A tiny, but surprisingly photogenic place perfect for the crashing waves and rock hopping. Can be dangerous during the storm. I have mentioned Clovelly Beach in the guide to Sydney Beaches Top Locations.
The beach itself isn’t very good for photography but the cliffs named Shark Point on the Google maps are amazing. Go there during the big swell to capture huge crashing waves. Low tide also opens a lot of new opportunities. However, you need to be quite fit to get past some of the cliff trails.
The walk along the cliff could also bring some new photo opportunities for long exposures. As an added bonus, there are wild rabbits living in the area.
I felt too tired for no reason and didn't want to go shooting sunrise. All the more so the forecast offered 97% cloud cover and average 1.7m waves. My wife insisted to set an alarm and have a look at the clouds in the morning. And so I did. At 3.50 I still felt tired and had low energy, but rugged clouds seemed promising and after 10 minutes, during which all steps of acceptance passed (denial, anger, depression, bargaining, acceptance) I gave up and started gathering things. ...Fast forward to the beach... This was one of the best and most diverse sunrises in the last few months! And the best thing are occasional huge waves, which I adore and always hunt. Thanks to my wife.
There is a famous saying stating that there is no such thing is bad weather. I disagree, because obviously tropical cyclone is bad for those affected. But bad weather has its charm and beauty, the storm is beautiful for it's raw power and might. And so was this one - truly spectacular and powerful with black clouds, dramatic sky and huge crashing waves. The important thing to consider is safety. If it is dangerous to be there, don't go. It is not worth your life! This photo is also from a Clovelly Beach in Sydney.
On Saturday I was fooled my the weather forecast (97% cloud cover) and missed a beautiful sunrise. So on Sunday I rushed away like a whirlwind despite of the rain and vague perspective. I went to one of my fav spots – cliffs and rocks near Clovelly Beach. I’ve been there a hundred of times but I knew this place still had potential, which could be revealed during small or surf and not too high tide. Because otherwise on high tide or with big waves I couldn’t reach some distant rocks – it would just wash me away. So I went there and decided to explore. Forecast was showing 40-50% or rain all the time, which was good – it meant some dramatic clouds with some amount of luck. I’ve set my old camera to do timelapse on the rocks and ventured forth with my main camera. Tried a few compositions here and there and then it all began. I didn’t know which way to shoot. Drama in the sky over Coogee and Maroubra, waves and rising sun over the ocean, golden light painted cliffs from behind… I did many shots and few panoramas. I’m so thankful for the weather. Heavy rain started only 30 min after the sunrise. This is when I had to flee. Rocks near Clovelly Beach, NSW, Australia
