Michael Wilkins
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A series · 15 photographs

The Sydney Coast

The Sydney coast, mostly the eastern beaches from Bondi to Coogee, over the years I lived there. The ocean pools are the thing I kept coming back to: someone drew a rectangle on a rock shelf and the sea has been arguing with it ever since. Many of these were made at first light with a longer shutter, before the swimmers arrived; a few from above, with the drone, where the argument is easiest to see.

The Bondi Icebergs ocean pool at dawn seen from above, pink light on the lanes and a lone swimmer standing at the pool's edge.

Icebergs, First Swim

Bondi Icebergs, Sydney · November 2018 · 1 of 15

Two swimmers walk along the chain-fenced wall of an ocean pool at sunrise, silhouetted against a golden haze over the sea.

Walking the Wall

Bondi Icebergs, Sydney · February 2017 · 2 of 15

Aerial of a rectangular ocean pool cut into the rock platform, with heavy white surf breaking against its seaward wall and swimmers in the water beyond.

The Baths From the Air

Bronte Baths, Sydney · October 2016 · 3 of 15

Swimmers silhouetted in the Bronte Baths ocean pool at sunrise while backlit surf bursts against the chain-fenced sea wall.

Bronte Baths, Big Sea

Bronte Baths, Sydney · February 2017 · 4 of 15

Long-exposure seawater turned to mist swirls around sandstone boulders below a dark sea wall, a rusted metal post standing upright in the flow.

The Soft Sea

Bronte, Sydney · February 2017 · 5 of 15

Aerial of a single wave breaking in a long white line over a pale sandbank, with a surfer paddling in the green water below it.

One Wave, From Above

Bronte, Sydney · October 2016 · 6 of 15

Coogee Beach at dawn with smooth pink and blue water washing over wet sand, the headland's lights still on under a violet sky.

First Light, Coogee

Coogee Beach, Sydney · February 2017 · 7 of 15

Photograph of a large wave breaking and throwing spray over a dark rock shelf at golden hour, the lip curling forward with warm light behind it and blurred rock in the foreground.

The Shelf

Sydney, Australia · May 2019 · 8 of 15

Photograph of a lone surfer crouched at the base of a large breaking wave at sunrise, the whole face of the water lit gold and the lip throwing spray above them.

Inside the Gold

Sydney, Australia · June 2019 · 9 of 15

Sunrise photograph over a beach, tufts of dune grass silhouetted in the foreground, wet sand catching gold light and a rocky headland reaching into the sea beyond.

First Light, Dune

Sydney, Australia · June 2019 · 10 of 15

Aerial looking down on pale rounded boulders at the water's edge with white water surging between them into deep blue open sea.

Boulders, From Above

Bondi, Sydney · October 2016 · 11 of 15

Long-exposure sea washing milky-white over sandstone boulders at Bronte, a rusted iron post standing in the flow, the chain-fenced ocean pool and its steps at right, surfers waiting beyond the break and houses on the headland under a heavy grey sky.

Bronte, Under a Heavy Sky

Bronte Baths, Sydney · June 2019 · 12 of 15

Aerial view straight down a curved beach: orange sand meeting green-turquoise shallows, with dark vegetated rock outcrops breaking the waterline and bush-covered headland along the top edge.

Where the Rock Meets the Sand

Northern Beaches, Sydney · October 2016 · 13 of 15

Moody photograph of steps and steel handrails leading down into a seaside ocean pool at dusk, the still pool water pale against a dark stormy sky and rough sea beyond.

Handrails

Sydney, Australia · June 2019 · 14 of 15

Bondi Beach at sunset with an orange storm-lit sky over the town, a lifeguard tower standing on the sand and gulls gathered on the beach.

Lifeguard Tower, Last Light

Bondi Beach, Sydney · November 2018 · 15 of 15

Photograph looking down the Via dei Fori Imperiali at dusk toward the floodlit Colosseum, umbrella pines silhouetted on both sides beneath a burning orange sky.

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