..and they're running!

G’day Possums,

Shane tripping

Here’s a little video I made t’other day of “Ballet Theatre Australia’s” Summer School

Ballet Theatre Australia, Summer School 2013.mp4

And some visitors to our back yard…. I only hope that the Bogan neighbour who has been shooting ‘Roo’s on his property misses this one and her Joey

'Roo and Joey

And some shots taken at “L’Osteria” of someone photographing the Antipasta  … food was excellent, service delightful, décor’s been there since 1986 so it has a real Cucina ambience and prices are very reasonable….. 

Recording gustation

L’Osteria, 616 Nicholson St Fitzroy Nth. 

L'Osteria

Only complaint : why are Australian restaurant patrons sooooo noisy?

Wombat Droppings

The Truth of the Matter

Five Rozzers collected Thommo, strip-searched him and charged him to face 150 charges of being very naughty, (in an act of exquisite timing, that is not at all political) telling him that he can’t visit “the girls” any more but we don’t know who they are. Yet!
Will they treat Tardis State (Where-All-Goes-Backwards) Liarbril, Geoff Shaw similarly when his turn comes?
Thommo allegedly spent $40,000 of the Union’s money.
Allowing for inflation over the years this would be pretty equivalent to the $25,000 Peter“Rottweiler” Reith’s son diddled on his father’s parliamentary phone.
But in Peter’s case “… it isn’t a hanging offence!”
Liarbril  hypocrites!
Take note of the sale of State School land to Private School developers and the sale of Public Housing land to private developers under Big-Bird Baillieu (Genus: Silvertail Incompetens) here in the Tardis State (Where-All-Goes-Backwards) . Gosh, he’s got form here… 
Have Australians have lost any sense of being a unified, tolerant and coherent society? Or are they just selfish, individualistic “aspirationals” in a narcissistic society?

Is “Individualism”  democratic? 

It would appear to the “Coot’s–With-Queer-Ideas-From-a-Parallel-Universe” of the IPA, that Medicare is just “a radical policy…” not a humane or civilized one. 
Despite the many obvious problems of a non-socialized health care, the Trolls of the IPA would seem to prefer a Third World Health Scheme like the American one where your credit card is checked before admission and people die for want of affordable post operative medications?
That’ll be the one “Rabbott” WON”T talk about, a sleeper… like the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme…watch that space…..

Apart from the ”…..ABC bias is not the only problem.”… the “Coot’s–With-Queer-Ideas” have come up with a 75 point plan in lieu of policy for “Mr Rabbott”… here are some of them….presented as a set of values that pretend to be rational...

9/ Abolish the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

15/ Eliminate laws that require radio and television broadcasters to be 'balanced'

17/ End local content requirements for Australian television stations

36/ Legislate a balanced budget amendment which strictly limits the size of budget deficits and the period the federal government can be in deficit

38/ Repeal plain packaging for cigarettes and rule it out for all other products, including alcohol and fast food

41/ Repeal the alcopops tax

44/ Devolve environmental approvals for major projects to the states

50/ Break up the ABC and put out to tender each individual function
51/ Privatise SBS

54/ Allow individuals and employers to negotiate directly terms of employment that suit them

72/ Privatise the CSIRO.....      “…. policies that would make Australia richer and more free.”

Well, they would make some individuals and companies much richer and much freer from social responsibility but the rest of us….? 

Hmmmm....a sort of proof of what David Suzuki said "Conventional economics is a form of brain damage"!

 I mean, these vicious Troll’s wish list of ludicrously anti-social rubbish points to a grim future under Mr “Rabbott” should he win the election and these nasty capitalist apparatchiks are his advisors.

 A “Rabbott” Abbott win in the election campaign would mark the culmination of Howard’s mean-ness of spirit  ideaology and the further dismantling of a Civil society.

 “Abbott..is likely to have an intimidating mandate…” according to the IPA’s ( “Coot’s-with–Queer-Ideas, etc”)… interesting language, an INTIMIDATING mandate… sounds very much like a threat to me… as if any criticism of the effects of what is promulgated will be unjustified.

As this country is taken back to a C19th welfare system and the divide between rich and poor widens and as quality education and health services will only be for the wealthy some of us may wonder why we allowed it to happen but I fear most will not, until, years down the track they realise how much they have lost and how it will be doubly difficult to re-instate.
Cheers Petals
Shane

Peace on earth....and other nastier things...

G'day Possums,

we're in the Ballet studio again... this time to video these lovely dancer's assessments for 2012
As the video is still in the editing stage here are a few stills ....till I can post a you-tube link.......

 And here it is:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr_LLIxTbpI

and also :         http://youtu.be/GKED3x0ZsOA

hope you enjoy it.

Ballet, Warm-up

Strange conversation methods....

A.K.

B. &  R. Pas de Deux......

Politics....

I don't know whether it's just that you become aware of something... like green cars, and then you begin to see them everywhere.. but the politics in the last fortnight has had its own particular tenor. And it's not "the Xmas Spirit" type!

