Winter Magic Festival 2015 "Peace" Katoomba Blue Mountains NSW Australia

Winter Magic 2015 Parade by Travis Chau on 500px

A day trip to the Blue Mountains again, this time was for the Winter Magic Festival. I missed the parade last year, but this year I was there early like sunrise. I planned my trip so I could take photographs of the Katoomba world famous \”Three Sisters\” at sunrise and I wasn\’t disappointed. It had everything that I wanted. A fog dissipating slowly creating a mystical and alluring landscape that is the Blue Mountains National Park.

There were only 3 other fellow photographers there early with me. A couple from the England and another all the way from Bowral, NSW. It was cold but worth the effort. I didn\’t have to fight over the crowd for a good spot. I just love sunrise and Winter for that reason.

My Winter Magic program was full on from 9am to late, so my plan was to have a coffee and breakfast and enjoy some laughs with the poets gathering at the Family Hotel in Katoomba. More importantly recharge my Panasonic battery. Last year I was running out of batteries, the cold weather really drains your batteries so be prepare to bring a lots of batteries and if possible charger as well.

The parade starts at 11:30am and I want to get to the beginning of the parade that\’s where you get all the actions of any parade. I was walking among the crowd when on Main Street in Katoomba and manage to get to half way before the street was closed off for the beginning of the parade. So I stood there on the side and photograph the parade. I didn\’t manage any video footage of the parade unfortunately.

After the parade ended, I was walking around to catch some street photography. It is really the street portraits that I was after and Winter Magic never disappoint and you have so many willing subjects to choose from that if you were a shy photographer then Winter Magic or any dress up parade is where you can practice your skills.

There event had so many activities and the trick is to let your feet wondering around. I was also waiting for the fireworks at the end of the day at Carrington Hotel. I missed that shot last year so I was determine to get it this year. And I did get it, the fireworks display was not Darling Harbour or Sydney Harbour Fireworks but it better than nothing.

I ended the day with a course dinner and jazz at the Blue Hotel. I was looking at the official Winter Magic website and was curious to what\’s other events after the fireworks and I found Hollywood Noir show interesting. So I booked the dinner and entertainment. I had a great dinner and live music. A great day trip to the Blue Mountains once again. I just love the Blue Mountains.