Wedge-tailed Eagle

Wedge-tailed Eagle (captive animal)

Wedge-tailed Eagle - Aquila audax, is the largest raptor in Australia. What a majestic animal!

Yesterday, we went to Lone Pine Sanctuary in Brisbane. This photographic wildlife eldorado could not be more different to where I normally capture animals, namely in the wild.

In such a beautiful wildlife park, every unique photo opportunity comes like chips at McDonalds. You can order or help yourself to more at any time, repeat encounters with normally shy and rare animals. You can even plan the lighting and background with a bit of patience. You are seduced by cuteness and uniqueness in a multipack.



To me, it feels a bit like cheating wildlife photography. Seeing flocks of tourists taking phone selfies with birds, marsupials and other animals feels weird. Seeing people poke, chase and otherwise harass the 'faunal objects' even frustrates a bit.

Does the existence of places like this depreciate the value of wildlife photos in nature? Surely, it clarifies the context on which my wildlife photos are judged by the public. Seeing the many baby Koalas at close and eye-level distance with natural looking background and perfect light convinces me that photos taken in the wild should not even try to compete.

Koala baby (captive animal)

It somehow becomes archaic and irrelevant when hard work and luck competes with paying an entrance fee or a ticket. In many parks, you can and even should attempt to make staged and arranged photos look like wild ones. Vice versa, it is highly uneconomical and often impossible to make natural wildlife photos look like perfect studio shots.

Let's not pour more fuel into many examples of cheating and even fraud in wildlife photography. Just bear in mind: if some photos seem too beautiful to be true, unfortunately, we might (wrongly but often rightly) assume that this is what they are. In the end, what works and what evokes emotions has justification. But we should not fall for populism in photography even if that is exactly what all of us wildlife photographers are guilty of when we try to please anyone.



Does such a wildlife park replace the appreciation of real natural habitats in general or complement it? Does the modern alienation of nature combined with a narcissistic culture pose a threat or quite the contrary? Will we soon only have wildlife 'ghettos' in a rapidly developing cosmopolitan city and society? Will the public have a distorted understanding and little care of natural habitats and ecosystems?

Lone Pine is mainly a rehabilitation centre for injured animals and has also an educational function with respect to native fauna and heritage. They are doing a great job. It is so good, that I would recommend to spend a day there, preferably not around school holidays or on weekends. Maybe even take a picnic and commute there with a direct bus from the CBD to take advantage of lounge chairs at the bus stop. How innovative!

One of the Wedge-tailed Eagles, came to the park as a shooting victim. It is a bit ironic that real bullets have now been replaced with photos for the shoots. The eagle in the daily scheduled raptor show certainly don't seem to mind that much. This guy got a mouse for lunch as you might see in a few photos presented on my webpage.

Wedge-tailed Eagle (captive animal)

Photographically, my choice of a long zoom lens was an unnecessary choice out habit. It was a compromise that saved me changing lenses all the time. Quite contrary to a photo shoot in the wild, a professional would prefer a shorter, good quality prime lens under such controlled conditions.

A wildlife photographer in the bush would rather worry about how to collect stardust on mars than about too much or the wrong reflection in a wild eagle's eyes. It amuses me somehow that the result I got doesn't satisfy me from a technical point of view. And yet, it is another good example to show that context matters in photography. This was almost a studio shot and needs to be regarded and judged as such.

Do I really want to see a reflection of myself and my background in the pupils of an eagle picture? My answer is clearly 'no'. How could I plan that better next time? Many photographers would simply argue that photography skills start with Photoshop and don't end there. I disagree. Frankly, I am still short of an alternative option. A reflection board (let alone a flashlight) might distract or freak out the animal and would certainly need permission and thorough consideration to be used.



This picture is still artistically pleasing to me because the busy background is eliminated with a soft, creamy contrast to the dark animal. The portrait makes me wonder what the eagle is reflecting on and where it is focussing its thoughts. Is it happy or is its life too artificial and too close to human cameras?

Enjoy!

Australian Pelican

Australian Pelican with inside-out pouch put over its body

Australian Pelicans - they are so common and big that they may have exhausted to get much of my photographic attention. I often only check if they are fine and free from fishing line entanglement and other damage. There is hardly any picture that I have not attempted or one that has not been pixelated yet.

Last week, this guy distracted me a bit while I was witnessing some beautiful Darter family action nearby (will write a blog post later). What looked horribly wrong to me, may have been a witness account of some value.




This Pelican obviously turned its pouch inside out, leaned its neck back and put the pouch over its body. Try that! Once I was pretty confident that this was real and the animal was fine, I saw the funny side of it. How cool is that? You can clearly see the veins on the pouch skin, too.

