This 130 megapixel photosynth is based on 37 photo. It was taken handheld just south of Beach One at venus bay and illustrates the recent erosion at the back of the beach. The photosythyn was created by Microsoft ICE (Image Composite Editor).

Tonight was overcast with a little drizzle at Venus Bay but around 8:25pm there was a strange phenomenon . An eerie green glow started in the west. It grew brighter till about 8:30pm, then gradually faded till around 9:00pm. The moon had set at sunset so I can’t easily explain the source of the light.

Whilst I have not been publishing them here, my photo impressions of birds in particular, have become my best selling works. This one, of a lone gull flying into the sunset, focusing on the theme “extinction is forever”.   It has been in preparation for some time for the Venus Artist Contemporary Showcase. I always end up doing lots of tweaking of colour palette and tiling textures. In the end I have opted not to include in the exhibition (it is the first photo impression I has included a written message on)  but have also posted it on RedBubble (you can purchase a poster or a large canvas version from them).

I treat the creation of (Iphotographic mosaics just like a classical painting. Whilst I do use modern software and digital photos I follow a more traditional method to develop the image. The photo itself is like the initial sketches one would do to develop composition and form. Next I look at the tones and colours of the image and select a limited palette of harmonious colours. Instead of mixing these colours from a tube I look through my collection of photos. Usually I just use photos related to the theme of the photos (shorebirds in the venus bay sunsets in this case) but lately i have been adding a few specially

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The combination of big swell and king tides, that correspond with the full moons in spring, has literally eroded scarps over two meters high along the beach in several places at Venus Bay, but beaches are dynamic places and seasonal changes are normal. The sand is actually being sweep back and forth along the beach giving the beach is long sweeping shape.

The bigger erosion risk for the beach are blowouts, caused by wind and clearing of vegetation in the dunes behind the beach.

 

My field trip around the Venus Bay Peninsular and Andersen Inlet, was very successful in that it was well supported. Whilst the purpose was to see evidence of the importance of understanding sea level rise and its influence on the development of ecology and landforms, I was abruptly reminded of the power of the sea and specifically recent king tides. The mangroves in the photo below, used to illustrate my notes, have gone and the site I had visited only 5 weeks before showed significant (several meters of) erosion.

click here to download my notes for the field trip "Some Thoughts on The Recent Geomorphological Development, in the Venus Bay Area, related to Sea Level Rise."