Alexander Gardner

Will I be able to play the piano again?

2010-08-29T18:16:00.000+10:00

My little fella Murray survived his first dog attack with a few internal stitches, two drainage tubes, an Elizabethian collar and wounded pride because of 'that' collar.

"Stupid, stupid collar!" That seems to be the look on his face as he lays in the corridor, head on paws and fluid dripping down his once pristine white fur!

And I can't blame the guy becuase in terms of dress sense this is a pretty conservative household with Hawaiian shirts being as loud as it gets. It looks like I won't be getting that 5D Mark II next month but at least this way I know my little buddy has a better chance of keeping his leg next month and that's worth a pallet load of 5D's.

Woah up there, boys and girls! It get's a little disturbing from here!

I go out walking....

2010-07-04T19:32:00.001+10:00

....with the dogs not after midnight.
I wonder if Patsy Cline is on iTunes?

Today I hunkered in and fixed the vacuum cleaner except for it's overheating issue. It just shuts down which means more time to edit photos, ponder, chase the cats, bark with the dogs at the neighbourhood cats crossing the street. It all happens down here at Chateau Gardner-Dygut.

Anyhoo, the location of a personal shoot has gone topsy turvy, upside down. The rains we've been having have turned the forest floor of this place into a vitutal marsh which is just too fragile to trample over for a few hours so I had to find a new location.

Dogs in the car and off we went to try and find a hillside that I've hiked through. I didn't find it but I did find another suitable location so that was one goal struck off the list.

My other goal was to just enjoy the walk and keep Pokie from killing a roo. He'd bolt in one direction, the roos would split up, Pokie would then give up and run in the other direction....bad dog.

Kody being a Lab just loved the wet grass and the occasional puddle.

New blog!

2010-07-01T23:24:00.000+10:00

I'm SORTA moving!

My wedding and portraiture will now be featured on alexandergardnerphotography.com.au and I'm of two minds as to what will happen with this ol' home on Blogspot.

I would like to give it a new face and keep it for personal shoots and projects but I don't want to blog myself out.

I'll think a little further about this as I like the networking that blogspot offers.

Autumn in Melbourne

2010-05-28T19:20:00.003+10:00

I had an opportunity to tie together two long standing shoots. Two mates and myself have been talking up shooting together to practice our craft.

"Let's organise a model and we'll shoot somewhere!"

"Alright!"

Around the same time when that enthusiasm was reaching a crescendo Autumn, a model from Ohio, had landed in Melbourne was also looking to shoot with me. (Catch her updates of her world trip here)

I had to combine the two events and I did. We shot at an abandoned Brickworks in Brunswick which was just one great scene after another. From backgrounds of heavy industrial equipment to an abandoned house and the rich earthy tones in the old kilns themselves this place was just awesome and then some!

This was my favourite composition of the day.

The people you meet...

2010-04-28T22:30:00.002+10:00

eddings are a fabulous day. If your coverage is but a scant five hours or a sixteen hour odyssey the time flies and always has me feeding off the energy of the day.

"Have you eaten Al?" That's the most often asked question as I hate to miss an opportunity however during Chris & Tracey's wedding I had a chat to Tracey's mum. As we looked out to Bass Strait with the sun caressing the cove discussing that great experience that is life she turned to me grabbed my arm and said, "I hope your photography will get you a view like this to enjoy for the rest of your life."

Well heck, I'm not just hoping for that to happen.

It's the little things...

2010-04-24T22:06:00.002+10:00

When you're in awe of the final big picture you tend to forget the little things that pulled it all together.

People, props, conversations or that fella that let you in, in traffic.

Over the coming weeks I'll feature a few items that will bring a shoot together.

I'm aching all over but it's worth it...

2010-04-19T08:30:00.002+10:00

Yes, that ache through my shoulders, that salt on my skin was all from pressing a shutter.

No really! I was just pressing that shutter a few thousand times this weekend. A wedding saw me looking over a cove in Sorrento and being included in the groom's speech. It makes it worthwhile when you're shooting for the salt of the earth and they take the time to really thank you from the bottom of their heart.

Thank you for having me Chris & Tracey!

Now I just need to sort through your shots, the cull is complete and now the processing has begun!

Sunday was a big ol' rush. Wake up, pack the car and buster down to the National Water Sports Centre to watch a small round of the National Drag Boat finals thanks to an invite from Maggie's contractors at DTE Plumbing. Troy & Paul are father & son and each race XL-erator & Puff. Due to the small meet they started late so I didn't get to see too much beyond practice but I've been invited back by the orgnaisation as Photographer next month. ;)

SICK!!!!

11:30, move on. My uncle John is in town from Sydney and over lunch dad mentions that John is getting married later in the year. Awesome! Way too many dumplings and bean curd rolls were consumed before I shot off to Oakleigh to record some dance but I was lucky, so very lucky to be bestowed the enthusiasm and talent of Grace and Sarah. With Sarah we tried to build up several movements to create a monster of a movement. It was one of the smaller movements that took my breath away and here it is because a post without a photo means nothing!

