InnerPilbara!

So you thought I hadn't made the cut! Well I did! Even if there were only six participants all in our age group well, almost all, and our glorious leader Tom Putt, did a great job. I can recommend any photographic tour led by him anywhere and I mean anywhere Australia or even further, say Namibia. But the choice is yours.
Many times were we glad that our group was small especially when we tried to find a spot for our tri- pods on those narrow ledges of rock. But you can be creative almost anywhere especially after swimming knee deep or more in freezing cold water with a water proof back-pack etc.

This was our hut where we slept each night...the almost full moon looking well and truly after us.
20mins was the most time we had each day as meals were provided 5 mins away...and of course early to bed and early to rise was the motto for budding photographers.

So we had the Karijini experience in the Karijini National Park. And we took the hint...Immerse yourself....even if we didn't see the actual experience until our last day. And seeing we had no little people to involve we just took some photos and went on.

We scrambled up and down rock ledges and stony outcrops discovering all gorges and their mysteries. Hangcock's name was everywhere...his spa on the right, a swimable waterhole leading into a much bigger and much colder water hole. The edges made wonderful abstract patterns under water. For these shots to happen we had to 'slide' down a rock wall trying to avoid slipping on the cracking and falling apart surface. It wasn't till we had made it up again that we read the notice on the outlook wall...'Do Not Climb! This area is closed to all access due to unforseen difficulties!' Oh Yeah!

 Our tour began getting to know the countryside and shooting at sunrise and sunset we immersed ourselves in the deepest knowledge. Of course all images were done using the tri-pod... I had to...all laziness forgotton. And...and...Tom made sure I shot in manual! I did what ? Yes and it made me a much better photographer or so I think. So much for shooting with settings on AV!
And then came the bonus! Tom took us somewhere where the only lights we saw were stars...yes the milky way...and wow...suddenly we could photograph the night sky!
Our knees were put to the test! And so were our abilities to wade in waist deep water keeping our photographic gear dry. The very narrow 'spider walk' , hands on either side of the rocky outcrop would hold us in position while we attempted to scale the sizable rocks in our path. Our swims in the cold pools were really a reward...and then to put up our tripods and be creative? Well maybe I am getting too old for these things!
And then just when it was time to say goodbye to everyone and the next day a free day I could see myself relaxing and nursing my aches and pains back to normality...no! Not so! A leisurely walk with swim at each end seemed too good to miss along the Dale Gorge floor....Oh for the quiet life!!!