When the Motorbike isn't a Good Option

Two weeks I photographed the Eildon Junior Tour.  This was going to be my first time where I would actually be riding the motorbike on my own.  I have been having a go here and there, but seriously I haven't ridden a motorbike for a few years, actually a lot of years.

The first time I got on it I was surprised how much came back to me.  I think the one thing that made it better was that it isn't a big bike and doesn't have a lot of go in it, so I don't have to be scared that I will go to fast, it ain't possible.

I've spoken before about the benefits of being on the back of the bike.  I can go up beside the riders and photograph them as they are moving.  Here I want to talk more about the benefits of being on my own, and when it isn't good.

When the time trial started I took off and headed out on the road.  I found a nice spot and I waited for them to come along.  During the whole time trial that is what I did.  I could have done this in a car, but it was nice and a lot easier to get around the riders when on the bike.  The best part was that I didn't need much room to pull over and stop, I only needed about a foot, as opposed to about 4 when in the car.  I didn't have to worry about the bike getting bogged, I just needed a firm base to put the stand down so the bike didn't fall over. 

I was still getting used the bike and stopping is tricky, only because you have so many gears to go down.  I can remember my motorbike from years ago, the Honda VT250FII, it had a lot of gears and if you stopped quickly then you couldn't get down all the gears.

It was a great experience and I do think I got some better shots because of it.  I was able to pick exactly where I wanted to take the photos and stop there.

It doesn't look like it, but the morning did start off very nicely.  We knew there was going to be rain, but the forecast had been showers developing and rain for Sunday.  I thought I would be able to take photos on the motorbike for Saturday, but be in the car, trying not to get wet on Sunday.  I was wrong.

The rain started towards the end of the time trial.  I had noticed that it was really cloudy in the morning and thought I would put a plastic bag over the camera, and was so glad I did that.  Not that it rained heavily, but it was raining.  I have insurance for the camera gear, but it is not something I ever want to have to use. 

When it was time for the race in the afternoon, it was really raining.  I was told to go out on the bike, that it would be too bad.  I can tell you it was.  Riding the motorbike with helmet that doesn't have a visor is bad enough, but riding in the rain is even worse.  The rain feels like hail as it hits your face.  I had to stop and wrap my scarf around me so that it covered as much of my face as possible.

I put a really think plastic bag over the camera and tied it up tightly to keep the rain off it, and hope that the trip on the bike would get it too wet.  It is an electronic gadget and they don't tend to mix well with water.

When I got to the top of Skyline to wait for the Under 19 boys, I discovered a new reason not to use the bike when it rains.  There is no shelter, I had to sit in the rain and wait.  Wait I did, for almost 40 minutes before they finally came.  I got so cold, and wet.  My motorbike jacket is pretty good and I had some waterproof pants on, but my feet got wet, my boots aren't waterproof, so they got wet.  Once my feet were cold, that was it.  I sat up there on the side of the ride, wondering what the hell I was doing there.  I just wanted it over.

Once the Under 19 boys went past, I took off on the bike again and went in search of the next group.

When I got to the top the wind was howling and it was blowing me everywhere.  I saw the U15 boys coming and pulled over.  I missed the leaders because I couldn't get the camera out of its protective plastic bag fast enough.  I also messed up shots because the wind was so strong and it blew the plastic bag, that I had taped onto the camera to help protect it while I was taking photos, right over the front of the lens.  Not good. 

I stopped somewhere else and I decided that it would be best to wait for everyone to come past me.  It was too hard to ride until I saw them and get the camera ready.  I got most of them, but I also missed heaps.

I decided to ride down to the bottom.  I knew the U19 boys would be doing a second loop so I rode down to find them.  Again I missed the leader, but got the boys going around a roundabout.   If you look at the photo you can see the rain.  It was pouring down, and I decided enough.

