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Travelling in outback South Australia, one can’t help but be awed by the great expanses of desert with a featureless horizon and over-arching dome of relentless blue.
Here the struggle for existence by animals and vegetation is attested to by the occasional skeleton. Man’s efforts to tame this place are similarly represented by skeletal structures, abandoned and slowly gathering the patina of the desert.
The Faded Dreams series documents those features in a bleached colour palette with a dominant sky.
The Flinders and Gammon Ranges in South Australia are a one day drive north of Adelaide. They are in a desert area but get irregular winter rain which determines the amount of spring growth and wildflowers.
The Ranges are a landscape and nature photographer’s delight at any time of the year with the possible exception of summer when temperatures soar. Rocky mountain ridges, deep gorges and usually dry but sometimes flooded creeks are subject matter for landscape photographers. Nature photographers will find birds and animals including Eagles, Yellow Footed Rock Wallabies, Goannas, Kangaroos and more.
Arkaroola silhouette
Termite trails on a dead Eucalypt
Wilpena Pound from Moralana Creek
Victim of drought
Stubbs Waterhole
Arkaroola
Great Wall of China
A nod to Fred Williams
Cloud descends
Interpretation of Red Gums
Back-lit spinifex
Tactile
Architecture as a creative process stops when the building is handed over to the owner. After that, decay begins a random process of transformation. There may be maintenance, alterations or additions, but rarely do these activities improve the original work. By using different tools, the photographer can move beyond the limitations of the material world and continue the creative process in a transformative way. The images shown here are digital captures of parts of buildings mainly located in Adelaide. One is on the Gold Coast, another in Melbourne. Alterations to the images range from simple changes in colour to the digital re-arrangement of building parts and changes in colouration.
These breathtakingly beautiful images, made during the 2019 flood, reveal but a hint of the infinite variations of colour and texture that unfolded as I flew in ephemeral morning and evening light at an altitude of 500 - 600 feet. Few people have seen these scenes. Floods are a rare event and ground-based excursions don’t reveal the true majesty of the 9,500 square kilometre lake. The full chromatic experience can only be appreciated through the resolving power of the digital camera.
Torrential rains fell in northern Queensland in January 2019. Over two months the floodwaters made their way south via the Georgina, Diamantina and Warburton rivers, flooding desert towns as it travelled. A second rain system in late March brought more water, extending across vast flood plains and eventually flowing into the north shore of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre on 15 March 2019.
The water level peaked around the middle of July after which the level began falling due to evaporation. With extreme heat being experienced right across Australia, the lake reverted to a dry salt pan by January 2020. It may be many years before we see water in the lake again.
The Arabana people hold native title over the lake. Their mythical story tells that the lake was formed when a young hunter named Wilkuda threw a kangaroo skin down which then changed and became Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre.
A subset of this group of images received a Bronze Award in the Conceptual Art Photography Awards (CAPA) conducted by the Australian Photographic Society.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Modernism both in architecture and art are my influences. The first 70 years of the 20th century saw the development of functional, minimalist architecture while in the field of art, abstract painters like Mondrian created non-objective works that explored line, colour and composition in a minimalist way.
I have enjoyed photographing architecture in the manner of a portrait, creating a record of a building in a favourable light from the best possible camera position. But this approach can only be taken so far. Buildings are complex and there are many ways of experiencing them.
The modernist architect, Mies van der Rohe, reportedly said, “God is in the details”. I find in the details of modern architecture, not God, but a wealth of subject matter for abstract photographic art. When small details are explored, the building is anonymous. There is no need for realism in the rendering of the detail, so I enjoy expressing the purity of form and colour in whatever way moves me to create a minimalist, non-objective interpretation.
If the work shown here tells a story it is more about a way of seeing rather than a record or a progression of events. It is a way of representing a small segment of the real world in a hyperreal way.
Office
Waves
Blue Illusion
Car Park
Highbrow Eyebrow
Don’t worry, be happy
Six
Entrance
High Noon
London Vent
Signal
Rainy day
Opera
Against the Sky
RMIT Zig Zag
FED Square
Studio Bowden
I met Equilateral. She had a great idea for a new triangle.
Seeing Double
The Canadian-American architect, Frank Ghery, designed several Guggenheim Museums, this one is on the banks of the Nervion River in Bilbao, Spain. One of the most admired works of contemporary architecture, the building has been hailed as a signal moment in the architectural culture and, according to the 2010 World Architecture Survey, a building most frequently named as one of the most important works completed since 1980.
