Category: Travel

2010 – 2019 My Favourite Images

Posted on by

2010-2019 My Favourite Images from the Decade

 

The decade for starting a photography business, making new friends and lots of travel.  I hope you’ll enjoy my little journey down memory lane, these are some of my favourites.  Some you will have seen, others possibly not.  I’ve tried to limit the images to 2 per year but sometimes that was a little too hard.  

I look back and see a lot of variety but I still don’t know what my style is, perhaps someone can help me with that??

2010 – The Forth Bridge, Scotland.  Playing with light trails and long exposures at Blue Hour

 

2010 – Eilean Donan Castle, Lock Duich during Blue Hour

2011 – Experimenting with coloured lights and light painting.  Waroona

2011 – Playing with Macro in the backyard

2012 – One of the first times that I pre-visualised an image and then successfully made it happen.  Hampton Arms Bookstore, Greenough, Western Australia

2012 – The beginnings of my interest in minimalism. Maritime Museum, Fremantle.

2013 – A lone bicycle the morning after a Typhoon hit. Hoi An, Vietnam

2013 – Just a quick snap taken in the Ferguson Valley near Bunbury. These cows were so friendly, within a minute they were all coming up to me at the fence. So glad I got that first shot in.

2014 – Ah India, such an incredible place and rather heart stopping on the back of a motorcycle. Somewhere in Rajasthan.

Congelin Square

2014 – A minus 0 degree winters morning on a camping trip with the motorbike club. Congelin, Western Australia

 

2014 – More playing with coloured lights and light painting. Johnson Rd Yarloop

2015 – Female Scarlet Robin with breakfast, Barrabup Pool, Western Australia

2015 – A still autumn morning Kellands Ponds near Twizle, New Zealand

2015 – View of Coronet Peak on ‘fire’ in the late afternooon light. Taken from the balcony of our accommodation. Queenstown, New Zealand

2015 – Multiple exposures blended together.  Commercial Hotel, Meekatharra

2016 – KT The Cockatoo, this Female Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo photographed in my home studio

2016 – A sight I’ve always wanted to see. A multitude of African animals at a waterhole. Etosha National Park, Namibia

2016 – Love this sand dune.  Dune 44, Sossusvlei, Namibia

2017 – Sunset before the storm, Lake Ballard, Western Australia

2017 – A reminder of how small the world is these days. Brynja, reaching to her homeland, Iceland) and our Aussie mate Tom from down under. Eagle Rider Motorcycle Tour, Baja California Sur

2018 – My neighbour competing in the Best of the West Stockman Challenge, Packsaddle event. Dardanup

2018 – Fun with Silhouette at a Workshop in Fremantle

2018 – Spotted Pardalote in our front yard in Roelands. He/she stayed a couple of days, was possibly looking for a potential nesting site.

2019 – Our mascot ‘Jacks’, that we take along on our bike rides, meeting his own real life kangaroo which took a real shine to him. Donnelly River, Western Australia

2019 – Tidal Flats Tail. An aerial taken from a helicopter at low tide. Sandy Point Broome

2019 – Gimlet Trees. An in-camera Multiple exposure of Gimlet Trees against the bark of a Gimlet Tree. Near Norseman, Western Australia

The Bigger Island of Malta

Posted on by
shows the type of coloured doors and balconies

Brightly coloured doors and balconies along with waterfront at Marsaxlokk

The Bigger Island of Malta

Thoughts before arrival

The bigger island of  Malta is only 80km south of Italy.  With it’s population of 475,000 people within an area of 246km², once again a lot of people within a small area when comparing to Western Australian standards.  This island is 27km long and 14.5km wide, once again not very big at all.  Public transport is not the best so I hear, the roads narrow, old and congested.  

This trip needs to be a Slow Travel trip (no promises but I’ll try!) and not expect to be able see everything as I’m sure that would just lead to lots of frustration on my part.

So, Malta has been inhabited since 5900BC so that 900 years earlier than Gozo.  A quick glance at the history of the island talks about inhabitants and rule by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantine, Aghlabids and Normans.  There are too many more to list here.  Perhaps by the end of the trip I’ll know more about these rulers and the battles won and lost.

