Granite Boulders of Sturt National Park in Dramatic Sunrise light, Tibbooburra, Outback NSW Australia
I awoke with an impending sense of doom, reluctant to leave bed. The night before was our first splurge back in civilisation where for once, someone else prepared dinner and washed up, it was very welcome especially for Megan who bore the brunt of the cooking while I was out taking advantage of the golden hour. Maybe I was just exhasted after seven days of driving and camping, and of course continually photographing non stop. Looking through the curtains of our hotel it was still dark and no stars, that means cloud. I looked at the bed, will I wont I? So I got dressed and drove out to the Granite Hills, having no Idea where I'm going or what to photograph. I stop in the car park get the gear and start walking. 100 metres on is a track leading up a small hill, the cloud is heavy and gloomy, just the ticket for my sense of doom. I start walking up the track and run face on into a web with spider intact. After the initial shock of it I look East and see there's a slendor gap of light on the horizon. My mood changes to hope. I go off track climbing what first seemed a small hill which now has many false summits, looking for that elusive boulder I could use for foreground. I'm in the swing of it now but face plant into another web, the spider frantically trying to scamper away via my shoulder. Adrenalin now pumping I charge to the top, tripod held in front and I find what I'm looking for, a giant boulder 5 metres tall with a view North to undulating hills. I climb atop a larger jumble of boulders to get a higher view so the boulder stays below the horizon, no spiders this time, and setup and wait. Clouds turn pink, then orange, before fading to grey and then it happens. The sun bursts through that gap, its rays channeled and intensified by the oppressive cloud overhead. The landscape turns golden. I make three images before the sun disappears and the gloom returns. It begins to drissle but I'm elated at the experience. Returning to the hotel we pack up and head into town
Size: 6548px × 4885px
Photo credit: © Matt Smith / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: australia, australian, beauty, boulders, corner, country, dramatic, golden, granite, jump, landscape, light, national, natural, outback, park, rock, south, stormy, sturt, sunrise, tibooburra, wales
