chromatic-aberration

Ten years ago today - Ansan landscape #korea #urban

2012-02-12T09:23:00.001+10:00

B&W Film processing in the tropics. #filmphotography

2012-02-11T18:07:00.001+10:00

Twenty minutes ago I took a one litre bottle of fixer out of my fridge. It was about 4 degrees C. I sat it on top of the fridge to warm up while I went and mixed up the developer and loaded the film on a spiral, reminding myself in the process how much I dislike 35mm film - give me 120 any day.

I just checked the fixer. It is now 25C. A 20 degree Celsius rise in temperature in just 20 minutes just in the ambient air.

I think I should be processing C41...

10 years ago today - Seoul teahouse

2012-02-10T07:40:00.003+10:00

Tea and clutter...

10 years ago today - birthday party

2012-02-10T07:40:00.001+10:00

7th February 2002. It’s hard to believe this is a decade ago. This school where I taught for a while in Shihwa used to have a party each month for the kids that had birthdays that month. The kids would sit there in their hanbok, wearing crowns, surrounded by treats like pizza and fried chicken while we sang Happy Birthday to them.

10 years ago today - Myeongdong crowds

2012-02-10T07:38:00.001+10:00

Ten years ago today.

2012-01-27T23:05:00.001+10:00

A trip to to the Yongin Folk Village in Korea.

I had an amusing and slightly disturbing encounter last time I entered Japan.

2012-01-26T08:29:00.001+10:00

It was at Fukuoka, getting off the ferry from Busan, South Korea. I was the only non-Asian on the boat except for an overweight American woman who seemed to be traveling with a mountain sized sumo.

The Customs official, after going through my suitcase meticulously, even opening my tube of toothpaste and looking incredulously at the rolls of film I was carrying, (Why you use film?". "To take photos."), asked me to take off my jacket. He then turned out the pockets and found a small seed of something. It had been there for ages and was nothing in particular.

He then proceeded to dismantle my suitcase, taking out the liner, checking everything again. Checking all my pockets. Turning out my wallet and examining the lining with a magnifying glass.

Then he asked me - "You are from Australia. Do you know Nimbin?"

Me - "Yes"

Him - "Have you been to Nimbin?"

Me - "Yes"

Him - "When did you go to Nimbin?"

Me - "On the 24th of October 1986."

Him "How long did you stay?"

Me - "47 minutes."

Him (still not batting an eyelid) - "Did you buy marijuana?"

Me - "No"

Him - "Do you like marijuana?"

Me - "No"

Him (leaning over and prodding me in the stomach) - "Do you like beer?"

Me - "I think you are getting a bit too friendly now. But, yes, I like beer."

He then became very friendly and spoke about Japanese beer. He recommended I try Yebisu beer and lamented that I was traveling on from Fukuoka almost immediately and would be unable to have a drink with him. As if I would...

He kept me more than 30 minutes. The area which had been packed with people arriving, was now empty. I went out and found my friend Bill waiting for me. He had been wondering here I was.

No-one else had been delayed or searched.

Ch-ch-ch-changes... teased out.

2011-09-27T08:14:00.001+10:00

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes... David Bowie's look through the years

2011-09-27T08:00:00.001+10:00

I found it here - http://www.cherrybombed.com/2011/09/the-ever-changing-fashion-of-david-bowie/

Why people become creationists

2011-06-23T10:42:00.001+10:00

Listening to Richard Brautigan - Trout Fishing in America

2011-05-08T13:55:00.001+10:00

Trout Fishing In America by Richard Brautigan Listen on Posterous

Richard Brautigan reads from his book, "Trout Fishing in America".

From "Trout Fishing in America" by Richard Brautigan.

2011-05-08T10:36:00.002+10:00

KNOCK ON WOOD (PART TWO)

One spring afternoon as a child in the strange town of Portland, I walked down to a different street corner, and saw a row of old houses, huddled together like seals on a rock. Then there was a long field that came sloping down off a hill. The field was covered with green grass and bushes. On top of the hill there was a grove of tall, dark trees. At a distance I saw a waterfall come pouring down off the hill. It was long and white and I could almost feel its cold spray.

There must be a creek there, I thought, and it probably has trout in it.

Trout.

At last an opportunity to go trout fishing, to catch my first Trout, to behold Pittsburgh.

