Robert's Ramblings

For some reason while standing here I could not get that childhood nursery rhyme out of my head.

"Baa baa black sheep have you any wool? ...". Except these sheep only had black heads.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 683, Three Bags Full', 1/400s f/2.8 ISO640 200mm

We have some of the most colourful and interesting sea stars here in our Southern waters but I have to admit that I often overlook them as I search for the more 'exotic' creatures such as nudibranchs, cephalopods or dragons.

Sea stars are everywhere and not just many of the same type but a wide variety of species as well. Even sea stars of the same species often look very different from each other as any biscuit star will beautifully demonstrate.

While diving near the 'T' at Rapid Bay Jetty I came across this Red Sea Star, Pentagonaster dubeni, which was as visually conspicuous as an orange safely flare as it sat perched atop some bottom structure.

Perhaps I will pay a little more attention to the sea stars in the future and give the 'exotics' a break for a while!.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 682, Starry Eyed Surprise', 1/160s f/13 ISO640 40mm+2D

Anyone who has dived Rapid Bay Jetty over the last 6 weeks would know how bad the visibility has been.

There have been days there when you could not see more than 50cm through the milky brine which always seems to follow a period of northerly fetch. I have heard many different opinions on why the visibility here is so changeable. Some people suggest that it has been 'bad' since the new jetty was built a few years ago due to disturbance of the sea bed however I can remember these 'milky' days from when I first started diving and the original jetty was still intact and in use.

My thoughts are that the 'milk' is cause by colloidal gypsum, a legacy of years of gypsum loading here and the the long term exposure of the area to gypsum dust both directly and through run-off.
I am sure the sea bed surrounding the area is loaded with this super fine gymsum. A prolonged northerly fetch creates a ground surge which lifts the dust back into the water making it milky blue.

The visibility here is very good at the moment at around 10-15m. It's an odd kind of visibility with the the milkiness still there but at least now you can enjoy the old wives swimming among the pylons.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 681, Rapid Bay Looking Good', 1/160s f/11 ISO640 22mm+2D

I came across this pair of cuttlefish hovering over the broken bottom under Rapid Bay Jetty.

At first I thought they might be juvenile giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama) but as I watched I started to wonder if they were already full grown.

After some research and further deliberations I've decided the only thing I can be sure of is that they are very cute regardless.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 680, Cute Cuttlefish', 1/160s f/11 ISO640 40mm+2D

Anyone who has seen the movie 'Life of Pi' will be familiar with the gorgeous golden tones the producer has rendered into some of the cinematic sequences.

It reminded me of how the 'golden hour' has become almost sacred to me in terms of filling the world with the most gorgeous light imaginable.

Here is my local Henley Beach in all of its golden glory!


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 679, Henley Beach Gold', 10s f/16 ISO160 15mm

The sunset photographers were out in force tonight down here at Henley Beach.

What started out as a promising spectacular sunset with the sun periodically bursting forth from rents in the cloudy western sky soon proved to be a little less than hoped for. There was just too much cloud and the sun disappeared for the evening well before sunset.

While packing up for the evening I met another local Adelaide landscape photographer David Fielding and we spent the next half an hour on the cold and windy foreshore discussing landscapes, lightroom and luminosity! (As you do!). If we had been a little smarter the cafe just back from the beach would have been a better option.

The cold eventually took its toll and I grabbed this last image before heading back home.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 678, Twilight Pastels', 6s f/6.3 ISO1600 15mm

I have now seen three difference species of ray down at a Rapid Bay over the last few days.

This guy is a masked stingaree (Trygonoptera personata) and although common to South Australian coastal waters was not actually recognised as a unique species until relatively recently, in fact, about the same time I learned to scuba dive.

When I had seen these on previous dives I had mistaken them for juveniles but this little guy is probably a fully grown individual and was happy to just lay there and watch as we watched back.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 677, Being Watched', 1/100s f/18 ISO320 100mm+20mmExt

Over the last month I have been following the progress of a brooding Tasseled Anglerfish (Rhycherus filamentosus) with a clutch of eggs.

I have been quite wrong about hatching timing with my first prediction being the last week of October. Finally the little guys are hatching and on this dive I save and watch for nearly an hour as some of the little anglerfish worked their way out of the casing. This is where it gets interesting.

During the early stages it looked like the clutch was attached to the back wall of some structure and the parent lay against the eggs to guard them. On this dive I watch the parent collected the the large mass into a single large clump and vigorously shake them sending little anglerfish who had hatched but were stuck in the egg-mass to be thrown clear.

In this image you can count at least two babies already clear and the one in the centre just emerging from its shell.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 676, Birthing Anglerfish', 1/100s f/16 ISO320 100mm+20mmExt

Our local Southern Calamari, Sepioteuthis australis, are amazing creatures able to change their body colour at will to match the surrounds.

