You are bald! (Photo: Bálint Fejér)
Joel, are you going bald? Duncan MacInnis
There are a few words that a guy shudders at, one of those will always be baldness. The losing ones head of hair. I know it was always going to be inevitable with me, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. One only need look around at our society and the value placed on the "yeah, yeah" factor. We see cricket stars (and the tragics that buys everything they're selling) having various hair replacement therapies undertaken with their signature on the line for a few bob (mind you I'm not too sure how much independent science has been undertaken to back up their techniques) - be it the laser, the implants, the random hair tonics or the local witch doctor sacrificing a guinea pig.
I knew from a relatively young age that my hair would not be a life partner. It was always going to file for divorce citing "issues" and run away with a better offer. It's not my fault. It's my genes. The common theory of baldness is that you get it from your maternal grandfather. If he's got flowing locks there'd be a high probability you could stand in for Fabio. If however he's one of the growing band of chrome domes you're in trouble. My mother informed me when I was in my early teens that her father was bald by the time he hit his early twenties. Not just balding but bald like a vulture - no hair whatsoever. From that day forth my goal was to beat my grandfather in terms of holding onto my head of hair. The "lucky" thing for me is that not only did my grandfather suffer from baldness, my father doesn't hold what one would call a full head of hair either. From the fountain of knowledge known as Wikipedia:
...research has also shown that a person with a balding father also has a significantly greater chance of experiencing hair loss...
What makes things a particular issue for me is that I have thin hair to begin with - it's always been blond and very thin, so its really only a matter of time till the whole lot takes a ticket to freedom.
The Plunge
Before and After (Photos: Me @ flickr ;))
There had been taunts and bets for me to get the hair clipped for some time (mainly from the Wombat post his shave in 2004, but also from Mike and Shehadie) until January this year when I took the plunge and shaved my head. It was the first time in over a decade that the clippers attacked my entire head, though being the wimp I am I only went a number four. The last time was way back in year eight. The worry I always had was whether it would look ok - I still think my ears stick out too much. I also have no desire to look like a member of any white supremacist movements. Perhaps the beard-shaved head combo can ward that off a little.
Another concern that has become more prevalent, particularly after a trip on the James Craig a few years back, is the problem of sunburn on my scalp. I'm really not wanting to have skin cancer at any stage in life, so if I can prevent the burn happening much I'll be happy. As a result I think I'll need to have a permanent attachment of a hat with me at all times (maybe time to get a grandpa driving ha, or even a White Panama hat ala Brian Burke).
A White Panama Hat - possibly that of Brian Burke (Photo: flickmor)
The Aftermath
Since I first shaved the head I've gone closer - I now have a number 2 (6mm) trim each fortnight and a twice weekly beard trim (3mm). Coming into winter I really understand how much heat loss can go out of the head, so I have a tea cosy pretty close by for the cold days and nights. I miss some things about the hair, but overall the experience has been an interesting on. I've been tempted to maintain a "baldness log" to see the rate at which hair is being thrown overboard, but I think that'd be way too much effort (and I can imagine a permanent marker attack next time I crash at someone's place, not to mention the amount of crap I'd endure from my mates). Instead I'll just let the few photos that are taken of me each year (after all, I tend to hide behind the lens so not to break it) tell the story. Who knows, maybe by thirty my grandfathers gift will have finally fully reached me.
Looking for Line: Kate Butcher + Susie Williams
Kate Butcher, a friend of mine and married to mate Charles, had an opening night for a small exhibition a few weeks back entitled Looking for Line. Took along the camera to get a few shots of the people there.
The night started off with cheese and biscuits
Waiting for the doors to open
Kate Butcher
The visitors enjoy a glass of wine outside
Upstairs + Downstairs at the National Art School's Library
Looking for Line (?)
Stuart Auld + Kate Butcher
Kate's sister Bec hated having the camera near her but I kind of like this sequence
Mirror shot - seeing life through a lens
Sun sets over the National Art School
Sydney hasn't had much rain, so this was a chance to document the little that fell that night
Panoramic: Looking South over Barrenjoey Lighthouse (large image)
In a final hurrah before my beloved 20D went in for a clean (after over a year of putting up with dust) I headed up to Palm Beach in the afternoon last Sunday after seeing the (relatively) brand new Bond movie (and might I say it's good to see that they've taken him back to his roots, stripped back the gadgets, and given the movie a plot that involves characters) and coming out to a beautiful display of clouds.
