PHOTOGRAPHY

No treatises about me on photography here...

If the photos here touch or inform you somehow that's the important thing and I'm pleased.

I might say something about photography, but not here or now. My preference for photography is that the photos speak for themselves.

A tale or the story behind some of the pics can be of interest and inform..

Near the Italian Gardens, Taradale 2007

Artists, Angels and other Visionaries

Andre Kertesz - one bookend
Josef Koudelka - the other bookend
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Boubat
Josef Sudek
Bill Brandt
Jacques Henri Lartigue
David Bailey
Man Ray
Max Dupain
Brassai
Luigi Ghirri
Sebastiao Salgado
Edward Weston
Eugene Atget
Robert Doisneau
Jan Saudek
Walker Evans
Paul Strand
Rennie Ellis
Wim Wenders
William Eggleston
Robert Frank
Lee Miller
Gabriele Basilico
Edward Steichen
Alfred Stieglitz
Emmet Gowin
Sylvia Plachy
Munkacsi
Alexander Rodtchenko
Helmut Newton
Ans Westra
Cecil Beaton
Peter Dombrovskis
Ansel Adams
Max Pam
Robert Besanko
Christian Vogt
Willy Ronis
Manuel Alvarez Bravo

all above are geniuses in their own way of course!

 

Bravo to painters, film makers and creative people everwhere..

Thumbs up to all who chose to construct, make and go forward with kindness.

Thumbs down to those who chose to diminish, destroy and behave cruelly.

Photography is one aspect of my life... there are others.

That other world is often a colourful place, but not always!

Sometimes it's a quiet place, sometimes busy and sometimes... there is magic!

A favourite line from a movie is "I don't believe in miracles but rely on them".

Hereon is but a scrapbook..

A Personal MODERN HISTORY

New & Old

bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbMaternal Grandparents

Water-colours by grandfather William Henry Pearson Baker

 

The S.S.Waratah under steam

The S.S.Waratah at Port Adelaide

S.S.Waratah - a depiction of its demise

S.S.Waratah of Lund’s Blue Anchor Line was built in Scotland by Barclay Curle & Company in1908 is shown here at Port Adelaide.
After the second outward voyage from England my grandfather William Henry Pearson Baker left the Waratah in Sydney, 17th June1909 with concerns for the ship’s seaworthiness.
On the return voyage to Britain the Waratah disappeared off the South African coast during a severe storm on 27 July1909 with the loss of all 211 passengers and crew of 119 .
The circumstances of the ship’s demise and the location of the wreck remain a mystery.

click on this link (WILLIAM HENRY PEARSON BAKER & S.S.Waratah) if interested in reading further.

Without his excellent judgement neither this website nor its correspondent would exist..

Father Bill 1940

Mother May & sister Ilona 1948

with Sister Ilona

 

Both parents were born in Australia. Father's family (Johnston) were at Merlynston, North Coburg. Mother's (Baker)lived at Glenroy both in Melbourne's north where they met and settled together in Glenroy.

Following schooling at Glenroy State School and Glenroy High School work for me began in 1967 as a Photo-lithographer (Lithographic Dot Etcher to be precise) at A.H.Enticott & Co Lt. Lonsdale St. This facilitated the later pursuit of photography as work involved hours in darkrooms most days. The graphic industry was among the first to be digitalised with photoshop and computers replacing light tables and darkrooms. It was a buzz working in the heart of Melbourne in the latter part of the 60s and later Sydney and Oxford UK.

 

1980s

Music...

Before there was photography there was music - the music is always there!

Music and Photography, two loves..

A nod to Zorba and his thoughtful Boss - music is immediate, exciting and ephemeral hhhhhh

hhhhhhhhhhhhhh whereas photography is a process, considered and can be held. I love both..

 

Photos of music with friends, taking it seriously while playing around..

"THE SPIRITS OF INFINITY"

Around 1966... my first band - might have been terrible - but enthusiastic!

