About the images All of the (A4) images that feature in the gallery on this page are produced through the Ilfochrome Classic Cibachrome ("Superchrome") process at ChromaColour Pty Ltd (Adelaide, South Australia). Cibachrome debuted in 1963 and is the print quality of choice for professionals whose interest lies in faithful record of colours and especially, the permanence of the photograph. Cibachromes will not fade, discolour or lose their stunning vibrance. Superchrome prints are produced by highly qualified master printers working to the specifications I have provided, so that in essence, the finished print is identical in appearance to the image captured on the transparency; there is no scanning or computers in the print process to degrade the image. I maintain that producing a photograph is an holistic process: if you go to so much trouble to photograph your subject, it makes no sense to print it as an after-thought. However, printing is only half the story: any type of prints must be protected from that scourge of industrialisation — gas fading — and only conservation finishing will provide the very high level of protection required.

Left Selecting transparencies for masking and subsequent Cibachrome process printing.

Did you know? Superchrome prints have a dark storage life of several hundred years (when matted and framed to museum-grade conservation standards and displayed correctly).

Sales Some Superchrome images are framed (Crescent® 8-ply cotton ragmat matboard, TruVue® UV-retardant glass) and titled ready to go. Other prints, typically those produced since January–February 2005, are matted and titled only, ready for conservation framing.

All Superchromes are professionally matted with Crescent® 8-ply 100% solid cotton ragmat matboard — the only fine art matboard available that is covered by an exclusive lifetime replacement warranty.

To safeguard print integrity, Superchromes are never sold raw without matting. All mats are encased in acid-free clear wrap. We recommend this wrap not be removed except by a frameshop familiar with the handling of fine art photographs.

Above Galliebarinda Falls (same spot as image at far right, bottom).

Seeing red King Parrot, Wye River

Oops! Well, even the fleet-footed have their slip-ups. Upper Sabine Falls. Photo: Carole Gowty.

Waterfalls, waterfalls...everywhere!

Three Falls and still counting It all started last December with a 'drop in' on the pretty Allambee Beek Falls, deep in the forest within the headwaters of the Cumberland River. Next day, we kitted up for a much more involved "walk, talk and gawk" to seek out the lovely Galliebarinda Falls, a wide sloping rock ending with a 1.2 metre veil of water flowing into a deep pool. Drought conditions have taken a heavy toll on both of these waterfalls, and getting a good, representative image is challenging. I can easily imagine a walll of water form one end to the other after rain. In the end, I sufficed with a couple of digital shots to plan a return visit later with 'Brutus'.

On 18th March I made my first walk-in to the dramatic Brunswick Falls, downstream of Galliebarinda. Surprisingly, the volume of water here was greater than elsewherel, likely because the water is chanelled into a 'flute' on one side and then over several rugged tiers. Just above Brunswick Falls lies a particularly serene stretch of calm water bordered on either side by verdant myrtle glooms with ancient, moss-covered beech arcing overhead. Sunlight filtering into this scene is truly memorable. Too bad the water was too low and off-colour (oh, alright, damn cold too!) for a skinnydip!!

Above: Galliebarinda Falls in drought (December 2006)

• Weblink: Great Otway National Park, Parks Victoria.

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Upper Sabine Falls
Great Otway National Park
2 views, 6 years apart:

Above: © John Piesse 2001
[ 6x7, Velvia 50 ]

Above© Gary Rowan Higgins 2006
[ 35mm Velvia 100F (@EI80) ]
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My first view on 2nd October, 2006 was no less impressive than John's original view of 2001 (top). The prolonged drought is starting to bite in my image. By April 2007, the Upper Sabine was nowt but a trickle.
Still, after an hour of walking through rainforest, the Upper Sabine is a beautiful place to spend an hour or so.