Echoes of the RiverSong

2008-06-24T22:02:00.003+10:00

227
~ Oh, What a Feeling .. Part 2 ~.

A stolen and burned-out Corona station wagon was an eyesore in a local industrial area ... what is a guy to do but give it a little creative treatment ... not quite a return to its' former glory days, (assuming Toyota Corona's ever HAD glory days), but an interesting effect ..

2008-06-24T21:55:00.003+10:00

228
~ Time Gentlemen ~

Is the man inside a solitary patron ? ... or is he the owner working up enough energy to close the bar after a busy night ? ... You write your own story ...

2008-06-24T21:30:00.003+10:00

229
~ Oh, What a Feeling ~.

The aftermath of a recent motoring assignment .. with a couple of lighting 'pings' to keep a certain mentor happy :)

2008-06-02T20:53:00.005+10:00

230

~ Aerial Ping Pong ~.

Ahhhh, Australian Rules Football ... some love it ... some hate it ... I simply ask .... ' why ? '

2008-06-02T20:42:00.003+10:00

231
~ Curvey Columns ~.

A touch of local twisted architecture ... well, it wasn't ... but it is now ... Frank Lloyd Wright I ain't !

2008-05-27T21:20:00.004+10:00

232

~ More Rust ~

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rusty adj (rustier, rustiest) coated with rust; rust-coloured, faded; out of practice; antiquated.- rustiness n.

2008-05-26T21:13:00.006+10:00

233
~ Fanta C. ~

.What began as a peaceful river bank scene became a vivid fantasy ... but isn't that just like life ...

2008-05-06T20:49:00.004+10:00

234

~ Like a Circle in a Spiral ... ~

Not sure if this is what the song-writer had in mind originally, but if I were to have a windmill residing in MY mind, to be perfectly frank, I'd kinda like to think that it would look something like this ...

2008-04-21T18:18:00.012+10:00

235
~ Maritime Disaster ~

Despite the cooling effect of the water, this dinghy still remained a little tender ...

2007-11-19T20:34:00.000+10:00

236

~ Anyone for Pickled Eel ? ~

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The bread was intended for the ducks ... somebody neglected to inform the eels who made short work of devouring it all before nibbling on the ducks legs for dessert !

2007-11-19T20:20:00.000+10:00

237
~ Wade in the Water ... ~
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An experiment with browns and tans ... none of the usual blues and greens here ! (mind you, it was a pretty muddy old stretch of water to start with).

2007-11-18T21:22:00.000+10:00

238

~ Introductions and Reunions ~

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A couple of black and white images ... (with just a tiny bit of colour in the latter) ... A new friend (above), and my number one, favourite, and only precious daughter (below) :o)

2007-11-16T16:09:00.000+10:00

239
~ Beautiful Plumage ... ~
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Ok, it may not be the famed 'Norwegian Blue' (in fact, pretty much guaranteed it's not) ... I have no idea what this bird is, but was rather intrigued by it's 'rat-tail' type hair-style (feather-style ?) ...

2007-11-15T15:55:00.000+10:00

240

~ Fluid Movement ~

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Even in a still photograph, the 'movement' of water still has a calming and relaxing effect for me ...

2007-11-15T15:25:00.000+10:00

241

~ How Much can a Koala Bear ? ~

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They're anti-social and smell funny, but for all of that, there's still something about them that makes you go "Awwwww" :o)

2007-11-14T21:37:00.000+10:00

242
~ Dragon Face ~
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You were expecting a mother-in-law joke weren't you ?! ... come on ... be honest.

2007-11-14T21:25:00.000+10:00

243

~ Night Light ~

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Hope Island at night ... wining, dining, and fine boats ... pretty much all you could need :)

2007-11-06T19:52:00.000+10:00

244
~ Seasick ~
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Photographic evidence used recently to support the ever-growing populist theory that the world is indeed round ... and also explaining why the skipper of the yacht at the top of picture was overheard calling to his crew ... "Come along lads, it's all downhill from here ... "

2007-11-03T20:36:00.000+10:00

245

~ The Hills are Alive, to the Sound of ... Engines ~

A wonderful day at the Australian Hillclimb Championships at Mt. Cotton ... Ok, so it's a boy thing. It's amazing how far a Media Pass and a decent business card will get you !

