100 Days of Happy

There is a new challenge going around Facebook, #100HappyDays, http://100happydays.com/ a few weeks ago a friend was telling me about it and said it would be good for me to do.....I agreed it was a good idea then made excuses why I wouldn't be able to do it now, not enough time to process my photo, when I am working I don't always take a photo, the clarity on my phone camera is not good, I will wait until I get a new one, I am too busy, blah blah blah...I was one of the 71% who would find an excuse not to be happy.

I was making excuses alright but as I thought about it I realised I can find something to make me happy any day, all I had to do was take a photo of it....or find one from my collection, I was stressing about the taking a photo yet the challenge is to submit a photo.

When my girls were little I used to ask how their day was, I would get 'fine', 'good', 'alright' as answers, when asked what they did they would tell me  'stuff', 'played', 'work', you know the same answers all parents get, I found when I asked what was the best part of the day they were more giving with their answers and soon it was a competition to see who had the best day. I did not have to ask the question many times before it became natural to share the best part of your day with the family. I now get txt messages from all my girls saying 'guess what' when they have something exciting to share with me. (I will often reply with something totally random)

I won't bore you with all the photos I will be sharing on Facebook, just the really special things that make me happy, some days the hard part is deciding which happy to post.

I joined a group of photographer at 5:30am to shoot the sunrise over Brisbane, I am not a sunrise photogragher as I am usually driving to work as the sun comes up, I don't want to get up early on my days off. This day I was starting work a bit later and had plenty of time to do both. It was also the first really cold day of the year and boy was that a surprise.

With Mothers day approaching the shops are full of pots of flowers, I treated myself to a pot of daffodils - these were going to be my happy photo for the day. After a few macro shots of the flowers I decided to take an 'in the garden' photo. My gorgeous Lilly  decided to see what I was doing on the ground, this was the perfect result

Seeing my photos displayed in the local library  - this is a seriously happy moment.

Spending the afternoon with friends and showing them a new photography trick. (I have had 2 requests from other people to try this since posting on FB)

Chris and Nicole's Wedding

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Nicole and Chris, a beautiful young kiwi couple who are very much in love, they have a gorgeous daughter with another baby due in 2 months. 

Chris was one of ‘my boys’. I use a labour hire company at work and usually get the same group of guys each time, he is one of the nicest good natured people I know, he is a great worker with a very layback personality.  

The ceremony was at the Brisbane Registry Office 110 George Street., I was pleasantly surprised by the venue and the helpfulness of the staff, I am not sure if I had a preconceived idea or if I stereotyped   government employees, the Justice of the Peace who performed the service went beyond just doing his job. The music for the ceremony was on an iPhone that refused to connect to the stereo system, so the JP downloaded the song the bride wanted on to his own phone because he knew his would work – it was an Adele song so I guess there was a charge from itunes, this was not even mentioned or considered.

I was very happy to be able to share this special day with one of ‘My Boys’ and his beautiful bride and I am flattered that they asked me.

Gorgeous Family

Simply stunning

Brothers

Given away by her brother

There was tears

Kiss the bride

It's official

An Uncle's love

Beautiful family

Quick peak

My Boys

The beautiful Korah

Toowong Cemetery

Daughter #1 is always keen to help me with my photography ideas, you may remember when she willing walked in the freezing waters at Gardeners Falls for the lady in the lake photos. Here Recently I have been toying with an dark morbid idea using a cemetery as the back drop.  I was after a dark fantasy look. I think I pulled it off.

I have been following the work of Brooke Shaden, http://shadenproductions.com/blog/ she does a lot of composite work with photoshop, I like the story telling of her work and wanted to try my own take. #1 and her BF are keen gamers and love the game of Thrones and Medieval stuff, I am sure they are going to love these photos. ***Although I  am not sure how HWMBO will like them*** (perhaps I won't show him)

The Toowong Cemetery is one of Brisbane's most historical cemeteries a lot of Queensland's governors and premiers buried here, the most notable grave in the Toowong Cemetery is  possibly that of Jack the Ripper. This is an extract from Wikipedia In August 2008 Toowong Cemetery made world news with the revelation that Jack the Ripper may well be buried there. According to Queensland Historians Jack Sim and Paul Tully, Walter Thomas Porriott was in the Whitechapel area of London at the time of the murders and later migrated to Australia. The headstone over his grave is only engraved with "Bessie - Died 25th June 1957 - And her Husband". 

