This week on Instagram: 5 shot challenge.

I was invited by Lijean of onegirlstudio to take part in #5shotchallenge, with the theme 'Alice Springs'. It was a great way to take photos with purpose, and think a little deeper about how to tie them in to fit with the theme.

This was my interpretation of Alice Springs.

1. (main photo) This image is of the lifeblood of Alice Springs, the Todd River, taken from my office. The sky is its trademark vivid blue and the light that filters through the majestic river gums is golden.

2. (bottom right) The Todd Mall is paved with these red bricks. But it was only today that I noticed that some of the bricks have names etched into them. The northern section of the Mall has been ripped up and in the process of being turned into a vehicle thoroughfare. Spaces for cars, rather than people...silly move.

3. (bottom left) This is scribbled onto a wall in the lane near my office. For me, this photo says a couple of things about Alice. First, the words. 'Beyond the beyond' sums up so many things about life here. For the city dweller, Alice is waaaay beyond the known. And beyond Alice there is more vastness. Then there's the literal. Scribbled onto corrugated iron - a staple material used here for fences, sheds, houses. It's fuss-free, it's tough and it is comfortable in its materiality. To survive here one must take on elements of these qualities.

4. (middle right) One of the things I love about living in Alice Springs is the light. For starters, there's plenty of it. You would be very hard pressed to develop a vitamin D deficiency living here. Sunshine pretty much all year round. There's this lovely golden hue that filters through the foliage (see photo 1/5). Of course, there's a level of harshness in the sun when it's at its strongest; but it's tempered by moments like this. I caught glimpse of this late afternoon sun from my front porch.

5. (top right) This is the newest building in the CBD, a government office block. The panelling has oxidized to reflect the rich ochre earth of the central desert and is radiant against the deep blue sky. This is late afternoon.