Cameron Balfour, Cedar Creek Dawn (LANDSCAPE 2026)

Captured in the stillness before sunrise at Cedar Creek Falls Whitsundays, this image reflects the Wet Tropics beauty in pre-dawn light. The cascading tiers descend over rugged basalt cliffs into a glassy emerald pool, framed by dense tropical foliage. Using a NiSi 6-stop ND filter, the long exposure transforms the moving water into a soft, silken flow—contrasting with the solid permanence of the foreground rocks. Shot on a Nikon D810/Tamron24/70mm lens underexposed by two stops. The long exposure in low light reveals lush greens but protects highlight detail in the falls while allowing the shadows to remain rich and atmospheric.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.