After getting asked by two people if I was still taking photos, I figured it was a sign I should get my camera out and actually use it. There are bigger versions in my deviant art folio.
So, without further ado – pic spam post!!
What you missed this afternoon
The Jayco Bay Cycling Classic in Williamstown.
It was my first taste of professional level cycling and it was amazing. I’ve decided the hum of carbon tyres on the road is one of my favourite sounds in the world. I had my camera with me so here’s a few shots I thought were quite good.
Robbie McEwen was one of the many big names at the race but he’s the only one I got a photo of.
Christchurch, New Zealand
Spent the day in Christchurch today with Mel while Kim and Andrew went paragliding – too expensive for me! All we really did was wander around and I finally took a bunch of photos with my DSLR.
So, on with the more “artistic” photos!
One of the many water fountains in Christchurch. This one looked like dandelions, which I thought was rather pretty.
In the Anglican cathedral is a life-sized memorial of the first bishop, Henry Harper.
This was inscribed above the entry to Christchurch’s museum.
Nice to see some colour again. A flower bed in Christchurch’s botanic garden.
A magnolia blossom.
Quack!!
A view of the city from the observation deck at the top of the gondala ride. It was quite hazy today so the photo isn’t the best.
I can now say I’ve driven a car in a foreign country. It was my turn to drive and I have to say our hire car has the turning circle of a tank. Actually, I think some tanks can turn quite well so that could be a misleading statement. It’s a biggish car with a tiny little engine so it’s not the best drive. Which actually makes me sad because the highway from Christchurch to Methven has some wonderful twisty bits that would be so much fun in the right car. A Ford Mondeo is not it.
That’s all folks
So, this is it. The last few photos from my trip. There are no more after this. I’ve been through all of them and have found the ones I thought were good enough to be made public. There are many that will never see the light of day and that’s a good thing – trust me.
I swear this is going to be my avatar on the forum at some point. Tim channelling his inner “blue steel”.
I had some time on my last morning in Seattle to sit on the window sill in my hotel room and take few photos. It seemed like a great way to spend fifteen minutes before I gathered up the last of my belongings and left the hotel to head to the airport.
One of the waterfalls in Freeway Park.
One of the views from out my hotel window.
The American flag on top of a building directly across from me. It was rolling in the breeze and it looked like it was moving in slow motion. Quite lovely and almost hypnotic in its motion.
I’m sure there are things I meant to write about but didn’t. It feels very strange to think I’ve been back for a week already. Sometimes it feels like it didn’t really happen and that I made it all up. But I was really there. I did see all these things and hang out with some of my favourite people in the world.
I have to keep telling myself it was real, it did happen, I was in America and I had a brilliant time. I’ll be back next year 😀
Some photos from Saturday
The splash page from Superman/Batman that I bought. The print you can see on the left is the one I got.
Dustin Nguyen working on my Batman head sketch
Tim working on the first Claire ink wash of the day.
Riley Rossmo doing his thing.
A very intensely focused Adam Hughes. The piece was a character I didn’t recognise.
A shot of Barry Kitson taken when I was sitting on the floor.
Adam Hughes with Jared’s “The Dude” commission.
And finally…
The Bat Family. I’m assuming it’s Batwoman and not Batgirl because Barb Gordon had a cowl head piece like Batman’s (which always made me wonder exactly how you could see her hair) and Cassandra Cain wears a mask that covers her whole face. But I could be wrong. Maybe it’s a TV version of Batgirl (because we don’t speak of that movie).
Fan-girl moments
Two in particular.
The front gates for Pixar, a place I would absolutely love to work at…
The absolutely gorgeous Jewel Strait. She was so nice to me. I kept constantly apologising for disturbing her and she kept saying it was okay. Total fan-girl moment.
Oakland, California
Wednesday was a relaxing day. I didn’t get up until 11am and even then I ended up jumping into Steve’s bed and watching episodes of the West Wing with him because it was so cold in the house. A slow, leisurely start to the day.
Steve had class so I tagged along, mostly to use CCA’s internet access (which I’m doing again right now).
It seems like it should’ve been such a boring day but I spent the afternoon is the animation students’ lounge, listening to my ipod and working on blog entries. I could also hear the people in the room talking. I’m standing by the point of I don’t have an accent, everyone else does! I do wonder what they think of me – this quiet Australian girl who’s suddenly landed in their space. Being on the campus is kinda cool. It feels remarkably familiar and the place looks just like an uni campus you’d visit in Australia (except of course RMIT because it’s in the city). I might not have studied for a while now but it all sounds so familiar and I’d be lying if part of me didn’t miss being in an educational environment where I’m learning rather than doing a job.
Plus these people are doing the coolest possible course (animation) at one of the coolest universities (California College of the Arts) in the world. How could anyone not want to join in? Not that I have anything to contribute…
Anyhoo… seeing yesterday was a chill-out day, I don’t have any touristy photos to put up. However, I did take two photos yesterday…
I showed it to Steve and his response was puzzled. As weird as this’ll sound, that’s actually what I’m going for. Just because you can’t immediately identify something doesn’t mean it’s not a decent photo. I think the way the light was falling on the leaves was amazing and I really wanted the solid black background. I like the idea of the leaves having no context.
Lisa is here now and we’re off to adventure in San Francisco 🙂
Got a reason to smile
Some kind person bought a framed print of man of steel today. It’s my first framed print sale and I’m still in shock. I thought I’d never sell one.
The sale has come at an odd time too. I was thinking about getting rid of my redbubble profile. I’d recently received a breach notice/warning from the bubble about that very photo and I have to admit it really put me off the bubble. I seem to be going through an extended creative lull at the moment. I have very little inclination to do anything. It’s been a few weeks since I picked up my camera. I am unsure about if I even want to keep taking photos. I’m don’t feel like I’m improving or that I’m taking anything that’s particularly interesting.
But it feels really good to have sold something 🙂
Today’s wanderings provided me with…
Silence is golden | Reflection | Into the blue
Today was such a beautiful day I decided it would be a waste to spend it inside. So out I went with my trusty beloved camera and took some shots. Took me a while to get my eye in and I seemed to be mostly attracted to shapes which didn’t really work as photos but perhaps I can use them as textures for other things. Still, I did get three photos I was happy with so I think that’s a pretty good result.
I’m really digging Reflection. Docklands isn’t my favourite place in Melbourne but who ever designed the car parks came up with some fantastic concepts.
I’m trying to get my creative mojo back. Things have been a bit tough for me recently and taking photos/being creative always makes me feel better because I feel like I’ve achieved something. I haven’t been getting a lot of comments on my photos recently but I’m getting a steady amount of views which is nice. Besides, my photography is only going to improve if I keep plugging away at it. It was very bad of me to put my camera down and not pick it up for months.
All that remains
All that remains #1
All that remains #2
All that remains #3
Found this collection of bones abandoned in the gutter whilst walking home from my friends’ place. The bones were wired together which suggests that until recently they belonged to someone. I’m pleased with how they came out. I think the depth of field is really good, especially on the first one.
Bones aren’t something I’d normally photograph but the way these ones were arranged and the fact they’d been abandoned by someone made them cry out to photographed.