Remember when : The First time I went to Japan!

In 2 months today, I will be going to Russia - if all goes to plan (actually I still don't have much of a plan for what I am going to do in Russia)
I'm getting a little nervous about this trip,  mainly because of the tension between Russia and the UN, not knowing  the language, not having a firm plan and I am also worried that my natural sense of curiosity might just land me in jail.  Maybe I've watched too  many movies - yes!

When I was growing up all I wanted to do was travel.
I spent loads of time traveling around Australia with my family.  My father raced a 14 foot skiff, so we were quiet often left to our own devices.  My younger sister and I would spend our time exploring each major city.   I loved the exploring, not knowing what was around the corner.  So many adventures!

So it's surprising that the first time I went overseas was only a few years ago.
I went to Japan, with one of my dearest friends, Maryanne.  She had been there already a number of times on her own, she'd also traveled to LA on her own, where she road a push bike wearing a skirt.  She's always so fabulous, the prefect traveling companion.  

Here are some photos of that time I went to Japan.

 This is at the airport before we caught our first flight, I was so excited - my first Duty Free.  It was a bottle of Cointreau, of course!

 On our way to Studio Ghibli

 Love the guys dancing on the stage whilst the singer is on the floor with the crowd!

 At the show we met the guy that ran TombStone, a tiny tiny Bar in Tokyo. He invited us to his bar.  A few nights later we thought we'd check it out.

The guy who ran the bar (Sorry,  I cannot remember his name, from now on I will refer to him as TGWRTB ) told us about a huge car and motorbike show in Yokohama, he played us a dvd and told us that the owner of the bar goes every year and is friends with loads of people there.

As the night progressed we started requesting different music to be played, TGWRTB told us a good friend owns a bar where he'll play any record we want.  We left Tombstone, TGWRTB gave us stickers and a copy of a picture that he had drawn,  to explore Tokyo some more, we ended up at Punk Rock Bar, TGWRTBs friends bar.  I returned to that bar a few years later with a different crowd, and a very different experience.  That is another story for another time, fun times!

 The first time I ever saw Flamingos in real life!

Maryanne and I, she always looks so fabulous!!

Girl News : Hair News

Oh Happy First Day of May.....

Ok, so, if you know me IRL, you know what my hair looks like. If not here is an example of what I look like now. 
This is one of the most recent photos of myself, it's taken at the Murderdrome Premiere late last year. I am with one of my co-post-apocalyptic Flash back Girl, who is also one of my best friends Monique.
(I am the one with the black and white hair and cleavage showing)

I don't have many photos of myself. This is one of the most recent

Earlier this year I decided to go blonde - all over.

This means I need to grow my hair out.  So for the next few months - year (?) I am going to have crazy re-growth hair.  Whilst I wallow in that crap and pretend it's not happening I am going to dream of what my hair will look like once it is ready.

This is what I want it to look like : I LOVE THIS HAIR

When I get Blonde Hair I will do more of this.  And this

And this

If I get tired of waiting for it to grow, I may get this.  Though I really don't want to do this

Another "Dear God CUT IT NOW!" Look.

Love the Wanda Woodward look

Traci Lords looks so Fabulous here

Let's hope I don't turn out like Hatchet-Face!!

 Back in the old days I'd use my comic books to work out how I wanted my hair. Tank Girl was always a great inspiration.

I did my hair like this once, though I ended up shaving it all off, the fringe was annoying

Now you can use websites like this one : Tumblr page called Hair Inspiration

I stole most of the images I used for this blog post from the above mentioned website.

The night I saw the Red Moon : Eclipse

Earlier this month there was an eclipse of the moon, which turned it red.
Here are two photos of the night.

 

And one more : out of focus though I like it.

Breaking News : Murderdrome DVD release!

A few years ago, a film named Murderdrome was filmed.
 I had a small part in the film.
It was released in cinemas last year.
NOW the amazing news is that there will be a DVD release party at The Cherry Bar this weekend.

You can pre-order a copy from JB HI FI - so very exciting : LINK here : Click

More Murderdrome info below : incase you didn't see it in other blog posts::::

Link to MURDERDROME PAGE

Update : it's been awhile : Dragon Wolf Press Zine Launch : other chit chat

I can't believe how long it's been since my last post.
So, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and shared the day with those closest to you, and had a very safe New Year.

