2010 – 2019 My Favourite Images

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

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

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

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

In My View – ‘Packsaddle Event’

The Journey

Early this year I entered a couple of images into the ‘In My View‘ competition run by the West Australian Photographic Federation (WAPF). I was fortunate enough to have my image ‘Packsaddle Event’ selected in the top 20 images.  It went on to take out 2nd place.  As a result I took home $300 and a high gloss copy of the book.  Please head on over to the WAPF website and take a read of the poem associated with my photo.  It’s written from the horses’ perspective.  Also take some time out to read the other stories.  Warning!!! You may need tissues.

Packsaddle Event at Best of the West Stockman Challenge 2018

Thanks to my neighbour Brian and his horses, the stars of this image

 

This competition calls for photographers to enter their best/favourite images to suit the topic.  This year being ‘We Are Australian’.  From these images the judges choose their top 20 images.  Writers are then invited to write a story or poem for one or more of the photographs of which one story for each photograph is selected.

The resultant body of work, 20 photographs with their accompanying story, are published in a book which are presented to the 40 finalists at the presentation night. 

Next Year

This post will hopefully help to spread the word and encourage more participants to enter next year, either as a photographer or writer.  Therefore ensuring the success of this competition for coming years.  Next year’s topic is ‘Broken’ and with photo entries to be submitted within the first half of 2019.  Plenty of time to get that entry ready.

 

If you’d like to see more images from the Best of the West Stockman Challenge please click here.

 

Finally Found One Black-shouldered Kite

Black-shouldered Kite (AKA Elanus axillaris)

It’s only taken about 3 years but I’ve finally spent some time with a black-shouldered Kite.  I’ve managed to get a couple of photos of these birds before but they’ve been off in the distance or have flown off on my approach. But not this day.  The weather was stunning for the middle of winter, no wind, not cold and beautiful reflections in the estuary.  The birds were chirping, people out walking everywhere.  

Black-Shouldered Kite Leschenault

I just love those red eyes and yellow legs and feet.  These small to medium raptors feed by dropping to the ground upon seeing mice, small lizards and ground birds.  More information can be found at Birdlife.

A big shout of thanks goes out to my friend Chris Tate for letting me know that this Kite has been hanging around Leschenault lately and that I had better get my act into gear and get out there.  

Black-Shouldered Kite Leschenault

Great Egret

I also came across this Great Egret sitting up on a branch for me.  These guys are often on the ground in amongst the grasses or in the water so you don’t always get the opportunity to photograph them legs and all.  These birds are stunning when they are in their breeding plumage usually in summer.

Great Egret

Bremer Canyon Killer Whales

Bremer Canyon Killer Whales

Male Orca Bremer Canyon

El Notcho, Male Killer Whale

I spent a wonderful day last weekend out on the water, south of Bremer Bay, in the area called Bremer Canyon.  This is a hot spot for Killer Whales and it’s still  unknown to many West Australians.  Our tour with Naturaliste Charters started at the Bremer Bay Boat Harbour at 8.30am.  We left the coast with some incredible skies which stayed with us for a few hours.

clouds and the sea

Then the first of the mammals arrived, an escort from a pod of Common Dolphins.  They were along side of us and also a number at the bow just keeping ahead of us.  This is the first time to my knowledge that I’ve seen Common Dolphins, it’s usually Bottlenose that I’ve come across.

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Then it happened, just as we were approaching the area known as Bremer Canyon, we had our first Killer Whale sighting.  

The next couple of hours we were kept busy with many Killer Whales coming and going all around the boat.  A kill or two was made.  The Flesh-footed Shearwater are always ready to pick up any leftovers and the odd squawk could be heard around kill time.  They are usually silent at sea and noisy in their colonies. 

Orca tail

A little bit of breaching and tail slapping was happening.  A couple of times we had one dive under the boat and come up the other side right in front of our very eyes except of course I had my camera in the way and she was just too close and too fast to photograph.  After that I made sure that I put the camera down for a while and just enjoyed watching all of the activity.  

Orca Killer Whales Bremer Canyon Western Australia

It’s possible to identify every individual Killer Whale.  The size and shape of their saddle patch (the grey area behind the dorsal fin) acts like a finger print.  Also the size and shape of their dorsal fins and any scars they may have help with a quick ID.  A male dorsal fin is taller and more triangular than the female. 

Orcas of Bremer Canyon

Orca doing a roll sequence images

My last Killer Whale image on this post is of one ‘Surging’ apparently this is a very economical way for the them to swim.

Orca Killer Whales Bremer Canyon Western Australia

The Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross are the smallest of the Mollymawks and are listed as vunerable by the Dept of Environment.  

Albatross at Bremer Canyon

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross

Flesh-footed Shearwater

Flesh-footed Shearwater

 

 

 

 

 

Free Your Images – What Does It Mean?

Free Your Images 

Free Your Images, what does this mean?  The days of taking your roll of film to get developed and coming home with 12 or 24 prints which you then put straight into your photo album or shoebox are over.  Now, in the digital age the majority of people are taking photos on their digital cameras and/or mobile phones and then doing nothing with them.  Or maybe they upload them to their computer and post a few to Facebook or other social media sites.  But the majority are kept hidden away.  By freeing your images you are showing them to the world or at least your family and friends.

So how can we free our images?  Get them printed.  Whether that means taking them to your local kiosk and printing your favourites out in 6″ x 4″ and putting them into albums.  Getting large prints made to frame and hang on your wall. Other options are POD’s and Photo books which I’ll go into shortly.  Personally, I print and hang images on my walls.  I have cushion covers, drink coasters and placemats printed and I always have a stash of my images printed onto birthday cards on hand.  I have also started getting photos printed onto clothing, they look great on shirts, leggings and scarves. The prints on my walls are all in wooden frames and they are set up so that I can easily change out the photos every year or two.

Free Your Images

Freeing My Images, cushions and prints from Namibia trip 2016

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

Free Your Images with POD’s

What am I talking about you may ask?  POD’s are companies that will print an item when an order is made, even if it’s for just the one item.  They include companies like Redbubble, Zazzle, Society 6 and Blurb  The digital age opened up a whole new way of printing onto the products of your choosing.

 

Photo Books

In the 13 months from December 2016 I’ve made 7 photos books.  I’ve just collected them all into a pile and WOW I can’t believe how many that I’ve produced this past year and a bit.  Well to tell the truth I’ve got 6 books and the 7th is being uploaded to Blurb as I’m typing.  These are great for the coffee table.  I’ve recently come back from a tour through Baja Mexico and have sold a number of copies of the book to others that were on the tour.  I prepare my book layouts through the book module in Lightroom, which uploads direct to Blurb.  You can then buy a copy for yourself and put it up for sale for others to purchase directly.  Blurb is just one of the many book producers, if they don’t suit your needs then look around.

Free Your Images

Photo books by Blurb & Momento Pro

 

Clothing, coffee mugs, iphone covers, notebooks, cushions and much much more

Just a small sample of the type of products available on sites like Society6 and Redbubble.  They also have a collection of wall art ie photographic prints, canvas, posters and wall tapestries.

                              

 

Stock Libraries

My final bit of info with regards to ‘Freeing Your Images’ is, if you have the time.  To sign up with a stock agency to sell your images.  Images of everyday life with and without people seem to sell reasonably well, they’re not looking for that masterpiece that belongs in an art gallery.  I current submit to Shutterstock, a micro stock agency, Stockimo, an iPhone stock agency and Alamy.



I’d love to hear back from any followers just how you ‘Free Your Image’

 

 

My Results – Focus Awards 2017

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

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