dark brown muddened bract rain leaves the garden © 2018 Melinda J. Irvine
Category: Photo Essay
the poetry of pictures.
Rust
bawal = prohibited umihi = urinate diri = here !!!! = please
A 3 Minute Study in Colour
Wet season in the Philippines and you spend weeks covering the whole room in art cut-outs and arranging brightly coloured stuff for photographs.
Road Widening
These little snaps aren't the best shots in my collection but they do capture the essence of 'road widening' in the Philippines. Since 2014 roads all over the country are being widened 2 metres on either side. And it doesn't…
Lady with Orange Flowers
paying 10 pesos for photographs and a peek into her life Day of the Dead floral tributes hand woven (her own hands) into little bamboo baskets the hands of the poor in every bunch. © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily…
Real Market
weaved by hands hanging, basket & bauble beautiful © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Prompt: Fluff Weekly Photo Challenge: Rounded I'm part of Post A Day 2017 Location: Iloilo City (Philipppines)
And Music Filled the Old Church Once Again
Wandering the historic village of Hartley (just west of the Blue Mountains in NSW), we were thrilled when the men restoring the old Saint Bernard's Catholic Church unlocked the front door. My Uncle Richard, whose interest in sacred music and…
Avoca Street
Randwick is awash with spring blossoms! I love the way the white blooms and their dark brown twiggy branches launch the most beatiful layers of little windows to the sky. © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Weekly Photo Challenge: Layered Daily…
Glorious Spring
Arriving back in Australia for glorious spring. My father is in hospital waiting heart surgery and I'm spending my waiting days photographing blossoms and remembering what it is like to write poetry. © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Prompt: Glorious…
Girls Eat Mangos
Riding home from the market earlier I spotted these two little girls sitting in a busted-up bicycle rickshaw eating mangos. I'm not sure why the little one in front was wearing half a plastic bottle on her head, but I…
Sea Snake Snack
curious me I kinda wish I'd eaten one mmm kind of © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Snack Weekly Photo Challenge: Transient I'm part of Post A Day 2017
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 16)
WEEK 16: Portrait (Movement) Most portraits are stationary, so this week explore adding some movement. Dancing, twirling, or even hair flips. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 15)
WEEK 15: Artistic (Metal) Cold, hard steel. Shiny Aluminum. Or even rusted and broken down. Find your inspiration in metal this week. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme…
Where Will I Focus?
the whole is greater than the sum of its parts who I am is not a broken total I am the whole © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Total Weekly Photo Challenge: Focus I'm part of Post A Day…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 14)
WEEK 14: Landscape (Zoomed in) Most landscapes are wide sweeping images. Try an alternative and zoom in instead. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or technique. Participants are…
Unknown Artists
city speaks her name lurid voices piss, the stained human shit a siren behind their streets his only triumph © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Triumph I'm part of Post A Day 2017 This is my contribution for the…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 13)
WEEK 13: Portrait (High Key) Expose to the right and create a light, airy high key portrait. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or technique. Participants are encouraged to…
Our Oceans, Our Future
World Oceans Day! Blissfully unaware, of what we've done. © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Crisp #WorldOceansDay #WorldOceansDay2017 #OurOceansOurFuture I'm part of Post A Day 2017
Tranche
part, piece, bit, section, chunk, segment, slice, fragment; wedge, lump, slab, hunk, parcel, tranche © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Prompt: Portion I'm part of Post A Day 2017
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 12)
WEEK 12: Artistic (Transportation) Our world is one defined by how we get around. Literal or interpretative, find inspiration in transportation. Wandering around a religious festival here in a rural province of the Philippines, I was surrounded in the simple transportation…
The City Speaks
© 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Radiate I'm part of Post A Day 2017
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 11)
WEEK 11: Landscape (Reflection) Find a way to show your landscape/natural beauty in reflection. The mirror world revealed. I just loved the way this neon Billboard from the SM Mall in Iloilo City infused new light into a dirty street puddle. Swapping…
Fragments of Artivism
creativity an urban reprieve outside collective focus Artivism was a curated street art collaboration of Ilonggo Artists sponsored by the British Council. The gallery in this blog is a collection of fragments I photographed from the complete work which spans a carpark…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 10)
