Daily Photo Challenge - Week 21

So no official theme this week (not that I'm particularly good at following them anyway!).  A busy week in our world once again with one late night out enjoying in the inaugural Media Awards.

I've been trying to capture shadows in a black and white environment this week - can't say I succeeded particularly well but I'll keep working on this technique because when its pulled off it can look very cool (plus it gets rid of the hideous false lighting at the end of the day!).

Looks like my other fellow photog buddies had good weeks - don't forget to check them out here.

Till next week x

Big Toot Toots

Feeding the ducks (on a now rare sick day)

Little Toot toots

Book love

Party Animal

Boredom

Hanging with the girls

Daily Photo Challenge - Week 20

This week has been one of the toughest of the year - both emotionally, and for the challenge.  We said goodbye to our dear friend Jen on Wednesday - a day that was sad because we were saying goodbye, but happy as I was reunited with so many people that I hadn't seen in years.  So much strength was shown at the funeral, both in the description about her battle, but also through her family and friends who had the courage to face everyone and talk about their loss.

On the same token, we had much to celebrate on Thursday as Mr A turned 2.  My little baby, born at 8:03pm weighing a rather large 10 pound + has grown into a little boy and finally reached his 2nd birthday milestone.  It was a day of happiness but at the same time I am sad that he is growing so fast and I feel like sometimes that I'm missing out through the day to day 'busyness' life holds.  He has changed my life so much, definitely for the better.  He has taught me how to be patient, how to see life through his eyes (where everything is exciting), but mostly he has taught me to love myself as to him I am the world.

So this week's photos I tried to reflect on our week - not so much on the sad but on the good.

xx

Mothers Day (I didn't take this photo - thanks hubby)

Rays

"Hood"lums

A labour of love (literally, as hubby has said to me, I'm not a natural baker...)

Turning 2

brushing teeth

Spectator

Daily Photo Challenge - Week 19

This week had some ups and downs on the personal front.  I'm really really struggling with no light at any time of the day so all my shots now have to be corrected for white balance to look even half decent.  But we're less than a month away from the shortest day of the year so I look forward to getting some light at the end of the day.

Secondly as per my previous post we lost a friend of ours on Thursday night.  Friday's photo (May 10th) was not taken on May 10th but I'm using this photo as a dedication to her.  To all the mummies out there, have a great mothers day.  And to every single one of you who is reading this post, give a big squeezy hug (thanks Jodie for that GREAT word!) because you never know how long they're going to be here for.

Enjoy x

Super moon that rose super quick (and was super disappointing!)

Sweet dreams

Anniversary

Family favourite

For Jen xxxxx

What better place to use the potty?

Mr smiles

A Tribute...

On Thursday night, we all lost a sweet lady to the angels.  Jen was by no means a best friend of mine, but we socialised in the same circle, and her little girl was just a couple of months younger than Mr A, and through our pregnancies we found a bond and made contact regularly.  When she was diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma a little over a year ago she went in fighting even though she and all of us knew the odds were stacked against her.  The problem with this disease was it had a habit of making you think things were going to be ok - she went into remission shortly after she was diagnosed but unfortunately an infection took over and she became a victim again, and finally lost her battle.

So Jen, I know now the lotus was your flower to help you get through your battle, and if I had known this I would have sent you this photo earlier.  I took this photo in Thames over Xmas and it was only by chance that I found it this morning after reading the amazing comments/tributes on your facebook page.  To your family, Jack, and Skarlet and your best friend Saph who has been with you throughout this journey my deepest condolences.

Go be with the angels and eventually we will meet again.

Daily Photo Challenge - Week 18

Wow 18 weeks down already!

This week the loss of light at the end of the day has stopped any day time photo opportunities - but has opened up a new technique to try and learn.  One of Ash's daycare teaches approached me at the start of the week with a 'bokeh' kit.  Having never done this before I jumped at the chance of having a closer look and by the end of the day had created my own 'bokeh' (thanks Emma) and went forth and had a go that night.

Bokeh is easy in theory (low aperture, point it at a light), but getting the exposure right of the whatever is in the foreground proved difficult so this is something I'm going to need to learn more about.  In my April 30th photo this was taken with an old Xmas decoration and then the bee in front was lit using my cell phone torch light.  By no means fantastic but you get the idea.  I'm sure with the right setting the result would be awesome (as Emma later proved to me by taking a lovely photo of the Auckland skyline).  So bokeh was the unofficial theme for me this week, the other two nights were taken on the Helensville street - very similar shots but I had run out of time for each of the days to take anything else :)

Enjoy!

Jump!

Buzzy bee

I can do it dad

Lunch

Helensville Street Lights (for you locals, this is taken by Curry Leaf looking towards Woolworths)

Helensville Street Lights (coming into Helensville from Kaukap)

Ni Ni Bebe