In the dark night
The world looks similar
But different;
I walk on
I took these photos along the Belmont lakefront last night. It was a lovely clear night and I thought it was a good chance to see how my new camera performed at night as well as to stretch my legs.
I used to do quite a bit of night photography in Sydney but it’s not something I’ve done as much of lately. I’ll have to do more of it. Night shots can look quite unique, particularly street photography, and I like how it can give a new perspective to subjects you’ve photographed before as well.
Seventeen years ~ Feels like a lifetime, And yesterday ~ We remember
In some ways it’s hard to believe that it’s been seventeen years since September 11. It seems like an age ago – it was more than half my lifetime ago now, in fact. The world has changed so much.
And yet in other ways it barely feels like much time has passed at all. I still remember seeing it so clearly on television; watching the second plane crash, the towers fall. The horror, the shock, the disbelief.
Perhaps that is the way of historic moments though. In searing themselves into our consciousness, they change us, change the world. And so when we think of them it’s almost like time continues to stand still, even after so long.
I wanted to do something to mark the day besides a short poem, so I thought I would share a song as well. Tori Amos is one of my favourite artists and it was actually through this song, I Can’t See New York, that I discovered a lot of her more modern music.
It’s from the 2002 album Scalet’s Walk, which is about a young woman’s journey from one side of America to the other, exploring Native American history and learning about political extremism and American culture, as well as a thousand other things.
The album is a masterpiece and as Amos’s protagonist approaches the end of her journey, she puts her on a plane above New York, circling above ash and dust, confused and terrified as a plane crashes and 9/11 unfolds.
It’s a hauntingly beautiful song and I’ve always thought one of the most powerful songs about that day. So many years later it still captures that awful sense of confusion and sadness so very well.
A cold wind blows
As I sit and watch
The sun set
And the seagulls swarm
I took this down by the lake in Belmont this afternoon. The light was beautiful as the sun started to go down but it was bitterly cold, particularly in the wind. It made for some nice choppy waves on the water though.
The seagulls were everywhere too. Unfortunately I didn’t have any chips for them but these two were kind enough to pose for me anyway. 😉
Tall grass Sways gently in the breeze As the sun sets On another day
I took this a few days ago down by the lakefront in Belmont. The sky had just started to turn this beautiful orangey-yellow and there was a lovely cool breeze as well blowing through the trees and grass. I knew the sunset would make for a nice photo but I really wanted to try to capture the feel of the breeze and motion in the image too, so I thought I’d try to juxtapose the gently moving grass with the sunset. It took me a couple of shots to get it right but I really like this one… it’s simple but really gives the slight feel of motion which I was going for.
Sometimes I wish
I had wings
Like a pelican
And could fly away
I took this the other day at Eleebana. The dying light gave the scene a beautiful pink-orange hue and I managed to get this shot just as the pelican came into frame. It was a nice way to end the day.
Never have I seen
A tree or lake
That could not take
My breath away
Beautiful light on the Newcastle foreshore last Sunday afternoon. I was heading to the ocean baths to shoot the sunset and stopped quickly to shoot this scene on the way. The light was amazing… I was definitely lucky to be in the right place at the right time!
As the sun sets
On another day
I find myself
Thinking of you
Beautiful sunset from earlier this evening. The sky had clouded over during the afternoon and I didn’t think we were going to get much of a sunset at first but for a few minutes the sky opened up and turned this gorgeous purple and pink. Glad I stuck around to catch it.
Lights, sirens, Cars, music, skyscrapers, Laughter: This is Sydney to me
I’ve been in Sydney for the last couple of days. The sunsets have been really beautiful and I managed to catch this shot yesterday. Simple but I like how it came out.
After 5 years in Newcastle, a part of me still misses Sydney. My friends. The culture, social life. So much of my life has been here that it will probably always feel like home to me.
I don’t miss it as much as I used to though. I guess I’ve moved on but then Sydney has moved on as well. A lot of my favourite places, the cafes and shops and bookstores and galleries I used to go to are gone now or rebranded. Sydney is changing. Which is both good and a little sad but it makes moving on a little easier.
This view never seems to change much though. I used to walk past this spot, near Queen’s Park, on my way to school twenty five years ago and the view still looks much the same now as it did back then. I wonder if it still will in another twenty five?
Sometimes I wish
I was a child again,
Seeing magic
With new eyes
I was out shopping earlier and passed some of the Southern Cross Garrison outside The Empire Coffee Co at Charlestown Square.
One of the cafe’s lovely staff took the photo with me in it and the stormtroopers were kind enough to pose for a quick snap afterwards too.
It was was great fun seeing them there and fantastic seeing so many kids going up and chatting and taking photos. Definitely brought a big smile to my face.
