New Zealanders look away now. I saw a friend off this evening and found a family of ringtail possums on their way out. We had some torches with us and a quick dash inside produced the 5D MKII with my favourite 135mm f2 lens. These are very sweet animals and like others will keep fairly still when the lights are on them.
After the fire
Well the recent bushfire might have taken its toll but as far as I'm concerned it hasn't diminished the beauty of the Australian bush. Somehow its added some character. Many homes were clearly in the path but were saved as our wonderful Fire Services people again did a miraculous job as they do each and every year. To my original point, some of the images offered up show extraordinary beauty after the passing of the fire. Though eerie in places due to the blackness, there are other areas close to the fire's perimeter which serve as great metaphors for survival.
My Imagination
In the process of creating abstract images, sooner or later the imagination plays its role in giving significance to an image. It may not be in the first instance. The striking nature of an image will have an impact perhaps due to contrast or lighting or maybe through form. Invariably in conversations with colleagues a significant variation occurs in the interpretation of an image of this type. By that I mean abstract image. The more form plays a part the more imagination can get involved - at least the cognitive aspect. Where colours and forms are more muted, we seem to be more influenced on a feeling level. Some images I like almost immediately with the imagination being triggered, I create a sense of ownership of it. This doesn't speak to the quality of the image as a piece of art and with time my interest may wane with my evaluation of the piece becoming less with time. This process as described may explain the saying 'I don't know about art, but I know what I like'.
Unexpectedly...
Many times we go out as photographers with the intention of perhaps just unwinding or enjoying the afternoon maybe with another photographer friend which I did today. We went to a place I had been to previously but hadn't fully explored. Clouds came and went and there was a chance of rain which didn't eventuate. In any case the detail in the rock face which we had to make effort to access became more interesting the more we photographed. No, we had not taken anything to make this experience out of the ordinary but as it happens which photographic excursions, you can get really immersed with the subject matter. Quite a few of the shots were taken in an intuitive manner, meaning not thinking too hard about what should be where in the screen or viewfinder. Perhaps the process was guided more by the prevailing and changing light. Its only after viewing the day's efforts that certain images stand out and they are not always the ones that were expected to do so. Not that the results are always random by any means but some images have there own special quality.
Gums and grass
I find nothing more interesting and engaging than driving out in the mist and rain in search of images of the Australian bush. Well, more mist than rain. It provides that layered, multi-dimensional effect than renders so well in a photo. The background becomes shrouded in mystery with the foreground gaining attention with accentuated detail and colour. The light grey of the mist is always a good backdrop for whatever colour is in the foreground. There are photographers who will exclusively venture out in such weather and leave sunrises and sunsets with their early morning rises to others. This is also my favourite time.
Bush detail
I had a chance to get around a property today in Leura. The weather looks like changing and becoming warmer slowly. So signs of winter will pass and the sun will soon leave its mark. There was some good detail to be seen in the form of lichen on the old fence posts with other micro life forms adding some extra colour - easy to miss if you're busy with other tasks.