WEEK 10: Portrait (Environmental) Show a subject in their natural habitat. Their place of work or hobby is a great start. Tell their story with the environment. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments…
Storm
storm's precipice monsoon strikes the mountain evanescent © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine This poem was published in 50 Haikus (Volume 1, Issue 11) a literary journal featuring only Haiku poetry in open form. Daily Post: Precipice Weekly Photo Challenge:Evanescent I'm part…
Wretched Heritage
i am living a tradition my eyes pieces of tin, metal scraps for hands feet (torn nails) just look at my toes! but don't get too close you don't want to see all i've got © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Weekly…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 9)
WEEK 9: Artistic (Shadows) The opposite of light is dark, the absence of light is shadow. Interpret this into a masterpiece. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or technique.…
Pieces of Pink
random memories fairy floss, flowers, kids, poo all my year in pink © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Pink
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 8)
WEEK 8: Landscape (Wide Angle/Panorama) This is a great opportunity to explore panorama stitching and create a wide sweeping landscape. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or technique.…
Exposed
children rock mid-summer playtime © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Post: Exposed
Artivism Iloilo City
Wandering the streets of Iloilo City last month I was privileged to witness Artivisim: a curated street art performance and collaboration sponsored by the British Council. Artivism is a portmanteau from the words “art” and “activism” and seeks to raise awareness of…
A Beginning
each thing has a core a tiny centre somewhere to begin and bind © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Weekly Photo Challenge: A Good Match
Hands
shadowing me, hands speaking me, take a green line standing me, black sun © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadow
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 7)
WEEK 7: Portrait (Faceless) Tell someone's story without showing their face.. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or technique. Participants are encouraged to share their work as displaying your…
Solitude
© 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Weekly Photo Challenge: Solitude
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 6)
WEEK 6: Artistic (Candy) Your artistic interpretation this week should be inspired by something sweet. A great chance to play with macro photography. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 5)
WEEK 5: Landscape: Black and White Look for a scene with great contrast that will make a great black and white. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or…
Repurposed, Reused, Recycled
One thing that delights me about the Philippines is it's dedication to repurposing, recycling and reusing everything. Filipinos are the most industrious people I have yet met when it comes to knocking something useful together at a pinch and for…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 4)
WEEK 3: Portrait: Headshot You shot a selfie, now shoot a "selfie" of someone else! The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or technique. Participants are encouraged to share…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 3)
WEEK 3: Artistic: Red Shoot whatever inspires you. Red should be the focus of the image. Don't be afraid to be creative. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme…
Ambience
Tuesday was my last afternoon in Australia for possibly a year or more and the sun's golden ambience lit every tiny detail. © 2017 Melinda Irvine Weekly Photo Challenge: Ambience
One Sunset
She warms us, lights us. Of more is she capable, our centre, our sun. © 2017 Melinda J. Irvine Daily Prompt: Capable
Nambucca Valley
© 2017 Melinda Irvine Weekly Photo Challenge: Names
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 2)
WEEK 2: Landscape: Traditional Landscape Shoot a beautiful landscape and share it with the world. Find a nice foreground and don't forget the sky. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to…
Dogwood Original Photo Challenge (Week 1)
WEEK 1: Portrait: Self Portrait Start things off right with a "selfie"! Explore the self timer setting on your camera. The Dogwood Photo Challenge The Dogwood Photo Challenge is a series of weekly assignments responding to a theme or technique. Participants…
The Path of 2016
In many ways this little beetle represents my path during 2016. I felt trapped and surrounded by adversity, not just falling but ready to jump. I found it really, really difficult to see the beauty around me. I'm glad I made…
Anticipation
© 2016 Melinda Irvine Weekly Photo Challenge: Anticipation
Three
Discover Challenge: One, Two, Three! © 2016 Melinda Irvine
It’s not this time of year without …
Driving along with my mother in tow this morning, I was looking for photographs for this week's photo challenge when I suddenly realised ... It’s Not This Time of Year Without… a sign on the main road advertising prawns. A big U-turn later,…
The Sea Beneath Us
Photographs of street art and graffiti style murals by Melinda Irvine.
