was here and the skies were clear :).

I tried a few single frame compositions but eventually moved back down the road a little for this four frame stitched vertical panorama. Utilising the 12mm horizontally it only required four 50% overlapping frames to cover from pointing slightly down in front of me to way behind my head above.