Gear shift

It has never been my thing really, but of late, I have really become a willing fan of Australian Country music. I have especially become a fan of the current Australian of the year Lee Kernaghan. I am amazed at his capacity to help the people on the land, the farmers and those that do it tough on more occasions than city folk seem to realise. He has a wonderful manner about him and it is him whose jeans I will be working on for the next few months to create a work of art. Yes Goldenrod, I had to blab! For inspiration I have immersed myself in his music to get a better 'feel' for him as a person and to hopefully convey aspects of his character, genuine good charm and nature into his jeans artwork. For those of you who don't know him, here is a you tube clip.



I was consumed for the most part of the other night when I got the jeans, thinking about how I might display them and what elements I would use. Having never done this before and recognising that I may never be asked again, I want them to be exceptional. Not good, not great, exceptional! I have set myself so high a bar to mount I want it to be one of, if not THE, highest raising pieces at the auction.

Bear in mind, I get no money or remuneration for it whatsoever, but I want it to be the best. My secret hope is that when people see it or buy it that they think "Who the hell made this?" - in a good way!! or say " why haven't we ever heard of him before?" I guess to the readers here, my thought may seem pompous. That I would aspire to that level of acclaim, it is just that I think serendipity is something that can alter the course of your life and I never ever want to find out that because the opportunity of a lifetime came in a different guise than I imagined, and relaxed my strategy, I missed out on something that could have been amazing. That would kill me, so I have attacked this project with a creative explosion, the likes I haven't experienced for some time. It is in no small way consuming.

I strive for excellence and will leave the results up to the winds of fortune, or as Lee Kernaghan himself has sung

"life is like a rodeo,
That ride can throw you around
it can take you to the heavens
or send you crashing to the ground
And it's not a dress rehearsal
it's learning as you go
And I'm just another rider
in this electric rodeo..."

I don't believe it was anything other than a creative fusion that was happening inside of me. So much so that I got up, photographed the jeans and then went into my computer and designed what I was going to do. Emerging some three hours after I had started the task of designing them, I finished. I finished and felt so totally "complete" and satisfied with what I had created in the digital realm, I could hardly take my eyes off of the artwork, I had to pinch myself and say "did I just do that?"

I really feel that my work is a series of questions and answers that I find within myself. Whilst I need money to survive, pay the bills and realise my hopes and dreams, I would otherwise do this stuff for free because of the way it makes me feel. I am so grateful to my maker and to the many people in my life, both physical, in cyber space and even beyond this mortal sphere who have in a real sense allowed me to be here and become the person I am becoming. I feel that I have become the benefactor of so many familial and environmental influences that the work is really not only mine, but OURS. I am so grateful that it seems to find a mode of expression within me and that I am a receptive vehicle to realise those thoughts, feelings and impressions.

I have a busy few days ahead and will not be writing for a couple of days and just wanted to share this post, as a glimpse into how I feel and what is happening at present.

I will be seeing the McClymonts again on Thursday, hey hey hey!! and wanted to share this clip of them accepting their award at this years Country Music Awards in Tamworth, some 6 hours drive north west of Sydney.




Be good and have a great one everyone. I will have more pictures and stories to share soon.

News of the world

I have spent the morning thus far, arising from 5am til now 6:17am reviewing and answering my emails, and then reading a selection of posts from other peoples blogs. I find it refreshing and wonderful.

I have had a veritable feast of mixed human emotions and learned things about the wonderful sounds of someone playing spoons, things about the weather, travel preparedness tips, falling over and grazing knees, the new Stephanie Meyer book in her latest series is out in a couple of days, illustrators artworks in a gallery, attendees views of the now completed World Youth Day held here with the pope last week, about people who are traveling, about young people discovering photography, and even learned about how there is a whole community of people who love and use lomography. What's that I asked. As I was pretending to know what it was, the truth is I knew nothing. I searched and found what it actually is. Wikipedia explains.....

Lomography is the commercial trademark of Lomographische AG, Austria for products and services related to photography. The name is inspired by the former state-run optics manufacturer LOMO PLC of Saint Petersburg, Russia. LOMO PLC created and produced the 35 mm LOMO LC-A Compact Automat camera - which became the centerpiece of Lomography's marketing and sales activities. This camera was loosely based upon the Cosina CX-1 and introduced in the early 1980s.
In 1991, the Austrian founders of Lomography discovered the Lomo LC-A.[1] As the company states, they were "charmed by the unique, colorful, and sometimes blurry" images that the camera produced.