2007-11-01T21:51:00.000+10:00

246
~ Meltdown ~

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A reminder as to WHY a responsible person will never leave musical instruments in a hot car ...

2007-11-01T19:51:00.000+10:00

247

~ Message in a Bottle ~
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As the hostess suggested, the wine was a cheeky little number with quite a surprising finish ...

2007-10-31T21:03:00.000+10:00

248
~ Waiting ........... ~

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This young woman was waiting for her fisherman to pack it in and take her home ... I assume he did ... eventually ....

2007-10-31T20:49:00.000+10:00

249

~ Crash Landing ~
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Ok, I know I promised no more pelican shots, but hey ... I loved this moment as this wondrous great bird touched down into the water with all the grace of Meatloaf leaping into the bath ...

2007-10-31T20:08:00.000+10:00

250
~ Made on China ~

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A much-loved china painting my mother did many years ago is given a small tweak with solarisation and colour saturation adjustments ...

2007-10-28T10:08:00.000+10:00

251

~ Still Got The Blues ... ~
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Once again my learned colleagues may be able to assist their botanically challenged friend with the correct name for this one ... otherwise it shall just have to be referred to as 'pretty blue flowers' ...

2007-10-28T10:02:00.000+10:00

252
~ S.N.A.G. ? ~

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"For goodness sake Ethel will ya hurry up and sought out that tangled line ... I can't sit here all day and the fish ain't gonna wait forever either !"

2007-10-28T09:52:00.000+10:00

253

~ Reclining Gull ~
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Sometimes, there's nothing more relaxing that just sitting on a nice patch of grass, watching the world go by, and soaking in the warmth of the sun ...

2007-10-27T18:37:00.000+10:00

Editorial Comment # 1 ...

Apologies for the infrequencies of recent postings. The last couple of weeks have been mayhem and madness and have severely limited my time to add to this blog. Hopefully, things will start to ease up a bit now and I can re-focus on the job at hand ! :)

Editorial Comment # 2 ...

Just to clarify the reason for the existence of this blog. Firstly, this blog is NOT a series of photographs specifically published for impressing people. I do not profess to be an elite photographer (yet, but I'm working on it), nor do I expect anyone to get excited about what I do (yet, but I believe one day they will). What this blog IS is a project I have set for myself ... it is more for my own benefit than anyone elses ... It is about stretching myself ... learning from things I do (photgraphically speaking), both good and bad. I feel honoured that there are a number of folk who choose to check in from time to time to see how it's going, and I will ALWAYS appreciate criticism in any form, as long as it's constructive. If you don't like the photo's because they are offensive to your taste, or if you find the descriptions or comments get up your nose, then please bear in mind that no-one is holding a gun to anyone's head ! Feel free to decide that the site is not to your liking and move on :)

Cheers, AJ

2007-10-27T10:49:00.000+10:00

254
~ Redlands Revisited ~

.Another aspect of the beautiful Moreton Bay ... the natural colours that abound through this place are breath-taking to me ...

2007-10-27T10:44:00.000+10:00

255

~ Here's Mud In Your Eye ~
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A small boy doing what small boys do ... became somewhat concerned when his feet became stuck and he couldn't extricate himself from his muddy situation ... "Daddyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ..."

2007-10-25T21:58:00.000+10:00

256
~ Boogie, Woogie Bugle .. um, Girl ~

Originally, this was a much larger photograph I took of a girl playing a trumpet in a cemetary with an ugly background of industrial concrete facades ... was cropped and treated to give the feeling of a smoky jazz club somewhere ...

2007-10-25T21:45:00.000+10:00

257

~ Guessing Competition #3 ~
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Ok, what is it ? ... As usual, there are no prizes ... :)

2007-10-25T21:39:00.000+10:00

258
~ Out for a Duck ~

With apologies to any non-Australians who may not understand the title, being a cricket term here .. no, not the small creature that makes a noise at night, it's a sport where, when you're in you go out, but when you get out, you have to go back in .. simple really ! ... Ok, might make this the last duck shot for a while .. it's getting nearly as bad as the pelican issue of a short while back ...

