Another 12 months passes by - the tradition continues.
Happy New Year to all from Canberra now.
Looking forward to 2011.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Mt Kosciuszko Summit (Wed 29 Dec 2010)
Another 12 months passes by - the tradition continues.
Happy New Year to all from Canberra now.
Looking forward to 2011.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Poster - Watkin Street / Newtown Hotel (Thu 16 Dec 2010)
A ripped A4 Poster pasted to the side wall of the recently reopened Newtown Hotel.
I like this a lot for some reason. The sweeping wave-like hill and it's detailed surface (with figures and all), the weeping willow, and the warrior with his sword and fancy boots to match the curvature of the hill. Seems to have some Chinese influence, but it would appear to be of European heritage.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Gerald the Dog - A Clean Slate - SLUG - Buckland Lane / Newtown (Thu 16 Dec 2010)
Lurking ominously just a few roller doors up the street is this sign ..
Book - 10 Years of In-Public (Street Photography)
Bought a copy of this Book for myself for my recent birthday. The Book was wrapped in plastic and for some reason it took me about three weeks to get around to opening it.
The book is published by In-Public founder, Nick Turpin from his publishing company, Nick Turpin Publishing.
To celebrate 10 years of In-Public, Nick asked its 20 members to select 10 photographs from their portfolio's and to write a page on what Street Photography means to them.
An amazing book, not only because of the photographer's photos, but more importantly their words. Some fantastic insights into the minds of some great photographers.
Nick starts the book with the following title page and photo. The location of the photo I recognised instantly, even though it is half a world a way. This motivated me to write about my photo (see below) recently.
Winning by Design, not by Chance - Vernon Gambetta (Wed 22 Dec 2010)
Winners are winners because they choose a path less traveled. It is not a path of comfort and complacency. The challenge to all of us is make the choice to pursue the journey to excellence. It is a journey that never ends. Enjoy the journey, it is journey filled with adventure and surprises.
From Winning by Design, not by Chance by Vern Gambetta (Wed 22 Dec 2010).
I liked the bit about the Journey.
First post from my iPhone while waiting at the Airport to Board my Flight.
From Winning by Design, not by Chance by Vern Gambetta (Wed 22 Dec 2010).
I liked the bit about the Journey.
First post from my iPhone while waiting at the Airport to Board my Flight.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Gerald the Dog - SLUG - Regent Street / Chippendale (Sun 28 Nov 2010)
Our favourite, though seriously led astray, pooch, is transforming before our eyes.
Exemple Technique Bateau Dragon H2oplayground 2010 (15 Dec 2010)
Montreal Based Indoor Training Center. Shows the technique that Kamini talked about back in June 2010. This is a great video as it allows us to see how the legs and buttocks move during the stroke. There is a lot going on. For us who paddle outside foot forward, the outside leg drive becomes an inside hip drive when both legs are forward. The final variation is to have just the inside foot forward.
Takapuna Beach Cup 42k Changes Race (Vimeo Video)
New Zealand's Premiere Outrigger changes race, held at beautiful Takapuna Beach Auckland. A host of Local and international warriors battle it out for line honors and personal fulfillment in this fabulous International Event.
Just signed up to do the 2011 Takapuna Beach Cup 42km Changes Race (see map) on Sat 26 Feb 2011. Flying trip as I need to be back in Sydney for afternoon Dragon Boat Training on Sun 28 Feb 2011.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Team Hawaii training for 2010 Havaiki Nui Vaa (Vimeo Video)
Team Hawaii's Kai Bartlett, Patrick Dolan, Mael Carey and Mike Judd (All Pictured) training off the Kona Coast before the Havaiki Nui Vaa Race.
Found this on ocpaddler.com under the Team Hawaii discussion started by Ryan Dolan.
Rambo provides some very useful information about using the GoPro Camera. Definitely worth bookmarking and remembering for another day.