Lomography emphasizes casual, snapshot photography. Characteristics such as over-saturated colors, off-kilter exposure, blurring, "happy accidents," and alternative film processing are often considered part of the "Lomographic Technique."Users are encouraged to take a lighthearted approach to their photography, and use these techniques to document everyday life, as the Lomo LC-A's small size, simple controls, and ability to shoot in low light encourages candid photography, photo reportage, and photo vérité.

Since the introduction of the original Lomo LC-A, Lomography has produced and marketed an entire line of their own branded analog cameras. Most Lomographic cameras are designed to produce a single photographic effect. For example, the Lomography Fisheye camera features a built-in wideangle lens, and shoots fisheye-distorted photos. In 2005, production of the original Lomo LC-A was discontinued. Its replacement, the LC-A+, was introduced in Fall 2006. The new camera, made in China rather than Russia, featured the original Russian lens manufactured by LOMO PLC. This changed as of mid-2007 with the lens now made in China as well.

Some lomography samples found on the net by William Burdette.





Now, I don't wish to cast any negative feeling here toward William Burdette whose images I have used above in any way, I found these images here and have used them ONLY to show the reader some sample styles. The style of lomography is not for me. Though I can certainly see applications of it that would work in a collage or advertising. I love clarity too much. I have so enjoyed learning about this new aspect of a medium I love though. I love that no matter how many photographers there are, we each see things differently. In my mind there is no good and bad, it is just determined by what style or mode of expression works best for each of us and our audience.

On another note.....

I picked up the jeans yesterday of the celebrity that I will be working on and am enjoying the increased thoughts and feelings flooding through me to guide me to what I will be doing with them. I am excited because I have never done anything at all like this and it is a new creative chapter that is taking me on an exciting new journey. I am so appreciative of the opportunities that come knocking at my door. I am very honoured and grateful.

Life is exciting. The beat of my life is not always playing an upward tempo, but as a quote by an anoymous person said in an email quote I received recently,

"Life is a series of lessons, that we only ever learn through experience. There are no shortcuts."

I have to do my tax today, tidy my office, and get ready for my week which will be full on this week. Oh and did I mention the new car at the end of the week? It is a big week. I look forward to it with breathless anticipation. I am also on TV tonight selling cameras, printers and digital photo frames on the Home shopping channel as well!

Thanks to all whose blogs I have visited this morning, and to all the points of view, situations, tips and hints and information I have gleaned. A wonderful refreshing morning. I love life and the insights I get from all of you.

I have included a picture here I took of a retail store opening in Nov 2007. Where has the time gone? I include this here because these people are really great people and I was proud of the image. I was on a forklift type platform that rose, and there are a couple of people in the picture who were not actually in the picture when it was taken that I added. No one would know who though would they?



Have a great day everyone.

more on Jeans for Genes

I thought it would be very appropriate to highlight some of the pieces of artwork that were auctioned off on the 23rd. As I have indicated previously, these jeans are one off pieces of art. The jeans in the majority of instances were actually owned and worn by the the stars themselves, which adds something to the unique nature of them. Couple that with the painting and artistry that you see, they are highly sought after items. Look at the quality and detail that exists on them they are beautiful. It is a big standard to be measured by. I was told the name of the celebrity whose jeans I will be given to create something with I will keep the name secret at this stage until I get the actual jeans, hmmm it's exciting. what to do?????

The Police picture was done in a week by the artist Alison Coulthurst. Glenn A. Baker indicated that she turned on the music of the Police and played it loud and then started painting. WOW. If I had the cash I would certainly have paid it. Worth every cent I felt. Robyn Coughlin, the artist who did the Julie Christie artwork below is a wonderful lady whom I have made a strong acquaintance with, is a celebrated artist with Aboriginal roots and it permeates her work. She has a canvas purchased by the National Art Gallery and is worth almost $200,000. I LOVE her work. She has exhibited around the world and creates clothing and textiles for exclusive resorts as well. She is even creating a piece of art for me at present. I included a picture of the both of us in her small art gallery in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.




