Everything That Was

Here we are. The end of 2011. Only a few more hours left. It's been quite a year really. Full of highs and lows. Exciting steps into the future and dreams starting to form. I feel this year has been a big and exciting year for a myriad of reasons. This seems like the perfect time to share a couple of photos I took a few weeks back. Nothing like a bit of sparkle to say goodbye to 2011!


So I say happy new year to you. Celebrate your achievements for 2011 and shake off any disappointments. Dream big for 2012 and I'll do the same. Thank you so much for stopping by my little blog though out the year as I shared my thoughts and endless pictures. I appreciate every page view and comment.

Happy New Year everyone!!!
Here's to 2012!! It's going to be a fantastic year.

I Went Wide...

A few days ago I got up early to go photograph the sunrise. Well, more accurately I couldn't get to sleep so I decided to do something with my time. So I packed up my stuff intent on doing my last sunrise photoshoot of 2011. However what I neglected to do was to check the weather forecast.

Such a mistake!! Note to self: always check the weather before you head out to photograph outside. So instead of witnessing and capturing a beautiful sunrise to bid farewell to 2011 I was greeted by a soupy, cloudy sky that gradually got a bit of light injected into it. Don't even get me started on the rain bucketing down. Not exactly the spectacular sunrise I was hoping for.

The journey wasn't I complete waste however. I had arrived a few hours before sunrise and I managed to capture a few long exposure photographs. The rain even let up slightly. So armed with my camera, tripod and trusty umbrella I set about salvaging what I could from this little expedition.


My ultra wide angle lens stayed on my camera for the most part. As you can see from the spots on the above photo my lens got a bit of rain on it. But I decided to just roll with it. I just love the perspective it can give. This lens (for me anyway) seems to really lend itself to landscape photography. Especially if I remember the 'rule' that it's better to get really close to whatever is in the foreground.


I love the tones in the above photo. It seems like a lovely layer cake of color. Sure there are shadows and such but I think it adds depth to the photo.


Even though I didn't get the spectacular sunrise that I originally wanted it still turned out to be a worthwhile trip. Anytime I manage to capture a lovely photo it's a worthwhile trip in my opinion. After all there will always be another sunrise...

A Sojourn in Sydney

A couple of weeks back I hopped on a plane for an overnight in Sydney (as you do). My mum, stepdad and I were there to attend my mum's Masters graduation! I got to go along and play photographer. So I thought I'd share a few photos from the trip.

This is the view from my hotel room:


I took the bulk of my photos (save for the graduation of course) at the Chinese gardens located in Darling Harbour. It seemed slightly odd to have lush gardens with a strange sense of tranquility about them surrounded by high-rise buildings with the city centre a mere stones throw away. But for some reason it works well.


We had arrived in Sydney quite early and after spending a few hours exploring the Chinese gardens and Darling Harbour we headed to the hotel for a much needed nap (well, I at least needed it!). Only problem? Our rooms weren't quite ready yet. So we relaxed in the lobby for a bit. In the lobby there were these cool shiny lampshades that I couldn't resist photographing while we were waiting. I really like the result.


After a much needed nights sleep we were off to attend mum's graduation. She had worked so hard to complete her Masters! It was really special to see her get the recognition she so richly deserved. It was so wonderful to see her all decked out in her academic dress. We got there a little early so we would have enough time to take a few photos... Well okay more than a few. So a very special thank-you to my mum for letting me come along and for sharing your special day with me!!! You're amazing!!


All in all it was a lovely little sojourn in Sydney!

Bag Review - 2 Sues by Kelly Moore

I hope everyone had a very happy Christmas!! Is it just me or has this year passed in a blink? Anyway... I thought I'd share one of my beautiful Christmas gifts with you. I love giving and receiving gifts, don't you? They tell me I'm loved and appreciated. I love giving gifts that I've put thought and effort into - a true expression of how I feel about the recipient of the gift. Well my amazing mum gave me a wonderful gift this Christmas.


Yes that's right I finally have a Kelly Moore bag of my very own!! Happy day!! After roughly a year of lusting after a Kelly Moore (seriously I visited her website more times than I can count!) mum said she'd buy me one for Christmas. I didn't need to be told twice so I quickly jumped online and placed my order for the 2 Sues bag.


