Queensland

Botanica

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We were waiting for the light to fade so we could see Brisbane shimmer from the vantage point of Mount Coot-tha.

As luck would have it, the Botanic Gardens are just further down the hill. They are packed with a huge variety of plants which thrive in the sub-tropical climate and a particularly moist, balmy autumn. The hothouse seemed almost a needless luxury.

I decided to switch over to my macro lens for this visit and was overwhelmed with natural details to capture as we wandered around this beautiful collection. 

green

Click first image to launch the gallery

Resting water dragonThis chap was happily resting in a pile of wood chips as we walked around Brisbane’s Botanic Gardens. Australian Water Dragons are quite a common sight there – and will pose for photographs… Click to enlarge.

Awesome view

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G'day Brissie

Brisbane glitter

I’ve just returned from a trip to Australia, a country which is bursting with photographic riches. These are the final shots I captured before making the gruelling trip back to London.

This is Brisbane, seen from high above the city at Mount Coot-tha. Its tall, bristling centre stands proud during the day and glitters after dark – an awesome sight, as Australians would say.

The spot is a big tourist draw, lending me the chance to turn my lens on some of the many people who also came up to look out over Queensland’s capital.

Click first image to launch the gallery

The abstract collection

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“Relating to or denoting art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but rather seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, colours, and textures”.

That is the dictionary definition of the word abstract, when used to describe a form of art – including photography. Inspired by the 30 photographers project that I recently took part in, here’s a selected gallery of my images that fall into that category.

The mysterious yet intriguing comes from architecture, close-up work and can be found practically anywhere. It’s an area which stretches the mind and challenges the eye, and can be interpreted so many ways.

Click first image for full gallery experience

Click here to explore the other collections

Green Island

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It’s time for a final photographic visit to Australia. This time it’s a trip out to Green Island, a speck of land in the Coral Sea off Queensland and a short catamaran ride from Cairns.

Our landing there was fleeting. Instead of capturing the white sands and palm trees, I went for the above shot on the island’s jetty. I liked its geometric layers, colours, focusing and the twinkling of the sea in the background.

Similarly, on the boat journey out to the island, I was taken by the colours, shimmering and simplicity of the sea meeting the sky.

And with these two images, the Australian journey ends. Here are links to previous posts about the trip.

Bonzer Brisbane

Sumptuous Sunset

Byron’s Brilliance