My writing competition entry

Here is my entry in Mark Joyner's writing competition. I talk about one of the most life changing experiences of my life, which I had while on a trip in Africa. Feel free to leave a comment either here or on YouTube.

A Village in the Punjab

The view of the village from our host's house

Just two days before our wedding in Pakistan one of Noamy's uncles took my parents, best mate, and I to small village about a half hours drive from Gujrat in Pakistan. It was really an eye opener for all of us, especially, those on the trip who hadn't seen a third world village before. Here are a few panoramas of life in a rural village in the province of Punjab in Pakistan.

This was a small lake or dam that the cattle bathed and drank from

In the fields around the village they grew a number of crops; vegetables, sugar cane, feed for livestock and other stuff that I couldn't tell.

Pray for peace in Pakistan

The recent news of the death of Benazir Bhutto has shocked the nation.  Already people have died across the country in demonstrations, from Karachi to Lahore, shops have been looted and buildings set on fire.
 
Things here in Gujrat remain quite peaceful. Please pray that there will be peace throughout the whole nation at this tragic time.

This is a panorama I did from the top of the water tank at Noamy's house giving a good view of Mehmda, a small suburb in Gujrat, Pakistan.  

Free blogging course from Simpleology

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Most recent work - Milsons Point

Ok, it has been AGES and now I am hopelessly behind in updating this blog. Hasn't been much of a priority with all thats been going on in life. However the passion for photography remains, and I am doing as much of it as I can. My most recent panoramic outing was to Milsons Point, on the North Shore of Sydney Harbour with the iconic bridge and Opera House.

Sunset over the harbour (Noamy is in view in the bottom left)

What a difference an hour or so can make!

Surbeach Sunrise

Security really messes up your sleep patterns, so coming back from a job at about 4am I decided it would be a good idea to make the most of my early morning and catch a sunrise. I would struggle to get out of bed for a 5:30am Summer sunrise, so this was an easier option for me. I had loads of fun playing with exposure times and spotted a pod of dolphins, which was a nice bonus.

Pictures with Inspirational Verses

We offer many of our pictures as prints accompanied by inspirational verses. We can also print pictures with any message or phrase of your own choosing. These make great personalised gifts and last a lifetime, with our prints rated to at least 75 years. Check out our site bayvisions.info to see more examples or email us office@bayvisions.info.

Home again, home again

Well I'm back in the Bay for the Summer holidays, and got big plans to do... not much. I think this could be my last chance to have a good summer break on the South Coast so I'm going to enjoy it. The weather has been terrible so far, so I haven't been able to get out there. But here are some shots from the backlog...

The view from a headland at Surfside

Bay Bridge at dusk

The tidal island at the North end of Barlings Beach

Calendars for 2007

Exciting news! We have produced a calendar featuring some of our best shots from Sydney, Canberra and the South Coast (not in order of importance). They are available for $20 and make a great Christmas present. We have called it 'Inspirations' because it features some inspirational Scripture verses along with the beautiful panoramas. Contact Cameron on 0419 827 457 or cameron@bayvisions.info to order yours!

Take a deep breath...

South Broulee at low tide


Well, its all over once again for another year. Another semester of hard study down, and just one more to go. I have still been getting out there a bit in the midst of it all, but have been rather slack in bringing you the results. So here is an update for you of a recent trip to Batemans Bay. Unfortunately the reason for the trip was sad as I was attending the funeral of a friend. But we were blessed with a beautiful day, which somehow made it more bearable. Although it was a sad time, I was reminded of the good things of the life of my friend, and the beauty that life can hold. Its hard to be down when the beauty of God's creation is crying out. So really, these are in honour of Damo, rest in peace brother.

South Broulee at low tide,

vertical panoramas give an interesting perspective

Mckenzies Beach viewed from pretty point on a glorious spring day

City lights from Crow's Nest

Well, its been a while since I posted. Its the usually story of a student, studying, working, and trying to have a social life doesn't leave you lots of time sometimes for doing the things you love. I did get the chance recently to check out a spot I had noticed on the Pacific Hwy. It was a bit of a mission trying to find this footbridge over the Hwy, I usually drive under it. Eventually I found it in Crow's Nest. Missed a nice sunset after getting lost, but I had a lot of fun playing with exposure times anyway. Check it out.

Moruya River

I recently went down the coast again to photograph some locations for my mum. It sounded like a good idea for me; get away home for a few days, catch up with some people, eat home cooked food, and do some photography while at it. I got around to a few locations, but the main focus was the Moruya River at dusk.

I went down to the river two evenings in a row, hoping to get just the right amount of cloud cover, and light. Unfortunately, both evenings the main cloud cover was in the east! I got some nice panoramas out of it anyway.

I also got along to a few other spots; the Tomaga River, Barlings Beach, Clyde River and Surfside. I thought that I had managed to cover most of the Bay last summer. But it is a situation of the more you look, the more you see!

I am continuing to discover great spots in each area I explore. Multiply that idea by about a thousand when considering a place like Sydney to discover through the lense!

Exo Day

For something different I'm going to show you some of my shots from the Big Exo Day (Youth Alive event). I was asked to go along and take some photos, and had a blast since it was my first time doing any event
photography.

I only got around to about half of the activities put on during the day. It really a big Christian youth festival, with multiple band stages, bmx, fmx, skate, dance, cars, carnival rides, markets and so on. You get to see a really diverse range of youth culture.

