Lennox Head October Long Weekend
04/10/25
The October long weekend was upon us, and what better way to spend it than at the beach? Lennox Head seemed the obvious choice on this occasion, partly because my grandmother still lives there, and partly because it’s not quite peak tourist season yet (though, as we’ll get to, it was still a lot busier than I expected).
In terms of gear, I brought two cameras: my usual Canon 200D with a 24mm prime, my go-to for holidays and always set to black and white; and my Canon R8 with a 50mm prime, mainly because I knew I’d want to capture some colour at sunrise and take a few family photos, which the 50mm is perfect for. We arrived the day before daylight savings began, so I missed the sunrise by about ten minutes that first morning. Getting up at 5:30 is one thing, but 4:30? Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen.
I managed to get a few decent shots of the beach that morning, though nothing that really blew me away. Both the black-and-white and colour shots worked thanks to the drama in the sky, but the best was still to come.
I did, however, capture a few people shots that I really liked, the self-portrait in the parking mirror came out great, the fisherman framed against the white water worked beautifully, and there’s a single surfer riding a wave who, despite being tiny in frame, gives the photo so much energy. It’s just a shame the light didn’t carry that same intensity.
That afternoon my parents arrived, and Kelly had some gifts from her last trip to Canada to give them. It was a warm afternoon, the dogs were lazy, and the light was harsh, but somehow, it just fit. The perfect sort of day for relaxing with family.
For the longest time
When I was a kid, okay, nearly 40 years ago now, the outdoor area at my grandparents’ place was under cover. My grandfather had built a sort of mesh greenhouse over the whole thing, but it all came crashing down after last year’s Cyclone Alfred hit the coast. It’s made it a lot harder to get photos without cars in the background now… oh well. I still love the way my dad’s face is shrouded in shadow while my mum’s is lit perfectly in one of the shots.
As is tradition whenever my dad’s at Lennox, we made the pilgrimage down to the beach, just to make sure the ocean was still there, of course. I’ve captured some great photos of him gazing wistfully at the water in that spot over the years, but I don’t think I quite pulled it off this time. Maybe it was the backlighting in the afternoon, maybe it was just the mood. Either way, those ended up being the only photos I took of the beach outside of sunrise across the whole trip.
When we got back, my grandmother June had returned from the club. The light was low, and I managed to get two photos of her that I absolutely love, one with offset framing and beautiful backlighting, and another where her face is half obscured. They might not be to everyone’s taste when it comes to family portraits, but they’re 110% to mine.
I suppose this is as good a time as any to talk about my colour grading. Nostalgia is obviously a big part of my brand, but it goes deeper than that. While there’s no shortage of famous photographers who inspire me, my biggest influences have always been the family photos I grew up with. As much as the gross, piss-yellow tones of the disposable-camera era of the ’90s and 2000s hold a special place in my heart, there was always something fascinating, almost classy, about the semi-sepia photos (and the bush paintings I grew up surrounded by) from the ’50s and ’60s. The world might have moved on, but outside of black and white, those are still the tones I most associate with the places I grew up.
05/10/25
Sunday morning rolled around, and with it, daylight savings. Time to actually get up in time for the sunrise. It’s kind of an obsession for me when I’m on the coast. I’m usually up for sunrise in Armidale too, but it’s largely obscured by hills and houses. The ocean, though, even clouds can’t spoil it. If anything, they make it better.
The surf was pretty flat the whole time we were at Lennox, so I was genuinely surprised to catch the shot I did. Waves were few and far between, and being in the right place at the right time was tricky. But I love the posing, the lighting, and the 3x1 crop, it just works.
The beach itself was packed that morning. I noticed a lot of Queensland number plates, and judging by how empty the beach was the next day, I’m guessing most of them were down for the long weekend and drove back Sunday afternoon. No complaints here, it gave me plenty of subjects to work with, but not so many that I felt overwhelmed. I think this was the day I realised how much I love shooting silhouettes. Or maybe it’s just a side effect of shooting into the sun. Either way, I came away with some real bangers that morning, very happy with the output.
06/10/25
Monday was our final day, and the sun was insanely dramatic. I absolutely love the look and feel of these shots, even if they do echo the ones from the previous morning, same kind of compositions, same kind of people, but still distinct in their own way.
The beach was far quieter, which changed the whole atmosphere. I’m particularly fond of the lad in the camp chair watching the sunrise, and the silhouette of the man beside the handrail and fence. I’m not sure if either will make the portfolio, but they’re strong contenders.
As always, before leaving Lennox, I took as many photos of June as I could. I really like the reflection shot of her holding Percy in the car, and the last photo taken from inside the car feels like classic June.
I’d argue that these impromptu shoots are the most important part of every trip.
You never know which time might be the last, and that applies to everything in life, not just the people we love getting older.
