Forrest Ballroom
Travelling through Tasmania in March 2022 as part of our Grand Apple Isle Tour, one of the most significant, if not greatest sections of the trip was a 2 day visit to Cradle Mountain in the heart of the state.
Greater detail of this magnificent part of the state can be found in our blog, but suffice to say it is mind blowing.
Comprising a collection of ecosystems not rightly belonging together, this National Park is home to trees and plants found nowhere else in the world, evolving over a 60 million year period.
Hidden within the shadow of Cradle Mountain itself is a section of rainforest unbelievably spectacular, and while nearing the end of the 6km Dove Lake walk, perhaps missed by many passers by. Walking through this canopy covered section of primeval rainforest, I noticed an almost clearing of fallen trees and moss-laden stumps. This is why I carted my tripod 6km around the walk. For this every image.
I called out to Lyndall telling her to rest for a while - she obliged thankfully - and began setting up my gear and composing a shot. All the while walkers, visitors, tourist, whatever they called themselves, continued along the raised boardwalk seemingly not noticing the beauty that stood before us all. I got the tripod set up, camera connected, and shifted positions for the desired composition.
What I settled on was a image showing the vast girth of trees framing either side, the density of trees and vegetation in centre frame with no evident end, and a foreground of broken, fallen limbs covered in the greenest, thickest moss.
With the sun shielded by a high canopy of rainforest, the clouds revealed, then hid light from the scene. I waited patiently for one beam in particular to fall upon the middle left of image giving the capture more of a three dimensional consideration. A 24mm focal length was wide enough to show the true feeling of the scene, and an f stop of 8 provided good depth of field. With no moving parts, a shutter speed of 1/3 was chosen to balance out the exposure triangle,
In the end, not only did I thankfully love the scene before me and the tranquillity nature itself provided, but my patience, timing and oneness with country allowed me to grab I think my favourite image of the trip….but I say that about every photo I take.
24mm. f/8. 1/3sec. ISO 100.