Meeka

The blink project concluded with a fantastic slide show on the night of September 29, 2006, as part of the Meekatharra Festival. The slide show made up of newly discovered talent within our Meeka, extracted and inspired by Natalija Brunovs.

Let us keep it going, keep exploring, keep experimenting with your cameras and send them on so we can share new ideas in photography. I am sure a lot of you out there were able to capture some great images during our long weekend celebration.

These are the final images I’m going to post up here before the slideshow tomorrow (Friday) night.

Over 200 photographs will be put up on the big screen as part of the Meeka Outback Festival.

See you there!

Photo: Nat - Richard swung into town in his friend’s “Beef Injection”.

Photo: Leena - This girl is great a people pictures! This one is outside The Meeka Hotel - Two men and their best mate.

Photo: Yulella staff - A family sharing the carrying of a mattress.

Photo: Dean (?) - The boys enjoy cold drinks at 5 Mile.

Photo: Yulella staff

Photo: Tina - A photo from her weekend with the camera. Not sure what is going on here!! Weather guarding shoes??

Photo: Nat - Not sure if he’s picking a bikini for himself or admiring the spread.

The alarm bell wailed at 3pm yesterday after a burning smell was detected at School of The Air.

I arrived quite soon after the alarm and watched smoke pour from the building.
I only had a little snappy camera with me, so these are the photos I got.

I went for a search this week for some more families and I played with perspective to make the shots more creative.

This girl was convinced there was a chicken in this egg. She was playing with it like a toy (it wasn’t boiled). I got her to hold it out to me so it overlapped her face a little.

The School of the Air had a multicultural day and these two boys were practicing using chopsticks. I love the concentrated looks and the sneaky hand in the box to get the jellybean! I chose to just look at these two for this photo rather than the whole class.

These geologists work together to look at core (earth samples from drilling). I chose this angle so we can see their bodies divided by the legless table of core. I liked the doorway sitting behind the right hand guy.

School of the Air again, here a teacher demonstrates holding chopsticks. The expressions are priceless. I crouched down so I could see the two girls on either side of her arms.

Two mining staffers talk on the bonnet of the car. I chose to include some of the car aerial and door to create a more interesting perspective.

I like to set up photos when the reality isn’t too enticing. Here the photo shows colour and symmetry. I have the two blokes facing outwards but turning back for a chat. Lots of pattern/repetition here.

I really liked this window under the crane, so the boys had a chat / smoko break there for me. Looks really striking huh!

This is a popular subject in Meeka! How can you show the relationship between mother and child?

Photo: Tamika

Only a few weeks old, the child is carried everywhere by the mother.

Photo: Tamika

The closeness in this photograph is very apparent. The window light is just gorgeous.

Photo: Tamika

A mother will keep their child close even when doing other things.

Photo: Tamika

Mother helps the child reach his goals.

Photo: Donna

Some of us here have a different mother/child relationship. Still we nurture and keep the child cosy.

Here are some more photographs of ‘family’, mostly from this weekend.

Only a couple days left of photo-taking before I create the slideshow of images for the Meeka festival on Friday!

Photo: Leena - The Farmer Jacks family

Photo: Leena - The Irish girls as they’re known - family whilst in Meeka together

Photo: Tamika - The footy fans had an awesome weekend

Photo: Nat - Hanging around in the yard - the boy part of the family

Photo: Stacey - Dot’s dog had 8 pups this weekend. A whole new family.

Who wants one? Blue Heelers!

Photo: Nat - How these dogs love their family!

Photo: Paul - Families celebrating a birthday together

Photo: Nat - Dad and daughter. A whole lotta love.

Interpret family however you like and get your photos to me at the Telecentre by Wednesday at the latest!

You may find family in unusual places, but that is what is special about living in Meeka.

What is your family?

Photo: Nat

Photo: Nat

Photo: Tamika

Photo: Leonie

Photo: Frankie

Photo: Leonie

Photo: Megan

Photo: Rhoda

Photo: Rhoda

Photo: Rhoda

The people of Meeka are taking photographs that show their idea of what family is.
Here are some examples by me.

Our Home and those we love

Sharing the carrying of roo tails

Loving a new addition to the family

Looking out for one another

Supporting each other

Holding hands

Connecting with creatures great and small

Giving someone a boost

Relaxing in the sunshine

Carrying the weight for each other

Animals have families too

Generations of women

Laughing together

The Aboriginal women’s art group, The Bundy Club, had a morning with the cameras yesterday and found these great photos all around them.

As artists, they had an immediate understanding of composition.

Here are some of the highlights…

Get like Dan and start photographing everything around you!

These are signs of Meeka-life.

Beautiful compositions and contrasts going on here.

Which are you favourites?