Daylight robbery /  by Mario Mirabile

We planted an olive tree in our front garden a few years ago. It gets plenty of sun, but I'm not really sure it's enjoying the position it's in as it has stiff competition for moisture from a nearby mature golden elm. Still, it produces a flush of blossom each spring, and should be cross-pollination with a much more successful specimen across the road. A couple of years ago I watched and waited eagerly for the two olives it had produced to mature, but the disappeared from it's branches before they had the chance.

Once again this year it produced a promising flush of flowers. I was checking it for developing olives today when I spotted something quite unexpected. This is a robber fly, sometimes known as an assassin fly. The name reflects their nature - they are notoriously aggressive predators, feeding mainly on other insects. I dashed inside, grabbed a camera, mounted my macro lens and returned fully expecting it to be gone. However, it kindly obliged me by waiting around till I had these shots. While I don't expect it played any part in the disappearance of my olives, with a name like robber fly, who can tell for sure.

Blue notes /  by Mario Mirabile

Australia is home to several small species of wren collectively known as fairywrens. Considering they have been given common names such as splendid fairywren and superb fairywren, it should come as no surprise that they are stunning little creatures. The most common one in Victoria is the superb. While the dominant breeding males in their brilliant blue are more showy, the females still manage to look pretty in their red eye shadow.

They're flighty little creatures and are reluctant to let you get close. I've been trying for years to improve on the few shots in my portfolio which I thought did them any justice. However, on a recent weekend away, I hit the jackpot. There were a couple of breeding colonies inhabiting some bushes near a house where I was staying. They probably had some degree of familiarity with humans, which made them easier to get close to, but it was the sheer numbers which made it somewhat easier to get good shots. It was as close as I've come to filling the frame with these beauties, and well worth the trip.

Retail therapy /  by Mario Mirabile

When I was young,  it wa always a bit of  thrill to go shopping in the city. From the myriad small shops to the huge department stores, the array of goods on offer was mind boggling.  Even as I got older and left home,  it was still a bit of a novelty.  I distinctly remembr the guilty pleasure of being able to shop on  Saturday afternoon when legislation was introduced to allow trading at this formerly sacrosanct time. 

These days, retail is locked in battle with with online sellers for supremacy. Shops have becoome much more interesting in design and layout  in a effort to attract shoppers back through their doors.  Symmetry and order seem to be in favour as themes,  and this can make them interesting subjects. It's almost enough to make shopping novel again.  But only almost. 

Floral tribute /  by Mario Mirabile

Back when I got my first DSLR about 6 years ago, I took a lot of pictures of flowers. They are a natural choice for someone honing their skills with a new camera - colourful, lots of variety, very patient, and no complaints when you point a camera at them. Every time there was a new bloom in the garden, I'd be out there with my camera and tripod aiming for ever more simple and - in my mind at least - artistic compositions. In fact, for a couple of years, I suspect many people thought that was all I photographed. The images came in very handy as for several years I produced an annual calendar which made a very attractive Christmas gift. The calendars form an interesting retrospective showing how my style and skills have changed over the past few years, at least within this genre.

I've  drifted away from floral photography over the years. I still enjoy the process and results, but I don't find myself going out of my way to practice the art like I used to. In fact, when I sat down to look at putting together this year's calendar, I found I didn't have 12 images of flowers I considered worthy of inclusion. The calendar will have a different theme this year, and maybe in 12 months time I'll have enough pictures to return to the floral theme. Or, perhaps not.

What goes around, comes around /  by Mario Mirabile

I posted some pictures with a circular theme last year, and it's a shape that lends itself to so well to photography that it's come around again. The sneaker store is a relatively new addition to the Little Bourke St landscape (at least I've only recently discovered it), and I've found a new twist on the wall art at 101 Collins Street. Sure, there was a bit of digital manipulation required to line up the concierge with his thought processes, but I think the result is well worth the effort .

High on ice /  by Mario Mirabile

The last traces of winter have disappeared. Even though spring is barely a month old, the last few days have been unseasonably warm, and it looks like we're in for hot and dry summer in Melbourne. Just to cool things down, I'll give you a few images of the ice which I found on the shores of Lake Guy during out winter break in the high country. Chill out.

Not allowed /  by Mario Mirabile

Photography does not seem to be considered a harmless pursuit by many. While they may not technically see it as a crime, it is viewed with suspicion by building managers and security guards. I have been challenged on three occasions in the past fortnight while snapping the exterior of buildings from publicly accessible vantage points, including the street. I try not to get annoyed with such officious nonsense, but it's not easy. I'll generally stand my ground if in a public place, and not let it get in the way of getting the shot I'm after.

