Underneath the Fig Trees

Over the years I have spent many pleasant days at the Adelaide Test Match, usuually in December each year.
My favourite thing was to sit under the fig trees at the scoreboard end with my usual props.
Camera
About 10 rolls of film.
Sometimes a small unobtrusive tripod.
Binoculars
The day's newspaper
A magazine
A can of coke
A meat pie.
My idea of a great day out.
I still go to the test matches and I reckon that is still the best spot in spite of all the grandiose changes to the ground.
I am inteneding to put together a book on Adelaide Test matches,State Games,One day matches and also local club cricket from my photographic collection.
Many shots were taken on film and more recently digital.
Cameras I have used are Pentax Super A,Pentax MZs,Pentax 645,Pentax Kr and Kx,Pentax *iSTD,Canon 400d and Canon 600d.
Here are a few pics from a test match between Australia and South Africa in December 2001.
Scanned from 35mm prints.
All these shots were taken from my favourite spot sitting on the grass underneath the fig trees.
To all my readers and accidental visitors to this blog have a wonderful celebration of Christmas and the Birth of our Savior and a Happy New Year for 2015.

How to produce your own book in iPhoto.-"Encounters with Birds."

I have lately been exploring the world of printing and creating books from my archives of pics.
Retail stores offer this as a relatively cheap exercise and the results are good and inexpensive depending on size and format you choose.
My first ventures in this world has been using the create a book facility in iPhoto on Macintosh Computers.
I have now produced 4 hardcover books complete with dust jacket and text.
I have found the process very simple and satisfying to be able to create a beautiful book to hold in your hand and share with others.
Yes you could do it just by printing your photos and putting them in a photo album but it does not have the same appeal to me.
To do a worthwhile job you do need to put some work in it and be continuously reviewing your progress and layout and chosen pics.
It helps I find, if you are like me a collector of photographic books, to look at your collection in an analytical way to see how they have been set out.
I have just received back a copy of my own book that I have called. "Encounters with Birds".
Largely I am very happy with it but as soon as you have it in your hand you immediately see how it could have been improved upon.
Things to watch out for are
1. Making sure your image will be big enough,pixel wise, to print with sharp edges.
2.Spend time editing your photos so they are at their best when you post them off to Apple.
3.Make sure you proof read everything before you buy.You do have a limited time to cancel your order after you have proceeded but best to get it right.
4. Even though you are perhaps just printing  for yourself or immediate family and friends make sure you have copyright and permissions organised.
5. Realise the limitations of this programme.You are only able to work  within the parameters of the programme.There are other programmes where you  have more  control but this programme is user friendly.If you know how to  use a mac the process is easy and intuitive.
6. You may like to  edit photos first and put them in a special folder  but you can edit in iphoto from  within the  book interface.
7. The book cannot, as far as I know, be transferred to finish on a  separate computer.You can save it as a pdf  from the print function on your Mac.
8. Experiment as you go so you can become  aware of all the possibilities for layout and text etc.
9. If you have Apple's Aperture software then the same or similar programme exists there and there is some more flexibility.

Book neatly packaged in cardboard lap top type sleeve.Title printed on book end.

Great quality wrap around cover

Showing inside front flap

Back cover inside flap

Rear of book

Australia v India Thursday 11/12/14

Yesterday I had a day out at the test Cricket between India an Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
An absorbing day's cricket.
It was full of tension due to the psychological barriers all players have been facing since the recent death of Australian player Phillip Hughes.
I came away having enjoyed the cricket but uncomfortable about where the game is going and the demise of what was the world's best Test Cricket Ground in the Adelaide Oval.
Nonethe less I took my usual share of pictures and a few are here.

Death of Phillip Hughes

It was  sad day today with the unfortunate and tragic death of young Australian Cricketer,Phillip Hughes.
He was hit on the head by a cricket ball in a Sheffield Shield game two days ago at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
He was playing for South Australia against NSW.
He was to turn 26 in a few days time.
I was agreat admirer of his cricket skill and believed he should have been a consistent member of the Australian Test Team.
He also appears to have been a great role model and encourager of other cricketers.
I remember with much pleasure the partnership he played with Test debutante Ashton Agar about a year ago.
I thought at the time how great a support he was for the young man who almost brought up a century in his first test innings.
They broke records for the last wicket partnership in test matches.
Below are some pics I have taken which I post as a tribute to him.
Our family's prayers are with his family,friends and team mates.
Below is a short video tribute to Phillip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHL-qiz9y8Y

Hughes hitting his 200th run v Western Australia,Adelaide Oval 2013.Coincidentally of
the bowling of Ashton Agar.

The scoreboard says it all

I would think Ashton Agar will forever cherish this partnership with Phillip Hughes