All content copyright Thomas Palfy 2007
This website designed and hosted by www.annerogerswebdesignhosting.net copyright 2007
This website designed and hosted by www.annerogerswebdesignhosting.net copyright 2007
THOMAS PALFY has travelled extensively throughout Australia, notebook in hand and shooting breathtaking photos of Australia's diverse awe-inspiring scenery, interesting people and unique wildlife. To keep all those memories alive and to share them with you Thomas has written travelogues and created photo-collections with useful (and funny) comments.
Thomas Palfy's Biography
THOMAS PALFY was born in 1937 in Szeged, Hungary. His family moved to Budapest in the early 1940's. He survived the bombardment and 7-week siege of the Hungarian capital (1944-45) and after the end of hostilities he attended primary and later secondary school there. He acquired his first camera as a teenager and joined a major camera club where he attended courses and learnt the basics of photography. The years in high school were followed by enrolment in the Technical University of Miskolc (North-East Hungary) as a Mechanical Engineering student (1955). In October 1956 the students supported the uprising and demanded freedom and democracy for Hungary.
Following the intervention and crushing of the revolt by Soviet troops, some 200,000 people sought refuge in the West. Thomas was one of them - arriving in Australia in June 1957 and settling there.
Since then he has been living in Melbourne (1957-66, and from 1977) and in Sydney (1966-77).
From 1958 to 1964 Thomas studied industrial chemistry at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology part-time, while supporting himself (and later his family) by working first as a draughtsman and then in chemical laboratories. He graduated in industrial chemistry and in chemical engineering and worked in the plastics industry. Eventually he specialised in polyurethane foams and retired from Dunlop Foams after 25 years of service in 2002.
Initially his photographic activities were restricted to family photos and travel records. In Sydney he joined the Mosman Camera Club and started getting involved in nature and landscape photography and in portraiture.
After the move back to Melbourne in 1977 he immediately joined the Melbourne Camera Club and was a member for over 20 years. During this time he attended several courses on general and specialised photography and recorded all sorts of subjects with his camera. During these and the following years Thomas entered competitions and has won numerous awards. Some of his work was also accepted for exhibitions at various venues.
Since 2002, he has concentrated on digitally re-mastering his pictures, taking more and more photos and experimenting with PhotoStory3 presentations of images and started writing books.
The publications Images of Australia and The West of the West contain some of Thomas' best photographs of Australia. Australian Adventures is a collection of travel journals with many illustrations.
His autobiography has been published under the title Challenge and Adversity. Captured by the Camera is a collection of the author's best photographs.
The Hub of Australia and Beyond contains pictures and reminiscences following tours to the Northern Territory and to South Australia.
Thomas has several Olympus film cameras with an assortment of lenses. However, since the advent of digital photography he has become a devotee of Panasonic cameras. He is teaching digital photography at the Nunawading branch of U3A (University of 3rd Age - Nunawading is a suburb of Melbourne).
Thomas is married, has a married daughter and three grandchildren.
Bibliography
Australian Adventures (2006) - also available in Hungarian under the title of Kalandozások Ausztráliában
Australian Adventures (bw version) (2006)
Images of Australia (2006) - also available in Hungarian under the title of Ausztráliai Képes Album and in German as Australien mit der Kamera
The West of the West (2006) - also available in Hungarian under the title of Nyugattól Nyugatra
Challenge and Adversity (2007)
Captured with the Camera (2007)
The Hub of Australia and Beyond (2007)
17th October, 2007
Following the intervention and crushing of the revolt by Soviet troops, some 200,000 people sought refuge in the West. Thomas was one of them - arriving in Australia in June 1957 and settling there.
Since then he has been living in Melbourne (1957-66, and from 1977) and in Sydney (1966-77).
From 1958 to 1964 Thomas studied industrial chemistry at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology part-time, while supporting himself (and later his family) by working first as a draughtsman and then in chemical laboratories. He graduated in industrial chemistry and in chemical engineering and worked in the plastics industry. Eventually he specialised in polyurethane foams and retired from Dunlop Foams after 25 years of service in 2002.
Initially his photographic activities were restricted to family photos and travel records. In Sydney he joined the Mosman Camera Club and started getting involved in nature and landscape photography and in portraiture.
After the move back to Melbourne in 1977 he immediately joined the Melbourne Camera Club and was a member for over 20 years. During this time he attended several courses on general and specialised photography and recorded all sorts of subjects with his camera. During these and the following years Thomas entered competitions and has won numerous awards. Some of his work was also accepted for exhibitions at various venues.
Since 2002, he has concentrated on digitally re-mastering his pictures, taking more and more photos and experimenting with PhotoStory3 presentations of images and started writing books.
The publications Images of Australia and The West of the West contain some of Thomas' best photographs of Australia. Australian Adventures is a collection of travel journals with many illustrations.
His autobiography has been published under the title Challenge and Adversity. Captured by the Camera is a collection of the author's best photographs.
The Hub of Australia and Beyond contains pictures and reminiscences following tours to the Northern Territory and to South Australia.
Thomas has several Olympus film cameras with an assortment of lenses. However, since the advent of digital photography he has become a devotee of Panasonic cameras. He is teaching digital photography at the Nunawading branch of U3A (University of 3rd Age - Nunawading is a suburb of Melbourne).
Thomas is married, has a married daughter and three grandchildren.
Bibliography
Australian Adventures (2006) - also available in Hungarian under the title of Kalandozások Ausztráliában
Australian Adventures (bw version) (2006)
Images of Australia (2006) - also available in Hungarian under the title of Ausztráliai Képes Album and in German as Australien mit der Kamera
The West of the West (2006) - also available in Hungarian under the title of Nyugattól Nyugatra
Challenge and Adversity (2007)
Captured with the Camera (2007)
The Hub of Australia and Beyond (2007)
17th October, 2007
These young emus appear to be contemplating what action they should take next.
Green tree frogs live mainly in the northern half of Australia. They make great photo models but have to be handled very gently.
Sculpture Symposium is the name of the group of sculptures on a hilltop near Broken Hill (New South Wales, Australia). Artists from all over the world contributed to the decoration of this remote part of the world.
Karijini National Park is in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. This is the ideal place to visit for the adventurous with its many walks and climbs which range from the easy to the very difficult.
Mullah-mullah is just one of the many varieties of wildflowers in Western Australia.
Kalbarri National Park is a huge expanse of wilderness. The river, massive rocks and unforgettable ocean beach scenes greet the visitor here under the bright sunshine of Western Australia. It is said: As one gets further North of Perth it it keeps getting better ...
The Pinnacles in Nambung National Park (Western Australia) are Nature's curious monuments. These blocks come in all shapes and sizes, thousands of them.
Kangaroo paw is a native flower to Western Australia. It can be found in various colours and shapes.
A late afternoon view from The Horn, Mount Buffalo National Park, Victoria, Australia. At 1730m altitude you already feel on top of the world there.
