Robert's Ramblings

Every Autumn I get to admire the amazing colours of the liquid amber tree my mother's garden.

I don't remember the colours changing from green, to yellow, to orange.

At least I got to see them these last days of autumn before winter's chilly winds sweep them away.

Photo: Robert Rath, 'Last Days of Autumn', 1/3200s f/14 ISO640 100mm

Pick a funky graffiti adorned laneway in the heart of Melbourne.

Fill it with music, wine and food.

Watch the party unfold!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Hosier Lane', 1/800s f/2.8 ISO100 200mm

It's as if a rolling wave has come in from the ocean, traveled over the sand and grass and stopped just short of Henley Square.

Somewhere in it's travels this wave transitioned from water to wood, solidifying like a standing wave on a base guitar string.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Water to Wood', 1s f/5.6 ISO800 15mm

As the yet another gorgeous Henley Beach evening begins with a beautiful setting sun, up and down the beach I see people with phones in hand and cameras on tripods. It's good to see people enjoying moments like these.

As soon as that sun dipped below the horizon most put their phones away and turned their backs on the the changing sky of twilight. Only one or two stalwarts took the time to watch the visual feast that was sunset's encore.

Just just like waiting for the credits of a movie to end you never what surprises are in store. After the sun has gone show is never over.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'After the Sun has Gone', 1/4s f/5.6 ISO640 14mm

When the street music of the Adelaide Fringe have faded to barely remembered echos you don't have to go to far to get back into that festival feel.

We took a whirlwind weekend to visit Melbourne in the midst of the Comedy Festival and the street music was alive and jam'n.

I never got his name nor lingered long but this exponent of Saxuality, playing in his very own personal space, made this space and this saxual moment special.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'A Saxual Moment', 1/2000s f/2.8 ISO320 140mm

When I see an amazing setting sun sky unfolding in the western sky I immediately think of the our beautiful coastline and the ocean beyond.

How fortunate we were today to be elsewhere this evening!

Following a beautiful day with my family we spontaneously decided to visit Penfolds Magill Estate nestled in the Adelaide foothills for some cheese, wine and a view of the Adelaide plains below.

This was my first visit to what might be called the shrine of 'Grange Hermitage', Australia most famous wine. It was quite something seeing on display a full collection of Grange from its first clandestine 1951 vintage though to 2012.

Then as we were about to leave the sky lit up a fiery yellow and orange as the sun dipped into the vineyard.

How fortunate were we to be somewhere else this evening?


Photo: Robert Rath, 'A Penfolds Sunset', 1/500s f/5 ISO160 200mm

This amazing mess of red and crimson is destined for greatness, albeit an ephemeral greatness.

The purple black texted surface is a floating raft of grape skins and seeds.

The stream of red fluid is the juice of the shiraz fruit crushed a few days before.

What is actually taking place here is this fermenting vat of grape juice, skins and seeds is receiving its twice daily stirring.

The juice (gradually becoming wine) is drawn from below the raft of skins ('the must') and pumped back into the vat. The winemaker's job here is to work the flow over the entire surface to help infuse the tannins, the colour and the complex flavors of the skins and seeds back into the fermenting juice.

The stirring will go on for 7 to 10 days while the yeast works its 'grape juice into wine' magic. Every day the juice sits fermenting the winemaker will taste the wine and make adjustments to the process. At the end the entire vat, the juice and the must and the fallen gum tree leaves will be basket pressed and then barreled for the next part of this wine's amazing journey.

If this years vintage is good enough, and the twinkle in the winemakers's eyes suggests it is, this fermenting red and crimson mess will become Rockford's 2017 Basket Press Shiraz.

I am already looking forward to enjoying a bottle of this wine in perhaps 10 years from now (if I can wait that long).


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Filling Rockford's Basket', 1/400s f/14 ISO2500 14mm

For two days we searched the Golden Triangle, central Victoria, for just a little of that elusive colour.

That intoxicating lust the old timers must have felt was almost palpable here in a region which has given millions over the last 150 years.

Alas despite all our brazen confidence only Mark found the tiniest piece of gold barely larger than the echidna's face on our five cent coin.

It's more than enough however to make sure we come back and try again!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'The Echidna and the Gold', 20s f/16 ISO320 100mm+8mm Ext

Of all the little details that go into preparing for graduation day, the hair, the gown, the tam, ...

it would seem that shoes really do maketh the grad!

So proud of my beautiful wife on her doctoral graduation and of course of her choice of shoes for this special occasion!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Shoes Maketh The Grad', 1/20s f/4.5 ISO800 145mm

Where do you find a bustling fisherman's wharf market with not a fish to be found?

I am sure if you looked hard enough, if you trawled long enough, if you ferreted through each and every eclectic stall you just might find an ornamental brass Murray Cod or a blown glass Mulloway.
If you are looking for fresh fish here you will be disappointed.

If on the other hand you just want to mosey from stall to stall and explore then the Fisherman's Wharf Market at Port Adelaide might just be the market for you.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'No Fish in This Fisherman's Market', 0.3s f/8 ISO160 14mm