It was growing dark. I didn't have time to go and look at the creek. I walked home past the glass whiskers of the houses, reflecting the downward rushing waterfalls of night.

The next day I would go trout fishing for the first time. I would get up early and eat my breakfast and go.

I had heard that it was better to go trout fishing early in the morning. The trout were better for it. They had something extra in the morning. I went home to prepare for trout fishing in America.

I didn't have any fishing tackle, so I had to fall back on corny fishing tackle. Like a joke.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

I bent a pin and tied it onto a piece of white string.

And slept. The next morning I got up early and ate my breakfast. I took a slice of white bread to use for bait. I planned on making dough balls from the soft center of the bread and putting them on my vaudevillian hook. I left the place and walked down to the different streetCorner. How beautiful the field looked and the creek that came pouring down in a waterfall off the hill.

But as I got closer to the creek I could see that something was wrong. The creek did not act right. There was a strangeness to it. There was a thing about its motion that was wrong. Finally I got close enough to see what the trouble was.

The waterfall was just a flight of white wooden stairs leading up to a house in the trees.

I stood there for a long time, looking up and looking down, following the stairs with my eyes, having trouble believing.

Then I knocked on my creek and heard the sound of wood.

I ended up by being my own trout and eating the slice of bread myself.

The Reply of Trout Fishing in America:

There was nothing I could do. I couldn't change a flight of stairs into a creek. The boy walked back to where he came from.

The same thing once happened to me. I remember mistaking an old woman for a trout stream in Vermont, and I had to beg her pardon.

"Excuse me, " I said. "I thought you were a trout stream. "

"I'm not, " she said.

QR image - testing

2011-04-17T15:50:00.001+10:00

Just testing something here. If you have a QR scanner this should take you to my home page.

An obscure photography geeky coincidence - do you get it? #filmphotography

2011-04-17T14:37:00.001+10:00

I was doing a little research on the Baby Rolleiflex 4x4cm twin lens reflex camera just now and happened to search Flickr for groups. I found the Baby Rollei group (http://www.flickr.com/groups/323288@N25/) easily, and then I noticed something funny. Funny to an obscure film photography geek anyway...

I wonder can you see it.

Hint - look at the number of members in the photos here, not on the Flickr site - the number has changed since I joined.

Halfcamera

2011-04-08T23:01:00.001+10:00

My wonderfully creative friend Bill introduced me to another iPhone camera app today, Halfcamera. This app imitates the concept of a half-frame camera, even to the extent of saving images on a virtual film strip. adjacent images can be combined into diptychs. You can even include a bit of text between the images. It has a bunch of effects too, mostly garish. I like the concept of the diptych output, but the clunky workflow takes a bit of getting used to. It'd also be nice not to be confined to using adjacent pictures. A fun app despite its peculiarities.

And of course to try it out, my ukuleles always make willing models.

Maralinga - Paul Kelly

2011-04-05T22:06:00.001+10:00

This is a rainy land
this is a rainy land
no thunder in our sky
no trees stretching high
but this is a rainy land

My name is Yami Lester
I hear I talk I touch but I am blind
my story comes from darkness
listen to my story now unwind
this is a rainy land

First we heard two big bangs
we thought it was the great snake digging holes
Then we saw the big cloud
then the big black mist began to roll
this is a rainy land

A strangeness on our skin
a soreness in our eyes like weeping fire
a pox upon our skin
a boulder on our backs all our lives
this is a rainy land

this is a rainy land
no thunder in our sky
no trees stretching high
but this is a rainy land

My name is Millipuddy
they captured me and roughly washed me down
then my child stopped kicking
then they took away my man to town
they said do you speak English?
he said
I know that Jesus loves me I know
because the bible tells me so
I know that Jesus loves me I know
because the bible tells me so

This is a rainy land
this is a rainy land
no thunder in our sky
no trees stretching high
but this is a rainy land

Maralinga by Paul Kelly Listen on Posterous

Pavement circles

2011-03-25T13:10:00.001+10:00

It's been very wet lately in Townsville and there is a thick, slippery coating of dark green algae on the concrete pavement and retaining walls at the DPI Station at Oonoonba, where I work. But there are strange circles in the green. Something seems to be eating the algae. A fungus? A virus? Proto- or metazoan?

Playing around with Hipstamatic lenses

2011-03-24T17:41:00.002+10:00

There are so many virtual lenses, films and even flashes available for the Hipstamatic app that I am bewildered as to which one to choose half the time. Lately I mostly shoot using the app's randomise feature. The results of this on-going experiment are here.

