Sunday, April 3, 2011

Ngilgi Cave - Western Australia

The Ngilgi Cave was discovered by Edward Dawson in 1899, but before that was frequented by the Aboriginal Wardandi people. There’s a legend that says Ngilgi was a good spirit, yet there was an evil spirit that who lived inside the cave. Ngilgi wanted his people to have safety and be able to seek refuge. So he gathered the forces of nature to create a massive storm to drive the evil spirit out of the cave. Ngilgi conquered the evil spirit, allowing the Wardandi people to use the cave as their haven. Today the cave is visited by hundreds of tourists every year. It’s located in Yallingup, Western Australia… A must see if you’re visiting that part of the world.


I had never been in a cave before and was excited to shoot everything I saw. I knew it would be challenging with the limited lighting, but the cave was lit up so as long as I could find something to rest my camera on for long exposures I would be alright. It was a bit of an adventure crawling through tunnel and squeezing my way through the limestone formations. But what I saw was breathtaking. Everywhere you look, you’ll see a stunning display of stalactite, helictite and stalagmite, I was very impressed.


I was in my own little world exploring the cave. Everything I saw was so fascinating; I’d try to see things from every angle, lying on the floor, standing on the railings, climbing the stairs, going on my tippy-toes. I would even look at things upside down. As I was lying on the floor, my friend Julia walked passed me. I took this next shot.


 
Some places you visit are magical, and the Ngilgi Caves are one of those magnificent spots that you won't ever forget!


 


Kangaroo Love!

You can’t visit Australia without photographing kangaroos. It’s like going to Italy without eating pizza… what’s the point?!


 I visited a little kangaroo sanctuary south of Perth in a place called Bunbury. It wasn’t a touristy place, so myself and two friends were the only people there. We found two little joeys nestled under a tree together. It was the perfect photo opportunity. They were the most beautiful shy little creatures, so content cuddling together in the shade. I wanted to to capture the emotion I felt when I first saw the two little guys.