My New Favourite Subject

My New Favourite Subject

Hello friends

I haven't had much time playing photographer as I've been busy playing mom (which is not really a game). Had some fun today though taking some pics of my new favourite subject, our baby girl. I know I have a lot to learn still and am looking forward to posting a lot of awesome baby pics in future.

Say hello to my little friend!

Photography Club Favourites

We started a small photography club recently with the aim of learning some valuable tips from some pros. The homework assignments were really challenging but certainly helped us all to take the leap and switch to manual mode. I really learnt a lot and thought I'd share some favourites with you.

Low Key Photography

This is my lovely husband Wesley. Was a real challenge to get the lighting just right but managed with a bed lamp, a reflector and some other household items...

This is one of my favourite pics in a while. Not really low key but still awesome. Caught the last rays of the sun as it was setting behind the trees. As my 2.5 year old would say, "don't scared. It's just toy".

 

Shape & Colour

Used a very shallow DOF to capture this flower. Feedback from photographer/facilitator was to rather put the focus on the top flower.  Also learnt that when taking pics of flowers in general, the whole flower should ideally be in focus. I did not know that.

 



This is the stem of a cut off rosebush. Also used a shallow DOF to create the out of focus background.

 

This was one of the last few blossoms of the season. Used back lighting to get this one.
 

Sweets conquering healthy food. He he. Took quite a bit to set this one up. Really had to work hard to get these apples so shiny! Just showed me again how difficult it is to bring and idea to life. Not exactly what I had in mind, but came out ok.
 

Not quite perfect in terms of exposure etc. but quite like this one... Just for fun.

Looking forward to learning some more and continuing on my quest to become a photographer, someday.

Keep on dreaming!
Utami


Rietvallei Nature Reserve

Hello friends and other random viewers

Due to internetlessness I haven't posted in quite a while. But we're back online and keen to share some of my latest shots with you.

I visited Rietvlei Nature Reserve, which is about 20 minutes from my home, and had a lot of fun taking pics of all the wildlife there. The open planes of the Highveld make it very easy to spot the animals, and the amount of birds there is astounding! Here are some of my favourites of the day...

Mongoose.

Zebra. I love these guys.

Dry-season tree.

A male Stone Chat (Bontrokkie).

A White-fronted Bee-eater. This guy caused some serious lens envy. He was too far away to get a nice in-focus shot.

Two Moorhens giving chase.

Ostrich. They scare me.

Silhouette bird.



A lonely grave. Wish I knew who is buried here.



A big herd of Blesboks on the run. We saw so many of these.

My favourite of the day were these monkeys... Daniel and Dylan. My dad was also quite high up in the tree for a pensioner. I had to use the word pensioner, because he got a discount to get in and I didn't.

Danger Dylan.

Daniel and his Oupa. Love this one...

Thought this bridge to the bird hide-out would make a cool picture. Good thing Daniel isn't actually looking at the camera. His face was dirrrrrrrty.

Until next time
Keep on dreaming :)

Laurie Park Zoo and Spider

LAURIE PARK ZOO

On Human Rights day we went to Laurie Park zoo. Being at the top of the food chain, I practised my human rights to shoot animals. It was very nice being so close to the animals, but the fencing often made it difficult to get a good shot. I did get some nice ones though and thought I'd share them with you.

Orange Iguana.

Young male lion.

Tiger tiger. Even though this cat's paw is bigger than my face, I thought it had such friendly eyes.

Big cat affection.



The meerkats were my favourite to take pics of. They looked straight at you. So human-like.

Resting Vulture.

   

Bird of prey.



Hawk.

NOT SO ITSY BITSY SPIDER

This Golden Orb Weaver spun its huge web close to our house and we've been watching it almost daily. This picture was taken over a month ago. The photo is a bit blurry because the photographer was nervous of getting so close.

The rest of these photos were taken today and it is amazing to see how much it has changed.


 

During the last month its abdomen has become much larger and very colourful.



 

A shot from the other side. Very colourful.


 

This close up is rather macabre, but oh so fascinating.



 Until next time,
live and let live (the spiders I mean).




Photo Stories

Photo Stories

MACRO MANTIS

I haven't been shooting as much as I would have liked to during this past week, but had an awesome session with a praying mantis eating a bug.

We found this little guy in the house. The local bug handler (not me) put him outside where I still found him the next day. This one looked like it had been in battle, missing some limbs and an eye.



I put the little fellow in a more natural habitat.



Then I did something unnatural and put a bug (that happened to be sitting around) in front of the mantis. Let's pretend it happened without my interference.



 

Strike!

   

In my defence, the bug never did put up a fight.

Creepy yet beautiful.

TINY DANCERS

The next set of pics I took last year in November. They are of my son Daniel, and our neighbour's daughter Madison. The two are only 4 days apart in age and like playing together. These are just for fun...

Hello me lady. Care for a dance?




La la la...

And around we go.

And shake it on down.

Thank you! That was AWESOME!!



Until next time,
dance with reckless abandon.