Timelapse: Nerima Gardens

This timelapse was shot at Nerima Gardens on a couple of weekends recently.  We have had so much wet weather that photography opportunities have been limited, but I overcame this by shooting 2 of the 3 sequences in this timelapse from undercover.

The first sequence is shot from underneath a bridge, the second shows reflections in the lake (shot on a brighter day), and the third is shot from the Japanese teahouse.

Nerima Gardens Timelapse sequence 1: under the bridge

Nerima Gardens Timelapse sequence 2: reflections in the lake

Nerima Gardens Timelapse sequence 3: from the teahouse

Music is “Prelude No. 16” by Chris Zabriskie (http://chriszabriskie.com).  This is the first time that I have used music in a timelapse; I think it really enhances it, so thanks to Chris and other talented people who make their work available for free.

This video was complied from 1085 RAW still photos using Lightroom 4.  (There is one ‘dud’ frame rendered in there, but I am too impatient to wait another 6 hours or so to re-render and re-upload it!).  The in-sequence movement and deflickering is done with the assistance of LR Timelapse, which basically tells Lightroom what to do using metadata, which is a LOT faster than me doing it manually!

Settings: LR4, using 12fps 720p @24 LRTPro preset.

Hope you enjoy it. http://vimeo.com/lightswimming/nerima-timelapse

Timelapse from the teahouse: Preview

It won’t stop raining in South East Queensland at the moment.  My photography assistant (Miss Nine) and I needed a wet weather project, and this is part of it.

The timelapse video is uploading now, so will probably be ready tomorrow night.  Meanwhile – here’s a quick preview.

Nerima Gardens

More photos from yesterday’s wet weather trip to Nerima Gardens.

Paperbark after insect treatment, Nerima Gardens

Nerima Gardens Rain

Nerima Gardens Rain

See yesterday’s pictures here: Teeny Tiny Wet Worlds

Teeny Tiny Wet Worlds

When you get up close to these fungi, they seem to exist in tiny little worlds of their own.

[click any picture for full size]

Fungi, Nerima Gardens

Fungi, Nerima Gardens

Fungi, Nerima Gardens

It has been a very wet summer in Queensland and it is not showing any signs of abating yet.  We are averaging 250mm per month at present – almost 1/4 of normal annual rainfall.  These fungi, at Nerima Gardens, seem to be enjoying the weather.

For previous posts on these Japanese Gardens, look here —> Nerima Gardens

Rainy Day at Bangalow

Hydrangea and Bangalow palm at Bangalow

Nerima Gardens – still wet

It’s a rainy weekend once again. The kindest way to describe my week at work would be ‘extremely challenging’ so, despite the rain, I didn’t want to just sit inside and stew about it.

So, the girls and I decided to visit the (free) Queens Park nature centre, a favourite of theirs, to see the wallabies, wombats, kangaroos, emus, bilbies and other animals, even though umbrellas were definitely required.

We also revisited Nerima Gardens (it was raining last time we went there too) and I was able to get some pics which I am quite happy with (considering that they were one-handed under an umbrella) :).

Click the gallery pictures for full size:

Guardian swan – not too happy about seeing us. Nature Centre, Queens Park Ipswich

Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) sheltering from the rain – Nature Centre, Queens Park Ipswich

Raindrops on skeletal tree, Nerima Gardens

Sheltering from the rain on the teahouse verandah, looking towards the ‘secret’ gate, Nerima Gardens Stage 2

Conifer

Sasanqua camellia, Nerima Gardens

Spiky collection near the lake, Nerima Gardens

Nerima Gardens lake, during rain

Good weather for ducks – Nerima Gardens bridge

Rain drops pooling on Eucalyptus leaf

Eucalyptus Gum nuts (after flowering), Queens Park, Ipswich during rain

Beautiful Eucalyptus buds, dripping wet, Queens Park, Ipswich

That Camellia flower (above) is the first one for the year (a bit early in March), hopefully there will be plenty more to see soon.

Jeremy, you asked me a few days ago whether I was happy with the sharpness of the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5 – 5.6 zoom lens – those 3 Eucalyptus photos above are all taken with the 18-135 at 135mm (one handed in the rain so I wasn’t necessarily all that steady), and they are all pretty sharp, I think.  Hope that helps.

Here is a link to my last visit to Nerima Gardens —> Nerima Gardens, wringing wet.  I plan to visit again through the year and keep an eye on those Camellias.

Nerima Gardens, wringing wet

There was lots more rain here yesterday, which foiled plans for a photo-shoot where I was going to take photos of “actual humans” :).

I wandered through Nerima Gardens (established 17 years ago to celebrate a ‘sister city’ relationship with Nerima-ku, Tokyo, Japan) instead, between showers of rain.  Nerima Gardens are full of quiet and subtle beauty.

All shots here are with my 60mm Macro lens (it’s hard to change lenses while holding an umbrella).  I was looking for the teahouse – read on to see whether I found it ;).

Black Bamboo, near entrance to Nerima Gardens

I am not normally a fan of bamboo, but it was more beautiful than I had expected, in the rain.

Black bamboo, re-shooting

This fellow was nearby (along with plenty of his friends).  I haven’t been able to figure out what species he is, but since he was the size of the palm of my hand, I wasn’t getting any closer.

Spider, web, and raindrops

I wandered up the path, umbrella in one hand and camera in the other.

Flower spike on grass tree, rainy Nerima Gardens

Looking for the ‘secret’ entrance to the teahouse path:

The secret, narrow hedged path

Ducking under the leafless tree, full of raindrops:

leafless sky.

Up another path:

winding path

Cutting through the conifers:

Conifer trunk, wet

to see:

Nerima Gardens Teahouse dedication plaque. Quite beautiful in its own right!

I just love the lines of raindrops ready to fall from the bridge railing:

Nerima Gardens teahouse, wringing wet