Photo-Ventura

Lightroom3 Beta

2009-11-18T13:42:00.002+11:00

I'm trialling a beta version of Lightroom3 for processing RAW files... whack colours, hey?!

Wasps at Happy Earth

2009-11-08T21:12:00.002+11:00

Today I went to an open-garden day at Happy Earth with Regina and David and Maia. As you can read on the Happy Earth website, this home and garden is "an adventure in urban sustainability" exploring how the owners Richard and Ally might be able to "retrofit a typical suburban house and lawn into a healthy, efficient home with an abundant food garden." For them, being sustainable is really about living happier, healthier lives and feeling good about doing things that are good for themselves, the planet and their community. "It’s about wholesome food and lower bills, meaning more time for family and friends, and less time working."

Richard and Ally's vision for Happy Earth is also about "sharing stories and providing practical, independent information about sustainable living in Wollongong..." - and to that end they host occasional open-garden visits where they generously share their stories, experience and expertise with other interested people. They have documented their journey on their website where you can find abundant resources and information about their permaculture projects and philosophy-in-action.

Here are some macro shots of a wasp seen busily pollinating the fennel flowers.

Photoshoot with Drummer Andrew Dickeson

2009-10-20T09:28:00.006+11:00

The Canopus drum company were keen to get some images of some of their top drummers to use on their next round of promo posters, so after the 505 gig, I offered to do a shoot under more poster-conducive lighting conditions than the wonderful atmospherics of a live Jazz venue allow. Here's some of the pics done with Sydney drummer Andrew Dickeson.

Spring in the Garden

2009-09-12T20:57:00.007+10:00

Spent the weekend reading the Nikon D300s manual - and that's a first for me! actually reading a manual!! lol - and then went out in the garden to see what the new lens can 'see'... LOVE the results!!

In spring a young photographer's fancy turns to thoughts of... new camera gear!!

2009-09-12T09:08:00.005+10:00

After waiting MONTHS since being smitten by a 150mm Macro lens - it was love at first sight! - Nikon has fiiiiiiinally released the D300s. You can read all about it on dpreview. The lovely Annie from Digital Fun Stuff rang me today and I'll be bicycling down to their store in Pit Street in the city as soon as I can to pick it up! There's still a bit of a wait on the 150mm macro that started this whole thing - there are none in stock anywhere, it's that popular! - but it will give me time to experiment with all the knobs and buttons on this Ferrari-of-a-camera so I know how to drive it properly. The lens-of-choice to get things going is Nikon's 50mm f1.4, a delicious portrait lens by all accounts - so wish me luck!

Annika Stagg - Cello

2009-09-17T07:48:00.007+10:00

Yesterday I took a loooong lunch so I could do a small photo-shoot with my friend Annika Stagg who is due to go back to Germany on the weekend, where she has been playing in symphony orchestras. It was my first chance to give the D300s and the 50mm f1.4 lens a proper run - and I have to say, I love the results! The day was overcast and threatened to rain, but the afternoon light was lovely down at the end of Glebe Point Rd under the two huge fig trees that look out over Blackwattle Bay.

Lens Envy - Have your Cake and Eat it Too...

2009-07-11T20:11:00.005+10:00

Jeremy came to town with a brand new 150mm f2.8 Macro lens that made me drool with envy... these are some pics I snapped while having a 'go' of his Nikon D300 in a cafe in Randwick...

Even the Little Sparrow...

2009-07-12T20:34:00.001+10:00

Another pic with Jeremy's 150mm macro lens... sigh...

Broome Photographic Tour

2009-09-10T22:21:00.000+10:00

This time last year, I was planning a trip to Broome, to take my parents on a holiday to the North-West. Prior to travel, I had consulted the Oracle - (Google) - on things to do in Broome and came across Nigel Gaunt of Red Dirt Photography, offering photographic tours of the region. This was an inspired discovery - Nigel is an accomplished teacher and superb artist and the twelve hours I spent in his company with a small group of other photo-enthusiasts was enriching on both technical and creative levels. Seeing the landscape through Nigel's eyes really changed how I 'saw' the desert of the North-West - revealing the rugged beauty of the remarkable landscape west of the Pilbara.

With my background in both Chinese Medicine and Photography, I was initially lured by the idea of there being a ‘Chinatown' in Broome. But along with learning about the fascinating and chequered history of the pearling industry in Australia, it was the startling blue of the sea and sky contrasted with the red earth of the Pindan desert that really captured my eye.

So I share with you here a few of the images that came from this journey.
September 2008.

