Something weird has been happening to me lately. I have always been a complete night owl. The type of person who very rarely goes to bed before 2am. You know that type of person. Well for the past few days I've been in bed by 8pm and up by 3am!! I have no idea what's happened. One things for sure I'm not a big fan of this change in my sleeping pattern. I want my old patterns back!! The one nice thing about this new sleep schedule is that I get to see some wonderful morning scenes.
Image taken 30 August 2011
I took this photo as I was walking out of the shopping center (I got there before lots of the shops were open - never done that before!). This photo doesn't really do justice to what I saw. It reminded me of some of the famous watercolor paintings I have seen. There were so many beautiful layers of clouds and shading. It was simply stunning! I need to figure out the best way to capture a scene like this. Looks like more internet reading for me. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
I love relaxing in my room! It is completely mine - decorated and arranged just the way I want. Whenever I'm in my room I feel rejuvenated and completely chilled out. There's nothing like putting my feet up and reading a book or watching a movie. I love the perspective of this photo.
Image taken 29 August 2011
There's just one bit of art work missing from my room. See that blank wall behind my head? It's going to go right there. I can't wait to show it to you when it's finished. It's going to look pretty great if it turns out right. We'll have to see.
This was not the photo I was expecting to get today. I wandered into my garden to see if there were any raindrops still hanging on to any of my trees. Instead I spied this little guy sitting on a leaf of my lemon tree. He must have been pretty camera shy because he kept on moving every time I got the focus just right. After many failed photos I finally got one of his beautifully big eyes in focus.
Image taken 28 August 2011
Is it wrong/weird to think a spider looks cute? Because I think he's the cutest little thing!! All fury and tiny - he would be at most a centimeter long. Kind of amazing if you ask me... Have I mentioned lately how much I love macro photography?
Day two hundred and seventy-six was a wonderfully overcast, rainy, cold(ish) kind of day. The perfect kind of day for snuggling under the covers with a good book and a piping hot cup of peppermint tea. So that's exactly what I did.
Image taken 27 August 2011
I wish that i had of taken this photo with a slightly wider depth of field but to be honest I was more interesting in drinking my cup of tea before it got stone cold. So I'm interested: what do you like to do on rainy days?
Hi! How are you today? Me? I'm great thanks for asking (it's not weird to have a full conversation - both sides - with my internet friends, is it?) Anyway thanks for dropping by. I had a fairly chilled out day yesterday - I choose to blame it on my strange sleeping patterns. So when searching for a subject for project 365 I headed to my little garden to see if there was anything pretty to photograph. This one is my favorite:
Image taken 26 August 2011
I just love that bit of sharpness on the ant as it scurries about doing its important business. It would have been nice if I had of made the depth of field a little deeper so that the 'eye' of the flower was in sharp focus. But by the time I fixed my settings the ant had scurried away so I had to make the best of what I had.
I'm so proud of this little lime tree! I thought I had killed it for sure (a green thumb I am most certainly not). It had lost all its leaves and was looking shriveled and dry. But when I went to look at it today it was absolutely bursting with new life! I guess it had to learn the hard way that I am a pathetic gardener. Here's hoping it stays alive long enough to actually provide me with some fruit. Any tips to give it a fighting chance?
A photography minded friend of mine had discovered a spot that looked like it had some photogenic qualities (great find Miss E!). Of course it was about time for another photography adventure. So we got together a few like minded friends to see
While the others of the group experimented with different lighting/set-up I 'saw' the exact image I wanted to capture. So I waited until the area was clear and snapped my shot. Two frames later and I knew I had exactly what I wanted.
Image taken 25 August 2011
I love the way the light hits the tunnel - just barely giving its dimensions away. The contrast of the red and blue lighting balanced out quite nicely I think. And I love that you get the slightest glimpse of one of my friends light painting in the tunnel...
I spent the rest of the evening helping out with different lighting for the others (when required), watching different styles and approaches to photography, appreciating the comradery and simply enjoying the crisp night air. It was a pretty glorious way to spend a few hours if you ask me!
