Summer

Oh summer... after just getting back from Melbourne I was happy to come back to the nice warm weather of Perth. I only ended up taking photos on one of the days I was there and I was lucky it was the only really sunny one for that week!  

I didn't get the change to go into the city this time as we were catching up with family for Christmas, but that's ok as I was able to find different areas to photograph around Mornington. I am going through an op-shopping phase, and have been finding some amazing bargains. I don't know why I didn't start doing this earlier - especially when I am always needing outfits for photo shoots and props. I found this long vintage skirt and teamed it up with this cute little Bardot backless leotard. This shoot had a little audience. I really thought by now I wouldn't get embarrassed but I always get nervous when people stop to watch what I'm doing. Next time I am going to try really hard not to care. To get good photos you need to put yourself in situations you normally wouldn't be in. 

  

Sister Bond

This month I photographed two gorgeous young sisters. Their lovely mum came along too and we all went down to the river to capture some special moments at sunset. We even managed to see a dolphin. It was a lovely afternoon with beautiful back lighting. I just love photographing people against a natural backdrop. There is something about being in a natural environment that always relaxes a client, more so then shooting in front of a studio backdrop.

I can't stress how important it is to make a person feel comfortable during a photo shoot as well as making it a fun experience. In the end your mood will influence their mood, and if they are enjoying it, then that is what you will get coming through the photos.  Photo shoots are a great way to spend time with loved ones and also use as gifts to grandparents or parents. The next time I take someone to a beautiful spot like this one I'm going to suggest they take a little picnic for after the shoot.

A little bit of R&R

After so much excitement I decided to spend a day relaxing before having to get back into work. I went outside and surrounded myself with things that relax me and take my mind away from such busy madness. Candles, incense, DVDs, my book See Naples & Die, flowers, soft lighting and coffee. It was also nice to take photos of objects for a change rather then a person. A small challenge in making something ordinary into something special and just using natural light.  

Small & Tasty

While sitting at the computer editing clients photos for hours, I sometimes forget to have lunch & drink water. My aim has been to eat something healthy and keep a bottle of water with me at all times. So here were a couple of my favourite light lunches I made. I wanted to share them because I am sure other people also struggle with being too busy to make lunch, so I hope this inspires you a little and not to mention how yummy they are. 

SMOKED SALMON CRUSKITS

Light Cruskits

Light Cottage Cheese

Snow Sprouts

Cherry tomatos
Smoked Salmon


A SIMPLE PASTA

Spaghetti

Cherry tomatoes/ Roma tomatoes – This is the trick to the sauce. The tomatoes must be held over a flame until skin is burnt and easy to peel off. Then roughly cut the tomatoes up and heat in pan adding the remaining ingredients.

2 cloves of garlic – Do not fry the garlic (it loses its taste) just add it at the end to the sauce and heat through.

Chili

Saffron

Lots of parsley & basil finely cut

Lemon juice - to taste

Olive Oil to drizzle over pasta

Salt and Pepper

Parmesan Flakes

To this dish you can also easily add fresh calamari rings, prawns & rocket.

Burlesque

Last night was my first burlesque performance. I use to dance and perform 6 years ago and I am so happy to have gotten back into something I enjoy.

I decided to give burlesque a go for something different. For those of you that don't know, burlesque was a rich source of music and comedy that kept American audiences laughing from 1840 through to the 1960s. Although it has since been associated with a 'strip tease', the key word being tease, they  generally never actually show off the goodies. If they do come close, they will use tassels or something alike. It is also generally incorporated into a funny sexy little act.

My classes don't consist of anything like that, and is more based on the style of dance and cheeky behaviour, providing the audience with some vintage glamour. I have been to see professional burlesque shows. It is so much fun for men and women alike and very entertaining!

Our performance was very exciting and very theatrical. It is the best feeling to pull off a fantastic show and hear the crowd applaud after the girls and I had put in so much commitment. The build up of make-up, hair, costumes and getting excited together with friends is just another aspect of the fun involved. With a break over Christmas, I can't wait to see what we will be doing next year. I think for the next boudoir shoot I do for a client I will incorporate some burlesque glamour!