2007-10-20T18:56:00.000+10:00

259

~ Duck ! ~
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Playing catch-up after an extremely busy week that has kept me away from the camera and the blog ... I promise I'll try harder ! Here's a couple of Daffy's relatives that graced me with their presence this afternoon.

2007-10-18T20:06:00.000+10:00

260
~ Thufferin' Thuckotashhhh ~

Introducing my hero ... a genius legend, yet still so sadly misunderstood by such a large percentage of the great un-washed public ... The Duck holds a special place in my heart, and also the Chief of Security position in my office ...

2007-10-16T22:31:00.000+10:00

261

~ Wash Cycle ~
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What was once someones pride and joy is now, for whatever reason, just another piece of useless flotsam on the shores of Moreton Bay ... Don't look at this Mason, you might find the image disturbing !

2007-10-12T13:48:00.000+10:00

262
~ Horror Movie ~

Remember "The Day of the Triffids" ? ... Has been a long time since I saw the film, but this flower conjured up memories of man-eating mobile plants for me. It also bears some resemblance to fettecine (sp?) and/or Chinese noodles in my over-active imagination ... but hey, it's getting pasta joke now ! (moan) .. For the purists, the colours evident are all natural and were not added during processing.

2007-10-12T13:42:00.000+10:00

263

~ Spring Has Sprung ~
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More of the joyous warm colours of spring ... I just love this time of year :)

2007-10-11T23:38:00.000+10:00

264
~ Backyard Bouquet ~

Again, no idea what these are (ball's in your court LG) ... Pretty as a picture though ... funny that ...

2007-10-11T23:25:00.000+10:00

265

~ Kingfisher (No relation to Kate) ~
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This is the same little guy who appeared in posting # 269 ... he obviously enjoyed his celebrity status so much he has returned every day since to visit. Obviously a very young bird, he continues to be harrassed by the Myna's and now also a rogue Magpie who has joined the winged vigilante force determined to make his life a misery. I, of course, offer him consoling words and his own personal photo shoots ... he seems happy with that.

2007-10-11T23:18:00.000+10:00

266
~ Lounge(ing) Lizard ~

One would assume this specimen to be a relative of the chap in the previous posting (267) ... Every bit as obliging as his brother, he sat REAL still and waited while I went about my business ... both have now replaced said snake on previously aforementioned Christmas card list ...

2007-10-11T23:03:00.000+10:00

267

~ The Dragon's Lair ~
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When I spotted this little guy he darted off so I took off after him ... He wasn't running from me I discovered, he was chasing a 2 metre snake who was also making a hasty retreat into the water ... the snake got away into the reeds, the dragon stopped and posed nicely ... I have posted him a thank you note for being so obliging .. as for the snake, he's off my Christmas Card list ...

2007-10-08T16:48:00.000+10:00

268
~ Self Portrait - The Sequel ~

Someone once told me that I was no oil-painting ... well, thanks to PhotoShop, now I AM ! ... Pic was taken for a local newspaper press release via the trusty old Pentax 'point-and-click' camera mounted on the tripod. The tripod is heavy duty, the Pentax is not much bigger than a credit card ... yes, it looked extremely silly, hence the smirk in the pic :)

2007-10-08T16:22:00.000+10:00

269

~ Houston, We Have a Problem ... ~
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This Noisy Myna bird spent a great deal of his time today reminding the poor old Kookaburra that life wasn't meant to be easy ...

2007-10-04T08:59:00.000+10:00

270
~ The Eagle Has Landed ~

Eric the Eagle (or is it Bob Hawk ?) on a maritime platform somewhere in Moreton Bay ... Owing to the distance (even with a quality zoom lense at full stretch), the focus was not as sharp as I would have liked, so the only thing to do was to stylise it ... quite liked the outcome ...