RPM 35 - Track 4 - You're All I Have by Snow Patrol
RPM 35 (Q207)
1 Mas Que Nada feat.The Black Eyed Peas Sergio Mendes
2 Only One Too (Lenny B Club Mix) Jewel
3 Riding on the Wings (Motiv8 Airplay Extended Mix) Motiv8
4 You're All I Have Snow Patrol
5 Paradise City Guns N' Roses
6 Sunchyme Dario G
7 Rhythm Is a Dancer 2004 (CJ Stone Club Remix) Snap!
8 Crazy Gnarls Barkley
9 Waiting on the World to Change
RPM 35 - Track 6 - Sunchyme by Dario G
RPM 35 (Q207)
1 Mas Que Nada feat.The Black Eyed Peas Sergio Mendes
2 Only One Too (Lenny B Club Mix) Jewel
3 Riding on the Wings (Motiv8 Airplay Extended Mix) Motiv8
4 You're All I Have Snow Patrol
5 Paradise City Guns N' Roses
6 Sunchyme Dario G
7 Rhythm Is a Dancer 2004 (CJ Stone Club Remix) Snap!
8 Crazy Gnarls Barkley
9 Waiting on the World to Change
Sunday, December 19, 2010
RPM 35 - Track 3 - Riding on the Wings of an Angel (Motiv8)
RPM 35 was my first RPM Release. This is Track 3 - a hill track from that release. This is not the actual song/mix used for the RPM 35 Release (they never are, as extended mixes are used instead of the originals). In 2008 there were a few more youtube video's available of various mixes of this song. I really enjoy the variations one can find for various songs. Shows a lot of creativity. Will try to find them and put them up here. Actually just found my favourite now (see below). Love the animation, I can feel the motion in this video. Also the song has a bit more intensity in the mix.
Uploaded by DJ-Chris.
RPM 35 (Q207)
1 Mas Que Nada feat.The Black Eyed Peas Sergio Mendes
2 Only One Too (Lenny B Club Mix) Jewel
3 Riding on the Wings (Motiv8 Airplay Extended Mix) Motiv8
4 You're All I Have Snow Patrol
5 Paradise City Guns N' Roses
6 Sunchyme Dario G
7 Rhythm Is a Dancer 2004 (CJ Stone Club Remix) Snap!
8 Crazy Gnarls Barkley
9 Waiting on the World to Change
RPM 39 - SCOOTER - Hello (Good To Be Back)
Was a bonus track on RPM 39. Love the workout you get with RPM and this was one of my favourite workout tracks. Hopefully will be able to get back into it a bit more RPM in the New Year.
Dragon Boat - Technique Video (Sun 12 Dec 2010)
Friday, December 17, 2010
Geoff Dyer on Trent Parke (2010) - American Suburb X - (Fri 17 Dec 2010)
I have a Google Alert for Trent Parke, an Australian Photographer who is a member of Magnum and in-public (who BTW have just celebrated their 10th birthday).
Most days I will get one or two alerts come through on my Google Reader. Normally, they don't lead to anything interesting or something I don't already know about him. However, I received an alert that quickly drew my attention. It was titled:
Geoff Dyer on Trent Parke (2010).
As Andrew Bruce posted today on Trent's Facebook Wall:
easily the best piece of writing on Parke to date
Have to agree and it is definitely worth a read.
A bit of a ramble to follow. I have known of Geoff Dyer for sometime. At least since around the time of the publication of his book, the The Ongoing Moment (Guardian Review - 16 Oct 2005). A novel and rather modest approach to writing about photography - he claims that he does not even own a camera:
"I am not a photographer ... I don't even own a camera."
I enjoyed the book and appreciated his knowledge of photography. In particular I enjoyed his writing style and the metaphors he used to get his ideas across - you will see this in his article on Trent.
[on writing about the book, The Seventh Wave] The surface of the sea is a film separating two worlds, that of water and that of air. Though absolute the distinction is perpetually on the brink of dissolving, melting away. People fly through the water as if suspended in a turbulent sky, or float through great clouds of aquatic light. That’s what water is for Parke and Autio – liquid light. Forms dissolve, blur, swim into and out of focus. Quick and silver, the water is a flash-flood of mercury.
On to Trent Parke. I have followed his progress since he was photographer with the Sydney Morning Herald back in the early 2000's. He had two photos in the first Sydney Looking Forward Exhibtion back in 2002. I wrote about one of the photos here. Indeed the post is one of the more popular pages residing in my little blog.
In 2003 I bought two copies of the two books he had published at that stage:
Both books appear to be long out of print, by the looks of the Amazon Used Books prices.
Looks like I have done alright with these purchases (they were about $50 each from the Stills Gallery). I could not help myself other than to buy two copies of each. They were just beautiful. I have a soft/weak spot for photography books. I can remember catching the train after work, upto Kings Cross and then walking into Paddington to the Stills Gallery. I took quite a few photos with my litte IXUS. Must drag them out of the archive to find out the exact date of purchase of the books. A job for another day.
