Images reflect beauty of the storm Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au YANNI Dellaportas is more often than not carrying a camera. Known throughout the Mornington Peninsula as a professional photographer Yanni (as he prefers to be known) works with flashes and available light. As a photographer with The News, he attends organised events, festivals and meetings, anything that can be classed as news. Unknown to many of his subjects, Yanni has for more than three decades had a private project: photographing lightning. He happily acknowledges being a stormchaser. While his days of keeping an eye out for incoming storms are not about to end soon (if ever), Yanni has published a book of storm images. It’s a record of the years he’s spent mostly looking for lightning when a storm breaks. Beautiful Storm – capturing the art in nature’s fury, was launched at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery on Sunday 6 October. With forewords by former Australian of the Year and champion yachtsman Simon McKeon and former television weatherman Rob Gell, Beautiful Storm is peppered with the writings of 22 poets. In his foreword McKeon says sailors “respect a decent storm” and Gell relates how people “gasp” when observing “magnificent storm and skies”. The poems, while not always relating specifically to the accompanying photograph, are an illustration of how
Annual meeting MORNINGTON Community Information and Support Centre will hold its annual meeting and 36th anniversary celebration at 320 Main Street, Mornington, 4-6pm, Friday 25 October. Light refreshments will follow. RSVP by Friday 18 October to 5975 1644 or email manager@mcisc.org.au
Walk to school
Successful launch: Photographer Yanni Dellaportas, left, at the launch of his book Beautiful Storm – capturing the art in nature’s fury with his wife, Liz and Elizabeth and Miodrag Jankovic. Picture: Gary Sissons
wild weather can influence and affect creative minds. Speakers at the launch who spoke in praise of Yanni’s skill behind the camera included Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr David Gill, Cr Antonella Celi, Heather Forbes McKeon (who along with other poets recited their works) and his wife, Liz. “I didn't necessarily want the poetry to literally relate to a particular photo. I wanted the viewer and reader to get more than one interpretation from the picture and words,” Yanni said at the launch. “While it’s taken around two years
to plan, design and finally release Beautiful Storm, it's taken close to 30 years of photography to capture all the images in this book.” Those years saw film cameras overtaken by the digital revolution, but some of the most evocative images in Beautiful Storm were recorded on film, with Yanni waiting days to know the outcome of his endeavours. One of the first lightning shots he took is in the book. “I've been storm chasing in my own backyard as it were for the past 30 years and finally putting some of my pictures into this book has made the
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adventure worthwhile,” he said. “I had way more storm pictures than I could possibly fit into this book. But, once I started sorting through the archive, I found there were a lot of images that were similar to each other and I really wanted to present as many different photos as possible.” Beautiful Storm is available at Farrells Bookshop, Mornington; Antipodes Books & Gallery, Sorrento; Petersen's Bookshop, Hastings; and at twotailspublishing.com Profits from the sale of the book will go to help research into a cure for cancer.
STUDENTS heading back to school in Term 4 can walk, ride, skate or scoot for Walk to School month. The program, which runs until 1 November, aims to improve health and fitness, increase social connection and give students the confidence to walk to school. There’s also the added benefit of reducing car emissions. Last year more than 140,000 students from 759 schools across Victoria took part in the program. “Walk to School is about building healthy habits for your children and making physical activity part of your daily routine,” Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr David Gill said. In support of the program, the shire is running a Fancy Feet/Bling Your Bike or Scooter Day competition among participating schools. For the chance to win a trophy made by one of the peninsula’s men’s sheds and a whole-of-school celebration dance party, schools are encouraged to hold a competition day during October where students can show off their creativity. Photos can be submitted to: walktoschool@mornpen.vic.gov.au Participating schools will also go in the running to win prizes, including a footy clinic at their school, hosted by an AFL or AFLW player. To sign up for Walk to School and prizes visit walktoschool.vic.gov.au
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The Bays Hospital, Mornington Free maternity information session
Sunday 27 October 2019 12-2pm
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For more information and to register Visit: www.thebays.com.au Phone: 03 5976 5262 Cost: Free of charge - bookings essential The Bays Hospital Vale Street, Mornington VIC 3931
Award winning Opening Roofs Louvre systems & external venetians, control the sun at the touch of a button. www.louvretecmelbourne.com.au Southern Peninsula News
16 October 2019
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