Saturday August 15

I decided to do a late afternoon/sunset photo shoot at Champion Lakes, which is a recently built regatta lake that is located about 10 minutes drive from where I live. It was a cold and windy winters afternoon, and we had showers and some hail during the day.

I got down to the lake and headed down to the back end of the lake, which faces East towards the foothills, this is a area that I shot from on my first ever visit to the lake. I saw that they had just laid out the lane Buoys and left the barge at the end of the lake, which meant I didn’t have a clear view from the edge of the lake, down the entire lake which was a bit disappointing. I set my tripod up and started shooting. About 10 minutes into my shoot, I saw a security patrol car drive past along the service road, but the security guard didn’t stop, then another 10 minutes later, another security patrol car pulled up and the security guard got out and started questioning me on what I was doing, I had my camera set up on my tripod and told him I was taking photos (Duh) he then started questioning me about what I was planning on doing with my photos, and then told me that I wasn’t allowed to publish my photos! What a load of crap! I was taking photos from a public area, and the lake is a public venue, and is open to the general public. I was standing on a bike/pedestrian path and there were other people walking/cycling around the lake, so I wasn’t the only person around. After answering all his questions, he then left and I got back to shooting. I shot for another 20 mins before the sun went behind clouds and the hills became shadowed. I then headed back to my car, and I noticed another security patrol car driving around, and they stopped and was watching me as I was packing my tripod into the back of my car.

I then drove around to the main estate area, and I decided to stop and shoot around the public area which included some sculptures, a small pond, and some shelters. The sun had just set, but there was still some colour in the sky. I then saw yet another security patrol car come around, and they drove past a couple times slowly and watching what I was doing. So I decided I would leave, I packed up and I was starting to head home, but I thought I would quickly stop at the bridge at the public beach area which was about 1km or so further up the road.

The gates were locked, so I couldn’t get over the bridge, and it was getting dark at this point. I quickly took a few shots around the bridge, and I looked across the lake to see a huge dark cloud approaching, with some heavy rain off in the distance, I quickly took a few shots of the approaching rain cloud then headed back to the car. I then noticed a security sign for the lake, so I thought I would quickly take a photo of it for my story, since it was dark, I had to use flash to illuminate the sign, I then read on the sign “Security Notice – This area is under video surveillance for your protection” And just after I read that, I saw one of the patrol cars come racing around the lake along the bicycle path with spotlights and high beams on coming towards where I was shooting like I was doing something wrong! I didn’t know taking a photo of a security sign in a public area was a crime, maybe because I use flash! LOL Anyway, I got back into my car and left before they could get around to where I was, and just as I got back into my car and started to drive off, It started to pour down with rain, so lucky I decided to leave when I did or I would have ended up getting wet again like on a few of my previous photo shoots. LOL

I did manage to get some great shots from this photo shoot though, so I guess it was worth the hassle in the end, but I don’t think I will be visiting the lake again any time soon, which is a shame, because it it a nice location.

http://www.redbubble.com/people/eos20/art/3602073-3-champion-lake

http://www.redbubble.com/people/eos20/art/3622112-3-champion-lakes-foothills

http://www.redbubble.com/people/eos20/art/3602070-3-champion-lake-panorama-1

http://www.redbubble.com/people/eos20/art/3602069-3-champion-lake-panorama-2

http://www.redbubble.com/people/eos20/art/3622110-4-approaching-storm-at-dusk