GOG & MAGOG – TWO OF THE LIMESTONE STACKS KNOWN AS THE 12 APOSTLES
The 12 Apostles on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road are one of Australia’s most iconic landscapes—towering limestone stacks that rise dramatically from the Southern Ocean. I captured this image back in 2016 during a pre-dawn shoot, and in this tutorial, I’m bringing it back to life using modern Adobe Camera RAW processing techniques.
What makes this shot special is the warm directional light of first dawn, which brings out the rock textures and creates those beautiful shadows across the stacks. This was a 64-second long exposure at ISO 100, using neutral density filters to create that silky smooth effect in both the clouds and water.
Let me walk you through my exact processing workflow—from global adjustments to selective masking—to show you how I processed this 2016 RAW file using today’s tools.
THE PROCESSING WORKFLOW
Why I Shoot RAW (And Why It Matters Years Later)
I always shoot RAW files, and this image is a perfect example of why. Even though this was captured in 2016 with a Canon 5D Mark III, I can take advantage of modern processing engines and masking features that simply didn’t exist back then. This means my archive of older images can be reprocessed with better results as software improves.
Global Adjustments: Working Top to Bottom
I always work systematically through Adobe Camera RAW, starting from the top. Here’s my approach:
1. Skip Color Temperature (For Now) When processing landscapes, I bypass the color adjustments initially. Why? Because every adjustment I make to exposure and contrast will affect color saturation, so it’s more efficient to dial in color at the very end.
2. Exposure and Contrast
- Dropped exposure slightly to bring more color into the sky
- Increased contrast by 5 points for more definition
- Pulled back highlights to preserve sky detail
- Lifted shadows marginally (about 10 points)
- Pushed whites up and pulled blacks down (this push-pull increases overall contrast and saturation)
3. Clarity for Definition Added about 15 points of clarity, which is midtone contrast. This gives the image that “crunch” or definition I’m looking for without affecting the extremes of the tonal range.
4. Sharpening I took sharpening to around 80 points. Think of sharpening like seasoning when cooking—you don’t just add it at the end. I like to build it up gradually as I process, then apply final output sharpening depending on where the image is going (print, web, etc.).
Optical Corrections
Under the Optics tab:
- Enabled “Remove Chromatic Aberration” to eliminate any color fringing
- Applied lens profile corrections (automatically detected my 16-35mm lens)
- This removed vignetting and distortion, though I’ll add some vignetting back later for creative effect
Note: If you use specialty lenses like the 17mm tilt-shift (which I love), you won’t find profile corrections because Adobe can’t account for all the shift and tilt movements. In those cases, manual corrections are needed.
Selective Masking: Where the Magic Happens
This is where modern Adobe Camera RAW really shines. The AI-powered masking tools let me make precise adjustments to specific areas:
Sky Mask:
- Dropped exposure to bring out color
- Increased contrast slightly
- Pulled back highlights
- Pushed whites up and blacks down (increasing contrast and saturation)
Subject Mask (Limestone Stacks):
- Brightened exposure to make them pop
- Increased contrast by pushing blacks down and whites up
- Added texture and clarity for that punchy, defined look
Water Mask (Manual Brush):
- Painted over the silky water area using a soft brush
- Increased exposure to brighten the water
- Adjusted blacks and whites for contrast
- Added a hint of blue to enhance the water’s color
Final Touches
- Added subtle vignetting to draw the eye toward the center
- Checked color temperature (left it as captured—the warm dawn light was perfect)
- No cropping needed for this composition
And that’s it. Before and after.
© Michael Evans Photographer
© Michael Evans Photographer
CAMERA SETTINGS
- Camera: Canon 5D Mark III
- Lens: Canon 16-35mm
- Exposure: 64 seconds
- ISO: 100
- Filters: Neutral density filters for long exposure effect
🧳 TRAVEL NOTES — IF YOU’RE HEADING TO THE 12 APOSTLES
Getting There: From Melbourne, you have two route options:
- Inland route: 3.25 hours (what I took for the extra sleep when chasing sunrise)
- Coastal route via Great Ocean Road: 4-4.5 hours (scenic but longer)
For sunrise shoots, you’ll need to leave Melbourne around 2:30 a.m. if taking the inland route. Worth it? Absolutely—standing on that beach at dawn, looking up at those towering stacks, is genuinely awesome.
A Bit of History: Despite the name, there were never actually 12 apostles—at best there were nine, and today only about eight remain as nature slowly reclaims them through wave action. Originally called the “Sow and Piglets” by explorer George Bass in 1798, they were renamed the 12 Apostles in the 1920s for tourism purposes.
🏨 ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
Stay in Port Campbell to avoid the brutal 2 a.m. Melbourne start:
- Southern Ocean Villas — Luxury option, perfect for couples (pricey but beautiful)
- Port O’Call Motel — More affordable, right in town, just 5 minutes’ drive to the Apostles (where I’ve stayed)
Dining Recommendations:
- Grassroots Deli — Excellent food (note: may be temporarily closed, check before visiting)
- Waves Cafe — Great alternative right across the road from Grassroots
📸 BONUS TIPS FOR THE DRIVE
Breaking Up the Return Journey (Coastal Route):
If you’re heading back to Melbourne via the coast, consider stopping in:
- Anglesea — Four Kings or Laneway 73 cafes for excellent coffee and breakfast
- Bells Beach — World-famous surf break, perfect for photographing surfers with a long lens
GEAR USED FOR THIS SHOOT
- Camera: Canon 5D Mark III
- Lens: Canon 16-35mm f/2.8
- Filters: Neutral density filters
- Tripod: Essential for 64-second exposure
💬 QUESTION FOR YOU
Have you photographed the 12 Apostles or the Great Ocean Road? What was your experience with the light and weather? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below!
WATCH THE FULL TUTORIAL
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For the complete step-by-step walkthrough with visual demonstrations of each adjustment, watch the full video above.