Blue Grotto a popular swimming place on the coast

Thoughts after arrival

Over the course of our 2 weeks in Malta we’ve managed to see quite a bit of the main island of Malta.  Considering the large number of people on such a small island there is quite a lot more land not built on.  This is mainly put aside for farming.  Lots of vegetable farms and there is livestock somewhere.  They are kept indoors in summer so the only living things seen generally are stray cats, lizards and lots of pigeons and a few ducks.  On the coast at Dingli I saw a couple of sea birds, possibly terns.

I’ve enjoyed visiting the coastal bays and villages and the capital Valletta.  A few of the tourist areas are havens for UK residents on holidays or expats.  I guess it’s a bit like us and our relationship with Bali, close and warm climate.

About to board the plane to come home now so will cut this short.  May add to this post a little later if time permits as lots more to say.

If you missed my last post on the Little Island of Gozo click this link to take you there now.

Gzira waterfront, the old and the new building right next to each other

 

showing the size difference of boats using the Grand Harbour of the boats using the Grand Harbour

A large cruise ship and a small boat sharing the Grand Harbour

 

City of Birgu on Dockyard Creek

 

close up of the detail on the front of a Luzzu

Front of a traditional Luzzu fishing boat at Marsaxlokk

 

Traditional Luzzu fishing boats on their moorings at Marlsaxlokk Harbour

Little Island of Gozo

Posted on by
A stunning landmark

Ta Pinu Basilica, Gharb
This modern church was completed in 1931 but retains a sections of the original 19th century chapel.

The Little Island of Gozo

Thoughts before arrival

Located in the Maltese archipelago and in the Mediterranean Sea, Gozo is a part of Malta. I’m writing this part of this blog before leaving on our trip and I’m thinking “gee, we have 4 nights on this small island, is that too long a visit?”.  By the way, the island is 14km long and 7.25km wide.  I’m used to travelling 14km just to get to work each day.  However the population is approx 33,000 people!!!! That’s the same population as the City of Bunbury (where we now reside) but in about 1/4 of the area.  This will be interesting.  I also know that the little island of Gozo is known to be more rural and less developed than the main island of Malta.  Click here for more info on Gozo.

One more thing that’s really intrigues me is the fact that Gozo has been inhabited since 5000BC, yes that’s right 5000 years before Christ.  I’m not a history buff and have no idea how they work these things out but that’s a lot of history.

shows where i went for sunset photos

Sunset at Wied il Mielah

Thoughts after arrival

So, the little island of Gozo is really quite big when you try and get around on foot.  But between walking, a private tour for my photography and a day on the City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Bus we have seen quite a bit of the island.  It’s been very hot, it is very hilly and rather noisy.   Church bells chime at least hourly day and night, I’ve noticed them at 10pm and also 3am.  I’m not sure if they go off between those times.  There’s lots of farming land on the island, veggie gardens, grape vines, fruit trees and bales of hay all over.  We haven’t seen any livestock though.  No cows, sheep, not even chickens. 

Colourful boat sheds

Locals enjoying the evening at the Inland Sea Dwejra

It’s our last day on the island and I have enjoyed it but time to move to another location.  What more can I say except stay tuned for my next post from Malta.

Shows the busy main street

Main street Victoria

shows the salt pans on the coast

Xwejni Salt Pans in Zebbug

show where the salt is stored

Limestone Caves become the salt storage sheds

Results Wagin Woolorama 2019

Posted on by

Oh wow, where is this year going?? Half way through March already and this is only my first blog post for the year. Such neglect of my website.  I will have to try and rectify that over coming months. I’ve a few ideas for topics rolling around in my head but getting them out is another issue.  But for now I’d just like to talk about my results at the Wagin Woolorama Photography Competition last weekend and to give this Agricultural Show a plug as it is a really enjoyable day out.

Photo Comp

Firstly I’d like to thank the organisers of the Photography Competition that runs as part of Wagin Woolorama.  Glenys and her team do a great job every year putting together this competition. 

1st Place 'A Half of Anything' - Repeating Doorways 2019 Wagin Woolorama

1st Place ‘A Half of Anything’ – Repeating Doorways

 

This year, they introduced two new special categories, each with great prize money for the winner.  I was fortunate enough to take out the Portrait category with this image of the Namibian man starting a fire the tradition way, which most of you have possibly seen before.  If you’d like to see the winning landscape image by my friend Richard Hall please click here.

