2026 – The Rusty Ruin Journal

Burnt highlights and textured bricks ~ in colour and black and white

March 21, 2026March 22, 2026Posted in Photography, Technique and EditingTagged digital camera, photo editing, Photography4 Comments

There’s a common view that blowing out or burning highlights is a bad practice. There are times when a lack of detail in areas of a photo due to burnt highlights is problematic if the details in those areas are integral to the feel and story the photo communicates. There are also times when it doesn’t matter at all. For example, is it important to see the filament in a light bulb? And forget about any detail in a bright light source like the sun – that’s not going to happen without special expensive filters.

*Sunset glow on wood chairs and bricks – Finepix S200 EXR*

Consider the above photo. To reveal some of the wood grain detail on the leftmost chair, I bumped up the exposure a touch and allowed more light to hit the sensor. Doing this also burnt the highlights on the edges of some bricks. The tradeoff was worth it because it was more important to reveal detail on the chair than to preserve the texture on those small sections of the bricks. The other benefit is that the slightly overexposed highlights also communicate the glow of the sun at the time.

But I think the image works better in black and white:

I messed with the tone curve sliders some more and altered levels: shadows, darks, and lights. This produced a final image where the tonal and textural contrast is emphasised – three levels of tonal range from left to right, and several different textures. This is where a black and white conversion pares down a photo to light and shadow, texture and detail. In the world of black and white, the problem of blocked shadows and burnt highlights matters far less, as this type of extreme contrast performs the visual communication often required when colour is absent.

The setting sun through trees – light, shape, colour and photographic intent

March 17, 2026March 17, 2026Posted in Photography, Technique and EditingTagged editing, photo editing, sunsetLeave a comment

Driving around to find a good vantage point for the sunset, I spotted a group of trees arranged attractively. It was a quick photo, as we’d collectively decided to challenge the remaining minutes of sunlight by driving elsewhere for a different view.

Thinking before pressing the shutter button and visualising the final photo: the shape and position of trees for my composition – the detail in the tree trunks and branches was not important – communicating feeling through light, colour, and shadow.

I underexposed to throw the foreground of trees into strong shadow. The detail and texture of bark didn’t matter so much as the shape and silhouette of each tree.

During editing, I decreased the Shadows and Darks further, increased White Point, and increased Saturation slightly to amplify the golden glow.

Glass and reflections ~ thoughts on editing and photographic approach, with two examples

March 16, 2026March 17, 2026Posted in Philosophy and Photography, Photography, Technique and EditingTagged Contemplative Photography, philosophy, photo editing, Photography1 Comment

When I look at photos from over two decades ago, I see how my photographic knowledge has changed. Starting at the base of a mountain, one focusses on the first faltering few steps – they feel like everything and exclude all else. As one climbs further, the beautiful details of the landscape become a focus, and the feet simply move automatically, without thought. There’s always something to learn. One never reaches the ragged peak but remains intrigued by the mists shrouding it.

I like that the photo is reminiscent of a multiple exposure, The reflections of the glass add really interesting detail and texture to the red body of the old fire truck. When setting up for this photo, I was mindful of the placement of reflected background elements, and needed to position myself so the tree trunk didn’t cover either the door handle or the rather attractive insignia – two elements I really wanted to highlight.

Similarly, though it can’t be seen, there was an angled pole of misshapen proportions in the background I found distracting as I composed in the viewfinder. I stepped to the side to hide it behind the larger pole that runs through the NSW Fire Brigade symbol. These seemingly small decisions determine the final image and whether it remains a keeper or a delete.

What I really enjoy about this photo is the quality of the light – the softness of it and the way it enhances the mistiness of the glass. It would be all too easy to add extra contrast to give it punch. It would also be easy to darken the equipment during editing to decrease the soft filter effect of the thick glass. But I think it works well without this additional contrast punch.

Even before making a photo, I strive to visualise what I want the photo to look like after editing, if possible. Multiple small decisions are made even before the shutter button is pushed – it may begin when I am drawn emotionally and imaginatively to a scene, but the process continues through technical cosiderations of aperture and so on, and then into my photo editor of choice.

