Newcastle Baths - Canoe Pool

On Easter Sunday, a few friends and I gathered for a photography shoot at, Newcastle Baths/Canoe Pool. Some of you may be saying, "canoe pool? What's, Roy, on about?" Well the, Canoe Pool, is in fact the name of the oval shaped pool next to, Newcastle Baths. In it's current state, the canoe pool just looks like a pool filled with sand and water, but underneath the sand lies a concrete map of the world. The photos in the link show part of the map and the small wooden canoes that the children would use to navigate around the continents and islands. What a fascinating bit of history buried just meters under the sand. Anyway, I digress, back to the photography.

Prior to Sunday morning I was frequently checking my weather apps for Sunday's sunrise. The forecast mid week was predicting a fine and sunny morning. But as the date drew closer, the forecast took a turn for the worst - sunny with some cloud, then cloudy with some sun and then, late on Saturday night, just cloudy. Since I had not been out for a while, I clung to the hope that something magical would happen and went to bed.

Sunday morning, 4.30am, the alarm jolted me from my sleep.  I quickly opened the blinds to check the sky. A thick grey blanket of cloud spanned the sky. I thought to myself, "well I'm up now, I may as well go"...FOOL.

As I pulled into to the Baths car park, things we're looking grim on the horizon. The sunrise was supposed to occur at 6.09am. Well that time came and went with not even a shimmer of sunlight breaking the cloud, much to the dismay of my group of friends. Sunrise fail!

Since we were all there and set-up, we decided to wander around and take a few photos anyway. I'd been thinking about capturing the Canoe pool for some time, but just never got around to it. This was my chance.

The rusted iron fence posts of the canoe pool was my subject of choice. Beyond just simply adding character to the photo, i think they give a great insight into the history of the place. I snapped away hoping to capture something decent.


After breakfast and a nap and I began editing the images. I chose the below image and tried two different styles of editing. As much as I have tried, I can't decide which one I like best.

Vintage (cream-tone) black and white

Canoe Pool, Newcastle Baths

Or the colour version

Canoe Pool, Newcastle Baths

Help me decide please by leaving a comment below.

So the Easter Sunday sunrise didn't really turn out, but at least the early wake up was not entirely wasted.

Cheers
Roy

The mighty ducks

The mighty ducks...well not really, but now that I have your attention I would like some feedback.

The image below was taken in Bicentennial Park, Homebush.

in the original image, the water was a toxic radioactive green. But i really liked the composition of the photo. In the end i decided a black and white edit might work. what do you think?

Bicentennial Park Ducks

Cheers
Roy

Bursting With Colour - A Regal Hindu Wedding

In Dec 2011, I attended the wedding of Deepak and Sanisha Nand. But it wasn't your regular western style wedding, it was a Hindu wedding, which incorporated many ancient Hindu traditions. It was a spectacular ceremony, with interesting ceremonial rites and beautiful colours. Of course, I couldn't go to such an event and not take any photos, though my job was made harder since I didn't want to get in the way of the pro's. Still i think i managed some pretty good shots considering I was seated and without an external flash for most of the ceremony.

The whole structure of the wedding was quite different. First, Deepak entered with a procession of family behind. The clothing was outstanding.

Deepak entering the wedding hall

Next came the beautiful bride. I love her expression, eagerly glancing towards her husband. 

Sanisha entering the wedding hall

 After quite a lengthy ritual ceremony which involved fire, grains, hand tying and a whole bunch more, the bride and groom were finally married. 

The Bride and Groom

The photo below (brides sister, Reshana), was actually taken on two days before the wedding at a special ceremony at the brides house. I think the ceremony had something to do with cleansing the bride before marriage.

Something many of you will be familiar with is "Henna", an ink which is applied to the skin in delicate patterns. Notice here that Deepak's name is actually written on the Sanisha's hand, an interesting touch.

The wedding reception hall was stunningly decorated. Gold statues lined the path to the alter(?) where the bride and groom sat.

This is another photo from the brides house two days before the wedding. Stunning colours!

Marge, Marge, the rains are here

Over the last week my cousin, Clinton, was visiting from England. My parents had told me that Clinton was also into photography, so I knew a photo session would be on the agenda. I thought that a nice sunset over the picturesque Lake Macquarie would be ideal. However, after the recent wet and overcast weather that we've had, I had to think a bit harder for a location. I decided to hit up a new location called Somersby Falls on the Central Coast, NSW....Right Decision!

Long story short, Clinton and I had an absolute ball photographing the falls. The overcast skies with the occasional burst of sunlight worked in our favour and the waterfalls had enough supply to make our photos interesting (i hope).