Except that some films are colour and some are black and white, the main difference to the image provided by the choice of virtual film is the frame. Most films have distinct border effects.

The choice of lens has a much stronger bearing on the image. The lenses have distinct optical and colour effects built in. The Salvador 84 lens is especially notable for having a kaleidoscope-like mirror effect.

I shot some images today using each of the lenses I have. The image is simply a view through the patterned glass of my front door. I used Blanko virtual film for every image as it has a neutral border. Here are the results.

1. Salvador 84

2. Melodie

3. Tejas

4. Chunky

5. Bettie XL

6. Roboto Glitter

7. Lucifer VI

8. Helga Viking

9. Kaimal Mark II

10. Jimmy

11. John S

Cropping the monk.

2011-03-07T08:10:00.001+10:00

Strolling along Haeundae Beach in Busan, South Korea last month I suddenly encountered this monk, who was also apparently taking a stroll. My Mamiya 7 was around my neck and I simply pointed it and shot. "Shot from the hip", as the hipsters say.
I have mixed feelings about the result. It was fortunate that the last picture I had taken had been at a similar distance. It was a dull day but I had fast film and the aperture, focus, and, framing (almost) combine to give me the shot I wanted. Unfortunately I missed her foot. I cropped the photo down from 6x7 to a square, but I am still not totally pleased. So I copped much harder to give the closer portrait shot. Still not quite there...

Anyway - here are the 2 crops and the original. Which do you prefer?

Maybe this is why I prefer landscapes.
Camera - Mamiya 7
Lens - Mamiya 80/4
Film - Portra 400VC
Process - Unicolor 3 bath

Korean Buddhist monks are not like the monks to which I am accustomed. No poverty for them. They often have nice cars and can be seen wandering around wearing headphones and making calls on their iPhones.

70's fashion - not as I remember it.

2011-03-01T14:36:00.001+10:00

Someone sent me these pictures today with a note - "Remember this?"

Thankfully I dont..

The 70's wasn't like this in Australia.

Stages of a photographer - How good we think we are

2011-02-26T19:18:00.001+10:00

Pretty self explanatory really... though I must admit I had to study it for a while. The key shows what the coloured lines mean.

A nice piece of camerabilia

2011-02-11T21:36:00.001+10:00

Seen in Kyobo Bookstore in Centum City, Busan, today. A pencil sharpener shaped like a twin lens reflex camera.

There is really no limit to the things one can collect. I resisted the urge to buy. I'll stick to real cameras.

Much more worrying, nearby were "dog staplers".

YMO in Pocky ad?

2011-02-10T14:55:00.001+10:00

On my way back from Japan last week I stayed in a hotel in Fukuoka. An ad came on the TV that featured members of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. I grabbed my iPhone but only managed to grab the last few seconds.

Here are some stills I captured from the ad. That looks like Yukihiro Takahashi on the left and Harry Hosouni on the right but is that Ryuichi Sakamoto in the middle?

I like to hope it isn't.

The product incidentally is a fake-chocolate dipped pretzel stick known on Japan as a Pocky and in Korea as a ppeppero (빼빼로). They are thoroughly nasty.

Heoshimcheong microbrewery

2011-02-07T20:32:00.002+10:00

This is a place I used to frequent when I lived here in Busan a few years ago. They make 3 varieties of beer on site, the darkest being a tasty and very strong brown ale they call Dunkel. it is situated on the ground floor of the Heoshimcheong sauna complex, a part of the Nongshim Hotel in Oencheonjang, on subway line 1, Busan.

The brewing equipment is all visible though glass windows, the decor is faux-Bavarian and the super-cute waitresses and, I suspect, embarrassed waiters, all dress respectively in Heidi-style costumes and lederhosen. The menu is dominated by overpriced sausages, but it's definitely worth a visit just for the beer.

I went there today at about 5:30pm and the waitress, who has excellent English, told me I was the first customer. I enjoyed a 500ml glass of Dunkel, and the complimentary bread sticks, which seemed to contain chilli.

On weekends the place is packed with hikers, enjoying a few drinks after a post-mountaineering sauna. They have a house band which plays pretty cheesy pop and the place can get quite lively.

Anyway I enjoyed my own post-sauna beer and may sneak back later in the week for another.

