cyclone Yasi – our story – Page 7

Moment Behind the Photograph – workshop in the Cassowary Coast

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Photographs can be amazing story sparkers, as a small but enthusiastic group of participants found when Leandro Palacio came to C4 to run a free community workshop.

Weaving, Cyclone Yasi stories, lessons from nature’s creatures, and empowerment of Aboriginal youth were some of the themes to emerge from participants’ photographs.

Leandro introduced ABCopen by playing a few sample Moment Behind the Photograph presentations and its one year celebration video, as well as navigating participants through many exciting and creative projects.

We worked on telling a story about our photographs, such as:

-where we were when it was taken

-what it was about

-why it was important to us.

Once we had made a few notes on our photographs – in a handout Leandro had earlier prepared, he recorded audio of us telling our story. He shared with us how we could sound record on iphones or smart phones.

Leandro gave us handy tips on minimising background noise when recording, and demonstrated how to use the video editing programs.

We asked him all sorts of questions about sound scaping, where to obtain ‘free’ copyright music and sound effects and programs we could access for free. He showed us a few of his posts as well.

It was a productive day! Thanks must go to c4 for providing a free workshop space and to Leandro for giving us insight into ABCopen.

The other participants were lively and chatty, so we had an informative discussion on the difficulties of accessing broadband in some regional areas and learnt more about each other.

Blogging with a Purpose

a shell home for kids — Photo Credit – By June Perkins

Reading this blog ‘Beautiful Thanks’ by Sarah today, reminded me of the power of blogging, words, images and friendship.

Recently I made my first digital story for my guest blogging at ABCopen. I learnt how to use the video editing program with one In the Bin intensive workshop from last year, some pointers from Leandro Palacio and Mick Bromage, and a viewing of the inbuilt tutorial to the video editing program. The rest was determination and practice (which I still need more of so do forgive my little editing gliches I am going to do another polish of the video).

My story was that of Operation Angel and their contribution to the recovery process in Lower Tully. I could not have told this story without the sensitive documentary photographs of Carolyn Bofinger who captured the joy Operation Angel bought to locals. I am delighted that she gave me permission to use these images as they are central to telling this story.

I mention friendship because Carolyn’s friendship with me and Sarah Allen’s friendship with Jacqueline Pascarl, has bought us all together in cyberspace and sometimes in real space.

We blog not aimlessly but with a purpose, for our art, maybe our businesses, our communities, and for the creation of healing, humanitarian and recovery spaces. We blog things we care about, and use social media platforms for something constructive.

To see the video visit OPERATION ANGEL VIDEO ON VIMEO.

I am so inspired by the amazing people I meet and hear about, and every now and then extra special people come into my orbit – and there always seems to be a reason.

There is a power in digital stories, or short community made documentaries, to reach into people’s hearts. It can be done on practically no budget, with a few handy tips in mind to make it more effective. Watching closely how filmmakers frame image and cut between scenes is a big help.

jacquelinevisitcollage4 — Photo Credit – By June Perkins

(c) June Perkins

Portrait Day with ABCopen

For someone who normally likes to take, rather than be in pictures, having a portrait done is a tad scary. I’ve been asked to do this by ABC for their annual report, where they are featuring some of their guest bloggers ‘engaging the community in conversations,’ and sharing more about the ABCopen project.

I needn’t have worried because Leandro Palacio, a newly appointed ABCopen producer, who resides in Cairns, puts me immediately at ease. He is so new his page on ABCopen is about to go up and isn’t there yet.

Leandro is from Argentinia originally and most recently lived in Melbourne for ten years. He has made the move to Cairns with his young family and is really enthusiastic about working for the ABC. He is about to make a trip to Cape York. I am sure we will read a blog or see a video of the work he does up there pretty soon.

He has had an interesting life, and you can see I forgot my photograph was being taken and instead began preparing a blog on the visit through an informal interview. I had already asked Leandro if I could do a blog on having the portrait done. He was happy for me to do that.

He liked the spot I had chosen for the photograph – Alligator’s Nest – but like everyone visiting wondered about that name. The true story is on the sign and it’s all to do with some local history. Maybe next time you visit Tully you might like to look it up. It is not because there are Alligator’s there.

Mystery? Tell me why you think it’s called that? Maybe you can give a creative answer and see how close you get.

Recently heritage trail signs went up all over Tully. I might walk around and try and find them all, I have found quite a few and we do read them and they help us to know the history of the area better. It is helpful that they are on location and you can learn history as you walk.

I learnt how to use the self timer on my camera with some assistance from Leandro. I have recently purchased a new camera and am still learning how to use it.

The ABCopen producers do a lot of workshops to skill the community up and Leandro has especially run these for young people in his past occupations. He has taught video skills too.

It is exciting to think of the ABCopen producers inspiring a generation of new and young film makers and photographers who may have had a spark lit in a regional community workshop.

I am certain from Leandro’s easy going manner, obvious listening skills, and gentleness that he is going to do a wonderful job for the ABC and out in the community. I am sure that Mick Bromage his Townsville Counterpart is going to have a great time having another producer in North Queensland!

Leandro tells me that all the ABC open producers recently met each other, they had some training and visited QANDA, and got a chance to bond as a nationwide time. I think some of them are going to go on and do great things.

Keep a look out for them in your local community and do go and visit this exciting project of the ABC to see how you can get involved and ‘join the conversation.’

VISIT THE ABCopen Project.

Leandro – portrait of the portrait taker – by June Perkins

Rain and bananas

origami umbrella poster by gumbootspearlz creations - June Perkins

origami umbrella poster, a photo by gumbootspearlz creations – June Perkins on Flickr.

Yes, you guessed it, it’s raining in the Cassowary Coast again. I so hope all those people with tarps and tents are okay out there. A thousand people still displaced. Crazy!

Bananas!

I so long for them – they are still expensive so sometimes I buy banana milk just to remember their taste.

My hubbie said ‘but one banana can go so far on a pavlova, maybe we should buy just one and cut it up.’

Delectable. Maybe my next post might be solely devoted to bananas. This one is mainly about rain.

Love it

Hate it

Want it

Rain

Mizzle

Drizzle

Fizzle

Rain

Drink it

Splash it

Avoid it

Pain

Rain

Falling down

Crashing up

Disdain

If only it could rain bananas…

What comes after – after…. dealing with disasters.

treesbeforeafter2_feluga

Photo Credit: June Perkins

What comes after, after? That is after a tree is damaged, a cyclone happens, you see the immediate effects(like in the picture above) but what next?

After comes in stages – where first of all you deal with immediate safety and shelter concerns.

Then you move onto confirming the situation, letting family know how you are, and branching out into recovery, little by little. You find some things have to be done staight away – like move your belongings very quickly or cut down that dangerous tree, or put a tarp on that roof.

Then it becomes increasingly complex as you find out about how you will receive help and register for lots of things. But then you often have to follow things up, especially if everyone is hearing back and you are not.

And whilst the physical things are being dealt with, and often have priority, there are lots of emotions bottled up as you get on with recovering. Everyone deals with this part differently.

I could not talk about the actual cyclone night straight away. Yet my husband recounted it in more and more detail. I had to leave the room or ignore the story as it felt too raw.

Gradually however it became easier for me to confront that night! I did it through keeping a journal and my blog. Whilst I wasn’t keen to talk about things – I could write about them.

What else did I do?

I’ll blog that here in short snippets and with ABC Open so watch this space.

I am keen to hear what you have been doing to deal with the Aftermath of natural disasters where-ever you live.