The World of Macro Photography on Bugs

Russell Falls - the highlight of my recent trip to Tasmania

Russell Falls is one of Tasmania’s most treasured places. Located in Mt Field National Park, it can be reached by following a path from the Mt Field National Park Visitor centre. The walk path will take you through a mixed forest comprising towering swamp gums, the tallest flowering plant on Earth, and species typical of wet forests and cool temperate rainforests, such as dogwood, musk and myrtle. Towards the falls, the track is framed by stunning tall tree ferns. The falls themselves are impossibly picturesque.

I always love being in the nature, being able to witness the beauty of God's handiwork and at the same time find the peace and quiet that nature offers. I was able to take some time off last July and I took my family to Tasmania for a week of relaxation. Tasmania is well known for its nature beauty and I have heard too many praises from past visitors and thus I was eager to see it for myself.

Russell Falls are simply breath-taking. They may not be famous like the Niagara Falls but nevertheless they are just as beautiful and one of the better known waterfalls in Tasmania. Recently the Australia Post has issued a waterfall series of stamps and stationary and the Russell Falls were one of the featured waterfalls.



It was certainly rewarding for me to be able to witness the beauty and to immerse myself in the surrounding of the falls. I could stay at the falls whole day had it not been the fact that I was with my family and the sky wasn't exactly that bright that day. Having only arrived at the Falls in the afternoon, we were only able to stay for some half an hour before having to make the journey back.

Nevertheless, the short visit to this beautiful place yielded me some great images that I will always treasure and look upon with smiles and fond memories.





Having just witnessed the Russell Falls, I was thirsting for more. The Horseshoe Falls were just some 100 metres upstream from the Russell Falls. Naturally, I couldn't leave that place without giving them a visit. Unfortunately, the short path from Russell Falls to the Horseshoe Falls was closed for repair. I ended up having to drive a few kilometers deeper into the National Park and walked some over 1 km to the Falls. The reward was great as I was yet again treated with some magnificent scene to behold.



It was an awesome feeling to witness such beautiful work of the Lord. As the sky was growing dark, I hurried back to my car to meet up with my family. You see, I was alone all this while as I figured that it would be must faster for me to "mini jog" my way to the waterfalls site alone with a camera and a tripod... not the smartest thing to do I know. Looking back, I should not have attempted such silly "feat" as I would be in a bad situation had I met an accident or some unfortunate circumstances (which I shall elaborate no more). I think sometimes photographers do silly things and take unnecessary risks in an attempt to capture the "wow" shots.

That beside, these places left a deep and sweet memory for me. I would love to go back there sometime soon and attempt to capture more beautiful pictures.

Lamentation of a A NAS sufferer

Once again, this poem never stopped me from smiling, or should I say, very lamenting.

The NAS Sufferer's Tragic Lament

Oh, how I wish I’d never gone Into a shop that stocked Nikon. I could have simply walked on past The shiny bodies and the glass. I should have spent my cash on booze Or bought my wife some fancy shoes, Or gone to any other store Instead of walking through that door. And even once I’d gone inside My fate remained mine to decide. I could have chosen something cute – Perhaps a Canon point-and-shoot? But, like a moth towards a flame I walked straight past the other names. The Nikon salesman looked at me And rubbed his hands with overt glee. “A camera, sir? You bet your ---!” And that was how it came to pass That in a minute, maybe less, I owned a new D70s. I captured everything that moved, I exponentially improved. My work would hang in the Smithsonian! But then I stumbled on Nikonians… And suddenly I knew the truth, Was faced with concrete, graphic proof. My pictures sucked! My gear was tragic! I had no talent, much less magic.

And so I read and read some more And soon became a crashing bore -- An uninvited tip dispenser On depth of field and full-frame sensors. But, to my shame, my main reaction Was chronic gear dissatisfaction. Woe is me, alack, alas – I had a fatal case of NAS! I had to have the very best There was no way I’d accept less And so I spent and spent some more On lenses, bodies, gear galore. It had to end, that crazy spree, And did when my bank called on me. The heartless swine, I'm sure he laughed As he shut down my overdraft. My credit cards went in the garbage They threatened to foreclose my mortgage My B&H account went too, Along with my (now) ex-wife Sue. So let my tale serve as a caution To stay away from Ebay auctions. Don’t rush out and buy the new Just because you’re NAS-struck too. And what of me, your tragic scribe? How have I managed to survive? I’m well, no really, it’s true, I’m free! But I REALLY want that new D3…

Source: Unknown... would love to discover who the original author was.

More beautiful tulips from the Araluen Botanic Park

Spring in Araluen Botanic Park

Spring in Perth brings new sunshine and gentle cool breezes. It is also when flowers begin to blossom. Hearing the news that the wonderful Araluen Botanic Park is having financial and council problems, and that it may have to shut down next year, my family and I decided to go with a few friends to visit this wonderful park before it disappears like the many other tourist attractions we used to have in Perth.

This post is the beginning of a series of posts I will put up to showcase the wonderful flowers and settings in the park. Deep down I hope and pray that this wonderful park will continue to survive and to give us opportunities to enjoy its beauty and the beauty of the flowers therein.

