Today, I woke up on Mars

[Grumby]

Or at least, that's what it seemed like. A duststorm over southern Australia has loaded the air with red dust, giving everything an orangey red glow. I swear, there is no PP on these pics - the air really is this colour!



This is the park at the back of my house at 6.30 this morning - it should have been under bright sunlight by then.


Obviously - I had to rush in to the city and take pictures of the old cliches under these extraordinary conditions. I don't envy whoever has to clean all the dust off the opera house to get it gleaming white again!


I was quite pleased with this one, even though I say so myself. I had hoped to get the railings a little more out of focus, but I couldn't get the lens any wider open than it was...

Apologies if the focus is poor on any of these - the light was so bad, that the camera couldn't auto-focus, and I struggle with manual focus given my eyesight...

[calmaxgan]

It's amazing to look at, isn't it? Very eerie and bizarre (not to mention the huge mess it is leaving). I didn't have time to try for photos. You have captured it beautifully.

[mpascal]

So different, How often does this type of event take place. I can imagine the difficulty of cleaning up. Beautiful photos though. TFS

Michael

[atulsc]

Amazing shots Grumby, i feel they look great. You got really lucky to find such weather conditions that make these picture look great. well done.

[Jamfke]

It's neat to get first hand experience of such an event. These are all great captures.

[calmaxgan]

How often does this type of event take place.

I read somewhere it is 80 years since the last one around this area - so not often! Probably more often out in the country, but not in the cities. I've never experienced it before.

[Grumby]

Originally Posted by calmaxgan

Probably more often out in the country, but not in the cities.

I agree - I'd imagine that some places are more used to it than others - it's possibly not so uncommon in the 'red centre' of Australia, and in other dry locations, like Arizona perhaps? But here - not too common at all! I've never seen so many people out with their cameras at 7am on an 'ordinary' day (OR so many people wearing masks - even during the recent flu epidemic)!

Thanks everyone for your comments. I was certainly lucky to have seen it and be in a position to take some reasonable photos.

[windrider86]

I would have never even imagined such a thing. Wow, i'm sure glad you got out there and and shared these with us. I'd be selling them puppies to a magazine

[Ella1267]

Awesome....really eerie looking...

[Grumby]

Originally Posted by windrider86

I would have never even imagined such a thing. Wow, i'm sure glad you got out there and and shared these with us. I'd be selling them puppies to a magazine

Dear Windrider - thanks for the encouraging words. But there are 2 obstacles...

Firstly, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (or some such bureacracy) forbids you to sell any photos taken in this area around Circular Quay without their approval - and I've seen several instances of the Opera House actively defending copyright on ANY images that include the Opera House in them.

Secondly, as I said, there were a million people out there with much bigger better equipment (and therefore obviously far more talent ) so I suspect my images (while pleasing to me) would fade into insignificance against theirs.

I think I prefer to have my ego boosted by the kind words of other enthusiasts on this forum, rather than have it shattered by a magazine editor laughing at me Besides, I wouldn't even know where to start.

Thanks again for your comments - consider my ego suitably elevated by your suggestion that my pictures are even worthy of consideration
Grumby