Firstly there was our local scribe... (he's now a Councillor) ranting loopily about Paul Keating and something about superannuation .....I never quite got the gist of what his rant was as he gets so worked up and furious that you tend to drown in the bile.
And bile it was; the frothing mouth sort and with a pitch that if uttered would be a shrill, demented scream.
I wonder if they pay their journo's and "stringers" "super" at his "rag"?
Maybe, that's what it was about.....hmm.

A "prank" call from two non-descript Aussie DJ's to the hospital that the Duchess of Cambrige was in for health reasons goes pear-shaped when the staff member who put the call through seems to have committed suicide .... both DJ's and their radio station have "priors" for malevelont and anti-social behaviour... and they all now express regret for the results of their lack of taste, manners and general courtesy.... this time!

"Come on Aussie..Come On!

Then there was news that "Slippery Pete" has been found to have no case of sexual harrassment to answer with the Judge commenting that his accuser's case was an  "abuse of process" and  "acts of calculated disloyalty".  "Mr Ashby or Ms Doane contacted Mr Brough (pre-selected candidate for Liarbrils , Queensland)  and they began working with him and [News Limited journalist] Steve Lewis."
Seems Pyne "the Whyne" and Julie "Death-Stare" Bishop are implicated further in this piece of bitchy political pay-back.

Professor Alan Fels comes under a torrent of vituperative attack by suggesting with the release of a commissioned State of Tardis study that the taxi industry could be better than it is. Past premier, Geoff "Bully-Boy" Kennett, the "Dorian Grey" of Vic Politics being chief amongst them
Hang on a minute...Fels has only an academic interest in the efficiency of the Taxi business... you'd think by the severity of the attacks that he had something to gain, wouldn't you?
Kennett's name came up again after a guard was bashed on the steps of Parliament, his gun was stolen and the alleged perpetrator was found dead of a apparently self inflicted gunshot wound. Similar guards are now at our train stations because of the violence there.
Who privatised public transport...Mr Kennett of course!

"Rabbit" Abbott's Liarbrils have gone further ahead in the Polls... the mud dumped over Gillard has worked and our less than acute electorate now look certain to vote in this hate driven but policy free rabble in 12 months time.
Perhaps the backfiring of "Slippergate" might indicate to the public at large that this is not a party to be trusted.... with anything.

But my prognostications are looking wrong.

And another piece of nastiness (on-line) but less serious ...local amateur-with-camera has had his reputation fairly accurately depicted by one of his (very) ex models with support from other femmes who  had a-"mused " with said a-w-c. He shows a similar response to above stories and goes on the attack and fiercely... "F..." ! Like, put it behind you, like, move on etc..... like, like..
Like me?

Can any-one in this country make a mistake any more?
Can anyone apologise ... sincerely?

cheers, Petals.
Shane

Trashing the Brand

First, the good news….

 “Take a Bow” is presently having a small revival at “Eleven 40”

Yep, that’s right at 1140 Malvern Rd., Malvern;  an extensive commercial studio and gallery space.

Looks good too and I’m finding it interesting how much more aware I’m becoming of how a space can make or break a photographic work much more easily I think, than paintings or sculptures.

Photography is in most cases about minutiae (even if on a large scale) and demands close inspection and its’ mechanistic procedure limits that “sublime touch” that can often in a human sense, project a painting or sculpture into another realm of visual experience. The painter and sculptor have had a control over their mediums in a manner  photographers until digital, have not.

I heard quite a few comments, like that “….it looked better”,  “… was easier to take in”, “a clearer approach to seeing the works”.

One item I thought that did work more effectively was the placement of the “big screen”. In the smaller space that 1140 is, the screen was far easier to engage with than at the “Minerva” where it did tend to get lost in the larger background and with the effect that you felt you had to crowd into it to see it properly.

Psychological?  Perhaps…. also with the forty or so attending at 1140…that number in a smaller space is much more convivial, engaging and entertaining in mood. 

Rusted flotsam King Island

 Nice conversation with D.S. about the formal qualities of Jeffery Smart’s work and the continuation of one with another exhibitor from the Ballarat show about the difficulty of accepting criticism and that others see differently because of a different perspective and aesthetic.

Mrs Wombat and I can also recommend the tucker at the Malvern Hotel, too.

It’s on till Dec 21 so if you can make a visit, please do.

Ohh ….. and there’s a new book…. “Mosaic”…. another performance record which, because of shooting position at the time has caused me to re-think approaches to this type of shoot.

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3768760

Politics

Cray pots King Island

 The past month has seen the federal Liarbrils huffing and puffing and squawking and squealing and trying to blow Gillard down. …only achieving less public respect for politicians and painting themselves into a lack-of-policy corner they may never get out from. Abbott was an embarrassment in Parliament, Bishop’s lucky she has a job as a pollie as her legal attack was pathetic, Pyne “the Whyne” just continued his high pitched nasally nonsense and Senator Brandis minced about, flapping on and on and on and on and on! 

"Love-Nest" in deserted dairy, King Island

 And they think they can Govern?

Abbott’s deplorable, completely childish and negative tactics are based upon an Armageddon approach to Australia: If I can’t have the leadership I’ll wreck the place!

