lesart

For a long time now I have felt the need to create a social community based on my passion for the arts and photography with a focus on two things, Australia and wildlife. As a practising artist and photographer and also being Australian, I felt that there was a real gap for Australian artists to launch themselves, network locally and gain exposure to Australian facilities such as galleries, exhibitions, retail outlets, online shops, self-publishing options, local photo shoots or sketching and painting classes, framers, suppliers, etc you get the idea. Click here to take a peek at the site and join if you wish.

Member Page in Oz Nature Niche

There are many really good sites with similar aims but they are mostly in America and this is not advantageous in many ways for Australian artists. My vision for this Australian Wildlife Art Community “Oz Nature Niche” is for it to grow into something huge - a massive network of resources if you like but I can’t do it on my own.

I have set this up so that members may join freely and contribute freely in any way they can. I think that if we can gather a pool of artists’ expertise, resources, stimulus, galleries, portfolios etc and then advertise the sight by using the badges available which we can embed on our own websites and blogs we can’t help but open up a larger audience. I have nearly 30,000 visitors who have checked out my website at http://www.lesley-smitheringale-fine-art.com so you can imagine that if the Nature Niche Badge is embedded on my site, it should generate a lot of interest and likewise when all members do the same. (You can see an example of a badge on my website).  The badges have the facility to show members' photos as well - even more dynamic.

I have seen this miniscule critter twice in my garden and despite looking up my reference books and scouring the internet, I cannot identify this bug. He is tiny, measuring about 1cm in diameter and I don’t know if he is a young butterfly/moth/grasshopper who will grow into something larger or if this is as big as he gets.  I have nicknamed him Casper the Friendly Ghost as he is so ghostly white, almost transparent like his identity!  It’s really bugging me, excuse the pun and there must be someone out there who can identify him.  Please put me out of my misery and I would really appreciate any help you can offer.  Here are some pictures of my friendly ghost …

I was here first

2 comments

Casper the Ghost Bug

I have always loved dragonflies but have never been able to get up-close & personal with them until I started photographing them using a macro lens. I really adore this lens and taking shots with it is my favourite passion in my photographic endeavours. As an artist, I get such a buzz when I look at the macro images on my computer screen and visually indulge in the patterns, textures and colours nature has to offer. It doesn’t get any better than this and it is also very educational as I am learning about all the creatures with whom I share my garden. Here are a few of the dragonflies and damselflies I have managed to capture so far.

Australian Tiger Dragonfly

Fiery Skimmer Dragonfly

Common Bluetail Damselfly

Aurora Blue Damselfly in Green Glade

1 comment

Hello everyone,

I am so excited about this project which I started a while ago but it is only now available to purchase from Blurb Book Store.

This photo journal contains a selection of my flora & fauna photographs taken in 2007, in and around my garden in the Redlands area of Queensland, Australia. I have already purchased a copy which I am thrilled with and it is sitting with pride on my coffee table. It is a deluxe, hard-cover book in large, landscape format - 13×11 inches (33×28 cm) with 68 pages of full colour high-resolution photographs.

Here are some photos of it plus you can also download the first 13 pages in PDF format from the Blurb site.

Front & Back Covers

Inner Pages II

Book randomnly open

Inner Pages I

I have entered photographs for the first time to JPG Magazine in categories "Fresh" and "Man's Intervention"

Dew drop on allamanda flower

Nature's Ash Tray

This is incredible footage ....

Toadstools have sprouted up in our garden recently due to a combination of wet weather, humid conditions, warm days and nights.  They are quite beautiful and grow in clumps or rings and always bring to mind fairies and magical potions.

Toadstools

Fungi

Fungi Fantasy in Sepia

Inside Toadstool

Brandon is the boldest of last year’s pied butcher bird babies and after a year, his feathers are gradually turning black and he is losing his brown colouring. When they turn black and white completely, it is impossible to tell these birds apart!

as a youngster

becoming an adult

with his younger sibling

Hello everyone,

I have been working hard recently on designing my new website/blog and I would love you to visit and let me know what you think.  It's at http://www.lesley-smitheringale-fine-art.com

Don't worry, I'll still be blogging at Vox and the Brisbanites and Wildlife Photographers & Artists Group will remain - I couldn't be without them!

Hope 2008 is an awesome year for you.

Kind regards

Lesley

I hope you have a Happy and Healthy 2008!

Having recently watched the loveable squirrel Scrat from Ice Age, it made me think of some timely New Year resolutions ... keep trying, never give up, there's always a way, if at first you don't succeed, no mountain high enough .... This video lasts for 8 minutes, courtesty of yortski, so be warned if you are on dial-up. Hope it makes you smile ....