A wedged boulder with a view to a mist veiled North Rams Head, Kosciuszko National Park, NSW Australia
After walking around North Rams Head in the fog, failing to achieve an image, I walked down a gentle slope to a boulder wedged between two granite outcrops. Thinking this might work I climbed the outcrop. Sometimes an image doesnt suggest what is happening to the photographer and whats going through the mind. Behind me as I setup is a sheer drop of six metres, tripod legs extended are at the edge. As I compose I have to lean awkwardly to see the viewfinder, and then there's the wind. Why is it that the best positions to photograph from are frought with danger? North Rams Head appears and disappears in the fog. The focus distance is to close for the lens so I need two images to blend together. Which means I need to get the exposure and the amount of fog correct for both images without falling of the edge in the process. Piece of cake. Late afternoon sun is tainting the seen the faintest of yellows. Six images are made when I suddenly realise that I have a long way back to the tent in the fog, and I left the compass with Megan. I have about 2 hours of light left, and as heavy fog sets in I can only see 10 metres in front of me. Panic nors at the edges. I set off sticking to a ridge that I know follows a line to a twin humped ridge above Lake Kootapatamba. One foot in front of the other, theres no defining objects, I can only work out the distant ridge by its Northward fall towards Etheridge rdge. After some time I see some boulders, shapes I remember and a hump of rock standing proud. Beyond this I should be able to see the lake and the Koscisuzko massif but all is grey nothingness. I'm only a stones throw from the tent, which way to go? Fog is everywhere and I have no bearings now, Panic nors again. I sit and think for while strianing to remember where it could be. Time tics on. I have to find it otherwise its spending a night outside in 0 degree conditions with not enough clothes. There's only an half an hour before sunset, veering left, I aim for a hill barely
Size: 4872px × 6509px
Photo credit: © Matt Smith / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: alpine, australia, australian, boulders, bushwalking, erratic, fog, granite, head, kosciuszko, landscape, mist, mountain, national, park, rambling, rams, range, rock, scene, south, tramping, trek, wales, wild, wilderness