This bag is absolutely fantastic!! Not only is it extremely beautiful and fashionable but it's so functional and very well made. The inside of the bag is well padded and a lovely purple colour. No scrounging for black bits in a black bag. Unfortunately my photos just don't do the bag justice. I was working with artificial light with a bit of flash thrown in for good measure. But you can still get the idea.


Let's talk storage and gear. This bag has heaps of pockets and places to stash a myriad of items. First up camera gear. The section for your camera stuff is extremely well padded. I'm not worried that my camera or lenses are going to get damaged in the hustle and bustle of life. Of course I wouldn't throw if down the stairs or anything but I wouldn't throw my gear down the stairs no matter what it was stored in. In terms of camera gear I can easily fit:
- my d7000 with lens attached
- one to two lenses (depending on size)
- a flash
There's also a removable divider that creates a place where you can put your ipad or android equivalent. A soon-to-be-purchased item I can assure you.

Other stuff I carry around on a daily basis:
- Kindle (I must have something to read with me at all times) ~ in a perfect Kindle-sized pocket!
- phone
- spare batteries for my flash and camera
- quick release plate for my tripod
- camera remote control
- medication
- scripts (for medication)
- lipgloss
- lens pen and cleaning cloth
- keys
- wallet (incorporated in the bag)
Even after all of that I have pockets to spare! So I occasionally take my pocket wizards and/or a mp3 player with me.

One of my favorite features of the bag is the Posey Pocket which incorporates a card holder and wallet into the bag. No more ragged, ripped wallet for me! The great part is that you can have the posey pocket laying against your body so it's safe from any thieving fingers. Incorporated in the posey pocket is a area where you can put your SD cards (or CF cards for that matter) and switch them out at a moments notice.


I've had this bag for a few weeks now (it arrived a couple of weeks before Christmas) and I have to say it has met and exceeded all my expectations. It carries the perfect amount of gear for me and can be totally customizable with the removable padded dividers. I even had it with me on two extremely rainy days where I got absolutely soaked but my gear inside stayed nice and dry. If that isn't the mark of a fantastic bag I don't know what is!

The best part is that it just looks like a normal handbag... Until you read a review like this and then the jig is up I guess... Here's a photo of me with the 2 Sues bag (taken by my mum)


Now if I could just get my hands on the Libby...

Mini Adventure...

A few weeks back I went on a mini adventure to Lake Somerset. It was such a nice way to spend the day. I had intended on spending the night but I just couldn't face the thought of an uncomfortable air bed. But that's beside the point... I thought I'd share a few of my favorite photos of the day.


Even surrounded by nature I seem to be constantly drawn to the details. The above boat trailer seemed to play into my 'detail lust' quite nicely.


I find myself drawn to cropping landscapes (especially ones taken with my ultra wide angle lens) into a long format. It just seems to suit the look a little better. Like that size conveys the idea of a vista. What do you think?


I love the look of water skiing! It seems like so much fun. I secretly (well not so secretly now that it's on the world wide web) would love to give it a try but seeing as I struggle to stay upright on flat, even ground I don't think it's the sport for me. Have you ever tried water skiing?

Blank...

Hi and happy December lovely readers. Just wanted to say I haven't forgotten about you or my little slice of the Internet. I hope you haven't forgotten me either.

The truth is I've been feeling a little... well... blank. Not unhappy, depressed or even uninspired. Just a little blank. I recently commented to a friend that I couldn't remember what I did with myself before photography. During project 365 there were always photos to edit, posts to write, ideas to chase down.

Now I have a little free time on my hands. I haven't been idle by any means. There was/is assistant work to do, photography adventures to take with friends and family, endless amounts of research (photography related of course) and projects to consider. I guess I never thought I would find it strange not to take a picture every day. Go figure hey?

But I have an idea for my next project. It's not fully formed yet and I still need to figure out exactly how to make it work. Never fear once it's ready I'll be sure to tell you all about it. It's still in its infancy but I think it could turn into something spectacular. We'll just have to wait and see.