I will close with a quote from Geoff Dyer's article on Trent:
Later works will continue but intensify the Dream/Life vision so that, at its most extreme, Sydney becomes a kind of ghost city, in the process of being annihilated by light. A passer-by will be transformed into an accidental super-hero: Solar-man, a bleached absence of pure radiance! (Part of the fascination of this picture is of the photographer-as-magician kind: how did he do that? The difference between magic and photography is that the spell remains unbroken even when the technical explanation - which, in any case, I cannot recall - is forthcoming. [GeoffE: maybe some discussion here will help: How is this done? (Trent Parke) at photo.net - 31 Mar 2004)]
An article by the Sydney Morning Herald's Tim Clayton giving some background to the working environment that Trent Parke evolved.
DO AS THOU WILT - Erskineville Road / Newtown (Thu 16 Dec 2010)
Hard to notice, but found in a door to an old building.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Gerald the Dog - Longdown Street / Newtown (Thu 16 Dec 2010)
Up early this morning and had a wander around Newtown with my Camera. Walked down this street in the opposite direction to which I walked along it a few weeks ago. This just jumped out at me. Had a nice conversation with the fellow in the right side of the photo. He thought I was from the Council. Said to him that I just liked photographing some of the more creative pieces of graffiti you can find around the place once you start looking past the tags. Some of it hits you in the face, but there are some more subtle things going on .. more later.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Manny Vincent on Outrigger Canoe Technique - bapuiii (05 Nov 2010)
Had a few Outrigger Canoe Technique Videos here lately - Kamini Jain and Johnny and Danny Ching. Everyone has their own way and I think they are all trying to get the same kind of message across. Learn and enjoy.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
OC1 Downwind Run - Patrick Dolan (Sun 12 Dec 2010)
Patrick Dolan OC1 Downwind Run from Dolan Bros. on Vimeo. (at ocpaddler)
Extended Downhill GoPro Footage of Patrick Nolan.
Definitely worth the wait to see all the action starting just before half way into the video. Great top view of the nose of the OC1, with glimpses of Partick's arms to see the rate changes and where the effort is being put in. The arma is kept very light at all times - you can see it popping every stroke, particularly when paddling on the right. Also flys the arma when on a wave.
Planning to get into some OC1 paddling in the new year. Need to get some more Ocean experience. Will have to get myself one of those GoPro Cameras. Will look around to see how paddlers set these up on their canoes (google - specifically).
Outrigger Surfing The Currumbim Alley by peterando06 (Sat 11 Dec 2010)
Looks like a lot of fun in an OC3 with only 3 paddlers. Great way to get some steering skills in the surf. Definitely a skill best acquired by actually doing it. For the paddlers, definitely will give you confidence in unstable conditions as well as the opportunity to feel the boat and how it responds in the swell, when to lift (rating and power) and when to back off and change sides and wait for the next one, etc. Seat 1 is wearing a 2007 Short Sleeve USA National Dragon Boat top.
Best piece of ocean steering/paddling advice I ever got was from Billy. It goes something like this:
"remember that what has just passed you and is now in front of you, is also just behind you"
Will be up that way next week for Christmas. Always go to Currumbim Beach and Headland. Will keep my eye out for an OC3.
Monday, December 13, 2010
V1 Surf by Tim Lara - Youtube (03 Nov 2010)
flickr photo sets by baddogwhiskas
Lots of Sydney based graffiti photographs on flickr by baddogwhiskas. Includes sets on SLUG and Syke.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Mugging For The Cameras by CabGodot (01 Dec 2010)
Third of the new format for the roundup of all Sydney Street Art.
Voiceover recorded in the cab on a wet night, with musical backing “Heavy Heavy Heavy” by Ronaldo Pino and “Crosstown Traffic” by Jimi Hendrix.
This one features a look through the Balgowlah Boneyard, which is the Burnt Bridge Creek...
Rain Stops Play by CabGodot (21 Nov 2010)
for the Wallup website of all the Sydney street art, found by a Sydney Cabbie, here.
2nd Video from CabGodot. Reveals the true identity of his female french passenger in his first video.
For The Love Of The Game by CabGodot (9 Nov 2010)
A fantastic video from a Sydney Cab Driver (CabGodot) where he takes a French passenger on 13 min cab ride across town. Along the way they have a great conversation about Graffiti in Sydney, Paris and the world. CabGodot leaves his passenger with the following:
Have as much fun as they let you, and then some more, because that way you are getting away with something. It's what Graffiti is all about. It's about getting away with stuff."
