Go wild /  by Mario Mirabile

The Victorian Orchid Spectacular takes place each year at the end of August, and is the largest orchid show in Victoria. For the past few years I've been putting a few entries into the photography competition run in conjunction with the show. While it's an opportunity to have your work judged and possibly win some prizes, mostly it's a chance gain free entry to the show. It's an interesting outing and a chance take some orchid photos for next year's entries.

This year I was lucky enough to win first prize in the cultivated orchid section. That was quite pleasing of course, but having now found out there were two sections, the challenge had been laid down. I did some research and found the Baluk-William Reserve on the outskirts of Melbourne is a well-known habitat for native orchids. I made the trip and was rewarded with a few elusive specimens of Caledenia Carnea. It's quite a challenge to photograph these plants in the wild - they’re just a few centimetres high, and the slightest puff of breeze sets them swaying. Still, it was a pleasant and quite rewarding morning.

A developing situation /  by Mario Mirabile

Sometimes you struggle to see anything that seems worth pointing the camera at. This usually happens to me when I haven't had a change of scene for a while, and treading the same familiar paths becomes a bit, well, too familiar. But there's always a different viewpoint to discover if you're patient and alert. That happened over the last couple of days, and it turned into something that continued to develop. 

Strolling down one of Melbourne's street art covered laneways, I spotted a couple of discarded spray paint cans and it seemed there was a story there somewhere. I started working the scene, kicking the cans on to a grille which added some interesting lines to the composition. Then, for some variety, I waited for someone to walk into the shot. The only problem with that is that when people see you crouched down with the camera close to the ground, they'll often - kindly they think - stop and wait for you to get your shot, not known that they're meant to be part of the shot. Still enough people passed that I got something to work with. But, for me, the gold came when someone decided to hurry through the scene, even doing a little jump to get through quickly.

So, if your vision is just not working for you, have patience, the shots are out there.

Spring has sprung /  by Mario Mirabile

It's spring, and as always that means flowers are blooming. I used to photograph flowers a lot more than I do now. They're beautiful, technically challenging to photograph well, and everyone loves a good flower shot.  But even though my tastes and inclinations have changed with the years, I still enjoy both the process and the results when I get around to working with a few blooms.

The presenters of a podcast I used to listen to once proclaimed that "no-one has ever become famous for photographing flowers". My friend Martin says that Robert Mapplethorpe was famous for photographing flowers, although I contend that that wasn't what made him famous. Either way, it hasn't worked for me yet.

Artistry /  by Mario Mirabile

My apologies, I have been somewhat neglectful of my blog recently. For no particular reason, I have found it difficult to put fingers to keyboard and write a blurb about these photos, which I actually uploaded to the site some two weeks ago. As with many things, the longer you put them off, the harder it gets. No matter, I'm here now.

Our art galleries and museums are wonderful places where we can go to experience cultural exhibits of all kinds. I also find them great places to observe the visitors. It helps that the spaces often lend themselves to artistic compositions. Perhaps the artistry of the contents seeps out and imbues the buildings themselves, and even the food vans outside.

By design /  by Mario Mirabile

Fuelled by a series of gold rushes in the second half of the 19th century, Melbourne became one of the richest cities in the world. The architecture of the day reflected the money pouring into the town, with ornate and classically inspired buildings springing up to house both the wealthy residents and the booming commercial interests of the day. Many of these buildings survive, although often as little more than a facade sprouting a modern skyscraper. However, many more were torn down and replaced by monstrosities during the urban renewal craze of the 1960s. The monstrosities are now, in their turn, coming down and being replaced by bigger and more efficient structures, better suited to the expectations of modern tenants. Occasionally (and thankfully....), there also appears to be a degree of flair being applied to their design.

Beach weather /  by Mario Mirabile

Beach weather? In July? Yes, I know that at this time of year Melbourne is typically cold, wet and windy. But from time to time we get a calm day with mostly clear skies, and on those days sunset over the bay can be quite dramatic. On these two days a couple of weeks apart, I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time when the weather chose to put on a show. I even had the opportunity to go for a ride at a seaside amusement park, an opportunity I politely declined. And just because it's beach weather, doesn't mean you have to go swimming.

Wet, wet , wet /  by Mario Mirabile

After the driest June on record, we're finally starting to see the odd bit of rain. It's been cold enough, but being so dry, it just doesn't seem like a Melbourne winter. The lack of rain is a problem for many, particularly farmers and ski resorts, and the reservoirs aren't getting their usual winter top-up. The past week has been showery, which hasn't done too much to help the situation, but at least it's a start.

All systems go (or Metropolis part 2) /  by Mario Mirabile

Over the last couple of weeks I've been putting together a new computer, my first completely new machine in nearly seven years. The old one was still doing the job, but after so long I felt the time was right for a new one. It certainly feels faster than the old one, but it's more an incremental step forward than a giant leap. Certainly, Photoshop and Lightroom feel much snappier, and as they're my main tools I can't complain about that.

My "In Melbourne" series continues to develop slowly. I keep finding spots that seem to suit the feel I'm looking for, but finding the right person to complete the shot is very hit and miss, and more often miss than hit. Still, it's a long-term project, so I'm in no particular hurry.

Winter is coming /  by Mario Mirabile

Well, technically it's already here, even if you count the start of winter from the solstice. But it hasn't really kicked in as yet - the weather has been mild, with sunny days the norm. While it looks like all that's about to change, there's still a bit of autumn colour about, just managing to hang on for one last brief flash before the wind and rain start in earnest.

And for those of you who recognize the source of the title of this post, the return of GOT is only 3 weeks away. That will keep me warm for an hour or so each week.

A growing family /  by Mario Mirabile

It's been more than 20 years since we've had a new baby in our home, but 3 months ago we welcomed the arrival of Maggie. We've dusted off our tomes on all the classic child-rearing topics like feeding, toilet training and education, and feel like we're well on the way to raising a well-adjusted child. A cheeky little bundle of fun, I'm sure she's of the opinion that she's well on the way to having us well trained.

Ghosts /  by Mario Mirabile

The summer of 2009 is the hottest I can remember, with the temperature frequently hitting the 40s for days on end. By the time February rolled around, the heat seemed almost normal, but even so, Saturday February 7th stood out. The temperature hit 47 degrees and a strong northerly wind blew, and by early afternoon severe bushfires were being reported. It became known as Black Saturday, and the fires which raged to the north and east of Melbourne eventually claimed nearly 200 lives.

While there was widespread devastation, the event which hit home the hardest with me was the near total destruction of the pretty little town of Marysville. Of all the affected communities, it was the one with which I was most familiar. I’ve been back a few times since that terrible day, most recently just last weekend, and gradually the community and town has been rebuilt. But there are reminders of the fires everywhere, and perhaps the most notable are burnt out forests. The trees are gradually growing back from the bases as eucalypts do, but the charred and bleached skeletal remains of their former selves remain. There is a sad beauty in the stands of tall mountain ash and twisted snow gums, a reminder that no matter how hard we try, we cannot subdue nature.

Chasing shadows /  by Mario Mirabile

As we head toward winter, Melbourne usually affords us a few last days of sunshine before the gloom sets in. The light is watery, and often further softened by a lingering fog haze. Even at its noon zenith, the sun has an appealing softness and shooting into the light is not as difficult as it can be in summer. But it's the shadows that really catch the eye, and in the middle of the day they are long and distinctive. It's a great time of year to wander Melbourne's lanes and alleyways.