2007-10-03T21:17:00.000+10:00

271

~ Something Old .... ~
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Somebody's Grandma ... Just a little experimenting here ... Everybody seems to want old photos made new ... I like to be different :)

2007-10-02T09:21:00.001+10:00

272
~ Global Warming ~

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I really need to get out more ... still, I guess taking something mundane, boring and humdrum and breathing a bit of artistic life into it is more productive (and economical) than sitting around in a bar or cafe somewhere ?! :)

2007-10-02T09:13:00.000+10:00

273

~ Web Wrap ~
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Ever wondered what it would look like if you covered a spiders web with cling-wrap then hit it with a hair-dryer ? ... Well, now you know ...... :)

2007-10-01T15:44:00.000+10:00

274
~ Fluoro Flora ~

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All the wonderful colours of nature .. (and a few ring-ins) :)

2007-10-01T15:39:00.000+10:00

275

~ Frond Memories ~
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I was always told, "Blue and Green should never be seen" ... Just as well God never took that advice ! :)

2007-09-30T22:18:00.000+10:00

276
~ What ... More Hens ? ~

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Ohhhh, MOOR hens ... gotcha ! It's that time of the year when a young water-fowls' thoughts are only of romance ... these critters are chasing each other 'round the lake from dawn 'til dusk at the moment, and it is quite a comic sight ... they remind me of the road runner being pursued by Wylie E. Coyote ...

2007-09-30T22:14:00.001+10:00

277

~ Grand Entrance ~
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Remember back in the good old days when they actually provided doors for this purpose ?

2007-09-28T14:07:00.000+10:00

278
~ Old Salt - Part II ~

Ok, in reference to the previous photo posted ... this is the original pic (or part thereof), now call me a cynic, but this is NOT dressing to keep the sun out ... this is serious cover-up camouflage ... when I was seen with the camera, said black ninja disappeared hastily below ... Any thoughts ? ... I reckon it's Nicole Kidman but I'm open to suggestion ! :)

2007-09-28T13:50:00.000+10:00

279

~ Old Salt ~
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What a life ... cruising out through the heads with not a care in the world (except for the sinister figure in all black standing right behind him not seen in this crop of the photograph) ... more will be revealed soon !

2007-09-28T13:24:00.000+10:00

280
~ Little Nipper ~

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"I don't know what it is either, but it took me forever to climb up here, so go find your own ..." said the crab as he shook his claw threateningly at the intruder ....

2007-09-28T13:19:00.000+10:00

281

~ Trumpy Time ~
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Man's second best friend ... will THIS man's anyway :) ... Hey I figure that if man's best friend is his dog, yet diamonds are a girl's best friend ... then man deserves a back-up !

2007-09-28T13:15:00.000+10:00

282
~ Flying Fortress ~

Just when you thought we had gotten past the over-use of gratuitous pelican shots here's another ...

2007-09-27T14:44:00.000+10:00

283

~ Highly Strung ~
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Meet Victor ... Victor was born in the USA in the 1940's ... he emigrated to Australia at a time unknown, and was later sold by his family for alcohol. Fortunately he was adopted by a caring and considerate man who allows him to hang around his house all day ... lucky break for Victor huh ?! :)

2007-09-27T14:39:00.000+10:00

284
~ Settle Petal ~

Gotta love those colours ... another geranium is it ? ... I don't know, it's pretty whatever it is :)

2007-09-27T14:35:00.000+10:00

285

~ Fringe Dweller ~
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Just a little off the back and sides please ... DON'T touch the front !!!!

2007-09-26T21:47:00.000+10:00

286
~ Self Portrait ~

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Just purely to satisfy my own curiousity ... had to try ... it's hard taking a photo with both eyes open !

2007-09-26T21:39:00.000+10:00

287

~ Bummer Dude ! ~
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Misreading his guests' comment of, "I think the tide's gone out", the skipper promptly refilled his friends glass and apologised for being such a poor host ...

2007-09-26T21:32:00.001+10:00

288
~ Celtic Class ~

My beloved Bodhran (traditional Irish hand-drum)

2007-09-23T20:57:00.000+10:00

289

~ Fly on the Wall ~
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.................................... literally ......................................

2007-09-23T20:47:00.000+10:00

290
~ Unplugged ~

The plughole in the kitchen sink was looking decidedly tired and ordinary ... so I chromed it :)

2007-09-20T16:36:00.000+10:00

291

~ The Eyes Have It ~
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Black and white gets a hint of colour as a subtle feature lift ...