I thought I would also show a couple of the other artists next to their work as well.


Cameron Diaz


Jackie Chan


Grant Hackett


Ray Hadley


The McClymonts

Denim & Gold - Jeans for Genes

What a great night tonight Denim and Gold was the theme for the Jeans for Genes Auction which was held in the Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom in Sydney’s CBD tonight. It is 12:30am when I am writing this. (I finished at 3am!) I am just loading in my pictures from the night, and am pleased with the results I have seen in the camera. I loved some of the artworks I saw on the Jeans. For the benefit of those who may not read all my posts and for those overseas who may not know what this is about permit me to recap.

The Childrens Medical Research Institute in Sydney’s west is the specialist arm of childrens research into genetic abnormalities and is almost wholly funded by the promotional activity generated at this time of the year, the major aspect of the fund raising is an auction of jeans which have been autographed by famous people then handed over to artists who then set about creating a one off piece of art that typifies or represents something of what the person does or is renowned for. They fetch big money, though this years auction was a little “tame” by comparison to what has been sold in recent years, but the police pair of jeans signed by all three members of the band and the artist fetched $22,000 tonight which was good. Pairs of jeans by others went for as little as $3,000 which was a shame, because many were astounding in quality and design. Cameron Diaz’s jeans painted by Nafisa Naomi went for $15,000.

It was a great night overall. I was the only photographer that followed the dress code, Black tie with smatterings of gold. The other photographer and the ones the Hilton allow in who take pictures and sell on the night, all wore scruffy clothes. What is it with photographers? They are working and think it gives them license to dress down? Well I kept up the standard anyway.

I got to meet famous writer and Novelist Tara Moss,



Chris Bath network 7 news presenter and Dancing with the stars contestant,



The wonderful McClymont sisters, whom I sat next to! Hey Hey Hey!!! They are so talented, and to think all of that talent, ability and good looks is in the one family? Wow.





I met John Waters, famous Australian actor and musician, Joanna Griggs TV presenter, Ray Hadley, famous Australian sport and social commentator and a host of artists – painters etc. It was a good night all round. I am tired but wanted to get the images processed and top up the blog as well.

A big surprise even occurred when some drafts I have been creating for a series of books for Glenn A. Baker he will be releasing soon, look like getting a green light for the artwork I have created. That is very nice. I was also asked if I was interested in creating one of these unique pieces of art for Jeans for Genes next year. I was gob smacked. I stumbled out a yes I would love to, so I will have an opportunity to get creative on a celebrities pair of Jeans and see what I can do. I am daunted but not deterred. I can do anything I put my mind to. What a wonderful challenge. I love it already. Sorry for the brag pictures, I couldn't resist. I have always wanted to meet Tara Moss and found her to be a lady of much class and charm.

I also got to meet Ricki-Lee again and she was excellent as well. The picture didn't turn out as well, but hey you can make out it's me! She is also another great Australian talent.





These are my pictures of Ricki-Lee performing last night now as well.

The past weekend

I was busy again on the weekend. I guess that is exactly how I always choose it to be ha! The first picture is of a church group in Doonside, west of Sydney, then the next few are of a wonderful few families and extended families that asked me to take their images at a lovely park with a tremendous background prop where they still practice the art of blacksmithing. Lastly, there are a couple of wedding images I took at Christie & Marc's wedding, in case there are some people who don't visit my wedding blog. I took nearly 1600 pictures on the weekend alone!

Thought I would share some pictures here.

When I hear you call

I have been working very late, its now 1.30am Tuesday morning and I have to be up soon doing training for a retail chain in the city on cameras, but as I have been preparing the wedding pictures I took on the weekend I have heard this other song from Gary Valenciano which has helped to soothe my soul and refresh me. I hope you like it as well. It appeals to me on several levels.

I am so very pleased with the images and moments I have captured on the weekend.

The Warrior is a Child

When I was in Melbourne a few weeks ago I was asked to share a couple of things about me and I said to the team, "I expose myself online" hurting from the comments that I had received in the post "From the Heart". I am sharing a little more here tonight. I have been so busy of late, and there are pending jobs people want of me and that is good, but I have been drained, perhaps even spent. I am not sharing this with even a hint of complaint though, however there has been a few things going on upstairs in the windmills of my mind.

