Impressions of Australia

[Phill D]

Having just got back from my first visit to Oz I've started saving for a return. Unfortunately it may take a little time.
Here are a few shots I took whilst I was there.
1) Gold coast view from my hotel across the building site!
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2) Surfers paradise beach in the evening
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3) Canberra parliment building flag
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4) Canberra view from the excellent war memorial towards the parliment building
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5) Sydney Opera House - one of many
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6) Sydney harbour bridge - again one of many. Notice the people taking walks over the bridge. Didn't have time myself, well that's my excuse anyway.
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7) Opera house at night.
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8) Bridge at night
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9) Sydney harbour buildings at night.
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10) Sunrise over the pool from the top of the Holiday Inn where I stayed for a few days. Views were excellent & I'd recommend the hotel. Room 830 has a view of the Opera house & the bridge.
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More to post......

[Phill D]

11) Aborigine at Circular Quay - quite a flexible business man I'd say.
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12) Sydney harbour from the Opera house
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13) Opera house again
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14) Statue & fountain in Hyde Park I think
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15) Sydney monorail
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16) That bridge again - view from the Sydney observatory
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17) OH from the ferry
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18) No intro needed with this one
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19) or this one I guess
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20) Harbour view from taronga zoo
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and there's more......yes I really did play the tourist!!

[Phill D]

21) The Rocks area of Sydney
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22) Bonza tours!!!!.....I just couldn't resist it
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23) Looking for a boomerang
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24) That bridge is fantastic up close just look at those rivets.
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25) OH framed
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26) OH again just because it's there & it's an amaizing building
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27) Arty go at a bridge shot.
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28) Reflecting building at Circular Quay
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29) Convicts sleeping quarters at Hyde Park barracks
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Ok that's the lot for now. Hope you enjoyed looking at them as much as I enjoyed my trip. As you've probably guessed by now I was impressed with Oz.

[K1W1]

Nice set.
Don't tell Rooz I said this by Sydney is very photogenic when the weather is good.
You really should have a go at the bridge walk on your next trip though the views are absolutely spectacular. I did the walk with a person who is terrified of heights and he loved it.
BTW. No cameras or loose objects allowed on the walk. You have to do a breathalyser test and go through x-ray scanning before you are allowed to start the walk.

Oh yes. The Gold Coast has been a building site for around 30 years years now. :D

[Rhys]

BTW. No cameras or loose objects allowed on the walk. You have to do a breathalyser test and go through x-ray scanning before you are allowed to start the walk.


That's no fun at all. Is this another example of the terrorists winning again?

[K1W1]

That's no fun at all. Is this another example of the terrorists winning again?


Nothing to do with terrorists it's safety.
It's windy up there and you are directly above one of the busiest stretches of road in Australia. Would you want a camera dropped on your car from 50 metres above you as you drive to work?
Even sunglasses and hats have to be tied to your body and pockets must be emptied (no mobile phones, coins or wallets).

[Phill D]

Yes I guess they have to be strict on that climb. Maybe next time but it would be a shame to not be able to take photos. It may have been my imagination but it looked as if they stopped near the top to pose probably for a fixed camera. Weather was good most of the time especially considering it was winter!

[TheWengler]

Nice set! Looks like a great spot to visit.

[K1W1]

It may have been my imagination but it looked as if they stopped near the top to pose probably for a fixed camera.


The guides have cameras (strapped to their bodies). There is a standard group shot just before the top with the Opera House in the background and then individual shots as you cross over above the road. Needless to say the prints or CD's are available for purchase when you get back to the changing area where you take off your coveralls.

The really silly thing about the whole bridge walk is that the paying walkers are chained on and have all sorts of restrictions about what they can and can't do or carry and yet while you are plodding along the spars in you little groups wearing your supplied coveralls and safety harness listening to the guides commentary on your (strapped on) headset you will often be passed by a couple of guys wearing business clothes with a hard hat and fluro vest and carrying a clip board or bag. The Harbour Authority people can walk all over the bridge wearing what the like and carrying anything they want to without safety harnesses. They also get to use the lifts rather than having to climb all the ladders.

[D Thompson]

Wow, thanks Phil for views I doubt I'll see in person. Looked like a great trip.

[Rooz]

this is a beautiful set phil. thatnks for giving me a kick in the ass for not appreciating our city and/ or taking pics of it to do it justice like you have. glad you had a great trip. :)

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

That's no fun at all. Is this another example of the terrorists winning again?

By terrorists do you mean our increasing fear of lawyers.

