Daily Photo Challenge - Week 17

So another week down, this week's theme was "Sun Flare".  This is something that I've been experimenting with for a while and also something I have been finding very difficult to get right!  This week the weather was generous for the most part so I was able to get a couple of decent shots then yesterday turned sour again.

What I've learnt this week:

• When doing flare shots you almost always need to have your lens in manual focus, it doesn't like too much light
• Scottish people are nuts :)

Family Scottish Heritage Day (Highland Dancing)

Cooler nights

Reading in the backyard

Flying High

Brrmm brrmm

Six months to go...

Builders Apprentice

Daily Photo Challenge - Week 16

Time once again hasn't been on my side this week so unfortunately I didn't stick to the theme of "Shapes" at all.  I am counting down to when I go on maternity leave in the hope this challenge might be a bit easier, although I'm sure I'm luring myself into a false sense of hope as when this baby arrives life is going to get a whole lot more hectic!  But hey its always nice to have dreams!

What I have learnt this week...

• That even when the sky is grey its still not totally ideal for taking shots of waterfalls - it needs to be nearly dark to get it right I believe
• The end of daylight savings has been fantastic, but rushing home to be here by 5 to take advantage of it has been a dream more than reality!

Hope everyone has a great week ahead x

Early breakfast with dadda

My only shapes picture (sorry slap on hand)

Happy Birthday grandma

Bike fun

Swinging action

Daybreak on the way to work

Omeru Falls

Daily Photo Challenge - Week 15

Home - this weeks theme...

And a saying that resonates well with me is "Home is where the heart is".  I love my home, mostly because the most important people in my life live there being my wonderful husband, amazing son and our fur babies.  Home is also Helensville.  Not where I grew up but where I now fit in.  The people here are a little different to Aucklanders, everyone knows each other and it is a rural community.  Home is NZ.  A place I still need to explore more of, and a place where those of us who live here are very lucky to do so.  I'm proud to call NZ home.

This week what have I learned?

• My monkey is the most gorgeous, smiley, cutest, mischievous, naughty (but oh so cute), patient, gentle little boy.  And now I'm starting to wonder if the next one is going to be a ratbag in comparison!
• I haven't quite nailed the 'lens flare', still lots of learning to do!
• I wish I had better skills in photoshop, also wish I had the time to learn...

Enjoy...

Easter Sunday at Waiheke 

Off to bed with Dadda 

Technically a weed but very typical of our backyard...

Bath, bottle bed...

Sleeping in on a school day

Home - number 47

Playing airplanes with dad

Daily Photo Challenge - Week 14

So this week has been a fairly good week for me, I didn't follow the 'colour' theme at all but I was able to find photos to take every day with only a little bit of effort.  I am definitely missing the late evening light though but I do appreciate getting that golden hour before Ash's bed time!

What I learnt this week:

• Ashton hates easter bunnies (but loves chocolate)
• Raglan is one of NZ's best kept secrets - I've been there before but not to the beach and I can't believe what I've been missing!
• Night time exposures are dam hard to get right (I had a night exposure for the 7th but it didn't work out, so the gorgeous Cole will have to do!)

Hope my fellow photog buds all had a good week :)

Gingerbread baking 

Escaping the toy box

Daily traffic (taken at 7:06am, before Westgate onramp)

After being told NOT to eat the chocolate eggs yet! 

Looking at the moo's

Raglan = stunning

Cole (a lot more grown up - this is the baby from "14 hours" see here)

Glorious beautiful light...

A lovely afternoon photo shoot with a lovely mumma and her wee boy xxx

Daily Photo Challenge - Week 13

Well this week has been an exciting week in our household.  We were finally able to start letting the cat out of the bag that we are expecting a little brother or sister for Ashton.  I am twelve weeks along and so far been experiencing the very typical pregnancy path which has been a bit of a shock as I got next to nothing when I was pregnant with Ash.  Added to that a tummy bug, and two not so nice infections and its fair to say I've been feeling very under the weather for the last two months!  Finally this week life has been starting to return to normal, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully I will return to my usual positive self!

This weeks theme was time.  It was my own idea, and I had no photos within the theme!! No real excuse this week, just had other photo opportunities that presented themselves first each day so never had the chance to actually think about what I was going to take to represent the theme.

What I have learnt this week

• My little baby is a baby no longer - he is very quickly turning into a very intelligent energetic little boy
• I have completely underestimated his ability to understand his surroundings (totally non photo related by the way).  After having a few issues at daycare the previous week (lets just say he was getting very 'hands on' with his fellow peers aka hitting and snatching), we have had a few serious talks this week and his behaviour has made a complete 360.  And trust me you know there were problems when you get umprompted emails from daycare telling you they have had no problems that day!
• I'm starting to realise that I might be starting to outgrow my little camera.  Or at least outgrowing the lenses that I currently have.  Which is not the greatest position to be in when you will be going on maternity leave with no income for up to a year... Lotto anyone?

Happy snapping!

PS Massive congrats to the lovely bride and groom Tracey and Matt who tied the knot yesterday.  It was so amazingly awesome to catch up with some people I haven't seen in a really long time - you know who you are xxxxx

Steam Train Fun 

Toes

Noodles (and great fork skills!)

Watching the 'bubba'

Taking bebe for a drive

Hat Love

Love