Coastwatch

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 @ ISO 200, f2.8, 70mm, 1/3200 sec

Stanwell Park and Stanwell Tops are at the edge of the Royal National Park, Sydney. Stanwell Park was possibly named after the village of Stanwell on the south side of London. It was also known by the Aboriginal name "Little Bulli". Bulli means "two mountains" and referred to those on each side of the village.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 @ ISO 200, f2.8, 200mm, 1/3000 sec

The Sea Cliff Bridge between the coastal villages of Coalcliff and Clifton. The Sea Cliff Bridge replaced a section of Lawrence Hargrave Drive that was permanently closed in August 2003 due to a landslide that destroyed the old road.

Crop from first image, 70-200mm 2.8 @ ISO 200, f2.8, 70mm, 1/3200 sec

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 @ ISO 200, f2.8, 105mm, 1/4000 sec
Very windy day and two lonely benches

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 @ ISO 200, f2.8, 200mm, 1/5000 sec

A keen tourist

Wine Flavour Visualiser

How do different wines taste? What is the relationship between wine varieties and flavour components? This visualisation attempts to show the strength of the relationships of flavour, aroma, characteristic and sensation.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5, ISO 200, 24mm, f3.5, 1/60 NIK Software Colour EFX Pro 3.0 Colour Sylizer Plugin Filter

Nikon D300, Nikkor 35mm f/2, ISO 200, 35mm, f2, 1/320

Early Morning Beach Patrol Eastern Suburbs Sydney

Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club at dawn

Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5, ISO 200, 18mm, f3.5, 1/1600 sec

Early morning walkers taking in the ambience

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8, ISO 400, 70mm, f2.8, 1/3200 sec

Dawn patrol, Maroubra beach, the best waves are always when the lazy and hung over sleep

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8, ISO 400, 70mm, f2.8, 1/3200 sec

They just kept coming through like this, short but good shape and size

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8, ISO 400, 200mm, f2.8, 1/4000 sec

A closer inspection of the beach reveals hidden treasures, once glass but now not so sharp.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm f2.8, ISO 400, 105mm, f8, 1/640 sec

Mother of Pearl fragment washed up as jetsum

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm f2.8, ISO 400, 105mm, f8, 1/1000 sec

Seaweed flotsam

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm f2.8, ISO 400, 105mm, f8, 1/500 sec

Small cuttlefish bone flotsam

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm f2.8, ISO 400, 105mm, f8, 1/1000 sec

Beach jelly diamonds

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm f2.8, ISO 400, 105mm, f8, 1/1000 sec

Just metres away in the dunes is a different environment.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm f2.8, ISO 400, 105mm, f3.2, 1/2500 sec

A tiny dew encrusted flower on a low growing ground cover.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm f2.8, ISO 400, 105mm, f8, 1/640 sec

An unopened flower pod nearby

Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm f2.8, ISO 400, 105mm, f8, 1/200 sec

The Best Camera

The Best camera is the one you have with you when you make pictures.

Apple iPphone 3G f2.8 1200x1600 px From Sydney bus early morning 6:45am 28/8/09 MAP

Apple iPhone 3Gs ISO 71, 3.85mm, f2.8, 1/120th sec 1536x2048 px 19/9/09 MAP

Apple iPhone 3Gs ISO 70, 3.85mm, f2.8, 1/600th sec 1536x2048 px 19/09/09 MAP

Apple iPhone 3Gs ISO 70, 3.85mm, f2.8, 1/240th sec 1536x2048 px 19/09/09 MAP

Apple iPhone 3Gs (Original file) Quicktime Movie 19.5MB, 480x640 H.264, ACC Codec, 43 seconds, Software encoder iPhone 3.1

Composition

Composition is the placement elements in an image, the centre of interest is not normally the centre of the frame. The viewer will then tend to linger over points of interest that his eyes lead to. This is referred to as the "rule of thirds" a principle taught in graphic design and photography and is based on the theory that the eye goes naturally to a point about two thirds up from the bottom of the image. By visually dividing the image into thirds either horizontally or vertically or you achieve asymmetric balance which is naturally pleasing to the eye.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 @ ISO 200, f2.8, 78mm, 1/640 sec
Some principles of composition are shape and proportion, repetition (pattern), perspective, consistency (among elements), balance (of elements), orientation, space, colour, contrast, lighting and field of view or path of the the viewer's eye when they observe the image. Sometimes you need something in the image that leads you into the picture or gives you a sense of where the photographer was, to his 'perspective'. For example, in the second image from the same place but with a wider frame of view.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 @ ISO 200, f2.8, 155mm, 1/640 sec

I think this type of framing usually improves an image and parts of the image doesn’t need to be sharply in focus and this fuzziness or bokeh is often a pleasing affect and not a distraction.

