Photographing the outback (Part two)

By Paula Heelan | 8 March 2022

This is the second part of a two part series on photographing the outback. You can see part one from last week, here.

When and where?

The best time to shoot is early morning or late afternoon when the light is soft and the colours are subtle. The middle of the day, when the light is harsh and contrasty, will generally result in blown-out highlights and blocked shadows.

Midday is a great time to scout locations that you can return to when the light is more forgiving. If you have to take photos when the light is harsh, a polarising filter will help reduce glare. If you are photographing people, ask them to move into the shade. Out of the sun, you should be able to avoid dark shadows on faces.

This image of a stockman mustering cattle was taken near Longreach in western Queensland. I was travelling past in the late afternoon and happened upon the muster. As the light softened and faded, I pulled over to take advantage of a brief opportunity. Canon 5D Mark II, Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 Ex lens @ 200mm. 1/320s @ f4, ISO 500.

Into the sun

The mix of fading sun, hovering or flying dust, cattlemen, horses and livestock is the magic combination for an iconic Outback shot. To capture this, it’s often a case of shooting into the sun. Spend time trying different camera settings for varied effects. While silhouettes can be a little clichéd, outback silhouettes can be stunning.

If you can, place yourself lower than your subject and make sure the background isn’t too busy – the aim is to make the outline of your subject stand out clearly. Expose to a bright light source (for example, the bright sky) and then move the camera back to your subject and shoot. This will help blacken your backlit subject.

As cattle producer Bill Fordyce brought cattle into the yards at his property, Mabbin Station, in Central Queensland, I followed him on foot and shot into the setting sun as they moved forward. The timing was perfect for the iconic outback shot. Canon 5D Mark II, Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 Ex lens @ 200mm. 1/320s @ f2.8, ISO 400.

Landscapes

Light and angle is everything when it comes to landscapes. The right light and the right angle will result in a cracking shot. Set up a tripod in the late afternoon and shoot as the light fades. If you can, return in the morning to do the same. Get to know and understand the area’s light and shadows. Light, colours and textures constantly change.

Sometimes different animals will pass through the landscape too – kangaroos, emus, birds and livestock can give your landscapes more appeal. Look for leading lines to draw the viewer in to your image.

Often, the success of a landscape photograph is as much about what you leave out as what you put in. Compose your image to avoid distractions, like bright highlights or signs. While many landscape compositions work well in sharp focus, sometimes it can work to use a narrower depth of field, dropping the foreground or background out of focus with a wide aperture. Experiment with different approaches to see what works best.

Hot artesian baths at a family run sheep station, Charlotte Plains, near Cunnamulla in south west Queensland, are popular with travellers. While campers bathe throughout the day, I chose to tell the story in the best light by shooting at sunrise.
Canon 5D Mark IV, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX lens @ 70mm. 1/200s @ f2.8, ISO 100. — Hot artesian baths at a family run sheep station, Charlotte Plains, near Cunnamulla in south west Queensland, are popular with travellers. While campers bathe throughout the day, I chose to tell the story in the best light by shooting at sunrise. Canon 5D Mark IV, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX lens @ 70mm. 1/200s @ f2.8, ISO 100.

What to take?

If you are travelling by air you need to be selective, but in a vehicle you can take it all. My Canon kit includes a backup camera, a wide-angle lens (17-40mm) for landscapes and environmental portraits; a macro 50mm and a 100mm for closeups and portraits; telephoto lenses 70-200mm and 100-400mm for distance shots (with zoom ability, they’re great for bush horse sports); a 24-105mm for general purpose, a tripod and macropod.

Take additional batteries, a charger and large memory cards so you can set your camera on high resolution to capture high quality RAW images. If you have a drone – they’re perfect for Outback photography, though always check that it’s legal to fly where you are. Anywhere around airports or National Parks are no-go zones.

This image was taken at dawn on a Central Queensland cattle station. The country was shrouded in heavy fog, making it ideal to catch moody, soft images. Kangaroos moving across paddocks give even more appeal to the landscape shots. In flat country like this, standing up high in the back of a ute makes it easier to capture the wider scene.
Canon 5D Mark II, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG lens @ 200mm. 1/2500s @ f4, ISO 400. — This image was taken at dawn on a Central Queensland cattle station. The country was shrouded in heavy fog, making it ideal to catch moody, soft images. Kangaroos moving across paddocks give even more appeal to the landscape shots. In flat country like this, standing up high in the back of a ute makes it easier to capture the wider scene. Canon 5D Mark II, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG lens @ 200mm. 1/2500s @ f4, ISO 400.

Graduated ND filters will help reduce over-exposed skies and UV filters and lens’ hoods provide lens’ protection. A tripod can be helpful if shooting a horse sports event, night skies or a landscape and a monopod allows you to move with the action. Take sunscreen, plenty of water and backup photography gear – you’re not likely to find batteries, chargers or SD cards (particularly for DSLR cameras) for sale in many places.

There will be plenty of dust, dirt and heat, so make sure you protect your gear and keep it clean. ❂

About the author: Photojournalist and author Paula Heelan lives on a small farm in southeast Queensland where she focusses on life in rural and remote Australia. See more at paulaheelan.com.