Fraser life - Take a walk on the wild side

User: Jocelyn.Watts Time: 06-05-2010

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Fraser

life

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Take a walk on the wild side

The Chronicle goes on safari at Fraser Island with a well-travelled photographer Photos & story: Pages 22 and 23

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The Chronicle, Saturday, May 29, 2010. — Page 21

User: Jocelyn.Watts Time: 06-05-2010

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Darran Leal from Safari Wise Australia captures a mud crab on camera at dusk.

Ivor Davies, group general manager of Kingfisher Bay and Eurong resorts, takes one of the tour groups on excursion.

Photographer’s nature on a safari

H

Michael Schwarcz looks for another subject to photograph.

Photographer Darran Leal.

E HAS locked eyes with lions in Africa and anacondas in the Amazon but facing his wife’s stare as he returns from a beach tour with a salt-ridden car is just too much.

“Don’t tell Julia,” Darran Leal calls out as the tyres of their fourwheel drive sink lower into the sand.

Ruing his decision to stop five seconds too long on Fraser Island’s boggy beach, for the sake of a better photo, Darran asks his passengers to honour the adage “What happens on tour stays on tour”.

Too late – this photojournalist is on board.

Darran has Buckley’s chance of escaping Julia’s salt patrol.

The self-confessed clean fanatic is wise to her husband’s ways and always has fresh water and towels ready for his return. She is well rewarded for her efforts with early morning cups of tea – before he heads off on more photographic adventures.

Based on Qld’s Sunshine Coast, Darran and Julia own and run Safari Wise Australia, the country’s only licensed travel agency specialising in photography tours and workshops in areas as far

Page 22 — The Chronicle, Saturday, May 29, 2010.

Photos: JOCELYN WATTS

Queensland’s answer to Mick Dundee of crocodile movie fame is hard to pin down long enough for an interview so JOCELYN WATTS decided to join him on his annual photographic tour of World-Heritage listed Fraser Island away as USA, Africa, South America and beyond.

Since February alone Darran has been to Norfolk Island, Tasmania, Kimberley and Fraser Island.

Cape Town (South Africa) and Namibia (South-west Africa), Bhutan (Mountain Kingdom), Wild West (USA) and Yellowstone National Park (USA) will fill the remainder of the year.

Catching up with Darran on Fraser Island during the ninth annual Bird Week in May, the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year said his work had been published around the world and used in books, magazines and commercial

products. He writes for specialist photography magazines, has appeared on television several times and has been commissioned by Qantas, Warner Brothers, the State Government, Australia Post, Steve Parish Publishing and many other companies ... and published six of his own books.

The former Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service photographer said: “My life has never been one of sitting around and waiting for things to happen.

Rather, I get out and explore, touch, catch, view, experience and savour every unique moment. I don’t specialise in one area but

shoot everything from the smallest insect to the grandest landscape or unique culture.”

Darran’s widespread success suggests complex techniques are at work but they are surprisingly simple.

“I take the KIS (Keep It Simple) principle seriously,” he told shutterbugs attending his week-long workshop on Fraser Island.

“We have the technology now – just understand light and metering and let the camera do the work.”

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Ray Asimus aims his camera at a bird.

ABOVE: Wendy Coutts-Smith (from left), Ron Bishop and Graeme Coutts-Smith from the Birdwatchers of Hervey Bay, scan the trees around Kingfisher Bay Resort’s pool for their feathered friends. Many birdwatchers also are keen photographers.

Karen Davidson zooms in on a soldier crab.

A soldier crab.

LEFT: Judith Schwarcz focuses her lens on a shell.

Pandanas tree roots create interesting shapes on Fraser Island.

dream is to catch trek across our Fraser ■ Photographs and story by Chronicle photojournalist Jocelyn Watts Darran said most of his stunning images had been taken with hand-held cameras, using the same techniques he learnt 30 years ago. The limited use of tripods frees him to capture fleeting moments at the blink of an eye.

Getting the images from idea to print or canvas doesn’t happen overnight, however. He and Julia, a travel consultant of 28 years, spend months or sometimes years researching remote regions for

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possible images before Darran takes to the field and returns to process, catalogue and print the results.

“The most gratifying aspect of my work – after all of the expense of equipment and travel and the many hours in the field – is to hear someone else enjoying that same split second with me.”

Darran’s passion for the art is infectious.

Group general manager at Fraser Island’s Kingfisher Bay and Eurong resorts, Ivor Davies, is one of his converts.

Ivor said he had little photography experience until Darran started running workshops during the annual Fraser Island Bird Week, attended by birdwatchers from throughout Australia.

The artist and former military chef bought Darran’s “handdown” camera gear and has become an expert in the field. He now presents photography sessions for birdwatchers and joins Darran’s excursions, driving a four-wheel drive and helping students with their work ... and serving up tea, coffee, biscuits and muffins during the breaks.

Every year Darran and Ivor, who will clock up 15 years as

group general manager of the island’s resorts on June 15, devote their time throughout the week to presenting theory sessions, helping camera buffs spot birds and wildlife at the Kingfisher resort and leading tours through the island’s rainforests and along beaches where opportunities to capture unique and creative images abound.

Travelling in a convoy was certainly handy at this year’s event – particularly when one driver, despite his vast experience trekking through the world’s most remote wilderness areas, stopped five seconds too long on wet beach sand.

Watching the towing was all part of the island’s four-wheel driving experience and offered Darran’s students yet another great photo opportunity – not to be used as evidence, of course.

Next year’s Safari Wise photography workshop will again be held during the Fraser Island Bird Week in May 2011.

For more information on the Safari Wise tours and workshops log on to www.safariwise.com.au.

Kingfisher Bay Resort details can be found at www.kingfisherbay.com.

A crimson cheeked finch is found within metres of the Kingfisher Bay Resort’s pool area.

The Chronicle, Saturday, May 29, 2010. — Page 23