Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Polly - 4 months

Polly 4 months by Georgie Sharp
Polly 4 months, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
What a delight to have Tamsin, John and Polly visiting from Melbourne. 
I receive lots of photos and videos via e-mail and talk on Skype but it is lovely to have cuddles, smiles and play baby games. 
Polly has such a sweet little personality and is very alert, taking in all her surroundings. She is getting much stronger on her tummy and is nearly rolling over so it won't be long before she will be on the move.



Wednesday, December 21, 2011

6 Months

6 Months by Georgie Sharp
6 Months, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
Claire is six months old this month. Time has flown by so quickly and she is developing into an interesting little character. At the moment she is rolling over all the time and at last has worked out how to roll back however it seems to be a continuous rolling action which sees her crossing the carpet to the Christmas presents around the tree and all that crunchy paper.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The Sails are Back

The Sails are Back by Georgie Sharp
The Sails are Back, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

The sails on the wharf have been absent for quite a while due to damage in high winds. Now they are back just in time for the festive season. Sunrise this morning was very festive ;-)) There is still a lot of cloud around which in this case coloured nicely at dawn before the sun slipped behind them to produce a grey day. Maybe it is a premonition of the heat to come as the forecast for Christmas day is 42 C.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

True Aussie Flavour....

True Aussie Flavour.... by Georgie Sharp
True Aussie Flavour...., a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
As part of my role as photographer for the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden I am currently taking photos of the newest refreshment; Lemon Myrtle, Quondong (Wild Peach) and Wild Lime ice-cream.
There are many new products available in the Arid Smart shop so I have also been taking pics of these  as well as the new outdoor furniture. 
The next task is to take images of  cheese platters but we are waiting for the wooden platters and new china and glassware to arrive before this goes ahead.
Another new product is a calendar which features many of my images. This compliments the postcards and cards which have been selling well.


Friday, November 11, 2011

11.11.11.11

11.11.11.11 by Georgie Sharp
11.11.11.11, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
I am currently working on an interactive version of the Family Tree to pass on to the new grand children.
Lucky for me my sister Steph has done all the hard work of tracing family members and really all I have to do is transfer the information and add pictures. 


The 11th of the 11th of the 11th of the 11th seemed like the perfect opportunity to remember Lee (my father) who fought in WW2.
Lee (Stanley John Muston) put up his age to 17 so that he could join the army with his friends and head off overseas on a big adventure. He served in the Middle East as a driver, transporting Italian prisoners of war and later saw action in New Guinea. 



Many of his friends were killed in combat. Although he didn't talk much about his war experiences he told one story about being taken off a plane in New Guinea to make room for a commanding officer. The plane crashed not long after take off with no survivors. 


When he returned from the war he took the attitude that life is here to enjoy and people can choose to make the most of opportunities.


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Bushfire Haze

Bushfire Haze by Georgie Sharp
Bushfire Haze, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
I have been waiting for the Jacarandas to bloom, the purple trees look lovely in the landscape, especially when looking out across the town, but smoke from the Central Australian bush fires has smudged the clean horizon.
When we visited Alice Springs earlier this year the park ranges and aboriginal elders warned of this bush fire season. Several burn offs had been done but the unseasonable rain had brought new growth which was difficult to contain over such a large area.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Moody Morning

Moody Morning 2 by Georgie Sharp
Moody Morning 2, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
Spring time and the weather is changeable jumping from cool and windy days to warm and sunny followed by another cool change often accompanied by a strong wind. Not the best weather for photography but occasionally there are some stunning moments like this one when the sun peeped out for a few minutes.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

In the Flinders - Pastel ART

In the Flinders 3 by Georgie Sharp
In the Flinders 3, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
I am absolutely delighted that I have been selling my pastels, both framed and unframed, through Curdnatta Gallery and recently the local Sunday market.
Sales online have also been good with the "Red Bubble" calendars and cards being snapped up as people look for original and interesting "Australian" images to send to friends and relatives overseas.
Thanks for your ongoing interest and support ;-))

New Beginnings

New Beginnings by Georgie Sharp
New Beginnings, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
Visiting Polly in her second week gave us the opportunity to get to know this precious little bundle. We also experienced a few firsts.... first pram ride, first ride in the car to the clinic and first shopping experience. At this stage she has strawberry blond hair and large blue eyes. Looking forward to seeing her grow.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Polly