I spent some time with a friend last night and that was great, I have so many acquaintances and so few people I feel so totally at home with, and my friend last night is one of them. I have known him for almost every one of the years of my life. Well from about 8 years old anyway, making that 36 years. We talked about life, and our hopes and dreams and the where we would like to be's and the where we are's. I have deliberated much on that discussion this day, and feel I am at a crossroads. I have invested so much time and so much energy into doing the work I do and so much of myself, I feel that I am good at what I do. Inspite of someone else yesterday trying to compare my work to other people and the occasional crticism from people who feel they have my best interests at heart, I personally feel that I am good at what I do. A bride I photographed on Saturday last has already emailed me to say thanks. She was hopping into the car to leave from the reception on Saturday night and got out again and ran toward where I was and gave me a big hug and kiss and whispered, "I cannot thank you enough". What a wonderful gesture. I was touched. Then she ran back in the car and left.

Regular visitors to my blog will be aware of some of the inner struggles I face if they have read between some of the lines and will be aware that I want to become very successful at this and whilst I am grateful for the struggle it is to "get there" I wonder how far away it is on the odd occasion. The crossroads I refer to are more metaphorical than real. I said to a would be helper, who posed the question recently "are you getting where you want to go yet?" "Yes, I am so close I can smell it". And I can. Yet like the scene from Poltergeist where the background all of a sudden becomes distant you feel so far away. I have just given so much to get here I cannot all of a sudden turn around now and give up. I have heard so many examples where people are close to their goals only to lose hope and give up. I know some of these people myself who have given up, and it pains me, and something inside of me just whispers, and it is just a whisper, keep going Craig. Keep going.

Whatever it is or isn't I am committed to my own path of excellence. I recall as I write this the frustration of pumping water when I lived as a missionary in the Philippines. In one place I lived in called Pototan which is a rice centre on the island of Panay in the central visayan region. We had to go outside the house and with an old fashioned pump, pump the water up for drinking, though we had to boil the water for 20 mins to ensure it was clean, and then we also bathed in the water outside as well. I would pump the water into a bucket and then with a cup inserted in the water then empty the cup(s) over my body, lather up and then repeat the process. It was always interesting to the kids who would pass by to watch "joe" (from G.I Joe soldiers I guess) bathing. I think I must have looked akin to a beached whale to these glorious brown kids. I wore shorts, just in case there are a couple of you who were wondering.

Why raise this story? because pumping the water reminds me of what it is like for my temporal pursuits with photography. The water had to be pumped for a long period of time. Your arm would ache, and then would test your very patience, and on more than a few times I stopped to breathe and rub my aching arm, only to find the water trickle out and the problem with that was, once you stopped you had to go through the same process all over again as the water would rush straight back down. Bugger! (An Australian expression that can encapsulate, crap, hell, damn it, and a host of other expressions!) So, perhaps the message there for me is keep going don't give up.

I have had a brother say to me once who I am confident won't read this, "what will you do when it doesn't happen?" The thought had not crossed my mind. Failure is not an option. I will die trying if I don't get there. I strive to be the best i can be, and as many of you know I don't always make it. I have a song I really love from a wonderful Filipino singer I have had the honour to meet a couple of times, one Gary Valenciano. The song is called the Warrior is a child. I wanted to share this with you tonight. The film clip and lyrics are below. This song is really something I have absorbed as my personal theme song.

Not so deep inside this armour, the Warrior is indeed a child.....still.

Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
I'm strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all the tears

Chorus:
They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(Look up for His smile)
'Coz deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child
(Aahhh)

Unafraid because His arrow is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
I never face retreat, oh no
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at His feet

Chorus:
They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(Look up for His smile)
'Coz deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child
(Aahhh)

They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(Look up for His smile)
'Coz deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child
(Aahhh)



Some shots I took of Gary







I will be here by Gary as well.

fact or fiction that is the question

I have been watching with some degree of interest the new Australian Government's increasing stance on their carbon emissions trading scheme and plans to "combat" the global phenomena of green house gasses and pollution. There is little doubt that we, as humanity in general, in the ever growing industrialised world, are filling the air with so much crap and pollution such measures are necessary.