During a moonless night however their chromatophores attempt to match the darkness and saturate with all kinds of intense colours. The moment you hit them with a a flash of white light they they show colours you would never have imagined. Just beautiful!

Despite the darkness this guy is keeping an eye out as we are diving in a popular squidding location off Rapid Bay Jetty. I'm sure he's safe from the chef's pan, at least for now!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Day 675, Keeping An Eye Out' 1/100s f/18 ISO100+20mmExt

Inside this 'Disneyland like' structure is Cavalia, I am told one of the greatest horse shows ever!

Also inside the tent is the rest of my beautiful family reveling in the experience. So why are they on the inside and me on the outside? Now I am asking myself that very same question after being told I would have loved it.

Oh well I got a good photo of tent at least.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Day 674, Cavalia' 3.2s f/7.1 ISO100 17mm

Today I did the rounds again checking up on my expecting anglerfish and leafy sea dragon and keeping up with the general comings and goings under Rapid Bay Jetty.

While I was down there a school of Six-spined Leatherjacket (Meuschenia freycineti) decided to make me their leader and follow me around. Where I turned around to take a photograph the question on their lips was obvious.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Day 673, Dude, What Kind of Fish Are You?' 1/100s f/16 ISO320 100mm+20mmExt

A few days ago there were four baby Tasseled Anglerfish (Rhycherus filamentosus) in this location.

When I came back and saw only one my first thought was that something had taken (eaten) them. Now that I have the image on the screen it is clear that they have 'hatched' and left of the own accord.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Day 672, And Then There Was One' 1/100s f/18 ISO320 100mm+20mmExt

I am driving through Myponga every other day now and passing through so much gorgeous scenery.

Most of the time my camera is still entombed in its underwater housing but this time I did my best to dry off the housing and retrieve it on route.

There are so many wonderful views of the Myponga Reservoir and I will start to explore them but for starters I've just pulled over on the side of the road just out of Myponga and captured the view from there.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 670, Myponga Reservoir', 1/30s f11 ISO100 15mm

Something scary for Halloween!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Day 671, Boo' 1/1250s f/2.8 ISO1600 200mm

Unlike a bulldozer the nudibranch (sea slug) Ceratosoma brevicaudatum eats its way through its path rather than pushes it.

This little guy would have to be one of the most common nudibranchs seen be divers along our southern coastline. A regular on both Edithburgh and Rapid Bay jetties, Ceratosoma brevicaudatum is both large at 5-10cm in length and colourful making it easily spotted by divers not skilled in finding its smaller cousins.

This nudibranch at Rapid Bay Jetty today looks to be feeding on a pink/purple sponge making a striking contrast with it own colours!


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 669, Sponge Dozer', 1/40s f11 ISO320 100mm+20mmEXT

Out the front is a for sale sign. The fences are torn down in places. Dirt and rubble have been piled high where a driveway once had been.

Standing inside the remains of this farm building and watching the sunset had me wondering just how long ago the sun had set on this forgotten place.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 668, Forgotten Sunset', 1/25s f11 ISO640 21mm

Over the last few weeks I have been following the progress of a brooding Tasseled Anglerfish (Rhycherus filamentosus) with a clutch of eggs.

The father is still in his place guarding the clutch and in the last couple of days has started fanning the eggs with his tail. Here four little eggs have become detached from the mass and fallen to the bottom but still very close and probably safe where they are.

On inspection of other eggs I see very small yolks still visible but as they are almost gone hatching should be in a day or two.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 667, New Life', 1/80s f14 ISO320 100mm

Sometimes you do not even need a tripod and simply resting the camera on the ground will suffice.

Having a camera at ground level does however have its risks. I had to pluck the camera to safety a moment after I captured this image as that wave washed over the foreground pebbles. Better they get salted than my camera.

Yet again another image of Rapid Bay but one from a vantage I have never tried before.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 666, Salty Pebbles', 1/160s f22 ISO100 17mm

It's easy to imagine that above those stilts of legs there is some alien spacecraft just touched down in a primal sea.

Any moment now an under-hull hatch will open and other-worldly visitors will descend to explore their new discovery.

Thanks Jennifer for your imagination. Up until then it was just a jetty!


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 665, The Jetty Has Landed', 2s f/16 ISO100 15mm

There is definitely a dark side creeping in to my work.

There was an awesome sunset tonight. A wonderful mix of sun and cloud and sun and cloud as the sun sank through shutters of dark and gold. When the sun was well gone the clouds lit up with oranges and reds. The the last burning
embers int the sky contrasting the greens and purples in the sand and in the sea.

Tonight we got at least fifty shades of awesome.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 664, Fifty Shades of Awesome', 2s f/18 ISO100 15mm

Candid photography is both more interesting and easier from unusual places.

Here looking down I saw this man framed within a gridded network of tiles. My perspective made the grid the defining subject. The man, well an interesting foreground subject.

Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 663, The Grid', 1/160s f/4.0 ISO640 182mm

Today was one of the windier ones with powerful northerlies ahead of a westerly front.

Late today I thought I'd try some long exposure shots of windy Henley Beach. The strategy was simple.

1. Guess the aiming of the camera and all the required camera settings with the lens cap on.
2. Quickly remove the lens cap and capture a single long exposure.
3. Face the camera away from the wind and clean the salt spray off the lens.
4. Repeat.

With the driving wind and long time exposure it was almost impossible to keep the camera still on its tripod. Of all I think this one came out the best.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 662, Dark Wind', 15s f/9 ISO100 40mm

I was recently reading an article on photographing clouds as backdrops for compositing. I do not do composites from different times and places so I only half paid it any attention.

For me if I am going to photograph clouds it is because I see something extraordinary. Fortunately, and with the recent weather we have been having, this happens regularly.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 661, Cloud Soaring', 1/500s f/10 ISO320 75mm

I had thought that they had banned 'jetty jumping' down at the bay.

I won't get into the pros and cons of government protecting us from ourselves but I will say some rules just need to be broken. There is something so playful and so representing of summer about jetty jumping. Just watching people meander up and down a jetty says nothing about the seasons or even if they are enjoying themselves, but the moment you see people leaping into the water you can be sure summer is coming.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 660, Summer Harbinger', 1/6400s f/4.0 ISO320 200mm

When going on a photo walk there is always a sense of discovering the unexpected.

Generally there is plenty of time to observe, visualize and then capture each image but there are also the unexpected surprises when suddenly a moment is there and gone.

This chance image of a young child climbing a set of stairs was just such a surprise. I noticed, framed, got one shot and then the moment was gone


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 659, Stairway To Heaven', 1/200s f/2.8 ISO640 88mm

I can't say for sure why this scene caught my eye. The serious sign, the opaque glass, the tantalising glimpse of secrets beyond, the simple lines all combine in a fascinating way.

Those familiar with international travel in Adelaide airport may have even noticed this too. I can say however I felt like I was intruding taking this image and expected to he hauled away without notice. Fortunately that did not happen.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 658, Serious Stuff', 1/200s f/4.0 ISO640 120mm

I never tire of these beautiful, mystical creatures.

With my recent increased level of diving Rapid Bay I have become familiar with a pair of Leafy Seadragons, one with eggs and I assume the other its female partner. Conditions for photography over the last few weeks have been really bad with surgy, turbid water but at least I can extract a few decent images by getting as close as possible with macro photography.

This dragon is my most recent find and her portrait just beautiful.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 657, Mystical Portrait', 1/50s f/9.0 ISO320 100mm

The first time I crawled through the fence to take some images here I found the owner of the property back at my car ready to give me a deserved dressing down for trespassing.

At first I got defensive and tried to justify myself and then allowed myself to imagine what I would be like if I discovered a photographer wandering around my property. I apologised, introduced myself and briefly discussed the issue before asking John if I could take some more images. From there he began to describe all of the beautiful parts of his large property including the times of day the light was best.

Now that I know where John lives it will be simple to drop in and ask next time I am in that area. What do you do though when driving hours through country side and have not seen any sign of a house and you spy an inviting derelict building just asking to be photographed. How would you ever know even who to ask permission to enter a property even if you wanted to. Would you simply accept that jumping the fence for that one or two frames before the light was gone is just something you must be disciplined about and not do?

I have no real answer here but I can say if you can get permission it feels good and there may be benefits and photographic opportunities that would not have come any other way.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 656, Trespasser', 8s f/11 ISO160 15mm

I used to hate blurred photos but isn't that how you would see the world if you were short sighted?

Well yes but no actually. When a myopic person sees a blurred landscape there is no real distinction where one object becomes the next. Our brains try and put the image together in a way that makes sense but it is a fluid and changeable perception. When a myopic lens captures a blurred image there is a well defined pattern around objects. When we look at this image we see clean sharp edges around point light sources and blurred transitions elsewhere. If composed well this image has enough sharp and soft elements to anchor our focus and be perceived as a pleasing.

Well that was the intention! Your thoughts?


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 655, Myopia', 1/500s f/2.8 ISO800 85mm

The beautiful fan worm Sabellastarte australiensis is both gorgeous to watch as well as fun to play with.

That peacock-like fan is actually the feeding tentacles of a non descript looking worm that lives in a mud tube. If you have not already spooked it you get the chance to photograph it. If the camera strobes have not spooked it you get the chance to touch it. When you do touch it, ... in the briefest blink of an eye it all disappears back into the mud tube where the rest of the worm remains safe from predators.

If you are patient enough to wait for the fan to re-emerge you get to do it all again.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Day 654, No Ordinary Worm', 1/50s f/11 ISO320 100mm