They don't call Melbourne : MelbBurn City for no reason.  The past few weeks we've all been meeeeellllttting - not unlike that wicked witch.  After discovering 50+ sunscreen I've been spending a great deal of time at the beach.  Swimming in the ocean! It's great, I love it - i've got some photos I might post later on that subject.

I did go to Kustom Nationals this year - though only for a day - and honestly I think I took 10 photos, if that.  I found it a little uninspiring this year.  There was a time I'd shoot for hours, finding different  angles, cars, people.  This year, i just didn't feel it, maybe it's because we were up at the crack of dawn to drive there, and had to drive back before night fall.  Or maybe it's more to do with the fact that I was feeling uninspired all together.

Anyway all this, "I feel so uninspired",  got me thinking, what does inspire me.
So, I've started a few new projects and one of them is working with film.  I studied photography when everything was on film.  There was  a hint of digital and i think photoshop may have been up to it's 2nd edition.  There was no way a girl like I could afford a digital camera.  Besides, I loved film, though I was very curious about digital manipulation.

Fast forward in time, I'm shooting with a digital SLR - like most people, though I am feeling like a Granny, hating on all the controls.  So I figure, why not go back to what I love.  Digital will always be in my life, and I will continue to work with it on a few projects, but at the moment I will be spending alot of time reacquainting myself with an old flame.  Believe me it has been fun.

I took my old Canon AE-1 Program out of the cupboard, went to Camberwell Markets, and searched  the internet for new cameras that will fit with what I want to do.  Since then, I've bought a number of cameras, some as cheap as $10 - an awesome Olympus trip that is nothing more than AMAZING!!!

I've also just bought a Canon QL17 pretty in Black, and a few Yashicas - I got addicted to the Yashica, and I'm not finished with them yet, I want one more ( I don't know when it will end)

Not only did I buy up a few film cameras, I also bought a new digital camera - "WHAT!" I hear you say "that makes no sense".  But I couldn't resist, a good friend was upgrading, so I also now own a Fujifilm x10.

Which brings me to my weekend.
It was a pretty busy one, where I found myself packing up to 3 cameras to leave the house (not including my iphone).  Some may think this is over the top, but I needed each one. Besides that I need to test them all, and work out how to use them - to be at one with them, all.

On Friday night I went to Kustom Kommune for the Dragon Wolf Press Zine Launch.
We got there a little late, it was coming on dusk, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to use my x10.

It's a pretty rad zine, get one if there are any left, I also meet Nick, the guy who producers it and he's a pretty rad guy.

Here are some photos from the night.  There aren't many, this is because I've never really used this camera, and had to adjust myself to it.   They are a little graining, and due to low light the focusing isn't the best, but I still like them alot.

I'll post some more photos from my new "film" project soon, and maybe some other fun ones too.
If I don't post for awhile it maybe because I'm trapped under a huge pile of cameras - so maybe send out a search party.

Ps : I am going to Europe later in the year. I was tossing up between the US and Russia.  I thought about it long and hard.  A very dear friend will be in Russia at the time so, it looks like this time Russia wins.  So keep a keen eye out for my blog posts and photos on instagram, it's going to be amazing!!

PPS: don't ever let anyone tell you that you shouldn't follow your dreams.  2014 and beyond will be great.  

Revisit : Asylum

Earlier this year, whilst I was recovering from the flu, a few friends dragged me out of the house and we went here and took some photos.

I tried loading this image 3 times, and re-exported it twice.  I think it's haunted. The original and the edited versions look nothing like this! - it's almost a completely different photo.

Oil Stained Brain 2013

So it's been a year already since the last Oil Stained Brain.
Buzz had the opportunity to have his bike in the show this year, along with many super rad bikes.

I took some photos on the night they set up, and a couple at the party night (though not many photos as I was too interested in tasting the different Sailor Jerry cocktails - I must say that the Perfect Storm won me over)

The venue this year was the new Kustom Kommune on Easey street Collingwood.  Where guys and girls can go to work on their motorbikes.  I think there maybe a cafe opening too.

When this bike turned up we felt like we had returned to Japan, for only a moment though. Ahhhh Japan. <3 br="">

I love the photo in the background by Micro of the woman, her bike and cigarette. 

It was quiet late when we left. 

Before we left, someone set some tires on fire or was it a burn out.  Either way, my clothes stank of burning rubber.