Blue Lake on a calm day
The Blue Lake was looking particularly beautiful today. Conditions were perfectly still, which magnified the reflection, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
Mount Buffalo
Visited Mount Buffalo yesterday. Here’s a picture from The Gorge.
Early Fitzroy photos
Fitzroy is my favorite part of Melbourne, not just for the football team that once existed, but the character of the place. Here are some early photos that capture some of that, courtesy Picture Victoria.
This shows Smith Street, with Fitzroy on the left and Collingwood on the right. (more…)
Rare photo: Maggie’s dance concert
I don’t know how they did it, but someone managed to get photos of Maggie’s dance concert.
We were given a framed copy of this picture for Christmas, showing Maggie on the left.
Roger Ballen photography
Thanks to an excellent article in The Age today by Gabriella Coslovich, I have discovered the wonderful photography of Roger Ballen. Born in New York, Ballen has lived in South Africa since the 1970s.
He made a specialty of photographing everyday live in the dorps (villages) of the Transvaal.
The pictures were controversial, because many of them feature “poor whites” at a time when apartheid was in place or just being dismantled.
In the interview, Ballen says each picture can be interpreted however the reader wishes. He describes himself as an art photographer, rather than a political/social commentator.
I commend this approach, like his style and appreciate his talent. (more…)
Ferris wheel
The Giant Sky Wheel is claimed to be the largest travelling Ferris wheel in the southern hemisphere.
It comprises 36 gondola carriages, each able to hold six people. It has a 50-metre peak clearance and each ride is 10-12 minutes in duration.
Michael and I rode the Ferris wheel on Friday evening before heading to the MCG for the Lions v Bulldogs AFL semi-final. The cost was $8 each and we were the only people on it.
The Ferris wheel was operating in Birrarung Marr, on the north bank of the Yarra River next to Federation Square.
Apparently the park has been there since 2002, but it’s the first time I have visited.
There is now a lovely walk along the river linking the city with the MCG.
We enjoyed the trip, just a shame about the football score. Here are a couple of views from the big wheel: (more…)
Melbourne Zoo
We visited the Melbourne Zoo today. The kids loved it, of course.
The zoo has an impressive collection of animals from around the world, mainly Australia, Africa and Asia.
I took plenty of photos, but these are the three I’m happiest with, especially the butterfly.
The frogs and fish were photographed through glass. I figured holding the camera at an angle would reduce the likelihood of a reflection or flash bounce. (more…)