I think macro photography can make the most ordinary things look extraordinary. Whenever I snap on my macro lens I feel like I'm getting a view into a whole different world. Take this zipper for example... I've thrown this jacket on and zipped it up more times than I can count but I've never taken the time to appreciate the simplicity, ingenuity, function and beauty of this amazing device (?).
Image taken 24 August 2011
Lovely leading lines, perfect pattern, beautiful blue and the shiny zipper tab that catches my eye every time. Simply blissful! I love being able to see and appreciate every day things in a whole new light.
Hello wonderful internet friends!! How are you today? I'm fantastic! I'm also in (what I like to call) 'lock down savings mode'. Which means I'm saving as much of my money as I can. What might I be saving for I here you ask? Camera stuff for course!! (Really would I be saving for anything else?). Warning photography gear post ahead!
So I thought I'd give you a run down on what I'm saving for:
First I'm saving up for the beloved (and much talked about) Nikon D7000! This camera is so tasty. I swear almost every day I'm reading reviews, watching youTube videos, or re-checking prices. Only a few hundred dollars to save and then this delightful camera will be mine! Here's two of my favorite videos about this beautiful camera:
If Chase Jarvis likes it it's good enough for me! (By the way, I find almost anything Chase Jarvis related absolute GOLD! His thoughts on creativity and advancement are mind blowing)
Of course with a new camera I'd like to get a new lens. It's only natural right? I've got my eye on the Nikkor AF-S 50mm 1.8. The sample images produced from this lens are so bokeh-licious. It will be a wonderful lens for portrait photography. Nothing like a nifty fifty stashed in you camera bag....
And speaking of camera bags I have always liked the idea of a camera bag that looks like a normal handbag. I just didn't like the size or shape of most of them. But I think I've finally found one that would suit me down to a T. The Libby camera bag (in Sapphire please) by Kelly Moore looks like it would be the perfect camera bag for my kit.
And last but not least lighting. While I love nothing more than natural lighting there are sometimes that you just need the added oomph of a lighting set up. A nice starter lighting kit would be a fantastic addition to a home studio. Something like this would fit the bill quite nicely...
And now that I have made you so bored that you'd like to tear your eyes out I'll end it there. If you read/watched this all the way to the end thanks for hanging in there with me. I'll let you know when I eventually get my hands on all these goodies!
I'd so love to hear from you!! Have you had any experience with any of these products (or something similar)? What's your opinion?
I'm constantly amazed at the advances in technology. Digital photography is kind of phenomenal isn't it? I mean one click of the shutter button and you can see the image you've taken right away. In the old days of film you had to know you're settings left, right and backwards - click the shutter button and hope you got what you were wanting. I love digital photography but I love the unexpected surprise built in to film photography.
Image taken 23 August 2011
My pretty purple Holga needed a new roll of film and I thought it would be a perfect subject matter for project 365. Kind of old meets new.
It's a kind of rush whenever I drop off a roll of film to be developed. I cross my fingers and toes and hope that I managed to capture the image I 'saw' in my mind. All in all while I love the romance of film I am ever so glad digital photography was invented! It certainly makes learning a lot less stressful.
Sometimes I think the most simply things look pretty. When I was taking my clothes off the line I noticed the weather-beaten pegs twisting in the wind. With the dappled blue and white sky something about the scene caught my imagination.
Image taken 22 August 2011
I would have preferred it if they were old-school wooden pegs but I don't have any of those so I had to make do with what I had on hand. When you think about it pegs are pretty awesome inventions... Or maybe I was just stuck for subject matter today!
I drove to Redcliffe today to visit a friend and talk all things photography. It was wonderful! Of course I couldn't resist the opportunity to make use of my surroundings and snap some photos. However what caught my eye was something completely out of place in the beautiful beach setting.