However, I am a bit sceptical about the way in which pending increases to the household budget are "released" these days. I smile with sarcasm when I hear a chief economist come on the media and state the gloom of global demand on oil and say we could be looking at $3.00 a litre by Christmas and potentially $8 in the next few years. "Ka-ching" go the cash registers and instantly the oil companies concede to the economists demands.

Hmmm, if you ever wanted to prime a people to accept the increase as inevitable there are few better ways than mentally preparing us by having an economist speculating, who on the surface seems unrelated to the oil crisis, yet who in my pessimistic view is being funded or subsidised for his "opinion". It starts when they are telling us how it could be and then it actually happens - is it too coincidental? I am a conspiracy theorist it would seem. The Saudi oil sheiks last week stated it is not them who is raising the prices, it is the speculators in the futures markets. You know what, they are absolutely correct. But who stands to benefit from those nasty speculators actions? I didn't hear a single media representative at the conference ask a single question along those lines.

Australian consumers have been told that in order for us to properly address this global view we will be taxed and see increases in our fuel, gas, electricity and food to help offset the growing global problem to the tune of $500 per household in the lead up to July 2010 when it will become gospel. Hallelujah - not.

These population figures are estimates used only to provide scale, but Australia has roughly 20 million people, America has 250 million people, India has 1 Billion + people and china has 3 Billion people. How on earth can or will our little contribution make a difference?

Ok yes, we have to start somewhere and why not here? As a mild sceptic on motive relative to result, I think that it is a great way for a government to increase taxes and prices and use the environment as a scapegoat. Australian industry have been asked to work out a plan on what they will use, much of the industry according to the network nine news last night is puzzled, as the criteria given them is vague and measuring or quantifying the data is nigh on impossible. One conglomerate corporate giant is already threatening to pull out 9.6 Billion dollars of investment and capital works projects if the government pushes on with this course of action.

Looking at the countdown to the Olympics due to start in a couple of weeks, we cannot even see the sky in Beijing from the pollution it is that bad. So, the Chinese government are slowing the factories down to try and help clear the air to sanitise the presentation for the worlds media for the duration of the games. I say slowing down, but the ABC reports they are stopping major industry for two weeks before and during the olympics to clear the air hopefully. That is some serious pollution, ah yes but they are promising the biggest fireworks show, so welcome the pollution yet again.

Does China care what we do here? No way on earth. They have become capitalists of the highest order with their industry and products filling the globe, we cannot even see a general agreement in a round table world forum on climate change, according to the UN report I watched being discussed on the National Broadcaster in Australia recently. So what is it all for? I suspect there are motives at play here that reach far beyond my understanding, but I smell a rat somewhere.

I remember an issue I faced with similar pessimism was concerning the secret intelligence George W. had concerning Sadam Hussein and how he was amassing Nuclear weapons in Iraq, and when none were found the excuse by our nations leaders , Americas leaders and England's leaders in the "coalition of the willing" was to assert that we got a dictator and a real bad guy out of power and now the whole world can breathe a little easier. I accept that outcome had some benefits, but it was the pretense and the excuse that caused us to get him in the first place that was flawed and no-one was ever held to account.

Accepted sometimes we get it wrong, I more than most are or have been guilty of that on occasion, but no-one was willing to "Man-up" and say I am sorry. Not that such an expression would change or compensate anyone or anything but all of the aformentioned nations still have a sizable commitment to troop deployments and the ongoing commitment of billions of dollars into this part of the world. Wasn't it Burt Bacharach who raised the question "Who are these people who take control of our lives?"

If I draw a long bow here between the parallels in the climate debate with that of Iraq's experience with Sadam Hussein and then conclude that if after we have been taxed so much more and paid out so much more to find in a coming day and year that it was an error in judgement, but was made to the "best intel we had at the time" will anyone apologise? will anyone ever say that was wrong and then we are going to go back now and cut or return the billions extra we took? If they can speculate for the negative, I am speculating for the positive that they might be wrong.

I think we have embarked on a road that few of us, myself included, really know what's ahead. I feel in a very small way somewhat like Winston Smith in Orwells 1984. I don't wish to sound like a fatalist or paint the world too bleakly, that is just not me, I believe there is sooo much good and sooo much beauty in the world. Yet I have just been asking myself if I am hearing all of the facts, or if such facts on climate change and the data concerning the benefits of taxing every Australian household actually exist, or is it all based on idealogical speculation? a bit of controversy on a Friday morning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

added this evening.....