It's another matter inside buildings of course. I'll ask permission where appropriate and if there's someone to ask. One such occasion recently was inside Southern Cross station. The reality of the situation is that in this grand publicly owned space people, especially travellers and tourists, are taking pictures everywhere without seeking permission. However, on this occasion, I thought it best to ask as I wanted to use a tripod and take my time photographing the roof. I found the appropriate official, answered their questions (exactly how do you answer the "WHY" without sounding artistically pretentious???), and set about my task. As it turned out, it was worth the bother because, as I walked up the steps to the security office, I spotted a most curious arrangement of tables and stools at the cafe below. As for Mr Curly, he was part of a Spring Racing Carnival promotion. He was happy to strike a pose and I snapped him without bothering to seek the approval of the station poobahs. Please don't report me to the authorities.

Lost for words /  by Mario Mirabile

This is my first post for quite a while. I don't really have any excuse other than I just haven't felt particularly motivated to write. That's due in part to a personal project I've been working on for a while which has entailed quite a bit of writing and editing, and I'm a bit fed up with putting pen to paper.

I have, however, still been out taking photos. Hopefully these under and over views of the roof of Melbourne's Southern Cross Station will be worth the proverbial thousand words.

High country /  by Mario Mirabile

I’m currently holidaying in Victoria’s high country. Australia’s mountains are small by world standards - our highest peak, Mt. Kosciuszko, tops out at a little over 2,200 metres. I doubt anyone has perished scaling its dizzy heights as the peak is a relatively short walk from the nearest car park, so it’s not quite like climbing Everest from Base Camp. While we can’t compete with the world’s great mountain ranges, we have something that the Himalayas, Alps, Rockies and Andes don’t. Our high country flora is unique and distinctive.

The lower slopes boast one of the world’s tallest trees. The mountain ash – Eucalyptus regnans – has been known to grow to over 130 metres, although the tallest living specimen is just on 100 metres. Mighty forests of mountain ash once covered the lower slopes of the Victorian and Tasmanian high country, but logging has had a severe effect on their extent. Still, standing at the base of a stand these majestic giants one can’t help but be overwhelmed by their grandeur.

On the higher slopes, where snow and wind make life more difficult, the hardy snow gum – Eucalyptus pauciflora – is the dominant species. Much smaller than the mountain ash, their trunks are warped and twisted by the harsh conditions. Their peeling bark reveals yellow and red patches, giving them a distinctive mottled appearance which, together with their warped limbs, makes them great photographic subjects. Cold work, but worth the effort.

O dear... /  by Mario Mirabile

Last week's lunchtime photo walk headed to RMIT University's CBD campus with the topic of "chiaroscuro" planned. When we arrived, it was clear there was something more than usual lunchtime student activities going on. Turns out it was O-week - that hectic week of happenings when students old and new orient them selves to the coming academic term. The familiarize themselves with the campus, join clubs and societies, and meet friends, old and new.

This took me somewhat by surprise. In my day - admittedly long ago in another century - O-week happened in late February, just before the start of the academic year. Now, it seems, it happens at least twice a year. There were activities and entertainment for all, but the most popular appeared to be queuing for food. I managed to score a couple of cup cakes, but the long snaking queues for BBQ skewers, burgers and hot dogs were far too daunting. While I did keep an eye out for pictures which met the topic of the day, the myriad alternatives were far more appealing.

Down and out /  by Mario Mirabile

The weekly lunchtime photo walks at work have been back for about two months now. There's an enthusiastic core of intrepid walkers who show up week in and week out, rain or shine, plus a few others who occasionally rise to the challenge. It's an enjoyable way to spend some time, and we'll all get together a few days later and review the results of our efforts. The hardest part of the whole process has always been selecting a topic which offers some creative challenge, while still being achievable within an hour or so and a relatively short distance from our workplace.

I had resolved to pick a word at random and let people make of it whatever they would, but that hasn't eventuated yet. I have, however, tried to mix in a few topics that are a bit more conceptual. So far we've ranged from rectangles and doors through to convergence and minimalism. For the last couple of weeks we've been planning to do chiaroscuro, a technique utilizing strong contrasts between light and shadow, but the weather hasn't co-operated. This week we ended up with "DOWN", which turned out to be harder than it sounds. Hopefully the weather will be kinder this week.

Vanishing point /  by Mario Mirabile

Our brains are very good at picking up and following  visual cues, and one of the strongest cues are converging lines. They literally act like funnels, drawing us into an image. Artists have long been aware of their power and used them to trap a viewer's attention and hold their interest. Our eyes will tend to follow the lines to their meeting point, and if there is something of interest at that point, so much the better.