Photo of the Week: Queen Charlotte Sound (New Zealand)

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The peaceful early morning waters of Queen Charlotte Sound is one of the most enchanting vistas among the number of channels and waterways that make up the majestic Marlborough Sounds. Long tentacles of water separated by heavily forested serrated hills pierce the ragged northern coastline of New Zealand's South Island meaning a number of tiny villages along the shoreline are only accessible by boat.

Photo of the Week: Half-Timbered Beauty (Nordlingen, Germany)

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Roughly halfway along the 350-kilometre Romantic Road (Romantische Strasse in southern Germany is the delightful medieval half-timbered town of Nördlingen. As part of a bowl-shaped cratered area created by a meteorite strike (many millions of years ago), Nördlingen is rich in history. The circular 14th century town walls along with its towers and gates survive intact and make for a superb three kilometre stroll around the edge of this picturesque town centre.

Nordlingen Vacations

Photo of the Week: St Blasien Abbey Dome (Germany)

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Bathed in beautiful white light, the huge 36 metre dome of St Blasien's Cathedral is an architectural wonder of harmony and grace. With a circle of windows and columns, the entire church is flooded in a glorious light befitting its spiritual role.

In the south of Germany's Black Forest, the humble town of St Blasien (now a health resort) belies its rich history as a Benedictine monastery of almost 1000 years. The cathedral and surrounding defunct monastery dominates the town but is worthy of a short visit to experience a masterpiece of architectural symmetry and elegance.

Photo of the Week: Lift Bridge (Bourke, Australia)

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Built in 1883, this bridge was one of the first lift span bridges built over the Darling River. Designed to accommodate the 200 or so paddle steamers plying the inland waters of Australia by hand-cranking the centre section upwards, it was constructed in England and brought to Bourke in sections by paddle steamer. It was finally replaced by a newer bridge in 1998 (visible behind the old bridge) and remains open for delightful strolls near the superb river gums and across the Darling River.

Past floods mark the centre pylons as Bourke braces itself for more flooding in early March (more on Bourke floods and droughts). Expected to reach almost 14 metres, it will have water sloshing around the iron girders just under the wooden slats of the bridge.

Photo of the Week: Emu and Rock Art (Gundabooka, Australia)

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Native to Australia and second to the ostrich in size, an emu in full stride is a spectacular sight. Reaching speeds around fifty kilometres (30 miles) per hour, emus run confidently through the Australian bushland, superbly built for such speed and agility.

The indigenous rock art at Gundabooka shows several emus with their three prominent toes, highlighting the importance of the statuesque bird as a source of food and feathers.

This photo is from the driver's car window in remote Gundabooka National Park. Trying to time the gaps between the roadside trees and keep the car in a straight line, this photo gives some impression of the speed and agility which emus move.

The females lay deep green eggs around the size of a human hand. In a reversal from most of the animal kingdom, the females woo the males. After partnering, the males sit on the eggs while the females leave and partner a second and even third time laying another clutch of eggs.

Photo of the Week: Charcoal Cooler (Cobah, Australia)

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Continuing the journey in Outback Australia, the photo of the week shows an early evaporative cooler used to counter the harsh heat. This charcoal cooler and others using similar principles were used in the heat of outback Australia as a refrigerator from the late 1800s through to the mid-1900s, when electricity or generators were not around. Water in a tray under the fridge is drawn up through the charcoal by the chimney at the top cooling (and de-odourising) everything inside.

Based on the invention of the Coolgardie Safe which relies on wet hessian bags for a cooling effect, various cooler models sprang up around Australia in early times before electricity was available in many remote areas. Natives in Africa and the Australian Aborigines are known to travel with wet animal skins to help preserve their food for a few extra days using the same idea of a cooling airflow.

This model is located in the excellent Cobar Museum which captures so much of early living in outback Australia. Cobar is a mining town around 150 kilometres south of Bourke in western NSW.

Photo of the Week: Red-Tailed Cockatoos in Silhouette (Bourke, Australia)

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A favourite photo (click on it to enlarge), mildly in the style of moving picture pioneer Eadweard Muybridge, showing three magnificent red-tailed cockatoos each in different aspects of their flight. The explosion of scarlet tucked under their tail can be seen on the front bird and a superb sight when viewing a flock from below.

Photo of the Week: Ama Dablam (Nepal)

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At just under 7000 metres, the towering peak of Ama Dablam silently oversees trekkers for a few days as they slowly walk towards the base camp for Mt Everest and the Gokyo Lakes. With the riotous crimson of a barberry bush and a cobalt blue sky, its reassuring presence makes for a photogenic visual feast. Though taken over a decade ago, it remains a favourite memory walking among the Everest amphitheatre of the world's highest mountains.

Photo of the Week: Watermelons For Sale (Luxor, Egypt)

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With a backdrop of centuries-old walls and only a block from the stunning Karnak Temple, a watermelon salesman tries to sell his stock of watermelons before the heat of the midday sun empties the streets. The Egyptian streets were filled with wonderful seasonal fruits and spices grown on the banks of the life-giving Nile.

Luxor Vacations

Photo of the Week: Eastern Water Dragon (Australia)

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This cute little fellow (click on the photo to enlarge) contentedly poses for the camera as he suns himself on a small rock. Equally adept as swimmers and on land, water dragons are a reasonably regular sight in the Australian summer, especially in parks and near waterways.

