“Too bad it’s cloudy”. I heard that more than once as I was out shooting some pre-dawn/sunrise shots. ‘Thank goodness it’s cloudy’ is more how I felt. I love the deep purple/pink and blue tones created by the big dark clouds colliding with the sun’s spilling light.
We had a couple of days in Byron Bay this week, to meet up with the family on a short holiday. I got up extra early this morning, in an effort to beat the sun to the beach. I won, it was still a bit dark when I took my first step into the ocean. Such a glorious time of day, not to mention a photographic delight. I spent the next hour(ish) taking advantage of the sun’s steady approach on the horizon.
It was time well spent but now I must rest my weary head.
I really enjoy a quick Queensland storm. We had one today, which means I got to photograph one of my favorite things…raindrops.
I went to visit a friend early yesterday morning. When she opened the front door, this little Carpet Python fell right between us…and I was immediately morphed into my own personal photography heaven. Thankfully I was on my way for a hike with Toby and had my camera sitting on the front seat in the truck.
This was the most aggressive snake I’ve come across yet. Most Australians will immediately recognize these guys, often sprawled out across ledges or outdoor furniture. They are non-venomous and mistakenly thought to be docile. They are, however, generally quite aggressive and grow to over 3 meters with massive teeth. So non-venomous they may be, but harmless, absolutely not.
This little guy was thankfully only a baby. He struck at me every few seconds, nailing my lens, my flash and almost my finger several times. It was daunting, even though a bite wouldn’t have caused any major issues at this size. He did have MANY sharp little fangs that would easily pierce the skin, but not big enough to cause a major injury.
After our little photo shoot, I put a leather glove on and picked him up to carry him down to the river, away from the house. He bit me a few times on the glove at this point, actually piercing right into the leather and briefly hanging. Once he realized I was actually not a predator and meant him no harm at all, he settled and I was able to carry him peacefully away without the glove and any further attacks.
It was a great morning. Matter of fact, just after, on our hike, we saw two massive Lace Monitors (goannas) scurry up a tree…I was equipped with macro, so I did get some pics, but not the kind I would have had I been equipped with my telephoto lens. Oh well.
Shot this 6 legged spider in his web. Not sure how a spider loses 2 legs, but it’s not something I see often. Seemed photo worthy 🙂
A good friend joined Toby and I for a morning nature walk. She is a fellow Canon user as well. We did a bit a temporary lens swap. I enjoyed testing out her Canon 24-105 f/4 L. It will be a definite purchase for me in the near future.
He’s practically growing right before our eyes.
Dew drops on a spider web during our morning hike…
cindymccauley 
