Wonthaggi Library.

Thought that I would try something different today. I have always been a big fan of the New Topographic Movement, who originally were a group of photographers who mounted an exhibition of work in New York in 1975 was, in part, a reaction to the nature photography of Ansel Adams and George Weston. Instead of beautiful and sublime visions of the landscape these guys posited an aesthetic based on the banality of urban images such as laneways, supermarket exteriors, city centres, industrial site, suburban houses etc. The show, although being ridiculed and disliked at the time, became a huge and pervasive influence for many photographers up to the present day.

With this in mind I had a walk around Wonthaggi today looking for some 'urban banality' that I use for a blip. The above is the Wonthaggi Library, a building which used to house the Post Office. When moving to Woni approx 6 years ago, I was bereft when I went to the library to join up and discovered how small their holdings were. Which became irrelevant when I discovered their online library. It is such a wonderful thing. I search and order all my books online and they are delivered to the library, whereupon they send me an email and await pickup. The database is massive (so many photographic books) and any research I need to do on any subject (so far) is enabled by the size of the catalogue. I can borrow books from approx 80% of the libraries in my state, and this is growing all the time as other libraries come online. Its just amazing.

I did have some frustrations with this photograph. The black and white conversion was ok, but I just can't get the sky as light as I would like it. And I am disappointed with the overall tonality of the photo. I do like the plant growing out of the chimney though :))

Bigger version here.