SHORNCLIFFE PIER, QUEENSLAND. AUSTRALIA PHOTOGRAPHY
“The more pictures you see, the better you are as a photographer.”
Remember when you’d step out of the car barefoot in that beachside village as a kid, the sound of the ocean shifting in the air and a sea breeze washing over your skin? The bayside stretch made up of Shorncliffe, Sandgate and Brighton on Brisbane’s Northside, a 25-minute drive from the CBD, has the seaside village thing down pat. The sleepy vibe remains but bars and cute cafes have popped up and some pretty great events dot the calendar, making it well worth a visit. You’ll want a day to explore, so reserve your weekend and tick these off your list.
I was up early Sunday morning to hopefully capture the mix of purples, pinks, oranges and yellows and the mirror image that springs from the water from the Shorncliffe Pier. When the tide is in ensures there’s an army of keen snappers lining up with their tripods to catch the perfect sunrise. The best vantage points are anywhere along Flinders Parade from Sandgate to Brighton, and beside Shorncliffe Pier.
This pier was originally built in the 1880s and reopened in 2016 after extensive restoration. It is Brisbane’s largest timber pier at 351 metres long, in Bramble Bay. It is a popular place for jogging, walking the dog, fishing and photo opportunities.
Although piers and jetties are used for recreational activities such as running, strolling and fishing, I derive my pleasure from photography. The “golden hour” of photography is approximately for an hour after sunrise and for an hour before sunset. These are the times that I like to take my photos as the daylight is softer and redder (more golden). There is also the “magic hour” in photography which is the hour before sunrise and the hour after sunset when the light is diffuse and even. On a jetty, there is the added bonus of the dawn over water.
Go early morning or early evening and you’re guaranteed to get stunning skies, bay breezes or a combo of the two. Also it’s completely flat and play areas abound, so the kids can cut loose while you stroll.
There are plenty of great cafes to pop into after sunrise life coffee at Satori Organics (it also does turmeric lattes for those skipping the caffeine), Cypher, Mug Shots Espresso, Baaia, Be Bold Cafe and Woods Coffee House at Sandgate, The Wired Owl, Matthew Thomas and Café on the Park at Shorncliffe, and Eclectea and Blume at Brighton. Special mention goes to Coffee Warden in Sandgate, which opens its doors at 5am daily and were I drop into before I headed home.
Just behind The Wired Owl coffee shop is Old Favourites, a highly addictive and cute little antique and furniture store in which Kim loves. Also try Atrium or Sweet Georgia Boutique for boutique fashion, Something About Audrey for fashion and bespoke homewares, gifts, jewellery, handbags and accessories, all on Kim’s list when we head out Sandgate way.
“Photography has nothing to do with cameras.”
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