Robert's Ramblings

I actually thought about not saying 'Thank you' in the title of this 'best nine' composite image for the year 2018 that was. It just seemed odd, or out of place. I am glad I kept it.

2018 has been a year of highs and lows from injury, and rehabilitation to opportunities to travel and experience some extraordinary places in our amazing world. Over many years photography has changed the way I value places and moments. It has opened my eyes to the joy of sharing. It has helped grow a sense of direction for the future and helped distill my goals for 2019 and beyond.

Looking back I realise how blessed I am for the awesome people in my life from which all this has come. I must thank my closest friends, the ones who encourage my crazy ideas, nag me when I start to get lazy, criticise my attitude when it needs it and make life between adventures fun.

Then there are my peers, mentors, peers, mentors... Those fellow photographers, many also my good friends, who are my inspiration, my competition and my motivation. Of these I am especial grateful for the long time friendship of Darren Jew who has inspired me for nearly ten years now to take on the extraordinary adventures like the Norwegian fjords to swim with and photograph the orca.

Finally thank you to my ever patient and always supportive family, our daughter Rebekah for putting up with yet another photo and to my wife Jennifer for simply letting me go out and do what I love.

Thank you all.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Thank You For Making 2018 Extraordinary'

Twas the Night before Christmas

By Clement Clarke Moore

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Photo: Robert Rath, 'The Night Before Christmas' 1/200s f/2.5 ISO800 50mm

Some people love to travel to foreign destinations. Some people just love travelling.

Airport lounges and stop overs are all part of the mix. The trick is finding the travelling as interesting as the destination.

Having a camera at hand makes all the difference.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Gate Lounge' 1/5s f/22 ISO100 16mm

Peering down into the inky, who knows how deep, black water beneath me I was beginning to question the merit of floating out here in a Norwegian fjord well after sunset. Still it's warmer here in the water than in the icy wind above me.

Then suddenly a flash of whiteness snaps me out of my moribund reverie and I am wooting with orca joy again.

I have no idea if I can capture this beautiful creature in the darkness. Perhaps I'll get lucky as he fades into the blackness below.

Photo: Robert Rath, 'A Flash of Whiteness' 1/200s f/2.8 IS12800 35mm

We had just finished putting up the tree. Braced, it . Watered it. Waited a while longer and watered it again.

Soon the room was filled the lovely smell of fresh pine and we stood back to admire our unadorned symbol of Christmas.

Just as we we inspecting the crown we noticed that the prime position was already spoken for. There at the top tracing the pine needle tips was a silver star of web along with it's creator.

It looks like the Christmas trimming has already begun.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Christmas Spider' 2s f/14 ISO800 100mm

The fountain in Rundle Mall is over 100 years old and seems at odds with the recent modernisation of 'The Mall'.

I am so glad they made it an integral part of our modern mall along with other hints of a bygone age.

As I walk though Adelaide's premier retail precinct I am awed by all the sparkle, the glitz and the shiny things but the fountain makes me smile.

Photo: Robert Rath, 'Splish Splash' 1/1000 f/1.4 ISO1600 50mm

Stroll down any high street and peer into any of the many retail outlets at the goods for sale and shoppers eagerly perusing and purchasing with enthusiasm.

The future must be bright. Even the mannequins have to wear shades ...


Photo: Robert Rath, 'The Future's So Bright', 1/320s f/1.4 ISO320 50mm

Among the many things I love about Adelaide, are her sunsets which can be something extraordinary.

Being distracted by so many other shiny things of late (metaphor for both orca and long hours at work) it was an absolute delight this weekend past when she turned on one of her amazing sunset spectacles.

It's been a while so I headed down to the ocean and set up my camera in the in the gentle surf of Henley beach and this night I felt like she was welcoming me home again.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Henley Beach Welcome', 0.4s f/16 ISO100 160mm

It seems almost idyllic here with the orca in the waters off Skjervøy. The weather has been kind to us but that will not last for much longer.

The mountains which create the deep fjords provide protection from the winds by limiting their fetch and keeping the seas calm. Still there are limits and a storm is on its way. No matter how bad it gets the orca will not mind here in the fjords but not so for us.

We will be sailing from Skjervøy back to Tromsø so must leave before the storm arrives.