 

1st Place Portrait 2019 Wagin Woolorama

1st Place Portrait – Fire Starter

Here’s my other entries that did well this year.  

2nd Place Open Colour KT The Cockatoo 2019 Wagin Woolorama

2nd Place Open Colour – KT The Cockatoo

Highly Commended Mono - Moses Rock 2019 Wagin Woolorama

Highly Commended Mono – Moses Rock

Two Trees - Highly Commended Landscape 2019 Wagin Woolorama

Highly Commended Landscape – Two Trees

 

Evening Rodeo

After the day events have finished, like the shearing, sheep dog trials and judging of the animals, there’s the evening rodeo.  I love to watch the action and also the fashions.  The checked shirts, bright colours, fancy jeans and those hand made leather saddles.  Love it!

Wagin Woolorama Rodeo

The dust, setting sun and cowboy hats

Cowgirl Wagin Woolorama Rodeo

Bright coloured clothing

Wagin Woolorama Rodeo

Cowgirl clothing

Bronc riding at Wagin Woolorama Rodeo

Bronc riding

My Results – Focus Awards 2017

Posted on by
Gold Award in Landscape Category.

This year for the first time I entered the Focus Awards.  I believe that they started out as Flickr and Facebook groups for landscape photographers and have just gone from strength to strength over the years supporting and nurturing a budding fellowship of photographers.  

This years awards were judged by three of Australia’s better know photographers Tony Hewitt, Christian Fletcher and Peter Eastway and do those guys deserve medals!  Picking out the winning images amongst all of the great photographs submitted, and I’m just talking about the top fifty in each category that I’ve seen.  If you have the time, please head on over to the results page and see for yourself.  The open section is open to amateurs and professionals while the other categories are open to just amateurs.

I entered two images in each of the Landscape, B&W, Seascapes, Urban Landscapes, Sunrise & Sunset categories.  I came away with one Gold award (3rd Place), 6 Silver awards and 3 Bronze awards, I’ll include images of the Gold and Silvers below.  One of the great things about this competition is that we receive feedback on our images.  They are just standardised comments but they give a good indication of the primary item that is lacking in taking your image to the next level.

While the comments on my images were quite varied for the majority of the images, one thing that was mentioned 3 times was my composition.  Something that I will definitely have to work on.  The majority of the other comments noted were in my development of the images.  Things like tonal control, midtone contrast, more contrast etc.  I’ll be reprocessing these images now, with these things in mind and hopefully will see an improvement.

Thanks to all those in the Focus Facebook group for your support and a big thank you to the Focus committee, the judges and the sponsors.

Dune 44 Namibia

Dune 44 Namibia

Misty Mountains

Kolmanskop

 

 

San Ignacio to Loreto

Posted on by
San Ignacio to Loreto

I took an early morning walk into the town square before the ride today.  All was quiet with just a few locals sweeping the streets outside of their shops.

The following excerpt from our tour paperwork explains today.  “Ahead of us this morning is the massive ‘Volcan Las Tres Virgenes’. Which tells us the origin of recent lava flows around us. We descend Devils Grade, seven miles of switchbacks that take us down to the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez. We ride along the shores of beautiful Bahia Conception, whose deep-blue waters, volcanic islands, and isolated beaches are real Baja delights. In the afternoon we reach Loreto, the oldest Spanish settlement along the West Coast. The town offers a picturesque central plaza, shopping, and an array of excellent restaurants.”

We had a rest day upon arriving at Loreto.  Our van driver took 4 of us up the mountain to San Javier Mission.  Founded in 1697 by Jesuit Missionaries, it’s the oldest Spanish settlement on the Baja peninsula and one of the best preserved.  Beats the hell out of me how or more importantly why they would want to create a settlement up in the mountains like they did. It was a challenge getting up there with a paved road, how did they manage without one? 

San Ignacio to Loreto

A local

 

Mission San Ignacio to Loreto

San Ignacio Mission

Prime waterfront realestate

San Ignacio to Loreto

Warming up before their performance

 

Day 3 Catavina to San Ignacio

Posted on by
Catarina to San Ignacio

A hot ride through the Vizcaino Desert today, also dry and dusty and windy in a few areas.

