Lake Pedder was a gem of a glacial tarn in northwest Tasmania which was immortalised by the great landscape photographer Olegas Truchanas. Today the same Lake Pedder is a flooded shadow of its former self, after its damming in 1972 to manufacture hydroelectricity. It still made a nice photo in this case, but only due to the magic of evening light.
In my opinion, landscape photography is easy. But it is too difficult for me to do. Let me explain this paradox. Most landscape photography involves very simple equipment—usually short or medium lenses, a body, a tripod, some filters. If you work in larger formats, it’s the same but heavier. I’ve given up the backpack full of backbreaking pounds of heavy gear which had to be hiked to the top of some remote vantage point, usually at sunrise or sunset. My hike up in Tasmania’s Southwest National Park was one of those where I was struggling to reach the shelter of the hut before dusk. As I stopped to catch my breath, I turned around and saw this scene—“God light” I call it—shining over Lake Pedder. Unpacking all the equipment to take the shot meant, yes, I was stumbling in the dark when I finally did reach the shelter. These days I leave the landscape photography to burly young men.