I have heard much discussion on talkback radio today concerning these matters I wrote about, quite obliviously to the general opinions of the news today. It would seem that this massive sanctioned tax on Australian households is causing a lot of angst. before it has even been leveled. I make a further conspiarcy theory to suggest that the results will be analysed and disected by a number of other governments to assess international applications.

Interesting also, Qantas, the nations major airline has announced today that they will be making 1500 jobs redundant, 1300 inside the country, Virgin Blue airlines has also announced a 5% airfare increase and a new baggage charge of $8 per piece of checked in luggage up to 23 KG's. They are also claiming to now weigh all hand carry bags as well citing safety guidelines. Sounds like a revenue opportunity to me...did I actually just write that?! Shame on me.

I will watch with a keen interest the unfolding events. There is a general malaise creeping over the retail channel in the country and the panic moves of retailers offering 5 years interest free in the hope that it will give people a reason to spend indicates a lot of straw clutching going on I submit. But like all things in the world there is a cycle and it will get better again soon.

Chris Brown

I have been listening to this music for the last few weeks and I love it. I know it is a couple of months old but this guy is real good.

See Chris brown singing Forever.

If the Saviour stood beside me

This post will be a big departure from what I normally write about, and will not form any new direction of the way the posts will be heading in future, but feel the message of the post is beneficial for me. I preface the post by saying it is not a veiled attempt to be preachy, I don't operate that way, it is simply a wonderful song written from a mother to her daughter that holds so much emotion and love and I was affected by the story & song and thought it worthy of sharing.

Sally De Ford wrote a song for her daughter and it is a religious and simplistic enough song and poses a beautiful question. I will quote directly from her website and have pasted the lyrics below, again from her website, and finally have the song sung in Salt Lake City Utah by a group of young woman from surrounding districts.

"If the Savior Stood Beside Me" is a song I wrote for my daughter Holly when she turned eight years old. I wrote a song for each of my children, and this one was hers. Holly was such a good example! She was always so kind and loved others so much, it seemed as though she knew Jesus was always close beside her, taking care of her and loving her.
Holly is now all grown up, and has a family of her own. This is what she says about her song:
On my eighth birthday, I was baptized. At my baptism, my mom sang the song "If the Savior Stood Beside Me," which she wrote specially for me. I remember her saying "I wrote this song for Holly, not because it's a lesson I wanted to teach her, but because she has always acted as if the Savior really was there beside her." That meant a lot to me, and I was so proud of myself and my beautiful song!
It has been more than 15 years since that day, and though there have been times that I have not acted as I would if I could see the Savior next to me, I know that even when we make mistakes and choose to do the wrong thing, Jesus stays near us and watches over us anyway, waiting for us to reach out and hold His hand again. Because He loves us so dearly, we are always in His watchful care, even when we don't know it, and someday we will all look back and realize how close He was, just when we needed Him. I am trying every day to "be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be if I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me."
My young friends, if you will live every day of your life as though you could see the Savior standing right beside you, you will be happy, and you will be ready to live with Him again some day. He loves you and will always--always!--watch over you.

If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do?
Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?
Would I follow His example? Would I live more righteously,
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?
Would I try to share the gospel? Would I speak more reverently
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would my thoughts be clean and pure?
Would His presence give me strength and hope, and courage to endure?
Would His counsel guide my actions? Would I choose more worthily
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

He is always near me, though I do not see Him there
And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care
So I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be
If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.




http://www.defordmusic.com/ifthesaviorstoodbesideme.htm

All the colours of the rainbow

I am a lover of nature. I believe that a walk in the park or a journey in the rain or watching a sunrise are renewing and beautiful things. I am also a lover of brightly coloured birds. I was at someones home the other day and saw these beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets and he put sunflower seeds on his third floor balcony and the birds came and ate straight off the balcony, allowing me some beautiful pictures.



I haven't yet seen a Toucan to photograph but would love to do that one day. I also love the Lyrebird which is a unique bird to Australia. It is a perfect mimic, I have provided a clip from David Attenborough's focus on the Australian bird. I encourage you to watch it til the end, it will surprise you, and the thing is, that it is absolutely real. I also love the size and richness of colour of the Macaws but for sheer harmony of colour and brilliance I cannot go past the Rainbow Lorikeets.



