GX GARNERINGS

Some shots of the famous Sydney Harbour.  The texture and formation of the clouds add drama to the images.  

Back to Sydney city, I have walked around town for some street shots. The first image today is my favourite at the end of the day. The youngsters are so full of life that they make the city lively and energetic. You may note that the shot was taken when the bus passed by behind them, effectively blocking out the distracting patches of colours of shops in the background. The kissing pair in the space balances the group on the left and stands out to give the focus to the image. The other two images are taken for different points of interest: the composition; and the beautiful face/ hair of the subject herself.

This cape to the south of Sydney is a popular site to spot humpbacks.   One has to spend a reasonable amount of time at the right hours to see them.  But the unimpeded view to the ocean alone was breath-taking. This is what the information I've got says, "The changing seasons drive the migration of all whales.  Humpbacks have a wide geographic range and are found in all the world's oceans.  During summer months, populations in the southern hemisphere spend their time in Antarctica feeding until last autumn, when they follow an annual migratory route to their winter breeding and calving grounds in the warmer tropical waters of the Pacific.  They return south in spring.  Southern right whales are similar in that they feed in Antarctica in the summer and then migrate north to Australia to breed and give birth. "Migration, in terms of energy consumed is a huge commitment by whales, and humpbacks hold the record of having the longest migr...

  This is where Captain James Cook first landed on Australia to claim the territory for the British Empire.  There is a visitors' centre up the slope from this landing point in which a standing exhibition tells the friendly attitude of James Cook on his landing towards the Aboriginals.  I doubted it a lot.  My suspicion was confirmed by a record of the testimony of a British sailor kept in the centre who had befriended one of the indigenous people telling him how the armed British shot them.

Hacking River runs in the Royal National Park of Sydney.  It is the second oldest national park in the world, the Yosemite National Park in the US being the oldest.  A brief train ride from the city to Carringbah and self-arranged transport therefrom took me there to enjoy a relaxing afternoon.

A brief flight with the budget airline took me over to Sydney, a city of which one third of the population comprises immigrants from different countries. First few shots were for the Opera House, the pilgrimage destination of the troops of visitors, taken on the Sydney Harbour Bridge over the equally famous harbour. The CBD of the city is more like home in Hong Kong with common sights of Asians, mostly Chinese, and bustling traffic jamming the narrow passages between crowded buildings.  Fact is, the city has evidently been taken over by Asians.  It is more easy to find Asian restaurants than English pubs.   It rained in the evening and the cameras are waiting to flex muscles for more shots tomorrow.

I have not been quite in touch with the launches of new cameras but learnt that Ricoh announces the CX4.  Just before I left Hong Kong, I tested the GXR P10 alongside the CX3, which I have yet to write my impression to post here.  There are some new features in the CX4 to maximise the fun of photography.  Good move!  But it is a shame that Ricoh has not added in the manual mode which will certainly boost the usability of those new features as well as the old ones, especially when the longer focal length is in use on account of the safe shutter speed, for one thing.  Next time maybe. The shame is the same for me not having the time to really travel around Tasi.  Next time maybe. Apart from my gripe about not being able to do many street shots with human activities, I like Tasi a lot for its atmosphere resembling that of a quite fishing village or an exotic Mediterranean isle.   Tasi is a great place for photographing the nature in especial ...