You can find Somersby Falls on google maps (Somersby Falls Picnic Ground). Somersby falls is made up a top and bottom falls, which are located quite close to the picnic area. Both are easily accessible. For the more adventurous individual, from the bottom falls you can follow the river bed a little further downstream (5-10). There you will find a magnificent waterfall which you can actually walk behind. Magical!

The following set of photos are from the bottom falls.

Somersby Falls (bottom falls)

Somersby Falls (bottom falls)

Somersby Falls (bottom falls)

This photo below was from a small fall between the top and bottom falls. This one is probably my favourite of the bunch.

Somersby Falls (small falls between top and bottom falls)

 And last but not least, the secret waterfall that you can walk behind.

Somersby Falls (waterfall 5-10 mins walk downstream from the bottom falls)

And a rare shot of me on the job

Somersby Falls really is a beautiful spot. So if you've never been before, you should definitely check it out. I'll be heading back after the rains have ceased a bit. Hopefully the waterfalls will be flowing big and fast.

Cheers
Roy

My First addition for 2012 - Sunset at Redhead Beach

After a bit of a quite period over Christmas, i finally pulled the camera out for a serious shoot. Kane, James and myself headed down to Redhead beach, a spot we've all photographed before. Incidentally, all of us had recently bought fancy lens filters called neutral density filters. I won't bore you with the details, but they allow for some creative options, and this location was a good chance to put them to the test.

We were hoping for a good sunset, as the sun was beaming all day. We got down to the beach and straight away noticed a big dirty grey cloud blocking out the sun. How disappointing! Never-the-less we persevered in the less than ideal lighting conditions.

Thanks to the editing power of Adobe Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS5 i was able to recover lot a detail and add some real pop. Here's the final product. A nice way to start 2012, even if i do say so myself. Hopefully there will be many more keepers to come.  

Redhead Beach, NSW

Cheers
Roy

Venice - the city built on a sea

I have finally finished editing the photos from my August 2011 Spain/Italy trip. Huzzah!

My last stop was Venice, the city built on a sea. It is such a surreal city, with the canals winding throughout the streets of colourful buildings. Venice is one of those real romantic cities of the world.  In fact I think most of the tourists were couples. Just imagine gliding down the canals on your own private Gondola boat at sunset, followed by a candle lit dinner under the stars with a lovely bottle of wine. It just oozes romantic, doesn't it? Well not when your traveling with two male friends...FAIL.

In any case, we did manage to have a great time.

Venice Canals

On first arriving to the main island in Venice, we were quite surprised by how difficult it was to get around. First of all the ferry system was confusing and expensive. Traveling by foot was no easier. Everything on the map looked so close, but there were several ways to get to each landmark, and if you lost your bearings, it was quite easy to get lost in the winding narrow streets.

The winding streets of Venice

So about those romantic candle lit dinners. Yes we did it...and it was good, although somewhat expensive. As usual, i can't help but photograph my food, and this one was a top dish. Sage and butter gnocchi that melted in your mouth, accompanied by a glass of red wine and good company. Life is good. 

Dining out in Venice

Red Red Wine, Venice

About those romantic private Gondola rides...yes we did that as well. haha.

Gondola ride, Venice

 I loved the colours of the houses in venice and how they stack them in nice and close. Just like a big game of Tetris.

Gondola ride, Venice

Gondola ride, Venice

So that's the view from the lens of Venice, Italy. A charming place which I may have to visit with an girl in the future.

New England Gems - Gostwyck Chapel and Ebor Falls

After years of promising a visit to my best mate who lives on college at the University of New England, Armidale, I finally kicked my butt into action and hit the road for the surprisingly beautiful New England Region. We had grand plans of a photography weekend, but alas, the weather turned against us. Regardless, we tried to make the best of the fleeting moments of sunshine.

First up we visited Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla. “Gostwyck” refers to Gostwyck Station, a grazing property which has been owned by the same family since its establishment in 1834. Gostwyck Chapel was built in 1921 after World War I, in memory of Clive Collingwood Dangar (1882-1918). I had never heard of this place before, but the photos i saw from a quick google search were enough for me to lock this spot in for the weekend. During the various seasons of the year, the Chapel takes on different colours, especially during autumn, where the leaves turn red/brown. Since my visit was towards the latter stages of Spring, the Chapel was covered in green. I would have loved to have seen the inside, but unfortunately it wasn't open.

Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla, NSW

Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla, NSW

Following this, we had a fantastic wine/beer tasting and lunch at Eastview Estate winery, Kentucky. Unfortunately I did not take any photos here, possibly due to having consumed a fair few alcoholic beverages. I can say however, that this place is a true gem of the New England region and i strongly recommend a visit. The owners, Steven and Lyn Dobson, run the place and were there to greet us at the door. We were quickly shuffled into the beer tasting room where we were offered a taste of 8 different types of beers and then several different types of wine. Each glass had a story behind its making and it was fantastic to listen to Steven explain each brew. Not being an avid drinker of wines,  I still stick by one my favourite lines from the comedian Danny Bhoy..."tastes like crushed grapes". In any case the experience was well worth it. If your ever up that way, be sure to check out Eastview Estate.

So after a lunch fit for a king, we headed off to Ebor Falls located on the Guy Fawkes River, Ebor, NSW. After setting up and taking a few photos, the heavy set clouds rolled over and decided to throw down some rain. We packed up for a while and drove off to another spot which turned out to be a dud. Meanwhile storm clouds had passed and we decided to return to Ebor. Fortunately for us it had stopped raining and we were able to photograph the falls. The picture below is of the he upper falls, which refers to both sections of the falls that are shown. Collectively, the falls tumble 115 metres over columned basalt rock. The lower falls are situated nearby, but we were not able to photograph them. 

Upper Ebor Falls, Ebor, NSW

Upper Ebor Falls, Ebor, NSW

So there's my view from the lens of Gostwyck Chapel and Ebor falls, both well worth a visit if your ever in the New England Region.

Cheers
Roy

Cinque Terre, Italy - stunning coastal views, rustic vineyards and amazing tetris towns

Welcome to Cinque Terre, a beautiful stretch of the western Italian coastline. The name literally means 5 lands, which in this case refers to the 5 villages - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. And you'll soon see why. The 5 villages of Cinque Terre are connected by a coastal walkway. It provides some stunning views as you walk along the coastline between the villages. Some of the paths were quite easy and while others were steep and a little tiring (especially in the heat). Overall, definitely worth it for the views.

 

My first stop was Monterosso. The largest and most touristy town of the five. The town itself and the beaches were beautiful. Unfortunately, the hoards of crowds were a little off putting. I stopped here only for a short time. A quick drink (it was rather hot) and some photos and then i was off to the next town.

Monterosso, Cinque Terre, Italy

Given its proximity to the sea, much of the Cinque Terre life is based in and around the sea. Boats are scattered along the beach (as shown above). Below is a life saving device belonging to what i assume to be a boat club.  

Boat club of Monterosso?

Being such a popular tourist destination, Monterosso (and all the villages for that matter), have several restaurants and gift/souvenir shops. Pictured below is a restaurant which caught my eye. I didn't eat there, it just looked like a nice place. 

Monterosso, Cinque Terre, Italy

After the first hot and tiring walk, we arrived in Vernazza. Probably my favourite of the towns. It was quite small compared to Monterosso, but full of life and another popular destination tourists. I stopped here for lunch here, which almost turned out to be the lunch from Hell when a wave crashed over the breakwall, flooding the outdoor dining area of the restaurant which i was at. Some people were injured from the freak wave, luckily, myself and my camera were safe.

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

The streets of Vernazza were stone pathed, with businesses and housing lining the sides of the street. Pictured below is one of my favourite shots of Cinque Terre (maybe the even the whole Italy trip). I doesn't show anything particularly beautiful, but i think it captures the essence of the Cinque Terre villages. 

Sunset in the streets of Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

After another hard walk (possibly the hardest and longest), I arrived in Corniglia. Another beautiful town! A small portion of the town is built on a hill that hangs precariously over the water. It's amazing how many houses they can cram into such a small place.

Corniglia, Cinque Terre, Italy

While walking to the next village, i stumbled across this house which sat on the hill overlooking the water. No matter which way you looked, there was something of beauty here.

The hillsides of Corniglia, Cinque Terre, Italy

Apart from being well known for its beaches and coastal walks, Cinque Terre is also a producer of wine. The walking trails take you in and around the hills where the vineyards are situated. I purchased a bottle, which at the time thought was a sweet white dessert wine. When i returned to Australia, I excitedly opened the bottle only to find out it was a highly potent bottle of liquor, yuck! 

Cinque Terre Vineyards, Italy

Being so close to sea means that Cinque Terre is also known for its seafood dishes. When i saw the dish pictured below on the menu I just had to try it. And it was delicious!

Stuffed mussels in a tomato sauce, Yum. Cinque Terre, Italy.