Australia is such a wonderful country with a range of flora and fauna that is or grows uniquely to this country, we have kangaroos, Koalas, Echidnas, Cockatoo's, Galahs, Rainbow Lorikeets, Rosellas, Kookaburras, Tasmanian Devils, Cassowary, Emu's, Wallabies, Frilled neck lizards and as I posted in a former you tube clip from the scared weird little guys we have lots of poisonous stuff here as well, 8 out of the 10 deadliest snakes in the world, one of the most venomous spiders in the world, the Sydney Funnel Web, and a host of other little nasties. But all in all, I love it.

Walking over trodden ground

When I was upgrading my blog over the weekend I found a number of images of me in Hawaii some years ago now, and it was wonderful to see images of this paradise that I was so fortunate to have been to. One such memory there was spent at Kualoa Ranch, a sprawling parcel of land of 4000 acres and two valleys on the island of Oahu which is the background to so many movies and television shows.

I was in Hawaii rehearsing, recording and co-producing a small team of young men and women for a children's TV program I co-wrote and co-produced called HooBee DooBee, Do As I Do. , which you can see a couple of clips here again for those who may have missed my post of some time ago.





During a break in filming HooBee DooBee I happened to meet the man who was the lighting director for Elvis' LIVE Aloha Hawaii special many years ago, who is a rather old man these days. He became aware of my desire to here his stories about the Elvis he got to meet and know over several years.

He told me some of the difficulties they faced lighting the venue that was to be broadcast worldwide, he said few people had this type of experience. He has as one of his prized possessions, a thank you photo autographed from Elvis. He also has a host of other signed celebrities pictures he has worked with over the years. I have included this clip of Elvis singing My Way from the Aloha special which he said was just amazing. I went to the venue as well and was entranced that it had all happened right there! or here when I said it. He said that at the conclusion of it he was absolutely hammered from having no energy left. It is something I appreciated learning about , I have never given the lighting directors much thought, but they're essential to creating the look and mood for the artist. After all, that is what I do, play with light and I was honoured to get to meet this great man, great to me anyway. It was this fine man who arranged for me to go to Kualoa Ranch. I will add more about Elvis in other posts.



You can see their website below, have a look around it, and if you click the "click to see filming at Kualoa Ranch" line, you will see the breakdown of films and shows shot there. There are 3 pages, so keep clicking and you will see them all. I have included some pictures of me inside one of the footprints from Godzilla and also a picture of me near the thatch house used in Mighty Joe Young, and a picture behind the tree where Sam Neil crouched behind to escape the approaching dinosaurs. I recognised so many spots from movies I thought I had been transported magically to one of the places of my dreams. I also saw and recognised Fantasy island sets and many more. For a child of television and movies it was heaven.

In one instance at the Ranch I heard what sounded like Dinosaurs, it was relatively loud and even a bit presupposing. I asked what the sound was and was told that during the filming of Jurassic Park the owners had to remove the grazing cattle because when they moo'd and called, the sound would bounce off the large rock walls which are very tall and echo, giving the sound and distinct Jurassic feeling. I don't mind saying that it felt VERY eerie.

The Godzilla footprint was a lot shallower than I recall in the film, he said that they had to be almost filled back in because the cows would fall in to the holes! makes sense I guess. I loved seeing and recognising some places from Magnum PI and many other shows including Fantasy Island. For me it was a fantasy itself - and still is.

The place is about 30-40mins from Honolulu and is just beautiful. But then Hawaii is just beautiful. I was so fortunate to stay at Turtle Bay, which is costly but gorgeous. I was there for several weeks. I also liked a place where Kualoa Ranch is located called Kaneohe Bay, pronounced Khan-ee-O-Hay Bay. My other favourite little place was Haleiiva which was a quaint village style atmosphere and trendy shops on a beautiful stretch of ocean. Whilst there is so much paradise there, I did notice how so many things like cars rusted, and how much the ocean molds up so many things. I was also concerned at how close the ocean levels come to the road in some places. I recall turning on the TV one morning to hear the TV presenter say, "Aloha Hawaii, welcome to Hurricane season". GREAT!!!






The first picture in the post is a panoramic shot I took of Kualoa.

http://www.kualoa.com/tours_narrated.htm