I had assumed that the Pelican was having the sun rid him of a few parasites or some bad, fishy breath. Maybe the drying air or sun was helping with healing a wound. A QuestaGame expert pointed out that the role of their gular pouches to help in cooling is known. Maybe it was reverse engineering and the Pelican was trying to warm up. We have cold nights in Brisbane at the moment and I couldn't blame the Pelican for not caring about its silly 'pouched-over' looks.

This is certainly a photo that deserves to be on my website, maybe not for photographic quality (it was quite far away) but documentation of a rarely documented behaviour.

Hopefully, you'll enjoy.

Last thought...

Pristhesancus plagipennis

Look at this picture and imagine that you are a fly. By the time, you would have finished that thought being that very imaginary fly you'd be doomed, injected with a hormone that liquefies your tissue only to be sucked out by this Bee Killer Assassin Bug.




These predators move smoothly and steadily. They conceal in ambush until they can present their victims with their beautiful red-orange body. It might remind of a beautiful flower and food, look irresistible. The long 'horn' that acts as a syringe and straw might only be noticed when it snaps and punctures its prey.

If you are a human, being a fly might not be your last thought. If you are injected the strong venom of the Bee Killer Assassin Bug, however, you might wish for a few days that you could fly and leave the pain behind you.

Looking at this photo might help you to empathise with a fly or any other insects. You might see what they last saw. Maybe you'll know their last thought - a good one I am quite sure.

Enjoy your meal and keep dreaming!

Coffee sipping bug

Do you drink serveral cups of coffee per day? You might suffer from the 'Coffee sipping bug'.

Please have a look at what might be the first animated document witnessing this bug at work. Admittedly, you will not find any cure for your coffee addiction. You'll be witnessing a bug, obviously enjoying to suck out some coffee sap right from the plant. This is the stuff that you might expect in a David Attenborough documentary or a National Geographic story. They would have professional equipment and obviously quite a bit more experience and talent to make this really tantalisingly irresistible - just like a cup of coffee in the morning.

My friends would say that this movie - similar to my other wildlife activities - is not sexy enough for a wider public. Surely, they are right. But...isn't that a gorgeous bug? Look at it! This guy was so passionate about getting to the good stuff, the coffee sap I assume. I love seeing passion and natural behaviour. I love witnessing and documenting true and unmanipulated life that hardly anyone else knows and has ever seen before. How could I hold this back and keep this footage for myself? Surely, with a few billion people on this Earth someone else will share my fascination and fully enjoy this video.

I doubt that many people could identify this species easily. At least to me this animal is unknown, its segmented body with 6 legs hints at it being an insect or arthropod of some sort. So, I call it a bug but am happy to learn its true identity. The animal is not more than 2 mm long, the size of a pinhead. The body seems to be covered with a shield, probably made from collected material. Some long hairlike thread is constantly probing the environment while the animal is visibly busy sticking something that looks like an antler into the coffee leaf, probing it really well and leaving a visible trace. I love passion and dedication and that's what I can see in this video.

The bug totally ignored the fact that I had pinched off the leaf from the bush and kept flashing my camera at it. The footage was taken in our garden. Some fancy music would probably suit it better than the surrounding noise, some birds and traffic. It was a bit windy too. Some parts of the bug's shield or body are obviously blown around a bit at some stage.




I tried to take pictures with my 100mm macro lens with a 68mm extension tube on a cropped sensor camera. That didn't give me enough details in magnification and I got better quality with my microscope modus on my underwater camera.

Let's be realistic: we can't keep up with large animals, we struggle with small ones, on land but even more under water. Nudibranch documentation has taught me that introducing small animals to the world is a challenge, even when they are the most beautiful and story telling animals. When they are smaller than 2mm, it is almost hopeless to have the right equipment ready in the right situation that allow to document properly and to get an audience that is able to connect with it.

My addiction is not coffee, but macro photography and wildlife documentation. Let me know if you share my enthusiasm and let me know if you like this footage (if not the bug). By sharing this story and video with your friends you might contribute to get the word out there, namely that: 'coffee sipping' is addictive, even among some bugs.

Zeltnacht in Australien

• Photo Discussion Friday

Australian Camping Night

PDF Week 20/2016: Canon 7D, 18mm (on 18-200mm lens), 43 sec, f3.5, ISO 400.

Die Sterne leuchten heller in Australien. Vielleicht haben wir weniger Lichtverschmutzung. Das naechtliche Firmament zeigt sich vielleicht auch oefter unbedeckt als anderswo. Beeindruckend ist der Blick hinauf in den naechtlichen Himmel allemal. In der suedlichen Hemisphaere zeigen sich Sterne und Himmelskoerper von einer anderen Seite. Statt des Polarsterns ist das 'Kreuz des Suedens' (Southern Cross) Orientierungspunkt fuer das Himmelszelt.