Our college had been running a scholarship competition, a first years tuition paid for. They presented the scholarship on the night to this lucky young lady. I also got to be just metres awat from some really popular current artists taking pictures. It was fun, to say the least.

Darling Harbour under lights

One section of boardwalk in the harbour, getting ready for an on-the-water concert the next night

Darling Harbour has really been turned into a playground, with the shores being lined with bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, and even a floating stage for live music on occasion! This series was taken at about 1:30 am on a Friday night after I finished work, and the place was still bustling with the activity of party goers. Fortunately only about three groups interfered with me and my camera equipment, they were all happy drunks. This too is a really beautiful part of Sydney, day or night, although its reputation has possibly been marred by recent events that have made the news. There has been some pretty serious advertising going on up in Sydney for Darling Harbour as a place to 'play.' It is interesting to think that potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on promotion could have all been for nothing with one bad news story. Anyway, check it out at night if you get a chance, its well worth a look.

In this part of the Harbour you have the maritime museum on the left, and the aquarium on the right. The white streaks in the sky near the flagpole is the movement of a flock of seagulls.

Even if you don't have much money for a classy meal at one of the restaurants along the promenade, Darling Harbour is a beautiful place to explore and walk around. Here the skyline of the city is central, and a large floating restaurant to the left of screen.

There are several interesting water features in this style throughout the Darling Harbour/Darling Park precinct. During warm days you will often see kids playing around in them.

Returning to the South Coast

Gerringong, Seven Mile Beach and Mount Coolangatta as viewed from the Prince's Highway

I have returned to Batemans Bay several times this year, and I have realised that I am getting too far behind in keeping the blog up to date! On a recent trip I also took some shots along the way down the coast as well. Its a really picturesque drive South from Sydney. I especially recommend taking the coast road from Gerringong to Nowra sometime, although its also a beautiful drive along the highway through Berry. Then there's the Bay, its always great when you get the the bridge and it feels like home again. Enjoy the drive...

Shoalhaven River at Dusk

Batemans Bay can be beautiful at night as well as during the day, with the lights reflecting over a still Clyde River

This shot of the Promenade was taken on another trip on the Mother's Day Weekend

Circular Quay at 3am

Circular Quay down by the rocks, with the international passenger port to the right of the Sydney Opera House

View of Circular Quay from the Cahill Expressway, you can just see the ferries in the bottom right of the frame

Sydney is such a busy place, but thankfully it does sleep. Fortunately the roads are clear for me after work which means I feel like I have the place to myself! Normally crowded places are clear and calm so I can take my time. Sydney Harbour can be a beautiful place by day, but I think it is equally, if not more so at night. Circular Quay is especially photogenic with the iconic opera house and bridge, and the historical Rocks area. Highly recommended at any time of day!

Reflections on Circular Quay from the Eastern Shore

Sydney Harbour at night

City Lights, The Opera House, and Harbour Bridge

Since moving to Sydney I (Cameron) have had lots of opportunities to take photos of this beautiful harbour city. I have found it easiest to work at night, as this fits in with my job and the roads are clear! For anyone familiar with Sydney traffic, I am sure they would understand. Besides that, the city looks incredible when it is lit up at night, with high rises glowing and reflections on the harbour. Unfortunately these pictures don't look optimal on this site, but I am sure you will get the idea (if the pictures look too dark try adjusting the brightness of your monitor).

This shot was taken adjacent to Luna Park and gives a different view of the Harbour

City from under the bridge, near Milson' Point

Previous Travels, well almost - Denhams Beach, Surfbeach, and Lilli Pilli

Denhams Beach at low tide is frequently left with loads of seaweed

In this post we bring you some images from Denhams Beach, Surfbeach and Lilli Pilli. They could hardly be called 'travels' when they are just around the corner from our (old) homes!
This year, Allan has moved to Canberra, and Cameron to Sydney, both of us continuing our studies. We have been taking pictures in the areas we live, (which we will be posting shortly) whilst remaining available to make panoramas of the South Coast area upon request.
Denhams Beach and Surfbeach are a couple of the more popular locations during summer, but are still quite beautiful, even when crowded. Then again, 'crowded' on the South Coast means something entirely different to up here in Sydney!

Denhams Beach from the Northern end

Surfbeach with the Tollgate Islands in centre view, and a very low tide

The rock shelf at the Southern end of Surfbeach at low tide

Sunrise on a very early morning at Denhams Beach

A stormy day from the Southern Headland of Lilli Pilli, again with the Tollgate Islands in view

On the same stormy day, this was the view North from the headland on the Northern end of Mosquito bay. On a good day, it is a beautiful walk around the headland from Mosquito Bay to Lilli Pilli.

Previous Travels - South Durras

The cove at Murramerang

In this post we will give you a look at some photos we took around South Durras during January. It took us several days to get the favourable weather conditions to get these, between cloud cover and unexpected coastal early morning fog. It was all worth it in the end! If you have never been there, South Durras and Murramerang National Park are a really beautiful part of the South Coast. Even in peak season you can find a quiet beach and possibly have it all to yourself.

The Island, South Durras Beach and Murramerang are in view here

One of the rockshelves at low tide around from Murramerang

This headland has Emily Miller Beach in view to the South, and The Island in view to the North