Thursday, December 9, 2010
London Bridge - London (Sun 28 Aug 2005)
Had reason recently to remember the above photo, which I took on the Southern Side of London Bridge back in 2005. Will post about the reason when I get time.
An easy photo for me to remember as I have always liked it. For a travel photo it has the obvious landmark signs, but I appreciated it because it is a good exampe of street photography and I was happy that I had seen it and acted to take the photograph quickly.
I was drawn to the lady sitting on the step on the right and the shadow of the "dragon" on the wall to the left. These two elements seemed to work together to tell an interesting visual story, if you let The Minds Eye wander a little. The blue of the Ladies Shirt as well as the blue in the top of the two left windows also worked together nicely (something I have tagged as Colour Photo Theme).
I would later find out from Eileen, that the Dragon represents one of the boundaries of the Square Mile, or the City of London and is there to protect the City, along with the others located around the City perimeter.
A bit of googling gives some useful information about the history of the Dragons (particularly the comment of lang rabbie dated 14-08-2005, 10:02).
Training Diary Update - Drew Ginn (Sun 05 Dec 2010)
Fantastic insights into a champion making a comeback.
The best part about our sport - Adam van Koeverden (Tue 24 Aug 2010)
2nd: Peter Gelle (SVK) 1:38.961
3rd: Adam van Koeverden (CAN) 1:39
K1 500m - 2010 ICF World Championships - Poznan/Poland - (Sun 22 Aug 2010)
Following on from Anders Gustafsson great video of the K1 500m Final, Adam van Koeverden (who placed 3rd) wrote the following post race report on Tue 24 Aug 2010:
The best part about our sport, from my seat at least, is the camaraderie. Pictured above in the foregound is my great friend Anders Gustafsson moments after he became Weltmeister in the K1 500m, I finished 3rd about 0.5seconds back. I'm smiling not because I snagged a medal, I'm smilling because after 12 years on the international kayak scene, Anders gets to say he is the best in the world, and I'm proud of him. I didn't have my best races this past week (though the 500m final was really good) yet I walk away from the event satisfied in a sense beyond the scope of my own accomplishments and missteps.
[..]
Anders showed us all how to finish a 500, and Kenny Wallace taught the 5k field a thing or two on the long distance course... It's a privilege to just be on the water with guys like these.
Their kindness, grace and sportsmanship shone when I got off the water feeling like crap after failing to qualify for the 1000m final. It was remarkable how a few words of kindness, a few genuine handshakes and hugs, and a couple reminders that it happens to the best of us from guys who have been there and know what it's like helped me bounce back a bit.
We sit in these skinny boats all by ourselves in a selfish pursuit of glory and triumph, but we're all cut from the same cloth, united in our quest for perfect strokes, fast times and the chance to hear our National Anthems on the loudspeaker.
Congratulations all, and thanks for the inspiration! See you on the water...
Adam, thanks for these great words from a true champion. They are inspirational for anyone who reads them.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Catch - Johnny Puakea and Danny Ching OC Clinic (16 May 2008)
John: What I look for is a forward angle on the catch. 99% of people are going to reach and look exactly like this (Danny on ERG in perfect setup) before they take a stroke. But what they are going to do is come 8, 9 or 10 inches before they hit the water. And another 2 or 3 inches before they sink the blade.
So the idea is to set that blade we you reach it.
I hear all the time that "I hit the front iako" in the canoe. Well if you are hitting the front iako, but your putting in the paddle a foot back. So why not just put the paddle in there?
The idea is to reach the paddle to the point you are going to put in. If you can only put the full blade in at this point. Then start there. Don't reach out here and then come back 5, 6 or 7 inches before you set the blade. It's a wasted motion. If you can get in here at this angle, then eventually over time as you get more comfortable then you start moving a half inch further forward, and then move another half inch farther forward.
So forward angle on the catch is the first thing I look for.
I look for a triangle. The bottom of the blade is here is one point. Your top hand is the second point and the back of your hip is your third.
So if you body has this triangle motion and you set the blade there and then you start to use your larger efficient muscles (???).
I will let Danny do some talking as he is good at this.
Danny: As Johny said, the biggest thing is to get your blade to set in the water. It doesn't count if the tip just touches the water and it does not count if it is up in the air. The entire blade has to be set.
