scottmccook

Rip

I thought i'd share this aerial perspective of a coastal area off Kalbarri in Western Australia.

I was really stoked to capture what seems to be a ...
Read more

I thought i'd share this aerial perspective of a coastal area off Kalbarri in Western Australia.

I was really stoked to capture what seems to be a Rip funneling out between the gap in the reef-rocks and then spiraling into this beautiful tornado shape in the deeper water.

I've never actually captured one like this before and to me it's extremely interesting seeing it like this, where it would be otherwise invisible from the land.

Hope you enjoy
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PENTAX 645Z

settings

Aperture f/5 ISO 400 Shutter 1/2500 Focal Length 5500/100

upload_date

Aug, 2015

Views

2563

Likes

+318

Awards

Contest Finalist in The Extraordinary In The Ordinary Photo Contest

Runner Up in Water World Photo Contest

Contest Finalist in Water World Photo Contest

Peer Award

+58

Absolute Masterpiece

+33

Superb Composition

+25

Top Choice

+12

Outstanding Creativity

+11

Magnificent Capture

All Star

Superior Skill

Genius

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This has to be one of my favourite shots of yours! You are taking aerial photography to a new level :)

Thanks Mack, it's an amazing moment to capture from the air, really interesting seeing it like this :)

This is probably one of my favorites from you man, I love that hurricane swirl in the bottom right. and the blue is amazing.

PRO+

This is truly an amazing arial capture! Perfect timing. Can't stop looking at all the details of light hitting the water and the wave patterns... Just hypnotic, it would make a superb mural. Great work Scott, your gallery is filled with gems. Best from Celine.

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

The amazing Mt Cook shot from the Hooker Valley.

Hey Guys :)

We ventured up north of Perth last night to capture the Milky Way, We'd hoped to shoot the Icecream dunes south of Cervantes but as the w

A lone Tree sits on a hill, over the horizon new lands exist, walk toward the light? or just sit and watch the show. :)

The Church of the Good Shepherd and an attempt to get a new angle.

Behind The Lens

Location

This image was taken whilst flying over the coastline close to Kalbarri Western Australia. If you're ever visiting W.A be sure to stop past Kalbarri, it's beaches are incredible but be careful!

Time

I have a good friend named Garrith who fly's a small 182 Cessna out of the even smaller Kalbarri "airport" (more like a driveway) I met him there at about 7am in the morning, we did all the pre flight checks and I do all my pre flight camera checks and we were in the air for about 8am.

Lighting

Making sure you get morning or evening light helps hugely, the shadows help give depth to the images from the air and the light will be far less harsh, especially on water.

Equipment

I shot this particular image on a Pentax 645z with the 50mm Prime on the end, F5, ISO 400, 1/2000. The Pentax is a Medium Format camera and I try to hire it when ever i'm doing aerial photography because having the high mega pixels is very handy when you're wanting to crop into aerial images.

Inspiration

Here in W.A it's no secret our coastline is stunning! We don't really have mountains but we have lots and lots of coastline. To try and find a capture a rip within one of the coastlines was a dream of mine, showing the beauty and the danger that can lie within them.

Editing

I used Capture One to process the Raw File and then into Photoshop for some slight tweaks. When editing aerial images like this I could use upwards of 20-30 different curve adjustment layers, each one with a custom tweak and line. I then apply those with a brush and only to localized parts of the image, slowly building detail and depth and being sure not to do large global adjustments.

In my camera bag

Too much!!! hahaha, honestly though! Nikon D810, Pentax 645z, Nikon 14-24mm, Nikon 24-70mm, Nikon 70-200VR2, RRS L Bracket, Wonderpana CPL and lots of other bits n bobs I don't need but take with me ;)

Feedback

Yer sure, balancing shutter speed, ISO and aperture is very important. You want the highest shutter speed you can get without sacrificing too much ISO bring in noise or stop down too much as to have no DOF. I try to shoot between 1/1500 and 1/2500 depending on height to help freeze the action, remember I'm going about 220km's an hour in a small Cessna. Be safe!!!! If you put the camera out the window hold on!! with winds going 220km's an hour+ if you do not have the camera properly fixed to you and holding it properly it will come out of your hands, be sure to discuss with the pilot what you plan to do and what is expected of you. I don't use helicopters as they are more expensive and move more. Aerial photography for me is bringing images to the viewer that they have been walking past for years but never seen from above, use google maps to study your locations and come up with a flight plan first :) Happy shooting folks :)

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scottmccook

scottmccook

Rip

I thought i'd share this aerial perspective of a coastal area off Kalbarri in Western Australia. I was really stoked to capture what seems to be a ... Read more

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow scottmccook

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I thought i'd share this aerial perspective of a coastal area off Kalbarri in Western Australia.

I was really stoked to capture what seems to be a ...
Read more

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.