Surface and Symbol

One of the reasons why I enjoy photographing flowers is for their beauty, as well as their darkness. I always say that I prefer dead ones, there is more character in them. Wilted, brown with flickers of colour from when they were alive. Flowers are given in time of celebration as well as in death. The later is what I'm drawn to most.  All beautiful things age, it's the transient nature of youth and beauty. Which, I believe, is something that we shouldn't hold onto. In this fleeting moment, I capture  these flowers in their prime and glory. But I also look forward to when they age because there is also beauty in their death.  

Photographed @ Studio Mondo

Lomo Love: Elephant Nature Park

Elephant Nature Park is located in Northern Thailand in Chang Mai. It is a rescue and rehabilitation centre for elephants- some came from illegal logging, street begging, or were injured from land mines. The facility offers day trips where you learn about the herd and you also have a chance to bath and feed them. You can also volunteer for a longer period of time and the property has house loggings for guests.

The founder, Lek, created the park as a sanctuary for elephants to live in a peaceful environment. There are a little over 30 elephants and each has a story. The demeanour of these beautiful animals are definitely different of those who are working elephants- circuses, tour trekking operations etc. They are much healthier and treated with a lot more respect, physical abuse is not used to train the animals at the park. It is said that Thai elephants helped build Thailand and are greatly revered, it's unfortunate to know there are a lot more that aren't treated as humanely.

Lomo Love: Krabi

Photos shot by Me.

Krabi's Tiger Cave Temple was one of the most brutal climbs I've done in a while. I could have easily fallen to my death, 1237 steps off the side of the mountain. I was a weezing/ gasping for air/ hot mess when the boyf and I reached the top, I air punched the sky with victory for making it. No pain no gain, I am glad that I pushed on through because the view was spectacular.

If you plan on doing the climb. I'd advise you do it in the morning, as it's a lot cooler. Also, a big bottle of water is a life saver too.

Lomo Love: Thailand Part 1, Ao Nang

It was 10 years ago when I first went to Thailand, 19 and I had no idea about shit. Now I like to think I am 10 years wiser, and a hell of a lot travel savvier. Thailand was somewhat of a gate way travel drug, that further fuelled my teenage dreams of wanderlust.

Thailand

       Hello all, here are a few instagram pictures from my trip to Thailand. If you follow me on instagram you've seen these images already. New ones will be posted soon as I brought x3 film cameras. Yes I am one of those travelers, that can't decide which camera to bring so I bring 3 to 4. Hopefully I get to the dark room soon, I have three rolls to develop. And I will head down to the photo lab as I have another 4 rolls of 120mm film from my Holga camera. I might also scab some pics from the boyf's Nikon. I've officially been back home for a week. I've settled nicely back into the routine of work and Sydney life. But it would be nice to be on holidays again.

Lomo Love: Morocco

Another batch of Holga photographs to add to the Lomo Love series. My boyf and I were talking about Morocco not long ago and our longing to go back. So I was inspired by that conversation and decided to post images from my Holga travel archives. You may remember my previous posts about Morocco, if not click the numbers to check out interesting travel stories (1,2,3).

Lomo Love: Amsterdam

Quaint and beautiful, home of the Van Gogh museum and sort of a boys town. There is something inherently dreamlike about Amsterdam, deja vu like. Getting lost in it's maze like streets resulted in stumbling upon gorgeous small independant galleries, book stores and cheese shops. The homes along the canal encouraged some level of voyeurism, with their long rectangular windows with no curtains. I felt like a furniture/ interiors pervert. I almost died a thousand deaths due to passing bicycles. But, french fries and mayonaise just about changed my life.

Lomo Love: Paris

(Image shot by me)

Another Lomo Love post. Paris at sunset; Notre Dame x Seine goodness. I am absolutely in love Paris, everything about it is wonderful.

Paris is on my mind, due to last night's visit to the Art Gallery of NSW, for the Eugene Atget Old Paris exhibition. He had such beautiful sepia photographs of the streets of Paris from the late 1800 and early 1900s. The image sharpness blows my mind away, considering the camera that he used. A lot of my favourite photographs were ones that contained old advertising signs plastered on walls, yep I'm a typography type of girl. It was very interesting to see the architecture of that time, and also a small glimpse of the past.