The museum was built as part of a revitalization effort for the city of Bilbao. Its economic impact on the city was dramatic. It was estimated that the money visitors spent on hotels, restaurants, shops and transport allowed the city to collect €100 million in taxes, which more than paid for the building.
Most of these images were made at the end of the day under threatening skies. The subtle effects of a weak sunset and nearby artificial lights played on the building’s titanium skin. The effects have been emphasised during post-processing. A split toning treatment has been applied to some images.
These images received a Top (Berber People), Merits and Acceptances in the 2019 South Australian Photographic Federation Exhibition. I was awarded Second Place overall exhibitor in the Print Section. The Exhibition was shown at the Hamra Centre, Hilton and Myer Centre, Adelaide.
TOP PRINT - People / Portraiture. Also PSA GOLD 2017 Redlands International Exhibition.
ACCEPTANCE - People / Portraiture
ACCEPTANCE - People / Portraiture
MERIT - Open Pictorial Colour Prints
MERIT - Open Pictorial Colour Prints
MERIT - Open Pictorial Colour Projected Images
MERIT - Open Pictorial Monochrome Prints
ACCEPTANCE - Open Pictorial Monochrome Prints
ACCEPTANCE - Open Pictorial Monochrome Prints
ACCEPTANCE - Open Pictorial Monochrome Projected Images
MERIT - Nature Projected Images
MERIT - Photojournalism / Street Prints
ACCEPTANCE - Photojournalism / Street Prints
ACCEPTANCE - Photojournalism / Street Prints
MERIT - Photojournalism / Street Projected Images
ACCEPTANCE - Photojournalism / Street Projected Images
MERIT - Creative Prints
ACCEPTANCE - Creative Prints
ACCEPTANCE - Creative Prints
ACCEPTANCE - Landscape / Seascape Projected Images
ACCEPTANCE - People / Portraiture Projected Images
MERIT - Creative Projected Images
MERIT - Creative Projected Images
Photographing architectural subjects at night is rewarding if there is a variety of different coloured light sources. Artificial lights have different colour spectra. Often they are in the warm part of the spectrum but some have a green or blue cast. LED lights produce a pure white light close to the daylight spectrum.
In the “blue hour”, which as the name suggest, is the period up to an hour after sunset, some blue light remains in the sky. This deep velvet blue colour provides a vibrant contrast with the warm yellow-orange of the artificial lights and so, with a little post-processing help, the image can be made to “pop”. Another advantage of night shooting is that the absence of light in some areas increases the perceived contrast. Similarly, dark areas can simplify the photograph by hiding things that might otherwise cause distraction.
A scene in the courtyard of Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel
West facade of the famous Milan Cathedral as seen from the Piazza.
The cathedral took almost 600 years to construct and so its architectural style morphed with the styles of the period but is described as Italian Gothic. The pastiche of styles has resulted in withering criticism but a more generous critique was offered by the author Henry James: “A structure not supremely interesting, not logical, not commandingly beautiful, but grandly curious and superbly rich. If it had no other distinction it would still have that of impressive, immeasurable achievement a supreme embodiment of vigorous effort.”
Entrance to the Galleria as seen from Pizza del Duomo, Milan.
Opened in 1867, the Galleria is a major landmark of Milan and is the oldest active shopping mall in Italy. The roof, in cruciform shape, is of steel and glass. It has four barrel vaults that are crowned at their intersection with a dome of monumental scale, 38 metres in diameter.
Interior view showing the glazed dome.
The new cathedral (16th C, consecrated 1733) is attached to the old cathedral (12th-14th C). Its style is Gothic but the dome and tower are Baroque in style. The cathedrals are in the Old City which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Old City is home to the University of Salamanca, one of the oldest in Europe, and many beautiful, historic buildings.
Interior view of the dome over the transept.
The Rossio railway station takes its name from Rossio Square which is nearby. The station has lost much of its importance, but it remains a tourist curiosity and a notable sight in Lisbon. The facade is described as a mix of Romantic and Neo-Manueline (Portuguese late Gothic Revival) elements, which results in the unusual decorative complexity of the facade.
Designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, this is a study of the Opera House at dusk. The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, to give it its Spanish name, is spectacular in size and silhouette. The Spanish rank it with opera houses like those in London, Sydney, Vienna and Milan.
Part of the City of Arts and Sciences complex, Hemisferic, designed by Santiago Calatrava, is a unique structure housing a Laserium, Planetarium and IMAX cinema with over 900 square meters of screen. It is set in a reflective pool.
The entrance canopy to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre is known as The Orb. Who knew?