The race was starting and finishing in Thornton, I was staying in Eildon.  When I took that last photo there, I was on the outskirts of Eildon, I just went back to our cabin and got dry and warm.

I don't worry too much about the finishes because so many people have their cameras there.  I wasn't going to ride all the way back to Thornton.

What I learned from the weekend was that the motorbike is no good when it is raining.  You really need to have somewhere dry to wait.  Also, to protect the camera you have to wrap it up so much, that you don't get quick access to it.  I think if the weather is good, then the motorbike is perfect.  You can chuck the camera over your and just go.  The motorbike means you can get past the riders easier than in a car, and when you stop, you can just pull the camera around and take the photos, don't even have to get off the motorbike.  And, like I said earlier, you can really stop anywhere.  I'm so glad I never got rid of my bike license, and I think my next big expense might have to be a motorbike of my own.

Taking the Time to Take Photos

As a photographer I see photos everywhere I look, well almost.  I am constantly composing scenes that I see.  My mind is always thinking about the next composition and ideas of images that I want to get.  My mind works in compositions, whether it be for photos or for paintings, prints, or drawings.  I know I should keep writing in my visual diary so I don't forget things, or maybe use it to plan what I'm going to do, but I never seem to.  I think I will have to start making that a habit again.

Another thing I'm not very good at is seeing something I want to photograph and, either not getting around to getting it, or seeing it when I'm driving and not stopping.  These are both things I really need to get better at.  On a recent trip to Eildon (more about that soon), I did make myself do that.

The first image I saw I had just stopped to take some training photos and as I took off I saw this scene and immediately stopped to get it.  It reminds me of a Peter Booth painting, and while I'm not absolutely sure it will be a good image as a photograph, I might use it for a drawing. 

This second image I drove past and thought, what a great shot, I stopped the car, turned around and went back.  I couldn't quite get what I first saw, but I think it is still interesting.  Perhaps if I had more time and wasn't following the boys on their bikes, I would have been able to spend more time to get the perfect shot, but it wasn't possible. 

I tend to see things and think, I will go back and photograph that, then I never do.  I need to start making notes of what I want to photograph, plan it out, when will be the best time, and then just go.  Of course it can be a risk, if you just go, you never know what the conditions will be, then again, if you only go when the conditions are good, then you can miss out on some really beautiful images.  I have some photos, from years ago, where the conditions were the worse, but persevered and when I got the photos back from the lab, I was totally astounded with what I had before me.  I even sold 2 of the images.

I did take a punt in Eildon that if I went up Skyline one morning, the valleys would be covered in fog, but the tops of the nearby hills/mountains, would be free of fog and the sun would be shining.  I had been told the day before I went up, that it was stunning, so I decided to drive up there about 9 o'clock and see what I could get.

There was so much fog in Eildon and on the way up, I thought I would get there and it would be a waste of time.  Then I started to see areas where it was clear.  Of course, the next problem was where do I stop, not a lot of places for cars to stop and take photos.

I saw this and had to walk through some mud (must remember when taking photos to make sure I wear sensible shoes, Ugg boots don't really cut it).  The fog was falling down the side and looked fantastic to watch and I thought about how I could capture it.  If I had put the camera on the tripod and slowed down the shutter speed, I would have just got it so that it looked blurred and would look like fog.  So you will have to take my word for it that it was moving. 

When I got close to the top, I was met with some glorious views.  It was exactly as I hoped it would.  I'm just going to leave you here with a selection of images.  I will try to always make sure I go and take photos from now on, and stop being so lazy.

Travelling to Canberra

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Canberra.  I was there as a chaperone to some young riders who were racing in the Canberra Women's Tour, there was also a Junior section.  Part of the deal with going up, was that I was not allowed to go the racing, seems that the coach has decided that my daughter needs to start being more independent.  I say great, but good luck.

I knew I would be travelling up alone, as Briony was going to be in the van with the other girls who was also going up.  So I wouldn't be alone, bored and risk falling asleep while driving, I invited a friend to come with me, Kate.  She has a friend who lives in Canberra and she would be staying with her, but spending time with me.

