The Photo Walk – Part 2

Environment ~ Photo Tips ~ Shop ~ Links ~ Directions

Once you’ve finished exploring the vine covered fairy grotto for which Perth’s “Secret Garden” is now famous for you can carry on walking to the other side of this amazing reserve and discover the more traditional paperbark trees you would expect to find in a wetland.

Welcome to Part 2 of our Photo Walk around “Perth’s Secret Garden” …

Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia

The textures and tones from these Paperbark trees combined with the dappled light shining through the branches makes for some amazing photo opportunities.

 

Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia

With fallen trees & dangling vines everywhere you could almost believe you’re in a remote rainforest somewhere far to the north rather than in a small wetland reserve in the middle of suburbia.

Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia

There are also plenty of opportunities to get a bit more creative with you photos too …

Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia

There are many tangled overgrown paths through this part of the “Secret Garden”, some ending abruptly and some leading to more open areas of the wetland where you can see parts of the Lake Careniup.

Wetland Lake, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Wetland Lake, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia

Just when we thought we’d explored all that this amazing location has to offer and were about to leave we found a large, more exposed, body of water at the northern end of the wetland.

Wetland Lake, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Wetland Lake, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia

Near the shore we spotted some of the typical birds you’ll often find in a wetland such as this. There were several Coots swimming around and a group of Black-Headed Ibis who flew off to a “safer” distance as we approached.

Wetland Lake, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Wetland Lake, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australiae always love

We always love coming across wildlife when we’re out in nature and we were especially pleased to see several Black Swans swimming majestically across the lake straight towards where we we standing.

Black Swans, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Black Swans, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia

The Paperbark trees did a great job of framing this beautiful Black Swan as well as a friendly Crow sitting in the branches.

Black Swans, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

Black Swans, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia

Perth’s “Secret Garden” really is a joy to visit though we do recommend you visit during the summer months or come prepared for a wet winter experience ?

Cheers,
Dave

Environmental Issues

When visiting natural environments such as this please be respectful of the flora and fauna, take your litter home and treat the environment with respect.

Leave No Trace
Take Nothing but Pictures
Leave Nothing but Footprints
Kill Nothing but Time
Keep Nothing But Memories
Burn Nothing but Calories

Original Quotes
“Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.”
~ Quote: Chief Seattle (Dkhw’Duw’Absh chief, c. 1786 – June 7, 2023)
“This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth.”
~ Quote: Chief Seattle (Dkhw’Duw’Absh chief, c. 1786 – June 7, 2023)
“We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home.”
~ Australian Aboriginal Proverb

Photo Tips

All images in this article I took on my Canon 5D MKII with an EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens and processed in Lightroom CC & ON1 Photo 10.5

In Part 3 of “Perth’s Not So Secret Garden” I’ll be walking you through how I processed one of my images, meanwhile here are a few extra tips to keep you going (don’t miss my photo tips from Part 1 of this series if you haven’t read them already):

Photographing Animals: Shutter Speed
Always use the fastest shutter speed you can get away with when photographing animals, they always move when you least expect it and you’ll often be using a longer lens which also requires a faster shutter speed.

For static animals that are unlikely to move much you should aim for a shutter speed of at least 1/500 sec.

If the animal is already moving then around 1/1000 sec is a better starting point and if the animal is moving very fast then you’ll need around 1/2500 or higher.

Photographing Animals: Aperture
Aperture can be used in various ways when photographing animals.

Use a small aperture if the animal is part of a scene (as in my images above) and you want a lot of the background to be in focus. Shots like these are best taken with a mid to wide angle lens.

If you want a close up of the animal then a wider aperture will help reduce the depth of field and isolate the animal from the background. Using a longer lens will also help reduce the depth of field and make the animal fill more of your image.

Photographing Animals: ISO
Higher ISO settings are often need with animal photography to enable you to get the shutter speed and exposure you require.

Always use the lowest ISO setting you can but often this is the area you will have to compromise on.

Tripods & Image Stabalisation
Shutter speed is not the only factor to consider when trying to keep your images sharp, how steady you hold your camera can also have a big effect, especially when using longer lenses.

Try to buy telephoto lenses / cameras that have some kind of image stabalisation built in to reduce camera shake as you take your photos.

Tripods are another great tool for keeping your camera steady but not always easy to have on hand when you’re out in search of wild animals.

Always remeber to turn your image stabalisation OFF when your camera is on a tripod. Ironically stabalising a lens fixed to a tripod will introduce movement and make your images fuzzy.

Get Good Photo Editing Software
You will need to post process your images to get the most out of them. Software tools such as Adobe Lightroom & On1 Photo 10.5 are affordable and essential for getting the best out of your photos.

Free trials are available for both Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop & ON1 Photo 10.5 at the following links:

Click the banner below to get ON1 Photo at an extra low price, Offer ends July 3rd!

Related Clothing & Photo Products

We’re planning whole range of clothing & products featuring our “Secret Garden” images starting with the following products:

MAD About WA inspired Secret Garden 2 Scarf from Lake Careniup, Perth designed by Dave Catley and available from our MADCAT RedBubble Store
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

MAD About WA inspired Secret Garden 2 Scarf from Lake Careniup, Perth designed by Dave Catley and available from our MADCAT RedBubble Store

MAD About WA inspired Secret Garden 2 Mug designed by Dave Catley and available in our MADCAT RedBubble store
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

MAD About WA inspired Secret Garden 2 Mug designed by Dave Catley and available in our MADCAT RedBubble store

MAD About WA inspired Secret Garden Journal designed by Dave Catley and available on our MADCAT RedBubble store
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

MAD About WA inspired Secret Garden Journal designed by Dave Catley and available on our MADCAT RedBubble store

MAD About WA inspired Secret Garden 2 iPhone Wallet designed by Dave Catley and available in our MADCAT RedBubble store
  • Facebook
     
  • Twitter
     
  • LinkedIn
     
  • Tumblr
     
  • Google+
     
  • Pinterest
     
  • reddit
     

MAD About WA inspired Secret Garden 2 iPhone Wallet designed by Dave Catley and available in our MADCAT RedBubble store

Directions

Don’t tell anyone I told you but the “Secret Garden” can be found at Lake Careniup, part of the wetlands system in Gwelup, City of Stirling.

 

Pin It on Pinterest