Namoi Valley floods

[norwest]

Re my post here viewtopic.php?f=18&t=41759 I went out this morning when i 'thought' it stopped raining and grabbed some shots and come back soaked and muddy from falling on my butt climbing up a slippery levee bank. We are on the Namoi River, by the way.

I'll post more as i 'm able.

The highway and main eastern exit from town.



Western exit. 80k is likely a little bit fast at the moment.



Southern exit.



Shot from the southern levee bank.

[Steffen]

Very interesting, I hope your house is not under water?

Western exit. 80k is likely a little bit fast at the moment.

Yes, you should slow down when wet...

Cheers
Steffen.

[norwest]

If i'm flooding the thread with too may shots, my apologies and please scream at me, but make it loud as my ears are full of water.

The rain has stopped and the sun has come out in the last hour. I managed to get out again this afternoon in the dry, which made for better shots plus a dry butt and camera gear.

The western exit on the main highway. The bridge over the Namoi river in the background.



The bleeding obvious.



The SES have been again doing a great job. They are all over the place and flat chat.



A shot from this morning. I had an assistant next to me that i wasn't aware of till after the shot. I'll post a shot of him later.

[norwest]

Very interesting, I hope your house is not under water?

Cheers
Steffen.

No, despite news reports tonight to the contrary, the river hasn't broached the levee and although it is very high, isn't likely to as the height has remained steady since late morning.

[biggerry]

spewing man... my mates joint has/had water up to just below the floor boards, its less than a couple of months since the last flood...

that cotton is gonna cop a hiding from this!

Stay safe and avoid teh water! (where possible) I hope the mozzies stay at bay too!

[norwest]

spewing man... my mates joint has/had water up to just below the floor boards, its less than a couple of months since the last flood...

that cotton is gonna cop a hiding from this!

Stay safe and avoid teh water! (where possible) I hope the mozzies stay at bay too!

Yep, it's a bastard. We know many from narrabri and there's a lot in a similar situation. Moree is a mess. My son said that today the water was about waist deep in his street and about chest high only a street away. We are ok inside the levee but outside it's an enormous lake as far as you can see with farms and farm homes under and once again, crops lost. The cotton has copped a mild summer, (it needs hot and low humidity) with regular rain & unsettled weather and now, well, it's not looking too good. I wouldn't be a farmer for quids.

The mozzies are likely laughing in anticipation as we speak.

[norwest]

Anyway, the last of wet shots as my hands are starting wrinkle.

An idea of the volume and speed of the water.



One of several that's been constantly in the air around town for the last couple of days.



The assistant i mentioned previously wasn't for the particular shot i posted, but actually helped out in the afternoon. To get the composition i wanted, I was crouched down below the top rail of the bridge fence at the junction to the bridge entry when one of the SES guys on duty said, "Watch the snake there, eh." Tucked down beside the bridge and directly in front of my shoes was a Red Belly. Needless to say, I moved back a touch and grabbed a quick shot (an ordinary one, dammit, but i wasn't hanging to have a look) from above and then let well enough alone.

It was the second on the bridge today, along with a million insects and other creatures trying to escape the flood waters.

[ian.bertram]

Amazing on the spot reportage.
As a photo site and looking at these for their artistic merit I love number 2 with the speed sign and the one with the worn bridge going into the distance. They do more than just report the floodwater, they tell a story in their own merit.

I like the heli photo and the angle of the helicpter- it gives a sense of movement and urgency. What do people think about shutter speed with photographing helicopters and propellor planes. Is it better to shoot slower and get a blur in the blades?

[zafra52]

Yes, I like 2 as well, but keep out of harm's way.

[norwest]

I was driving back home and spotted the chopper just about to take off, stopped asap, grabbed the wet camera off a towel on the passenger seat beside me, turned it on and had time only for the above shot and one other. Both at previous shot settings as i had no time to alter them. Yes, imo, a slower shutter speed is ideal to show the blade motion, like the wheels in motor racing but i couldn't ask the chopper pilot to hang on for me.

I was able to get anoth shot of the #2 above, later in the afternoon during a break in the rain.



I went for a walk this morning and found the southern exit bridge was well and truly guarded by several of these that were escaping the water after being washed downstream. I went no further than this.