Barrenjoey Lighthouse
Just to disappoint me, by the time I had hiked up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse, the thick pea-soup clouds had rolled across behind me blocking the potential for a phenomenal shot looking back over Pittwater with a firey sky. Instead, I had to "put up" with this.
Panoramic: Palm Beach and Pittwater (large image)
Oh, and the upside of the cleaning of the sensor, apparently my 20D needed hardware upgrade, done for nix with a 6 month warranty at Canon headquarters near Macquarie Uni. They took the camera apart, did the upgrades and undertook a thorough clean, all for the sumly price of zip. Next one will be $50 though.
Anyhow, Tropfest is on tomorrow and I'm hoping I don't get saturated like last year.
Clouds on the Horizon Threaten a Boat at Sea
I went down to Long Reef on Sunday to shoot one of Hannah's friend, Bec Twist's, families down amongst the dunes. Originally we were concerned about the weather, but that turned out not to be a problem, except for the thick blanket of cloud.
180-degree Panoramic: Long Reef through Dee Why (larger image)
I don't yet have any of the photos that will be printed for the Twists, however I've put up some of the landscape shots I took while down there, including a couple of panoramics.
Panoramic: Long Reef I (larger image)
Panoramic: Long Reef II (larger image)
Sun and Storm
Finally, if you would be kind enough to vote for me in the JPG Mag for either of these photos:
To continue the tradition of the "bogan" group of boys of Manly High, Australia Day is set aside to be spent camping in a location that lies within close proximity to a beach. Previous years have seen us at:
- 2001 - the back of Ev's place;
- 2002 - Kioloa (photos);
- 2003 - Halliday's Point (photos);
- 2004 - Moruya Heads (photos);
- 2005 - Kioloa (photos); and
- 2006 - Booti Booti National Park.
Duncan and I formed the A-team and headed up on the Wednesday morning (christening the VW Golf with the name "The Valkyrie" thanks to Dunc and letting her see a 110km/h highway for the first time) to set up camp in pouring rain, while B-team (Mike and Charles) followed up that night to enjoy a few cold beverages. We were greated with a phenomenal sunset that evening - with a rainbow on the horizon and a fiery cloud over the trees behind.
Sunset with a Rainbow
Sunset over the Hill (HDR + Tonemapping)
Duncan at night (lit by LED head torch, 13sec exposure)
Next morning Mike + Charles hit the beach for a surf, while Dunc and I enjoyed the cold water with a swim (plus I took my regulatory photos of the boardriders). After grabbing some burgers for lunch we headed back to site to be greeted by Stu and Richard who had driven up in Stu's trusty Mazda. Alistair also made an appearance, having caught the bus down from up at Coffs where he'd been with his family. Beers + dinner ensued and a good time was had, and it wasn't long before the final contingent arrived in the form of Sebastien Wilson driving his Ford Focus sedately as always with the T Chapman experience and Foster in tow.
Mike D
Charles
Australia Day entailed a large amount of time playing beach cricket, swimming, surfing (and a bit of camera work for me) before the clouds rolled in and we moved back to camp. The locals showed up with a few nice waves while the T Chapman experience performed for the camera. During the evening we had a visit from a local - a rather large Green Tree Frog that decided to take up residence with Stu for the evening rounds of beers.
Seagull amazed at Foster's barrel-of-the-day
Beach Cricket
Locals show Foster how the waves are to be caught ;)
T Chapman using a wave as a couch
Mike D - Man of Mystery
Stu's Green Tree Frog
Stu's Green Tree Frog
The Pretty Pictures
7 Mile Beach
7 Mile Beach
7 Mile Beach
The Moon
Stars over 7 Mile Beach
The final full day was spent much like the rest - the beach, swimming, surfing and cricket followed by BBQ and beers. The first barrell of the trip was captured, and much to Foster's distress it was a mini one caught by the T-Chapman experience.
Stu, Mike + Foster
Stu + reflections
Local(?) Surfer
T Chapman's Mini Barrell
Last Friday I was invited by my mate stu to go and shoot photos for the University of Sydney's Engineering Review V for Vic Bitter.
on Palm Beach @ Sunset, 11th February 2007