November 2019 - Various

"Wongaling Beach, late afternoon, looking towards Tam O'Shanter Point. Decisive Moment 1/2."

Just another day in tropical north Queensland. Dogs were having fun playing catch. This is one of those "capturing the moment" images that photographers refer to in which we seize and hold a small piece of time that tells a story you don't need to explain in words - a story that can span a much longer period of time than it took for the shutter to fire. If you are interested in the psychology of the photographic concept of Cartier-Bresson's 'decisive moment' here's an interesting discussion by someone who has taken a scholarly interest in the subject. http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/decisive_moment.htm (Lumix FZ2500, on full zoom = 960 mm, 1/1000sec.)

"Wongaling Beach, looking towards South Mission Beach and Tam O'Shanter Point. Decisive Moment 2/2."

This is another one of those "capturing the moment" images that photographers refer to in which you can seize and hold a small piece of time that quintessentially tells a story you don't need to explain in words - a story that can span a much longer period of time than it took for the shutter to fire. It's a split-second later variation on the previous Smug Mug post from Wongaling Beach (between Mission and South Mission Beaches, north Queensland). If you are interested in the psychology of the photographic concept of Cartier-Bresson's 'decisive moment' here's an interesting discussion by someone who has taken a scholarly interest in the subject. http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/decisive_moment.htm (Lumix FZ2500, on full zoom = 960mm, 1/1000sec. Edited in Photoshop CC 2020 and the Nik Color Efex Pro 4 filter suite.)

Doe and Dunk Island from Wongaling Beach.

Lumix 2500.

Mask. 'Mission Beach Shores' chalet at Wongaling Beach.

Texture from Doug Landreth's commercially available Photomorphosis collection - applied via masking in Photoshop CC 2020.

Hipstamtic snap.

Mission Beach Shores chalets, Wongaling Beach.

"Confronting a Cassowary, Etty Bay, North Queensland".

"Confronting a Cassowary, Etty Bay, North Queensland". If you had been around the rainforest of north Queensland or Papua New Guinea 40 or more million years ago you would have met this creature just as it appears today. It's Australia biggest, and said to be world's deadliest, bird although the last death in Australia occurred 93 years ago. The last-known Australian victim was 16-year-old hunter Phillip McClean, who tripped while fleeing from a bird in Australia in April 1926. It was when McClean was on the ground that he received a fatal blow to the neck. (Don't run from these birds. They can easily outpace us. Slowly move to, or create, cover e.g. behind a tree and/or sling your back pack forward.) The only other recorded human death was in April 2019, when a 75-year-old man was attacked by (at least) one of these exotic birds that he reared on his property in Florida, USA. His injuries were so severe that he later died in hospital. The bird I confronted is a rare specimen, tamed by people feeding it. It's stare meant it was checking me out for food. At least I hoped it was, as I stood my ground for a fraction of a second to get this photo for you! (Hand-feeding of cassowaries is a risk to birds and people. Wild cassowaries conditioned to human food can be aggressive when protecting themselves or their chicks, or seeking other human food.) Normally Cassowaries are wary around humans and will flee if you approach. However if they are cornered, or have to defend their chicks, they attack with muscular legs that can pack a powerful kick. The legs terminate with three claw-tipped toes. The claw on the inner toe is particularly formidable, reaching lengths of 12 cm (5 in)! If a cassowary feels threatened, it will leap up and strike out with these dagger-like weapons, inflicting potentially lethal wounds to internal organs and causing severe bleeding. Evisceration is a potential result. (Etty Bay foreshore, north Queensland, Nikon D750, Nikkor 28-300 mm lens, Nikon SB900 Flash.)

“Hey Lady, What’s in the bag?” Cassowary, Etty Bay, North Queensland

Nikon D750, Nikkor 28-300 mm lens.

Scratching an itch from bug seen on right. That large ear hole may have attracted it.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 28-300 mm lens.

Cassowary, Etty Bay, North Queensland.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 28-300 mm lens.

Juvenile Cassowary is on someone’s turf.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 28-300 mm lens.

Spotted the rival!

Nikon D750, Nikkor 28-300 mm lens.

The chase is on!

The chase continues.

Successfully Routed and Back on the Scrounge.

Cassowary, Etty Bay, North Queensland.

"I'm baaaack!"

This unusually tame Cassowary at Etty Bay, north Queensland, pops around from behind a tree with a repeat request for food. The local brood has been conditioned by visitors feeding it. (Nikon D750, Nikkor 28-300mm lens, Nikon SB900 Speedlight Flash. Edited with Nik Color Efex Pro 4, Topaz ReMask 5 and Photoshop CC 2020.)

"Beachcomber - Bingal Bay Beach, North Queensland."

This image puts me in mind of nearby Dunk Island's most famous resident and author of "Confessions of a Beachcomber", E.J. "Ted" Banfield (1852 -1923). The book title is misleading however as he was worked hard to establish his leased property there, and once he overcome the obstacles to that, with the help of his wife Bertha, he had time to give us charming, naturalist insights through his writings into the island's life and his connections with Aborigines before they were moved to a reserve. His grave, a cairn on the island, is listed with the Queensland Heritage Register. Banfield described Dunk Island as his "Isle of Dreams—this unkempt, unrestrained garden where the centuries gaze upon perpetual summer". Reference and more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_James_Banfield. (My original photo on a D750 Nikon with a 28-300mm lens was reworked using Nik Collection 2 filter 'Detail Extractor', then painted using my blend of van Gogh brushes and masking in Topaz Studio, with further enhancements using Photoshop CC 2020 and a vignette filter set from the Nik suite.)

Beachcomber II, Bingal Bay Beach, North Queensland.

Nikon D750, 28-300mm Nikkor lens, Nik Collection 2 'Detail Extractor" filter.

"Back-stroking Bowerbird."

One sign of Townsville's 30 degree heat today. Tomorrow it'll be 36 degrees!! I fully expect this Great Bowerbird will be back to practice its backstroke across the birdbath! (Suburban Townsville, Nikon D750, 28-300mm Nikkor lens at 300 mm, 1/1000 sec, ISO 560, f/5.6.)

"Breaststroking Bowerbird in the Birdbath."

(Great Bowerbird, suburban Townsville, Nikon D750, 28-300mm Nikkor lens at 300 mm, 1/1000 sec, ISO 560, f/5.6.

"Early Morning Visitor."

Pale-headed Rosella pops in to charge up for another hot, dry day in suburban Townsville. (Nikon D750, Tamron 150-600mm lens, Nikon Speedlight SB900 Flash.)

Kookaburra, Suburban Townsville.

Lumix FZ 2500. Enhanced using Nik filters and Photoshop 2020.