This post is my submission for Cardinal Guzman Monthly Photo Challenge – The Changing Seasons.
I’ve been thinking about this challenge for a while now, trying to decide on a location – this has to be a place where I can return each month to record around 20 photos. The idea is to document the changing seasons, and to hone our skills. Living in Brisbane, Australia, we don’t have “true” seasons as in the northern hemisphere. Our hottest month is January, with an average temperature of around 30 degrees Celsius during the day and around 20 degrees Celsius overnight. The coldest month is August with an average temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius in the daytime and around 9 degrees Celsius overnight. This is why I live here 🙂 although, it can be a little too hot and sticky in summer! Along with being the hottest month, January is usually the wettest month as well. Today was the first chance I’ve had to address this challenge and it was an overcast and drizzly day.
In 1988, Brisbane hosted “World Expo”, which my family and I went to. We were taken out of school and drove 10 hours to Brisbane for a week at Expo – it was a fantastic experience. To host Expo, Brisbane developed a section of the riverbank, called The Southbank Parklands. Southbank forms my subject for today’s challenge. It is home to the Qld Museum, The Science Centre, The Gallery of Modern Art, The Performing Arts Centre, the State Library – it is the cultural hotspot of Brisbane and full of cafes, restaurants and a great atmosphere.
Given the overcast nature of today, I decided to shoot mainly in black and white – with a few pops of colour here and there. I have well over 50 photos that I wanted to share, but have agonised and chosen this gallery below as the best representation of the day. I do hope you enjoy them. If you would like to participate in Cardinal’s challenge, please check out the link at the top of this post.
Below this gallery, I’ll post a little more information about some of the features from today’s shoot, if you are interested.
The World Turns: The Elephant, The Kuril (local native water rat) which looks the Elephant in the eye and a Chair. Artist: New Zealand artist Michael Parekowhai. It’s a great piece, which draws people in, young and old, to ponder what it means. It is an elephant-shaped bookend that is tipped over. “With warm blessing and consent of traditional Elder Uncle Des Sandy, The World Turns acknowledges the kuril as the caretaker of the site, who upends the elephant with all its cultural and intellectual weight. Visitors may sit on the chair and contemplate the work, with their gaze directed at the kuril.” (QAGOMA website).
The Sisters: This sculpture is by Ante Dabro, of two sisters – they are life-size bronze nudes.
G20 Brisbane Sign: Commissioned for the G20 celebrations in 2014, this sign stands 3m high and 25m long. “Each of the letters was decorated by a different Queensland association including Amnesty International, the Multicap Association and Queensland Country Women’s Association. Design student Aaron Couples from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) designed the shape of the letters and said he was approached by producers behind the G20 after they spotted his set design at a local theatre.” (Jessica Hinchcliffe, 612ABC Brisbane).
City Cycle: There are 150 of these cycle-hire spots all over Brisbane. There are various subscriptions that you can purchase to allow you varied access to the bikes.
If there’s anything that you’d like to know more about, please let me know in the comments.
Have a great day!
x desleyjane
Musings of a Frequent Flying Scientist 
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