8/365

That's my girl...

Portraits are my least favourite photography genre, I need a lot more practice, fortunately I have a couple of quite willing models to help me out with that...

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
1/125s
f/1.8 
50mm
ISO200

seventy-three to seventy-seven...

73: photography and my tutor
74: seeing into people's secrets on "Baggage"
75: family game night, despite the fights
76: medicine to stop the babe's runny nose and bring him some comfort
77: kittens, for their cuteness

7/365

This was the photo I finally submitted for my assignment. Was thrilled to get 9/10 for this module, the technical aspects of the course are truly doing my head in but I'm finally "getting it". My tutor gave some very encouraging responses to this photo including that there was very little he could add to it, 'though he did suggest that more of the handle of the whisk could be included.

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
1/1000s
f/1.8
50mm
ISO400

6/365

Another day of assignment shooting; I think I'm getting close to something I want to submit...

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
1/1600s
f/1.8
50mm
ISO400

5/365

Still working on a photo for the same assignment showing depth of field.

My Dad grew this pineapple (and the one that came from the top behind it.)

Specs:
Canon EOS 400D
s1/250
f/1.8
50mm
ISO200

sixty-five to sixty-seven...

65: childcare
66: a great dental prosthetician, good at his trade, personable and friendly
67: studying photography and improving my craft

2/365

This was taken for the third part of the same photography assignment.

Liam's motorbike helmet; I'm sure it's too small for him now but it's still one of his prized possessions.

-♥-♥-♥-

Specs:

Canon EOS 400D

20s

f/8

50mm

ISO 200

fifty-two to fifty-nine...

52: a block of Snack chocolate when everyone else has gone to bed

53: feeding "duckdies" at the river

54: IQ series recording

55: my camera and learning more about it

56: cake wrecks

57: Dave Grohl; so cool...

58: the Foo Fighters

59: kittens

Start Doing Things You Love...

Things I love...

• reading
• gardening
• photography
• bicycling
• writing
• letters
• learning
• friends and family
• dancing
• singing
• walking, hiking and camping
• flower arranging and selling
• crafting

These are the things I need to do more of to find my balance and ensure my happiness. They're not necessarily things I'm good at but things that bring me joy. I need to consciously act to make more time in my life for these things.

If you don't have enough time, watch less tv.  

I don't think I watch too much tv but this line of the Holstee manifesto is a reminder in any case, that the things we place importance on may not be important after all. Many a time I have the tv on for background noise (what bad company!) and get distracted from what I really want to be doing by whatever brain suck is currently on the box. Facebook offers similar torment in the form of all the mind numbingly easy to get drawn into games that are offered therein. I need to make a conscious decision to reduce the impact of those things on my life. Television and facebook; time drains extraordinaire.

Seen in My Yard... #1

Noisy Friarbird

New Holland Honeyeater

Brown Honeyeater

Laughing Kookaburra

Willie Wagtail

'Though little Mr Willie Wagtail is seen 'most everywhere in Australian suburban yards I will never tire of hearing his joyful song and watching his sweet little tail wagging dance.

The photos used in this post were taken from the website of Ákos Lumnitzer an amazing local nature photographer.

This list was inspired by the knowledge that beauty surrounds us every day...

Kindest Wishes,
AJ

Everything out of it's place...

This morning R put the empty peanut butter jar in the recycling box, without rinsing it out first. The recycle box was not in it's usual place under the kitchen sink but was instead on the floor at the end of the bench.

SCORE! Peanut Butter straight from the jar! WooHoo!

You can see in the look on D jnr's face that he was certain he would NOT be allowed to eat peanut butter from the jar and he was right, ordinarily he wouldn't be allowed, however, since it WAS nearly empty and since he wasn't sneaky about it (he literally came and sat right next to me) I let him have it.


For a little while. There's only so much stickiness a Mama can handle!

This list was inspired by mischief and mayhem and the ability to go with the flow, sometimes.

Kindest Wishes,
AJ

Things I love... #3

I love to find beauty in the small things... and playing with my new (second hand) camera . ;)

This list was inspired by nature's beauty (at Bicentennial Park, Homebush, NSW.)

Kindest Wishes,
AJ

A Day in the Sun...

We had a wonderful day out with friends today; some old, some new, all great.

I had a great afternoon playing with my new (second hand) Canon 450D; the first time I've taken fully manual photos since high school (which doesn't count since it was so long ago!) I took a lot of pretty bad photos, some okay photos and a few great photos. I have room for improvement.

The best things about a picnic are...

Kicking your shoes off...

hitching a ride...

trying new things...

the food...

the friends...

flying...

and the kids being exhausted at the end of the day!

This list was inspired by time spent in good company.

Kindest Wishes,
AJ

Good Morning Sunshine

This little beauty greets me from my front garden each day at the moment; though it's days are soon to end. In this picture the gerbera looks like it has white edges around the petals or that the colour is fading, they are actually yellow edges and the backs of the petals are yellow too.


I LOVE my garden; I love my rescue plants; this one only cost me $4 (normal retail for a gerbera in flower is between $8-$12) at the end of Mother's Day last year. My garden is almost full now, in a rental property I have limited space and I'm very proud of all the little greenies I've saved and that the garden has cost me very little to create.