I try to get out at least once a month for a slow, sunny walk around town, usually to photograph trolleys and whatever else grabs my attention. This time, I set myself the added challenge of composing shots to be cropped into a 2.7:1 XPan aspect ratio. It’s incredible how much impact a heavy crop can give an otherwise ordinary image, and I’m keen to explore it further.

Armidale’s annual Autumn Festival returned with perfect weather after last year’s rainout, and I managed to grab some sneaky black-and-white street shots before the parade and Freedom Flyover. Shooting planes proved more challenging than expected, even with a 300mm lens, but it was a fun challenge nonetheless. The streets were packed for the parade, with plenty of colourful, creative floats bringing the town to life.

I kicked off the month with one of my favourite projects of the year: a test shoot with the incredibly talented Lisa Goldzieher. While I can’t share much yet, it has the potential to grow into a much larger art project. Despite some initial nerves, the perfect afternoon light and flowing water at Yarrowyck Crossing Reserve made it all come together beautifully.

A warm sunny morning spent in the garden.