Hier moechte ich keine vertiefte himmelskundliche Kenntnisse vortaeuschen. Vielmehr geht es mir darum, mit dem praesentierten Foto meine Faszination darueber kund zu tun, dass man unsere Galaxie, die Milchstrasse, sogar in der Naehe von Grossstaedten klar wahrnehmen kann. Andererseits moechte ich in diesem Fotographie-Forum meine Erkenntnisse teilen, wie man solch eine eindrueckliche Szenerie bildlich festhalten kann. Vielleicht motiviert das ja jemanden, den Griff zur Spiegelreflexkamera zu machen oder die Begrenzung durch gaengige Universal-Kameramodelle zu erkennen.

Bei unserem Campier-Ausflug letzte Woche erlebten wir traumhafte Naechte. Mit einer Telefonkamera blieb ich ziemlich erfolglos, den Nachthimmel festzuhalten. Auch meine treue Unterwasser-Kompaktkamera verpatzte ihren Auftrag in diesem Fall voellig. Es fand sich keine Einstellung, die auch nur annaehernd den Blick von unserem Camp haette wiedergeben koennen. Das mag an meiner Ungeduld oder mangelnden Kamerakenntnis liegen. Vielleicht ist daran auch der Umstand schuld, dass diese Kameras fuer solche Szenen nicht gebaut sind. Das wenige Licht der Sterne faellt schlicht einem unsensiblen Sensor oder Bearbeitungs-Algorythmus zum Opfer.

Wir haben sie wohl alle gesehen, die tollen Sternen-Nachtbilder mit Matterhorn, Alpsee oder Gebaeude im Vordergrund. Solche Szenen sind glaubhaft, aber mir persoenlich aus der alten Welt nicht gelaeufig. Selbst wenn Computerprogramme mehrere Fotos miteinander verrechnen, finde ich die perfekten Postkarten-Sujets einen Blick wert. Mehr noch: warum nicht zum unkreativen Nachahmungstaeter mutieren? Ich wuerde gerne lernen, wie man solche klare Sternbilder kreieren kann.

Ganz so einfach ist es nicht, auch nicht mit meiner halb-professionellen Spiegelreflexkamera. Mein Learning-by-doing-Ansatz war wohl nicht direkt zielfuehrend. Die nachtraegliche Internet-Lektuere, wie Hochglanzresultate zu erzielen sind, bot mehr Werbebotschaften als Weisheiten. Der gelesene Artikel bot mir aber Trost. Ich hatte wenig falsch gemacht und wohl fast das Optimum aus meinem Material herausgeholt.

Mit meinen ISO Einstellungen hatte ich bei einigen Probeaufnahmen experimentiert. Da ich den Sternenhimmel von Baumkronen eingerahmt haben wollte, machte ISO 400 als Kompromiss- und ehrliche Versuchsloesung in meinem Fall viel Sinn. Die weit offene Blende sollte mehr Licht auf meinen unsensiblen Kamera-Sensor lassen. Die Schaerfe waehlte ich manuell. Ich wollte die vom Lagerfeuer in dunkles Grau-Rot getauchten Baume koernig aber relativ scharf. Selbstverstaendlich benutzte ich ein stabiles Stativ. Fast gaenzliche Windstille erleichterte die Langzeitbelichtung. Sterne stehen bekanntlich nicht still am Himmel. Deshalb sind lange Belichtungsdauern kritisch. Die maximal waehlbare Belichtungszeit von 30 Sekunden schien mir auch bei hohen ISO Werten trotzdem zu kurz. Deshalb steuerte ich die Belichtungsdauer im Bulb-Modus mit meinem Funkausloeser, zaehlte leise vor mich hin und vermied jegliche Erschuetterung. Endlich hatte ich mehr als ein schwarzes Display als Resultat.

Dies soll kein Rezept fuer stellare Nachtfotographie sein. Wenn man keine oder nur die einfachsten Software-Hilfsmittel benutzen moechte, geben solche Angaben aber mehr Anhaltspunkte, als der gelesene Ratschlag, eine professionelle Kamera und spezielle Linsen zu benutzen. Mich draengen immer noch die Fragen: Gibt es mechanische Hilfen und Tricks, sowie einfache Software, um den Effekt der Sternen- bzw. Erdbewegungen zu minimieren? Hilft es, den Kamerawinkel um eine (relativ) stabile Achse zu waehlen und den fotographierten Ausschnitt durch entsprechende System-Positionierung festzulegen?

