NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week, originally uploaded by Martin~.

NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week 2007 is being celebrated from the 8th to the 15th of July. Some of the festivities took place in Musgrave Park behind Southbank. A great many of the tents and pavilions housed representatives from organisations supportive of ATSI culture and its needs. Not the least of which was the State Government Department of Emergency Services who provided the “Lil Squirt” fire engine for the amusement of the kids. Very popular it was too, providing rides around the park courtesy of its energetic and enthusiastic volunteer driver.

An interesting aside from earlier in the day, walking to work that morning with a monopod under my arm; I called in to the Daily Grind café located in my building to get a cup of coffee. Another customer, obviously a keen photographer himself asked me what I thought of the monopod and after I replied that I find it very useful for street photography, a general discussion ensued about taking candid photographs of strangers.

I got the impression that he was quite wary, even furtive of doing so because of the suspicion the general public sometimes attach to such activities these days. Well it was very interesting and as I am sometimes not backward about coming forward I took the opportunity suggest to him that in my opinion it was all to do with attitude. Not Joe Public’s mind you but his, mine, and every other street photographer’s out there. We are doing nothing wrong; we aren’t terrorists, deviates, thieves, weirdos etc. So my advice was to be positive, display confidence in what we are doing, ditch the nervousness and any outward display of furtiveness, act like we have every right to be there (we do), and nine times out of ten, people will respect us for what we are doing, give us space, and perhaps even encourage us. If people do seem to have a sixth sense concerning behaviour going on around them, I don’t believe we help our cause by miscuing people due to our nervousness or wavering surety about what we are doing.

So my advice was to get out there, act like you belong, (because you do) and generally people will openly or subconsciously acknowledge that you do belong.

Just my 2 cents.

State of Origin

As part of the preparation leading up to the final match of this year's State of origin series, (to be held at Lang Park, here in Brisbane), a number of the Maroons made themselves available in the mall at lunchtime to autograph fan paraphernalia; and generally acknowledge the support proffered by rugby league mad Queenslanders.
State of Origin, originally uploaded by Martin~.

From left to right; Brent Tate, Nate Miles, Justin Hodges, Carl Webb and Shaun Berrigan.

The complete line-up,left to right; Steven Price, Brent Tate, Darren Lockyer, Petero Civoniceva, Nate Miles, Justin Hodges, Carl Webb, Shaun Berrigan.

Human Battery Cage

Human Battery Cage, originally uploaded by Martin~.
An unusual protest conducted in the Brisbane Square today. A number of students highlighted the plight of battery hens by undertaking to be caged in a like manner. It was interesting that earlier in the week; the evening news reported definitional loopholes that result in more “organic” eggs being packaged and sold than growers are actually producing. Naturally the Australian Egg Corporation denies widespread egg substitution is occurring. (Not eggsactly good publicity).

It does make you wonder as a consumer though about the legitimacy of egg marketing generally. Are those eggs really from happy go-lucky free range or barn reared chooks?

Postcard From Jack

Postcard From Jack, originally uploaded by Martin~.
Hungry Jacks on the corner of Queen and Albert Streets is a very popular eatery, especially during the school holidays when like a magnet it seems to attract school kids from everywhere!I Whilst I tend not to frequent it myself, I have to admit to buying a bacon double cheeseburger from Jack from time to time.

This is another image taken with the Finepix S5600. The batteries gave out without warning just prior to to this shot, and whilst I normally use rechargeable NiMH (which last for ages), the fact that they are standard AA means I can get by for a while on easily purchased Evereadys.

False Alarm

False Alarm, originally uploaded by Martin~.

A very common site in the Brisbane central business district are fire-engines responding to false alarms. That they are false (malfunctioning) I think has to be a good thing, although in terms of the recurrent adrenal rushes, I don't suppose that it can be all that good health-wise for the firemen (and firewomen) who attend.

The observant will have noticed this is the third consecutive image I have posted in colour. I am having a lot of fun at the moment getting a feel for my wife's Finepix S5600. For the uninformed it is a pseudo SLR style 5.1MP digital camera, quite compact, and therefore very suitable for my small hands.

Mime Statue

Mime Statue, originally uploaded by Martin~.Spent an hour or so at lunchtime today wandering around the streets looking for interesting subjects, (people taking photographs). Initially I loitered at the new Brisbane Square, which has become a popular place for people eating their lunch, having a quiet cigarette or just basking in the winter sun. The square still attracts a high number of passerby’s who photograph family/friends using the sculptured balls as backdrops; although the environment isn’t really conducive to getting close to people taking images without appearing as if one might be up to no good! Wandering further afield did not prove fruitful and it wasn't until returning to the mall that I came across a busking “mime” statue and was able to stand quite close to the action to snap this image.

It's a Gas!

It's a Gas!, originally uploaded by Martin~.
In a flurry of publicity, the Brisbane City Council recently showcased one of its newly built natural gas powered articulated buses. In addition to a number of officials, there were several journalists and camera persons shooting footage of the new bus. Whilst I am not exactly a fan of buses, I thought I would use this as another opportunity to take pictures of people taking pictures.

This is also the first "street" photograph I have posted in colour, although I have desaturated the image somewhat to the point where I think the hues add to the image without overwhelming it.