Zebra, Giraffe, and Meerkat ~ a tour of Altina Wildlife Park

March 15, 2026March 16, 2026Posted in Consumer Culture, Other Thoughts and Reflections, PhotographyTagged animals, culture, finepix, Photography, zoo4 Comments

Just down the highway from Darlington Point is Altina Wildlife Park. I admit that zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, private or public, present something of a dilemma for me. I am wholly in favour of conservation efforts when it comes to endangered animal species – though many such travesties are due to human activities. I understand there might be scientific and educational aspects too. Yet, I also can’t shake the feeling that there’s a commodification of animals happening.

Not only do zoos cage exotic animal species that are endangered in the wild, they also often display other species that face no threat of extinction at all. Is there a reason a common Cockatoo or Dingo might be caged other than to simply complete a menagerie for an audience? It might be argued that increased ticket sales support further efforts in conservation, of course. True, perhaps. I’m no expert in these things, other than to relate some vague feelings and thoughts that gnaw at the edges of mind.

Still, a tour of the large back pastures of the park did draw my attention to numerous amimals I’d not seen before – most notably the African Painted Dog and the long-legged Maned Wolf (a curious canid omnivore with a sensitive stomach and a delicate diet that walks in the same manner as a Giraffe – both right legs, then both left legs, and so on).

Despite the promise of the above words, I have no pictures of these exotic creatures, partly because I don’t like steel cage wire in my photos and also because I’d not packed the fastest camera in the world to acquire focus and record unpredictable animal movements. Yes, I could have switched the camera to a high-speed recording mode, but the heat of the day clearly melted my problem solving skills.

Instead, I give you a handsome Meerkat, and some closeups of a Zebra and a Giraffe – not overly exciting, I know:

Apparently, Zebras are considered one of the most dangerous animals by zookeepers. People tend to get fooled into a false sense of security, thinking they’re just friendly horses with stripes. They are, by all accounts, very skittish and don’t mind kicking anything that freaks them out to death, zookeepers included.

Giraffes, on the other hand, are quite gentle. We were taken to see both the Zebras and Giraffes and could hand feed them apple and carrot slices – the flighty Zebras only through the wire, of course. This was all part of a purchased package that permitted us exclusive up-close access to some of the animals. It was actually great to see them this way.

A Sunset Series ~ Darlington Point, NSW

March 13, 2026March 13, 2026Posted in Photography, Technique and EditingTagged Contemplative Photography, finepix, photo editing, Photography, sunset3 Comments

How often do we think that no photograph can ever record the majesty of a sunset? Rather than record an accurate scene, the best we can do is render an approximation that allows us to, perhaps, amplify certain attractive qualities during the editing process.

During this endeavour, liberal use of the tone curve – Highlights, Lights, Darks, and Shadows – may provide the tonal characteristics that produce a pleasant enough photo that one might imagine themselves, just for a moment, watching the sun in real-time as it illuminates the sky.

As charcoal clouds largely obscured the sun, underexposing this photo at the moment of recording deepened the colours, revealed the delicate sun rays, and rendered a sky full of contrast and dynamic light. Though possible to adjust exposure settings during editing, having a final vision for the image in my mind – moody and dark – necessitated a faster shutter speed and, therefore, slight underexposure.

Visualising the final look of a photo and adjusting exposure accordingly is like scribbling in a notebook of ideas that informs the editing process many months later – oh, the clouds are moody and dark, I’ll go with that look! In this way, ideas for editing begin before pressing the shutter button.

Retaining the moody clouds through a careful decrease in Darks and Shadows, and increasing White Point and Light to amplify the sun’s aura produces an approximation of the golden illumination I witnessed at the time.

Here, I wanted to focus on the orange yellow, and pinkish hues that defined this section of sky. Less contrast produces a more harmonious rendering – my feeling at the time of recording.

As the sun moved below the horizon, the clouds absorbed night’s early shadow and languid bands of amber, magenta, and vermillion brushed the edges.

Some machinery never seems to tire

March 12, 2026March 13, 2026Posted in Other Thoughts and ReflectionsTagged culture, psychology4 Comments

If only the machines of war would exhaust and collapse. Of all the things we’re good at, it seems that war is the thing we’re most committed to perfecting as a species. After all, entire civilisations are built upon the sundered ruins of the vanquished and the displaced. There’s no point in hiding it. Despite our lofty achievements, it’s the tireless machinery of war that seems to power the forward momentum of human civilisation. Or so it seems…

I despair…

Wars are easy to start but never easy to finish. It’s harder yet to manage the consequences. Nations and civilisations may be destroyed and created under fire, but we continue to be slaughtered under the watch of smug billionaires, delusional leaders, and corrupt statespeople who funnel money into filthy pockets while cheering on the carnage.

