Cold Weather

Robert Burne

Nice to Meet You

Ruby, rugged-up against the Winter cold!

Circus Morphings

Ed Whalan

Open

Here are some shots I took at a circus as part of the bris festival.

Vanity

Robert Burne
Corner

Here is the corner of the wash-basin - a response to those who post photographs of toilets!

Consistency

Robert Burne

Corner

This "Queensland Roar" player shows remarkable consistency in technique in his corner-taking.

Bus Ride Blues

Kerry Baylor

Looking Up, Looking Down

Little People

Miguel Gallagher
Artistic Inspiration

I love this: Little People.

It's a bit like the little animals which was very cool.

Monument to Batman

Batman looks like either a matador or classical Greek sculpture in this quirky shot by Angie Harris, one of Susan Stayer's friends. Angie is based in Columbus, Ohio ... check out her blog, Pinkie Style.

National Library of Australia Adds Betties to Collection

"Charlie B" by Kerry Baylor

The Betties are abuzz with excitement because....

The National Library of Australia has asked if they can add us to their collection!

Specifically, we're now part of the Library's PANDORA collection, which is an archive of online publications that are considered to be of "national significance" and "lasting cultural value".

What this essentially means is that this blog will be regularly archived and preserved, even as technology changes over time, so that people anywhere can have "access to it in perpetuity" — that is, forever.

How cool is that? The Betties have made it!

Four-Piece Frog Puzzle

Kathleen Fisher

Open

Okay, it's embarrassing to admit, but I've started doing jigsaw puzzles. Even worse, they're affecting my photography!

I took these four shots in December, but just realised last week they could be re-sized and layered to make a single picture (and a whole frog).

Music for Working

Still from Johnny Cash's "Hurt" Video

Kathleen Fisher
Artistic Inspiration

Are you one of those people who puts a much-loved song on repeat and listens to it all day? I am. Call me uptight, but I even have 20 tunes in a YouTube playlist that I, without fail, Photoshop to. Naturally, they're appropriately tortured. Absolute favourites for spotting with the Healing Brush Tool (how apt) are:

1. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash
2. "Your Ghost" by Kristin Hersh, and
3. "An American Trilogy" by Elvis Presley

What do you listen to when you're playing with photography?

Betties Get Vivid

" Off Hume Highway 2008" by Lorna Sim

"Booroowa I 2008" by Lorna Sim

Betties on Show

Canberra gets snap happy from 11 July to 12 October 2008 with Vivid, Australia's inaugural national photographic festival. Lorna Sim has gone into over-drive for the festival, participating in four shows and awards.

First is Space, a group show of landscape photography in its broadest sense, at Canberra Institute of Technology's designspace@CIT Gallery from 14 to 25 July.

Then Lorna has entered the ACT Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) Print Awards, which will be judged on 22 July at the National Musuem of Australia.

She's in another group show at the Blue Roof Gallery in Tharwa, called "My favourite thing is to go where I have never been", which is a Dianne Arbus quote.

Then it's HIY2008 — Hang It Yourself at Photoaccess. Photography meets street art in this show ... there's no curator and no interference ... anyone can stick up to five images anywhere they want on the walls of what is being called "the ultimate open access exhibition". Look out for a bunch of Betties participating in this one.

Building in Progress

Lorna Sim

Unfinished

This was shot in November 2007 in the new build-up areas in Gungahlin. I took a quick shot with my Canon 5D & a wide angle lens 16mm-35mm (set at the widest) from the passenger seat while the car was moving. I believe this house is probably completed by now.

Byron Bay Beauties

Kerry Baylor

Open

I thought this lovely lady would be in good company with Kathleen's Lambing Flat Beauties. I love how she is sitting ... I have never seen a full length sitting mannequin before.

Nemesis

Robert Burne

Open

The effects of bathing in a solution of Kryptonite!

Documentary at Verve Photo

Kerry Baylor
Artistic Inspiration

I have found a cool new website, Verve Photo. It's documentary style with lots of great links.

What's Your Favourite Camera?

Kathleen Fisher
Artistic Inspiration

Obsessed photographers usually have an arsenal of toys — that's why I've taken to carrying a huge pink woven bag on shoots. As an aside, it has two advantages: first, you can spot me when I'm lost in a crowd; and, second, I don't look like a photographer, so can sneak my cameras into all sorts of forbidden places!

So, what's your favourite camera at the moment? And why?

My Holga Micro 110 is currently my weapon of choice. It's small, fun and no fuss. I'd love it even more if it had a "B" setting but, hey, where would that fit on a 5cm camera! Unexpectedly, my shots from this camera have been the most viewed and commented on at my Flickr page.

Bilora Bella Does Byron Bay

Kerry Baylor

Open

These are more holiday pics taken on an old Bilora Bella film camera. It was so beautiful, I am still day-dreaming about it.

Homeless

Robert Burne
Stigma

Vancouver, in common with many other cities, abandoned much of its institutionalised mental health care some time ago. Many former patients now live a marginal existence on the streets.

Wired for Photographic Competitions

Susan Stayer
Artistic Inspiration

I had no idea until today....

That Wired News has photo contests. Duh! One of my buddies, Adam, had his image "Autumnal Warmth" included in the recent "Readers Pick Top 10 Water Photos" contest.

The site has had other contests, including one for Holga shots.

Hmmm . . . the theme for the next competition is "summer". Maybe we should enter ....