It’s gone: Tiny and Sandra B. parted
Fans were left outraged late Friday afternoon, as Sandra B. escaped her sometime boyfriend and anti-sawmilling activist Tiny Timberlake, with little more than her poise. © 2016 Melinda Irvine
Chaos
Chaos hides out in tight coloured places. Outside, ordered car parked rows. © Melinda Irvine
Warmth
Captivated, I am out of the car, barefeet sanded shooting light. © 2016 Melinda Irvine This is my contribution to the Blogging-U course Photography: Developing Your Eye II (Day 1 Warmth).
Transmogrify
TRANSMOGRIFY: transform in a surprising or magical way ... Oxford Dictionary of English © Melinda Irvine
Landscape
© 2016 Melinda Irvine This is my contribution for the Blogging-U course Photography: Developing Your Eye II (Day 6 Landscape). In addition to experimenting with cropping the image (as suggested in the resource page), I decided to apply a blurring filter to…
In a Natural World
when things seem crazy stillness and simplicity will allow silence © 2016 Melinda Irvine This is my contribution to the Blogging-U course Photography: Developing your Eye II (Day 4 Natural World). The featured image was also published on the ABC Open…
I Like My Poverty Behind Glass
Waiting for Jerry to finish his play-centre treat I spy the rickshaw drivers through the windows of this massive shopping centre. They work in the monsoonal rain while I drink hot coffee and photograph them. My contribution to the Blogging-U…
The Shrine of Agtalin
The Shrine of Agtalin is a large statue of the Virgin Mary located in Pilar, Capiz (Philippines). A mass is held at the site on the first Saturday of every month, attracting thousands of Ilonggos and Ilonngas to the site. The Shrine of Agtalin (or Mama Mary) is a Catholic icon in the Visayan region.
The Architecture of Fear
So ingenious practical, familiar. Surrounds me in sad © 2016 Melinda Irvine
Lady Goes Out For Water
lady out for water stepping to the usual place but the only water she will carry are the tears that stain her face © 2016 Melinda Irvine A different take on the wordpress weekly photo challenge: H20
Empty
this red bench was the 'pop of colour' i had been seeking to finish the 'developing your eye' wordpress course. there is usually an street vendor sitting here reading the newspaper while he sells sweets, fans or small plastic toys. at night he sleeps between pieces of cardboard in an alley behind an international hotel.
Shine
the #shine on the floor pulls me away from the down and up into light ... © 2016 Melinda Irvine © 2016 melinda irvine
Mirror
Muddy in a city puddle I saw myself © 2016 Melinda Irvine Photos taken in Iloilo City for the Weekly Photo Challenge (Mirror).
treasure
Solitude
one can be quiet once can be peaceful. one can be quite disturbing. © 2016 Melinda Irvine
Bliss
dreaming hot water ... and four bus hours to the city seem seconds. © 2016 Melinda Irvine Running water is something I never really thought much about. I think about it a lot now and today I would like to…
Frame of a Little Boy
delighted little boy frames happiness wanting to sleep in those gloves © 2016 Melinda Irvine
Street Sound
your little cries loud; so loud you pull my ears too my eyes too, my heart. © 2016 Melinda Irvine
Rice On the Road
We walk along wet roadside picturing the new sunlight on rice farms, fathers and hardwork. Barefeet turn drying rice as trucks beep confused alarm at the white woman and small brown boy out in unsheltered heat. Flood water rushes through our…
Reality
The window is open The curtains are curled The sun shines brightly I can't hear a sound Nothing is broken All lights are on No-one inside I am not afraid of the four rapid gun-shots © 2016 Melinda Irvine
Sand
lines circles swirls space © 2016 Melinda Irvine
Free creative activities for impoverished children
© 2016 Melinda Irvine
Botongon Fiesta Parade 2015 (purok 4)
© 2015 Melinda Irvine.
Christmas with Purok Quatro
This was one of the craziest Christmas party's I have attended. Not sure I'd do it again, but friends make it all worthwhile.
Another view of Manila
© 2015 Melinda Irvine
Old Baroque Church
Photo Essay of the Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours, (Taal) Philippines.
Island Weekend
© 2015 Melinda Irvine