New Projects

I’ve been exploring the potential of new  photographic projects. Most excited about really exploring black and white photography in the Blue Mountains. Other’s have done wonderful monochromes of Blue Mountain scenery, real experts, but I  feel there is more to capture. The spectacular monochromes of my Hawkesbury River skies should work just as well for the mountains. I am also interested in the minor details and small things found in the bush. Banksias for instance offer great density, detail and texture. Those below were photographed on the Blue Mountains TAFE campus at Wentworth Falls as part of my photography studies on my Sony Nex-5N. This was my first effort at black and white photography in the mountains environment, so long ago now in 2016.

 

INCOMPLETE IDEA: MY RIGHT KNEE

I came up with the idea of documenting my knee-replacement journey under the title “Right Knee”. I thought many people might have already done something like this but it doesn’t seem so. There is one famous case, of photographer Charles McQuillan, who documented his own open heart surgery (here). Well, that’s going a bit far. Nothing so drastic in mind. But once you enter into the world of surgery a whole different dimension of images and experiences opens up. I won’t be photographing my own knee surgery but there are lots of diagrams of damaged knees. There is something very beautiful about the interior of joints. Love these two from olden times Gray’s Anatomy (first published 1858 – not the TV show). Don’t you just love those names: the Tendon of Popliteus and the Ligament of Wrisberg are special favourites.

In the course of my researches I found that there is a whole professional practice in medical photography, which involves all kinds of interesting photographic adventures. You can read all about it here.

Don’t think I’d ever become a professional surgical photographer but I thought there was  something compelling about the narrative and documentary potential of this project. I guess it’s a kind of elaborate version of the selfie. I was hoping to be able to photograph in the pathology and imaging labs but I found out  photography is not permitted. I might have another try on the I-Phone next time I am there.  As it happens I took a few snaps but it was nothing like I had expected, mainly because the level of pain was so extreme and the ability to think about it objectively seemed to have disappeared. But I liked the image of my very dour and serious nurse who said it was fine to take his photo. Since that time, so many years ago now it seems, I have often reflected on the experience of knee replacement and how it looked and felt. I may yet revive the project, I  still have all the rather poor quality but nonetheless interested I-phone photos.

While in the hospital I became addicted to Diagnosis Murder, it was the highpoint of my day. I still watch it today. Love Dick van Dyke and his hunky son Barry.

Barry van Dyke plays police officer Steve Sloane, Mark Sloane’s son in the series.