Brisbane, QLD


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

SEEING THINGS DIFFERENTLY

I have visited the little 'Mayes Cottage' house museum twice recently. The first time I used my 18-250mm lens but the second time I used my macro lens. I found it interesting how I saw the same thing differently through the two different lenses. Here are a few samples. The top picture in each set was with the long lens while the bottom picture is with the macro. (I still have a lot to learn about macro photography )

 Mayes cottage was built by John and Emily Mayes, who arrived from England with two children in 1873 and were among the first settlers in the Kingston area of Logan City near Brisbane.



 They took up a selection of 321 acres and built this two bedroom slab hut and planted fruit trees. They had five more children and they lived in the hut until the new house was constructed in 1886.



 Sadly the two eldest children died. Ruth drowned in the well in 1882 and Joshua died in Cairns of typhoid fever in 1887. 



 The family grew fruit trees and started dairy farming but the most lucrative business was selling timber  for mine props, railway sleepers and fence posts.



In 1954 the family sold off most of the land except for 10 acres around the house.The house remained in the family until 1976 when the owners died. The Housing Commission acquired the estate and wanted to resume the house. A local action group saved the property as a recreation park and  the Logan Council is the trustee.

29 comments:

  1. The death in the well reminds me why Mum and Dad were paranoid that we children stayed away from the well at the corner of the yard.

    That lacy canopy on the bed ... I want one of those. I've got the bed but not the canopy.

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  2. All the shots were terrific. I did so like the close-up of the bed rail and that old cooker. It's a fabulous piece of history and thank goodness there were interested people who saved it. The story tells just how tough these early settlers were.

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  3. Love macro settings but have only worked them out by playing with the camera. "Sit down and read your manual" urges Love Chunks but something in my brain twangs and I just can't make myself do that. I'd rather be out there snapping away and figuring it out by sight and result.

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  4. I love your macro pics Diane .... They show the detail.beautifully.

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  5. I am glad the locals had some historic feelings and saved the property. You have to cherish those wonderful old things. It is so interesting to sea how people used to live.

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  6. I finally gave my camera I bought last year to my son. I could never figure it all out. Great photos. I love that little house.

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  7. Lovely Diane, I do like the last photo, well done :)

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  8. It is interesting the different way we see things - even JUST with a camera in hand. You did a great job showing the differences in the point of view. You have such a great eye. I also heartily agree with Kath about reading the manual! LOL

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  9. These photos are beautiful...the details are beautiful...I do not know about the two lenses.
    I like the history of the house, even though sad

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  10. Beaut photos Diane - you're obviously enjoying your macro.
    Really interesting to have a little tour through the cottage.

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  11. Wow what a difference between the little hut and the house ! must have been a hard life with so many children. Fortunately the house was kept as a museum at least people today can see how everything began.

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  12. That's fun to see the comparison with the two lenses.

    I love to visit places like this -- always makes history real to me to see these old homes and hear/read the history as you're touring. It was a rough life back then!

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  13. I like all of your photos. The difference in perspective with the two lenses is fascinating. I'm trying to learn how to use my macro lens better. Since my macro is a fixed length lens, I have to view things differently when using it.

    Thanks for the details you've shown of the stove, bed and bed rail.

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  14. Those settlers, in your country and mine, were certainly hardy people. They worked very hard and didn't have much to show for it in the beginning. The Mayes's hut (it would be called a shack here) looks just like the slave quarters I've seen at old southern plantations in Louisiana.

    I love your photos of inside the house, especially all that lovely lace and the bed rail details.

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  15. Fortunate for us that this historical place was saved. Thoroughly enjoyed my visit here, thanks Diane.

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  16. What a treat to see the inside of this historical old home- the crib and stove are very interesting!

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  17. lovely photos and great detail. i always enjoy your photos Diane.

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  18. Hi Diane, I was just sharing with someone else on a blog about how important both long lenses and macro lenses are --depending upon the situation...

    Love seeing things through both of your lenses... NEAT....

    Beautiful old historic home. Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  19. Fabulous pictures of a quaint little house museum. Thanks for reading the Jarvis Blog about Nick at the St. Patrick's parade. He did have fun and was very well behaved.

    The dates on what is considered old, as in historic preservation is always relative. The late 1870's there is old, here on Long Island that is old, but there are buildings still standing from the 1600's, 1700's and 1800's. I love the fact that the community was willing to see the value in preserving your cottage for the future generations. Cheers Lori

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  20. What a wonderful old homestead. The details in the close ups are amazing. The lace pattern, the glass panes, the name on the oven door...

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  21. Times were certainly tough in the olden days.. people had so much to endure. Wells were clearly dangerous spots but one had to get the water in. I wonder what the circumstances were that the girl fell?

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  22. Hi Diane! Sorry for the ad, but that's not my fault! It doesn't happen in any of my computers...
    It must be some protection your's doesn't have... Sorry!

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  23. We tend to think people had such hardships and I guess they did but at the same time they 'lived' life.
    What a difference in their cottage and new home.
    Have to wonder what they would think of all of us looking at their life over the Internet. :)
    LOVE that last shot of the bedrail - very artistic!

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  24. Diane, a touching and sad story about the family. Thanks for the tour of the homestead. It is neat seeing the place thru your two lenses. Have a great day!

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  25. Wonderful exercise in seeing two ways! I love the detail you focused on in your macro shots. It's good for us to try new ways of shooting...seeing...keeps us fresh and widens our perspective. I always learn something by studying your beautiful photographs.

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  26. great details here, diane.

    i love all of these images, they all so interesting.
    you just make ordinary things look extraordinary.

    i do love that beautiful, old homestead. thanks so much for sharing:)

    xoxo

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  27. Interesting story about this pioneer family and also seeing their first home through your macro lens. I need to practice more with mine.

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  28. I dont know the order in which you took these pairs of shots, but I want to make a comment about 'improvemet'.

    In the order in which you have posted these shots, the macros are improving. For mine, a macro is not just a closer shot of something, but a different way of looking at an item. There is a concentration not on the whole but upon some detail for its contribution to the whole. Once the observor sees the detail, the whole is a whole different ball-game.

    Hence, the last two shots - the bed detail and the corner of the cot - are good examples of macros. However, the barn and the stove are not good examples of macros because they are really just another long shot view that doesnt show as much.

    Does that make any sense?

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  29. This house belonged to my husband's grandparents, Josiah and Daisy Mayes. He and I and our baby son lived in the house for 18 months from October 1972 to April 1974. Daisy lived with us for several months, until she moved into the Nursing Home at Beenleigh to be with Grandfather ( Josiah). We loved living in the old house, as my husband visited regularly when he was a boy, climbing the mango trees with his cousins, and it held many happy memories.

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