Daegu's "Beer Factory" : a brief review.

2011-02-07T10:37:00.002+10:00

I was in Daegu, Korea, this week and spent an evening with some very good folks at a microbrewery style of bar called The Beer Factory. They had quite a range of beers from a pale Pilsener to quite a dark stout. I only tried the brown ale and can attest to it's deliciousness. Prices are on the high side but typical for a bar of this type. Food was the usual fried chicken dishes but they were generous with their free "service" dishes. Then again we were a largish party and spent quite a lot.

One thing really amuses me though (see second picture): in the gents, above each urinal, is a menu if their beers so one can plan what to drink next even as one voids the last beer.

Miyazaki Station

2011-02-03T16:53:00.001+10:00

Just some images I shot with the Hipstamatic App on my iPhone while waiting for the train to Miyakonojo at Miyazaki Station the other evening.

A bar called "Arse-hole"

2011-01-21T16:47:00.001+10:00

똥꼬 (Ddong-ggo) the sign says, over this bar in the PNU area in Busan. That translates as "Arse-hole".

I am so curious…

Love the picture!

People I met today in Busan

2011-01-15T18:54:00.001+10:00

Warming myself in the sun outside Jagalchi fish markets in Busan today I noticed the woman next to me was using a real camera - a Nikon FM2 to be precise. I asked if I could take her photo and she held up her camera and took mine. I also took a film shot with my Mamiya 7 but that will have to wait. Her name is 이가영 (Ka-yeong Lee).

Later, in Nampodong subway a young fellow saw the Mamiya around my neck and came straight up to me saying, "Take my photo." I shot him with the "pinhole" setting using the Retro Camera App on my iPhone.

"What's your name?", I asked.

"이정진 (Jeong-jin Lee). Remember me!

Hallabong - a Korean citrus fruit

2011-01-14T20:43:00.001+10:00

한라봉 - Hallabong, a Korean citrus fruit grown largely on Jeju Island. Tastes like a tangy orange. Skin is thick and easily peeled with the fingers. Ridiculously overpriced but one of the best fruit here.

Korean ukulele review - Countess tenor

2011-01-13T16:43:00.005+10:00

I just played a very nice solid tenor uke in a Yamaha store next to exit 1 of Nampodong subway station here in Busan, South Korea. The instrument, branded Countess and strung with what look like Aquila strings is Korean made and was shown to me with some pride by the very friendly shop assistant.

The top is solid spruce and the back and sides mahogany. Sound is strong and clean. Build seems a little rough with some machining marks visible at the top of the sound-hole under the end if the fret board. The neck is accurate but the ends of the metals are a little rough and scratchy in the hand as I play. Tuners are well geared and smooth and the head is slotted. Overall a good instrument but lacking in finish and not really worth the 485,000 won (~AU$430) they want for it.

In the same shop I also played another tenor branded Dexter. This one was unimpressive but had an unremarkable set of strings. It was priced around 250,000 won.

Korean ukulele review - Countess tenor

2011-01-13T16:43:00.003+10:00

In the same shop I also played another tenor branded Dexter. This one was unimpressive but had an unremarkable set of strings. It was priced around 250,000 won.

Korean ukulele review - Countess tenor

2011-01-13T16:43:00.001+10:00

In the same shop I also played another tenor branded Dexter. This one was unimpressive but had an unremarkable set of strings. It was priced around 250,000 won.

http://brainz.org/24-terrifying-thoughtful-and-absurd-nursery-rhymes-children/

Origins of nursery rhymes

2011-01-11T20:22:00.001+10:00

Sent from Greg's iPhone

http://brainz.org/24-terrifying-thoughtful-and-absurd-nursery-rhymes-children/

Origins of nursery rhymes

2011-01-11T19:33:00.001+10:00

Sent from Greg's iPhone

Secondhand camera gear in Seoul

2011-01-06T00:44:00.001+10:00

There are two areas in Seoul where there are many secondhand camera shops. One is near Namdaemun and the other in Chungmuro. I usually spend a couple of days searching for bargains there whenever I'm up this way. It's wonderful just to look at all those Leicas and dream.

Secondhand camera gear in Seoul

2011-01-06T00:42:00.001+10:00

Busan views

2011-01-04T12:24:00.001+10:00

From the top of Yongdusan tower. Photos follow a clockwise circle starting facing northward.

