The joys of photographing at sunset
Sunset is the time of the second golden hour for photography, with sunrise being the first. The light is soft and there is a golden hue to the light, hence the name. I normally don’t do much photography in the afternoon but I have been making an exception for days with a low-tide at Narooma. That is when the sandflats on the southern side of Wagonga Inlet are exposed, making a wonderful subject for photographing with the golden light reflecting off the little puddles of water across the sand. Outside of the peak tourist times, it is a relaxing time of day as a serene quietness often comes over the area. I feel a real calmness photographing at that time on the sandflats, just watching the day almost imperceptibly close, with the light lingering after the sun has set. I enjoy the experience and I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
The first photo below is from October 2024, when I had my macro lens on the camera because I was searching for Soldier Crabs. Unfortunately, I wasn’t successful finding the crabs but turning around I noticed the composition below and took a hand-held set of four photos that I stitched together later. I liked the progression of the buildings and the the wharf into the inlet. The photo also helps showing the extent of the sandflats because the buildings have water lapping up to the low wall on the left at high tide. This area is also popular with birds looking for small animals in the sand. These sandflats extend beyond the right edge of the photo, making a large habitat that supports animals at low and high tides.
Sunset light some of the structures on the sandflats at low time
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 2000, 100mm, f/13 and 1/50 SEC] panorama)
This drone picture from April 2025 shows a different perspective on the sandflats and provides a good idea of how far they extend into the inlet.
The flats at Narooma
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 200, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/1000 SEC]
Silver Gulls ((Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae), or better known as seagulls, are ubiquitous around the Australian coast, and even inland where there is enough water. They have become habituated to a human presence, especially scavenging. Yet, they are more than just a bird looking for a chip. Their success in surviving the human changes to their world makes them a winner among birds. The bird in the drone shot seemed very unfazed by the descending drone. I didn’t push my luck too far because I didn’t want to stress the bird, and I was happy with getting my intended shot. The second bird below was wading in the shallow water near the restaurants. There were a number of people around, including some fishing in the water but the gull was not scared. I was happy that the bird stayed still, allowing me to photograph towards it, with my lens just above the surface of the water.
Silver Gull perched on a small wharf
DJI Mavic Air 2 [ISO 200, 4.5mm, f/2.8 and 1/1000 SEC]
Silver Gull wading across the sandflats on an incoming tide
Canon EOS R5 Mk II with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Zoom [ISO 500, 500mm, f/8.0 and 1/500])
The Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) is a migratory visitor to Australia, in the non-breeding season, so we miss seeing its breeding plumage. This species makes one of the longest migratory journeys for birds, departing from the northern parts of the northern hemisphere to travel to Australia. Their beak has evolved as the perfect tool to search for aquatic worms and other invertebrates. They will also search for small invertebrates on land, such as in agricultural fields, making them a helpful bird for the farmer who is trying to protect the crops from insects. I took this photo against the sun meaning I had to lift the shadows a little but I really liked the warm reflections in the bottom half of the photograph.
Bar-tailed Godwit with the sunset reflecting on the water
Canon EOS R5 Mk II with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Zoom [ISO 400, 500mm, f/8.0 and 1/500])
Nothing much to say about this photograph, other than it was the end of a wonderful day.
Two anglers fishing for whiting with seagulls at a Narooma sunset
Canon EOS R5 Mk II with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Zoom [ISO 1250, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/160])
Photographing on the sandflats at Narooma around sunset is a great way to unwind. The atmosphere is peaceful and there are always birds searching for food in the shallow water. Truly a wonderful way to end a day.
Thanks for reading this post and thanks also for looking at my photos. I hope you come back again to read more about some of the wonderful natural things that the south coast of New South Wales has on offer. All the best until the next post.
