Thursday, September 9, 2010

For Eunie.

This is my Madang.

I once walked from Mt Wilhelm to Madang; the mountains in this photos are not the ones I clambered down from, but the mountains that rise from any coast in PNG up into its spine are similar.  This shot was taken from Madang looking back towards the Highlands yet to the Sou'west of Madang itself.  A sunrise on yet another beautiful day in paradise.

This is what others know of when you say Madang.

On my last trip to Madang I ventured out to Jais Aben.  I visited the graves at Alexshafen.  I have spent my life dedicated to many of whom I never met and it is only the living that know of the dead.  From my vantage point of Jais Aben, I could see the young children on this tiny island running carefree up and down the sandy beach blissfully unaware.

This is the Madang which provides a source of life.

Despite a morning storm over Krangket Island, these locals find a moment to cease fishing and admire the sunrise.  Human touch in front of the extremes that Mother Nature can dish out can often be the softest.

I offer flowers.  If I were to pick a posie of Madang's finest, then I would select the simple blooms from the following.

This is my Madang.

Early morning, despite the nat-nats, a photographer must capture the first moment, it is the cleanest light, the purest light.

With the warmth of the sun, often comes the storms.

And it was a heavy heart that I left Madang for the very last time.  This was to be my last flight in PNG.

Looking back towards Madang, these photos were taken with my wondering if I would ever return.

14 comments:

JohnD said...

Of course you'll go back, Steve. The place is in your blood.

btw - those flowers are gorgeous and that sunrise simply splendiferous - you are a photographer to be envied!

Euralia Paine said...

Aaaaaaah -- so breathtakingly awesome!! PNG never ceases to amaze me.... if you can capture such moments, such glimpses of beauty in your lens and lay it out on a blog post to be read at 9am; it gives someone like me's day... hope.
Thank you for sharing.

EP

Steve Bennett said...

Thank you John and Euralia, I appreciate and am flattered by your warm comments. Thanks.

Unknown said...

My Madang is sunrises and fishing and mountains too. But also the smiles -- many many smiles! A fitting tribute to Eunie; thank you for sharing.

Steve Bennett said...

Thank you Heather, certainly the smiles are a part of what makes Madang and every other PNG village or town that I visited feel special.

Ali said...

What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person.
Your photos are fabulous Steve. I can almost feel that heavy air, laden with the smell of the flowers...
Ali

Steve Bennett said...

Thank you so kindly Ali, I know what you mean about the air in Madang. The air always seemed to me to be so clean in Madang, and very similar down in Alotau; perhaps it was the coastal locations and the size of the communities???

I still fondly recall that final walk into Madang, I think walking across provincial borders in PNG is a revelation, it is logistically difficult to do, but it bought a wonderfully new perspective to my personal exploration of PNG.

Thanks for visiting.

Walt said...

Very beautiful pictures, Steve! Here's hoping it's not really your last time.

Steph said...

love your blog! iv spent about 2 months living in the Gulf Province and its cool to hear other peoples thoughts on the country!

Steve Bennett said...

Thank you Steph, what a wonderful experience it would be for you to live in the Gulf Province, my time there was only too brief unfortunately.

Unknown said...

Steve, I haven't visited your site for some time, so I just saw your wonderful tribute to my dear wife, Eunice Mae Messersmith. Thanks very much for that. She would have loved it.

Steve Bennett said...

MadDog, thanks.

Monpi said...

One of my favourite places....on the planet. Awesome blog!

Steve Bennett said...

thank you Monpi :)