Cyclone Olwyn skirted the northern shores of western Australia and we were predicting a huge storm to follow one of its swirling arms down into Perth. Well It turns out the Cyclone never earn it's true status and the ensuing storm would have fit neatly into a tea cup.

A little rain did fall, and this goes to show how much of a paradise the city, Perth, we live in is: I was genuinely excited about the prospect of some clouds! I've never been too fond of landscapes, so I did the obvious thing and set myself the task of improving them. I wanted to capture something clean, moody, with interesting layers. Cue 5am wake up call to catch sunrise on the storm clouds at the beach.

It turns out I wasn't the only person brandishing a camera down there, and not for the reason I expected. Cottesloe beach hosts an outdoor art gallery once a year and every would be photographer in Perth was down there. 

I don't like crowds and I really don't like being a sheep. What I saw down the beach that morn, was many people with expensive cameras and limited imagination taking photos of the same things as each other. 

Well hop, skip over the fence and down to the rocks on the south of the groin. What a sight I was greeted with! Big beautiful layers of cloud rolling like giant galleons in the morning sun, sails ablaze with orange light, Starkly contrasted by the cold hard cranes of Fremantle, blue and hidden in the shadow of those great soft pillows.

I danced between the harlequin coloured crabs making their way hastily to the waves and sat precariously on my haunches between small surf and honey-cone limestone.  The Indian Ocean lapping at my ankles as the morning fireworks of the rising sun fired in front of me. Two young brothers paddle out into the surf in front of me. They look new to the sport and a little unsure. They're at that age of competitive nature, each pretending to the other, that he's totally comfortable. I give them a wave, then add them to the foreground of my photo. Good, i wanted another layer.

Back at my computer, my shoes sit wet at the door and my camera crusty with dried salt. I'm not bothered. Largely I'm waterproof and the camera is made to be used, it'll get beaten around every so often. Worth it? Definitely. I got what I went for: a landscape photo with mood and layering. I'm happy with it:

If i was to be critical, I'd like something a little more clean and refined. But its a step in the right direction. I want to grow with this photo thing and so I believe it's time I started challenging myself.

Whilst exploring the other side of Cottesloe, I stumbled across something much more intriguing than the sculptures. A permanent installation of a giant sun dial:

So you can keep your sculptures and your expensive cameras. Personally all I need is to challenge myself, use what gear I have and and keep my mind open. 

Just like these two boys: