How do you make teenagers beyond excited and their parents nervous? Go kart racing. Took a group of the older children to a go kart track this afternoon and watched the personalities emerge …. from the conservative and safe, to the reckless ones with a need for speed. The dads that also raced were definitely at the top end of the later category.

We are all settled fully into holiday mode, and everyone has been drifting into different activities throughout the day. My hectic schedule has included a coastal walk, coffee, swimming, bike ride, drifting in the river, sitting around chatting ….. and enjoying photographing the beautiful light and textures around the beach.

Managed to capture Helen supervising the bonfire building down at the beach.

Ah, the serenity. As a father of four children aged between 4 and 15, I don’t think I’ve ever seen John sit down, and definitely not long enough to read the paper. Must be holidays.

We have headed away to Sawtell for a holiday with eight families, 38 of us in total. Its been a tradition over the last 10 years since the children started kindergarten together. It’s been such a great privilege to watch the children grow over this time, and feel part of such a strong community of friends.

Don’t ask, because I don’t know what it is! Visited Cockatoo Island today to see the Sydney Biennale exhibition, a contemporary visual arts event. Some huge and innovative installations, and all free to wander around and experience. Just don’t ask me to explain what any of it meant.

Spent more time photographing the old machinery and equipment left over from when the island was a naval dockyard and convict settlement. This one is from inside the Turbine Hall.

My children have reached the age where they don’t want me cramping their style when going for a bike ride. So I took solace in my fish eye lens and headed off on a solo bike ride.

Watched the dogs frustrating their owners by sitting in the bath, then jumping straight into the muddy puddles for a roll around. Okay, so teenagers might not be that bad after all.

Spent the morning at a seminar with Dallas Kilponen, a Fairfax photographer for 23 years. His life reads like a Boy’s Own Adventure, with photography assignments taken hanging out of helicopters, onboard maxi yachts in the Sydney to Hobart race, avoiding bull sharks while swimming in Sydney Harbour, poolside at the Olympics etc. He is such an engaging speaker and had us captivated with the stories behind his images ….some of Dallas’ incredible photos.

The changing skyline of Sydney with the addition of the new buildings at Barangaroo on the left of the panorama.

Delighted to mind a friend’s daughter this morning before school. Got to ignore the boring morning routine and instead traipse around in the dew collecting frangipanis and then string together a necklace.