Scattered rocks emerge above the ocean from an underwater avalanche 450 millions years ago along the Sapphire Coast. Reefs, sea stacks and sea cliffs dot the landscape leaving behind the remnants of its explosive past.

This striking landscape is submerged close to shore extending far out into the ocean. During high tides, most parts are inaccessible with the incoming waves crashing over the rocks.

Once I arrived at night, I carefully assessed the area to ensure the high tide would be no issue to myself or my equipment. The ocean has bested before drowning my equipment as I tend to get too close in dangerous situations. This was another one of them. If I am fixated on a composition I will take the risk to achieve my image I want to create.

The composition I was looking for required me to get close to the large rock formation to showcase it’s 30 metre height reaching out above the ocean. From a distance it would have appeared too small and have no real impact. In order to achieve this composition, I had to get close to the action even though the tides were getting higher.

I acted quickly and I timed the waves, wadding through water to reach one of the emerging rocks which had the alignment of the Milky Way. I climbed atop and quickly began setting up to capture the photo before I lost another camera to the ocean.

The sea spray was already in the air and the rock I was on was quickly becoming submerged around me. I framed the shot and begun a sequence of 49 photographs to capture this high quality image. I was worried there would be too much vibration for the long exposures but I had to give it a shot as it would be another year before I had an opportunity to shot this landscape again.

I monitoring the waves with there being a few close calls and I had my hands hovering the tripod just incase a big wave came and needed to pull it to safety. Luckily I was able to capture the photographs and I got out as quickly as I could.

I have titled this photograph “Flow” as the initial concept behind the image was to showcase the water navigating through the rocks. You can see the movement by tracing the brighter areas of the photo. Also to my surprise, colourful airglow flowed adding another layered element to this image

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