I suppose I always feel slightly blank around this time of year and I guess this year is no exception. I don't consider it to be a bad thing to be blank sometimes - that's often when I get my best ideas. It just feels a little strange to go from an active year to contemplating what might be next. I plan to enjoy this stage though because if everything goes according to plan for next year I will find myself very grateful for this time of rest.

It seems odd to post without a picture... My how this blog has changed! At the start I simply wrote with barley any visual enticement only to swing almost to the complete opposite. It's a testament to my passions I suppose. When I picture my future or even indulge in the odd fanciful daydream photography is now front and center. It's so refreshing and fulfilling and exciting to have found something that I can do (and grow in skill) and am completely passionate about. What's better way to spend your days than doing something you love?

Well this has been a bit of a rambler. If you made it this far thanks for hanging in there! So until my next project is ready to be launched I have some recent photos that I'd love to share. So stay tuned for more.

And in the meantime I hope you have having a wonderful holiday season!

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Sixty-Five

Well here it is. The end of project 365 (version 1 at least). I'm so happy I stuck with it and saw it to completion. It's kind of interesting to see my progression as I've learned different techniques and developed my skills. I hope you guys have enjoyed following along as much as I have loved working on this project.

When I was trying to decide what the last photo of project 365 should be I thought it would be the perfect time to try out a technique I read about a while ago. So without further ado I present the last photo of project 365 version 1:

Image taken 24 November 2011

I didn't take a single photo the next day and it felt so odd! I suppose it's going to feel a little strange breaking a year long habit. I'm quite keen to start another one truth be told but I'm giving myself a little break before I start it up again. Besides I want the next one to be a little more challenging. So I'm still figuring a few things out. If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them!

This project has been one of the most fun, most challenging, most inspiring things I have done. I love it that I can look back at the past year and see what a year it has been. To think when I started the project photography was just a hobby that I was really enjoying to now looking at it as a career! Thank you for sharing this journey with me - for the pageviews, the comments (both in cyberspace and real life), and the follows. It has all been invaluable to me. I can't wait to share whatever might be next. In the meantime I still plan to blog and share photos (I can't help myself). It just won't be as structured. I hope you stick around!

Until my next post I'd dearly love to know: what's your favorite photo from project 365?

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Sixty-Four

Day three hundred and sixty-four!! Can you believe it?? Only one more day left of project 365!! I cannot believe it's been a year. My, oh my, what a year it has been. Honestly I'm impressed that I haven't missed a single day (knock on wood - there's still one day left!)

Today's photo is a celebration of my undying infatuation with coffee.

Image taken 23 November 2011

Most people who know me know I love a good cup of coffee. I basically have a bowl of it every morning. There's nothing like it to kick start my morning. I like how the light and shadow form and imperfect heart. Oh me oh my I heart me a good cup of coffee. Are you a huge coffee fan like me?

My next post will be the completion of project 365. Thanks for sticking with me! I'd love to know do you have a favorite photo?

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Sixty-Three

On day three hundred and sixty-three I treated myself to a trip to the movies. It was pretty awesome! I love going to the movies by myself. Don't you? But that's beside the point I got there pretty early so it seemed like the perfect time to snap on my ultra wide angle and try to capture some of the drama of the cinema.

Image taken 22 November 2011

It truth this isn't exactly the photo that I was looking for but since I neglected to bring my tripod into the cinema this was the best I could do. If nothing else it's a great demonstration of 'leading lines'. It was a lovely way the while away a few hours on a hot day.

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Sixty-Two

I was stuck for subject matter a photo for day three hundred and sixty-two but I had dinner at my Auntie's house and she had the most lovely frangipani tree growing in her backyard. Subject matter problem solved!

Image taken 21 November 2011

It took a bit to get the focus dead on as it was pretty much pitch black outside. Thank goodness for focus assist on my external flash is all I can say. I kind of like the drama of the completely black background with the bright white flowers in stark contrast.

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Sixty-One

Another day another BBQ with friends and family. For me another chance to practice my 'people photography' skills. I got the amazing opportunity to meet a beautiful little boy and I couldn't resist snapping a few photos. So let me introduce you to Master L:

Image taken 20 November 2011

Aren't his eyes the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen? I fell in love with his big, beautiful eyes and I couldn't seem to stop snapping. Luckily he was the perfect little model looking directly into the camera the entire time. Perfection! Thank Mr G and Mrs J for letting me take his photo.

