Biding my time
29 July 2019
A visit to Merewether Ocean Baths yesterday evening did not tempt me to swim. The water’s probably below 15° now. Similar to summer holiday sea temperatures around the UK that I regularly tolerated when young. Knowing that when summer comes to Australia the water in the baths will reach 22°C or so helps me to be patient and wait a month or two before dipping a toe in. I’m much less brave than I used to be.
This 30 second exposure is enough to blur out the guys who were swimming in the lanes, but has left the water with an interesting brushstrokey texture.
Car Park
17 July 2019
They say that your best camera is ‘the one you have with you’ so this had to be snapped with my phone during an evening stroll to the harbour entrance breakwall a couple of weeks ago. Despite the distraction of having a car park in the foreground and what I think must be grain silos at Newcastle docks in the background, the star of the show here is obviously an amazing coloured and textured sunset. the show only lasted about ten minutes, and the tones and shapes in the sky were changing all the time. A proper camera could have really got a lot more detail into the shot, but this is not such a bad photo for a three or four year old phone.
Magnificent
12 July 2019
Another picture from last year. This Bristol Boxkite is the last of its type still flying. It isn’t an original 1910 aircraft – none of them survive. This is one of three made in the ’60s for the film ‘Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines‘ and it belongs to the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden Aerodrome in the UK.
In the late afternoon on flying display days, if the air is still, this and other delicate powered aircraft and gliders take flight. Even on non-flying days it is a fascinating place to visit but go and see their vintage collection in the air if you have the chance.
Creperie
8 July 2019
This is not France, or even Belgium. The picture was taken in Sydney last year whilst waiting for breakfast. It just felt like a good composition when I took it, and looking at it now with a bit of detatchment I can see a few ‘rules’ of composition being satisfied. There are strong elements on thirds, a foreground middle and background, and good leading lines too. Even the line on the marble tabletop points the right way.
As I remember it was also a great breakfast. Get along to Harrington Street (just behind the Four Seasons hotel) if you get a chance, and check it out.
Loading Zone
3 July 2019
What’s going on here? Did the aliens witness the death of the pidgeon? Did the pidgeon drop dead at the sight of them? Was it aliens that tore down the parking restriction sign? I have no idea, but the whole scene made for an interesting photo.
The artwork is at the rear of 146 Parry Street in Newcastle West.
