Allambee Beek Falls Circuit

Not having an off-road 4×4 vehicle to smash through BF Goodrich shaped mud-holes television advertisement style, meant I had to begin the Allambee Beek Falls circuit walk on the corner of Curtis Track and Benwerrin-Mt Sabine Rd. I worked my way through the mud-holes along the Curtis Track until I found the pink ribbons marking the entry point into the dank Otway undergrowth with a false forest floor of fallen mountain ash bark, clammy head-high spider webs that are easily torn with a outwardly held forearm and abrasive fern fronds that have the potential to rip skin from elbow joints. On this circuit I stumbled upon two tiger snakes; one was coiled on the centre of the trail (easy to spot but as soon as I took my eyes off it, it silently disappeared), the other was suspended in the grass across the trail (not so easy to spot with the banding of its skin).

I first reached Staircase Falls which had a large tree extending back up over the waterfall from a log jam at its base adding an altered sense of scale to the scene. After a couple of slippery creek crossings I then reached Allambee Beek Falls, taking a photograph away from the plunge pool at its base for context. On the banal return ascent along Curtis Track I was rewarded with some Jesus Beams. Amen to that…

Cape Otway Prints

As a housewarming gift for my parents’ beach house, I made a series of (what I consider to be luscious) black and white photographic prints of nearby scenes to adorn their walls. Clockwise from top left: Oren/Mousetrap Falls, Macuahuitl of Shelf Fungi, Apollo Bay Craypots, Hordern Vale Hay, Port Campbell Cliffs and Mt Sabine Bower.

All negatives were produced with my medium format Pentax 67 camera and diffusion enlarged using a Rodenstock Rodagon 80 mm lens to a 12″ x 16″ print on Ilford multigrade IV fiber FB paper. The prints aren’t perfect but I figure they can always be updated if I continue to practice and develop my skills.

The negative is similar to a musician’s score, and the print to the performance of that score. The negative comes to life only when “performed” as a print. Ansel Adams – The Print

Tokyo Drift

There’s no right or wrong in drifting. How you drift is who you are. It’s like fingerprints – everyone’s different. Fast, slow, smooth, rough; it doesn’t matter. Neela from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

Neela knows the score. Her philosophical meanderings are up there with some of the other fine visionaries of the drift scene including Han and Twinkie. She’s definitely not one for boarding women-only passenger cars to shy away from lewd chikan activities. Neela realises that rubbing, rolling and sharing the love with the masses in Tokyo is a central feature of the local culture. It is a place where even the women carry guns in their pockets (which are often realised to be collapsed umbrellas). You can’t turn to ease your paranoia because space is so very limited. Resistance is futile. You just have to drift. And drift you must in style.

Mildura For A Psyche 75th

During a short weekend trip up to Mildura to visit my grandfather for his 75th birthday I took an afternoon off to poke around a few locations along the Murray River for some photography. Despite being seriously afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease, my grandfather was able to warn don’t head out to Psyche Bend or you’ll be needing me to pull you out of the mud. I struggled to compose a scenic shot of the river inclusive of the river red gums that line its banks, so of course I ended up at Psyche Bend up to my tripod’s base plate in mud. I also managed some shots of the roadside fruit vendors and the restored lift-span bridge at the marina during the crisp afternoon.

Enlargers Sourced

Using some old doors, I’ve managed to setup the two enlargers I sourced from ebay in the garage. Pictured is an Ilfospeed multigrade 400HL diffusion enlarger and an Omega D2 variable condenser enlarger. Fortunately for me, the enlargers came with a number of lenses which can be used for both my 35 mm and medium format black and white negatives, including:

• Nikon EL-Nikkor 50mm f/2.8
• Nikon EL-Nikkor 75mm f/4
• Nikon EL-Nikkor 80mm f/5.6
• Rodenstock Rodagon 80mm f/5.6
• Schneider Kreuznach Componon-S 135mm f/5.6
• Schneider Kreuznach Comparon 150mm f/5.6

It shouldn’t be too much longer before I have my first prints up on the wall…