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Sixty

On day three hundred and sixty (!!!) I spent a few fantastic hours with some of my family members and wonderful friends (both old and new). It was nice to catch up with everyone. I couldn't help but snap a few photos.

Image taken 19 November 2011

I really like the above image because it manages to tell a story without having the 'entire' person in shot. Plus I am obsessed with hands so this photo just seems kind of perfect to me. Something about it just seems so beautiful! What do you think of the photo?

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Fifty-Nine

Day three hundred and fifty-nine was a wonderful day. I was able to spend the day with one of my very best friends. We chatted about a myriad of topics, ate some yummy food and generally had a grand ol' time. While we were hanging out the wonderful Mrs K allowed me to snapped a few photographs of her.

Image taken 18 November 2011

It's great to see my progression. I'm now able to take some really nice portraits (something that I defiantly wasn't good at the beginning of project 365). A large part of the credit goes to the photographer I assist on occasion. Being able to observe how a professional takes professional quality portraits was helped me immeasurably.

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Fifty-Eight

My love of all things night is well documented on this blog so there's no real need to rehash it all again. So on day three hundred and fifty-eight I stopped on my way home to catch the beauty of the night. The streetlights shrouded in darkness acting as a beacon lighting my way back home seemed like the perfect subject material.

Image taken 17 November 2011

My ultra wide angle lens gave this photo a bit more 'pop' (a real technical term there). If I had taken this photo with a different lens it would have lacked something. I love how the beams from the streetlights stream out. There truly is something magical about the night!

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Fifty-Seven

There are some color combinations that I just really like. I don't know why I like them specifically. They are just a bit more visually appealing to me I guess. One of my favorite color combos is purple and green. So when I was looking for something to photograph on day three hundred and fifty-seven my eyes fell on my pretty purple shoes.

Image taken 16 November 2011

I like how just the tiniest part is in focus and the rest just falls away but you can still tell they're shoes. A simple photo to be sure but I still think it looks pretty. It's nice to know my shoes can be used for something since I've never worn them!

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Fifty-Six

I'm completely on top of my project 365 posts. Posting a photo the day I took it. Unheard of in recent times. Today I went for a little wander in my local area to enjoy the fading sunshine and to see what I could see. Naturally my camera took a walk with me. Not long into my walk I saw the perfect subject matter for day three hundred and fifty-six.

Image taken 15 November 2011

One of my neighbors is growing a beautiful bouganvilla that seemed made for a little photography session. I love the tissue paper petals. So fine and delicate like if you touched it it would disintegrate. Simple to be sure but sometimes there is such beauty in simplicity, don't you think?

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Fifty-Five

10 days!!! 10 days left of project 365. It kind of blows my mind that I have been taking a photo every day for almost a full year. Looking back at some of the photos makes me cringe but there are others that I'm quite proud of and if nothing else at the very least it serves as a chart of my progression. Now I just have to think of an appropriate send off...

Image taken 14 November 2011

As I was driving home right on sunset I was enchanted by the reflection in my sunglasses that were sitting on my dashboard. It seemed like an interesting way to capture a sunset in a non-traditional way. I think it would have turned out better if the sun would have been slightly higher but this was the first opportunity I had to pull over. So I had to take what I could get. This is the scene the sunglasses were reflecting.


As you can see the light was fading fast and I didn't have my tripod with me. The photo would have been so much better if I had of had my tripod with me. Lesson learned: my tripod must accompany me everywhere!

Project 365 - Day Three Hundred And Fifty-Four

For day three hundred and fifty-four I was at my bower bird best... attracted to shiny, pretty things. Thankfully I have no end of baubles to keep me entertained when I'm having an 'at home' day.

Image taken 13 November 2011

You can just make out my reflection in the broach. I have become a little obsessed with reflections. Sometimes it seems like capturing a picture in a picture. Or maybe I just like reflections because it means that something is shiny enough to give a reflection...