Byron Bay

Kerry Baylor

Open

I will be sending some of my film images to the Betties soon, but I just wanted to share a couple of my holiday pics with you.

What's That Mummy?

Kerry Baylor
Stigma

This is a photo I took a couple of weeks ago. It doesn't fit in with my bus project so I thought I could share it with you under the "stigma" theme. I am still working on ideas for the stigma assignment (it's a tough one to capture).

Bonfire

Ed Whalan
Open

An Easy Way to Promote Your Art

Kathleen Fisher
Betties on Show

Alyson B Stanfield of ArtBizCoach has used one of my many mannequin photographs in her 9 June Art Marketing Action newsletter!

The image appropriately illustrates part two of her feature article, "Start Promoting Your Exhibit Now" — most of her 22 comprehensive tips won't cost you a single cent to put into action!

"Pitch to other bloggers" is one of Alyson's tips, and it fits perfectly with how she came to use my photograph in the first place. Earlier this year, I noticed she uses works by various artists to illustrate her wonderfully informative website and blog, so I touched base to offer free use of mine, anytime.

What an easy way for more people to see my work. You can also see the photograph in question at my post, Mannequin's and Men's Toilets.

Kathleen Fisher

Op Shop Dollies

Kerry Baylor
Open

At first I thought these looked cute, but after having a closer look I think they are demonic!!

Wide Eyes, Pouty Lips

Kathleen Fisher
Open

I found this young lady at the Lambing Flat Folk Museum in Young. I snapped her with a friend's point-n-shoot digital camera, so can't share the technical details. I can tell you, however, that the museum is excellent. So many glorious vintage mannequins and so many pristine objects donated by locals!

Low-Fi in New Orleans

Susan Stayer
Artistic Inspiration

From 16 February to 1 April this year, the New Orleans Photo Alliance hosted a fantastic show called Toy Stories: High-brow Photos From Low-fi Cameras.

The images are just so super cool ... here's a peek.

"Devil" by Uttermohlen

"Dirty Laundry" by Heather Oelklaus

"The Oracle" by Thom Bennett

Autumn in Canberra

Miguel Gallagher
Open

I love Autumn in Canberra. Susan, you should recognise a couple of these places.

Urban Designs

Miguel Gallagher
Portrait

Here are some portraits that I did a couple of weeks ago. I realised that I hadn't completed the portrait topic even though I set it as we were finding it difficult to arrange some free time in our busy schedules :).

These are some portraits for Industrial Designer Chris Hardy to use with his Workshopped design competition entry. He asked for a contemporary urban feel to his image so we went to the NGA and used the lines and walls of the building in combination with my new lensbaby. His Urchin Light from last year is definitely worth a look. His 2008 entry isn't up yet. I am hanging to see it.

Beauty Contests: No More Stigma?

Kathleen Fisher

Stigma

Is it my imagination or are beauty contests becoming acceptable again?

Back in the '90s, when us girls wore boots instead of stilettos, they were absolutely shameful ... so much so that I remember protests.

What changed? Young women have certainly shunned the hard image of feminism and, in fashion and home particularly, embraced femininity.

Anyway, I've finished working on this shot from the Miss Summernat's Beauty Contest of 2005 and only just noticed the frame number is the perfect 10.

As an aside, I've noticed the rather mundane things in my life carry stigmas, such as living in the country, being a "housewife" and believing in God. I'm curious to know if this experience rings a bell with other Betties.

Contemporary Portraits Trends

Kathleen Fisher
Artistic Inspiration

I've been contemplating trends in contemporary Australia photographic portraiture over the past six months. After browsing the finalists of the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2007 and Head On 2008, I've decided only the following subjects are allowed:

• Old people
• Indigenous Australians
• The photographer's partner and/or children
• Sick people
• People with their pets, preferably a dog
• Thespians and other artistic types.

And style must conform to one of the following devices:

• The subject must display no glimmer of happiness. In fact, suffering, especially of frail old people or anyone recovering from surgery, is preferred
• Backgrounds must either be of hip, vintage-style wallpaper or devoid of any clues as to the personality of the subject
• The portrait must not visually tell a story or provide a context.

Am I bitter? Probably. But do you think I'm right?

C'mon Betties, let me know what you think of contemporary Australian photographic portraiture? For inspiration, check out Head On (you have to register to see the finalists online) and the National Portrait Gallery.

Visitor to My Garden

Tawny Frogmouth

Kerry Baylor

Open

This is the first time I have seen this type of bird and was lucky enough to get a pic. He was so cute and inquisitive.

2008 Krappy Kamera Competition

Image by Bridget Kane

Susan Stayer
Artistic Inspiration

For the last decade, the annual Krappy Camera Competition has celebrated plastic cameras in all their unreliable glory.

Check out "Seeking Imperfection" Hailey Eber's review of this year's event, published in the Brooklyn Rail. Soho Photo Gallery hosts an exhibition of short-listed images ... browse through the 50 finalists here.

There is only one problem with this fabulous event ... photographers living outside the US can't enter. Boo hoo for the Betties!

Update: good news for Australian plastic camera fans ... Blender Gallery in Sydney ran a similiar competition last year and plans to continue to momentum this year. How exciting!

A Very Green Dip

Kerry Baylor
Open

Here are some new pics taken with my Howay 35 and some old cross processed slide film. I recently had my sister and nephew visit so we did a very Canberra thing and went for a walk around the lake and a swim at Civic pool.

A Walk Around Lake Burley Griffin

Kerry Baylor

Open