An early morning visit to Long Reef didn’t result in the colourful sunrise I had hoped for. Instead the sun didn’t even make an apperance. Seeing the large band of cloud sat on the horizon most photographers would have given up favouring more sleep. A reassuring lesson on my part, good photos can be taken in any conditions.

Waves crash and poor over this interesting rock formation, the slow shutter speed gives the image a feel of movement and ferocity.

Photographed on the outer rock shelf, Long Reef as water pores over the step like formation.

Gee sunrise is early these days, not that it was late in the olden days, it just the Australian summer. A 5am start was well worth it though, Curl Curl light up as the morning rays hit the beach giving great colour and contrast.

Budapest, a sprawling city of old and new. Its historic sites, and natural thermal hot pools, make this city, split by Danube a fascinating place to visit.

Hungarian Parliament Building

Fishermans Bastion

Countryside Italy, rolling pinstriped grape covered hills, soft warm light, old towns and thin cypress trees.

Cappella Di Vitaleta, Tuscany

Vineyard, Tuscany

Cappella Di Vitaleta, Tuscany

Piazza del Duomo, Florence

Farmhouse, Tuscany

Best viewed large

Venice, Italy was one place on my trip around Europe that I had actually longed to visit for a number of years. It’s a very special place and must been seen to be believed. The labyrinth of lane ways, and rivers with dozens of bridges, churches, historic buildings, boats, and shops will leave you bewildered, lost and in love. Of course with the thousands upon thousands that arrive on its shores every day (look out for the cruise ships queueing up) the best and most private time to enjoy this magical place is early morning.

Street corner, Venice

Garage, Venice

Madonna dell Orto, Venice

Piazza San Marco, Venice

Gondola, Venice

A young woman relaxes, Venice

Reflections, Venice

Left: Leaning buildings, Venice
Right: Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore, Venice

Left: Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
Right: Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore, Venice

Bartolomeo Colleoni, Venice

Painted houses, Burano

Left: Washing, Burano
Right Top: Clothes line, Burano
Right Bottom: Lady returning home with shopping, Burano

A simple yet striking composition, a yellow canola field, grey sky and a lone tree.

I’ve wanted to shoot Coogee for some time now. I lived there as a backpacker (don’t we all?) in 2003 so it’s somewhere close to my heart. The rock pool is an obvious focal point but I wanted to represent it in a unique way and choose a more minimalistic composition photographing from high above looking down, the way most passers-by view it.

Turimetta in all it’s green glory. This wide angle panorama, photographed shortly after sunset shows the nights sky glowing a beautiful purple which contrasts against the green moss covered rocks.

A popular spot with local photographers, Turimetta can get somewhat crowded. The beach is constantly evolving with sands being dumped and stripped from its shores with a changing tide and the seasonal green moss covering its rocks adding colour.

Camera Maker: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Shutter Speed: 6 sec
Aperture: f/16
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Sensitivity: 100

Mount Cook reflects in the still Lake Matheson at twilight. Photographed in 2008, I spent the next hour in sub zero temperatures stood on its icy shore hoping to get a long exposure of the stars reflecting in the lake. When the shutter finally opened I quickly realised that the lens was fogged up and the photo was nothing but a blur. Lesson learnt, when photographing near water check your lens for fogging (especially when cold!).

Tasmania’s Sleepy Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula is a stunning red rock lined bay, and a great place to spend sunrise.