Bestimmt moechte ich nicht zu einem exkusiven Nachthimmel-Fotographen werden. Aber ich empfinde den Sternenhimmel in Australien als Spektakel. Es ist unglaublich bewegend, bei Einbruch der Dunkelheit immer mehr leuchtende Punkte am Himmel ausmachen zu koennen, die Milchstrasse und andere entfernte Galaxien zu erkennen, gelegentlich ein Flugzeug, einen Satelliten, Asteroiden, Kometen oder einen anderen wuenschenswerten und weniger wuenschenswerten Himmelskoerper zu entdecken. Der Blick hinauf in eine grosse vereinende Hemisphaere zu richten, laesst mich ein aehnliches Gemeinschaftsgefuehl erleben, wie das Betrachten des nahen, knisternden Lagerfeuers. Es ist berauschend, entrueckt vom Alltag und gleichzeitig tief in uns allen verwurzelt.

Wenn nicht als Fototechniker, dann als emotionaler Mensch stelle ich mir die Frage, wie ich solche Momente festhalten und vermitteln kann. Kann es wirklich sein, dass solche Szenen der alles dokumentierenden Selfie- und Schnappschuss-Gesellschaft verborgen bleiben? Der Sternenhimmel gehoert zum Campieren, wie der Schauspieler zum Theater.

In diesem Fall, holt mich meine Fotographie zurueck in eine fantastische Realitaet, wo noch vieles zu entdecken ist. Es holt mich auch zurueck in eine Natur, die ich liebe. Meiner Meinung nach lohnt es sich, Australien abseits der Touristenstroeme zu erkunden, fernab vom Massen- und Postkartentourismus. Es gibt den Sternenhimmel auch ohne Ohrdroehnen oder sonstigem Rausch nach einem Partybesuch.

Es lohnt sich, Zeuge des naechtlichen Sternenspektakels zu werden, zu staunen und seine Gedanken fortschweben zu lassen. Wer weiss, vielleicht findet jemand das Sternbild des Krokodils, der giftigen Schlange, der Spinne, des weissen Hais oder sogar das Selfie-Sternbild oder den helle Schein eines Gluehwuermchens!

Viel Spass und viel Erfolg beim Fotographieren!

Crimson Rosella

• Photo Discussion Friday

Crimson Rosella

PDF Week 19/2016: Canon 7D, 400mm (on 100-400mm lens), 1/400, f5.6, ISO 2500.

Crimson Rosella come in a variety of colours. Juveniles and adolescents sometimes resemble other species and even other bird groups, such as Lorikeets, Parots, even Cockatoos etc. While there are a few colour morphs and even a few different races, Crimson Rosellas can normally be recognised from their blue patch on their chin.

We just enjoyed some days out in the bush and were spoiled to witness these majestic animals in the wild. Despite their colourful presence they can be amazingly well camouflaged. Often only their loud screeching voices high in the tree canopy give away their whereabouts. I can not remember ever having spotted a solitary Crimson Rosella. Neither was this individual alone but had a mate nearby.



These animals are wary of humans but not shy. Some are even tame especially when they are fed by humans. For us, it was great to meet a pair roaming a green bush for its orange fruit. They seem like sloppy eaters seemingly dropping half the food. The light was poor but I love the authenticity of the picture. It shows the bush and wildlife we came to see.

Cluttered Chaos at Sunset

• Photo Discussion Friday

Cluttered Chaos at Sunset

PDF Week 18/2016: Canon 7D, 100mm (on 100-400mm lens), 1/400, f5.6, ISO 640.

'Those Who Dance Are Considered Insane by Those Who Can’t Hear the Music'

(see http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/06/05/dance-insane/#return-note-3913-24)

This quote, attributed to Friedrich Nietzsche, might resonate in a lot of us or make us reflect. Can it be true? Am I dreaming? What on earth made other people do certain things? It is often that we can't hear the music when others dance. Reversely, it also happens that we are dancing along our music while anonymous people are watching, reading or listening to us. They must think we have gone insane. The music is muted for them, as it is often muted for us. Is there really a 'them' and 'us' by default? Is that a natural, necessary state?

Following Australian politics a bit, I have started to realise what this music is, that some weird politicians are dancing to. Frankly, I don't like the music. It seems to be pumping statements through the loudspeakers and TV screens. The message is often that the guys outside are considered too dumb and irrelevant to be heard and respected. How would I know and be sure though, only hearing some low sound waves and the monotony of repeating tones. Half the population outside even cheers to what they can't hear properly, what they don't know and understand, and as a consequence don't really care much about.

Australia celebrated ANZAC day last week. It was also announced that our next submarine fleet is going to be built by - drumrolls - France. There was hardly any mention of the 30th anniversary of the Tchernobyl catastrophe. There was also no time to commemorate Fukoshima or reflect on diabolically located nuclear power plants in the San Andreas fault. While we could read about North Korea's provocative activities, France's nuclear testing on Australia's neighboring Pacific atolls in the past finds no mentioning.

