Killing Cats...
July 30, 2006 4:44 AM
Shona trying her hardest to look happy about getting her photo taken...
Apparently we need to beware the tiny train of Newington!
Love that city
July 27, 2006 2:25 PM
(If you have a flickr account you should be able to view a much larger (and better) size if you click on the pic)
I always feel like I am cheating when I take a picture of Sydney Harbour. It's hard to take a bad picture of this place. Nice water, amazing buildings, great light (usually) good weather... What's not to love!
Of course, maybe I'm more of a cliche than a cheater, but that's OK.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have been in there almost half a dozen times. Once for my city fun with N8 (not the order.... whinger!) Joel, Andy & Robbie. I've been in a couple of times & to a couple of different places with Shona. Two nights ago I was down having a chat with Allison & then last night I was in again, this time with Deb & Lyndell & the always enjoyable Davitch!
I'm trying to think of somewhere better to be able to hang out & just chat. If you managed to organise a bottle of wine, maybe a little cheese & a bit of chocolate (all of which are off limits at the moment. Damn!!) then you have pretty much the perfect venue.
So, if you want to hang out and chat some time, and you don't mind my getting up every once in a while to fire off a couple of shots on the old Canon, then drop in to the North Shore of the harbour & I'll be there!
P.S. I apologise for the inane writing I've had up over the last little while. The creative monkey escaped the cage & is currently at large in parts unknown!
Another one bites the dust!
July 24, 2006 11:41 PM
Congrats Ads & the lovely Ed!
"Friends" means not having to blog you
July 24, 2006 1:40 AM
They're not dentists, but I still wont show you their faces...
You see apparently I don't mention N8 & Matty enough on my blog.
Well... two of my best mates are called Matty & N8.
;) (you'll get a proper blog one day!)
Trade in?
July 22, 2006 2:12 PM
This was Luke's (left) impression of how he would like to stand up the front while James (right) gets married.
Shire boys & shirtlessness....... I'm glad both these boys are married to lovely girls, otherwise I might worry for them!
My new Favourite Hymn
July 19, 2006 1:07 PM
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
a great High Priest, whose name is Love,
who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands,
my name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
no tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look, and see him there
who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God, the Just, is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me.
Behold him there! the risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!
One with himself, I cannot die;
my soul is purchased by his blood;
my life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ, my Savior and my God.
Midday on Bruny Island
July 18, 2006 11:31 PM
After climbing the Fluted Cape, I drove over a mountain to head down to Cape Bruny. On the way over there were some amazing forests. This is what happens when you shoot a forest with a fisheyed lens. I like how they lean in toward the centre.
The Cape Bruny Lighthouse was pretty spectacular.
1836... Maybe not old by world standards, but it's OK for Australia!
Morning on Bruny Island (Tasmania)
July 18, 2006 1:30 AM
The sunrise I enjoyed on Bruny Island after a 12 hour sleep (or at least 12 hours in the tent) at the "Neck" camping ground.
On my way to "The Fluted Cape" I passed a little Billabong that was as still as glass...
The Fluted Cape was on the west side of the south of the Island. Those cliffs are 270 meters high. I was a little worse for wear after climbing to the top.
TCFS
July 16, 2006 3:05 AM
Hufflepuff & Ads show me how it's done!
P.S. Can anyone guess what TCFS stands for?
Night Sights
July 13, 2006 2:43 AM
I've been hoping to spend a couple of nights working on my night photography. I forgot how much I love it!
Tonight was also a great chance to catch up with Joel, N8, Robbie & Andy. Good times!
I'm camping with youth group kids for the next couple of days, so I'll be back just in time for the weekend.
L8er dudes
Summer is a state of mind!
July 11, 2006 11:46 PM
It's true, Summer is a state of mind.
When Adam and I arrived at the Hunter Valley 1am on Monday morning, it was a chilly zero degrees! The electirc blankets that my stepdad had thoughtfully turned on for us though, spoke of warmer times. The toasty interior was matched my a sunny exterior the next morning! Blue skies, rolled-down windows, then crisp beers, and it could have been January (Sorry to you poor Northern Hemisphere people, to whome this whole blog will seem confusing)!
