Submitted by Shelly W. of South Perth

Something different. Here’s a quick blurb of my day at the Perth Royal Show, BUT with no photos! Why? I’d like to call it “word visualisation”!

What a day! What a day! The Perth royal show only comes around once a year and this year I was determined to make the most of it! I entered the show through gate 8, straight into the Sheep shearing and wool pavilion, the dexterity and speed of the sheep shearers immediately astounded me, how they managed to keep complete control of the animals while never missing a beat in their shearing was most admirable, I could have watched for hours but alas I had much to cover and only a single day, so on I moved, jumping onto the train and zipping around past the racing diving pigs, past all form of creature great and small and finally onto the dairy pavilion and milking station! Having never seen a cow milked up close before, this was quite the experience. But the attending farmers never hesitated, never paused; they worked with a concentration and smooth competence that clearly came from a lifetime in the industry.

Ahead I saw a bustle of people; intrigued I followed the crowd (and my nose) through the Western Australia Centenary Pavilion and straight into the cookery section of the show, and what a section it was! All manner of delicacies abounded and delicious aromas assaulted my nose at every turn; the talented chefs stirred, flipped and grilled their way through all manner of dishes with a casual air that barely belied the underlying need for speed. A roar caught my attention, and continuing on I found the dinosaur adventure area, a quirky child filled area that had been well set up, however my attention was quickly drawn to the main arena, where all manner of show was being conducted, slowly circling this to ensure I got the best possible view, I was astounded by the wide variety of people in attendance, it seemed people from all walks of life had shown up in support of the Perth Royal Show.

Passing through the member’s grandstand I headed my now tired legs past all the show bags and onto my final stop for the day, I had saved my favourite viewing for last – the dog pavilion, and right next to it, the agility and obedience dog lawn. Each owner standing oh so proudly next to their beautifully groomed furry friends, each dog sitting patiently, waiting their turn to jump, duck and weave thorough the agility course. The clear effort each owner had put into their animals for the day was inspiring, matched with the variety of pavilions made the Perth Royal Show a perfect day for me!

An article submitted by John B. of Edgewater:

She sits on my driveway, shining, sparkling in her absolute perfection in the midmorning sun. Her curves and edges are sleek and there’s not a spot of dirt to be found on her… She takes up much of my time, but I can’t help myself for wanting to improve her in every way. My Car, she’s my first, surely not my last, but for now, my most cherished possession. Finding the perfect setting to set off her colours, curves and highlight my newest improvements to her is one of my favourite activities.

My ultimate goal is to create an image a step above the rest, to show the world that my car, while maybe not the fanciest, can match and supersede those around her. It is in this mindset that I spend the time to black her wheels and shine her hubs; I spend the money to kit her out the latest parts, and am always hunting for the perfect spot to photograph her. There is something special about finding the perfect lighting, the perfect setting, the perfect angle and getting that one absolutely perfect shot. Whether its photos for me or for others, capturing my cars’ innate beauty fills me with an indescribable pride. I love being able to answer with a resounding YES! When people look flabbergasted at my photos asking “is that really your car?!” The sense of satisfaction and pride that fills me is almost indescribable. Photos of my car feel to me like a physical reminder of what I have spent so much time, effort and money trying to achieve. Editing my photos of my car is almost as exciting as taking them in the first place, learning the tricks of the trade – such as darkening the corners of the photo to make the car stand out more – fills me with a deep-rooted sense of accomplishment.

Overall, I love my car, how could I not? The time and effort I put into making her the absolute best she can be is paid back to me in the beauty shown in every picture I take. Each angle is a whole new world of opportunity, each backdrop a new adventure into the world of car photography. There are few things I love more than taking the perfect photo of my car.