Fairy Lights & Pretty Dresses

If you are holding a party, please don’t do what I did and put it aside until the last minute. To help get organised I’ve found this checklist from eventplanner.com. It's very helpful and has helped me to get my mind in check. After 3 years in the event industry you’d think I’d know better, but when constantly organising everybody else’s functions it becomes too tiring to organise your own. Link:  Event Checklist

When organising a themed event I always source inspiration from the internet – this time for our Venetian Masked Ball I was very inspired by the Avon add below. So much so, that although I had already purchased a dress to go with my mask I couldn’t get the vibrant blue one out of my head as much as I tried, and so ‘just looking’ in the Sana store the shop assistant pulled out the perfect blue dress I was dreaming about. With it being the last one in my size, well, it was meant to be. Go electric blue for this summer!!

Part of my main decorations for the party is lights, lots and lots of fairy lights, candles, floating pool candle lanterns, and draped material down the stair banisters. So my self portrait for this week, I’ve made use of some of the hundreds of fairy lights we now have. No flash, just shot in the dark with a little natural light. a low shutter speed and high ISO. I know it's been done before but there is something so magical about fairy lights. I tried two different styles, one more fairy like and one that has a more dark mood to it. I couldn't decide so put them both up.

Support the arts

A few nights ago I took a girlfriend out with me to another friend's photograph exhibition. It's a great way to spend time and catch up over wine provided at exhibitions ;) while enjoying fantastic art. Leigh Miller's images depict architecture and culture from different parts of the world.

Talking about the arts, my cousin has surprised me with an amazing voice I never knew she had until recently. With a quickly growing number of fans this girl will be going far. Happy listening! (please be patient & let the song load) :)

Re-visiting Venice

In light of my quickly approaching engagement party I decided to get in the spirit of my venetian masked themed event and do a self-portrait with my beautiful mask from Venice. Earlier in the year, with my fiancé on our travels, we fell in love with the mystery & magic of Venice. We spent our time getting lost down the many different narrow streets and networks of canals. Getting lost is where all the fun lies. We found ourselves out of ‘tourist town’ and into the true local areas where part of the beauty is in the buildings,  so old, most are sinking below the water, tiny bars full of old men & smoke, local churches and tiny little grocery stores. With no room for gardens, with the small apartments built on water, the Italians of Venice must make use of the streets outside, Watching kids and families playing soccer in the streets, there is a larger sense of community and maybe something of what use to be around in Australia in the 80’s where everybody knew their neighbors.

Back in the overrun very expensive tourist area of St Marks Square, stores and stores of beautiful venetian glass, lace, paper, jewellery and masks line the streets & waterways. The glittering window of one store in particular caught my eye and we headed in not realising we wouldn’t leave for another hour. Hundreds and hundreds of beautifully hand crafted masks which we had to go through to choose the most suited one’s for us. The funny thing about Italians if you really try they open up to you so much. The shop owner who never likes people taking photos or trying to much on had us dressed head to toe in costume and masks and after letting us know how lovely and polite he always finds the Australians gave me permission to snap away.

So falling in love with Venice and with our authentic masks in hand what better way to make use of them then with our very own venetian masquerade ball… and a new self portrait. The last ones I did as you can see below I had to make best use I could with the back lighting only using a point and shoot. If you haven’t been to Venice I hope you like this little insight into it and I hope you get the chance to go.

The cutest of love

This week I had the pleasure of photographing a lovely couple who recently got engaged. The shoot was so fun and relaxed and as you can see this came through in the photos.  

  

    I was lucky to have a friend with me whom i'm teaching a few things to, who took some shots of me in action :)

    

                 

Something new I'd try out, I feel as if I'm writing to a publicised diary. Oh well here goes, guess I am going to have to improve on my spelling :) Few reasons for starting a blog of my own, but mainly because my website is for clients & not convenient to continually update so this way clients can see my new work. I also wanted something for me, a place where I can express my thoughts behind some of my images and discuss my adventures and growth as a photographer. Aghh well...we'll see how well I go as a 'blogger'. Signing out from my first post. xx