Robert’s Ramblings

Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 52 – Farewell Dad’. 1/40 sec at 105mm f/4.0, ISO 200

Back on day ‘Day 44 – Metamorphosis‘ I photographed a beautiful green and gold chrysalis.

With the metamorphosis now complete, this gorgeous Monarch butterfly is a wonderful symbol of new life as he rests upon the old clock of ‘Day 46 – The End of Time‘


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 51 – Brand New Day’. 1/2 sec at 200mm f/11, ISO 2000

This roll of wire has been lying in the yard of my parents home for years. I’m not sure if it will ever serve the reason for it being brought here but today it reminds me of the beauty in geometry.

Just like honeycomb the hexagons pack both in plane and in depth and the camera serves to separate them.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 50 – Chicken Wire’. 1/160 sec at 96mm f/7.1, ISO 500

He was not impressed. No chance of a disco strobe induced epileptic fit here. Just an overwhelming over it!


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 49 – Disco Dog’. 1/2 sec at 24mm f/7.1, ISO 200 + 10Hz strobe

Carob tree leaves litter the gutters of the street where I grew up.

Cracked footpaths, leaf litter, old homes and messy trees doing their own thing are all things I love about country towns. Especially the one I once called home.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 48 – View from the Gutter’. 1/400 sec at 105mm f/4.0, ISO 200

It’s amazing to discover a brand new creature I’ve never met before and then even more amazing to be able to identify it and learn something about it.

We first met little creature back on day 40 when I found a strange looking pupa on a leaf in our garden. Back then she was this strange looking bug and I had no clue what she was.

Today we were looking at little creature through the microscope I noticed some wriggling going on inside the pupal casing. I guessed it would not be long until we found out who she was and I had hoped to witness her emergence. Unfortunately a few hours went by while I was preoccupied and she was already out when I looked again.

So here she is in all her glory, a Yellow Shouldered Ladybird, Apolinus lividigaster (synonym Scymnodes lividigaster) of FAMILY COCCINELLIDAE sitting atop her now discarded pupal casing.

I found the following website a very useful references and where I made the photo identification http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_ladybirds/YellowEyes.htm

This macro photo is my first try at using a 2x teleconverter with my 100mm macro lens rather than extension tubes. I think it works well! 😉


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 47 – Little Creature Part II’. 3.2 secs at 200mm (macro) f/16, ISO 200 + Fill Flash

And so the pendulum finally comes to rest…

No more will the brass key feel the warmth of your grip, be guided by you into the mechanism which gives its life and be wound up to mark another week with us all. Both this clock and the passing of the time it marks will of course go on, must go on.

From now and wound by someone new, every new tick this clock will make will remind us of your being, the joy and the life you brought to us and this world.

Farewell Dad…


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 46 – The End of Time’. 8 secs at 70mm f/20, ISO 200

By any other name this sacred scroll would tell the same stories. Within these tightly bound petals of a valentine rose exists story within story within story.

How many blooms will have grown, lived and died just for today. How many will be admired, cherished or scorned and how many will never arrive to a lonely soul. How many stories will unfold like petals today on this celebration of romantic love.

Yes it’s commercial and our local florist will make a killing, … has made a killing but it’s a celebration all the same and in my story I am both grateful and privileged to have a beautiful partner to share it with.

In the unspoken words written on this sacred scroll there is a message and a story for my girl. Thank you Jennifer, you are indeed my Valentine and always will be!


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 45 – Sacred Scroll’. 0.8 secs at 100mm (macro) f/4.0, ISO 200 + Fill Flash

Of all the places to find a Monarch Butterfly chrysalis I never expected it to be in my parent’s kitchen.

My father used to be a keen butterfly collector and collected butterflies from all over the world. Sadly his collection was lost but his love and fascination have always remained. On learning of his old passion, my father’s friend Michael brought him this beautiful Monarch chrysalis he found in his own garden.

It now sits in the kitchen window while my father waits for his beautiful Monarch Butterfly to emerge.


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 44 – Metamorphosis’. 1/60 sec at 105mm f/10, ISO 100

Is it really supposed to be this shrivelled? I ask myself as we look at the produce at Die Barossa Wurst Haus & Bakery.

This little store is a new addition to the Tanunda landscape and plays on the tourist theme now well entrenched in my former stomping ground.

So back to the mettwurst and its wrinkles. Yes, it is traditional to hang mettwurst and allow it to shrivel and get hard over time. Nothing like the vacuum-bagged mettwurst you see at Coles or Woolworths. This is the real deal, wrinkles and all!


Photo: Robert Rath, ‘366 Days of 2012, Day 43 – Meat The Wurst’. 1/15 secs at 58mm f/4.0, ISO 500