Day 190: There's a first time for everything

Day 190 (14 Jun) Friday. It is officially a public holiday in the region where I work. Nambour Show Day so I don't have to make the trek north today. Luckily I've brought my work home with me, for a change, ha!

It will also be the first chance I've had to pick-up bits and pieces for my Ekka photo entry.  This is, as you would be aware dear reader, finally a belated first for me. After thinking about it for many years and too often remembering the deadline for entry too late in the piece, I am finally preparing my first entry in the colour (restricted) division. 'Restricted' is for those who haven't won anything before...I wasn't quite confident to go 'open'. 

Clear start, at 6.12am

At 6.12am though, we are back to those rather lovely colours as the sun begins to show. After all the fog and rain and grey, it is quite a nice sight really, certainly worth the 6.12 view. 

Some of the detail

After a bit of early marking I head out to firstly, pickup the mats and backing cards for the pics. I've noted I have six, but can only enter four. I still haven't decided. They all seem to be OK and within the 4mm limit. Next stop is my first photo on canvas...one of my favourite shots from Japan, it is a reflection of boats and shops on the edge of the moat around Okayama Castle. In my mind, I imagine the enlarged version on canvas should look like a painting, the photo looking like brushstrokes. It does, I'm really pleased. (So pleased, I tweet it, as you do.)

I've also decided during the week that I will resume some proper black and white photography. This is motivated by two things: one was the ambiguity of the 'monochrome' division in the Ekka schedule...I wasn't quite clear about whether it was actual monochrome film or digitally manipulated. Turns out, I might have been able to monochromise some of the digital pics, but too late; the other reason is that I still have a perfectly good film camera, and I would quite seriously like to get back into this hobby. So I've also bought some B&W film and camera batteries...this is serious, at 6.12pm. 

A return to B&W, at 6.12pm

By the end of the working day, the Perth radio presenter has been sacked and on the back of one of the most powerful statements by a leader we've seen this week, the discourse just might be in for a shift, finally. The Chief of the Army, Major-General David Morrison in his statement to soldiers about vile behaviour towards women, amongst other things said 'the standard you walk past is the standard you accept'...I hope our political leaders take note of his stand. There's a first time for everything...