2107 Avalon

Avalon, a beachside suburb in Guringai country, is the place where a revitalised pair decided to re-engage with a 'suburbs' photography project that had been abandoned for two years! Max and I could not have chosen a more glorious day or a more beautiful location to spend our time, other than the place named after the legendary 'earthly paradise'!

Keeping cool at the Rock Pool

A shimmering line of bluebottles in the sand indicates Sydney is starting to warm up for the summer.
After what seems to have been an extra long winter all I can say is… at last! 

Community service - ensuring the safety of beach goers and encouraging swimming between the flags.

School holidays!

                                                      Rocky                                                          Rustic                                                          Rusty                                            

Lunch is such an easy tradition to enjoy with such lovely company and in such delightful surrounds.

In a haze and splash of summery blues, Avalon treated us to the perfect day out and the perfect way back in to our project.

Where to next Max?

2017 Zetland

Zetland, is the last suburb in our alphabet of Sydney (that said, it continues to be a project in no particular order); it is also the first suburb that Maxine and I have photographed this year! Lunch was planned at the Grounds of Alexandria and with Zetland conveniently placed as the neighbouring suburb it was lovely to be zipping through its 39 streets on a sunny day. In this place, which at one time was thought to be the smallest suburb in Australia, we found the dintinct style of the old and across the road the brand spanking new! We were lucky to fall into conversation with a local resident who grew up in Zetland. She told us of the changes she's observed in the small suburb to which she has recently returned to look after her father. The Victoria Park area has seen the bulk of this change. From swamp - to race course - to car manufacturing plant - to naval stores depot - to the purpose-built modern towers of gentrification. This part of Zetland is quietly going about it's way with families and young professionals Planning to create a new and vibrant culture.

The Zetland Hotel @ Green Square

On Elizabeth Street

Zetland... Under Construction

A Reflection of Nature

Car Industry-  Old and New

Coco and...

Local Resident

Zetland is the archaic spelling of Shetland and was named after the Earl of Zetland.  It has changed from swampy marshes that sit in the land of the Eora people to soaring architectural structures that dominate the skyline. And here upon a wall, in a quiet unassuming spot, is this curious young woman who keeps sole watch as this place takes on a whole new lease of life.

snap it {admire}

What's not to admire in a daughter who has been so diligent in revising for exams this week. Her work ethic is incredible and one that is beyond her fourteen years. She even took these notes to the Sydney FC match on Saturday. Why you may ask... well, to do a bit of revision at half time of course! 

Link with snap it {admire} at Faith Hope & a whole lotta Love

snap it {splash}

Two mums thought they'd teach four daughters a thing or two about skimming stones! The girls realised we were too skilled and decided to make a bigger splash by hurling rocks! 

Link with snap it {splash} at Faith Hope & a whole lotta Love

Making a splash at Lake Burrendong, NSW 

snap it {three}

This week, on a three day trip to the beautiful Hunter Valley, I saw lots of 'three'! 

Link to snap it {three} at Faith Hope & a whole lotta Love

Vine leaves segmented into three sections...

a triplet of barrels...

 a trio of brilliant red poppies...

 three seats along a shady sandstone wall on an 1830's verandah...

and finally three o'clock was just chiming on the Dalwood House sundial... just in time!

snap it {colourful}

Colour is in abundance as Spring takes hold!

Link to snap it {colourful} at Faith Hope & a whole lotta Love

Space

It was interesting to go through my collection of photographs and discover that I spend so much time filling the frame that I sometimes forget to consider how space can actually enhance the quality of an image and emphasise the subject. I'll be making a point of exploring this further with my photography and adding  to my 'toolkit'.

I begin then, with Space itself and a photo I took of a lunar eclipse back in 2008. 

With the sky as space, the theme continues in the picture-postcard-blue that provides a background for cherry blossoms, a lighthouse picnic and a pub sign.

It is all too easy to take portraits and place your subject slap bang in the centre; however, off to one side can really break up the predictability and emphasise character.

Textured backgrounds can really bring out a subject, and the more you see of that gravelly, rocky and brick space the more interesting the subject can end up looking.

Finally, a scene that is mostly space. It's sometimes hard to imagine that you could capture the elements of a landscape if most of what is photographed is space. You usually expect to see it filled with well, 'scenery'. But sometimes less is more - and more space is the key. I think in this photograph it just works so well.

Link to Kat Eye Studio