Image taken 21 August 2011
It's not every day you see a burnt out Kombi van in the family-friendly area of Redcliffe. I focused on the gas can to try and tell a more rounded story and to create more depth in the photo. The presence of the gas can makes me wonder if it was arson. What do you think?
After taking a plethora of photos of the burnt out Kombi we headed down to the beach to see if there was anything else of interest to photography. I was captivated by this beached jellyfish (?). My favorite par of this photo is the bokeh boat in the background which completes the image a bit more.
So tell me - which image do you like better? I hope you've had a wonderful weekend!!
I have managed to get one more photo of my pretty flowers before they start looking a little more worse for wear. They have lasted a full week!! There's something wonderful about have fresh flowers in your home - it's like they add an extra welcome or something.
Image taken 20 August 2011
This day lily is the more beautiful soft peach color. It's kind of amazing. There are so many different hues and textures in the single flower. It was a photographer's delight. Yet another reason why day lilies are my favorite flowers.
Day two hundred and sixty-eight rolled around and I had another day working as a photographer's assistant. I cannot accurately convey how much fun I am having! Seriously I am looking every minute of it!! It's also giving me invaluable experience and letting me learn more and more about the industry. I am ever so gratefully for the opportunity. During a break in between clients I decided to full up my camera (which looks so whimpy compared to the professional camera!) and take a photo of part of the set up.
Image taken 19 August 2011
Backdrops, soft-boxes, light stands, lights, head lamps, power boxes, tripod, and a camera (plus a few other bits and pieces). Oh me, oh my! It's a think of beauty. I'm learning oh so much from every session. At the end of every one I scamper home and furiously write down all that I can remember... Can you tell how much I love it? All of it? If anything being a photographer's assistant had made me 1000% sure that I want to be in this industry.
On day two hundred and sixty-seven I had a jam packed day of photo assisting work. I'm really enjoying and I am learning so much every time I go on a shoot with the photographer I assist. Anyway I pulled out my camera on the drive home to take the photo of the day only to discover I had forgotten to re-insert my SD card!! The first time that's ever happened and such a rookie mistake. Luckily I had my trust HTC Desire HD with me so I snapped a picture.
Image taken 18 August 2011
I figured out that when I load photos I have taken with my camera phone onto my computer it re-dates the 'date shoot' as the date I transferred it onto my computer. Not the biggest deal but still annoying when you're completing a project based almost solely on the date. But anyway...
Back to my beautiful flowers! I am enjoying play with color or the absence of it in photographs. Sometimes a photo seems to have more depth as a black and white. But then sometimes I love the vibrancy and life that is conveyed in a color photo. There is defiantly a place for both types of photography and I love experimenting with both.
Image taken 17 August 2011
I think the black and white in the above photo makes the little white flower stand out in amongst a sea of (what are in actuality) purple flowers. In the below photo I love the vibrant colors held within the eye of the flower.
So tell me... Which are you a fan of? Color photography or black and white? Or are you like me and a big fan of both styles?
~ Thanks so much for reading!! Come back soon!!! Tafline
I *almost* forgot to take the photo of the day. Luckily I remembered just as I was about to tuck into my dessert. Sometimes there is nothing better than a fudge-y, chocolatey ice-cream encased in a crispy cone. Oh so yummy!
Image taken 16 August 2011
The best part was after taking this photo I got to tuck in and enjoy this delightful dessert. What's your favorite dessert?
On another note I can't believe this is day two hundred and sixty-five. Only one hundred days left until I've completed project 365!! It has gone oh so quickly. I'll probably end up starting it all over again because I can't imagine not doing it.
~ Thanks so much for reading!! Come back soon!! Tafline
As I said in my last post I was interested to see if I could take different perspectives of the beautiful flowers my friend gave me. I see that as a valuable part of photography - it's not always about what's new and exciting but it may be about a reinterpretation of the same subject.
Image taken 15 August 2011
This time I was interested in the water drops hanging on the end of the flower petal. It was almost a perfect sphere of water. Sometimes there is such beauty in the simplest of scenes, don't you think?