In times, where people all over the world, start pre-ordering electric Tesla cars, when the Netherlands considers banning the sale of fossil fueled cars, it is obvious that we need clean energy. Australia is still debating whether they should continue to fight over climate change. It is roasting the CSIRO boss and forcing him to admit guilt for moving on his concentrate of federally subsidised intelligentia. Collecting data can be done by free slaves or Citizen Scientists. From the ballroom, there comes laughter. Renewable energy has copped a beating in the very recent past, is diligently worked against. Equally demonised is decentralised power generation. The grid locks to consider such options.

Scientists and David Attenborough are crying over the dying Great Barrier Reef on national and international TV. Queensland gives approval to build and operate the biggest coal mine in the world, with ports being installed and channelling ship traffic right through an allegedly fragile environment and a World Heritage site. Fly-in/Fly-out jobs are traded in for our cultural and natural environment and a more sustainable future. We chime in the crying but decide to turn our ears and eyes away for comfort.

The 'cashed-up backpacker tourism strategists' from Queensland ask to be moderate in showing and warning of the devastation at the Great Barrier Reef. We also saw the video of a "Greeny" go viral. It showed an explosive situation, the politician sitting in a boat and putting a river on fire. Fracking forces the gas out of the ground and produces bubbles in the remaining water that has not been dried up upstream by excessive irrigation yet. How can someone *peeptone* swear and blame greedy politics and industry when the bubbles burst with a big bang? Why would you light it, when sitting in the middle of it? Why would you not have documents and scientific analysis ready to prove that some greedy corporation is to blame? Especially if you don't want to be subjected to our new warfare, namely legal swatting!

Australia has a black coal record. But it hasn't got a Fukoshima or a Tchernobyl, not even a nuclear power plant. Not many people know, that the UK conducted atmospheric nuclear tests in Australia in the 1950s, as far as I know killing indigenous people happening to live in the area. Lest we forget. The country is big, and the traditional owners and the general population is often not invited to dance. They are just here to pay the bills, along with nature and future generations.

Soon, we'll have the first nuclear waste site in the country. And we'll have our submarines built by Australians under the command of the nuclear superpower France. The subs are not driven with Tesla technology like the Japanese proposed models. All Australians care about is that, obviously or allegedly, the many jobs remain or are created in the country. The decision is applauded mainly because the billions of taxpayers' money doesn't go to what some still consider the old war enemy, Japan. After all, they kill our whales, don't they.

We need clean energy. How amazing that we can hear hardly anything about how to achieve that. Opinion leaders don't seem to own shares of potentially leading industrial complexes yet. At least, Panama papers (who saw them anyway?) didn't reveal much comPELLing evidence of abuse in Australia. There is one huge issue with solar, wind and other clean energy. They can (and will) be produced decentralised. They not only mark the end of fossil fuel. Energy conglomerates will have to find new ways to maintain their control of the big business. As much fun as it is at the moment, buying, shutting or slowing down alternative energy solutions is not a long term solution.

The question is whether we'll soon hear the music that is being played behind thick walls. Will the communication with weak signals be soon replaced by clear statements. I would not be surprised if - in times when other nations leave nuclear power behind - Australia proudly announces plans to have fossil fueled power plants to be replaced by nuclear production of energy, the National Broadband Fusion project maybe.

Beware! Even if there is an accident involving nuclear power, who cares? Couldn't we all just witness in the media how wildlife and nature is starting to strive when people are forced to leave their contaminated homes? Maybe Australia should build a nuclear reactor right in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. Maybe at Lizard Island, where all our most competent and licensed marine biologists could be joined by nuclear scientists. They could have a ballroom playing their music. In case of an accident, they could get relief and a nice tan in swimmers and bikinis on a beautifully rich atoll. Snorkelling in heavy water, they could fuse with teeming marine life and never seen before creatures. It doesn't get any CRISPR than that. There is not even a need to describe existing marine species, e.g. non-prioritised nudibranchs, when new ones can be created.

Admittedly, I can't hear the music, but I can see the figurines moving to a distorted rhythm. There is undoubtedly loud music, maybe punk rock. I never liked aggressive music, lyrics and pogo dancing. My own music style is boring, my dancing style virtually nonexistent. I'd love Australia to be able to communicate openly and plan a future based on common sense and decency, beyond greed, exploitation and pretention.

Politicians should care about providing legal and infrastructure framework that allow for jobs. They should neither create them nor in the case of ecological marine exploration and education destroy opportunities. Why doesn't Australia stick to what we have (not talking about Antarctica) and what we are good at (not only talking about repairing Ford and Holden cars and fishing)?

What industries does Australia want to be known for in the future? In my opinion, we have all the ingredients for a prosperous future, including the energy sector. We have decent and hard working people. If we manage to build (and not just pretend to have or import) real skills in creating a good mix of industrial and postindustrial value chains, Australia and the world might profit. Put alternative power generation and reasonable power usage and distribution on the agenda, make coal and nuclear power the alternative and declare it a dead end to be out-phased. Tackle the challenges fairly and openly, not within the ballroom that determines and distributes profits to a few star dancers and the costs to the listeners and hosts.