The beliefs that drive war are as illusory as the power structures that support it, yet we fall for the charismatic snake-oil salesperson who offers simple answers to complex questions – as though simplicity taps into our need for control in a world we know, deep down, we can’t control – in a universe that terrifies our mortal core.

Just imagine – a person so rich they need not worry about their next meal for the equivalent of thousands of lifetimes. They are so divorced from the common current of daily humanity they lack the meaning that adversity generates. With insides like a dark abyss, they suffer extreme boredom. To alleviate the boredom, they indulge in games of power, status, accumulation, and cruelty. They are weak-minded, emotionally stunted, and psychologically defective. They are wrecked ships run aground on the island of hollow souls.

These are the people who should never be allowed near power, but are the ones who seek it most strongly. And, as the ancient Romans always understood, the leaders backed by the soldiers always have the power.

Slow warm nights in Mount Isa

March 5, 2026March 7, 2026Posted in PhotographyTagged Contemplative Photography, Nikon, Nikon Z5, Photography8 Comments

Slow smoke pours from towering stacks into the still air, day and night. Minerals are pulled from the ancient desert ground and form the heart of industry in Mount Isa. I think everyone smokes, drinks, and wears a vest in this place. It must be a tough life out here.

Everything seems caked in sweat and dust. The soil is red and orange, and lazy heat hangs in the air. Abandoned mines are something of a tourist attraction here. Of course, I’m attracted to those ruined places.

I take the opportunity to walk around the motel late at night. Likely, most people are sleeping or watching TV drowsily. What strikes me are the warm colours and the long walkways. I imagine the owners wouldn’t be too interested in using the photos for marketing purposes!

A friend of mine tells me he likes the orange and yellow lights. They make him feel comfortable. I agree – they’re nicer than the new clean white lights. They’re atmospheric. They go well with the heavy air and the smokestacks.

*The chair at the end of the walkway – Nikon Z5 and Nikkor 40mm lens*

A view through a lens of a dream far away

March 4, 2026Posted in Other Thoughts and ReflectionsTagged culture, history, Persia, politics, psychology8 Comments

Much of human history is a relentless lesson in how often we succumb to the lure of corrosive beliefs. The illusion of nationhood turns quickly to the poison of patriotism ~ small minds warped by politicians and billionaires seeking votes or power or dominion over poor lives so disenfranchised, so crushed beneath dull meaningless work in the small hours that they look for any simple answer to complex problems – even if those simple answers are bloodthirsty and divisive.

George McGovern, the late American diplomat, historian, and politician, once said: “I’m fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in…” – that quote seems all too familiar, like a broken record, and all too relevant in 2026, as the skies over the Middle East blacken with missiles, smoke, and drones. This ancient region, once home to the great Achaemenid line of Persian Kings, is on fire once more – just as Alexander’s soldiers set fire to Persepolis in 330 BC. It’s a place I’ve wanted to visit since I was a teenager. I’m not sure I’ll ever have the chance.

And so, I vainly edit photos from my Nikon Z5 and remember that even though the skies are clear and blue in my view, the skies are dark and violent for others.

A bench and shadows ~ one in colour and one in black and white

February 26, 2026Posted in Photography, Technique and EditingTagged Contemplative Photography, Miksang, Nikon, Nikon Z58 Comments

After my last post, it seems I’m in the mood for monochrome. The interplay of light and shadow – the patterns on the rough wall – the cold metal bench. This collection of quiet and ordinary things caught my eye, emotion, and imagination:

*Metal bench and shadows #1 – Nikon Z5 and Nikkor Z 40mm*

The leisurely glow of sunlight on walls ~ a short series in black and white

February 25, 2026Posted in Photography, Technique and EditingTagged Contemplative Photography, Nikon, photo editing, Photography, street photography1 Comment

A set of photos in colour. Now in black and white. I almost always use colour in my photos, but there’s also something intriguing about the removal of colour. Black and white reduces the picture to the most minimal of tonal qualities – light and shadow – the eye drawn to delicate gradations. I sometimes think that black and white photography can be overly contrived, entangled as it is with classic street photography and delusions of stepping into the shoes of Henri Cartier-Bresson and others.

I admit that I probably don’t explore black and white in an editing context as much as I should. Or at least, as much as would contribute to a photograph that pleases me.