This winter has been up to now cool but not bad at all. WE have promises from our esteemed leaders of lower living costs-Rubbish, lower power & energy costs-Rubbish again. Why can't our woke, greens ,idealists tell us the truth? The promise of renewable energy by 2030 is absolute garbage. For a start we need to construct or build 10,000kms of transmission towers and cables across the country, yet the best average estimate is maybe 600 kms year! Budgets that will be mind blowing....but what does it matter if you make a promise and then go out of government leaving the responsibility to the opposition, who will be desperately attempting to clear some of our ongoing deficit?
We have been managing very nicely for decades... although the greens would have us believe we are a menace to civilisation, yet I do not see them protesting in China ....we are around the 1% mark-China is the biggest, followed by the USA then India. I know, every cut back on carbon emissions is good -but not if we destroy living conditions we pride ourselves on. The image above is Loy Yang Power Station in the Latrobe Valley. the cooling towers emit steam, the brown coal still being mined for a short time is being sold to the biggest polluters as we pay for solar and wind that will be far more expensive and cannot supply what we have had....it's like cutting off your nose despite your face.
The open cut will be regenerated for timber production from plantations another asset we need.
ExxonMobil has been instructed to dismantle Bass Strait platforms, cutting back our oil and gas production....we have it all and should be a world power, a leader in energy and fuel, cleaner futures for our communities instead we rely on a grid supply coming from elsewhere, yet we send our resources overseas
including bauxite, iron ore, brown coal, natural gas, we have it all....and we are only just mentioning 'nuclear' because the vision that comes to mind with most peoples is a catastrophe!.....When will be take responsibility for US for our future and get real? Everyday I get frustrated but some recognise our minerals and resources.... but that's another agenda we need to wake up to, these people recognise an ongoing income stream from rent! Look at what's happening in Queensland .....it's "our land always was always will be, for all Australians".
There are so many areas even in our own environment worth visiting and capturing images from that visit.
Very recently we drove to beautiful Bright, only 3.5 hours from the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The trees, the forward thinking of the planners back 150 years ago make one appreciate their time. Today if the local council receives complaints about the poor planning especially lack of vegetation....it's a very poor response!Complain about lack of trees.....what do most councils plant?-Gum trees, if I wanted to live in the bush I would have...but no gum trees everywhere, creating a nuisance to gardens and grass alike -but also a danger to the community....why? gumtrees as saplings are cheap...it's about the dollar.
"Blessed are those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit" Greek proverb? Indian Proverb? or Warren Buffett & more. Makes so much common sense.
Getting away from Casey and moving up to Bright was like a breath of fresh air, aaah the vibe, the ambience, the fore thought. Travel up the Alpine roads to Mt Hotham and Buffalo incredible scenery....here are a few grabs around the Alpine region.
Once again looking and sorting images captured over the years, attending a performance or interview is a privilege. To have a pass to attend a show even if limited to a couple of numbers can make people envious especially if they really love the work of that entertainer!.....ALAS, someone has to do it and I really didn't mind at all!
Let me list some of the celebrities and notables I have had the opportunity to capture, most when working with newspapers and magazines;
Ros Stewart, Alice Cooper, Stevie Wonder, Paul & Linda McCartney, Norman Wisdom, Mark Warne, Ian Botham, Jimmy Edwards Bob Hawke, Malcolm Fraser, Bert Newton, "Bud" Tingwell, Elizabeth Jolly, Mark Webber, Stirling Moss, Nigel Mansell, Roy Higgins, Tina Turner, Elton John, Peter Brock, Anton Senna, John Newcombe, John Elliott, Steve Bracks, Gary Ablett-snr, Rudolph Nureyev, Barry Humphries, Derryn Hinch, Sid James, John Brumby, Jeff and Felicity Kennet, Bob Brown, Jim Cairns, Tina Turner, Gustav Nosal, Bruce Ruxton, Andrew Peacock, Lillian and Richard Frank, Brian Ferry, Professor Manning Clarke, Dick Smith, David Bellamy, John Farnham, Tina Arena, Ron Barassi, Charles and Di, HRM Queen Elizabeth, Dame Elizabeth Murdoch, many AFL past and present stars, many other ministers and government officials...... thousands of people; jockeys, tennis players, entertainers, and of course lots of notorious characters, I dare not attempt to recall all as I know there are so many I have not mentioned.....besides the thousands of people from all walks of life-photographed, along the way!
