Submission - Growing up in the Rainforest

"Submission"
Leaves sprouting from tree stump in the rainforest

"Submission" is the title I chose for this photo in a recent photography competition. I don't know exactly why, but it seems to fit the photo somehow. Perhaps it's the modest curve of the leaves, which give it a rather frail and gentle air. This is another one of my Goomburra shots, taken while walking to the Cascades.

This photo taken with the Fujifilm S9600 digital camera.

Spring has come!

We're well into Spring now. In the back yard the peach and apricot flowers are blossoming, and the sun's daily path is approaching the zenith again. The familiar sound of bees buzzing can be heard whenever you step out the door, and butterflies are floating everywhere on the warm breeze. As Wordsworth says in his "Lines written in early Spring":

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

I hope you enjoy the pictures of Spring here, wherever you are in the world!

These photos taken with the Fujifilm S9600 digital camera.

Mysterious Waterfall

"An Aura of Mystery"

Deep Blue Mountain Waterfall

This blog's had so many WYD photos recently that you could be forgiven for thinking it's no longer a "nature photography" blog! But never fear, today I re-introduce the old theme again.

This photo was taken on my not-so-recent holiday to Goomburra. I was quite surprised at the way the water turned out - there is a very distinct blue-ish tinge to the whole image, and the fall itself seems to be falling through a veil of dark blue. There is a certain atmosphere to this picture which I can't quite define, but the word "Mystery" seemed relevant to me.

What does this picture make you think of?

This photo taken with the Fujifilm S9600 digital camera.

Pillars of Faith - WYD Banners

"Pillars of Faith"
Banners at WYD

During World Youth Day, the streets of Sydney were lined with these banners. I got this photo at Darling Harbour - right along the side of the water these flags were flying high in the air. They made a great subject for a photo - the foremost banners are receding into the picture, and you can even see a few more standing straight in the distance.

Now that the WYD activities are starting to finish up, it's time to look at "Where to from here?" The experience of the week is one to treasure, but also one to move forward from. So far we've had meetings where young people shared their experiences from WYD, and joined together again in song and worship. Some people have also started organising youth groups and ongoing plans, so that we can keep the spirit alive. Already people are noticing that those who went to WYD have been much more joyful and friendly since they returned, and that it has spread to others as well. It's really been an awakening for all of us, young and old alike, to reconsider our life's mission and our interaction with friends and family.

This photo taken with the Fujifilm S9600 digital camera.It is one of a series of photos commemorating the occasion of World Youth Day Sydney 2008.

New Comment Policy

Some of you might have noticed that I haven't been replying to comments lately. I'm getting a lot more comments than I did a year ago on this blog, and I thank you all for giving your feedback. Unfortunately they are getting too numerous for me to reply to each one individually as I had a custom of doing. From now on I will only reply to any comments that require a direct response. This means if you ask a question, or request a picture for example, I will try to reply as soon as possible. If you've simply got a compliment or suggestion, please do tell me, but I won't be able to guarantee a personal response.

I can guarantee that I read each and every comment though. Your thoughts are very much appreciated, and please keep them coming!

Pilgrims Progress

The Pilgrims Progress
World Youth Day Pilgrims at Barangaroo

I took this photo during World Youth Day, on the night of the opening Mass. This is basically the view I had while trying to move through the throngs of pilgrims crowding the exit points. The colourful beanies are not just for show - it was quite cold that night! As soon as the opening Mass had finished, people were crowding around every exit point trying to find a way out. It was difficult to stay together as a group in such a crowd, so we just stayed put and enjoyed the beautiful sight of Sydney during WYD at night!

This photo taken with the Fujifilm S9600 digital camera. It is one of a series of photos commemorating the occasion of World Youth Day Sydney 2008.

The Adventure of a Lifetime - World Youth Day 2008

World Youth Day 2008

I'm back from Sydney now, where I have been on holiday during World Youth Day for a few weeks. And what a time it's been! World Youth Day 2008 was definitely the most memorable experience of my life. The whole week was a time of great joy and faith in Sydney, and the entire world.