Photo of the Week: Jesuit Church (Cusco, Peru)

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The La Compañía de Jesús (Jesuit) Church rivals the Cusco Cathedral in its beauty, both sitting on the Incan capital's main square. This church which looks superb with its night lighting replaced the reportedly resplendent Incan leader's palace. Both feature Christian and local artworks including the cathedral's quirky Last Supper where the main feast is guinea pig.

Cusco Vacations

Photo of the Week: Humble Farming (India)

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I love the colours and simplicity of this humble farming cottage in Rajastan in north west India.

Photo of the Week: A Touch of Colour

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I have been impressed by the striking nature of some web photos I have seen where the image is in black and white but with a touch of colour being used as a highlight. I'd love to know what you think of this style of photo.

This lighthouse has guarded the southern entrance to Sydney Harbour for over 150 years and is painted a striking red and white like that of a barber's pole. Is this a more interesting photo when the blue of the ocean and the green of the grass are desaturated and only the lighthouse remains with any colour?

Similarly does the violets of the water hyacinths in a Kenyan national park become more striking when the surrounded lily pads are turned monochromatic?
For some photos, it is difficult to decide which element to colour. During a recent Sydney festival, this fine musician plays the accordian and saxophone equally adepted, yet does the rich crimson of the accordion make for a more striking photograph?

Or does the silky gold of the saxophone win the day? Or would a full colour photo be preferred?

Please share your opinions on this style of photography. A following article describes the touch of colour technique using Photoshop Elements but the general method should work similarly for any photo editting program.

Photo of the Week: Male Elk (Jasper, Canada)

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This lone male elk, resplendent with its fine antlers, contentedly munches juicy grasses. Grazing on the verge of the main highway just outside the stunning Rockies town of Jasper, little traffic probably interrupts this elk in the early hours (one of the best times to see wildlife). While initially a little suspicious of me as shown in this photo, he soon returns to his feeding relaxed that I was harmless, simply snapping a few photos from the other side of the main road.

Jasper Vacations

Photo of the Week: A Single Drip (Jenolan Caves, Australia)

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Two hundred kilometres west of Sydney, Jenolan Caves are thought to be the oldest show caves in the world at an estimated 380 million years, well before dinosaurs roamed our planet.It is staggering to believe such beauty and richly decorated limestone chambers are built by the constant dripping of water such as the single drops landing in the spectacular main chamber of the Temple of Baal Cave (undoubtedly one of the most spectacular caves in the world).

Photo of the Week: Wellington Lights (New Zealand)

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Wellington is a chirpy, cultural city full of fine cafes, small bars and lively character that tracks around its beautiful harbour. At night, the lights of New Zealand's diminutive capital city echo the lights from its buildings shrouded by a backdrop of sharply rising hills.

I travelled as a guest of Qantas Airways on The Great Crusade, a promotion highlighting the best of travel in New Zealand while following the endeavours of the Qantas Wallabies to win the Rugby World Cup.

Wellington Vacations

Photo of the Week: Lewis Pass (New Zealand)

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Lewis Pass is one of just three alpine passes on the South Island of New Zealand allowing a path through the central spine of mountains that cuts the long narrow island in two. It was named after the surveyor who discovered the path through in the 1860s, though was exploited by the native Maori for many centuries before that, especially for the exchange of the valued greenstone. It provided a vital thoroughfare for the passage of produce. Highlighted by snow-capped mountains, rugged scrubby bushes, sharp beech-forested valleys and alpine lakes, the pass contains a number of fine walks (or tramping as the Kiwis describe it).

I travelled as a guest of Qantas Airways on The Great Crusade, a promotion highlighting the best of New Zealand while following the endeavours of the Qantas Wallabies to win the Rugby World Cup. The journey can be followed via Twitter hashtag #greatcrusade.

Photo of the Week: Clown Triggerfish - Clever Camouflage or Outlandish Outfit?

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Despite it exotic appearance, the clown triggerfish is actually remarkably camouflaged. Photographed in an aquarium, this tropical fish is found in the reefs of coastal warm waters between east Africa, through Asia and the Pacific islands. Scientists consider the clown triggerfish to be a master of disguise. Despite its bold colouring, the clown triggerfish has a mottled yellow and black back to blend with the coral reef sea-floor, its eyes fade into a black stripe and its large uneven white spots blend with the reef as its swims among the corals and the surface of the water when viewed from underneath.

Their teeth grow for life so a diet of hard-shelled sea creatures is essential to keep their teeth ground down. Water is squirted at the seabed to unmask shelled clams, molluscs and snails hiding under the sandy bottom. The clown triggerfish's eyes move independently allowing them to patrol for food and predators without the need to travel in groups. And finally, to continue in their celebration of vivid colour, these fine fish lay green eggs.

Sadly the clown triggerfish are endangered but are a joy to see with its wild circus outfit and vibrant approach to life.

Photo of the Week: Melbourne Skyline at Night (Australia)

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The Melbourne skyline reflects into the Yarra River in hues of red, blue and purple as shown in this photo taken from Southbank. As for all photos, clicking on it shows an enlarged photo.

Photo of the Week: Cruise Ship Peak Hour (Juneau, Alaska)

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Inaccessible by road, Juneau is nestled along the beautiful Gastineau Channel underneath towering mountains. Inundated with cruise ships in the summer months, large vessels carefully jockey for position in the narrow channel as viewed from the magnificent vantage point on Mt Roberts. Juneau has some superb natural sights and wildlife including Mendenhall Glacier that carves its way through the mountains only a few miles outside Alaska's capital.