I bought a decent DSLR Camera to take better pics of the kids.  I was losing memories through crappy point and shoot cameras. So I spent some money and last year bought a half decent DSLR and for more than a year have left it on Auto for every single shot.  I want to learn to take better pics and while auto is still great there are so many more possibilities on manual so recently I have started taking photos with the settings on manual and using my tripod. 

This is probably the best photo I have ever taken. 

This shot was taken with my Nikon D5000, mounted on my tripod just after the sun had disappeared from the cool, winter sky.

I love the colours and the reflection on the glass smooth Brisbane River which most people will remember was a raging torrent of debris strewn water during the great flood of January, 2011.

It was an interesting evening and I took close to 150 photos trying to take the perfect picture by playing with the settings. 

The cliff top was very busy with people walking home from work or running or power walking along the scenic route. Being the sociable guy I am I was saying G’day to people who made eye contact with me as they walked past.  Most people were friendly and said hi back.  Two people decided to stop for a chat.

The Russian

I spoke with the Russian twice that evening.  The first time I was already talking on the phone but as I was using my earpiece with the phone in my pocket this wasn’t obvious.  He proceded to ask me a few questions about the camera.  He asked me what it was and I replied a Nikon D5000.  He knows his cameras and he asked what the difference was between the D5000 and the D3000.  Not remembering at the time I replied with 2000!  I explained I was on the phone and he continued on his very merry way.  It was then I remembered that the key difference was the D5000 had a video camera option (which I have never used).

He came back about 15 minutes later and seeing I was off the phone he had a lot to say.  Most of which I cannot understand but I am sure it had something to do with photography, vodka and a nuclear submarine.  I’m not kidding about the submarine.  He was very friendly though and we had a good chat.

The Irish Lass

About 5 minutes after the Russian left, this woman made eye contact with me and I said G’day.  She stopped and said hello and it was immediately obvious that she was Irish.  I made note of this to her and said welcome to Australia.  She proceeded to tell me that coming to Australia was at the top of her bucket list and she was happy she had now crossed it off.  She was now a full resident and had been here for a few years.

I estimated her age at mid to late 30′s.  She was very well presented, dressed in a power suit and wore a small amount of jewellery.  She had short hair and little make up – that I could tell in the darkening night – and spoke very well.  She asked me a few questions about the photos I was taking and had a look at some.  She seemed quite impressed.  As she was going through the photos I asked her what else was on her bucket list. 

The order might be wrong but essentially here was her top 3.

1.  Have sex with a woman

2.  Have a threesome

3.  Have a gang bang

She then told me that all 3 items had been completed. 

I was speechless.  Probably not what you tell random strangers on the cliff top at Kangaroo Point.  I have a trusting face and a bung knee so she probably thought I was safe enough.  We started talking about work and she asked me what I did and I told her – kind of – I generally don’t tell strangers exactly where I work or what I do.  I asked her what she did and she told me she was a ‘sex worker’.

“A prostitute?” I asked.

“I don’t like that term”, she replied quickly.

I thought about it for a few seconds and taking into account her clothes and appearance, I asked her if she was a high class escort.  She confirmed it.

During the next 20 minutes or so she took 3 phone calls from clients on one of her 3 mobile phones.  Wanna know how much she charges?  Fine, I’ll tell you.

Half hour = $150   Full hour = $200   All Night = $1,000 – extra for fetishes etc

She would describe herself to each person and it seemed to change along with the rates depending on each call.  She was a size 18 and all the other dimensions I don’t remember.  She then blew me away – no, not like that – when she told me she 48.  She certainly didn’t look like it and she didn’t appear to have had any work done.  She was confident and very down to earth. 

She had a lot more to say.  Most of which isn’t publishable here but the whole time we were talking she was eating her thai take away and drinking water.  If she hadn’t have said she was a sex worker I would have not even guessed that was her profession.  She was certainly no Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.  I was expecting fish nets and neons, not a power suit.

So between a camera loving Russian and a high class escort Irishwoman I took a bloody good photo or two. 

It was a surreal experience.

I hope you like the picture.