Stopped at a food van in Guerrero Negro for the most delicious fish tacos.  Deep fried fish fillets in a soft taco and topping of your choice. 

Our stop for the night was a true oasis in the desert.  Riding into town past date palms and water, did I say water!  Was nice to see some water apart from the ocean.  Dinner in a little restaurant in the town square.  We wanted to sit outside so they moved the tables out onto the street for us.  Celebrated Robyn’s birthday tonight, Tom celebrated with a few too many Margaritas and didn’t feel the best the next morning.  A little toast with butter and my vegemite and he felt he could go on.

 

Catavina to San Ignacio

A rest stop in the desert

Fish Tacos for lunch

San Ignacio Kadakaaman

Cross tucked into the corner of the mission

 

Los Barriles to Loreto

Posted on by
Los Barriles to Loreto

We had a rest day in the resort at Los Barriles, it was great to sit back and recharge the batteries.  I tried my hand a SUP (Stand up paddle boarding).  I didn’t fall off which disappointed Andy but it’s a little boring by yourself.  They have a great little pizza/hamburger window by the pool.  The burgers were great and a welcome change.  I spied a workers cleaning up the palm fronds around the pool so that made for some interesting photos.  Other than a couple of quick snaps of the resort I didn’t take photos today.

Back on the Road.  A lovely cool start to the day as we head north on our return back to Los Angeles  Once again into the mountains, it then warmed up in the desert a little later.

The views coming down the mountain in Loreto were stunning as were the twisties or curves in the road. We arrived in Loreto just early enough for me to head to the marina, my aim was to capture the Magnificant Birds which have been flying around, unfortunately it was not to be.  I had to be content with the Brown Pelicans and the feeding behaviour.  Unlike our Australian Pelican who dip their bill in the water to catch fish, the Brown Pelican will dive for their meal.  Interesting to watch.

 

Palmas Hotel

Palm tree pruning at our hotel

Palmas Hotel

View to the Sea of Cortez and Loreto Golf Course

Winding mountain road

Brown Pelican

Los Barriles to Loreto

Brown Pelican Fishing

Day 19 Loreto to Guerrero Negro

Posted on by
Loreto to Guerrero Negro

The usual morning ride into the mountains, the twists and turns that Andy loves, then once more we see the Sea of Cortez.  Riding along Conception Bay enjoying our last day with these stunning views.

A short break at Mulege Mission Santa Rosalia which is small but rather nice and sits on a hill over the town.

We head a little further up the coast back on the water for our lunch stop at a little taco place in Santa Rosalia.  Awesome soft shelled beef tacos.

The afternoon sees us head towards the Pacific Ocean and the town of Guerrero Negro.  Not much here but a nice meal at a local restaurant.

Due to the nature of the roads (mountainous with tight curves etc) and not very strict road rules (people still allowed to ride in the back of utes) we have seen lots of little (and some not so little) roadside shrines where people have lost their lives.  The example below is the largest we saw but they do range from a simple cross to a small building.

Sea of Cortez

Moulage Mission Santa Rosalia

Build your home around the palm trees

Camping at Concepcion Bay Sea of Cortez

Roadside shrine

Day 20 Guerrero Negro to San Quintin

Posted on by
Guerrero Negro to San Quintin

What a great cool temperature today for riding, but a little windy.  We were riding at high altitude again so up and down and around mountains etc, then through the Valle de los Cirios with the Cardon Cactus and Cirios Trees.  Most of the day was spent riding through desert like landscape.

Berry growing is a major industry in the Baja.  Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry, I’m guessing that the majority gets exported as we didn’t see too many in our travels.  A little here and there in the fruit platters at breakfast.  Watermelon and rockmelon were common place.  Many of the fields were protected by the elements like in the picture at the end of this post.  Tomatoes are grown in abundance also, with San Quintin being one of the world’s largest tomato growing regions in the world.

Curio Tree at Valle de los Cirios

Cirio Tree

Cardon Cactus at Valle de los Cirios

Cardon Cactus

Motorbike riding

Berry growing