'... so long and thanks for all the fish'


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Lazy Days Before The Storm', 1/400s f/2.8 ISO1600 200mm

'Stortinget', in the centre of Oslo, is an intimidatingly grand building and well deserving of a captured image during my meanderings through this beautiful city.

Had I been here during the day, and more specifically, on a Saturday, I might have had the chance of a guided tour if I was one of the first 30 people to wait in line. Other than that the only way to see the inside of the The Norwegian Parliament, the centre of political power in Norway, would be to become a Norwegian citizen and get elected to office.

This time around, just capturing its beautiful night time grandeur will be enough.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Stortinget', 2.5s f/16 ISO160 16mm

I had my seat allocated and was asked not to change seats until we had reached cruising altitude.

With only four of us in this entire section I was spoiled for choice not just on what side of the plane I'd admire the view from but then which row of seats to choose to sleep for the night.

On a thirteen hour long haul ferry flight with full cabin service who needs a higher class!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Ferry Flight', 1/100s f/8 ISO800 20mm

For seven days and seven nights you were our home, our comfort, our security.

You brought us all together.
You shared our conversations.
You kept us protected from the cold.
You gave us a place to sleep at night.
You provided wholesome meals to help us recharge.
We didn't have to come ashore unless we wanted to.
We woke to the smells of breakfast from your galley.
You provided hot showers after days out in the water.
Your coffee machine was always ready.
And you showed us the orca of Norway.

Thank you Ostee Star and Crew, you were awesome!!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Ostee Star', 1/800s f/2.8 ISO1600 200mm

It's not everyday you see such a juxtaposition of ideas in the one moment.

Here we are watching one of the oldest creatures on the planet being stalked by a new predator, the new tech on the block, the drone.

Then there is the realisation you just might be looking at that killer National Geographic footage of a humpback whale preparing to dive from a vantage point you could never have imagined not so long ago. Except that you are outside of the illusion which will capture the imagination of thousands if only for a fleeting moment before the next jaw dropping scene rushes them on to the next visual feast.

Out here it all happens as it happens; in its own good time. That drone or even our photographs may capture beautiful moments but it can never capture an entire day or week or season. To experience that you simply have to be here. Not just for the spectacular moments but for all the spaces that separate them.

Still, I'd love to have been that drone.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'The Humpback and the Drone', 1/640s f/2.8 ISO1600 200mm

Looking up into the that vast green aurora emblazoned across the Norwegian night sky and how it spread from horizon to horizon you simply cant take it all in in at once. Unless you have the eyes of a fish that is!

Taken with a fish eye lens that has true 180 degree vision you can indeed capture it all at once. At first that unfamiliar circular image just does not make sense to our non-fish brains. It should be rectangular shouldn't it?

Actually even with our own eyes we see the world in circles, just not 180 degrees of it at once. We have just gotten so used to our paintings, pictures, photographs, books, devices and screens being rectangular that we have almost forgotten what our eyes really see.

That night in Skjervøy we saw the eye of the dragon up there!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Eye of the Dragon', 10s f/4 8 ISO3200 8mm

Each day we went out we left the cosy comfort of our host vessel, the Ostee Star, donned several layers of thermal undergarments and enclosed our selves in dry-suits. Two layers of neoprene hoods and gloves later and we were ready. I added another twelve kilograms of lead on my weight belt just to male sure I'd stay under the water with all that undesired buoyancy.

We spent our days out in the fjords on the fast and nimble inflatable runabouts, 'Brig' and 'Nemo'. These small but quick boats were essential to moving us around quickly as we followed moving pods of orca or traveled to flocking seabirds hinting at an orca hunt in progress off in the distance.

These little boats and their drivers, Norbi here on the Brig and Ali on our boat Nemo, not only gave us a sense of freedom out on water but also of vulnerability, excitement, and adventure. The other advantage of these stable little boats is being able to get into the water and back onto the boat quickly again. I lost count of how many times Ali called "into the water' and then "back in the boat", over and over and over and over.

Of course we did not have to get into the water for every orca encounter. There was plenty to see from the boats as well. Sometimes not jumping in was the better option as many of our underwater encounters were just brief glimpse when the pod choose to dive below us or change direction.

Most of the peopIe I know think of an adventure like this one with the orca in Norway as being a 'once in a life time' experience. I'd like to turn that around into 'a lifetime of' experiences. I'll be back!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'The Brig', 1/800s f/2.8 ISO640 70mm