I am glad, I don't clearly hear the music yet. And I am sure that many people can't follow and wonder what dance I am dancing. The photo 'Cluttered Chaos at Sunset' was taken at the Queensland Sunshine Coast. We had a great time, eating fish and chips at the marina. The boats that we had photographed in the afternoon fishing in or at the edge of marine protected zones (I assume legally) were hauling their catch, even offering us crabs - fresh and cheap. The light was beautiful and I tried to show the cluttered chaos of the marina when boats and the sun went to sleep, a glimpse of hope and energy on the horizon.

Photo Discussion Friday is still open for photos of the public to be discussed or presented. This should not become my own forum. It should be about photography not about politics. However, I do admit that I enjoy mixing photography, art and politics. Art will become more important in the future. It always did when the freedom of speech was bound to be restricted and when humans and nature were exploited excessively, and when people were keen on selfies rather than relevant portraits and reflections of society. There are brilliant people who are starting to come out of hiding, presenting great ideas. Life can be short, so why not dance your own dance!

Enjoy your weekend!

ANZAC day 2016

Picture taken at Maritime Museum, Southbank, Brisbane

ANZAC day 2016: Lest we forget! Today, we remember the fine women and men who have lost their lives serving Australia. May they rest in peace. We also remember all the suffering that war has brought over our own countries and people abroad.

If I could and if it made sense I would apologize and I would bring them back and live happy lives. I would help them erase some memories and remember at the same time. Survivors, mentally and physically ill people and the people that care about them need societal support. We may not forget them and we should not forget that they are among us with all their issues and unheard messages.

It is so delicate to formulate a wish for peace and an abstinence from war on that day. A few Australians and New Zealanders, I am sure, wish for their countries and politicians to mind our own business and being fair and honest players in a global society, e.g. respecting human rights and international treaties.

In his memoirs, Winston Churchill bashed appeasement policies beyond recovery, once and for all. In my opinion, he was right, that we must not let down our guards. However, does that mean, that we are obliged to defend, even aggressively promote our own world views and values at any cost? Adam Smith - the first modern economist (1723-1790) - comes to mind with his 'Wealth of Nations' opus . What is the cost of war?

Interestingly enough, we might all agree that cost relating to war can not be limited to financial expenditures. What about widows/widowers, orphans and other victims of war, their emotional and physical tribute they are paying?

Of course, this is the day to commemorate the benefits of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Is it provocative on ANZAC day to think of the costs? Is it even allowed to extend thoughts beyond the battle front? Should our enemies have a say or be included in our thoughts?

If so, what would we hear from them? Where are the enemies in those days? Are they really where nation leaders make us believe? Driving on Australian's roads, walking on the streets and even being at home, we can witness people who don't care about rules, respect and decency. Even laws are ignored as if they didn't exist or were simply abused pamphlets created by political leaders to suit their private agendas.

Also, we are not allowed or supposed to listen to the arguments of people we are told are wrong. Voicing differing opinions has become the crime, using arguments useless. Every day, I see and feel bound by more rules, on how we have to communicate. Don't be controversial, be politically correct, don't offend, don't become aggressive! If banks or big companies, politicians, religious and scientific groups would not lie, cheat, abuse and ignore their customers and constituency, destroy our living arrangements, could we appease beyond being restricted to talking about the weather? Could we save ourselves to take out the big cannons (the picture was shot with an Olympus by the way)?

Has war come to Australia and New Zealand already? Do we need to fight our wars back home, in our front and back yards, even in ourselves? Can we be more tolerant of opposing views based on fair communication and actions? Can we try to understand our opponents' views and arguments at the same time as paying tribute to war veterans and actively serving army corps members protecting Australia and New Zealand? What do we stand for on ANZAC day?

If we can learn from wars, the many victims and huge costs for society might teach us to keep out of power games, but also to speak up about abuse and a lack of respect for reason, common sense and decency. The few mates, who see the ultimate goal in fighting and aggression need to be heard. They might need help and compassion.

Of course, these are my values that I would like to have defended and I am aware that this might insult as much as it is not intended to. I promise I will listen to any story and insight that I might not have, reflect on them and be a responsible Australian on ANZAC day and any other day. Enjoy the day!

Patrik, Brisbane 25/4/2016


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German translation - Deutsche Uebersetzung


Foto: aufgenommen im Maritime Museum, Southbank, Brisbane


ANZAC Tag 2016: Ausser wir vergessen!

Heute erinnern wir uns an die noblen Frauen und Männer, die ihr Leben für Australien verloren haben. Mögen sie in Frieden ruhen. Wir erinnern uns auch an all das Leid, das der Krieg in unser eigenes Land und Leben im Ausland gebracht hat.

