UQ trees in June

Ok, I admit, I need to get out more often ...

Seems as though the only time I get lately to take any photos at all is when I am either watching my children play sport or waiting for their sport to finish.

Found myself with the dog at UQ again yesterday afternoon and took the Canon 450d with 18-55mm zoom in the hope that the sunset would be spectacular. High cloud about all day threatened to clear enough after 3pm to set the sky alight. Needless to say it didn't ...

The quite flat and even light drew me to the trees, jacaranda and figs, around the lakes during my walk. I took these shots, but could quite decide which way to represent the lovely fig by the duck pond (any suggestions would be appreciated).

I did venture up to the great court for some more sandstone studies and I might post them soon.

Dusty day

Brisbane experienced an interesting weather "event" yesterday when an unusually large dust storm blew across town. I have never seen so many people out and about taking photographs during the usual lunch break.

I decided to head across the Victoria Bridge to see just how dusty things had become. Given I had the camera loaded with HP5+, I wondered how the images would look or whether it would just seem like a foggy morning in black and white ... you be the judge.

While I was on the Southbank side of the river I swung under the bridge and came up at the Art Gallery. I liked the pattern that the jacarandas make now that their trunks are becoming more substantial. It is sometimes funny that you see different things when the light is not what you come to expect.

While under the jacarandas I bumped (quite literally) into happy snapper who was carrying an old Pentax SLR. I wonder how his shots on BW400CN turned out. (om2n, zuiko 35mm f2.8, hp5+ @ 400)

Natural Hues - Magnificat

For those who live locally, "Natural Hues" is a photographic exhibition by our very own Nicole. Ten beautifully shot macro images of her favourite subjects, of which "Magnificat" is one. Running 1st -30th September at the Graceville Gallery (10am-5pm Mon to Fri and 10am -4pm Sat and Sun). The gallery is located at 463 Oxley Road Sherwood (Tel: 3379 1288). Image taken with my 5MB Leica using bounced flash.

Spring Flowers

This was taken on the same morning as "Fig". My intention was to gain inspiration by detouring via the City Botanical Gardens thinking that it would be full of spring flowers in bloom. Nothing could be further from the truth: Either spring didn't happen in Brisbane City this year, or I simply missed it! There were some low ground covering plants that offered up some blooms and I was determined to capture what I could. Sad to say, this was the best of the bunch (om4, zuiko 50mm f3.5 macro, f5.6, HP5 @ 400).

Fig

I have been awfully slack in recent weeks and have not shot anything of worth and decided to try and force myself to find a subject that I could get enthusiastic about. Detouring through the City Botanical Gardens early in the morning I found this fig, nicely lit from the side. I like the complex, almost abstract trunk that these trees develop, and the wonderfully textured bark - almost like an elephant's skin. This is not my usual architectural study, but I do like the strength of its form. (OM4, zuiko 50mm f3.5 macro, f8, HP5 @ 400)