Photographing Kaniva Silo Art
About Kaniva
Kaniva is a small town in the Mallee (far western) area of Victoria. It is also at the southern edge of the Big Desert. The Silo is a working silo, so at various times of the year there are trucks at the silo obstructing the view. The Silo Art is a tribute to the Little Desert National Park's fauna. (The Little desert is home to more than 220 species of bird). The bird depicted on the silo is the Australian Hobby bird. A kind of small falcon. On the left of the Hobby is the scented sun orchid, and on the right the salmon sun orchid. These flower during September to November.
Artwork / Subjects
As with many silos, these are on private land. They are also behind the local fire station. The only access is from either side of the fire station. At the corner of Baker St and Progress St, there is a gate / driveway and beside this there is a short fence that you can photograph over. There are only two real options for photographing this silo:
- From the ground in front - as near as possible to the gate / fire station. This is how the above shot was taken. There is a small viewing area in front. The trouble with this veiw, as with many other silos, is that this 'tombstones' the shot unless you have a tilt-shift lens or back. On the day we visited it was overcast, and I did not have my 24mm TS lens with me. I shot with a 24-70mm set at 24mm, and 1/100 sec at f8. This was around 2pm, so even though the day was overcast, the light was not the best. Golden hour (just pre-dawn, post-dusk) would likely have been better.
- Via a drone. I was not able to use a drone on the day. I am not sure if you can normally fly one here, but I have seen drone (or at least aerial) shots, so I think you can do so. This would avoid the tombstoning. I would recommend this viewpoint.
Artist
Kaniva Silo Art was created by David Lee Pereira. The principal subject is Australian Hobby and Plains Sun Orchid.
Photographing the Artwork
How I photographed the Kaniva Silo
What I took - what was in my kit
I took my LowePro Backpack loaded with Canon 5DSR body, Canon 24-70mm zoom, Manfrotto 190 Tripod, and of course a range of lens wipes, spare batteries, sunscreen and bug repellant. I tended to shoot 28-55mm
Techniques
As discussed above, on this day I had little option but to just take a straight photo. I did of course expose-to-the-right, choose a low ISO (ISO 100) to reduce noise, set the aperature at f8 to avoid diffraction while improving depth of field as much as possible. This meant a shutter speed of 1/100th which was acceptable.
Apple Map – Artwork and Nearby Photographic Locations
This Apple Map identifies Kaniva Silo Art and the five nearest silo-art locations for which Auspano pages currently exist. Marker 1 is the principal artwork; the remaining markers link the wider photographic trail.
Mapped locations
Location
31 Progress St, Kaniva A8 Mallee Victoria (-36.380301, 141.24355)
Access & Parking
See the other sections of this page for parking information.
Accessibility
See the other sections of this page for accessibility information.
Best Light
See the other sections of this page for best light information.
Nearby Locations
Kaniva is not far from Dimboola and the wonderful Little Desert, or from Pink Lake.
Nearby Auspano silo-art pages
- Arkona Silo Art — approximately 70 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
- Rainbow Silo Art — approximately 86 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
- Albacutya Silo Art — approximately 101 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
- Brim Silo Art — approximately 111 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
- Patchewollock Silo Art — approximately 140 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
Use the linked pages for verified viewpoints, access notes and additional nearby subjects. Check current road conditions before travelling between remote Mallee locations.
Nearby Auspano silo-art pages
- Arkona Silo Art — approximately 70 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
- Rainbow Silo Art — approximately 86 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
- Albacutya Silo Art — approximately 101 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
- Brim Silo Art — approximately 111 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
- Patchewollock Silo Art — approximately 140 km in a straight line; road distance will be longer.
Use the linked pages for verified viewpoints, access notes and additional nearby subjects. Check current road conditions before travelling between remote Mallee locations.
How to Get There
See the other sections of this page for get there information.
Driving from the State Capital
The state capital is used as a consistent reference point. The actual route varies with the traveller's starting point, traffic, roadworks and closures.
State capital to artwork
Calculating the driving route with Apple Maps…
Distance and time are estimates and may change with conditions.
Where to Stay
If travelling with your own car, then you can stay in Kaniva, but you can also travel an hour or two to one of the many other destinations in Western Victoria. We have stayed at Horsham, and in the Little Desert.
Photography Recommendations
recommendations XX
Controlling Perspective
Keep the camera level and use a moderate focal length where the designated viewing area allows. Make overlapping vertical frames when the complete silo would otherwise require severe wide-angle convergence.
Suggested Photographic Sequence
Work through the location in an order that makes the best use of changing light and conditions.
How Long Should a Photographer Stay?
See the other sections of this page for howlong information.
My Priority Photographs
Use this section for the practical photographic shot list for the location.
Artwork Information
| Location | 31 Progress Street, Kaniva VIC 3419 |
|---|---|
| Artist | David Lee Pereira |
| Completed | 2020 |
| Principal subjects | Australian Hobby and Plains Sun Orchid |
| Recommended photographic time | Early morning or late afternoon |
Photography Summary
Primary subjects: Kaniva silo artwork and local landscape
Best light: Soft light reduces glare on painted surfaces.
Suggested kit: Wide and standard zoom; polariser
Photo Subjects
Explore related Auspano photography guides by subject.
Photographer Comments & Updates
Have you photographed this location? Share your photographs, viewpoints, photography tips or recent access updates, or ask a question about visiting. When uploading your own photographs, please include your name and the date each photograph was taken. Date any access or track-condition observations; visitor reports may become outdated, so check official information before travelling.