All that said, it could have been cloudy & miserable & it would have been summer time. Such is the joy of good company (Ads and Colin), great family (Dad & Aunty Susie, who in an aside, conclusively proved that I am blessed with a "fun" family with whom anyone can enjoy hanging out with, having some wine & playing some pool), good food & great surrounds!
We were only there from Sunday night till Tuesday afternoon, but I certainly feel well rested from the experience, even after spending a morning following the manly pursuit of wood splitting! (Of course, Adam swings an axe like a girl swings a handbag! Thankfully I was there to return testosterone to the town!).
People occasionally ask me why my skin is always so warm, even in miserable wintery weather? Well, you can bring on the miserable outdoor weather, cause it doesn't mean an fig, when you can draw on the inner glow of good times!
Here's a couple of pictures of Tasmania. Another time when I expected winter & got summer (Though, as warm & happy as it looks, it was bloody cold down there!0
I see those little foxtails & it takes me to a special place!
If you have a Flickr account, click on this pic & view it large. That tree was so cool! So many little & twisty branches!
Another pic that is best viewed large. I look at the deep dark road against the warm light & it just makes me want to travel. It reminds me of an old Tolkien poem from LOTR (apologies if I get a word or two wrong, I'm doing it from memory.)
The road goes ever on and on,
down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone,
and I must follow if I can,
pursuing it with eager feet,
until it finds some larger way,
where many paths and errands meet,
and whither then? I cannot say.
Second thoughts
July 7, 2006 2:50 AM
On second thoughts you can ignore my last post if you want (all the prelim photos are pretty average anyway).
The really exciting thing about Tasmania, and the one that really should be first cab off the rank, was the reason I was there in the first place.
James & Anita's wedding was awesome! They are a pair of champions, the wedding party was good fun, I enjoyed taking the photos & I met some really cool people that day!
Everything else is just gravy.
Here's a shot of the happy couple.
Doing talking
July 7, 2006 1:34 AM
I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.
It was on to the Spirit of Tasmania to head down south. I was pretty nervous because I really dislike the open ocean (or more acurately, the process of throwing up every time I go into deep ocean). Still, I was assured that I would be fine & I was dosed on sea-sickness medication, so I was primed and ready.
Sydney put on a nice view for me as I headed out past the heads. As it turns out, that was not the biggest surprise! It turned out that I really loved the trip! I ran into a friend on the boat, I ate WAY too much for dinner (Buffet style, but a la carte quality). I must have eaten 300gm of smoked salmon alone!
The arrival at Tassie was a sunny one & spirits were high as I decided to head off to Cradle Mountain.
If I wanted to know why this sweet vehicle had rusted, I didn't have to ask for long. It started to rain about one minute after this picture.
I did make it to Cradle though. I had a chance to fire off 4 or 5 night shots before clouds rolled in and spoiled that parade too.
When I got there I found out it would cost me $30 to visit the park in the day, not including camping fees. I ended up camping in my car, by a small river outside the national park. It would have gotten down to about freezing point, but I was in a very toasty sleeping bag (thanks Stevie T). I set the alarm for 5am, (easy when you go to bed at 7:30 in the evening) and the next morning saw thicker rain clouds, so I decided to give up on Cradle & see how far down the west coast I could get... But that is another story...
TCG.><>.
Back without Visuals
July 4, 2006 8:18 PM
Whenever I get back after a little while, I feel a bit at a loss, cause I don't know where to start.
There are all kinds of happenings from the last week, but those that just happened are far more fresh in my mind.
Well, I might give you all a bit of a taste of what is to come!
Nights sleeping in cars on top of mountains, Star Wars style landscapes, gian cliffs, long walks, freaky possums, distilleries, old mates, new wedding couples, fun photos, sea trips, and sea scapes!
It has all worked toward yesterday that saw me touch down in Melbourne & then basically drive for 17 hours to do the whole great ocean road, then make it up through Victoria & part of NSW to get to my big sister's place!
I have my camera here, but no way to upload photos, so right now the story reads "leave a small note of my movements & then enjoy hanging out with nieces and nephews, and hold off travel tales till Friday."
Love your work.