2007-09-20T16:29:00.000+10:00

292
~ Sparks Fly from Her Fingertips ... ~

The colourful world of the humble sparkler evolves from novelty item to art piece ...

2007-09-20T16:22:00.000+10:00

293

~ Not Fade Away ~
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Reminiscent of those wash-out prints everybody used to have in the 70's ... not sure of the artists name ... was it Sarah Moon ? ... That rings a bell ...

2007-09-18T11:21:00.001+10:00

294

~ Of Colours & Shapes ~

This could be anywhere in the world really ... sadly though, my travel budget is somewhat limited, so it's all quite close to home really ...

2007-09-18T11:16:00.001+10:00

295
~ Anyones' Guess ~
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Quick quiz time again ... what are we looking at here ?

2007-09-18T11:08:00.000+10:00

296

~ Knot As It Would Seem ~

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Nature creates some wonderful visual effects all it's own ... almost like a technicolour cyclones eye where a branch used to be ...

2007-09-17T12:48:00.000+10:00

297
~ Moving Targets ~
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I made an interesting discovery today ... perhaps one of the most difficult, non-obliging and unpredictable subjects to photograph would have to be the dragonfly ... I have to take a Panadol now and have a lie down ....

2007-09-17T12:44:00.000+10:00

298

~ Attitude ~

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You didn't think that with these gorgeous little fluffy critters around I could post just ONE photo of them did you ? This shot proves that just because you're only a few days old, doesn't mean you can't have attitude ! :)

2007-09-16T17:26:00.000+10:00

299
~ Announcing the Arrival of ... (x 11) ~
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Spring is most definitely in the air, and the resident magpie geese on the lake here have delivered another delightful clutch (?) of the most adorable little goslings ... let's hope the hawks, eels, and other predators stay away this year ...

2007-09-15T16:14:00.000+10:00

300

~ Here's the Church, and Here's the Steeple ... ~

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A fortuitous lens flair adds an "Almighty" touch to this old church (along with a bit of filter fiddling) ...

2007-09-15T09:45:00.000+10:00

301
~ Painting the Painter ~
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A local artist captured painting wildlife in the wetlands ... thought it moderately appropriate that I treat her portrait in the style of a painting as well ... also a momentary escape from vivid colours

2007-09-14T11:40:00.000+10:00

302

~ ... And Stay Out ! ~

A pecking order is established ... after all, a mans' log is his castle ...

2007-09-14T11:26:00.000+10:00

303
~ I Can See My House From Here ! ~
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Taking in the view from a potted penthouse, this tiny arachnid contemplates the options of moving up to a better web address ...

2007-09-13T23:19:00.000+10:00

304

~ A Friendly Portrait ~

The animated face of an old work colleague (perhaps I should say "ex-work colleague" for fear of retribution re the "old" thing) ...

2007-09-12T19:14:00.000+10:00

305
~ Beautiful One Day ... Perfect The Next ~
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As if it was ever in doubt anyway ... further proof that this beautiful land is INDEED God's Own Country

2007-09-12T19:08:00.000+10:00

306

~ Kiss me you fool ... ~

Mick Jagger makes a solo career come-back sporting a whole new look ... or is it perhaps Vince Gill ?

2007-09-12T19:03:00.001+10:00

307
~ Pub Crawl ~
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I'm sure that many punters wearing the wobbly boot have crawled along this stretch of footpath over the years ... outside the beautiful old Grand View Hotel ...

2007-09-12T18:57:00.001+10:00

308

~ Norma Jean ~

Well ... it's a candle in the wind isn't it ???? ... Gee this is a tough crowd ... I'm dying here !

2007-09-12T18:45:00.000+10:00

309
~ Sail Away ~
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There it was, quietly making passage amidst the pleasure craft and power cruisers ... a vision of all those things that drew mariners to the sea in days gone by ....... one day ........