Photos by John Sones SINGINGBOWL MEDIA


On 24th August our second granddaughter Polly was born in Melbourne. She is the daughter of Tamsin and John . We will visit soon for lots of cuddles and look forward to Christmas when the whole family will be together. The boys will definitely be out numbered, especially when Melissa has her baby girl.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Whales in Town ;-))


Whales in Town ;-)), a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

Often at this time of the year mothers and calves venture up into the calm waters of the Spencer Gulf but rarely do they cruise through the town itself... The word was out at 5pm that whales were cruising past the west side jetty. By the time I got there they had moved over to the east side jetty. I headed over the bridge hoping that they wouldn't disappear underneath, heading further up the gulf... LUCKY... they played around the jetty for a while giving those watching quite a treat and then headed back south past the wharf and back down the gulf. I was able to get a few shots of them with the town centre directly behind them. No tail displays just a lot of gentle playing ;-))

Yellowtail Kingfish Season

Yellowtail by Georgie Sharp
Yellowtail, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
Boat trailers line the car park and the calm waters beckon.
At first light the fishermen are already heading out to their favourite spots with many having made the annual pilgrimage to Port Augusta to to try their luck at catching these huge fish.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Pastels Tuesdays

Pastels Tuesday by Georgie Sharp
Pastels Tuesday, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
I am really enjoying working with pastels at Curdnatta Gallery each Tuesday.
This is a 3 to 4 hour session and I generally limit myself to one finished piece each week. This prevents me from "over working" the piece.
The A2 size allows some flowing body movement so I get a bit of a work out as well ;-)).
I love interpreting my photographs, looking for the patterns and designs where I can use sweeping lines of colour.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Port Lincoln "Uke Muster"

uke player 1 by Georgie Sharp
uke player 1, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
John was a very happy camper when he attended the "Uke Muster" over the weekend. Ukulele lovers from around the region were treated to a weekend of workshops, tutorials impromptu jam sessions and a concert on Saturday night. Members of the Adelaide Ukulele Appreciation Society traveled to Port Lincoln and Tumby Bay for the event which was sponsored by Country Arts South Australia. So many new techniques for me to listen to over the coming weeks ;-))
I managed to make the most of the event by taking a few photos and exploring the beaches around Tumby Bay.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Post Cards and Guide are now available


In addition to the recently completed visitor guides my photos have been published in the new Tourist guide and the first round of post cards and gift cards for the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden. Apparently the cards are quite a hit already which I am delighted about. There will be further photographic opportunities in this area.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Visitor Information

New signs by Georgie Sharp
New signs, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
It has been an interesting week with the new visitor information signs unveiled, the release of the new tourism guide and the Arid Lands postcards and gift card range becoming available.
All of these showcase my photographs and to see them looking so good in a range of printed products has been very exciting.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Suits and Utes


I used to do a lot of this kind of work in my role as Curriculum Adviser for the Department of Education and Children's Services but this is the first time I have been commissioned to provide both image and article for publicity purposes... a new phase emerging .

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Welcome to Claire



Claire Archer arrived on June 27th 2011 weighing 8lbs 4 ozs.

A gorgeous daughter for Carly and Brad and our first grandchild.

The staff at the hospital have been very attentive, despite the busy schedule, with babies all over the place.

Claire's other grandparents Graham and Julie and great Nan Pat along with aunties and uncles Tamsin, John, Penny and Ryan and all the extended family will ensure that Claire is well loved and spoilt ;-))


More pics at Flickr

Friday, June 17, 2011

Curdnatta Photographers - PhotoShop Tutorial.



At the June meeting I did a tutorial on "Adding Skies".
Here is an overview of the process for those who could not attend.