~ Thanks so much for reading! Come back soon!! Tafline
I have some wonderful friends! The kind of friends who give you flowers because you've been feeling sick. (Thanks Miss E!). These beautiful flowers cheered me up no end. Plus they provided something pretty to photograph for a few days (See what I did there? I warned you that there are flower photos coming up). But I took it as a challenge to see if I could take photos of the same subject from a different perspective.
Image taken 14 August 2011
I kind of like this photo in sepia. Instead of the beautiful, bright orange petals of the gerbera capturing your attention I think that the sepia treatment really highlights the details of the flower. What do you think of the sepia treatment?
~ Thanks so much for reading! Come back soon!! Tafline
It's been a while since I've done a self-portrait - mostly because I've been feeling a bit blah lately. Being sick and generally not feeling that comfortable in anything. But that's me - I have my bad days and good days (just like everyone else). Luckily the good days far outweigh the bad! But anyway to break myself out of this mild body funk I got all dressed up and visited a local park with a friend. There was no time like the present to start my self-portrait series again.
Image taken 13 August 2011
Is it my most favorite self-portrait? Defiantly not. Am I entirely happy with this photo? Probably not. But I like what it represents. I like that (to me) it's about realizing that there are good days and bad day. And it's a reminder that you still have to accept yourself and be kind to yourself on the bad days. So I'm happy with the overall concept and that it's me out there for all the world to see...
~ Thanks so much for reading!! Come back soon! Tafline
If I were in the habit of naming my posts something other than the day numeral sequence this photo would be called "The Things I Will Do For A Photo". I know it doesn't look like I had to do much to get this photo but that's because it doesn't show where I was standing in order to get this photo.
Image taken 12 August 2011
I standing (or squelching more accurately) in sticky, stinking mangrove mud and I was sinking rapidly. This wouldn't have been a big deal if I had have been dressed appropriately. As it was I was wearing sandals and jeans. I seriously need to invest in some gum boots for the next time I decide to go off the beaten track in order to get the 'perfect' shot. Plus I fell down on the way back to the car and had to throw my camera bag to safety. By the time I made it back to the car I was soaked through and caked in mangrove mud. As you can imagine it wasn't the nicest drive home. But I got a pretty picture so I was pretty happy.
The boat caught my eye because it looked so forlorn. It was kind of sad for it to be up out of the water. What do you think?
~ Thanks so much for reading! Come back soon!!! Tafline
I have already discussed my love of cooking. One of my favorite things it when I learn to cook or bake something new. I like to think that if I was ever somewhere kind-of-remote where I couldn't simply pop down to the shops to get something that I could whip up most things. A few weeks ago I brought some rosewater so of course it seemed like the perfect time to learn how to make Turkish Delight... from scratch!
Image taken 11 August 2011
This is my second batch and I now feel completely confident that I can successfully make Turkish Delight from scratch. Everyone wants to have that in their culinary skills, don't they? It's a rather time intensive process and I can't say I'll be cooking it regularly but it's nice to know that if push came to shove I would be able to make these yummy Turkish treats. Are you a fan of Turkish Delight?
~ Thanks so much for reading! Come back soon!! Tafline
I'm a bit of a bower-bird. I am simply drawn to pretty, shiny things. A extremely good friend of mine has the most gorgeous chandelier hanging over her dining room table. Whenever I drop by for a visit I find myself slightly mesmerized by it's beauty.
Image taken 10 August 2011
I would love to have something like this handing up in my room. Alas a ceiling fan isn't that conducive to installing a chandelier. And while I would very much like to have one of my own I'm not willing to sacrifice my comfort in the uncomfortable Australian summer. Do you like shiny, pretty things? Or am I the only one who suffers from this affliction?
~ Thanks so much for reading. Come back soon!! Tafline
Holy moley! I took a bit of an unintended blogger break there. The minute I miss about 3 blog posts it all seems to snowball and it's been a week before you know it. Will I ever learn this lesson?
