Nick turns 16

I was asked to cover the Birthday / BBQ of Nick, the son of a friend and and was happy to swing by and cover this. There were around 120 people there to celebrate it and even a few celebrities, but overall it was a relaxed atmosphere and everyone seemed to have a good time. I made a collage of the images I took. Enjoy and Happy Birthday Nick.

On the road again....and loving it, as usual

This last week was hectic. I was on TVSN on Monday night and then away first thing on Tuesday up the North Coast of NSW and then went across to Glenn Innis and then home. It was a big trip in 4 days, and tiring...but wonderful. Thought I would share some images that I took.

Just one scene on the road, I love it.



This was a gorgeous vista literally 40 steps away from the red earth below



The red earth that exists in the bush, for some strange reason, I am drawn toward.




This was just one of the lush parts I drove through, several kilometres of beautiful green foliage and waterfalls, what a beautiful few moments this was for my eyes and heart.



These three images assaulted the senses as i passed through several hours of different terrain from lush forrest to bare moisture parched earth to this. I was drawn to photograph the aftermath of a bush fire. The smell of burnt charcoal and devastation was evident. I marvel at the diversity all around me. I want to be successful in life simply to be able to show and highlight the differences that exist all around me.







This old abandoned house in the middle of a vast property was a gorgeous sight I could not resist. I wondered what stories they would tell if those walls could speak.



This quaint pub was in the middle of nowhere and I just couldn't resist taking a picture.




These four pictures were of two sunsets I took over the last few days in a place called Glen Innes some 6-7 hours drive North of sydney and within three hours of the Queensland Border. I just loved the depth of colour and the range of variety the shies showed me in that part of the world. Then there is the storm shot in Coffs Harbour and the Sunrise over Port Macquarie.












This is a city pub close to the cinema district of town heading down to Darling Harbour and Chinatown, and I have long wanted to take pictures of the three wise monkeys so I did!



These two places blend the old and the new in the city as well. I love the variety.






The gorgeous strand arcade in Sydney City, is a grand arcade that has been largely the same since the 1800's, it is a ritzy place which was featured in the film clip China Girl by David Bowie some years ago as well. A beautiful place to stroll through.

Being different

I was at a function yesterday where I heard several late teens express a phrase I found ineffably repellant where they referred to their look or their attitude as a "retard". On one such occasion yesterday I said to a girl, the third I heard say this repugnant phrase, why do you say this? as her friend laughed it off. I truly am at a loss for why people in the rising generation say this. I guess it must be like the phrase "it's totally sick" to mean something is good. But whatever the reason, I still find the isolation or demeaning of a segment of society that largely cannot speak or defend themselves to mean do I look weird or freaky is a sad indictment on an attitude I have seen that permeates much more than a few people of late.

One of the teens was expressing to her peers whilst I was near, and I know these people well, the importance of fitting in and I made the comment that I don't ever want to "fit" in, I embrace being different to which she quick wittingly responded as though to belittle me, "and that you are, different". I smiled and said "I am proud to be and if that was the best you can throw at me I am so hurt and offended...not!" she smiled but looked at me curiously, I guess to assess whether she had offended me, to which I assured her that she had not even gone close.

For some hours after this encounter I thought much about the nature of why we want to fit in, and often then find a way to exclude so many others. I thought and pondered much on those who are different, and find a resonance with the notion of being different personally. I also came across a You Tube clip that lasts 4.5 mins and really makes a grand statement which I was proud to watch. Goldenrod, a visitor to my blog, mentioned once the power that an underdog has to most people. I think we all identify with a struggle and we love to see people beat the odds and win, this commercial is no different. It says much to me about connecting with one's self. Who we are, what we do, and what we want to achieve no matter what odds stand in our way. This extraordinary commercial has had 1.4 million visits already and I hope that people see it as a little more than a feel good clip, but realise the levels that are contained in these few minutes of footage are powerful and far reaching. I am grateful to the person(s) who created this and put it on You Tube.

I hope you enjoy.

Cassie Davis

I was photographing a new Australian music star on Saturday and found Cassie Davis to be a wonderful young performer who genuinely had a lot of time for her fans and was kind and gracious. I thought she was great and will probably go far. I wish her well, and with her sister Emma as a manager and her brother on Guitar she is grounded and really a warm and effervescent person. Here are some pics I took of her on stage and signing autographs with some fans.

So much has been happening!!

I have wanted in this single post to give you a snapshot of what has been happening in my little life in the past week and a bit. WHEW!!!

Yesterday, I also found out, that the artwork I made for the automotive packaging and DVD which I filmed, edited and did the sound over voice for, will be available in the USA and Europe for sale in the next couple of months, and will be here in OZ for sale shortly and that the projections for the success of that product is at an educated industry analyst's guess, at selling millions worldwide. I hope that happens because my friend will finally reap the rewards of his long years of financial shortfall...and he said he will even pay me generously for the years of work I have done without recompense! BRING IT ON!!! I will take good news and good will from whatever direction it comes. That may even mean I get to travel and visit some blogger friends in their home towns of Texas, Idaho, Arizona, New York, Dubai, UK, Philippines and many others! I guess it all depends on how generous "his" generous is! I jest.

These shots below are from the other day when my second pair of jeans was sold!!! Adam Brand actually commented to me personally how honoured he was that I had done such a good job on his jeans, he was extremely proud, and so was I. The lady you see at the bottom of this set of images is Katrina, a wonderful lady who waited almost 10 hours to buy them. She is an Adam Brand devotee and just loves him to bits and would have paid much more I suspect if the bidding had have risen higher. I was grateful she bought them.

