do you like Grass Trees ?

[christiand]

Apparently these things grow a metre every 100 years ?

have a look:

http://www.pixspot.com/thumbnails.php?album=235

Cheers
CD

[stubbsy]

CD

Yes I like - shame we can't call them black boys anymore - god I hate political correctness.

Back to pics - #1 is good as is #2. #4 seems very washed out.

I'd have liked to see a closer shot framing just one if that was possible, or maybe one silhouetted against the sky. These trees are just so architectural to me in some way and quintessentially australian

Thanks for sharing.

[christiand]

Hi Stubbsy,

I believe the sun decided to hide behind a cloud on grassT4.
I like your suggestion about trying a sillouette.

Have you got sea leggs ?
We'll find out in March ...
and also find out whether I'm still immune to sea sickness.

Cheers
CD

[sirhc55]

CD - one and two are fantastic pics there are times when an object can sit in the middle of the pic and look great.

I am not politically correct and they will always be black boys to me

[mudder]

G'day,
#1 has great color, I assume a circ-pol was used?
#3 is my favorite, that's a great shot, really like the composition with the stoney landscape... Really like that one...

And yep, they make fantastic subjects for a sillouette (tried a sillouette recently but I buggered it up by not getting more of the "grass" part of the plant in the shot => http://www.pixspot.com./displayimage.php?album=67&pos=2) Can't get much more Australian, they seem almost prehistoric, great subjects.

Great shots...

Cheers,
Mudder

[xerubus]

nice shots of the black boys CD.....

personally i like #1 and #3 the best.... try converting the 4th one into B&W and add some contrast, you may be surprised with the results...


cheers

[ozimax]

Interesting subject, nice photos.

As an old bushwalker (et al Blue Mountains, Brisbane Waters, Tassie), it is interesting to know that if you ever want to start a campfire, it doesn't matter how hard it is raining, the dry material on the underneath of a black boy (alright, Grass Tree) is always tinder dry.

Bushtukka Max

[stubbsy]

Have you got sea leggs ?
We'll find out in March ...
and also find out whether I'm still immune to sea sickness.

Last time I was at sea I was about 10 going from Townsville(?) across to Green Island on the Great Barrier Reef. While it was a long while ago I can still remember the seas were so big that when the boat was in the trough of the swell the wave was almost above the boat. I wasn't sick then.

Now I'm older I'm wiser so I'm going to hedge my bets and take drugs courtesy of my local pharmacy before I go as a just in case.

I'm excited about the sailing opportunity and look forward to both that and to meeting you. Got my paperwork from Australian Heritage Fleet for the trip yesterday. PS For those who don't know what this is about see this thread.

[Matty B]

Christiand, Xanthorea - love 'em. Whereabouts did you capture these ones? I agree with other's sentiments re: political correctness. These 'black boys' are indeed very slow growing - a meter per 100 years is around the mark. It's also considered very un-P.C. to have one in one's garden thesedays - but that's simple plant trends (plant fascism).

Back to your images, I too like the vividly coloured ones, the landscape frame with the trio is excellent - I love it. Thanks for sharing these.

Cheers,

[christiand]

Hi Matty B,

these shots were taken on one of the walks in the Tidbinbilla nature resereve close to Canberra.

Xanthrrhoea Loop Trail - Meander through a magnificant stand of grass trees and admire the views. 2.5 km 1 hour return.

These trees are truly magnificant.

Tidbinbilla is pretty close and I will certainly do more walks.

Cheers
CD

[Matty B]

Magnificent trees, yes, jolly good surrounding countryside too. Photogenic wot! I know of Tidbinbilla, but only for the tracking station there. I must make a point of visiting one of these days. The grass trees you have there are a different species to the ones we have down here in S.W. Vic. Not so many of them become such tortured, bold plants, but they have stronger heads of grass. If you ever travel to S.A. the road just before you get to Cape Jervis has some enormous grass trees along it. Some of these grow 3 m. wide!

Cheers.