The first day in Canberra, Simon picks up all the kids I'm looking after and I leave to go and get Kate.  Canberra is a not an easy place to find your way around and I manage to lose my way once, but quickly turn around and head in the right direction.  I get to Kate's and we are off, heading to the National Gallery of Australia.

On the way my petrol light comes on and we start the search for a petrol station.  Really, you should do research on this type of thing when travelling to Canberra, because you don't see them anywhere, too ugly apparently.  We had to phone a friend to find one.  Was not a good feeling knowing you are running out of fuel, but can't find anywhere to refuel.  We found somewhere and didn't run out.

We made our way to the Gallery and parked the car and proceeded to walk through the sculpture garden to the entrance.  One thing that Kate and I have in common, besides doing our fine arts degree together, we both love photography.

My camera bag is a backpack and it wasn't something that I wanted to carry around all day, it's heavy, and, and, I knew that when I got to the gallery I wouldn't be able to take it in and I would have to leave it behind.  As far as I was concerned that wasn't an option, so I decided to carry just the camera with the 18mm to 105mm lens.  It should cover everything I would want to shoot and if it didn't then I could always crop.  (I don't like shooting like that, I know people recommend doing that, but I think I'm still in the film mentality and I try to compose my images through the camera lens.)

I liked carrying the camera with me, it was over my shoulder and ready to use anytime I saw something that I thought would make a good composition.  Of course walking though the sculpture helped me to find many things to photograph.
There are some really big and beautiful sculptures here and the garden surroundings can really help to show them off.  It is like they are part of the environment rather than the enveronment being there for them.

It is a shame in some ways that it was a drizzly overcast days, then again it made the lighting more even and I didn't have to deal with direct sunlight giving me very bright patches and harsh shadows.

Next we entered the gallery.  I was told the gallery was amazing, not just what was inside but also the building.  I could see straight away that their were some interesting elements in the building.  We decided to head straight for the coffee shop and get coffee, look at the map and make some decisions about what we were going to see.

You can see from the photo of the coffee shop part of what I was saying.  The ceiling was quite amazing.  Perhaps had aged, and didn't look as spectaclar as it once had, but still impressive. 

I didn't get to take any more photos really, I made the mistake of asking what the policy was on taking photos and was told that I could not take photos of anywhere inside.  I could take photos in the gardens outside, but not inside.  Shame really.  I wasn't interested in photographing the artworks, but I did want to take photos of the buildings.  I say it was a mistake to ask because there is always the element of ignorance, doing it until you are told otherwise.  I know not the best way to deal with it, but still...

After we had a look around we headed over to the portrait gallery.  What an amazing place.  We had lunch there, definitely a fantastic decision to eat there.  The food was extremely good.

The building was incredible as well.  It reminded me a art deco building, but it is not that old.  It has the elements of being a modern building, yet it has those design aspects of another era.  I thought it was beautiful and couldn't stop looking at it.  I wanted to take lots of photos of it.

I did go and ask someone about their photography policy and was really pleased to learn that I could take photos of the building, inside and out, but could not photos of the galleries or the artwork.  This all suited my purposes and I took several photos looking at these.

This above image reminds me of people sitting on a train.  I suppose it is the way the seats are positioned and the way the people have sit down, as if to face the way they are travelling.

This is the entrance to the toilets.  I know it is not the usual place to take photos, but I thought it fun the way the wood is placed.  Again, it is all lines, but it brings me into the first Willy Wonka movie.  The room they went into that got smaller and smaller.  It was almost disappointing when I did go towards the ladies to discover that it didn't get smaller. 

Something I got from Canberra, was that I should always try to carry a camera with me.  I know it isn't always possible, but perhaps I should make a habit of it as much as I can.  Being able to grab the camera and take a quite snap was really good.