Twelve Years Young

I have so many images of you.

Yet, I look at this one and wonder.

Wonder and worry.

What will the next few years bring for

You

Me

Will you still listen?

Will you still love

me?

I fear what I don’t know.

But for now

I love that you are filled with wonder

and love

and joy.

I have been doing the online course of Sheye Rosemeyer’s as mentioned in a previous post.

This week, for task two, we had to randomly choose three words from a list of ten words and come up with a creative shoot.

The three words that I selected from a hat were:

Yellow, Water and Shadow.

I had limited time to organise myself as I was away for the weekend and the task was due tonight (Monday night). So, when Bee finished school today, I asked her if she would do ‘just a little shoot’ down at Brighton Beach.

Here is the diptych I came up with…

In the first image, I really like the reflection of Bronte on the right wall and in the second image I love the Conver All-Stars and the sunflare.

Other images I toyed with submitting were…

I believe that the more technicalities you let creep into photography, the more you drive out the creativity.

Jack Manning     –    News Photographer

I found this quote tonight  and was thrilled as this is exactly how I feel about my photography. It is probably because I have a background in Fine Art, no, not probably – definitely. Often when I take a photo, I  feel what I see through the view finder. I am not one for the technical – never have been.

So, thanks Jack Manning – for saying what you did – it helps.

Do you have a saying that you would like to share that has really ‘fit’ where you are at the moment? If so, would love to hear it – leave a comment – I need some inspiration.

Here are more Red Bird photos – by now you must really know that I love my little red bird!

At this very minute, I am immersing myself in an online photography course called evolve. This course runs for four weeks and we are in our first week. It is facilitated by the fab Sheye Rosemeyer, whose work and words I greatly admire.

I did the explore component last April. Loved every second of it. ‘Met’ some wonderful women from all over the world and learnt a lot about myself and photography.

evolve is the 2nd component and for some reason, my confidence in my abilities is not that high at the moment. To see the work this group produces, well let’s just say, I sit here in awe.

The first assignment is Soul Happy. What makes my soul happy? When I saw the topic my heart sunk. I am not good at introspective stuff. I don’t like delving too deep into myself. at. all.

Too hard. Too personal. Too much.

But today, an idea evolved!

Below is the post that I wrote accompanying my submission.

So, I decided to simplify. I decided to try to not ‘over think’ the task. I almost decided not to do the task to tell you the truth.

Yesterday was my birthday. I was so spoilt by family and friends. I was loved. I realised THAT made my soul happy. But how to show it? I took my camera to Morning Coffee. Spent some time with friends that I have known for ten plus years. While I had a lovely time I didn’t feel it ‘right’ to bring out the camera.

I went out to lunch with another group of friends – one of these friends and I share our birthdays – again – took my camera. Had lots of laughs and great food. Received plenty of gifts and hugs. No photos.

Dinner up at our neighbours place. Nice food. Nice company. Nothing camera-wise.

The day was a total dud in the photo department.

Today, I was looking at my cards and gifts and feeling very loved. Standing in the kitchen, I was holding up this gorgeous ceramic bird that my daughter, Bronte, gave me yesterday. Admiring its imperfections. Admiring its ‘redness’‘, for I do love the colour red in my kitchen!

Bee walked in and said do you want to take a photo of the bird? I could hold it if you like? I was pleasantly surprised at her suggestion as now, she normally runs from the camera. Yes please! So she went and changed into something that she thought would ‘match’. And it was perfect – a cream hoodie with red accents and embroidered red birds. She thought it all through. for. me.

This. This made my soul HAPPY.

Thoughtfulness. Not only of her gorgeous gift to me but her volunteering and getting changed. But wait! There’s more! She was even agreeable to posing suggestions! Wowee!

So, here is what made my soul happy today. A daughter, a red bird and winter light through my kitchen window.

That was a revelation to me – that such a simple gift of time, love and a bird was soul happy. I was looking too hard and too much before. I love how this just came to be.

It wasn’t set up – she just picked up my lens while I was putting the 50mm on the camera. She is curious and inquisitive. I did notice something strange about what she was doing though.

I am left-handed. So is she. So, out of 5 of us – 2 of us are lefties and the only 2 girls – yay! However, I notice that she does a lot of things right-handed as well. She is a lot more ambi-dextrous than me.

For instance, in this photo, she is holding the lens in her left hand (naturally) but is using her right eye to look through it. To me this is not natural because in many cases, you will find that lefties look through view finders and telescopes etc with their left eye. Not a big deal I know but I always notice these things.

