photographer from tassie

[lotus]

hi forum,

my name is lotus, and i bought my first nissan patrol in 2007 to tow my new off-road campertrailer around australia. we [me, wife, 2 young kids, and dog] left early 2008 and spent the next 12 months driving all around oz taking pictures.

the patrol is a '93 GQ TD42 diesel [naturally aspirated].

it recently hit the 300,000 km mark and still feels rock solid in almost every way [except for the superficial stuff like a couple of small rust patches and the fuel guage no longer working : ].

[lotus]

i forgot to mention ... before we left on our travels i had a D-gas system installed, so it runs diesel but uses gas injections at pre-set rpm's to help the diesel burn more fully.

more than the power and economy benefits of the increased burn, we did it for environmental reasons ... the extra burn results in much less particulate matter and overall cleaner exhaust emissions ... apparently.

[Woof]

Welcome Lotus, enjoy the forum and by the way we love photos here....hint hint.

[AB]

Welcome to the forum Lotus. You have come to the right place mate....lol...We love photos and you have spent 12 months around Australia taking photos which I'm sure look amazing!

Feel free to put up any photos you want in the 4x4 photos section. Landscape shots, action shots or just any photos that you want to put up would be great to see!

Enjoy the forum!

[Bigrig]

G'day mate - welcome aboard. Heaps of useful information, great people and a good laugh to be had on the forum, so feel free to get amongst the conversations and make the most of it!!!

[Dhuck]

Welcome mate. Hope you and your family have had great travels. Looking forward to seeing some great shots.

[lotus]

thanks dogman ... my dogs a 10 1/2 year old border collie cross [looks just like a caramel/white bc]. i got her in 2000 as a pup, and she has travelled australia with me since the start of my wanders ... first in the 'peace frog' [my '73 kombi van that had frog silgouettes all over it like army camo : ]. i would never leave her behind ... she loves the freedom.

regarding photography,

here's my old site [let's call it the kombi period] ... www.elementalearthphotography.com
and here's the more recent stuff [the patrol period] ... www.grantkingston.com

[YNOT]

Welcome to the forum Lotus.

Tony

[Woof]

Just had a quick look at some of your photos mate, what can I say but Bloody Brilliant, well donehttp://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/

[lotus]

cheers dogman :cheers:.

i just had a look at some of your photos too ... a little different to mine of course, but very cool all the same.
i even had a look at that 1.25 video of you almost tipping. i had a moment like that in my old kombi ... problem is, i tipped :furious:.


i hunted around for a photo that is actually about my car, and i came up with this one ...

http://www.elementalfootbags.com/images/lotus'patrolboot.jpg

i really wanted one of those sliding drawer systems in the back for our travels, but then i saw they can cost $2,500+ ... so my inner handy man emerged. the beauty of making it myself was that my stuff actually fitted in it properly ... and when your travelling for an indefinite period with wife, kids, and dog, that's more important than looks!

you can see my 80L boab water tank slotted in there nicely, and the drawer was for all my photography equipment and fragile stuff.

[AB]

Thats a neat set up mate, well done!

Had a look at your photos on your site too, some great work there! You obviously have a great camera with good macros...lol...If thats what they still call it these days!

[Woof]

Nothing wrong with the homemade drawers mate, if I had the skills I would be doing the same thing, great job there well done.

[Finly Owner]

Hi and welcome to Nissans Nut House Grant. You certainly have a knack for capturing what others wouldn't see in front of them. Your lense helps you bring it life. Great work mate. We have similar simple cheap draws. I believe 4wding can be done on budget without being dangerous.

Tim

[lotus]

cheers guys,

believe it or not though, i use a pretty basic photography set-up ... and i still don't own a macro lense.

the early work was taken with a camera and lens that i swapped a guy in the street for, and my first digital SLR and lenses were given to me by a guy who started crying in my shop at subiaco markets, saying, "you have seen god, i can see it in your photos!"

so my photography has certainly never been about expensive equipment.

i think tim hit the nail on the proverbial head when he said, "capturing what others wouldn't see in front of them" ... that seems to be where the individuality comes into my work.

i have a solo show open this year at the most prestigious nature photography gallery in australia, the wilderness gallery, at cradle mountain in tassie if any of you get down here this year ... it is a bit hard to drive, but the ferry makes a good trip and lets you bring your beloved patrols :smiley_thumbs_up:.

i have a wish list [including a 105mm macro lens] and hope to one day have good equipment, but i'll probs need to get a real job first :animierte-smilies-f.

