Competition: Other states November 2012

Valley of the WatersVern

BWA October 2016 | 29

Light and shadow Brian Eglinton

WINNER

Nature's spotlight on the Apostles Cajun

Fairy Bower Falls, Morton National Park Mandy Creighton

Feathered oceanLouise Fairfax

Almost a mini canyon John Walker

Light and shadow from the summit of Mt Bogong. The ascent of the Staircase was with fervent hopes that the gale force winds would calm down enough to allow me to camp on top of Mt Bogong. That was the forecast, and the BOM got it right, for which I was thankful. The breeze was still enough to seek some shelter - but the only thing standing on top is the large summit cairn. So I put up the tent in its lee and enjoyed a perfect freezing night with a full moon.Morning had me crunching the icy ground early - in time to see the sun forming a very distinctive earth shadow to the west. The full moon was still suspended near the horizon just above the shadow in that part of the atmosphere, glowing red with the first light of the dawn. I was on top of the world peacefully watching it waken.

Stonehenge Trickos

BWA October 2016 | 31

Narcissus camp Tigercat

WINNER

The AmphitheatreNorth-north-west

A morning view south west Osik

Pelion plains Jeremy Willson

The Cap under cloud - Nick Morgan

Looking up! Quaile Falls Caedencekuepper

A beautiful dawn camping by the Narcissus River, Lake St Clair after a three day off track trip to Byron, Cuvier and Manfred in unusually good weather for October. This is the finish point for many Overland Track walkers. I took the shot from the jetty where you catch the ferry.

Rugged grandeur Louise Fairfax

BWA October 2016 | 33

Morning light on Eldon BluffNorth-north-west

WINNER

Jamison Dawn Tom Brennan

Budawangs from Pigeon House Mountain Mandy Creighton

Close of day in the tropics Louise Fairfax

First light Mt Byron Tigercat

The vowed return to complete the Eldon Abels was a trip that had everything - including moments of such sublime beauty as captured in this image. Getting this far had been hard work, but watching the shifting light on Eldon Bluff from the campsite - both the evening before and this glorious morning - made all hard work forgettable. Any wonder I still want to go back, again ...

Pelion perfection in reflection Nick Morgan

Top of Victoria Brian Eglinton

BWA October 2016 | 35

King of the castleTom Brennan

WINNER

Liffey Falls Tigercat

Cheeky bugger Cajun

Moonrise Brian Eglinton

Telopea SpeciosissimaJohn Walker

It's fairly common to see Mountain Dragons (Rankinia diemensis) skittering across tracks and fire trails in the Blue Mountains, though it's a lot harder to spot them when they aren't moving. I spotted this little fella perched on a rock along a fire trail on one of the tracks around Woodford in the Blue Mountains. I carefully backtracked, put the longest lens on my camera, and lay down on the ground to get an eye to eye angle on him. He stayed still, regarding me suspiciously, as I slowly crawled forward firing off shots.

Alpine garden detail North-north-west

Lizard paradise Doric Swain

BWA October 2016 | 37

Yellow rumped thornbill Iandsmith

WINNER

Fearless Lorraine Parker

Top Pool Davies Creek Falls Brian Eglinton

Can't really remember when I got really interested in bird photography, but Ash Island in Newcastle certainly had some influence and, when the local birding community got me onto a man named Alwyn Simple, I was hooked. I met Alwyn at the Port Augusta Arid Lands Centre (highly recommended if you're ever over that way) and he showed me more in 20 minutes than I would have otherwise learned in the next three months and, he convinced me to get a decent lens, which I did, picking it up at Alice Springs. For the record, it's a 50-500 Sigma and I use it with Nikon SLRs.

Then I quickly realized that some birds are harder to shoot than others and this is one, the reason is not because you can't get near them, but because most small birds are very mobile, it's hard to get a shot of them standing still. I've built up quite a portfolio now and am currently working on an album of the best.

The old viaduct John Walker

BWA October 2016 | 39

Summer is coming but Pindars Peek has it's winter coat on MJD

WINNER

Pandani grotto Osik

Nicholls Rivulet at sunset Caedencekuepper

BWA October 2016 | 41

Tarkine wanderingsDavo1

WINNER

Looking back to Mt Wylly from the lower slopes of Victoria Cross - MJD

In dry times John Walker

Little Bay South West Rocks National Park Lorraine

Life in the pond Iandsmith

Bartle Frere from Mt Baldy Brian Eglinton

A silent universe Osik

BWA October 2016 | 43

Tau emeralds mating Iandsmith

WINNER

Mossy tree Whorl Milford Kitty

Above and belowJohn Walker

Backlight Lorraine

Ghost tree Osik

I started shooting dragonflies, aka the "jewels of the sky", when I was on a trip to Western Australia. It was the bright red ones that first got me in. After a time I started actually looking for them, learning their habits and what was interesting. One of the things was the emeralds (named because of when light is refracted in their eyes). They were so hard to get a picture of because they're always on the wing. Many others rest frequently and are easy to shoot, not so the emeralds. So, when the opportunity presented itself to catch them mating, I could barely contain my excitement.

Red and green Brian Eglinton

BWA October 2016 | 45