LOCATION – BELLS BEACH, TORQUAY, AUSTRALIA
Intro
Bells Beach is one of the most famous beach locations in Australia located just west of the small coastal town of Torquay in Victoria. It is world famous for surfing and has been made even more well-known thanks to the 1995 movie Point Break, even though it wasn’t actually filmed here.
Essentials
Camera Gear Used
- Canon 5DsR
- Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens
- Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens
- Hoya Pro1D Polariser
- Hoya Pro1D ND 4
- Hitech 100 Filter System ND Grads
- Manfrotto 190XProB
Basic Directions
Bells Beach is about 10mins drive from Torquay and 1.5hrs from Melbourne. It is located half way around the Bells Beach Rd which is a loop from the Great Ocean Rd
Sometimes a location is just too big for one article so here are some related articles
Content
The majority of people will visit Bells Beach as a detour from the Great Ocean Rd on their way to the 12 Apostles. This included myself until recently. There is a large car park and viewing platforms to cater for the huge numbers of tourists that visit. The platforms give a great view looking east and west. You can also easily walk to the beach.
It was however a sunrise shoot that endeared me the most. As soon as I arrived I felt a sense of occasion. Australian occasion. The absolute quintessential surfing stereotypical scene. Combi vans, tanned bodies, bleached hair, no tourists and everyone scrambling to the water in search of the waves at first light. I arrived about 15mins before sunrise but 30mins would have been better. Surfers get up super early. Many doing it before work.
I was lucky enough to capture this amazing sunrise from the main beach. Nothing spectacular composition wise. Just simplicity and colour.
I was lucky enough to capture this amazing sunrise from the main beach. Nothing spectacular composition wise. Just simplicity and colour.
In my head, I wanted a shot of surfers silhouetted against the rising sun running into the water. Ultimately very hard to achieve due to the requirement of perfect positioning. I was however satisfied with my shots…albeit with a desire to return and improve.
As the sun rose I concentrated on just shooting some surfing. I had never done this before but it left me with a desire to shoot a big event with a long lens! The surfers are backlit at sunrise which means very flat images in a wave but with a jump, you can capture an amazing silhouette with the water.
There are a couple of other lookouts worth investigating. One is at the southern end of the main car park. The other is a short drive south along Bells Beach Rd and signposted as the ‘Surf Coast Walk’. It offers views of the next bay and Southside Beach with vegetation right along the clifftop.
As it happens Bells Beach Rd which passes past the beach is also an intermediate hill climb for the Cadel Evans Road Race which is a popular one day cycling event held in January. I have returned each year to capture the peloton with the dramatic ocean scenery around. If the local council hasn’t got there first, you may see the chalk graffiti remnants leftover. Like a scene from the Tour de France.
Location Images
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