Myall Lakes

A couple of days exploring Myall Lakes with Larissa - even ventured out canoeing with the camera (great fun, certainly made me concentrate on staying afloat a helluva lot more!)

Dark Point with its incredible sand dunes was a highlight. Never seen anything like it before.

Ros and Tony's Wedding

Congrats to Ros and Tony. A fantastic day out on the lake at Toukley (April 7th). Plus a whole lot of fun to tag team with fellow urbanstone artist - Jackson (ably assisted as always by Ms Clarkson and young Henry) - for official photos on the day. You can see the photos over at our smugmug site here.

new amon tobin

easter postcards

Cheryl, who's been working with prison inmates in Victoria, has prepared some postcards to be handed out on Easter Saturday.

They are absolutely brilliant.

Go here to see them and read the story.

black is the colour

thank you Matt

one of the songs that changed my life

Vote David Out

via Jimmy

waiting

"The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man can logically analyze his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief"

- T.S. Eliot

reflections from the pool

photos, war and story telling

Thanks to Kent for pointing out this SMH article on the role of photography, storytelling and truth. The shot won the World Press Photo of the year and is set in Beirut. There's been quite a controversy over questioning which story the photo is telling - tourists amidst the wreckage of war; or people returning home? Do they fit they fit our stereotype of what war victims should look like?

It raises so many questions about journalism, war and our consumption of images (which the SMH article points to). For me though the question raised is about the nature of photography and storytelling. Photography at its best is evocative and suggestive. It is never definitive - even when it first appears to be. Unlike a lot of mainstream media, photography should raise the possibility of story, allowing the viewer to recreate it within their own minds - with multiple possibilities extending out from the emotions and reactions brought forth.

See Mark's blog for some further thoughts.

Restoring the Primacy of Reason in an Age of Fundamentalism

Barry Jones is a fascinating figure - quiz show champ, Federal Minister for Science in the Hawke government, and Australian national treasure. Recently he gave the eighth annual Manning Clark lecture, entitled "Restoring the Primacy of Reason in an Age of Fundamentalism". Now maybe a lecture doesn't sound like your thing. But let me encourage you to listen - this is one of the most inspiring and intelligent reflections upon our times that I have heard.

You can download it from ABC Radio National site here or it is available as a podcast on iTunes, also listed under ABC Radio National.

Hot Fuzz

From the makers of Shaun of the Dead comes this absolute gem of a movie - Hot Fuzz. For all the times you've sat through one of the ten squillion Lethal Weapons, bounced off the walls during Bad Boys or yippee-kay-ed for Die Hard - this one is for you!

But don't mistake this simply for a spoof of all things police. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are a formidable comic team in their own right. Supporting performances from Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Edward Woodward and Bill Bailey also shine through.

Haven't laughed this much in a long time. Rossy, it is criminal that you haven't seen this yet!

"Big Cops. Small Town. Moderate Violence."

4 stars

Stations of the Cross 2007

St Ives Uniting Church is working in collaboration with fifteen of Australia's top visual artists to host an exhibition/conversation around the Stations of the Cross.

‘The traditional stations are an existential prayer with a much wider frame. It is a pattern of life shaped by the human journey; from the time we become aware of our mortality or finitude through our sufferings’.


The exhibition will open with a ‘BREAD AND WINE’ RECEPTION from 6-8pm Thursday April 5. Please come and bring your friends. The exhibition will be in St Ives Uniting Church Cnr Douglas Street and Mona Vale Rd., St Ives. (phone 91445795)

new blogs

well, one new blog anyway - the long lost travel diaries of our very own pint sized fashion queen (otherwise known as the Indian dramas of Sammy C ) have begun! Sam Charlesworth has landed safely in Chennai, suffered the shock of what's innocently called "traffic" on the streets and even managed to find time for shopping! Which, while humourous, in not surprising at all. You can follow her adventures and send messages of support to her at her much more stylishly named Saffron Threads blog.

And another blog has moved house - Rah has set up shop in the very fashionable wordpress district - and so can now be found here.

Portrait #1: smoke

Late last year I was asked to join in a photographic portrait competition with some friends from flickr. The idea being that we would each provide 6 portraits; each of a different subject; each that tells something of the subject's story. So there is no pursuit of glamour for its own sake - but simply, how do you intentionally capture something of the person?

The first set of shots is tentatively entitled "smoke". Geoff Smith is the subject (although Suz pops up in the photos as well) - and the desire was to capture Smithy mid-conversation, late into the evening, with that slightly dishevelled look that he manicures so well!

This photo ("turn away") is from the first batch that I've begun to process. Click on the photo to see the other "smoke" shots that I've done so far. Any comments, criticisms or questions are very welcome!

the missed opportunity

a fascinating article here by the former US Senator Lincoln D Chafee (Rep) on the alternative choices to the Iraq invasion. How swiftly we rush to wage war on the misguided leadership of a handful of men.

2007 Budgewoi Open

another year and another Budgewoi Open has come and gone. Despite the rain not affecting the game, it's fair to say that tennis was the loser this year, while the local chicken shop may have been the winner. Hmmmm, not a good sign boys. And as has become custom, Ronaldo Joyce took out the annual body surfing competition, with Dave running in a credible second.

Ghost Rider, Match Point and Underworld all got a viewing, but in a slight variation this year, not only were movies watched but the finishing touches were put on the latest "Love Your Work" production (photo of Director Joyce hard at work above) - rumoured to be tentatively entitled "The Grave Secret of Prairie Dog Hill".

Wayne surprised everyone by only being 6 hours late this year, while the character of the whole Open was diminished by the absence of Greyham "I-think-I'm-going-to-die" Stoney.

The organisers were happy to declare 2007 -
"the most relaxed Budgewoi Open ever"

(other than the part where Charger managed to get all the way to Budgewoi before remembering to check for the keys)

Meditatio

In the back’s low hollow sometimes
a weightless hand guides me, gentle pressure
so I tack soft as a sailboat. (Go there)

Soften the space between your eyes (smudge
of eucalyptus), the third eye
opens. There’s the wide vermilion sky

by Mary Karr

procrastination tool #277

to commemorate the ending of another cricket season, and the joyous return of footy (Swans v Pies tonight in a practice game at North Sydney Oval) - procrastination tool #277 is test catch cricket.