Sadly the walk between Corniglia and the next town along, Manarola, was closed, so I missed out on photos from that section of the walk. Manarola, as you can see below, is another city perched on a hill. Manarola was also a popular destination for swimmers, although there was no beach here. People were just swimming in the cove, with the breakwall providing the protection from the waves. Given my lack of swimming ability at the best of times, i was reluctant to dive in, specially since i would not be able to touch the bottom.

Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy

The walk between Manarola and Riomaggiore was by far the easiest, fairly flat and paved most of the way. Riomaggiore was a small town, with a very small beach as you can see below. The houses in Riomaggiore (and most of the other villages) were arranged in a tetris like fashion, with many different colours splashed on the walls. A spectacular site to behold.

Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy

So there is my view from the lens in Cinque Terre. Sadly, the region was recently hit by floods. Several people died and much of the villages and coastal walks were damaged as well. I hope in time that it is restored to its former glory and I highly recommend you visit when it's back up and running.

Rome - ancient buildings, beautiful fountains, spectacular churches and a damn fine bowl of pasta

In August 2011, I spent a 1.5 weeks in Italy (not enough i know). My first stop was Rome, a city that offers ancient buildings, beautiful fountains, spectacular churches and a damn fine bowl of pasta.

Modern Rome is very much a tourist city, with many Ancient Roman landmarks located within close proximity. In fact if you think about, Rome was probably designed to be walked around all those years ago, hence why most of the major landmarks are within walking distance. Here is a photo of the busy Via Nazionale (Nazionale Street), one of the busier streets close-by to where I stayed.

Via Nazionale (Nazionale street), Rome

Rome is a city well known for its fountains, in particular, Trevi Fountain. It was an Ancient Roman custom to build a fountains at the endpoint of aqueducts that brought water to Rome. According to a trusted source i know (AKA Wikipedia), legend holds that if a visitor throws a coin into the fountain they are ensured a return to Rome. Another legend says that two coins will lead to a new romance, and three will ensure either marriage or divorce. Yet another legends says that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder. I'm not one to believe in these sorts of things, but i did throw a coin in (just in case). 

Trevi Fountain, Rome

When people think about Rome, they almost definitely think about the Colosseum (and maybe Gladiator). Whilst I had seen photos before, it was amazing to stand inside the Colosseum and to appreciate the enormity of the structure. In it's glory days it would have been something special.

The Colosseum, Rome

The Vatican is another place on the "must visit" list in Rome. In some respects it lived up to its reputation and in others it fell disappointingly short. It is no doubt a place of beautiful architecture etc, but for the so called home of the Catholic Church, I couldn't help but notice the lack of spiritual feeling there. Perhaps it was the hoards of tourists, but the Vatican (mainly St Peter's) did not feel like a church or place of worship. Never-the-less it was a beautiful place. Below is a picture of a stained glass window behind the Sanctuary of the Altar in St Peter's Basilica. A simple yet stunning piece of artwork. Also featured is the roof of St Peter's Basilica. How they painted something this large and so beautifully amazes me.

Stained Glass Window, St Peter's Basilica, Rome

The inside of the dome in St Peter's Basilica, Rome

 Below is another water fountain. This one was a little different in that it featured human-like and animal/beast like creatures. Nothing more to really say about this.

Water fountain (opposite the Pantheon), Rome

As mentioned earlier, Rome offers many ancient buildings, and they don't come any more ancient than The Pantheon, a nearly 2000 year old building. Amazingly the building is still in very good condition. Originally, The Pantheon was a pagan temple, but later was converted to a church.

The Pantheon, Rome

The roof of the Pantheon, Rome

 The Vatican is well known for its churches and buildings. However, St Paul's Basilica, in the southern part of Rome, seemed to me a far better attraction for several reasons. An equally beautiful basilica when compared to St Peter's, this church had fewer tourists and a much better vibe about the place. The dome of the Basilica was decorated with a golden mosaic artwork which was spectacular. How they create such amazing details with broken bits of tile is wonder to me.

St Paul's Basilica, Rome

The mosaic artwork on the dome of St Paul's Basilica, Rome

And lastly, the food. I was very much looking forward to trying real pasta and pizza in Italy. My first few meals were rather average (touristy type pizza and pasta). I wanted the real traditional stuff. Finally I was directed to a restaurant in the Jewish Quarter of Rome. It proved to be super hot tip as this pasta was probably the best I've ever eaten. A spaghetti carbonara with crispy chunks of bacon...drool.

Spaghetti Carbonara, Da Giggetto restaurant, The Jewish Quarter, Rome

 So there's my view of Rome from the lens. Stay tuned for Cinque Terre and Venice.