What's the beef? Aborigines were the first people in this country we whites encountered! So...?

Yes so...! Every child should be told the true history of Australia. What we did to the original owners of these lands...the nasty stuff and the good things. Sure it was a two-sided affair but does that mean we don't want the future generation members to know? Or does that mean that we don't want the presence of the Aboriginals certified in a revision of our Constitution?

Just because there are claims by some that there were people in Australia before the Aboriginals, the group of people we recognise as the original owners of this land, what has that to do with a non-recognition of them in our revised Constitution? Sorry I can't understand this blast of hot wind from the conservative side of politics. Go and look at some of the magnificent examples of Rock Art available to anyone in the north of Australia. I don't like to brag but these images were taken with my little Canon G10 in the most private of places...we had access only via a helicopter. And the locations are secret. Of course they are! The infrastructure needed to welcome tourists to these places so far does not exist. But it will happen as it has in other countries where tourism to sites such as these have proven to be great sources of income. It is recognised that we need protection of these areas not only from tourists but greedy commercial mining companies allowed to do what they like with the support of a money-driven government. So let us begin with a recognition of our long history in the revision of our Constitution and be inclusive of our original Aborigines.

 Sure there is a controversial position taken by some the GWION GWION figures otherwise known as Bradshaws differ from the representation of the Wandjinas...a different style implying that a group of painters existed before the presence of the Aboriginals.

However a Fact/check on The Conversation has shown that the issue in the Constitutional recognition debate is about recognising that there were people in Australia when Europeans arrived to colonise it.









If you were wondering these images were most often found on the underneath of rocky outcrops. A click on the images will enlarge the picture.
As far as my trusty Canon G10 camera goes it landed in crystal clear water after lunch one day and spent the night drying out in the engine room of our boat. However the outcome was not good. A claim on insurance resulted in a new camera.

Overseas negatives!

I should apologise to Dale. In a Post previously I misquoted Dale...'if you look like your passport photo you are too ill to travel' and I said...'if you like your passport photo you are not a traveller' or some such. Anyway both are great ideas. So for the next B/W shots I am in various parts of the world and definitely not fond of my passport photo. That is exactly why I am reticent to change my photo on Facebook...if I did keep it up to date I'd have to admit that my years have rushed by. I much prefer the invisibility bestowed upon me by the presiding culture...to be young is ALL! Oh I remember it welll!!

At peace in Venice. A picture much better in black and white even if it has won many prizes in colour.

Still in Venice of course.

        The Cathedral in Milano. Can you find the photographer in the photo on the right? To help a click on the image will enlarge the photo.


     
       

Again in Switzerland amazed at the sight of these ancient sights.

And making a living selling items in the highest mountains of the Andes Range yet friendly.

My driver enjoying himself on one of the islands on Lake Titikaka.

And again in Switzerland not in the least depending on the myth!

Remembering those fallen!

I decided to sneak in this column not because I want to interrupt the 'In The Negative' Blogs but because if I don't hurry the remembrance 100reds year of 1914 (2015) will be over. I apologise

Anzac Cove

The wall of Remembrance on which our friend above did just that... remembered and...wondered about the ages of the men lost...What would he have done?

for not commenting on this earlier but I was travelling overseas at the time. And I must say I agree with Dale Neall's statement in his Blog that 'if you like your passport photo you are too sick to travel'. I have never liked my passport photo so I am a genuine traveller even if the
photos I now bring you were taken some years ago on a tour led by Dale.

 And the tragedy experienced by the Turkish population did also not go unnoticed by the visiting tourists. Even if the last remaining man of that conflict remembered in a sculpture and having died since stands proud...a sign of the youth of the future looking up in appreciation of the efforts and sacrifices made.

It is way beyond time it appears to think of all those young souls lost. Young people's lives wasted too soon. This comes at a time when the weekend newspapers or was it in a magazine where I read that a consideration series of 'THE WESTERN FRONT... the only time Australia made an actual difference to a conflict' was about to be serialised in a 'HISTORY' format. And as far as I know we haven't as yet finished with Gallipoli. So here is my contribution.

In the Negative!

What a BLOW!

Mud bubbles make great images.

Still in the city of Rotorua as you might have imagined. In fact we are in the park surrounding many interesting sites...much attention being given to the Maori history. 

This Blog entry was going to be only about in the black and white world of New Zealand as I saw it when we visited not long ago. Then I came across some other B/W shots which reminded me of one judge's comments 'the problem is that most pictures presented for judging are not black/white but grey.' Really? Well, this again, is purely subjective. I still love looking to see if black/white actually enhances the image and at most times it does. In fact I know of one professional photographer in Tasmania who introduces all his images to Lightroom as black/white images and then decides whether they are good enough or should be converted to colour. See what you think. I'll start with my NZ experience.

  We soon succumbed to the tourist trick and found ourselves stuck in the sand facing the incoming tide. But what greater opportunities for taking photographs, pointing the camera down rather than horizontally, made a fascinating change. These tourists also look good in their colourful outfits but then I saw the birds nesting so why not make everyone black/white?




Then I found this classic shot of a young man fascinated by the falling drops of water...perhaps he didn't feel them through his back to front cap. Whichever...I had to work quickly! I believe these images will enlarge if you click on them.

Here we found ourselves in Arequipa in Peru.

And we were lucky enough to be in Lucerne Switzerland to capture this stone carving of a lion.

And back in Zurich it was Carnival day. This leader of the POST decided he would pose for me when he found out that we were from Australia.




So what do you think? I love black and whites even if they might look a bit grey.

Nature's colours and Patterns!

No I'm not in Australia but that doesn't mean that Australia is colourless. Of course it is not it is just the present government...relax...relax this is not about politics. In fact for some people these photos would qualify for the Blog known as The Most Boring Photographs...not mine of course but I do know of its existence.
No these pictures are just so amazing in their colourful makeup and what's more the creation of Nature's patterns that I can't help but look at them. We must go there again some time. Yes, the North Island of New Zealand was where I took the photos...not far from Rotorua... a wonderful place and not always stinky!!!

 
Hot stuff and smelly? Not always and even children of all ages love it.

 Don't forget to click on the photo to enlarge.












These two birds didn't find it too hot for their morning wash.

And these two photos I took one early morning in the garden of our B/B. Colourful? You bet!!