Minimalism - Less is More

Well.....I have been sitting around home today with absolutely no motivation whatsoever!  I think that the hayfever that has caught up with me this spring is sucking all my energy out of my body!

Possibly,  the fact that our daughter was up at 4am to drive the 7 hours to Wagga Wagga to visit her long distance boyfriend may also have had something to do with it!  Thankfully, she has arrived safely!

I had to find something to do to that required little expenditure of energy (Yes! a Minimalist activity!) and, decided I would review some of the photos that I have snapped over the years.  After scrolling through them, viewing some with pride, and also shaking my head & chuckling at some of my earlier work, I saw that some of my work could be considered minimalist.

There are many facets to creating a Minimalist Photograph.  The creation of an empty space, using aperture to create significant depth of field, positioning through composition, the use of colour, shape, lines and textures, all of these can be used to highlight the subject.  The main object I guess, is that there are no other distractions that will take away from the main subject. 

Hope you enjoy these!  At the bottom of this status, there is a link to more Minimalist Photos in slide show.

Jordy

The photos on this subject here are available as prints.  If you wish to purchase anything from my site here, you can contact me via My Contact Page or you can send me a private message via My Facebook Page or, simply email me   lifewithjordy@live.com.au

04 July 2008 - Kim and I were at the Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens for a picnic lunch.  A beautiful sunny winters day!

I was so stoked to get this shot!  One of my very first attempts at panning.  12 April 2009

Taken at Merewether Rock Pools just a few days ago.  Use of aperture captures the subject clearly.

Merewether Bluff a few days ago.  I want to do this one day!

Again at Merewether.  Flying serenely on updrafts around the bluffs.

This is one of my fav photos. Taken at Tarcutta in spring 2008 whilst taking Rhiannan out for driving lessons.  Mind you, my hayfever was 10 times worse then!

This one turned out just awesome!  12 April 2009

The Hunter in the shallows of Lake Albert, Wagga Wagga.  15 June 2008

I can't remember what type of aircraft this is! 12 April 2009

A 3 exposure HDR.   I love the simplicity of this photo.  15 February 2012

The sea has eroded the softer rock into train tracks which are now filled with other rocks and  shells. Taken recently at Merewether.

Want to see more?  Click on the link to view these and more in a slide show from my Minimalism Album on Picasa Web Albums.

Merewether Rock Pools

One of my fav places in Newcastle is Merewether Baths, and just to the south of that are some wonderful Rock Pools.

During low tide, it is easy to walk from the Baths south to Dudley Beach, rock hopping and wading through some beautiful rock pools.  I love the texture and shape of the rocks mingled with the blue of the small pools that are home to many small sea creatures.

The purpose of my Photo Safari on this occasion was to record some of the awesome shapes and patterns of rocks as they have been pounded by the sea over thousands of years.  

Close to the calamity of the waves pounding against rock, small serene pools of water form within the rock reflecting the deep blue of the sky and showing off the colour of the rock and stone beneath the surface.

On walking from the Baths, I noticed the rocks are criss-crossed by small ravines cut into them from the water.  Some of these form almost perfect square shapes cut at 90 degrees.  Other rock formations have hexagonal type shapes from the harder rock that form 'veins' throughout the softer rock in between; the softer rock erodes leaving the hexagonal shapes of the harder rock.

My 2 favourites were Volcanic Pie and the small Moon Crater type erosion.  I am at a loss to explain how these may have formed.  The Volcanic Pie is a round sort of shape, with cracks that resemble a pie cut into pieces.  The small Moon Crater type erosion is exactly as I describe it; both look awesome as you will see!

Heading south from Merewether through the rock pools along the coast, I came upon a pebble beach. Millions of different colour pebbles look wonderful but, if they are wet then it is like walking into quicksand and your feet sink about 6 inches into them (losing ones' thongs of course!)  The walk will take you to Dudley Beach and, from there, there are bushwalks through the Glenrock National Park.

Because the Newcastle area is famous for it's coal mining industry, there are a few reminders along this walk of what the primary industry has been for over a hundred years.

The next project - visit Dudley Beach at sunrise and catch those golden rays over the rock pools!  Also, a walk in the park; apparently many photographic wonders there also!

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Hope you enjoy what you see here; I had a great time collecting them!

Stay sane and safe!

Love

 Jordy

The photos you see here are available as prints.  If you wish to purchase anything from my site here, please contact me via the Contact page, send me a private message on my Facebook photography site or, email me to lifewithjordy@live.com.au    -   I would love to hear from you!

Volcanic Pie

Pebble Beach

Moon Craters

What lies beneath?

The Rim

Mobile Phoneography #3

I had just finished a 12 hour nightshift and was feeling very weary.   Until I got outside the door; what a beautiful morning!

Not a cloud in the sky.  The cool, slight sea breeze on my face, hints of salt and moist air in my nostrils, sounds of waves crashing on sand and rocks.......the weariness slipped like a cloak off my back.   I just had to be on that beach!

I love the beach early in the morning; the waves wash the sand smooth, footprints track your moves showing a record of your past.  Seagulls squawking and searching for small sea creatures washed up overnight.  Dogs run in early morning playtime after sticks or balls.  Surfers waxing boards whilst watching the break of the waves.   Even the wave that snuck its' way around the rocks to catch my unawares and rise half way up my leg soaking jeans and shoes was exhilarating!   What a great start to the day!

I spent 20 mins in paradise before returning to the car - wide awake.  Arrived home to be greeted by a very excited Barney dog, snuggled up to my beautiful Kimbo ♥ and...........Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

Life does not get any better!

 Jordy

Photos taken on my Samsung Galaxy S2 using the Camera 360 app in HDR mode.