Buddha Belly Cafe and Garden Centre

2009-09-11T23:44:00.000+10:00

The Buddha Belly is a delightful cafe and garden centre in the leafy northern suburbs of Terry Hills in Sydney. The restaurant looks out over Oriental gardens with a carp pond and bonsaied trees that flow through to several small out-buildings made from transported traditional Indonesian architecture, housing artisan home wares. The owners were very generous in allowing us to wander for hours, making photographs of their collection of plants and garden art. The Cafe serves great Chai and their traditional Nasai Goreng is delish!

Right next door is Mr Bamboo, if you happen to be looking for a rare variety of bamboo for your garden.

505 Speakeasy Jazz

2009-10-13T09:17:00.015+11:00

Saturday night was a very special treat - I had the pleasure and privelege of photographing at a session with some of the best current international Jazz performers at a small gathering, hosted at by Cameron Undy (acoustic bass) at Studio 505 in Surry Hills.

The line-up included: Jerry Weldon (tenor saxophone) & Neal Cain (acoustic bass) from Harry Connick Jr's band, with Sydney's Andrew Dickeson (drums) & John Harkins (piano), plus special guest perfomances by New York drummer George Coleman Jr and two other musicians (on soprano saxophone and trombone) who's names escaped me.

Here's some great music to listen to, to get you in the mood!
George Coleman and the Rivington Project.

All That Jazz...

2009-10-04T22:46:00.012+11:00

The Dale Barlow / George Coleman Jr Quartet, Friday night at the Seymore Centre in Chippendale, Sydney: Dale Barlow (saxophone), George Coleman Jr (drums), Steve Barry (piano), Brendan Clark (bass).

Here's a link to a sample of George Coleman's music.

My Sauce Good! - Gypsy Music

2009-07-18T08:15:00.003+10:00

Strolling through Paddington Markets on the weekend, we came across these wonderful Gypsy musicians from the band My Sauce Good, playing some passionate and lively tunes. Here's Veran Grigorov, the violinist.

Double Bass Warm-Up

2009-09-27T17:56:00.002+10:00

A young musician warming up before the Annual Concert at the South Sydney Uniting Church in Raglan St Waterloo.

Hernan Flores - A Quiet Moment

2009-09-27T20:44:00.001+10:00

Chilean-born musician Hernan Flores is a leading figure in the Australian Latin-American music scene, pictured here in a quiet moment between sets.

Newtown Chiaroscuro

2009-09-26T10:14:00.005+10:00

Newtown Square on friday night: the in-ground lighting was such a gift, illuminating the faces of these two guys deep in converstion.

Soulmaker

2009-04-30T06:01:00.002+10:00

Here's how my photos from the JJ Robers Soulmaker Shoot ended up:

The Soulmaker Sound-System Relaunch is on
Saturday 2nd May.
4 Talbot St St Peters.
8pm till late
$15/$10 at the door.

Rives - Performance Poet Extraordinaire!

2009-09-06T10:51:00.015+10:00

I have just discovered John G Rives - a very clever, very funny performance poet.
Rives is a performer, a storyteller and an author. He has appeared on multiple seasons of HBO's Def Poetry Jam and was a member of the Def Poetry international tour group. He has made multiple appearances at the international thinkers TED Conference and has published several pop-up books for children.

Here's his rap on YouTube about Deaf Poetry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbtVepS53t0

Here's his "Mockingbird" remix of the 2006 TED conference
http://www.ted.com/talks/rives_remixes_ted2006.html

Here's his rap on TED.com on the conspiracy theory of Four In The Morning:
http://www.ted.com/talks/rives_on_4_a_m.html

And a cerebral poem interpreting emoticons...
http://www.ted.com/talks/rives_tells_a_story_of_mixed_emoticons.html

enjoy! :))

En-Visioning Sydney, August 2009

2009-08-29T22:23:00.017+10:00

Four members of the photo-gang (Richard, Morena, Berend and Kyle) arranged to meet at 6am last Saturday, rain or shine, to create images from the early-morning Sydney streets and headlands... We started in Kings Cross before breakfast, then sheltered from the drizzle at a cafe in Paddington and ended in Bondi around noon. The over-cast weather with soft tonal light was perfect for creating black-and-white images. The pics below are Kyle's photos, except for the last one which is a portrait by Berend.

(the last pic is a portrait of Kyle by Berend)

Ducks in a Row

2009-08-18T08:25:00.000+10:00

Ventura Vehicle

2009-07-02T23:14:00.008+10:00

An eponymous bus logo spotted by Jeremy of TofuPhotography recently in Melbourne... he-he-he...

Black Dog / Blue Sky...

2009-08-15T11:44:00.000+10:00

Blue Sky Chopper

2009-08-15T20:42:00.001+10:00

Shirtless Fisherman

2009-08-15T21:46:00.002+10:00

Crazy Fisherman

2009-08-15T22:41:00.000+10:00

This pic was taken moments before he was swamped by a huge wave - luckily he was not washed off the rocks, but scarpered to higher ground quickly after...