When the Seasons Change part 2
So, this is where my bias will clearly stand out, but growing up in the tropical north of Australia is a very different experience from where I live now in the UK, particularly in relation to the weather.
The best way I could describe it to anyone from the UK would be the Dry is hot and dry and the Wet is hot and raining, obviously, there is more nuance to it than that. Although we only have 2 seasons, we have different weather patterns with those seasons. The worst without a doubt is known as the build up, where it is very hot and humid with no relief.
But throughout all these changes one thing remains constant, there is always something different and spectacular to photography.
The Dry
The dry season is the tourist season in the Top End, most of the swimming spots will open and locations previously inaccessible due to flooding are becoming accessible. The temperature is what most in Australia would call pleasant, however even the coldest days this time of year any visitors from the UK would call a heatwave. But I’m not one to talk when it comes to who can and can’t handle different temperatures as after nearly 11 years in the UK, I still can’t stand the cold.
No matter what time of year the sunset in the Top End is something special, or as Territorials will say “it’s just different.” But this time of year brings with it hazard reduction burning of the long grass, which often leaves a thin veil of smoke in the air which can turn the sunset to a golden orange colour.
These 2 images were taken at the same place only a few minutes apart, the first shows a fire in the distance, and the second was taken with the camera pivoted to the right with the sunset turned golden due to the smoke in the air.
The colours of the wetlands as they dry out and become havens for the abundance of bird species and some rivers that are fed by inland floodplains stop flowing making for some stunning mirror like reflections.
The Wet
I could probably ratel on about the wet season long enough to make it a post of its own. This time of year brings with it the most spectacular light shows that nature produces. The thunderstorms in the Top End are the most spectacular weather event I have had the privilege to photograph. Again, this is a topic I could discuss by itself, and I will in a later post. Because this time of year the Top End is the place to be not only for photographers but also for weather enthusiasts or anyone who loves to see electrical storms.
While some arias are becoming inaccessible as river swell, it is great to see the billabongs filling with water again. You can still see a good sunset this time of year, however, it can be hit and miss due to cloud interference, but on other occasions, they add another element to the stunning look of the sunsets.
This is also Cyclone season, and although you are pretty safe, so long as you don’t venture out during one, you should have no problems. But this is a time when you can truly see what nature is capable of. Fallen and uprooted trees are just a small part of what can be seen.
As much as the wet season is harder to plan what, where and when you shoot due to the quickly changing weather, it is balanced out by a sense of adventure of will I or won’t I get a shot when it comes to storm chasing.
Although the wet season is my favourite time of year to capture images, I do love the changes that the dry season brings. In fact, my bias for this cycle of seasons may have a lot to do with my love of home and country and perhaps just being a little bit homesick.
