ready to go

ready to be posted off to the bride and groom and their family.

thank goodness they're finally done...

another wedding

yes, puddin and pie has been much neglected. But I've gone and done another wedding. I swear I wouldn't again, and yet I did. Last time as the primary shooter, I swear. Back up and behind the scenes - for sure! I find its much more fun.

The bride was a natural in front of the camera.

And the gusty breeze gave that nice windblown look! ;-)

My photos aren't polished, or have that bridal magazine look. Every one seems very real and natural - working with seven young kids in the bridal party meant I had to work VERY quickly!

And there are always faces to be pulled (that boy on the end? that is his standard photo face)

Even the flower girls found it hard to smile or look all at the same time. I should have had someone poke tongues at them or something from behind my back.

And the groom - whom I've known since he was a small, annoying boy, wasn't much better at times, than his little nephews. Although apparently he was channelling his inner cool dude in this picture. So he told me.

I think I did well to get this picture before those two smallest bots legged it off down the beach!

Like I said, the photos are very real!

Did I mention that I swear this will be the last wedding I do?!

Presentation

So, the fun part, packaging it all up to look purty:

Quickly whipped up a cover to go in the cd case containing the final images (she does get another cd with all of the originals) and also one for the HD slideshow. I used two of my favourite shots.

And all of the cd's neatly wrapped up and ready to give to the happy couple, when I track them down!  I made a quick little tag to go on the package, so i could pretend I was professional!

Finally done.

Finally, the editing is done, and I have tried my first ever slideshow/video...probably a bit rough, I know!

I know the quality is low (I had to reduce it to upload here) but I am happy with the music I have paired with the images...let me know what you think!

I know how it makes ME feel, but I have a great affection for this couple that I have known for many, many years, so I could be biased. :-)

Last Weekend

I photographed a wedding. Busy editing now – here are some previews!

The black and white one needs some more work to lighten it – these were my first pick and were very quickly readied for facebook for the bride to have up there.  Love that the bottom one reflects the very country style and atmosphere of the wedding – and yet so so pleased that it rained unseasonably a few weeks ago and we scored some green grass! 

More to come later!

ideas for your own photo shoot!

there are so many great ideas for setting up simple little photo shoots of your own kids and family (and lets face it, we can never have too many photos of our own kids in varying states of cuteness or tantrums! ;-)

Here are a few ideas that I have collected from around the www, bookmarked to try out myself….one day!

(image from Karen Russell)

Picket fence!  I have a neighbour with a picket fence!  and study the angle from which this shot was taken – time to get down on our tummies and test out those lax abs!

(image from Karen Russell)

I also happen to have in my own back yard quite a few corrugated iron buildings – the chook house (in some disrepair, which could be quite cool for a shoot!) the laundry shed with its peeling paint, the garden shed….with hang on a second!!! its own pailing sliding door – which is very picket fence like! And the kids “new” cubbyhouse is also iron as well – but with the ripples running horizontally, which offers a whole new aspect!

Those of you who read my other blog will have seen the image below before – I love this set up with the sheets hanging on the string clothesline and the atmosphere the simple props (or not, who knows this may have been a real picnic and how this woman hangs her washing!)

So there you have it – hope you find these ideas most inspiring – this post is just for you KAT, my lovely old friend who never comments but did whinge on the phone to me that she hadn ‘t seen an update here for awhile.  I do have some sorting of my 2010 Captured shots, I have let that slide as things got a little busy here (well its never not busy, but busy-ER!)

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New Lens

I know, I know.  I haven't been here for awhile.  But I am NOW ok!

A new lens - to be specific - Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. Bought it at Dick Smith for $149 - I know you can get them cheaper online, but I had a gift card that needed using, so I got it there.

To make a short story shorter:  I love it. 

I posted this photo over at my other blog, but I am posting it again, as I can't stop looking at it.

I just happened to catch the last of the lovely sunset light that was around this arvo.  The rest of these photos were taken in the dusk light, with ISO on 1600, and the rest however it happened to come out of the camera.  This new lens is great in low light!  I've done nothing at all to these photos - including the above - apart from a slight sharpening and resizing for web.

It was getting pretty late - 6pm  - on one of the shorter days of the year, but this little lens handled it wonderfully, with little input from me. 

I did some research before buying - around the net people were saying how inferior this lens is to the far more expensive f/1.4 lens.  All I can say is it must be bloody BRILLIANT if it is so much better than this little lens.  I am happy, and my wallet, while lighter by $100 (remembering I had a gift card! ;-) isn't broken hearted!