A small piece of beauty - Nature in Busan

2011-01-01T19:13:00.001+10:00

As I walked this afternoon along the Oncheon-cheon, a stream that runs through Northern Busan, I saw a rare thing: a white bird, stalking fish in the near frozen water.

I watched him for a while and saw him catch 3 small fish. Later I saw two more white birds. A good day for nature.

Konglish, weirdness and old haunts

2011-01-01T13:58:00.001+10:00

After a sub-zero walk along the beach at Haeundae I thought I'd try and find some coffee in the Busan National University (PNU) area.

The search for coffee was a dismal failure. I settled for a weak as piss cappuccino in Starbucks. I did however see some weirdness… and visited an old haunt of mine, though it was closed.

The bag simply defies explanation. The Kenny Rogers Norae-bang is a singing room, rather like karaoke. The Crossroads Bar is one of the better expat-friendly bars in the PNU area. they have an excellent collection of records.

E-Mart Logo Song

2010-12-31T18:52:00.001+10:00

Not quite the full song but in the spirit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRYlUu1nJm8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Happy happy happy E-Mart

2010-12-31T18:26:00.001+10:00

We arrived in Busan yesterday morning. I spent the entire day sleeping yet still managed to sleep all last night too. Air travel is hell.

Today we ventured out into the cold day to do some shopping at E-Mart. I was surprised at the amount of Australian produce on sale, particularly meat. Of special note Darling Downs Wagyu beef and even Aussie prawns.

The End of the Universe - Hong Kong

2010-12-30T02:54:00.001+10:00

After the incredible heat of Cairns, several hours of cramped conditions on the flight, it was a relief to wander around Hong Kong International Terminal for a while taking in the Gucci bags and the conspicuous displays of fur coats.

Our flight to Busan leaves from Gate 19; some thousands of metres from the area where we arrived. We travelled a long almost geodesic corridor and found ourselves at the End Of The Universe.

I wonder when the show begins…

The End of the Universe - Hong Kong

2010-12-30T02:53:00.001+10:00

Our flight to Busan leaves from Gate 19; some thousands of metres from the area where we arrived. We travelled a long almost geodesic corridor and found ourselves at the End Of The Universe.

I wonder when the show begins…

The End of the Universe - Hong Kong

2010-12-30T02:51:00.001+10:00

Our flight to Busan leaves from Gate 19; some thousands of metres from the area where we arrived. We travelled a long almost geodesic corridor and found ourselves at the End Of The Universe.

I wonder when the show begins…

Ukulele pilgrimage site - Cairns

2010-12-29T14:37:00.001+10:00

Woke at 4am. On flight to Cairns at 6:30. Watched a pair of kestrels hunting insects on the wing at Townsville airport.

Cairns incredibly hot and humid. Walked along esplanade and saw crabs making art in the mudflats.

Visited the wonderful Music City - best uke shop I know. Armed with a new Ohana soprano we staggered through the dead air back to the airport. Waiting now to board.

Stone curlew pair at Oonoonba

2010-12-21T14:44:00.001+10:00

via youtube.com

There are stone curlews all over the grounds of the DPI station at Oonoonba where I work. The entire area is to be developed for medium density housing. I worry about the curlews. I hope they will survive.

This morning's roast - last coffee picture; I promise

2010-12-19T20:59:00.001+10:00

This morning I pushed the beans further - well into second crack stage. The result was just perfect - dark and glistening Columbian beans. Made a perfect cup of coffee too.

Straight iPhone 4 photo, cropped square.

See larger here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/hojucandy/5273125809/

A quick roast at lunchtime.

2010-12-16T12:37:00.001+10:00

PNG and Columbian blend. I let it go well onto "second crack".

A big day for reptiles

2010-12-13T18:20:00.001+10:00

Lizards everywhere at work today. They seem to like the hot wet weather. Also snakes and a turtle...

Home roasted coffee - 3rd batch

2010-12-12T09:26:00.001+10:00

Quite a bit darker after a 5 minute roast. This is a PNG organic and Columbian mix.
Taste is more bitter than yesterday's roast but still very good. Quite fruity. Pineapple even...

iPhone photo using Hipstamatic. Melodie lens, Pistil film.

Home roasted coffee success

2010-12-11T08:23:00.003+10:00

My second try at roasting green coffee beans in a cheap K-mart popcorn maker was successful. This morning I roasted half a cup of PNG Organic beans to a medium roast and made a perfect ristretto.

