Relatively subdued, but not by choice

June was relatively subdued, but not by choice. My support worker had poor health and then so did his car, meaning it will need to be sold to a wreckers or the like, so travelling was waylaid.

However, I did get to spend a week on Gadigal Country for the Vivid Festival.

Firstly was the sensational Dark Spectrum. After attending the best concert of my life by electronic dance music duo Underworld (most known with their hit Born Slippy in the film "Trainspotting"), this was a glorious continuation of lights and beats.

One of the rooms of Dark Spectrum in the underground tunnels of Wynyard. Image by Teague Leigh

Then walked around and photographed an amazing sunset from near Mrs Macquarie's Chair and played with long exposures of up to 10 minutes. The point gives a great view of both the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House and during Vivid Festival, once Mother Nature’s lights go off, the Festival lights turn on.

Vivid Festival light trails as seen from Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Gadigal. Image by Teague Leigh.

Then I walked to The Rocks and photographed the Vivid installations.

Vivid Festival light installation. Image by Teague Leigh.

All up I did a staggering 21kms of walking. Needless to say, after hardcore EDM dancing for 3 hours (a transcendental experience) the night before, I broke. I crashed into bed and couldn't move for 12 hours, not even for the bathroom! I had to miss my intended concert (Electric Fields at Carriageworks) the following night to let my body gather spoons. Even ten years after my diagnosis of acquired disabilities, I am still learning how many spoons each action will remove from my wares. This calculation is not linear either. Variables, such as the type of crowd (rowdy hooligans, verses appreciative guests, etc), the weather, what I have done prior, and so much more, all factor into the loss of spoons. I’m still forgetting that I cannot do all of the things. Now, however, I am being kind to myself when I make these errors in judgments and try to rest as soon as I’ve realised where my levels of pain and fatigue are at.

Eventually, on the 3rd of June, I was able to leave my hotel room again to ferry over to Cremorne Point to photograph Robertsons Point Lighthouse (which I think is underrated as far as engineering structures go), before photographing a lack-lustre sunset, but still loving the city lights across the water.

Gadigal Country. Image by Teague Leigh.

I was able to do a "mild" walk of 11kms whilst photographing more Vivid installations such as the below at The Goods Line, after I had walked around Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, and Tumbalong Park.

Fire Kitchen at The Goods Line. Image by Teague Leigh

Back in Naarm I didn't get out on an adventure until the 12th June, where we went to Bellbird Picnic Area and walked the Flying Fox Trail. Since it was winter, we weren't expecting to see many, however, the sight of so many astounded us and can only boggle at how many we would see during the September birthing season.

Flying Foxes, Naarm. Image by Teague Leigh

It was a quick 2hr walk as I had to get back for Michael's new anthology launch for Avast! (pirate stories by trans and gender diverse authors). However, we did make it to the Fairfield Pipe Bridge and Wurundjeri Spur Lookout.

June wasn't boring, by any means. My big news that I hinted at last blog was me securing a job with Arts Access Victoria as their youth program, Maker Space, exhibition curator! I will be guiding the youths (18-25 yrs old - at my age I'm calling them youths) towards a group exhibition on the 31st October at Library at the Docks, which is monumental and a great privilege.

Plus my old mentor, award-winning photographer Luke David, keeps sending work my way. I managed to photograph Switchboard's launch with Yarra Trams on the 25th June, where they celebrated with Drag Storytime with Frock Hudson, it was glorious.

Frock Hudson onboard a Yarra Tram. Image by Teague Leigh.

 The lack of adventure meant I could edit these camera images, but even though I cleaned my wide angle lens every time I used it, it was still a chore post-edit! Seems I still need to figure out how to get the most out of the new lens. Professional photographers do not always get it right, so do not be so hard on yourself when you are just starting out. Welp, sometimes I even leave the lens caps on!

So many dust spots. (Mobile phone image by Teague Leigh).

There ended the adventures, due to the aforementioned troubles, but let me tell you, July is much busier, so keep coming back and tell all your friends to come check out what I’m about. I'm still saving for lenses and a filter system for my wide angle lens, so even $5 a month is going to help me achieve my goals of capturing Country and gift the healing power of nature.

Question for this blog: Have you calculated what it takes to deplete all your spoons?

Be kind to yourselves, each other, and the planet.

T.Leigh.