Johnny actually showed me a drill that is really hard to do but is surprisingly sounds really easy. You literally just set up, set you blade in the water at forward angle, don't pull and then take it out. Amazing how many people setup in the air start back to pull and it surprisingly simple. All you do is set up the blade and you just set blade in the water, take it out, set it again. This kind of gets you use to knowing where your catch is.
Some people have really long arms that are great for putting the paddle up here. Some people have little short arms. It's kind whatever you can reach comfortably because if you get this point (over extended). You can't pull from here, You can't be really efficient from here. You need to find that extension where you have a forward angle and you setting the whole blade in the under water (at a positive angle).
99% of paddlers get here, start there stroke and it is buried here and this is where the stroke starts (short).
You have a great picture of you and the paddle in the air and this great reach and everything is perfect. But you are not starting your stroke until here. (short)
Johnny: That's why every likes pictures of them paddling in the air, because it looks great. And you get a six man team and everyone looks awesome and then a lot of times with the video you go stroke by stroke.
If you can get someone to take a video of you and you think about that forward angle on the catch and where you are setting your catch. If you go frame by frame, you see each frame as go come back farther and farther until the blade gets in the water.
A lot of times, by the time you set that blade in, a lot of people have this angle (negative) on the shaft.
You have lost your whole load at the front. The reason you are paddling up front is that you are using leverage instead of muscle and that is how I kind of look at it.
[By example] If you are reaching out really far and setting it in, you are using lats, legs, stomach and core muscles. You know if you are in here and bending your arm, and this is where it feels heavy (during the pull). A lot people think I am doing a lot of work, I am really strong and this is working out. Well that's not it. The reason is that it feels heavy is that you no longer have leverage. Out here feels (extended) easy because you ahve leverage. It should feel like you are out in front and you have set the blade and you literally grab onto mud or concrete.
OK I always say, that if a door is closed shut and it is nailed closed. What you are going to do is put your foot one the wall and you ging to have your arm out and you are going to pull on it this way (at 4:25 sec mark - effectively shows leg drive also).
It's the same thing when you are paddling. You are never going to go up to that door and go half way up to it, and give it good yank, because there is no leverage.
Any questions? That is just the first part.
Danny: You will know when you get out and set the blade on forward angle, because it feels heavier and it is actually harder. Once you get going, that's going to help you out just to keep your speed. (???)
When you get out here. Once you set the blade, it feels a lot heavier, then if you are going to pull back and set here (short).
Johnny: That's where the one man technique comes in so handy in canoe paddling. A lot people just paddle 6 mans and not one mans (??). If you have your own boat, you can get out there and see where you are putting the paddle in. No timing to keep up with, nobody is racing you, you are not in the competiiton mode. You just sit there relax and go. OK:
- can I put that paddle in up front?
- Did I have a forward angle?
- Did I set the whole blade?
Reflection - Crown Street / Surry Hills (Mon 06 Dec 2010)
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Gerald the Dog - Yellow - SLUG - Buckland Lane / Newtown (Thu 02 Dec 2010)
A lot of changes since Sat 20 Nov 2010. Not much remains. Our poor pooch, Gerald the Dog, has been virtually rubbed out. The end is near. His little friend to the right has acquired some eyes (similar to Gerald's), a nose and a mouth. Not sure what the Bulletin Board text is about. There is some more text in blue that merges with the blue background. Pretty sure I know what the first word is - can't make out the rest.
Gerald the Dog - Blue - Slug - Erskineville Road / Erskineville (Thu 02 Dec 2010)
Our pooches transformation is virtually complete. The shape of the top of his head and ears have changed and the colour of his skin has transformed from Yellow to Blue.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Gerald the Dog - Out of Paint - Slug - Soudan Lane / Newtown (Sun 21 Nov 2010)
Gives an idea of how SLUG works. For most artists, a portrait always starts with the eyes. The hands are also another important feature for an artist (at least this is what I have observed from watching Star Portraits). We see both here before SLUG runs out of paint. We can also the result of small fire that has melted the paint on the wall.
Gerald the Dog - Yellow - SLUG - Buckland Lane / Newtown (Sat 20 Nov 2010)
A recent photo before the Gerald the Dog (with Yellow Skin) finally disappears. Quite a few additions to the piece with the introduction (to me at least) of new character. The new character can be seen near the top center of the recently featured, SLUG PASTE UPS poster.
The above piece has been there since at least Feb 2010. In that time there have been a few additions. I will put up an early photo when I have time to find one.
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