Future me will come back and make this a sic arse header with menu's and gif's and all sorts of crap. For for the moment, a line and a brief table above will work fine.
NBN users be warned, large JPEG's approach.
Having been lucky enough to travel before heading back into an office, I can’t recommend enough the little island down south. Perhaps most spectacular was the winter slopes in summer. Expecting to be within an arid wasteland life was everywhere. Fortunate to be visiting on a clear day the impression one had at only ~1500m height was that you were resting gently on top of the world. Being at the eye-line to see the clouds cast shadow over this place was fantastic.
Certainly not regular, and that’s ok as this is for me to scroll over years and adventures. Novel that the post under this claims an excuse for pretending I’m publishing for anyone other than myself. Perhaps I thought / think my views are unique and that shaped what I posted? Well of course it does to some degree. However, perhaps I feel more comfortable now speaking to myself with this, as it has always been really, a space for me.
A recent holiday allowed time with a space time cropping tool and I’m excited to make regular visits back here. For the moment view of summer last.
Ah the guilt of feeling sorry for oneself. So easy to wallow but this isn't exactly what this is, this is just doing the smallest amount to distract. Bored yes, feeling guilty for being bored whilst friends are well into a COVID lock-down and my suburb is not, yet I waste the opportunity and spend it in my yard.
I enjoyed the distraction either way.
This was the first chance since the COVID restrictions that we were able to explore communal areas once more. Crazy to think how much of the year has been spent inside and away from others.
The people of Darug and Gundungurra nations lived within the general areas of what we now call Western Sydney, and these images are from the Blue Mountains. Terribly lovely place, from cliffs to forest's to native flowers and birds, looking forward to sharing this with my friends.
I confess ignorance toward the first nations people whom are still surviving colonisation. It took a bit of "net" digging, but I was happy to learn the name of the traditional owners of The Royal National Park, The Dharawal people.
The Dharawal nation extended from more or less just south of now modern day Sydney out past Woollongong. They were indeed the first nation to come in contact with the English at Botany Bay.
Did I learn that in high school? I'm not sure the nations of the Aboriginal people where actively discused.. anyway it was finally stumbling upon this paper, The Aboriginal prehistory and archaeology of Royal National Park and surrounding country: A review which identified and confirmed the traditional owners.
Of note, there is a Dharawal National Park, recently established in 2012, just south of the the "Royal National Park". It seems a missed opportunity to rename the entire region in honour of the nation that established and looked after the area for 10's of thousands of years before settlement.
So I think it fitting to refer to it now as the Northern Dharawal National Park, and a splendid place it is. Even with the recent fire damage, perhaps 12months old, the outlook is striking.
This place needs a dog. Let this be a reminder to check the apreture before you fire or you will end up with barely an eye to look back at you. Still think she's cute however.
Travel here and visit this stupidly pretty place. A particularly dry December saw it looking more yellow then blue/green, but still a beautiful place!
Forests in the Netherlands are nice. A recent holiday allowed to explore the different kinds of trees. They were similar yet different enough to be, well refreshing.
Experimenting with gear had me chasing grown up skateboarders. You remember those kids that used to hang at the mall making old couples feel uncomfortable? Well they grew up, they have families and they have found a unique from of expression.
So with this content in mind I wanted to capture the excitement and movement with practising some pans along with adjusting the focal range (zoom)
Shutter was hovering around 20-45th a second mark, naturally the slower the shutter the more pronounced the effect.
The last image of the grey 180 starts to show the effect working. a little bit of a diagonal is hinted at in the corners as the effect of pulling the zoom out when shooting is shown.
I must come back with a monopod or something to assist in stabilizing at least of the dimensions, It might assist in the effect.
More practice for me.
Is a funny thing. After enjoying the structure that was a simple assignment, I feel out of the groove. I decided, actually I just didn’t choose, and because of that images laid dormant. Busy, tired, otherwise focused on catching up with sleep? I suppose it doesn’t matter.
A recent dead camera encouraged me to sell fancy auto-glass and has reminded me of the fun I had, in effort I suppose to explore what got me hooked in the first place. Slow compositions. More walking around then focused on securing images, the journey? Gasp this is sounding like a 90’s teen drama.
Anyway, Happy to be back taking pictures. A change in format may be enough to encourage me to look around the place.
I'm still a sucker for some 45 degree angles.
I would, well no I did, and then the universe treated me to it’s own coming in via the window.
Really is as pretty as they say. Cliché images for my reference, to remind me to spend a significant amount of time there again.
The view from the plains outside of Te Anau.
Toward, and on Milford Sound.
This little cabin is the entrance to the Homer tunnel that takes you back up and out the mountain range.
You would think one would get over looking at mountains, not so. Small climbs have you looking at peeks as if you where dropped from a helicopter.
One could spend months looking at the changes in shape and texture.
And you don’t need to go far to be blown away (just outside of Queenstown).
Driving on the west coast and your are presented with stream after stream.
The place is just simply enticing.
Can't wait to go back.