BLOG AND TRAVEL PIX

Having lots of fun with this Ensign Ranger II. I picked it up a few years ago but never used it, just let it sit in my collection. These days I am shooting with some Foma 120 film and it is giving some nice results. The pictures have a certain look to them, which I like, so I will continue to use for some time to come. Might even take it on my next International trip and shoot something a bit different.

The Ensign Ranger is the name of a series of 120 film vertical folding cameras made by Houghtons in England, under their Ensign brand.

The body has a folding frame finder. The top plate carries the film advance knob, and a similar knob on the feed spool and the finder; the shutter release is a small button set radially on the edge of the shutter block. The knobs lift to release the film spools.

The original model was introduced c.1948, with a black crackle-finish body.

A cable release socket is fitted below the release button. In 1952 it cost £12-

This is my little Pony Premo SR. It has a brand new bellows and a bit of a clean, apart from that original. Shoots beautiful 4x5 inch glass plates, which I pour myself. The results are extremely sharp and have a nice look to the glass. It is something I will eventually sell along with lots of other old, vintage and antique camera equipment. It was made between 1897-1903, so she is a beautiful old girl.

King Island, Tasmania.

Many moons ago on my 40th birthday on King Island. The good old days of youth, excitement and adventure. I would probably not kill a lobster now, would rather see it swimming in the ocean.

My new FG670 film camera. Have done some tests and reckon that I will shoot 6x7, with predominately Foma 100 and the odd roll of Tri-X. In the past and with my tests I have been developing in Dektol 1+1 and getting nice results.

There have been suggestions that famous bushranger outlaw, Ned Kelly, could have camped in this shack situated in the North East of Victoria. I doubt it, but it does make a lovely subject for an alternative photographic process with a salt print. It would have, at least in its day, been a home to a struggling family. Such a beautiful sight to behold.

Falls Creek, Victoria. January.2017. The landscape at this time of year in the mountains, throws up some stunners for pinhole and digital recordings

It is so sad to see this happening and now we're seeing it all too often. This was in Hanoi and Siem Reap, but could have been anywhere. Our rivers and streams are being polluted, not only by big manufacturing companies but smaller operations as well. Even the 'man in the street' contributes to this pollution of our waterways, with garbage being dumped, the contents killing all living creatures in the water, including fish.

HONG KONG: One of my favorite destinations, unfortunately a bit on the expensive side. But keep thinking of the pictures I can still do there and have not done. My planning for next visit will be different again to the last, will be more about old Hong Kong and tradition, back streets, and alleyways traditional jobs and .

crafts also comes to mind. It is a struggle for a lot of older people to even survive in the city, a city that has been described as a cocoon. It concerns itself with Hong Kong and only Hong Kong, you have to adjust, because if you don't like what you see, stiff shit. However this does not deter me, looking forward to my next visit, when I can afford it. The part that pisses me off is, it is so easy to do, but so expensive.

VIETNAM Nov 2016: I have been to Vietnam a number of times over the years, one thing that still fascinates me is the traditional conical hat, that along with the flower sellers on the footpath, road or hawking by pushbike particularly in old Hanoi. The last trip was certainly different to previous trips, it was so congested on the streets with cars parking on the footpath, having to walk on the roadway to get anywhere, competing with cars, pushbikes, motorcycles and cyclos, was not pleasant.

SIEM REAP May/June 2017: A plastic bag with the remnants of glue used by young children in Siem Reap. The glue is sniffed to give the children a high. There is supposed to be a group working with these children, but I did not see evidence of that. It is so sad and in my opinion, a fairly common sight.

At 111 East Gallery, Siem Reap, Cambodia, for sale in the gallery, a framed picture of mine hanging on the wall.

SIEM REAP May/June 2017: My good friend Cambodian monk, Meas Samron. Meas has been working, along with other monks, with schools in the Siem Reap region, finding donations and purchasing school supplies such as books and pens.

SIEM REAP, Airport: My book, "Remembering Cambodia" first published in 2002 is still selling in Cambodia at Monument Books and airport outlets. It has been reprinted 6 times and at one stage, was one of the best selling books of Cambodia. The original version came out as a hard cover and the reprinted version with a soft cover. The book is a reflection on life in Cambodia from the North to the South showing a slice of life from the mid nineties. The co author is my good friend and colleague from AFP days, Stefan Smith.