LEns ARtists challenge #291: Cityscapes

Patti from P.A. Moed – CREATIVE EXPLORATION IN WORDS AND PICTURES wrote: Show us buildings, skylines, the streets, the people, and life in public spaces. Or, if you want, focus on two cities, and compare their features. This is an interesting challenge, I am sure to come across to many places I have never visited and have an urge to visit – add them to my bucket list of unseen destinations.

I don’t have that huge amount of city shots from many cities, when we travel we mostly visit nature locations. When we visited Australia, my cousin was the best host and travel guide to Brisbane. He drove us around and showed us places we wouldn’t have thought about or, to be truthful, known about. It was a truly eye-opening experience, discovering hidden gems and local secrets that only a native would be privy to. It’s amazing how much richer a travel experience can be when guided by someone with a deep connection to the place. Our trip to Australia remains a cherished memory, and it’s all thanks to the unique perspectives and insider knowledge provided by my wonderful cousin.

Brisbane buildings

All photos can be enlarged by clicking on the image.

Brisbane, port, capital of Queensland, Australia, and the country’s third largest city. It lies astride the Brisbane River on the southern slopes of the Taylor Range, 12 miles (19 km) above the river’s mouth at Moreton Bay. You can see my photos of Brisbane CBD , Wheel of Brisbane, and Story Bridge just naming few.

We also visited Streets Beach at South Bank Australia’s only inner-city, man-made beach boasts a sparkling blue lagoon surrounded by white, sandy beaches and sub-tropical plants. It is an oasis in the middle of Brisbane City.

Brisbane from another angle.

I enjoyed Ann-Christine’s circular challenge last week, who would have thought of how many circular things there are around us. Next week Tina from TRAVELS AND TRIFLES will once again bring us a new topic to challenge ourselves with. Until then, keep on smiling ☺.


Monochrome – Silhouetted Trees at Dusk

I loved this moody and atmospheric scene with silhouetted trees against a cloudy sky, I took it while in a moving car when traveling in Australia. I loved edited it to a minimalist style. The stark contrast between the dark silhouettes of the trees and the cloudy sky creates a sense of depth and mystery. In the end the edit came out serene and slightly ominous mood.

Silhouetted Trees at Dusk

Posted for Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

Lighthouse

Byron Bay Lighthouse

We all need a lighthouse in our lives to lead us, whatever it is, a person, place or state of mind. This came to my mind as I saw all the news about mourning people for Prince Philip. I myself am not one to mourn for people I do not know.

I sympathise, with the person who has lost a loved one, but for me to get really emotional about some celebrity or public persons passing is unlikely to happen. That is just me.

New Edits #16

Twelve Apostles in Victoria , Australia

No words needed.

New Edits #11

This photo was taken along the Great Ocean road in Victoria, Australia at one of the beautiful oceans and cliff views, I have so totally forgot what was what place, but all of them were breathtakingly beautiful. Lets appreciate the beauty and forget my lack of memory 😉

Kollaasi 216 (4/2020)

At this week shades of colours are found from emerald. Have a lovely week. Two takes on nearly same photos from Australia.

Sydney Opera house

Wow, an other post I have doe, but not posted. This is easy to to see where the photos are from.

The Grotto

The Grotto is perhaps the most enchanting of all the rock formations in this part of Australia along the Great Ocean Road . Part-blowhole, part-archway, part-cave, it offers a peaceful place to enjoy the sea views and soak in the wonderful things nature is capable of.

The Grotto at the Great Ocean Road

Standing about halfway up the cliff from the sea level, the geological formation is reachable via a decked staircase that leads down from the viewing platform at the top. You can either view the wonder from above, or head down and explore it at eye-level.

Inside, the Grotto is filled with smooth boulders and serene rock pools that have been carved out of the limestone. For the best view, look into the Grotto from the lower viewing platform, where you can see the horizon, the pools, and the jutting rock formations in one go.

Bay of Martyrs

Bay of Martyrs
Bay of Martyrs

The Bay of Martyrs at Peterborough is a ruggedly beautiful section of the Bay of Islands Coastal Park. Take in sweeping vistas of the coastline and rugged and colorful red limestone bluffs from a high cliff-top viewpoint, .

Paddy’a Creek

Paddy’s Creek in Talbingo in NSW was one of the spots my cousin took us, one we for sure would not have found on our own.

Rolling hills

Over the hills and far away

This greenness , lovely rolling hills, nature just blew my breath away

Dead Gum Trees

Dead Gum trees in Victoria Australia

Beach life

Lazy, or something else, Haven’t been editing my Australia photos as quickly as I would have liked to. Have not even touched the ones I took in Hong Kong. I think, no, I know, I have not taken my camera out but only once since January. I think I am slightly depressed as I am not able to create anything new, I plan, I plan again, but then I don’t get anything done. My head is in a mist.

Have you been at this kind of a slump in your photography. You know, why do this, there are so many better, more creative and talented people out there. Who cares. Point being, I have always done this for me, never had any real ambition to be something. Just to share, the world as I see it. Come spring, hopefully, I will get back on the track.

Misty Beach

Night time in the city

Melbourne, city, night time, skyline and sunset that is what this post is about.

Hue of Pink

Caseys Beach in Batehaven, beautiful.

Caseys Beach
sunset
Sunset

St Kilda

St Kilda Pier

We also visited St Kilda Pier it’s history dates back to 1853. Providing panoramic views of the Melbourne skyline and Port Phillip Bay, the pier is a popular destination. I liked how I was able to capture the skyline behind the sailboats at the pier. The opportunity to see a penguin in it’s natural habit at a place like this was something unexpected.

Victoria, Brighton Beach

Brighton Beach

Here you have 82 distinctive bathing boxes, a row of uniformly proportioned wooden structures lining the foreshore at Brighton Beach.

Built well over a century ago in response to very Victorian ideas of morality and seaside bathing, the bathing boxes remain almost unchanged. All retain classic Victorian architectural features with timber framing, weatherboards and corrugated iron roofs, though they also bear the hallmarks of individual licencees’ artistic and colourful embellishments.

Just try to resist pulling out your camera and snapping away, I for sure was not able to do that! Text from https://www.visitvictoria.com/

Melbourne -rails

Here are few more photos of train stations and another popular transportation in the city – City Circle trams

Railway crossing at Brighton Beach
City Circle Tram

Melbourne – Flinders St Station


Next place, Melbourne, first stop is Flinders Street Station. Opened on September 12th 1854, Flinders Street Station was the first railway station built in any Australian city. I especially liked the fixture of the station’s façade, the clocks date back to the 1860s and continue to display departure times today.

Sydney~9 ~Chinese Garden

Chinese Garden of Friendship

Sydney~8~Skyline

This is my last post about Sydney at this point. City skyline is the theme here. The day shots are taken on the Ferry to Manly.