I could have spent hours walking about the cemetery, looking at the different graves, the new and the old...although the old are much more interesting. I have another photo shoot planned for a cemetery so I might spend a bit of time on my own looking around for another site.

This was the first photo I took when I got out of the car, I love the light and colour of the weeds.

From this spot you can see the newer graves in the background, it was really quiet eerie...there was also a very strong smell of incense around the newer graves yet no evidence of it.

The lady in red 

HWMBO looking at the headstones

Behind the scenes a little help with the hood

The BF floating above the grave of Sir Anthony Musgrave Qld's 6th governor

This is the image I was after, again I am amazed that I can execute and idea and it work just as I picture it in my mind. Thank you #1 for being so patient and obliging 

I am looking forward to my next photography adventure....now I just need some ideas.

***Any ideas would be appreciated*** 

Fun Weekend

Although the weekend seems like a long time ago (it is Wednesday and I have had a busy few days at work) I had the best time last weekend. After a few hours work on Saturday I meet with some of my favorite photographers for lunch and a natter.

We checked in to an amazing hotel overlooking the Story Bridge, the room was booked for 6 people, there was a double bed, 2 singles, a fold out sofa and a trundle bed. We were tossing for beds and debating which 2 of us would share the double bed, I kept quite during the talk discussion, listening to the comments of ' I don't mind', 'I snore', 'I wiggle'.  It was finally decided who would share so I gave my reason for not wanting to share....I cuddle, I have been married for over 20 years, I have only ever spent a few nights away from HWMBO, the last time I shared a bed with someone not him (my mum) I snuggled all night. I got the the sofa bed!

We meet with more of the Jpeg photographers for coffee and planning of the night shoot. With no real plan in mind we followed the river walk for shots of the bridges of Brisbane - of course the sun set was a fail, it often is when I am with a group of people...my photo of the William Jolly Bridge was very bland - just plain boring.

After the sun went down the photos got better, Brisbane really is a pretty city
This is my post card photo....the view on all the postcards for Brisbane.

As night fell we walked to Southbank all of us looking for a 'different perspective' our photo challenge for the month, my different perspective...is more of a reflection - still a different view of the Brisbane Wheel.

I had to get a photo of the Lord Mayors Christmas Tree, it is so pretty. I tried to use the cut out for bokeh - I thought there was too much light, but later discovered I was doing it wrong. 

After hours of walking, we made our way back to the hotel, with grand plans of doing a light painted group photo in the botanical gardens...sore feet and a few glasses of champagne blew this plan out of the water. I took a few photos of the balcony - laughing at the girls who were scared of heights, something that has never bothered me - I knew I was safe (the rail was above waist high and I didn't put any of my weight on it - I know all about metal fatigue, thanks to HWMBO)

Playing with a cutout on my lens to create bokeh happy with the result, will try again - I have a plan

view from the room with 2 single beds

It is funny how when you get a group of girls together for a sleep over there is always late night games and giggling no matter how old we are - we had a ninja ghost stealing toes and taking sleeping photos for Facebook. (Which was removed as soon as it was discovered)

Early morning breakfast and walk around the markets before a trip to Woody Point, not ideal time for photos in the middle of the day, however the site has potential for late afternoon or early morning. I played a lot in photoshop with this result, which I love btw.

The end of year break up for the Jpegs finished my weekend, lots of food, people and photos at Bribie Island. Last year it was raining and I didn't get my camera out of the car even though there where Tawny Frog Mouths spotted in a tree near by. Not only did I find the tree the birds were nesting in I found two Tawnies awake and happy to have their photos taken. I was very excited and kept my find too myself until I got some photos.

Again the sunset was a fail....Andrew (the Mentor) kindly told me it is not my fault that it is my fault that the sunsets fail when I am around....which leads me to wonder how often people chase the sunset/sunrise when the conditions look perfect but mother nature takes away the magic.