So anyway day two hundred and fifty-eight was mainly spent in bed and at the doctors. (My, what an exciting day! Ha ha ha). But on the way home from the doctors I noticed the sun was sinking and it was begging to be the subject of day two hundred and fifty-eight.
Image taken 09 August 2011
I simply love the layers of colors! There's just something dreamy about them. I'm desperate to get some material with this color scheme -- it would make such a pretty skirt.
~ Thanks so much for reading!! Come back soon!!! Tafline
After two days almost completely spent in my home I was keen to break out and get some much needed fresh air. So I hopped in my car and headed for the nearest lake (a handy 10min drive from my house!). Naturally my camera came with me.
Image taken 08 August 2011
I can't make up my mind as to if I like the above shot or not. It really was just a result of playing around with my camera a bit. Part of me kind of likes the grass point of view but maybe it could have used a little something extra (too bright maybe?) ... What do you think?
The other contented for day two hundred and fifty-seven is this picture of the fence post surrounding the picnic areas...
As you can see once again I was drawn to the details! Which photo do you like better? Sometimes I'm faced with this problem. When I take pictures of a few subjects on any given day it's sometimes difficult to decide which one I like best.
Oh well that's me for now. Until my next post I hope you're having a wonderful week!
~ Thanks so much for reading!! Come back soon! Tafline
I've told you before about my dad's old cameras. And the connection... and affinity if you will... I feel towards them. They are some of my most treasured possessions. Given all that I was inspired to once again try and capture their beauty. To portray another side of them.
Image taken 07 August 2011
I love the light, the shadow, and the highlight of this picture. It shows its beauty and its intricacy. I just find these cameras amazing and glorious! I also like that this picture isn't a repeat of the one before but stands as a picture in its own right. What do you think of it? I'd love to hear you opinion!
~ Thanks so much for reading!! Come back soon! Tafline
Before I got my beloved Kindle I used to buy books buy the bucket load (I still do... only they're electronic now). One of my favorite type of books to buy were the orange Penguin Classics - completely inexpensive and the BEST collection of Literature.
Image taken 06 August 2011
Now I'm surrounded by all these beautiful books that have enriched my life in ways I cannot even begin to comprehend. They have pride of place in my bookshelf and serve as markers of where I've been and point to where I'm going.
~ Thanks so much for reading!! Come back soon! Tafline
I woke up on day two hundred and fifty-four I was feeling a bit under the weather. So much so that I barely left my bed the whole day. But in order to get a photo (that didn't consist of a picture of my room) I stepped outside my backdoor and gravitated to the closest point of interest.
Image taken 05 August 2011
Because I wasn't feeling the best I simply snapped away, hoped for the best. And promptly crawled back into bed. All in all I think it turned out okay. Plus it put a smile on my face to enjoy the simply beauty of a pretty flower - despite feeling yucky. I'm sure I'll be in tip top shape in no time. Luckily I have a pretty easy weekend planned. What about you? I hope you have an amazing weekend!
~ Thanks so much for reading!! Come back soon. Tafline
During a bit of down time I had this morning I visited a darling little French patisserie and treated myself to a cappuccino and some lovely little macaroons. Simply delightful. I choose to think of it as research for when I finally try to bake my own. That makes it okay, right?
Image taken 04 August 2011
I love the bright colors of these beautiful bites! The french patisserie was artfully decorated with comfortable chair and the obligatory french theme throughout. I can't honestly say it was exactly like being in Paris but it was still pretty awesome.
There was so many other artfully decorated sweet and savory treats. I think I'll have to make it a regular haunt while I work my way through the menu. As it was I sat back with a lovely cup of coffee, my selection of sweet treats and a well written book to keep me company.
Kindle, coffee and macaroons!! Let me tell you it was the perfect way to simply shut down and enjoy some 'me' time. Blissful relaxation. Do you have a cafe you like to visit to escape and unwind?
~ Thank you so much for reading!! Come back soon!! Tafline
Image taken 30 August 2011