Wenn ich könnte, und wenn es Sinn machte, würde ich mich entschuldigen. Ich würde sie zurück bringen und sie ein glückliches Leben leben lassen. Ich würde ihnen helfen, einige Erinnerungen auszulöschen sowie ihnen gleichzeitig zu erlauben, sich und uns zu erinnern. Ueberlebende, geistig und körperlich kranke Menschen und die Menschen, die sich um sie kümmern, brauchen gesellschaftliche Unterstützung. Wir dürfen sie nicht vergessen und wir sollten nicht vergessen, dass sie unter uns sind, mit all ihren Anliegen und ungehörten Botschaften.

Es ist eine ziemlich delikate Angelegenheit, an diesem Tag einen Wunsch nach Frieden und Fernhalten von Krieg zu formulieren. Einige Australier und Neuseeländer, da bin ich mir sicher, wuenschten sich, dass ihr Land und ihre Politiker sich um unsere eigenen Angelegenheiten kümmern wuerde sowie faire und ehrliche Spieler in einer globalen Gesellschaft waeren, z.B. durch die Achtung von Menschenrechten und internationalen Verträgen.

In seinen Memoiren hat Winston Churchill jegliche Appeasement-Politik unwiederbringlich zerstueckelt, ein für allemal. Meiner Meinung nach lag er richtig in der Forderung, dass wir unsere Achtsamkeit nicht vernachlaessigen sollten. Bedeutet das allerdings, dass wir verpflichtet sind, unsere eigene Weltanschauungen und Werte um jeden Preis zu verteidigen, ja sogar aggressiv in die Welt hinauszutragen? Adam Smith - der erste moderne Ökonom (1723-1790) - kommt mit seinem Werk "Wealth of Nations" in den Sinn. Was sind die Kosten des Krieges?

Interessanterweise sind wir uns wahrscheinlich alle einig, dass die Kosten im Zusammenhang mit Krieg nicht nur auf finanzielle Ausgaben eingegrenzt werden koennen. Was ist mit Witwen oder Witwern, Waisen und anderen Opfern des Krieges, ihrem emotionalen und körperlichen Tribut, den sie zahlen?

Natürlich: dies ist der Tag, um der Vorteile der australischen und neuseeländischen Armeekorps zu gedenken. Ist es provokativ am ANZAC Tag an die Kosten zu denken? Ist es ueberhaupt zulaessig, die Gedanken über die Kampffront hinweg zu heben? Sollten unsere Feinde ein Mitspracherecht haben oder in unsere Gedanken aufgenommen werden?

Wenn ja, was würden wir von ihnen hören? Wo sind die Feinde heutzutage? Sind sie wirklich da, wo Landesfuehrer uns glauben machen? Beim Fahren auf australischen Straßen, beim Spazieren auf Fußwegen und sogar von unserem Wohnzimmer aus, werden wir Zeugen von Menschen, die sich nicht um Regeln, Respekt und Anstand kuemmern. Sogar Gesetze werden ignoriert, als ob sie nicht existierten oder als waeren sie einfach missbrauchte Broschüren, von den politischen Führern geschaffen, um ihren privaten Agenden gerecht zu werden.

Uns ist es nicht erlaubt bzw. es ziemt sich nicht, den Argumenten von Leuten zuzuhoeren, von denen uns gesagt wird, sie seien im Irrtum. Abweichende Meinungen zu vertreten ist zum Verbrechen avanciert, mit Argumenten zu diskutieren nutzlos. Jeden Tag sehe und fuehle ich mich mehr durch Regeln gebunden, wie wir kommunizieren sollen. Argumentiere nicht kontrovers, sei politisch korrekt, beleidige nicht, werde nicht aggressiv! Wenn Banken oder großen Unternehmen, Politiker, religiöse und wissenschaftliche Gruppen nicht lügen und betrügen wuerden, sie ihre Kunden und Wähler nicht ignorieren und missbrauchen wuerden, unsere Lebensumstände zerstören, könnten wir dann jenseits von Geschwafel uebers Wetter befriedet werden? Könnten wir es uns sparen, die großen Kanonen herauszufahren (das Bild wurde mit einer Olympus geschossen)?

Hat sich der Krieg bereits nach Australien und Neuseeland selbst verlagert? Müssen wir unsere Kriege wieder zu Hause kämpfen, in unseren Vorgaerten und Hinterhöfen, ja sogar in uns selbst? Können wir auf Basis von fairer Kommunikation und fairen Handlungen toleranter sein gegenueber gegensätzlichen Ansichten? Können wir versuchen, die Ansichten und Argumente unserer Gegner im gleichen Atemzug zu verstehen, wie den Kriegsveteranen und aktiv dienenden Mitgliedern des Armeekorps, die Australien und NEuseeland schuetzen, Tribut zu zollen? Wofür stehen wir am ANZAC Tag?