The roast could have been a bit darker but at least this time I didn't burn it. I took the roaster outside as it blows the fine husk of the beans (paper) everywhere and puts out a lot of heat. Roasting time was very quick - only about 4 minutes. The result speaks for itself though. I think I'll go have another...

iPhone day 7 - Neal

2010-11-30T19:24:00.001+10:00

When I learnt that I would be living in Townsville I looked for a flickr group there and instantly noticed Neal's photography. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nealthorley/

We share a love of film and coffee. We met for a coffee today at Coffee Dominion, perhaps the best coffee shop in Townsville. I shot this image using the Hipstamatic App on my iPhone.

iPhone - Day 5 : Pocket Light Meter App

2010-11-28T18:27:00.001+10:00

via itunes.apple.com

I spent most of the day downloading wonderful Indian music from http://ragavibrations.blogspot.com/ and browsing the world of iPhone apps.

I am loving this one. It actually turns my iPhone into a lightmeter - a spotmeter no less. A few quick checks and it tallies with my Minolta spotmeter. Will have to give it a go in the field.

iPhone Day 4 - Hipstamatic madness

2010-11-27T21:30:00.001+10:00

The Hipstamatic App can send you mad. That is all.

iPhone day 3 - HDR at Oonoonba

2010-11-26T17:46:00.001+10:00

The iPhone camera has an HDR setting, which I have used here for this image of the old yards at the Oonoonba DPI Station in Townsville, where I work. It's so good to get away from Sydney!

iPhone - Day 2

2010-11-26T07:51:00.001+10:00

A quick Hipstamatic shot in the grounds of the Sydney University Vet School.

iPhone day 1

2010-11-24T19:51:00.001+10:00

I have been spending quite some time in the stunning and very alluring Apple Store in Sydney. After weighing the various options (iPad, MacBook Air, etc) I settled on an iPhone.

racks of bikes - nobody riding

2010-11-01T07:56:00.001+10:00

I spent a couple of days in Brisbane last week. There is a scheme there to hire bikes in the city. One accesses the bike using a swipe card and use of the bike is free for up to 30 minutes. Seems like a great idea. But I saw rack after rack with not a single bike missing. I never saw a soul riding one.

What's wrong?

Is it the roads? I believe it is illegal to drive on the footpath - and though there are bike lanes on the roads they are very close to busses and heavy traffic.. I heard that one problem is that the law requires bike riders to wear a helmet yet health regulations prohibit the renting of a helmet with the bike. So anyone who wants to use the scheme must carry a bike helmet all day.

A bad piece of planning...

Bach Cello Suites, Casales, Rumi, madness...

2010-09-17T20:57:00.002+10:00

When I started to learn Hindustani classical music my one of the first ragas I learnt was Yaman. I say one of the first because actually from memory I think he first was Khamaj. One of my teachers. Michael Junius, told me that Yaman was the raga one should start with. It was auspicious and would ensure that one's musical learning would progress well. Maybe that is why mine did not...

Another of my teachers, Nikhil Ghosh, once told me that Allauddin Khan used to say that he could have played Yaman all his long life and still "not plumbed its depths".

I think Bach is like this... One can listen to Bach again and a again and it is always new, always re-inventing itself somehow.

I've been listening to Bach cello suites all week. I have several recordings.

Yo Yo Ma's is my least favourite - his playing is lifeless to my ears. He lacks something and I can't say quite what... perhaps gravitas.

Maurice Gendron is marvellously strong and perfectly paced. Bach would have liked his playing I think.

Pablo Casales plays like a madman - his interpretations of Bach sound like Stravinsky at times... I think he is my favourite. I'm a big fan of madmen (and women)

Better to be ignorant of worldly concerns,
better to be mad and flee from self-interest,
better to drink poison and spill the water of life,
better to revile those who praise you,
and lend both the capital and the interest to
the poor, forgo safety and make a home in danger.
Sacrifice your reputation and become notorious.
I have tried caution and forethought;
from now on I will make myself mad.

-Rumi

Voting in Wulguru (Dawson)

2010-08-21T10:52:00.002+10:00

Despite being a southern suburb of Townsville, Wulguru, where I live, is part of the Dawson electorate, which is centred on Mackay, some 400km south. I don't understand why we are not part of Herbert, which is centred on Townsville, the city to which we belong.

