I could not wait to get started, I was here to photograph Marnong Estate in all its glory situated 35min from Melbourne CBD in Donnybrook. It was 6.30am, middle of Spring, and not what I was expecting, no beautiful glow of sunrise or the warmth from the sun, but rather a young vineyard with a glimmer of life. I had my Nikon Z7 with me but not anticipating taking any photos, I was merely there to see what I could do as I had no access to the grounds at that stage, but sure was I glad I did throw my camera into the car, one of my favorite images was taken on this morning. The fog engulfed the scenery, the naked vineyard rhythmically flowed from one lane to the next and the beautiful flowers were starting to see the light of day. To take a closer look, it is hanging in the cellar at Marnong Estate. This reminds me of shooting on film since I captured the grain and slight ambiguity that film sometimes entails. This was shot at 1/160 sec. f 6.3 at 1600 ISO.
From here I had organised times to attend the estate with Paul who had briefed me on the photography and accompanied him was Steve and his wife Di, who guided me throughout the 1,100 acres that has been the landmark of beautiful sunsets viewed from the Bankvale Run Restaurant. You could really see the connection the staff have with Marnong Estate. I felt grateful that I had the opportunity to experience this amazing property with them as they enlightened me with the rich history of Marnong. Photography in this light is intensely rewarding. I could not wait to get started, along with my friend and professional photographer Elio Rulli we were taken out on a 4x4 on several of the tracks that overlooked the hills and took us among them. We stopped by a flock of alpacas, as they all starred at me intensely, only a few caught my attention, the ones that looked at me very curiously or nervously, not sure. Here are a few images I captured. I could not stop at one.
Back on the track we came across a creek bed. I actually spent some time here, taking in the space and watching the water, admiring how the trees grew along the bank. I shot this from two perspectives, to me there is always more than one angle. At a 13sec exposure, f 8 with a neutral density filter, this created a silky-smooth pace of the water, almost stopping a moment in time to feel the peacefulness that I felt here. Seeing it enlarged and hanging on the wall at the Cabins gave the image much more presence. Some photographs just look better when enlarged.
Further along I photographed the natural fauna, wildflowers and the simple things. I was fascinated by the beautiful flow of grassland and color.
There were sheds that just stood still set among the hills, the old yards and fences always add character and tell a story and the huge silos that had so much texture to admire.
Once editing my images, I felt there was still so much beauty to explore so I decided to go again at sunrise. It was a complete contrast to my first trip here, the glow of light was breathtaking, watching the long shadows cast on the trees and fences, so beautiful, here I could appreciate the landscape and how the glow of light made me feel, warm and with a friendly presence.
I noticed the flowers on the vineyard were taking shape, one of my favorite images is this one here, I describe it as "A Portrait of Vines and Flowers"almost posing for the photograph, the first light bringing the vines to life.
As the light began to rise the day changed, I headed out towards The Homestead, the orginal part commenced in 1842, so much to love about this place, a contrast to the natural landscape. The homestead is elegant and comforting, a beautiful tree stands at the front entrance.
Here I captured its beauty and presence. There are little pathways, fountain and a manicured garden to explore and appreciate.
Light is the true essence to photography, looking through the lens and seeing what was once there and now looks different again. As the day turned to night, the gorgeous sunset was spectacular, capturing the beauty of light, again changing the landscape, changing the way the space makes you feel. Here I continued to photograph the sheds, the buildings that you can walk through and enjoy among the shop, the cafe and restaurant.
My artwork created at Marnong Estate now sits on the walls of the Cabins situated on the property overlooking the amazing views that I was so grateful to be a part of.
My experience at Marnong was about seeing the joy people experienced here and the rich history that's been preserved. The unexpected flow of light and the gratefulness of just being here are the moments I have taken with me and plenty more, there is always so much to see.
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