Polymu Photography

Brunswalk with Fire

Peter Novacco — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:50:43 +0000

Last month on a beautiful autumn day Charles Strebor kindly organised Brunswalk with Fire, a photography photowalk through the back streets of Brunswick, culminating in some fire play in Parkville. Charles was even nice enough to provide fire water so I could juggle my fire torches and for his poi. Paul Pavlinovich put on a fire display with burning steel wool. Unfortunately I was too busy juggling to get any nice shots of the fire play, though I did manage a few of the back streets and photographers along the way.

Colourful autumn leaves in Brunswick during Brunswalk with Fire.

ANZAC Day 2013

Peter Novacco — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:11:14 +0000

Every year on ANZAC Day there is a march in Melbourne from the city along St Kilda Road to the Shrine of Remembrance. This year the weather started off cold, though warmed up to be a nice clear day. I watched most of the march, capturing photographs of many of the participants. Lest we forget.

ANZAC Day 2013 march on St Kilda Road in Melbourne, Australia.

Largest Rizal

Peter Novacco — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 05:13:28 +0000

Dr José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda is considered a national hero of the Philippines for his life as a nationalist and reformist. José Rizal was well educated and well respected, an inspiration to younger generations. The date of his death is celebrated in the Philippines as a national holiday. Many monuments and statues have been built in his honour. At 22 feet this statue in Calamba City is the world’s tallest, and was built in his home town in commemoration of 150 years since his birth.

I stopped off at Calamba on the way to a family gathering, taking a few quick shots under the morning sun. This particular statue also holds significance as a key portal in the augmented reality game Ingress; by capturing this portal I seized more than half a million ‘Mind Units’ from the enemy team.

World’s tallest Jose Rizal statue in Calamba City, Philippines

Icarus Sunset

Peter Novacco — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:24:03 +0000

Here are a couple more shots from last weekend’s ‘black glass’ workshop at Mentone, and a shot of the brilliant red sunset later in the day at Brighton. The different shots reflect just how dramatically the lighting conditions can change throughout the day along Port Phillip Bay.

A branch washed ashore by a weathered groyne in Mentone, Australia.

A long exposure of seagulls resting on rocks in shallow water at Mentone.

A seagull glides over sunlight reflected on the water of Port Phillip Bay at sunset.

Mentone Exposed

Peter Novacco — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 11:21:19 +0000

Today I attended a workshop on using neutral density filters, hosted by Melbourne Photowalkers. I went along to share some of my experiences using “black glass”; filters as dark as welding masks that block almost all light. I’d used such a filter in my “Floating Islands in the Philippines” photo and they are ideal to make water look silky smooth, even on a sunny day.

We met up at Mentone beach, in Melbourne, and while waiting for everyone to arrive I took a few shots. It was such a nice sunny day today that even with the black glass it was a challenge to make the water smooth. This shot features one of the many little jetties along the beach. I like to include a solid feature in such shots, otherwise the photos pretty much all turn out as a sliver of detail wedged between silky smooth sky and surf.

A jetty in Mentone at the Melbourne Photowalkers “black glass” workshop.

Processing a Winning Shot

Peter Novacco — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:13:50 +0000

After previous success at michaels I entered three photos in the ‘Landscapes & Vistas’ Covershot Competition and was pleasantly surprised when Fran Watson informed me I’d won with my image Floating Islands in the Philippines. In disbelief I rushed to check the michaels Facebook page, and later received a congratulatory email from Marc Abrahams, the friendly and outgoing Marketing Coordinator at michaels, without whom the Covershot Competitions would not seem possible.

Although the photo turned out well thanks to a beautiful setting and a nice camera with a wide angle lens and dark neutral density filter, I doubt I would have won without plenty of post processing. While there is some tonemapping in Photomatix, I also originally edited in Lightroom and Photoshop. Since then new updates to Lightroom include clarity, saturation and white balance graduated filters and brushes; the editing I performed on this photo in Photoshop can now be performed in Lightroom. I’ve included the before photo for comparison of the difference post processing makes.

Quezon Island overlooking a floating island at the Hundred Island National Park in northern Philippines.

Long exposure of an island at Hundred Islands National Park, Philippines without any post-processing applied.

Collingwalk

Peter Novacco — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:17:08 +0000

The Google Anniversary Photowalk in Melbourne last Saturday, #collingwalk, was a maze like adventure through the back streets of Collingwood. It felt as though down every little lane and alley and behind every rubbish bin was a graffiti mural or other artwork.

Thanks to Paul Pavlinovich for once again organising the event, and to the regulars that make the events so enjoyable. Many of the photos I took were of the graffiti, and I enjoyed heavily processing the photos. The style may not suit all photos, though I enjoy making the graffiti stand out by using strong contrast and heavily saturated colours.

Google Anniversary Photowalk “Collingwalk” through the laneways of Collingwood in Melbourne.

Melbourne Photowalk with Brian Matiash

Peter Novacco — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 06:27:04 +0000

Last Friday I was fortunate enough to attend a Melbourne Photowalk hosted by Brian Matiash and Nicole S. Young. Many thanks to the couple for visiting Melbourne and hosting the photowalk. I enjoyed exchanging photography tips with Brian.

Also thanks to Paul Pavlinovich and all the Google+ regulars who make the local photowalks so enjoyable. Here are some shots from the walk, which took in some of Melbourne’s graffiti covered laneways.

A frozen romance by the Yarra River overlooking Melbourne.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Peter Novacco — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:09:19 +0000

Every summer the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs a series of free concerts at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Thousands of people attend in the warm evenings to picnic while listening to classical music in the open air. Beyond the parkland the sun sets over the nearby Melbourne skyline.

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performs at Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

Faerie Rade

Peter Novacco — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 06:41:30 +0000

On a beautiful summer’s day faeries amassed from across Melbourne at Treasury Gardens. The Faerie Queen and Faerie King led a grand procession of Faerie Folk through the streets of Melbourne. Accompanied by a cornucopia of other fantasy creatures, and adorned with streamers, bells, bubbles and other fancies, the rade was quite a spectacle. The merry folk concluded the rade at Queen Victoria Gardens for a picnic.

The Midsummer FAERIE RADE – 2013 in Melbourne, Australia hosted by Golden Owl Events.