[Finly Owner]

cheers guys,

believe it or not though, i use a pretty basic photography set-up ... and i still don't own a macro lense.

the early work was taken with a camera and lens that i swapped a guy in the street for, and my first digital SLR and lenses were given to me by a guy who started crying in my shop at subiaco markets, saying, "you have seen god, i can see it in your photos!"

so my photography has certainly never been about expensive equipment.

i think tim hit the nail on the proverbial head when he said, "capturing what others wouldn't see in front of them" ... that seems to be where the individuality comes into my work.

i have a solo show open this year at the most prestigious nature photography gallery in australia, the wilderness gallery, at cradle mountain in tassie if any of you get down here this year ... it is a bit hard to drive, but the ferry makes a good trip and lets you bring your beloved patrols :smiley_thumbs_up:.

i have a wish list [including a 105mm macro lens] and hope to one day have good equipment, but i'll probs need to get a real job first :animierte-smilies-f.

If you can sell some of your work to calendar producers, or get hold of someone like Parish, you may just be able to invest in what you think you need. But, I have learnt one thing, if you can get a great shot with what you use, will you be able to better with better?

eg I was quite good when I was younger at capturing Splashes of water on a 1980's box brownie, and later got a sophisticated zenith, had to set iso and etc, my knack of quick great shots was lost.

[Clunk]

Nice work there Lotus.......... with the rig, website and pics, fantastic stuff

[DX grunt]

Welcome Lotus

Enjoy and keep in touch.

Take care out there.

Ross
DX grunt

[lotus]

thanks for the warm welcome you guys!

may i say, there are a LOT of western australians here!
am i correct in assuming that the majority of forum members come from either WA or QLD?
[it would make sense i guess, seeing as both states are big and very good for 4x4'ing.]

[AB]

Have a look at the members map to see where we are all located. http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?1006-NissanPatrol.com.au-Members-Map

The members are scattered all over Australia but yes, a lot of WA folks are on here.

[lotus]

just in case you guys were wondering how a young guy manages to afford to travel australia for 12 months with his young family ...

here's my other job ... http://vimeo.com/17541528.

hope you like it :clapping:.

[AB]

just in case you guys were wondering how a young guy manages to afford to travel australia for 12 months with his young family ...

here's my other job ... http://vimeo.com/17541528.

hope you like it :clapping:.

That's very cool mate, some fancy foot work going on there!!!

[NissanGQ4.2]

just in case you guys were wondering how a young guy manages to afford to travel australia for 12 months with his young family ...

here's my other job ... http://vimeo.com/17541528.

hope you like it :clapping:.

loved it, love watchin the footbag.

Welcome to the forum lotus,

Great bunch of guys and girls on here as your probable already aware.

Great lookin Rig, Great photo's.

When u get a chance post your location in the members map and i will add you when I'm back from my so called "holidays" *L*

Hope u enjoy the forum and what it has 2 offer

Cheers

Todd

[Maxhead]

just in case you guys were wondering how a young guy manages to afford to travel australia for 12 months with his young family ...

here's my other job ... http://vimeo.com/17541528.

hope you like it :clapping:.


WOW, that's just psychedelic stuff....very cool.

Welcome to the forum mate, enjoy the banter as I'm sure you will.

Cheers
Kris

[lotus]

i thought you'd like that ... :jawdrop:.

i've performed publicly in various capital cities since my first outback wanders in late '99 ... whenever i'd get low on money/fuel/food, i'd head to the nearest capital city and shake my wild thing until i was cashed up and ready to hit the outback again.

problem is, i'm still following the same pattern at 37 yo ... oh well, there's life in the old dog yet!

i also produce and sell the best quality footbags in australia, and sell them when/where i perform and online ... www.elementalfootbags.com.

[Woof]

Very good mate, got me thinking I may have to start doing that.

[Clunk]

some handy footwork going on there Lotus, ever though of joining the Socceroos.......... they could do with some hahaha

[lotus]

absolutely dogman ... all the coolest people are doing it :smiley_thumbs_up:.

seriously though ... its really good for you ... low impact [unless you get silly like me : ], low budget, you can carry one anywhere [pockets, glove boxes, etc], and it gets people together in a fun, active, and mindless way [and you get to laugh at each other without getting beaten up ... hopefully : ].

nice way to stretch the legs after the times in the car, at the computer, etc ... or get the kids off the xbox, tv, etc.

[lotus]

that's funny plasnart ... i'm glad that you can believe some of it is humanly possible ... it validates my humanity!

[wildgu6]

Hey there Lotus, Welcome aboard the Trol express,
simply the best forum around.
Great bunch of people with a s*** load of knowledge, experience and adventures to share.
Plenty of good laughs along the way as well.
Surf around and join in where ever you feel comfortable,
Love the pics buddy, very impressive.

Good luck, Welcome aboard and Enjoy the ride.
Hope you have a great 2011.
Happy trekin buddy, stay safe

Cheers Pete

[Sir Roofy]

Welcome aboard mate

[mackayboi]

I haven't hear of the D-Gas system before... I must research!
How much did it cost you?

[mackayboi]

And welcome aboard this wonderful forum of ideas.

[patch697]

Welcome on board & I hope you enjoy the forum.