Oh great pics, (puts my efforts in Sydney to shame).

[Rooz]

The Harbour Authority people can walk all over the bridge wearing what the like and carrying anything they want to without safety harnesses. They also get to use the lifts rather than having to climb all the ladders.

actually they cant. they are supposed to be wearing safety equipment and not handholding anything. they just dont give a crap about the rules until some poor bastard plummets to his death and then all of a sudden they will review their "procedures".

[Phill D]

Thanks guys for those kind words much appreciated. Sydney did look very photogenic in the winter sun. It wasn't too bad in the rainy bits either. It's always the same Rooz we never take enough notice of our immediate surroundings. Dont think I'll ever get close to kicking your ass photographically though ;) Mind you I have booked on a days photographic composition course end of next week as a birthday present so lets see if it has any effect.

[Rooz]

well those are better shots than i've ever taken of the bridge and opera house.

[tim11]

11) Aborigine at Circular Quay - quite a flexible business man I'd say.
http://www.dcresource.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47652&d=1248038640

I checked out before and saw only your first post. I thought.... "hmmmmm......... did Phill D miss the guys playing the didgeridoo at Circular Quay?"... It was quite hard to miss them. This is the only place in Sydney that you can see a real aboriginals playing their own traditional instruments without travelling far from the city. They love having their photos taken and seem to be there around the clock.
Yes they are good businessmen and I took many photos of them myself many times. Did you buy their CDs too Phill?

[Spookonthe8ball]

Awesome photos Phil. Thanks for posting.
Spook

[Honest Gaza]

Here is an example of a shot from the Bridge Climb :

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Notice how all of the gear is attached to the clothing.

[K1W1]

Notice how all of the gear is attached to the clothing.

And how the people are attached to the safety wires.

[Phill D]

Rooz you're too kind & thanks spook glad you liked them.
Gaza that does look pretty awesome maybe one day I'll be able to return & will have a go. There seemed to be parties walking over both sides of the bridge so I guess you need to pick the right side to get the best opera house background in the shot. It certainly makes a pretty cool souvenier.
Tim no I'm afraid I didn't buy a CD but I did donate a little. I grabbed a few seconds of video & in hindsite maybe a CD would have been worth it. I didn't realise that was the only spot in Sydney I was quite lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Here's a shot of some of his mates. It's quite a paint job he's got.
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[TheWengler]

well those are better shots than i've ever taken of the bridge and opera house.

Well then it's time to get out there and put that 14-24mm lens, tripod and those legendary pp skills to good use.

[Steve_W_1962]

Great set of pictures there Phill, my favourites are the night shots and the sunrise :)

[Phill D]

Thanks Steve yes I like the night ones too. I tweaked the bridge one with Picassa for fill lighting & I was suprised what a difference it made. I then tried the harbour buildings one but I think I overdid it slightly. Either way Picassa certainly improved the end results.

[Rooz]

Well then it's time to get out there and put that 14-24mm lens.

i just sold it.

[TheWengler]

i just sold it.

Not sharp enough for you? :D

[Rooz]

it was too good for me.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

You're not showing the D300 in your sig anymore either

[Sir Les]

Back in the 1970's I managed to wangle a privately-conducted Sydney Harbour Bridge walk through work 'connections'. No wires, no special clothing, no restrictions on cameras and no solid hand rail at the very top of the arch either -- just a hand rope (I think the solid rail had been removed to allow some maintenance procedures). At great risk to life and limb (mine) and with my knees knocking, I managed to take some photos with my Minolta XG-2 slr. Here's one that I scanned from a print. Wouldn't be allowed to do it today, more's the pity.

[Phill D]

That must be a rare shot Les & in the days before IS to counter those wobbly knees ;)
It gives a good view of the engineering involved in the bridge structure thanks for posting.

[Prospero]

Great shots, Phil.
I really like number 2, very nice compostion and lighing. Your shots of sydney are also great. I really liked the night shot of the opera house.
I think you saw a bit more of sydney than I did. We were there only one day, so we couldn't see it all.

[Phill D]

Thanks Prospero number 2 was a bit of pot luck really I'd decided to go & look at the beach too late in the day & the light was fading fast plus the sun had set over the town not the beach. The beach wasn't very interesting with the standard lens so I went for a tele shot to pick out interest & improve the composition. A bit of an experiment but I agree it worked.

[Gintaras]

Incredible set of images, love them all

[Phill D]

Thanks Gintaras much appreciated.

[Gintaras]

Phill, you welcome, honestly speaking after seeing your images I felt like I visited Australia myself :-)