Delving into the past

Not sure when this photo was taken. My grandfather was a sculptor - brought up in Russia until moving to Hungary I think in his late 20s (early last century). Had more talent than me. I would have liked to ask him about his development as an artist or even watch him as he worked. Alas... In his later years, after moving to Australia in the 50s he took to painting and knocked out some landscapes with oil as well as pencil drawings. I was a bit young to ask sensible questions while he was still alive. At least some of his work remains.

Gang Gangs make an appearance

I was lucky to see this pair around the property this morning. In fact its been a couple of years since I have seen these cockatoos. They are native to the areas but not often sighted. They were together foraging on the local flora. I was able to get reasonably close - within a few metres without scaring them off. Both are crested but the male has the lairy hairdoo!

Back to small

I almost forgot I had a macro lens. I'm not a macro specialist by any means, but I have seen some very excellent work, technically flawless, even if the subject matter wasn't my taste. You can see a range of techniques online that include reversing lenses and securing them with gaffer tape to home made macro lighting setups that do a great job. Hats off to the ingenuity of some very creative photographers. There's not much that hasn't been explored out there in the world of photography whether in methodology or subject matter. A designer friend of mine was mentioning the work of a German photographer from early last century. - Karl Blossfeldt. He put together his own camera and took photos that showed the natural patterns inherent in the structure of plants. Seen larger than life, macro shots impart something extra to objects often found around us that are mostly overlooked in our daily routines (isn't that what photography is about anyway?). Well despite being a blowy sort of day, not the best for macro shots where a still subject is usually required, I took the macro (Zeiss 120mm Planar on the Nikon D800) with a couple of extension tubes around the property where I'm staying. Below are a couple of colour and B&W images.

More texture

Not quite sure why I didn't get around to posting. Water stains can provide for some interesting images along the coastline. Especially the second shot, which gives the appearance of rock art with an aboriginal sitting by a camp fire.

Atmosphere

I didn't have to stray far from the track for this shot. Taken in Tasmania on my last trip. This is one of those images that makes it as a colour or b&w. In this case a warm toned conversion. Perhaps it adds a little to the ancient feel and mystery of the landscape.

Form and symbology

The photos that most engage me are those that have some meaning or tell a story or are symbolic in some fashion. If they need to be explained then the viewer won't have the mindset to appreciate it in the same way. Well we all appreciate different things or even appreciate the same thing differently! Specific cultural perspectives will throw up a variety of art forms which other cultures may not be able to 'consume' easily. Symbolism is often rooted in religious beliefs and image types vary from culture to culture. Anyway, after all that, here's the offering. Some other shots from the day will appear on the site in due course.