Wenn wir von Kriegen lernen koennen, dann duerften die vielen Opfer und enormen Kosten für die Gesellschaft uns vielleicht lehren, uns aus Machtspielen heraus zu halten, aber ebenso, uns Gehoer zu verschaffen in Hinblick auf Missbrauch und einen Mangel an Respekt für Vernunft, gesunden Menschenverstand und Anstand. Die wenigen Kollegen, die das ultimative Ziel in Kampf und Aggression sehen, müssen gehört werden. Sie duerften Hilfe und Mitgefühl brauchen.

Natürlich sind dies meine Werte, die ich gerne verteidigt sehen wuerde. Ich bin mir bewusst, dass dies in dem Masse beleidigen koennte, wie wenig dies beabsichtigt ist. Ich verspreche, dass ich mir jede Geschichte und jede mir abhanden gehende Einsicht anhören werde. Ich werde sie mir ueberlegen und ein verantwortlicher Australier sein am ANZAC Tag sowie an jedem anderen Tag. Genießen Sie diesen Tag!

Patrik, Brisbane 25/4/2016

Purple sunset

• Photo Discussion Friday

Purple sunset

PDF Week 17/2016: Canon 7D, 50mm (on 18-200mm lens), 0.3 sec, f5.6, ISO 100.

He was an artistic sunrise that could not be reduced to purple rain. This morning the news that Prince has died is all over the media. When there is such a thing as commercialised music to be refreshing, Prince's music warranted a shower of innovative ideas combined with what we were used to. Some of his music was like a nudibranch for ears, tormenting at times when radio stations didn't know the limits of hammering the colour purple into our brains, smearing the beautiful make-up in that much rain. If not for the reigning of commercial pop culture, I'd be tempted to kiss Prince's musical legacy goodbye. And I know that many of my friends are among the mourners.

The colour purple stands for more than music and motion pictures. It doesn't do justice to reduce today's theme and the legacy of Prince to purple. Nevertheless, I decided to present my picture 'Purple sunset' for Photo Discussion Friday, today. Sadness comes from this photo for me personally. These days, many photographers have started to introduce their photos trying to dispel a curse - disclosing their involvement in the Adobe pact and its use for artistic purposes. It feels ridiculous to even mention it because it serves no purpose other than to ask for recognition of a photo, not even the photographer (who normally is an expert in Photoshop and photo manipulation).

Here I declare what should be obvious and irrelevant (but is not any longer): this photo came out of the camera exactly like this, is totally unedited, totally unmanipulated, no colour correction, no filters, just changed from raw format into jpg and copyright watermark added. The purple is true, the sunset colours real, the focus deliberate - as true as it gets on your computer screen.

'Nature as Art' was the theme for a competition. Let me spare you my interpretation and thoughts why this photo fits that bill for me. It was rejected, not even considered to be looked at properly. It did worse than about 99% of all the competition entries. It must be bad - so bad that it fits my bill of being discussed here. And yet, I love the photo with all its imperfections or maybe because of them. I love that the photo is honest, I love the interaction within a colour scheme, the communication of forms and lines. I love the dreamy blurriness. That is why I deemed it fit to be judged by people who I attest a fine photographic background.

The biggest gift of photography as art, to me, is not the true depiction of reality but to transpire a sense of feelings and to create a mood by which the photographer manages to connect to other people. Some forms of photography are like music. You need to listen to them and feel them. Adobe culture seems to have lost that connection. We only listen to patterns, tunes and rhythms we know and recognise. Like at music concerts, it is often the unbearable loudness and the hysterically cheering and stampeding crowd that quality is measured with. We often block tunes if there is too much of controversy in it. Prince was a star to balance that act and often managed to have the crowd follow his experimental leads.

With respect to photos, more and more, I disconnect with perfect focus, contours and colours. I am bored with the rules of the game, with the same repetitions and phrases that I personally use. To me, it feels like we are in a Neo-Realism in terms of photography. For the Adobe cult, it is not even about careful preservation of a perceived reality any longer. It is moreso about creating the perfectly artificial photo of what us as artists think the rest of the world thinks reality looks like or should look like. Maybe inspired by the Canadian Prime Minister, we could call it a Quantum-Realism, where we don't really know anything about reality but everything about the statistical probability of it and how we can make it work for us.

The many ear worms we hear daily on the radio are not supposed to block our antennas (rhinophores) for the voices around us that are true and real. They might, however, make the pendulum of art swing into some areas and forms that are hard to digest. But I am sure that we will see some deconstruction and reconstruction, some failed and some successful experiments in the future. Prince was a king to make this a rather smooth and pleasant experience. May he rest in peace and away from all the noise.

Patrik, Brisbane, 22/4/2016