That said, I got up this morning and took the short walk down to the local school to vote. I took these photos as I wandered home.

See larger version fo photos on my flickr.

Glass plate negatives - 3

2010-07-11T12:51:00.002+10:00

Apart from the obvious damage to these glass plates (they were stored for many years in sheds in humid subtropical conditions), the detail in these pictures is stunning. Go to the larger image on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/hojucandy/4781235371/ and look at the saddles hanging on a rail outside the saddler. Photography has not come far since the 19th Century...

Glass plate negatives - continued...

2010-07-10T23:18:00.001+10:00

Finally I am starting to scan some of the glass plate negatives that Gary lent me last year. Explanation here - http://jayavant.posterous.com/glass-plate-negatives

The pictures are very sharp and detailed, despite the poor condition of the negatives. Many are wrapped in paper as shown in the pictures. The paper appears to be a police document from "The Colony of Queensland". This would place them pre-federation - so in the 19th Century. This one seems to be taken in Clermont, Central Queensland.

A larger version of the picture can be seen on my flickr site - http://www.flickr.com/photos/hojucandy/4779962328/

Not a soccer fan #worldcup 2002

2010-06-13T12:15:00.001+10:00

In 2002 I lived in South Korea. That year Korea played host to the World Cup soccer matches and there was general hysteria in abundance.

On the afternoon of June 22nd, Korea played a quarter-final match against Spain. I happened to be in Seoul that day and was treated to the eery experience of walking around largely empty streets - everyone was either indoors glued to a TV or at one of the large public squares where huge screens had been set up to watch the games. Being no soccer fan myself, I caught a train home. These trains are usually packed - standing room only. I never saw so few people on the Seoul subway.
When I got home I was invited to join some Korean men who were sitting out on the footpath with a TV watching the game and drinking. People were unusually friendly during the World Cup.

The game ended in a draw - 0:0. That's one reason I don't like soccer.... nothing happens....

When is a snake not a snake? When it's an excitable delma (Delma tincta)

2010-05-03T14:30:00.001+10:00

via cms.jcu.edu.au

I walked from home to my office today, a distance of about 6km. No hills and fairly easy walk though it was fiercely hot for most of the way - no shade and reflective ground.But the wind was at my back and I feel good for the walk.

ON the way I saw what I thought was a small snake on the road. I picked it up so it would not be run over. It was certainly excitable - leaping around throwing its body into arches so only 2 or 3 points touched the ground at a time. I thought it was a golden crown snake or something similar - a harmless small elapid.

Examining it I noticed not only that its vent was about 1/4 of the way along its body, but also that it had tiny external ear-holes. It was not a snake at all - it was a legless lizard or pygopod. Unlike snakes they have an external ear aperture.

I found him a nice place under some bushes, with plenty of leaf litter and let him go.

Before I left home I debated whether to take a camera. I didn't. Bad decision. Got a phone camera shot of him but it's blurry.

On another note - I did take my iPod, but only listened to half a song. It was so nice walking and just listening to the sounds around me. I find I use my iPod very rarely these days...

Here is where I walked - http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2406686#

Posted via web from jayavant's posterous

changes

2009-04-06T21:40:00.002+10:00

We are moving....

I am finding my posterous blog does everything I need at the moment so have decided to cease using blogger altogether.

And Bill's main blog is at wordpress. I'll be contributing there regularly too.

........

8x10 portraits, or the boredom of the large format photography model

2009-04-05T21:41:00.002+10:00

Last weekend Kim and Nikhilā visited and I decided to try and take their portraits with the 8x10.

I took Nikhi's picture out on our front porch using existing light. The light was failing and I had to spend a long time focussing on the very dim ground glass of the old camera. Depth of field is very limited with these cameras - which lends a special character to portraiture, but makes setting up the shot difficult. Nikhi was very patient but as the series of photos shows, it was a trial for her I'm sure. The final image is a full scan of the negative - with edges visible.

I shot Kim's portrait indoors. He was reading contentedly so the situation was ideal. "Just sit there", I said. The light was even dimmer indoors and I had a lot of difficulty focussing. I pulled out an old maggy-lamp to give some more light, and rigged up a reflector to cut the shadows a bit. That gave me an extra couple of stops. In the end it was an 8 second exposure. Got a little motion blur but it's only noticeable in larger sizes. The final image is a crop.