Araluen Bontanic Park is well known for its Tulips collection. Every spring, the garden will inevitably be dressed by an array of colourful tulips from around the world. It is therefore, fitting, to present some of these wonderful flowers for all to share.





The Tulip (Poem by Ernestine Northover)

Tossing turban style contours, with an aloofness as one passes by,
Utilizing every charm it possesses, under a lupin blue cloudless sky,
Like a guardsman, gallantly standing, holding up his noble head high,
In rainbow colours, brilliant and stately, a vision to surely yield a sigh,
Ponder thus upon the regal tulip, it has pure beauty, you cannot deny.



Clean as a lady
cool as glass
fresh without
fragance
the tulip was.
(Poem By Humbert Wolfe 1924)

Taking Pictures of Children

Children make great subjects to a portrait photographer like myself. Children are often fun to photograph as they have myriad expressions, emotions and energy. They have the ability to live in the moment, to laugh and to play. However, on the flip side, they do sometimes have short attention spans and can be uncooperative and cranky. It is thus important to understand how to work with them, coax, tease and even engage in some sort of play (eg. "peek-a-poo" or "hide and seek") with them to help facilitate a relaxing environment in order for them to let go and express their natural selves. The photographer will then be able to make most of the capturing of those unexpected fleeting moments and priceless memories that the children so often bring.

Here are some of the images of children I have recently captured. Most of these photos were captured at events like weddings and family picnics.

Wedding Number 3 - Allison and Danny

My third wedding shoot for the year... Oh, you might ask what about second wedding shoot? Well, I was fortunate enough to be working as an assistance photographer for a professional wedding photographer. I still haven't received all the shots I have taken that day.

With this wedding, we took on a slightly different style. We did a more photo-journalism style shoot as the bride and groom did not plan for a specific portrait shoot location. The wedding ceremony and the reception were held at Burswood Park golf course. It was a simple and beautiful ceremony followed by some mingling in the reception area.

Here are some of the photos I took that day:


I took the opportunity to take some portrait shots of Allison while she was getting prepared.


Allison and her mum leaving for the golf course.


Beautiful flower girls started the ceremony with scattering of rose petals on the red carpet


The exchanging of vows between Danny and Allison


Cutting of the Wedding Cake

First Wedding for this year - Fiona and Mark

My first wedding for this year has been quite an experience. I am now starting to work with a few local photographers for wedding shoots. This has given me the chance to learn many new skills from these great photographers. We call our little group "Passion Photography".

My first wedding shoot this year was conducted in March. The bride was actually a colleague of mine from my day job. She is a spirited and fun-loving lady. Shooting the wedding was such a great fun and joy. Here are some of the photos I took that day:


Mark was getting ready before leaving for the location shoot.


Fiona sitting on a bench in her garden


A loving and tender moment at a waterfall in the Harold Boas Garden


The dashing groom and the sexy bride :)


Finally married, some kisses at the church door

If you are interested in seeing more photos taken at the wedding (including those taken by other fellow photographers), you can find them here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/passion_photography/tags/fionaandmark/show/

Hi, I'm back...

I have disappeared for quite a number of moons. My excuse is that I've been busy... ya ya, sure is. That's what everyone says right. But really, I have been.

I've just done 3 weddings and 2 portrait shoots last month. It had been days of post-processing work, creating of slide shows, burning photos into DVD, etc. Yes, it has been a rather hectic month. I am kind of glad that the wedding season is now more or less over here in Perth. I really do look forward to the few months of "rest", enjoying the cold winter days and snuggling with my family doing family stuff.

I shall attempt to write more in my blog while going back to do some post processing of my landscape photos which I took 2 months ago in Denmark, South-west of Western Australia. At the same time, it is also good to start flipping through some wedding photography books and pick up some new tricks.

Keep watching this space. I'll start posting some wedding photos that I have taken in the next few weeks. Hope you will like them. I also encourage you to leave me any feedbacks and any constructive comments.

It's great to be back!

They don't build cars like this - no more

On the way home from work last Friday, while driving on the road, half day-dreaming about what I should shoot for a photography assignment based on the Nostalgia theme, I came pass this really cool looking 1950s/1960s car. That was it. The car would be my main subject. I promptly parked my car along the roadside, jumped across the road with my camera strapped around my neck. Apparently, this car was some sort of a chartered vehicle. Sat inside this convertible were 4 or 5 young ladies, whom I believe were on their way to their prom night. One of girl's father was taking a video of the girls in this "vintage" car, and the driver was patiently waiting at the side of the road.

Sensing I wouldn't have much opportunity to take too many shots, I asked the driver for the permission to take photos of the car and quickly snapped a couple. Satisfied I had half a dozen shots of the car from various angles, I reluctantly saw the car departed.

Here are some of the shots. Hmm... a car with back fins (or sometimes also being called "wings") indeed looks cool, not only in the late 50s or early 60s, but even now. I could daydream and let my imagination run while about Elvis driving in one of these, with one of his hand stretching across the front seat caressing the young Priscilla Presley, while Priscilla busy trying to keep her beehive hairdo intact from the blasting breeze! Ha ha..