  • Choose two images that compliment each other.
  • Make a copy of the background of your main image by RIGHT clicking your mouse on the LAYER named background in the drop down menu on the right of the screen and choose DUPLICATE LAYER.
  • Go to the SKY image and select the whole image .... either by using the rectangular marquee tool or by holding down CTRL and A.
  • Copy the SKY and paste it on to your background.
  • Drag the SKY layer so that it is sandwiched between the background and background copy layers.
  • Use the MAGIC WAND tool and select the sky on the top layer.... the area will be surrounded by dashed lines... If it is not all selected adjust the Tolerance on the top tool bar and try again.
  • RIGHT click on the selected area and choose FEATHER and adjust to between .5 and 1... this makes a softer edge.
  • CUT , DELETE or ERASE the area.
  • To deselect ( remove the dashed lines) hold down CTRL and D.
  • Adjust the LEVELS of each layer to your preference.... go to IMAGE - ADJUST - LEVELS and a move the arrow to adjust light and shade.
  • REMEMBER to merge or flatten layers before you save your new image. LAYERS ... FLATTEN IMAGE.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Stretching the Boundaries.



A customer at Curdnatta Gallery needed a piece of art in blue to complete a decorating assignment. The only piece that fitted the requirement was a small blue pastel.
Quick thinking and the wish to experiment led to a photograph of the piece being printed on canvas at the local printers. I am quite happy with the results.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Baby Shower

Baby Shower by Georgie Sharp
Baby Shower, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

Only a month to go till grandchild number 1 is born!
The baby shower afternoon tea was a lot of fun with friends and family invited to afternoon tea.
On a beautiful Autumn day all the family silver, china and embroidered tablecloths came out for an airing and looked resplendent laden with miniature cakes, tarts, pasties, sausage rolls and sandwiches.
There were lots of lovely gifts and of course silly games and tips to educate the mum to be.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Melbourne


My visit to Melbourne provided the perfect opportunity to do some serious BABY shopping with Tamsin. We don't know if this one is a boy or a girl and finding unisex baby clothes was a little tricky. According to Tamsin it saved us a lot of money ;-)).
Before John flew off to Cambodia to take part in the OXFAM photoshoot we all went out to lunch at Dalesford where the highlight (apart from the magnificent food) was the feeding of the kookaburras that fly in once a day for a meal. Looks as if they get prime pieces of steak.
The Autumn leaves were putting on a great show and I just loved the different landscape, considering it only seemed like yesterday that we were at Uluru.



Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Mummified Cat

Mummified Cat by Georgie Sharp
Mummified Cat, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.
The highlight of my visit to Hobart was MONA! Museum of Old and New Art.
MONA is the extraordinary $150 million museum carved out of a sandstone cliff and built by gambling wizard David Walsh.
David Walsh, has put hundreds of items from his private collection on display, creating what he calls a “subversive adult Disneyland”.
The building was designed by Melbourne architect Nonda Katsalides.
To view my journey through MONA go to http://mona.net.au/theo/ and insert my email address georgie.sharp@internode.on.net



Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Uluru

Uluru by Georgie Sharp
Uluru, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

Two days at Uluru gave us plenty of time to see the rock in all it's moods (apart from a thunder storm ;-)) This photo was taken at the very last moment before sunset when the sun had been teasing us by hiding behind clouds. The previous day was a classic cloudless day with vibrant blue skies. Unbelievable beauty. The rock itself is very scaly and textured and it exudes a powerful and mystic presence.

I have been granted permission to sell a selected range of images by the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities. These are available at http://www.photoartgallery.com/artist/GeorgieSharp

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)

Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) by Georgie Sharp
Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

KataTjuta means many heads. This a fascinating rocky outcrop is not far from Uluru (Eyres Rock) in the centre of Australia.
The afternoon was moody with the sun light slipping in and out of the clouds creating many different painterly effects on the landscape.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Ellery Creek Water Hole

Ellery Creek Water Hole by Georgie Sharp
Ellery Creek Water Hole, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

The water holes in the MacDonnell Ranges are spectacular!
Ellery Creek is part of the Finke River system, with Ellery Creek Big Hole being one of the largest permanent waterholes in the West MacDonnell National Park, offering a important source of water for the local wildlife and a popular, refreshing stop for many locals and travellers.
The Aboriginal name for Ellery Bighole is Udepata. This permanent water made it a special meeting place for the Arrernte people on the fish and honey ant dreaming trails.

Finke River & MacDonnell Ranges

The area around Alice Springs has been transformed by incredible Summer rains, usually dry, dusty and red the valleys are currently green and lush.