She eats right handed, kicks left footed, throws the basketball and netball left-handed but bounces the basketball with her right hand. She is one confused lefty! lol

Whereas, my totally right handed boy, Sam, eats left handed. I just find these kinds of things interesting. Not earth shattering but interesting.

In my family, there are 5 children. I am the youngest and the only lefty. My mum and dad were right handed as were all of their family etc. I am an aberration! lol However, one of my brother’s has two children and they are both lefties and I think (but am not totally sure) that his wife and her family are all righties.

Any lefties in your family?

Driving along New Street, Brighton, here in Victoria I was looking at St. Andrews Church and saw the most beautiful light hitting the doorway.

I stopped the car suddenly, almost tossed Bronte out of the car and said ‘sit there! quick! the light is just about to go!’

Poor kid – she was a bit lot reluctant as she had just been to physio and we were on our way home. She said “I’m not dressed right” “You look fine!”

Snap, snap, snap. She had had enough but I did get a few that I was happy with. What do you all think?

isn’t it?

Well, if you are my daughter – yes, that is what it is all about.

Last year, I was lucky and won first prize in a raffle – a limosine ride to school for my daughter and some of her friends. Well, we finally used it on Bronte’s birthday on Friday!

Can you hear the squealing? I couldn’t believe how excited these girls were! They loved every minute of it.

Here is a storyboard – first couple of shots are of Bronte in the morning with her new Birthday Glasses – sadly they are no longer with us – and then the all important Limo ride.

As they took off around the corner, all we could hear were squeals of joy and doof doof music!

it isn’t.

Another year has been. Mother’s Day is {bittersweet} for me.

Really, I do love it. I have 3 children who love me and love to shower me with affection for the WHOLE day. Sometimes {if I’m really lucky} they might not even argue for the whole. day. Can you believe that?

Showered with breakfast and gifts especially chosen – really it is almost better than a birthday!

But when I really think about Mother’s Day, I get sad. Sad that another year has gone by without my mum. It’s been nearly 12 years now and you know what? It doesn’t get any easier – it just gets different.

I look at my children and see what I would love to share with mum. She would have loved to know them as they are now. They were only young when she left. Well, Bronte was born 17 days after mum passed away – so it is even sadder that they never met.

Mum would have been so happy and proud to know my children. I know I am. {when the arguing stops that is!}

Thank you my 3 gorgeous off-spring (and Stan my husband) for a super delightful day.

xxx

So, here’s wishing that everyone reading this had a lovely, love-filled day!

Photo is of Stan and Bronte – Father and Daughter – on my special day. Love this because it is them.

And here are some photos of my 3 today – not technically perfect by any means but favourites because they show them as they are….

Walking around my neighbourhood the other day, I found these two rocking horses on the nature strip as it is Hard Rubbish Collection time. These two, having served their purpose for who knows how long, were abandoned on the side of the road. I saw a photo opportunity!

So Dobbin and Dobbin came home to our place. They sat outside on our patio for a few weeks. Then, late yesterday afternoon – the light was beautiful!

I quickly organised my oldest and youngest children to carry them over the road to ‘our’ park and started to take photos.

While snapping away, a little boy, aged about 4, came over and just hopped on Wooden Dobbin. How cute is that? See the photo down below.

Then, of course, Sam and Bronte got in the act – now that is cute right there. Big kids on little rocking horses. Sad in a way too as it shows just how grown they are now. So, here are my photographic offerings. Hope you enjoy!

When I called to Bronte to bring Dobbin over she asked why are you calling them Dobbin? I told her that Dobbin is a common name for horses but then I wondered “why” and “is it really?”. So I looked it up….

Anyway, so here are Dobbin and Dobbin. Lovely finds I think and I am sure they bought a lot of pleasure in their time.

This is Wooden Dobbin and little boy.

This is my youngest, Bronte. I love this photo! Pity she is wearing her school uniform though. Look how big she is on Dobbin and doesn’t it look like they have been life-long friends? When in reality they have known each other just a few days.

Finally, here is my 15 year old Sam on Wooden Dobbin and Bronte on Fabric Dobbin. Cute shots huh?

I have been a bit remiss in posting photos here lately. One reason is that I was quite ill with the flu for more than a week and after I recuperated from that pleasant experience, it was school holidays and we went away for 4 or 5 days – camping.

Today is the kids first day back at school and here I am, finally looking at some photos I took in February of some musical instruments.

I love ‘detail’ shots and here are 3 storyboards showing details. Which one do you like the best?