Dirty Dirt
This used to be covered in natural bush land and is an area I used to visit to watch wondering wild Buffalo, the place I spotted my first antilopine walleroo (which I thought was a ‘big red’ at first) and to watch various finches in the tall grasses (wishing for that 400mm canon lens). It is government land that is used to collect dirt for the new bridge that is currently being built in Palmerston. When I spoke to the guy that is in charge of the area (-as i asked to drive in to take images of dump track tyres for some ttv work) he reassured me that the land is fully regenerated and no one would even know they were there. Little does he know that I have been visiting the area for long enough to watch these 2-3 square kilometre areas get wiped clean of all nature and no, years later they do not look the same.Granted though, there is enough land available here in the NT to take what you want from it without any fuss but it makes me SAD as its MY area, less than 10 kms from my home and a where I can go to see everything the territory has to offer from wandering emus to wetlands to rocky outcrops.It is where most of my ‘Through the Viewfinder’ images have been taken that appear on this blog. Anyways I said my bit…good on you if you’ve read this far as i really just wanted to rant outloud. Oh and the pano is a 6 image stitch with PTGui with no colour manipulation just a little burning and dodging. Don’t care about pano correctness in this one-I know I’ve got alot to learn re panos:)Cheers Jules
It’s always sad to see the relentless push of progress rape and destroy our wonderful natural environments Jules. great image documenting the disgusting nature of it here – you should upload one of a similar bit of bush for that those whom have not been to the top-end can visualise it. I know how pretty it can be as well.
best of luck,
tone x
February 4, 2010 at 7:04 PM
What a sad story! Especially when I think of the lushness captured in all your ttv shots.
February 10, 2010 at 3:39 PM
typical of greedy governments and narrow minded people with no regard for our future and that of the planet. Watch your blown highlights in the clouds and the sharpness Jules. It looks cold when you took this shot but I bet it wasn’t.
February 28, 2010 at 9:54 PM
Delayed reply Tony sorry been flat out painting the house errrr! When it stops raining I will get some images together of areas there that show what the bush looks like prior to this image, thats a great idea. I tend to forget these things as its in my head and I’ve seen it. Cheers Jules
March 2, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Its never cold here, may look wet but its never, ever cold, more like being inside the Yallingup Cave right now, damp, wet and 98% humidity. Thanks re highlights too, this was the very last image I did on my poor old mac infact doing this stitch caused its inevitable death. The transfer to this crap PC didn’t translate it too well but I am notorious for over doing my contrasts even in darkroom days and does it look too sharp and nasty? BTW your new blog looks great been a bit too much of a boys club for me to be game enough to comment
Cheers Jules
March 2, 2010 at 3:59 PM