Here stands a salutory lesson on the folly of cost cutting in business, the practice of which so often proves to be founded on false economy. Melbourne’s try at having an ‘eye’ was constructed in such a way that when we reached a certain temperature in the heat of summer last year, components failed and the wheel had to be shut down. Sure the temperature reached the mid 40′s (centigrade) but that is not an unknown or unanticipated scenario. The wheel was only in operation for a few months and businesses that had been established around it to cater for the anticipated tourist traffic were understandably upset (to put it mildly). At the moment the wheel is being dismantled to be ‘fixed’

Camera: blackbird, fly with square mask     Film: Agfa Pro 200 N

Camera: blackbird,fly with square mask   Film: Agfa Pro 200

Friends of ours live in country Victoria, which experienced some devastating bushfires early in 2009. We visited the other day and my friend took me on a tour of some of the areas nearby affected by the fires. It was wonderful to see how the regrowth was progressing in even the most blackened scorched areas.

Camera: blackbird,fly – no mask    Film: Agfa Pro 200-N

For all the Frank Zappa fans out there. In a bout of insomnia last Tuesday night I was capturing this scene with a variety of cameras, including the blackbird,fly. This exposure was taken over approximately 50 seconds.

Camera: blackbird,fly – no mask    Film: Fuji Superia 400

A cute image of my eldest, looking quite happy with her latest ‘toy’ – the Hula Hoop, an oldie but a goodie

Camera: blackbird,fly with no mask   Film: Fuji Superia 400

Another colourful capture of my beautiful (if slightly bonkers) kids, sheltering from cosmic rays under a rainbow striped umbrella. Sprocket holes courtesy of the blackbird,fly cameras different masking options. This image was taken as part of a little 8mm filming project of which a small movie snippet can be seen here: documenting the capturing of Umbrella Girls.

Camera: blackbird,fly with no mask    Film: Agfa Pro 200-N

Some curly topiary at the McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park in Melbourne’s South Eastern suburb of Langwarren. My sister had found some expired Kodak C-41 Black & White 35mm film and thought I might be able to use it, 400 ASA – tasty! Thanking her very much, I loaded the blackbird,fly with it sans mask to get the sprocket exposed effect in some B & W film (something I had never done before).
I also hadn’t ran any B & W film through my favourite plastic TLR before, so was keen to see the results, but finishing the film took longer than I thought it would, but I was happy with the final results.
Back to the park however, the extensive grounds have some truly amazing sculptures and the gallery itself some great exhibits, but I was really taken by this sculpted greenery (sorry I neglected to get details of the piece I will try and rectify that in a future visit)

Camera: blackbird,fly no mask   Film: Kodak C-41 Black & White 35mm 400 ASA

The facade (or rather part) of the Customs building in Melbourne. This building sits in the docklands precinct and I was quite taken with it’s OP-Art sensibilities, so of course had to capture some views on film. I took this photograph last week whilst wandering town with my nephew (pictured in this photo) and remember thinking I would have liked to have been able to get on a cherry-picker or something similar so I could capture the geometries without so much of a perspective from below, but I still like the way this one turned out.

Camera: blackbird, fly with square mask, Film: Agfa Pro 200

Camera: blackbird, fly with square mask    Film: Agfa Pro 200-N

Camera: blackbird,fly with 24 x 24 mm square mask   Film: Fuji Superia 400