For those who were watching, I documented some of my experiences during WYD on this blog. In the upcoming weeks I will run a series of photos here relating some of the key events that occurred during the time of WYD. The video shown above is a compilation of photos taken by me and my brother who also attended, to the WYD theme music "Receive the Power" by Guy Sebastian and Gary Pinto.

World Youth Day was special for me in many ways. Firstly, I was able to come together with youth from all over the world - over 170 nations - to unite and share experiences and culture. I met many new people, especially from Canada and Chile, with some of them even offering places to stay if I ever travel to their part of the globe! The number of flags visible was amazing, and everyone was very willing to share culture and faith.

One of the most beautiful things about World Youth Day was the atmosphere. There was a great sense of peace and friendship that I have never before felt in Sydney, or anywhere else for that matter. Everyone was ready to lend a hand with directions or whatever happened to come to hand. And an amazing thing happened - you were able to step on a train in the middle of Sydney and be greeted with a cheery "Hello!" or perhaps even a song. I don't know what it's like in other parts of the world, but normally in a big city in Australia if you say "Hello" to someone you're likely to get a cold stare. This transformation that came about was certainly beautiful to behold.

Another great thing was the hope and joy I saw in the young people around me. They all had a hope in the future that is becoming rare today, and rejoiced in the current moment without "stressing out" about the dozens of things that could have been worrying them. Without being careless, everyone was able to maintain a joyful attitude which also helped them to care for others.

There's no way I can describe everything that World Youth Day has been for me in mere words. I hope that this and the next few posts will convey some of what I have experienced, but as with any great moment it is impossible to explain fully. I can only say that it has been a life changing event for me and many others, which I will be building on for the rest of my life.

Has there been a great moment in your life, or a life-changing experience you would like to share? Leave a comment and discuss what has been special to you.

Orb Web Spider - Eriophora transmarina

Orb Web Spider (Eriophora transmarina)

This photo really has to be seen full-screen to be fully appreciated. Click on the picture above to view the orb web spider full-size.

I caught this big Orb Web Spider under a tree one day. He was alive, but being quickly overrun by ants. So I flicked the ants off, and snapped a few pictures of him. He wan't very eager to move (all the better for me!), maybe the ant's had bitten him too much.

The Garden Orb Web Spiders are also called Araneus Spiders, Garden Orb-weaver, Wheelweaving Spiders or Orbweaving Spiders. The Latin or Scientific name is Eriophora transmarina.

More information on the Orb Web Spider.

World Youth Day

Image via Wikipedia

July 15th 2008 marks the beginning of the biggest gathering in Australian history. World Youth Day, an international Youth Festival organised by the Catholic Church will be held in Sydney, Australia this year. From July 15-20 nearly 150,000 international visitors will converge on Sydney for this event. The final Mass is expected to attract crowds of up to 500,000 making this easily the biggest gathering of people ever in Australia.

As you can guess, I'm pretty excited about this event. I will be attending along with most of my friends. The Pope will be coming to Australia for World Youth Day, so hopefully I'll catch a glimpse of him too. :) Others who can't visit the events live will watch on TV.

Over the 5 days international visitors are expected to bring over $120 million in revenue to Australia, so it's going to be a big economic boost for Sydney as well. Some Sydney residents are concerned though, due to the transport difficulties with the huge numbers of people. In fact, Randwick Racecourse was chosen as the location for the final Mass due to the crowds - this is the only stadium which can accommodate enough people, and even with it's size 350,000 will have to overflow into Centennial Park!

I'm going to be leaving for WYD on the 10th, and probably only arriving back at the end of July. I have scheduled some posts for the meantime, and will also try to blog about World Youth day as it happens, thanks to the new mobile phone. For updates, check my new blog: http://david-worldyouthday.blogspot.com. For those who have given me awards - I haven't forgotten you, and will try to post them after I get back.

Snake's Eye View - Sky Watch Friday

"Snake's Eye View"
View from ground level in the Australian rainforest
Sky Watch Friday

Here's a relatively unique photo for my first Sky Watch Friday back again. Looking at this I just imagine the snake slithering along the path, looking up into the early morning sun....

This photo taken with the Fujifilm S9600 digital camera.