Again, there was some furious bidding on the night and it was surreal. I got the second highest sale of the night, being beaten by Hugh Jackman's (wolverine - X Men, Australia, the Boy from OZ and many many more) jeans which sold for $2500. I was very grateful to be a part of this small event at Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains 2 hours west of Sydney where the money raised goes directly to the CMRI. Plus the feedback and genuine acceptance of my artwork by so many is gratifying and humbling. There were men who came up to me and said they wanted to bid more but their wives stopped them, another person said how much they loved the colours, and another artist said how much of a unique perspective I brought to the medium and said "I wonder how far you will go with this medium?"....and so do I. The feedback alone was amazing. Remember here that this is just my second painting! I included some shots of a young lady called Daisy eating a chocolate shake and a cowboy and the barman having his face painted. The community up here is small in this mountain hamlet, it was cold but lovely and the weather report board was well, you can see above was bloody perfect! FUN. I loved the local flavour and the relaxed ambience this Imperial hotel has it was a 130 years old and had been a hotel all of those years. I loved it, I think I said that already, but I really did.












....and this cheeky sign in the bar was interesting! Good thing I don't drink beer or any alcoholic beverage for that matter! there may be a couple of visitors whose sensibilities may be offended at the sign below, and therefore I unreservedly apologise in advance. It shows off some real Aussie humour though.


These images were taken of a Belly Dancer at a function I was at in the last week as well!, I liked them a lot, there are quite a few, but I did like these two particularly.


This was an image I took at a concert I was at the other night and TV station Channel 10's entertainment reporter Angela Bishop was interviewing some people there and I thought I would share this. I have met Angela on several occasions and found her to be a charming and warm person. This night was star studded with members f the broadcast community celebrating a benefit concert at the bridge hotel for a member of their fraternity who is ill.

These images below were taken on our wedding anniversary a few days ago, and we spent the first evening in a very long time together just roaming around the city. Whilst I go there most all the time Marcelina certainly doesn't and so this was a treat for her. I took these images and bearing in mind, it was cold, very cold for her and these were taken at around midnight, and the last shot was interesting, all three were Audi's all the same year, all owned by different people and all different models in the range, an interesting shot and you can see the opera house in the background. This was a very nice and relaxing night. I do not have many of them. Marcelina said that she hasn't seen me like this for a while, and that is true. Happy Anniversary Marcelina. How many years has that been? a lot! where has it all gone? I guess if this post is any indication of me and my happenings in almost two weeks, our lives have been a kaleidoscope of emotions, experiences and a passing cavalcade of events. Long may they continue!







These pictures were on our way through the tunnel which runs in the water underneath Sydney harbour to meet a sister who was visiting from New Zealand, Maree. We had breakfast with her in her hotel the Shang ri-la in the Rocks in Sydney city. I have not seen the Harbour bridge and Sydney Opera House from this vantage previously and I loved the view and yes took a heap of pictures. the breakfast restaurant becomes a night club in the evening, how cool is that! You can see Denzel and Mrcelina and Maree in the mirror in this shot I took in the elevator. It was fun day, Marcelina will remember it for ome time I suspect with all teh gifts she got from her sister in-law!





Me with the lovely Dianna Corcoran, a wonderful country singer here in Australia. She even remembered me from a previous occasion where I photographed her! A great talent and it was nice to have a picture with her.


This is a picture of sisters Kirstie and Aimee by candlelight. I loved this shot.


These pictures below were of me with one of my sisters Nita and one of my brothers, Wayne. We were together in Brisbane for the weekend for a whanau (family) feed or gathering more so, and it was good to be with family we dont see all the time. A friend once commented to me that Family, like friends are like fish, after three days they go off! as I chuckle while I write. Perhaps that is the reason why my visits are short! After the gathering we went to the Gold Coast with Wayne's apartment he was renting for a couple of weeks and you can see the moon's reflections on the water on the horizon. this shot is HAND HELD!! also a shot of the twin tower luxury apartments as well from the bottom.





I woman I used to work with many years ago, Natalie, called me and asked me for a few quick shots of her Niece for a portfolio, I was happy to do that and it was only a short shoot, but it was nice to do these shots for them. Natalies sister Ros liked the shots, having had a previously bad experience with some ordinary pictures from another photographer. I didn't have studio lights or anything like that but these were fun and I think they are happy with them.




These pictures were taken at Natalie's Nieces house and I loved the animals they were gorgeous.



The Angels were appearing at Penrith in Sydney's west and they were HOT! Blistering in fact. the sound was right, the crowd was so in the mood to have fun, and there were no incidents or whatever, it was a great night!!





This is a picture of me with Doc Neeson, the lead singer of the Angels. The picture was designed to capture the two of us with the endless reflection of the mirrors.



These were some portraits I did for a great Family I have known for some time. Abbey (the second picture from the bottom) was about to leave for the US to study for a few years and this was perhaps one of the last times when the family was together as a a complete family, before Erin, (the third picture from the bottom) gets married and the family grows. It was a moment that was not lost on me. I was very pleased with these pictures.





Lastly, I was invited to submit 3 pictures for a photo competition for the first light of day and these three images I took I submitted. I am VERY pleased with these images. The image with the light piercing the clouds I have called the Fingers of God.




Here is one shot I took on hamilton Island Im very proud of.

Look closely, you can see a bullet and shells leaving the gun!!! How fast is that for a shutter speed. I took 8 frames in one second and only 1 of those frames had an image. THAT is how quick that was. I was amazed, and so was everybody else.


If any of you are interested in looking at The Harvey Norman / Joyce Mayne and Domayne retail store computer proprietors, suppliers and partners having a good time on Hamilton Island the pictures I took are all up on line and can be found on one of my other blogs by clicking here!