"Love-Nest" wall with list of performers...

 Just muse about how much scrutiny Abbotts’ personal life would take?

Interesting idea given his consistent behaviour and speech patterns.

Prognostication 2: 

Abbott gets dumped just after Xmas but Bishop “gets the chop”, too!

Self Portrait

  All this trashing was fuelled by a press led by those wonderful Murdoch people of integrity who brought “phone-hacking” to an art-form in Britain.

Lonely church, King Island

 Great work and relevance, too…. when the Polar Ice-caps are melting three times faster than predicted and the Arctic Perma-frost is beginning to dissolve. 

Even the Institute of Public Affairs’ coots’ with queer ideas have begun to see this as a problem for our future, now denying they were ever climate change sceptics and promoted the interests of those mining, fossil fuel and anti alternative energy lobbies…

Although to be fair to them they still, when confronted with uncomfortable facts, point the other way and say, ”Look, over there…a rabbit!”

I wonder if, when the world begins to boil these sorts of moral vacuums will feel any guilt for promoting such lack of action?

Currie Harbour, King Island

 If the “Abbott Circus” really want to “go-after” a pollie who’s been crooked, then their own sides’ Tardis States’ (where all goes backwards) Member for Frankston would be an obvious though excellent choice.

He’ll never be brought to book either; “Big Bird” Baillieu’s (genus: Silvertail Incompetens) IBAC “reforms” have made it all but impossible in future, for a  bent pollie to be charged with anything except snoring.

House, Grassy

 Even the Police Union think that IBAC's legislation is Orwellian!

Did “Big Bird”  take advice from Mohammed Morsi in Egypt?

The result’s frightfully similar.

The Dead Hand of Australia's so-called Liberalism: unimaginative, partisan, looking decidedly corrupt, incompetent, pointless and Trashing the Brand to boot!

Cheers,

Shane

..to Flamenco and move...

G'day Possums,

Dates for the exhibition have been finalised and the title, too.
"Invitation to the Dance".
We are exhibiting at "The Bean Barn", 217 Sturt St Ballarat

from September 19th till October 28th
(dates which were picked in December last year) to co-incide with the Royal South St. ballet and calethenics competitions presenting at Her Majesties Theatre during those times.
There will also be the "Take a Bow"  performance photo comp running around this time
http://takeabow.ballaratfoto.org/
at which ( I'll also be entering the comp ) I'll be doing demonstrations of performance photography on the two weekends: 2 sessions each on Saturday and Sunday.

Below is some recent dance stuff ... the Flamenco shoot is potentially for some advertising for a performance in November / December and the ballet as part of the exhibition at Bean Barn.
Many Thanks to Ally (ballet) and Mariah (Flamenco) for their efforts and time, it was much appreciated.....for the the technically minded; ballet stuff was shot on a 5D Mk2 with either a Canon 50mm prime or a Canon 85mm prime  at 160 ISO. Four mono-blocks were used and exposure on the "sharp" stuff was 1/125 @ f16 and the blurred stuff 1/2 sec @f16 with power turned down by 2/3..... ambient light was good so the blur is real, NOT photoshop!  Shanes new portrait was from a 350D w/ a 28-75 Tamron in available light

Mariah, Flamenco.

Mariah, Flamenco

Ally, Ballet

Ally, Ballet

If any reader happens to be in Ballarat for either "Invitation to the Dance", South Street or the "Take a Bow" shows leave a note or say hello after the demo.


Politics

"Big Red" Gillard has re-vamped the oppositions' policy on offshore processing of asylum seekers and making it more draconian ... but at least she hasn't yet deported or locked up Australian citizens as did the Liarbrils' last Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone.

Egalitarian Australia?  Now there's a nice myth.

"The Australian" newspaper is running a new campaign against Gillard ... and it  reminds me of the sustained attacks on Whitlam and his ministers back in '74-'75.
I was living as an Art student in a share house in '76  and on the anniversary of "The Dismissal" one of the household brought out his folio collection of "The Australian's" daily front pages that dated from 74 - 75. It was extraordinary. It was like reading a piece of music; the rise and fall of invective, innuendo and half truths, the selective reporting, the adding of another "scoop" each week and watching it all reach a crescendo by the Saturday edition. By the time Whitlam's mob were devastated in the election it was positively orgasmic in its vileness.
It was shameful stuff and it still is. "Mr Rabbit" and his rabble are still using the same tactics.
They have few policy's, just tactics.
"Mr Rabbit" thinks private schools are hard done by and that public education should be payed less to balance it all out. Some private schools actually make a profit and overall cater to only 35% of school population.

Egalitarian Australia? 

Funniest moment: The Coot with queer ideas from the IPA was utterly silenced t'other day on radio by a comedic football commentator!
Football commentator did what a decent journo should have done long ago and called Coot's bluff by asking why he was always trying to mislead the public and literally telling him he talked "merde"!
The unusually long silence emmanating from the Coot with queer ideas made for surreal radio. Lovely stuff.
Cheers Echidna's,
Shane