(07.04.2025)
I have learnt a lot about weather in the last few days. In particular the conditions that enable fog to develop. Of course not every location has the ability to develop fog, but in the Bogong High Plains (much like home in the Macedon Ranges) fog is a common occurrence this time of year.
Or so I thought.
My first day at the residency I left sunny Bogong Village to Falls Creek with the aim to do a recce of the areas I wished to discover - specifically Maisie’s Plots in Pretty Valley and Rocky Valley, established 1945-47. As I drove the windy passages up the mountain a misty fog appeared. It felt like I had entered a different world, gloomy, mysterious and all encompassing. I felt small among the elements.
The fog acted like a huge soft box, creating an atmospheric feeling in the photographs I created. The sun hazy in its efforts to shine through, with little success until mid-afternoon when the fog lifted. It was incredible to witness, rolling fog moving fast across the landscape, with moments of clear views that were quickly swept away again by the dense cloud. I could barely see a few meters in front of me. I even had a companion bird watch me photograph the landscape that day - a black shouldered kite. It felt like a wonderful sign. I was excited about the prospect of making more images like this in the days to follow. However, it wasn’t meant to be. Each day as I look at the sky, head to the mountain or wait for the cloud, the sun has been strong and the days clear of fog.
Ideal fog conditions:
100% humidity.
Dew point temperature 1-2 degrees Celsius below air temperature.
I check the weather forecast each night for the next day - wishing for these conditions.
In the meantime, I have had the time to read about Maisie (Stella Maisie Fawcett Carr) and her time in the Bogong High Plains, understand soil conditions, local vegetation and even take a horse ride. I have taken photographs in the sunny conditions, realising that these would have been perfect for Maisie and her team evaluating and recording the data for her experimental plots.