Kali, Nikhi's bearded dragon, watched on with interest. Helen took the colour photos.

Difficulties I have with 8x10 are mostly related to focussing. The ground glass on this camera is dim, and in low light my eyes are really struggling to tell what is blurry and what is sharp.

image circles and cropping

2009-03-21T17:22:00.003+10:00

the lens on a camera projects a circular image onto the film. to shoot with large format film one needs a lens with a large image circle - big enough to cover the film and more. my 8x10 shooting is very low budget. i have been using a 210mm rodenstock lens which has an image circle more suitable for 4x5 film to shoot 8x10. most of the time it covers it, but in this shot it didn't. the reason is i used a lot of front tilt in order to get the foreground and background in focus. this swung the film sheet out of the image circle - resulting in the radical vignette effect seen here.

sadly i did not notice this on the ground glass when i was setting up the picture, probably because there was so much wind i could barely hang onto my darkcloth.

the solution? for now, a drastic crop... which i think looks good anyway. in the long term though i need a lens designed for 8x10 film. until then i'll try to avoid large movements.

see on flickr

incidentally this is a photo of an old bridge near the lemontree feedlot, north of millmerran, on the darling downs, queensland.

last of the batch

2009-03-18T22:38:00.003+10:00

polaroid no longer manufactures it's large format instant films. in fact polaroid no longer manufactures any instant films. apparently they are still marketing some of their consumer films, such as pola 600, but they have engaged another company to make it.

thanks to my friend sam, i today obtained an unused and only slightly out of date pack of polaroid 56. this consists of 20 single 4x5 inch sheets of sepia film. one of the sheets is visible to the left of this shot, standing behind my old polaroid 545 film holder - which i had almost consigned to the museum shelf. this could be its last hurrah...

watch for some polaroid sepia images soon.

suffering for art

2009-03-17T17:44:00.002+10:00

my legs are aching from unaccustomed exercise but I console myself that I got this picture for my pains. sometimes we have to suffer for our art.

taken on a little cove in noosa national park after a 4 hour drive then a 6km walk over sand in hot humid conditions, carrying a heavy 4x5 camera and tripod. i want to go back with the 8x10… and maybe a welsh mountain pony.

on flickr

It's like a Rubik's Cube, actually...

2009-03-09T15:31:00.005+10:00

I've been doing a lot of reading up on those important photography things, like composition, lately.

I grabbed one book by a Japanese nature photographer that has a nice series of diagrams that show you everything you need to know to be as good as this Japanese nature photographer. Diagrams are an important aspect to everything here in Japan. Even the bidets have diagrams to help you on your way to cleanliness.

Anyway, the best English title I could come up with for this book was "Tanaka-san shows you how to stuff shapes into the Rulathird!!". And it does that very well. Not only telling you how to pick a nice mountain peak by it's triangularness, but also how to place it within your frame so it looks extra mountainy.

This shot was me giving the Rulathird a try. It's a bit difficult in film because most of the older film cameras don't hand the Rulathird to you like modern DSLRs. Heck, I think the Nikon DSLR viewfinder has the grid built in*.

You gotta eye it and hope for the best. I think it worked in this case.

*So I'm gonna call all of them "girly men".

at the door

2009-03-08T21:42:00.004+10:00

i'd like to gain some portraiture skills. i would like to use natural light as much as possible - i have enough gear without carrying lighting equipment around too. still feeling my way with the new format, i tried a double challenge here - utilising the very narrow depth of field of the rodenstock 210/5.6 lens, and coping with very broad exposure latitude from light to shadow.

the focus was very critical. so much so that i kept having to refocus, even after i had inserted the film holder. a lot of patience needed - esp by the model. perhaps that's why the pose became a little wooden.

i am fairly happy with the result though. the light on helen's hair is barely adequate, but her face is well exposed, and the focus is confined to a very narrow field indeed. also the outside world is displaying some wonder bokeh. i need to work more on getting some ref;ected light in the foreground for this sort of shot though - i used a small reflector for this but it was not enough.

as for the knack for directing a model - i don't think i have that as yet... back to landscapes....

photo info -

camera = burke & james 8x10 inch view camera

lens = rodenstock apo-sironar 210mm 1:5.6

film - kodak t-max 100

exposure - ½sec at ƒ/45

processed in t-max developer