Warmer Weather and Al Fresco Dinning

This weekend in a courtyard with a plethora of plants blossoming for spring and this Wisteria below almost in full bloom.

Wisteria flowers, sundown ample light, no flash, hand held, Nikon D300, aperture Priority, ISO 200, Nikkor 105mm f2.8 lens @ f/3 1/100 sec

We were up for some Al Fresco dining. The term Al Fresco dining refers to eating outside and in Sydney's temperate climate it is especially popular in the autumn, summer and spring when temperatures and weather are most favourable. I also love the casual party like atmosphere.

Taken hand held, in low light, no flash, Nikon D300, aperture Priority, ISO 1600, Nikkor 105mm f2.8 lens @ f/3 1/20 sec

Our talented hosts cooked up some New Zealand Greenshell Mussels cooked in white wine and tossed in a wok with a rich and fragrant tomato, chilli and garlic sauce combined the parsley and basil. Accompanied by a cold crisp slightly acid French Ros'e.

Another treat was the beer, Duvel Moortgat Brewery is a Flemish family owned brewery founded in 1871. Beer has been made in Belgium since the middle ages and the blonde or golden ale of which Duvel is a typical ale is one of the most popular bottled beers in the country as well as being well known internationally. Its name means "Devil". The first thing you notice about the Duvel is the head, it mushrooms up and stays to sip through, a great beer to try.

Hand held, in low light, no flash, Nikon D300, aperture Priority, ISO 1600, Nikkor 105mm f2.8 lens

Blood orange slices and a cheese platter to finish off. Hand held, in low light, no flash, Nikon D300, aperture Priority, ISO 1600, Nikkor 105mm f2.8 lens

Fathers Day

Father's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September so the date of Father's Day is never fixed. It complements Mother's Day, the celebration honouring mothers.

People express gratitude for fathers and thank them for all their care and support, most often children gift ties, chocolates or other gifts.Father's Day is a celebration inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting, and to honor and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners to fathers, and family-oriented activities. The first observance of Father's Day is believed to have been held on June 19, 1910 in the U.S.

I got this beautiful card and yummy gift in the post Friday, what a great surprise :-) Thanks Jacqui

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a medium sized, stocky, muscular dog with great athletic ability. They have a broad head, defined muscles, a relatively short face, a wide mouth with a clean bite.

They have small ears and cheek muscles that are very pronounced on a head that tapers down to a strong well muscled neck and shoulders placed on squarely spaced forelimbs.

They are coloured brindle, black, red, fawn, blue, white, or any mixture and the coat is smooth and clings tightly to the body giving the dog a streamlined appearance.

The dogs stand 36 to 41 cm tall and weigh 15 to 25 kg, the 'Staffordshire Bull Terrier' can suffer from health problems common to other dog breeds such as cataracts, hip dysplasia and breathing problems but are overall a very healthy breed.

The dominant temperament is its character of indomitable courage, high intelligence matched with a quietness and trustworthy stability. This, coupled with its affection for its family, children in particular, make it appear in the list for the top 10 breeds most suitable for families and children.

Spring colour

A mural on a wall of a boat hire place in Mordialloc, Melbourne Victoria.

Nikon D300, 70-200mm 2.8, ISO 200, 86mm, f 2.8 1/4000 sec

Spring flowers by the side of the highway, somewhere in southern NSW

Nikon D300, 70-200mm 2.8, ISO 200, 200mm, f 2.8 1/500 sec

A flower at my Mums place in Bendigo Victoria

Nikon D300, 70-200mm 2.8, ISO 800, 200mm, f 2.8 1/2500 sec

My brothers dog 'Chester' watching me suspiciously

Nikon D300, 105 mm 2.8, ISO 200, 105mm, f 2.8 1/3200 sec

Cacti, again at my Mums in Bendigo Victoria

Nikon D300, 70-200mm 2.8, ISO 800, 200mm, f 3.2 1/1250 sec