The group scored some bookings whilst trying to figure out the workings of a musical ensemble...

They carried on before and after I moved in and on. Richard Fairbanks (R.I.P.) was singer and tambourine man

 

A TEENAGE HEAVEN!

THE MELBOURNE 1960s CITY CLUB SCENE - the Tum, Biting Eye, Catcher, Sebastions, Berties

The queue at Sebastions (photographer unknown)

"PRIMITIVE CONFINED"

PRIMITIVE CONFINED 1966 -1971- A semi-professional working band that had been playing for a several years prior to myself being called on bass.

The group did quite well playing regularly for several years supporting the big names such as Max Merritt & the Meteors, Doug Parkinson in Focus,
Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, The Groove, Stevie Wright, Mike Furber, The Town Criers, The New Dream etc or holding down the whole night...

PRIMITIVE CONFINED: ROD DOUGLAS: GUITAR & VOCALS, JOHN DALE: VOCALS & GUITAR, LJ: BASS , DENNIS KENEALLY (RIP): DRUMS

FUSION

1971: John Dale departed Primitive Confined. With the addition of two lead singers Sue and John Zachrisson
the group changed direction with a different line-up and sound and name - Fusion.
Alternatively Paul Brickhill and Chris joined on lead guitar whilst Rod chose to spend more time on Hammond and vocals.
The rhythm section of Dennis on drumsand self on bass remained.
The group received regular work for some time and carried on following my bass duties.

 

.Following Fusion and the first (of three} VW Kombis
a pipe dream business idea with Claude (Lou)... jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

Counter-cultural daze...

T.F Much Ballroom and the later Much More Ballroom (photographer unknown)

"THE EXILES"

THE EXILES IN THE STUDIO,THE POWER PLANT, CARLTON 1991 recording of 12 songs penned by John Fraser.

"THE EXILES": John Fraser: Vocals and rhythm guitar(right), Peter Starkey(RIP): Lead Guitar (with Strat), LJ: Bass (top left), Louie Black: drums (top right)

.... rehearsed regularly, I loved 'em and a few gigs but not much live work probably thru lack of attempting to find an agent.

"WBP" AT THEATRE ROYAL CASTLEMAINE 2009

aaaaaaaaaaaaaPhotos: Andy Rigby

"WBP" AT THEATRE ROYAL CASTLEMAINE 2009 Geoff, Mathew, me, Team, Saul (absent that night)...

Trusty Fender bass... I have a few guitars, like everyone should! .

 
Malmsbury Streetscape Photo: LJ

    MERCHANTS OF MALMSBURY CAFE Est.2002

Mk1 September 2002 - July 2011

Once upon a time there was a little cafe in Malmsbury.... It made lots of coffees and most people had a good time.
It was lots of work and paid its way - but really - it tried to be a bit beyond all that...
Whether it succeeded or not depends on your point of view. It was what it was never tried to pretend it was other than what you found
when you walked through the door from day one to day 2000 approx nine years later.
Thanks to all for making Merchants of Malmsbury the place that it was and being a part of it.It was nine years of everything!
Time to do other things. July 2011, customers to the end, the way to go - an unscripted ending! Best wishes to all who came...

P.S. After two years off Merchants of Malmsbury reopened - the same in some ways and different in others.
It's another story, still a coffee shop plus retail and gallery.

.

Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Malmsbury Viaduct, 2010 jj Photo: LJ .

R.I.P. May at 96, 2011mmmbbbkkkkkkkbbbbbbb

Current... and there's work

MERCHANTS OF MALMSBURY MkII 2013 until now... again/reprieve/still

 

Johanna Sky 2020 .

Miscellaneous Links

William Henry Pearson Baker & the tale of S.S.Waratah

Malmsbury Blog

Abe Books

Atisha Centre

Procol Harum - Beyond the Pale

Steve Winwood

Tara Institute

COPYRIGHT LEN JOHNSTON

leonardjohnston@bigpond.com

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