SAHMRI, as it is commonly known, is an independent health and medical research institute in Adelaide, South Australia. The institute is housed in this iconic, purpose-built building located adjacent to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. It was opened in 2013 and houses approximately 600 researchers, both local and international.
This concert hall by architect Rem Koolhaas is, according to a New York Times article: “set atop a carpet of soft pink travertine, like a cut jewel displayed on a luxurious piece of fabric. At various points, the travertine curves up to cover the structures scattered around the plaza – a bus stop, a cafe, the entrances to an underground garage – as if these practical elements were literally being swept under a rug.” This images is not really a night shot. It was taken in the middle of the day and converted to a nighttime appearance. An interesting tour of the building can be seen via this link.
The museum, designed by Frank Ghery, consists of interconnected buildings whose extraordinary free-form titanium-sheathed mass suggests a gigantic work of abstract sculpture. An enormous 130 metre long gallery houses the equally enormous Richard Serra sculpture, “A Matter if Time”. Opened in 1997, the museum was constructed on an old, derelict port area fronting the Nervión River. Aside from its cultural and aesthetic impact, the Guggenheim Bilbao put the city on the world map with upwards of 100,000 people visiting every month. The needs of tourists resulted in the modernising of hotels, restaurants, and public spaces. The city generated about $100 million in taxes in the museum’s first three years of operation.
The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii) is known as the Blue Mosque because of the 20,000 hand-painted blue tiles that adorn the interior walls. It was built between 1609 and 1616 and is still an active mosque as well as a significant tourist attraction. Four minarets mark the corners of the mosque and two more minarets are at the corners of the courtyard which includes a large fountain.
Interior view of the courtyard showing the fountain and mosque beyond.
Designed by French architect Paul Andreu, the building is a titanium and glass clad “egg” set in an artificial lake. Because of its location near Tiananmen Square, the Great Hall of the People and the Forbidden City, the theatre's futuristic design created considerable controversy. But the architect’s argument that Beijing, as the capital city, must also include modern architecture, won over the authorities. Interestingly, there is no visible entrance from the level of the artificial lake. Instead the building is entered via a grand hallway that passes under the water.
The Auditorium Parco della Musica (Music Auditoria in the Park) is a large public music complex in Rome, Italy, with three indoor concert halls and an outdoor theatre that recalls ancient Greek and Roman performance spaces. It was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. The three halls are separate structures arranged around the outdoor theatre and connected by a continuous lobby.
The “Spectrum” sculpture in Norwood, South Australia, by artist Craige Andre, 2010. The photograph was taken at night while zooming during a long exposure. It was then processed with some creative interpretation.
This 19th century building was originally the principal building of a mental hospital. It was refurbished and new film studios including sound stages and mixing suites were added at the rear. In 2011 it reopened as the home of the South Australian Film Corporation.
Since 1996 Morocco has had a parliamentary system of government with two houses, the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. The Head of State is the King of Morocco. The population is 37 million.
Morocco's geographic location has resulted in it being influenced over many centuries by a variety of cultures. These include various African tribes from the south of the Sahara Desert, the Roman Empire, Islamic styles from the Arab neighbours to the east, and more recently, European colonisers, in particular France but also Spain and Portugal. All have left their mark and created a culture unlike any other. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the country’s unique architectural style.
The strongest influence on architecture is Islam. Principal structural elements in important buildings are columns and arches which often support domes or groups of domes to create large column free spaces. The general form of these draws on the tradition of both Greco-Roman architecture and the styles of Mesopotamia and Persia. In Morocco the specific decorative guidelines of Islam have been used to direct the construction and ornamentation of buildings for centuries.
Ornamentation is hard to miss. Perhaps the most fascinating is the muqarnas originally developed in Iran in the 10th century. These are the honeycomb or stalactite decorations on the underside of arches, in corner niches and sometimes on the entire underside of a dome. Complicated decorative elements include geometric tile patterns, carved floral motifs and calligraphy.
The words kasbah, citadel, medina and ksar are confusing because they have similar meanings and can probably only be distinguished by the locals, but here is an attempt to define them.
Kasbah is derived from an Arabic word meaning the central part of a town or citadel but it’s meaning is varied. Historically in Morocco the kasbah was home to regional rulers. Built in mud brick with high walls and few exterior windows kasbah's are often sited on hilltops to provide greater security. Think of it as a castle. The clustering of buildings on multiple levels with thick walls and small windows provides thermal inertia which helps maintain a comfortable internal climate. This is particularly important in the southern desert areas bordering with Algeria and the Sahara Desert. Many contemporary buildings draw upon the form and motifs of the kasbah.
The citadel is the central fortified part of a town that provides security from attack, which suggest that it might also be a kasbah.
