Twelve Apostles, The Great Ocean Road, Victoria – Australia

A trip to the ocean has a way of restoring not only the body and mind, but the spirit as well. The cool breezes, the salty air, and the way the sunlight glistens on the surface of the water can make your everyday worries and cares seem very far away right there in that moment. You don’t necessarily have to clear your schedule and actually spend the day at the beach with your toes in the sand to reap the benefits of a visit to the seashore either. A scenic drive down a route like the Great Ocean Road can definitely do the trick as well.

Although every inch of the Great Ocean Road is picturesque and awe-inspiring, the portion that introduces you to the Twelve Apostles is even more spectacular. The Twelve Apostles are majestic stacked limestone formations positioned a little ways out from the nearby limestone cliffs. They give the impression of being almost human, standing and waiting – watchful and alert. The imagination can run wild for quite some time imagining what exactly it is that they’re watching for. At this point in time, only a few of the original Apostles remain, but they still strike quite a presence.

‘Bisou Dore’ is my take on the classic way to capture the 12 Apostles – at sunset with the sea-facing limestone sides of the cliffs kissed by the warm, golden sun just before it sinks below the horizon. This was a summer’s day, so the weather was fair and balmy. As I photographed the cliffs, a nearby couple took in the view as they enjoyed an evening picnic of wine and cheese. Just after sunset, the beach would receive a visit from a flock of penguins. Perhaps they were what the Apostles were watching for as they soaked up the summer sun.