When we reached Glen Helen station we were offered the opportunity to view the landscape by helicopter. I really hate heights but the idea of taking some different photos was compelling.

I learnt a great deal during the flight..... a door less helicopter means a lot of wind and consequently passengers spend most of the time hanging on tightly... this didn't really allow much time for talking photos LOL.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Breakways - Coober Pedy

Breakways  - Coober Pedy by Georgie Sharp
Breakways - Coober Pedy, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

After all our travelling over seas we decided it was probably time to explore our own back yard. This week we travelled up the Stuart highway to Alice Springs and then visited Uluru (Eyre's Rock) on the way home.
The centre of Australia was incredibly green after the wettest start to the year on record.
I couldn't get over the transformation of the land around Coober Pedy, having visited this town regularly in my role as Curriculum Advisor for DECS.
The Breakaways were a riot of colour with the usually dry Gibber Plains covered with green growth that played against the many shades of the rocky outcrops.

Tastes of The Outback

Tastes of The Outback by Georgie Sharp
Tastes of The Outback, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

Andrew Feilke held a master class as part of the "Tastes of the Outback" food and wine event in the region.

The founder of the Red Ochre Grill, Andrew is an internationally acclaimed guest and consulting chef specialising in creating unique dishes using Australian native ingredients.

Some of the foods available were familiar plants that we see in arid gardens but many were exotic plants from more tropical parts of Australia.

The trick with seafood is to cook it gently and Andrew demonstrated this by using an iron to cook barramundi fillets.


This was another opportunity take photos as a record of the event for the organizers.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Outback Ball

Outback Ball by Georgie Sharp
Outback Ball, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

Carly is currently coordinating the "Tastes of the Outback" and required a photographer to record aspects of the event.

We arrived at the Royal Flying Doctor hanger at sunset to find the tables bathed in a wonderful golden light.

Everything was laid out to perfection and the band of amazing young women coordinating the event were in full control. Before I knew it I was asked to take photos of celebrities for the media.

The event raises funds for The Australian Royal Flying Doctor and other organisations including Remote and Isolated Children's Exercise where I spent 10 years as a teacher many years ago ;-))

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Redbanks With Wild Life

After the coolest and wettest start to the year on record it is nearly the end of daylight savings and the perfect time to catch the dawn light at the top of the gulf as dawn is at about 7.30am.
Magnificent colours and atmosphere with the hawks surfing the breeze looking for breakfast.
The Red Banks is the eastern edge of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden and offers very different land form, vegetation and wild life to the rest of the garden.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Water Under The Bridge

Water Under The Bridge by Georgie Sharp
Water Under The Bridge, a photo by Georgie Sharp on Flickr.

The Curdnatta Photographers Group is still going strong. This month the theme is Architecture and Structures. This was taken under the Port Augusta Bridge early in the morning when the tide was low enough to stand right under it. The wind was just picking up providing soft movement in the water. I love the play of the shapes and the reflections.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Rain Rain Rain


This has definitely been the wettest March that I can remember in Port Augusta. Widespread tropical cloud moving down from the north brought rain all day long. I am starting to feel a little like the child in a bubble we saw at the Garden of Unearthly Delights during the FRINGE.

WOMADelaide and FRINGE 2011


While John was performing in Nosferatu I had the opportunity to engage with several FRINGE performances and activities including "Oleander" at the Higher Ground ARTS complex, a range of Art Exhibitions including Tracey Moffatt's photography exhibition at the Arth Gallery of South Australia and a romp through the Garden of Unearthly Delights.


On Sunday we both attended WOMAD and thank goodness the weather was mild and overcast unlike the 43 degrees of a few years ago that everyone seems to remember. Good food and a wonderful relaxed atmosphere accompanied the great musical acts. The highlight for me was the Leigh Warren Dancers in 'Breathe.




Monday, March 14, 2011

Nosferatu


On Friday and Saturday John and members of his band along with the local choir Desert Voices and some Adelaide musicians performed at the Adelaide Fringe in "Nosferatu". The original performance was held in Port Augusta at the Desert Fringe last year.

The score was arranged by Mathew Timmis who spent some time teaching in the town but is now based back in Adelaide. A discordant and unnusual piece it complimented the old black and white horror movie well and surprised many in the audience.