The name medina is Saudi Arabian in origin. It denotes the historical walled city or town, which was, and in many places still is, the centre of everyday life. Medinas offered a protected area with high walls and narrow winding streets within which people traded (in the souks - markets), lived (in riads or dars) with local hammams (Turkish baths) and bakeries for each district and they prayed in mosques.
A ksar is an Arabic term for castle, fort or more typically a fortified village which sounds a lot like a citadel which in turn sound like a kasbah.
As I said, it’s confusing.
A cloistered courtyard with traditional Moroccan arches and mosaics.
Modern buildings in Ouarzazte with traditional motifs.
Kasbah of Taourirt in Ouarzazate restored with funds from UNESCO.
Palais Sebban Hotel, Marrakech. Originally built as a palace in 1400. Note in particular the muqarnas decorations.
Palais Sebban Hotel, Marrakech. Originally built as a palace in 1400.
Detail of the gates of the Royal Palace of Fes.
The mind numbing detail of geometric designs and floral motifs (Arabesque) are based on Islamic beliefs.
Detail of mosaics including three dimensional relief in the upper section.
Fine timber inlay work in this timber door.
Window detail in Marrakech.
Todra Gorge.
Setting out at dawn on the western edge of the Sahara Desert.
Berber People.
Viewing the sunrise.
Desert dunes with distant dark mountains.
Desert camp.
A dune catches the light of the rising sun.
Architectural photography is my principal photographic interest. Buildings are best represented when their form, lines and textures are strongly expressed. I have always thought that photos of the nude human body look best when treated in a similar way. In both cases, it’s about using light to show the three dimensional quality of the subject. I had a long time wish to try my hand at nude photography and to put this idea into effect. So, when the opportunity came to work for an afternoon with the fine-art model Anne Duffey, I jumped at it.
The location for the shoot was a shearing shed in the Adelaide Hills. The old stone building had large door openings that provided subdued, warm light. The various wall surfaces had appealing textures, while the colours were a good match for skin tones. Anne’s relaxed confidence, her endless ideas for poses, her elegant agility, the use of some simple props and her tireless dedication to the task made my job as a novice relatively easy.
Despite the advantages of the atmospheric venue, my images varied in contrast, colour and tone. I couldn’t see them as a unified set. Also, the soft light in the shearing shed didn’t provide the high contrast grazing light that I enjoy seeing in studio work. I had to rethink my preconceived idea of expressing form. I processed a few images for use in competitions, but most just sat on the hard drive waiting for inspiration to strike.
Inspiration finally came during a visit to the British Museum. The ancient Greek statues had a warm tone. Whether that was because of the type of marble, its age or the lighting, I don’t know. But the effect made me think about a monotone treatment for my shots of Anne. The flat light inside the shearing shed wasn’t giving me the high contrast I had imagined. Rather than fight it, I decided to lighten shadows, reduce contrast and create a subtle toning across the skin. I converted the images to black and white then finished with a sepia tone. That and other effects produced a silky smooth, warm skin tone similar to that I had seen on the statues in the museum.
Santiago Calatrava is the architect of the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain. These photographs were made when I visited Valencia for a week in 2017 during the northern hemisphere spring for the sole purpose of making a photographic study of Calatrava’s work. The buildings occupy what was once a river bed but which is now a magnificent lineal park running through the heart of the city. The whole complex extends for a distance of about 1400 metres.
The principal buildings, which are set in shallow reflective ponds, are the Opera House and performing arts centre, Museum of Science, the Hemisferic (an IMAX cinema), a covered garden named L'Umbracale which houses a garden and sculpture park and forms the roof of a car park. Then there is the Agora (a flexible performance space) and two bridges which were also designed by Calatrava. An open air oceanographic park marks the eastern end of the development.
We won’t talk about the massive cost over-run.
On the left, the Museum of Science, the harp-like structure is a suspension bridge with the dark parabola of the Agora beyond.
A three-quarter view of the Palau de les Arts Sofia (Opera House)
The Palau de les Arts Sofia seen from the west. The conical structure encloses an elevator.
The eastern end of the Palau de les Arts Sofia from the Pont de Montolivet.
Looking up.
The supporting structure of the Pont de Montolivet frames the Hemisfèric theatre. The Museum of Science is to the left and the Umbracle to the right.
Under the Opera House.
Under the Pont de Montolivet.
The Hemisfèric, IMAX Theatre.
Roof of the Umbracle.
The Science Museum.
Science Museum roof windows.
Pont l’Assut de l’Or suspension bridge.
Monumental stairs at the Opera House.