Please visit this lovely exhibition, Click here for details.

Also, Art Gallery of NSW is holding an instagram x Atget competition. Where you photograph the streets of Sydney and could potentially win a exhibition prize pack. Click here for details.

Cool no?

Lomo Love: Angel Canals, London.

(All images shot by me)

I love revisiting my old pics from London. I also believe it's time for a new Lomo Love post too. So here are some images of the canal that begins at Duncan St in my old neighbourhood of Angel. My sister actually found this little gem. Lined with little house boats, this canal subsequently saw us taking strolls to other parts of London, which resulted in either a pub crawl or food fest of sorts. A lot of local folk use it as their jogging route, work route or just a place to sit and read a book or to have a small picnic. It is seriously devine during summer time, and you can also rent tug boats. The canal takes you through to Shoreditch and East London, then ends all the way down Canary Warf, which is hella far.

Lomo Love: Paris

(All images shot by me) 

I know this does not relate to Japan or NYC. But I thought I'd post some Paris Holga shots I took on my 2009 trip. I keep forgetting to post my Holga pics from Europe, and trust me there is a lot.

I'm currently sifting through images from Japan and NYC, and there is heaps of them too. I can't believe I'm back in Sydney and I still have jet lag, which is the worst thing in the world! I met up with two of my bff's during the week. One of them, Luke is in a soul/ funk band and has a gig coming up so I can't wait to tell you the details for that.

 For the mean time I hope you enjoy these Paris pics.

Lomo Love: Croatia

(All images shot by me)

You may remember my travel posts from Croatia (here and here). I thought I'd share some more photos I took with my Holga camera. I hope you like them.

Lomo Love: Iceland

(Images shot by me)

Iceland is like landing on a foreign planet; otherworldly, beautiful and serene. Every where you look is a photo opportunity.

Adieu 2011

Image shot by me,  Berlin 2010.

The folks of Sydney are getting ready for NYE festivities, while I sit here and reflect on the year that will soon be behind us.

It was a so so year for me. That saw a lot of my old flat mates from London move back to Sydney. A welcome relief as we remenisce a lot about the past.  Re-adjusting to life was hard as I would go off to oh so vivd reveries of 2009 and 2010. Spending pretty much every day with my best friend Anna, was the best thing on earth. We concocted new projects to pursue which will hopefully take off in 2012, God willing. Seeing a cherished friend V, always awakens my soul. Her ability to inspire people is out of this world. Growth in all sense of the word is something I always learn from her.

So growth will be my theme for 2012.

2011, I bid you Adieu.

Lomo Love: Holga Euro Trip

So, I've finally developed 22 rolls of film from my time living in London for a year and half + travelling around Europe in between. I know, it's taken me a while! So you'll be seeing a lot of Holga posts in the next weeks and possibly months. So to kick start this bad boy I leave you with an image from London, where my Euro journey started.

The Love Wall was situated on Exmouth Market, two blocks down from where I lived. Unfortunately it ceases to exist, as it was a construction site that locals converted to a wall of written love messages. My sister and I stumbled upon this little landmark on our weekly sojourns to get to know our new neighbourhood. Exmouth Market has daily food stalls, cute little kitch stores, fashion boutiques, a rad independent bookstore and one of the best tattoo parlours in town called The Family Business, where my room mate got his tattoos done. I miss my visits to this small laneway. It's one of those little gems that really make your day. I think we should start a 'Love Wall Revolution' and create more of these murals, who's in?

The past revisted?

Certain memories and feelings are resurfacing again,
I hope it is not a reoccurring nightmare. I hope the
past doesn't repeat itself.
Twenty-something now, I wonder how I'll handle the situation
if it were true.


*Photograph taken by me

Lomo Love

I am thinking of Resurrection this old blog

Lomo Love

What are your thoughts??

Lomo Love

*2007

Lomo Love

1) Markets in Bicol, Philippines
2) Samar/ Leyte Bridge, Philippines

Lomo Love Update

So here are a few pictures I have taken.
About time I made another Lomo Love Update.....




Photos taken by me with Holga 120CFN