2007-09-09T22:24:00.000+10:00

310

~ Life Cycle (photo 312) - Revisited ~

At the persistence of LuckyG (whose suggestions were ALL good), I will now 'fess up ... the original photograph (un-retouched above) was cropped and treated in the way it was to hide the fact that it was in fact a 6 inch model standing in front of a mock orange bush ... I deliberately avoided close-ups as the detail would be a dead give-away ... prior to my being publicly exposed (thanks LG *wink*), a growing number of folk were asking how I came to get hold of this great old bike ... Oh well, it was good while it lasted ! :o)

2007-09-07T15:52:00.000+10:00

311

~ Spider Spider On The Wall .... ~

Tried a number of different methods to breathe some life into this shot ... nothing quite seemed to capture the attention or the imagination ... then along came a ... solarizing filter ... brought the whole web to life and a depth of field thing that I liked ... (and let's just remember, it IS all about me after all ! :o)

2007-09-07T15:41:00.000+10:00

312
~ Life Cycle ~
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A forgotten era is recalled when helmets were for soldiers, suspension was for bridges, and scars on the shin from an unpredictable kick-starter were considered to be part of the uniform ...

2007-09-07T14:59:00.000+10:00

313

~ Norwegian Blue ~

Ok, so he's not really a Norwegian Blue, nor is he an ex-parrot that has 'ceased to be', but Fred here is nonetheless one of the most personality plus friends anyone could hope to have ... Say hello Fred ... Fred ... FRED

2007-09-05T16:53:00.000+10:00

314
~ What the ...... ? ~

You can say what you like, but I still maintain that the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service are a most accomodating bunch, and generous to a "T" ... (apparently)

2007-09-04T21:45:00.000+10:00

315

~ Objet D'Inanimate ~

(Please excuse my French) ... a couple of stray women I found loitering around the house ...

2007-09-03T22:58:00.000+10:00

316
~ Golfers Delight ~

Pretty much self-explanatory ... and possibly the last gratuitous birdie shot for a while ...

2007-09-03T22:46:00.000+10:00

317

~ An (ob) Noxious Bouquet ~

... and to think, the plant that is capable of expressing itself in this way is considered to be a noxious weed ... go figure ...

2007-09-03T22:36:00.000+10:00

318
~ Oh ... Grate ! ~

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I sat for hours trying to come up with some witty comment to go with this picture, but alas I was just left feeling drained so I gave up ...

2007-09-02T08:41:00.000+10:00

319

~ Chasing Birds ~

The last few posts are the results of a day wandering about through the Eprapah Wetlands reserves ... Whilst the birdlife was minimal on the day, I managed to grab a few "sneaky's" although I would love to have cornered one of the whip-birds, elusive little critters they are. Still managed to track down a koala or two, and an assortment of roos and wallaby's. Above and below are two of the 'consenting' subjects, good enough to stop by for a split second or two .. Have a few other shots from there that may pop up into the blog at some stage in the future, if and when I figure out how to treat them :)

2007-09-01T18:59:00.000+10:00

320
~ Tap Dancing ~

I attempted tap dancing once ... had to give it up though, I fell into the sink and broke my leg ... but that's another story ... An old tap covered in spider webs just begs to be given the treatment .. so the treatment it got ! :)

2007-09-01T18:54:00.000+10:00

321

~ The Castle ~

Reminiscent of spooky movies with castles on craggy mountainsides jutting out of the water, swirling mists and melodramatic music ...

2007-09-01T18:48:00.000+10:00

322
~ The Face of Australia ~

The face of a real Aussie "Bushy" ... and like most of his kind, genuine, straight up-and-down, and a gentle giant ...

2007-08-31T20:19:00.000+10:00

323

~ Check Mate ~

Two slightly bent and twisted Knights prepare to do battle on a slightly bent and twisted board ... Odd kind of offering from a slightly bent and twisted photographer huh ?! :)

2007-08-31T20:12:00.000+10:00

324
~ You Can't Keep a Good Geranium Down ~

After the destruction of the near cyclonic winds and rain through the area recently, it's wonderful to see nature fighting back ... more determined and more beautiful than ever ...

2007-08-31T20:04:00.000+10:00

325

~ Pussycat, Pussycat ... ~

How can something so sweet and adorable look so evil ? ... Two very penetrating eyes offset against a soft furry face that's just made for cuddling :)