Artists Blog

I mentioned last week that I was going out at night to “Paint with Light”. This is essentially photography in the dark using only a flash/torch and loooooong exposures, to bathe large areas in even light.

I went out with a couple of gurus in this genre, one the head of police forensics photography and the other a professor with a penchant for slide film captures. (His Nikon from yesteryear weighed the same as a bowling ball!)

Setting up in the dark (Lit from my camera flash).

How the Police record an crime/accident scene at night is the technique we employed here. Firstly, you mark out the area you wish to photograph. In our case it was around 100m deep, and about 40m across. You need to have your camera on a sturdy tripod and set on “BULB”, with a remote shutter release attached. A small sheet of black cardboard is also required.

Two or more people are needed for this exercise, and even then, a large accident scene may take well over 2 hours to record thoroughly, I was told.

When ready, release the shutter and lock in the open position. As the setting is BULB it will stay open indefinately. The person operating the hand held flash will let off the first burst of light. Quickly place the black card in front of the lens to prevent further image burn. The Flash person will then walk down the left or right hand side of the area you wish to photograph for about 20m. They’ll yell out “Ready?” You yell “Yup!”, take away the black card, wait for the Flash and then pop the card back over the lens again. Repeat this 5 times down either side, being careful not to be in the field of view if you are the Flash person.

The pitch black pathway was transformed into the scene below with an exposure time of about 6 mins.

That blue light on the right is the Flash person being caught in the field of view.

The Full Moon was rising over the lake now, so we used plain old long expsures (around 30 secs) to capture the following images:

With the Moon’s reflection…

…and without.

And the gorgeous Golden Girl herself. With this one you need a really fast shutter speed (this was around 1/1600 if I remember), as the the moon is such a bright light source.

So go out and play with your camera at night - great fun!

6.50am, my phone rings, waking me from a restless few hours of tossing and turning (finally got to bed at 2.30am after thinking, thinking and more thinking…)

“Get here quick if you want to see a huge python with a big belly” Jeff told me.

Now if I’m going to jump outa bed, into the car, with my hair only getting a look from a brush, a big python is going to do it.

Only about a km away, I arrived at Jeff’s work, where one big slithery friend was making it’s way across the road.

See where it’s headed?

Spot the problem yet?

It tried for a while, but breakfast was just too big.

Once it reversed a bit, the gate was swung back to let it go on it’s way.

Can you see the next problem about to happen?

I think a lot of us suffer from the same issue…

We just don’t think we’re that fat….

even though we can’t seem to fit into anything ‘cos it’s such a tight squeeze…

It seemed a bit stumped, so curled up for a think.

All the while flickering that forked tongue.

We left him on his own to work out where he was headed, and not long afterwards, he was gone.

No one has seen Reg, the resident rooster. But I think we have a pretty good idea where he is.

So long Reg.

Reg and Scrub Turkey friend in happier days…

At last! My folio of images has been safely deposited into the University electronic “Drop Box”. Time to catch my breath.

This subject has been one of slooooow absorption. Anyone that has tasted Photoshop will understand.

Our task was to build 3 composite images, either on Decay or Scale. Each one made up of 3 source images. As I’d tackled Decay previously, I thought Scale would provide some levity. It did, along with buckets of frustration. And that was without the 20 page accompanying written report, complete with screen grabs to prove we actually did the work ourselves.

Jez was the (un)willing model for some of the source images. Tying them all together was the tricky bit. Anyway, this is where I’ve been for most of the week…

COMPOSITE IMAGE ONE - “Indy’s Footsteps”

Source Images

COMPOSITE IMAGE TWO “I Believe”

That’s a book on Dragons Jez is reading. Make the connection?

Source Images

COMPOSITE IMAGE THREE - ” Ready for Takeoff”

Source images

I’m looking forward to getting some real sleep tonight. Another exciting day tomorrow as one of my uni lecturers has invited me to share her Studio, which is shared by 3 other prominent artists. Bugger, I bet the excitment keeps me awake!

Nothing like a Lace Monitor on the BBQ to get your heart rate up first thing in the morning.

Nothing like a sunny BBQ to get your heart rate up in the morning if you’re a Lace Monitor.

He got a bit huffy  when I ventured close, puffing his neck up and “Haruumffing” me. Two metres of grumpy lizard is not pleasant.

Had my Great Debate at Uni today, not as bad as I thought. Thanks for all your hints and tips everybody. Next week is the 6 minute speech. Can’t wait.

I’ve dug up another moonset photo from May. Back then the moon set in the early evening, behind the same mountain in my previous post.

This afternoon I had quite an inspiring (and looong) phone conversation with gorgeous Rosa Fedele, a friend since school days. She’s a full time artist and has a really no nonsense approach which I need to take heed of. I don’t think proscrasination is even in her vocabulary. Damn she’s good! - Her website link is on the right hand side of my blog as well as here.

Day off tomorrow so I’ll try my hardest to really make some headway with all these paintings I have in my head.

