2013 Week 6/52 - Texture

So a little while ago my friend Paige mentioned that in Kaukapakapa there was a Garden Centre that also had a walk which had sculptures scattered throughout.  This afternoon hubby left for a stag do leaving me with both kidlets and a free afternoon to find something to do.  A quick text and Paige met me there for a gander at the Kaipara Coast Sculpture Park.  This place is fantastic!  There are 60 sculptures in total, the paths are all nice and easy to walk around, pram friendly and there is an awesome little park for both little and big kids alike.  Paige has a 1 year old (Gemma who you would have seen a few times during my 366), and of course I had Ash and Harry.  Ash and Gemma loved the park and we nearly missed closing time as we were having so much fun!

I took a few photos while there, but this was the one subject that stuck out for this weeks theme - a cross made out of barbed wire.  There was no explanation as there was for the other sculptures so I'm not sure if the cross was actually representing a life or was there as art.  In hindsight I wish I had spent a bit more time trying to take the photograph and getting a better perspective but for now this will do.  I definitely intend to go back sometime in the near future so maybe I can re-look then :)

2013 5/52

This weeks theme was Low Light Photography.  Normally I love getting my tripod out and getting my shutter speeds nice and slow but this week I struggled, I think because I have done so much of it during my daily challenge it was hard to find inspiration to do it for this!  I did have one idea in mind but that idea would have meant leaving the house at about 4:30/5am and with a little person who relies solely on me for food and has had a nasty reaction to formula it was not going to happen.  So I turned to what I know best - taking photos of my kids.

I actually had the intention of getting a night photo of Harry - he's just moved into the cot so I thought it would be special.  But he chose last night to be extremely unsettled so I couldn't get the shot that I wanted.  His older brother also chose to perform last night and refused to go bed until about 9:30pm, and that was only after many a tantrum.  He eventually fell asleep lying sideways on the bed so after giving up on Harry it was only by pure chance that I popped in and found Ash like this.  The light source is the hallway light, the peace and calm all his...

Here is Week 5

Blog Circle - Month One: Close Up Portrait

So as part of my New Years Resolution to spend a bit more time on my photography this year, I have joined up with a Blog Circle through Clickin Moms.  Every month we have a theme and we take photos then link to each other.

The prospect of being linked to these ladies is somewhat daunting as they are all amazingly talented and majority are professionals (and trust me you can see why!).  So little old hobbyist me is hoping I don't drop the bar too low.  If you have found this post from Katie Woodard Photography - welcome thanks for being here.  And can I please ask after stopping by here, can you please move on to Pastiche Photography.  Oh and if you're really game, please leave a comment!

This months theme was Close Up Portrait.  I decided to take photos of my two beautiful boys - Ash aged two and a half, and Harry three and a half months.  Harry is a dream to take photos of - he sits still, he smiles nearly on command, still has the baby wonderment going on in his eyes, oh and did I mention (again!) he SITS STILL!  Ash on the other hand is a typical two year old, always on the go, and it was after much bribery of chocolate and other treats that I managed to get him to sit (relatively) still for two seconds at a time to take some shots.  I'm not entirely happy with Ash's shots but in these situations you have to make do and in recent times he has been asking me not to take so many photos of him (probably exhausted after my 366 Challenge last year) so as a dutiful mother I shall provide him some respect!

So please don't forget to visit other wonderful photographers in our group, and I hope to see you again another time.

Over and out

2013 4/52

This weeks theme was Weather.  Recent times we have experienced amazing weather - days filled with blue skies and warm sun - so quite difficult to get an interesting shot of.  But those days all ended with amazing sunsets - mostly thanks to the fires in Australia which have been making our skies beautiful colours.

Muriwai as I have mentioned before is a place very dear to me.  It was the first place I saw my husband on our wedding day - not too far from where I took this photo in fact.  We had our wedding photos done before our ceremony, and with only the photographers and three closest friends witnessing Bryce and I shared a very special moment at Maori Bay overlooking Oaia Rock.  That day was terrible weather wise, a storm was brewing, the skies black but dry.  So it was in stark contrast this photo was taken, there was an Easterly so the waves were clean but calm and the weather beautifully sunny.

So here is Week 4 :)