Photography: August 2025
After an abysmal month for photography in July, I can say with confidence that August was absolutely a step in the right direction for getting things back on track. From unexpectedly magical weather to small events, exploring both old and new abandoned locations, and even some light experimental nude photography, there was truly a little bit of everything throughout August.
02/08/25
Speaking of the unexpected weather, we got snow in Armidale. While not entirely unheard of, this turned out to be the heaviest snowfall in the area since 1984. Having spent the better part of five years living in Canada, I’m no stranger to snow, but there’s something about seeing it not only fall but actually settle in Australia that feels somewhat… wrong. Un-Australian, even. On top of the snow, there was also flooding at the time, so it really was absolute chaos. I spent the better part of six hours walking around in the snow (with and without my camera), and it’s an experience I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
08/08/25
The following Friday, I was invited to Tamworth to cover the Inspired Leaders Network launch. It was an event where I saw a few familiar faces but was mostly surrounded by new ones. There was a lot of energy in the room, and the three lead speakers all delivered with a ton of passion. It wasn’t an easy location to shoot in, the room was quite tight, and the lights were kept low to create a moody atmosphere and accommodate those with sensory disabilities, but I think I managed to get some decent shots despite the limitations, and I came away feeling rather motivated.
09/08/25
Two days later, it was off to the Armidale Farmers’ Markets, which were held in the mall due to the recent wet weather turning the parklands into a swamp. I decided to shoot with my 1974 Nikon Nikkor 35mm, a lens I really enjoy using, though it’s not a focal length I’m particularly used to. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to capture anything especially interesting this time.
That all changed when Evelyn of Peacock Photography and I made our way to a number of abandoned homes just down the road from my place. We’d both been eyeing these houses with the intent of exploring them for the longest time, and this was the day we finally decided to do something about it. We managed to get into two of the three homes on the block, and despite the eerie atmosphere (and the surprising amount of llama poo scattered across the floors and carpets), I came away with a lot of photos I really like. I feel vintage lenses are especially well-suited to capturing locations like this, and 35mm seems to be the perfect focal length for the job.
The day ended with an invitation to have pizza at a friend’s home, followed by the surprise request to try some low-light art nudes. I wasn’t exactly prepared when the idea was suggested, but I did manage to capture a few images that I think turned out alright, all things considered. The model requested anonymity, so I’m only sharing a very limited set of photos here. Will I take more photos like this in the future? Maybe, but I suppose that depends on whether anyone asks.
17/08/25
Now for a complete change of pace, my parents came down from the Northern Rivers to visit for the weekend. Despite travelling through the Armidale region countless times on their way to Tamworth to see my sister and nephews, they had never actually stopped to explore what the national parks in the Armidale LGA have to offer. Our first stop was Dangars Gorge, which was absolutely raging after all the heavy rain and snow over the past few weeks. It’s never anything but a spectacular view, though one of these days I’d love to be there when it’s a little foggier to really bring out the depth of the gorges below.
This was followed by a drive to and a walk around Gara Gorge (The Blue Hole). I love this track for the sheer variety of environments you get to explore along the way, from rocky river systems to dry woodlands and deep, craggy gorge country. Once again, I really need to be out there when it’s a little misty to get the kind of separation in the landscape that makes for truly great photos, but even as a casual 90-minute hike it’s hard to find anything to complain about. Hopefully, I’ll make it back there again before it starts to warm up too much in summer.
The afternoon was spent just relaxing out the back of the house, and of course, I had to pull out my vintage lenses and shoot some black and white. That’s just how it is!
25/08/25
A few days later, it was back to the abandoned greyhound tracks near the Armidale Showgrounds with Evelyn. I had hoped the sun would be in a position to shine through the glass front, but I think I’ll have to wait until summer for that. That said, the lighting was definitely more interesting than it was on my last visit during a storm. I didn’t expect the interior to change much, but people had been coming in and leaving furniture behind, so it felt quite different from last time. I don’t know what else to say, I’m a weird guy who’s into weird places… I also felt like I was really starting to come to grips with shooting at 35mm.
Also, the shot of the Spam can in front of the chair is probably going into my portfolio. I absolutely love it.
31/08/25
Lastly, this morning was the Armidale Markets. Once again, I hit the streets with the old Nikon 35mm, but this time I don’t think I really love anything I captured. I’m not sure if it was because I was trying to teach someone else street photography at the same time, or if it was just a bad mix of harsh lighting and the markets being almost too busy, but things didn’t quite pan out the way I’d hoped. That’s okay though, overall, this month delivered a pretty great run of photos, and I’m once again starting to feel a sense of inspiration and passion for what I do, and more importantly, how I do it, bubbling back up within me.