Wasn’t it bright last night? (For those of you lucky to have cloudless skies).

Too impossibly bright to sleep deeply, I thought I’d go into the garden to take some shots. The moon was about to set, and I positioned myself in a spot that wouldn’t arouse too much suspicion. A camera shutter going off outside your bedroom window is an unusual wake up alarm. Luckily our neighbour is in Machu Picchu at the moment.

It’s surprising how quick the moon dipped behind the mountain. Not quick enough to avoid the mozzies however. Shutter and slapping sounds echoing in the street.

Then the battery pack died. The moon was really hauling it’s behind, so I thought I’d never get into the house, fumble for the new battery pack, and get back outside before it set. With my sarong falling down, cursing as I ran over the pebbles in bare feet, I hightailed it in and out in less than a minute.

Just in time to see it dip down into the darkness. The golden glow it left behind was just so beautiful. Not enough light to show up in an image though, you’ll have to picture it’s gorgeousness in your mind.

There was a happy trade off,

Following another early riser travelling in the sky.

It’s been overcast, drizzly and HOT. Steamy like a Costa Rican jungle. Not that I’ve ever been in a Costa Rican jungle, but I almost feel as if I need a machete to cut through the air, it’s so thick.

My Mountain is in there somewhere….

Uni today was using cameras in different ways. I’ve used my telephoto lens as a macro lens for these  luscious red berries. Like bunches of miniature pomegranates.

“Spring” in the tropics has unleashed all manner of triffid-like growth with berries and blooms.

My lecturer told me today that he saw my photo in the weekend newspaper - all news to me as I didn’t bother with the papers this weekend. I did hunt a copy down this afternoon.

The competition has now closed, and judging begins. No cash prizes, but a chance to have your work printed in some limited edition posters.

Back now to the drudgery of homework…..

In the pre-dawn light I followed the flight of this bee, who with a single mindedness of purpose, gathered pollen from the waterlillies. No other bees about, just herself and her determination.

Remember that cheeky little sunbird who would sing to itself in my car mirror or window? She really has furthered her fetish. She has progressed from the Red Beast…

To the Green Heap belonging to The Man.

First she lands on the side mirror. Looks left, looks up, looks right. Then, when no other bird is looking, she hops onto the window rubber,

Where she can admire herself in stereovision.

Of course her husband is never really far away.

And as with all married males, can’t see the point of a mirror anyway.

Had a busy day today, organising and sending off dad’s and my sis’s birthday packages. Aussie Post has gone and changed pick up times to 2pm, so missed  the Express, and normal post is now picked up at 5pm instead of 6pm. Apparently they have missed the plane a few times and bottoms have been smacked!

My morning coffee smiled back at me today…

The colour RED surrounds me at the moment. Even though it’s not my favourite colour (not since I was 11), I seem to be attracted to it, to wear it, to eat it.

My first EVER acrylic painting, which was a scary thing to do at my age (uni assignment last month), composed in red.

Then there are the cherries. Cherries in June? Any fruit is possible this far north I’ve found. Cherries run a close second to mangoes in my list of fave fruits.

These were not the familiar deep burgandy colour, but a vibrant vermillion red. Still tasted just as divine.

I’m still trying to figure out what all the trees are in our garden. I think the fruit I have been hesitantly nibbling on is from the Lily Pily tree. Does anyone know for sure?

The following flowers have the sunbirds wantonly throwing themselves at them.

Very pincushion like.

Chillies are my Gotta Have at dinner time lately. Unless your nose is running, you’re not enjoying your meal.

There is an odd man out there….I do love the long shadows cast in this early morning shot. Like long, pointy, witchey fingers reaching across the table.

One sure way to quench the fire in your mouth is the Raspberry Slushie. Two is better.

I saw 3 people in the creekbed in front of my house recently. What were they doing? What were they picking up and putting in buckets?

Seeds! All sorts of wonderful seeds for jewellery. Jennifer (far right), is an Indigineous Australian, whose family used to live in the area long before it was settled like it is today. Her husband Hugh is a potter, whose works, as well as Jennifer’s jewellery, can be seen at the Holloways Beach Sunday markets.  The lady on the left is Sue, who owns a wondrous house around the corner, covered in mosaics and mirrors.

These are the seeds and pods of the Sandlewood Tree. After collection, Hugh will clean, drill and varnish the beads for Jennifer to string into necklaces.

These are the two necklaces I bought. The one on the left uses sandlewood and Poinciana seeds (I have collected the pods of the Poinciana to use as pastel holding trays - a post for another day). The one on the right uses sandlewood seeds and Burny Beans, prized by children because if you rub the bean quickly on your clothes, it gets hot enough to hurt your victim!  Next time I see them I’ll ask them to make one with the burny beads drilled through their side, so that they face you like a coin.

Poinciana bloom on the banks of Deep Creek (Also known as a Christmas Tree).

Can hear the Man calling, there’s a tall flute of red(ish) bubbly waiting for me….

Cheers,

Artoholic Cindy

To see the original, click Canetoads in My Coffee