An older photographer at the Age once said to me...."I want to publish a book called 'A MILLION & ONE FACES". I can now identify with that.
Hi All,
I'm beginning to introduce images I've captured years ago, during my news and travelling escapades, sport ....a couple of problems occurred to me.
1-These images are either black and white negatives or colour transparencies.
2 -How am I going to get them scanned to a terrific quality without outsourcing?
My wife is an illustrator and uses a Epson perfection V700 for her scans for reference etc. I thought I might give scanning a try with this first. I was incredibly surprised with the great results....I scanned Black and white negs using the film holders at 2400dpi and utilising the "ICE" software built in to the unit resulting in quality scans cropped and resized to 300dpi 15inch images!! I import each image into photoshop and cleanup anything I need to. The colour transparencies I have scanned on the same setting but using a slide holder with room to scan 12 mounted transparencies at run in the positive film setting.....fabulous!
Using this scanner has allowed me another range of images -dating back to the 70's!
Gary Ablett was a star and sensational player...this image won me the 4th best sporting image in the world awarded by Adidas. Anton Senna one of the greatest ever 'Formula One' car racing drivers -was killed during a race......Check out my images in Sports and generic -it's a Gallery I am updating constantly
Village Elders in Rajasthan India- the elders look after the children as parents work in the fields....an image I captured back in 1988 overseas for aid abroad. This image of a miner in Australia's first Uranium mine...I was the first photographer to go into the huge Roxby Downs mine in South Australia....the image is very grainy as it was taken at 2000ASA handheld for two seconds...the light source had to be ambient with the aid of 3 miners lamps on helmets. I'm enjoying going through my images and surprised by the resulting scans.
As I add images to my Zenfolio website....the memory of that assignment or project vividly comes to mind.
On this occasion Yarra Trams wanted me to capture images of the Queen on a Tram during a royal visit to Melbourne on the 26th October in 2011. Previously covering Royal Tours and visits I was immediately aware of the protocols that press, dignitaries, and officials have to abide by, it's not just turn up with a camera and shoot away! Yarra Trams were not quick off the mark arranging a royal coverage press pass and my credentials or "record" had to be verified then accepted. by the organisers. Leaving it to the last minute I would be restricted to a "spot"- not a good one and I should not move from it.
On the day I arrived at Federation Square looking for my allotted location and instantly my excitement sunk, I had a "spot" on the very furthest point from where her Majesty would walk to and align the "Royal Tram". A long wait was in order before the Royal group would appear and my anticipation was even lower that I would be able to fulfil the rather demanding brief. It would be nearly impossible to capture decent images from this location!....at this time mates are very very important and I've just spotted a good one.
Thanks to a Getty photographer a mate who had a roaming pass and a "spot" he forfeited his set spot to me and I could move up about 30 metres closer to the action , all the difference I needed. This images one featuring the tram I could present to a very happy client....see more under "People and Places in my website.
The moral...."don't burn your bridges with opposition photographers" you never know when you may need a favour.
Covid 19 is affecting the working lives of millions of people globally.
Here in Australia, being an island we have managed the virus well. Victoria with poor governance and dishonesty initially caused our country huge
costs with the lives of several hundred people and billions of dollars lost in the economy due to shutdowns and a curfew. Finally we are on top of this awful second wave pandemic....not so elsewhere.
The future is in our hands the fear is complacency and selfishness. I fear although the second wave is now considered a thing of the past.. it's a delicate balance keeping the numbers to zero new cases...if possible.
Most of the building and industry infrastructure has in some limited ways continued, it's the small businesses and sole traders that have been hit very hard, many have collapsed. In Victoria, we have apparently had the hardest longest lockdown in the world. It will be a long trek back to the way we were.
In lockdown and being a freelance, photography was not a "necessary industry", I was not able to capture the images all around us. Newspaper photographers and journalists working for the dailies have published some incredible stories and images I look forward to the books and movies documenting this modern day "Plague" and hope we all learn by our bad decisions not denying the evidence of the truth of origin.