There's a few things I love...

2010-04-05T13:19:00.003+10:00

My dogs and my missus are the most forgiving and understanding of all my worldly "possessions" and we spend a great deal of meaningful time together but this month marks the leash free season at the majority of local beaches in Melbourne which is a great time for us and our dogs. Kody gets plenty of water to play in and Pokie enjoys the wide expanse of 'track' to sprint on when he's not feeling too clingy.

The weather is great for it at the moment as it means I'm very willing to wade out into the water with Kody. As the days become shorter though the winter warmers will be put on for each walk. It's not so bad walking down Carrum beach during winter but the walk back reminds us that it really is winter as we walk against the chilling winter wind.

Veronika & Dwayne

2010-03-29T07:29:00.002+11:00

This weekend was epic. One birthday party in the morning followed by a wedding between two of Victoria's finest. Here's what has become my favourite image of the night and just a teaser of what's to come.

Portraits and mates

2010-03-25T20:51:00.001+11:00

Must blog tonight, should have blogged yesterday, damn, didn't blog!

Okay here it is now. I haven't blogged because I'm busy....no really! No, lazy...you got me. It's one of those new whatszitsnames that I've yet to incorporate into my daily routine and it's not as if I've nothing to say or little shoots to speak of, I do! I grew up speaking the language of man...grunts. Eloquence was not my forte however with this old passion of mine I've now added focus and hope to see this blog take off and teach me to excercise my skills with writing.

Take for example, a couple of weekends ago I had the opportunity to meet up with an old, old workmate's sister who needed some shots she would eventually use to promote her endevours as a singer. I spent two wonderful hours creating a great range of shots and furthering my off camera flash techniques which I had lost a little faith in over the past few months.

Hannah turned out very well with some very dignified portraits of herself.

A little one light portraiture was praticed and it was "full on awesome" to be able to hone my work with strobes, my directorial skills and spend a few hours creating great portraits rather than the usual 20 minute sessions I've endured in the past.

Fast forward to last weekend when another old mate made the post on Facebook declaring her boredom! I pushed on her to get out on a Saturday and let me make a great portrait of her and her bike. A little persistence saw Marisa drag a mate down to the grounds of the ACCA in South Melbourne where we caught up and I heard the sound of the new 09 R1 with a tasty set of Akrapovic pipes singing the songs of the big bang motor.

That was a treat in itself!

Lunch

2010-03-25T20:40:00.000+11:00

"Alright guys, I might be late from lunch. I'm seeing dad while he goes through his next session."
With that I got the heck outta dodge!

We chatted about work, the news, overclocking computers and mum heading back to Cairns to make
sure her resturant is okay as well as poke fun at each other. It's a comforting feeling when you're just shooting the proverbial with family. It's better when you realise how much it means to yourself.

Twice a month...get creative

2010-03-11T21:26:00.002+11:00

Okay, okay, EVERYDAY I take a few shots and sometimes really create an image that I love but for most of the time they are images that I'll keep to remind me of who I was. The other effect of constantly creating images is when I'm out shooting for clients is the images come to me easier. It keeps the ol' gears going, it keeps my creative engine warm otherwise I'll end up pulling the photographer's equivilent of a ham string and "Brain go dark, Mongo no more make photo."

And that just won't do!

So from the sunrise in my mirrors....

To my dog on the dining room carpet...

To my missus' farrier...

To the monthly shoots I have within the community of local photographers...

To my dad going through a session of Chemo...

...it all works to keep me going as a human being. I love photography, I love to live it, I love want it gives me.

It's bedtime

2010-02-24T22:10:00.001+11:00

The light was right and I had only just sat back in bed and there she was smiling back at me.
Have you ever stopped to stare at a smile? The eyes have it when it's real.

Maggie, I love you.

Day Five

2010-02-22T16:02:00.002+11:00

It's a simple snack. Spinach and fetta in a puff pastry triangle that once baked produces the glorious creation that is the pastizzi. I love mine a little doughy so I don't bake it anywhere near as much as most but just enough to brown up the tips which ensures that most of the pastry gets into you rather than pastizzi fodder all over the livingroom carpet!

Maggie seems to becoming more brave on crutches and exploring the house. The shower is a better experience too as we've got the process down pat. Towels out, milk crate in the stall, lower, shower, dry and towels into the bucket and milk crate in the bath.

She'll be dancing soon!

So much for commuting...

2010-02-21T16:27:00.000+11:00

I started off that seven day post much like a lot of things, with a particular focus in mind and it didn't work out that way.

Yesterday a mate, Ben had a birthday dinner at Libertine's in North Melbourne. Out came the pig before it was carved. The ladies ooohed and aaaahed, the men grunted their approval and called him Arnie the pig. I can't begin to describe how manificient Arnie tasted. I've never used succulent to describe meat before because there was always something missing or something that detracted.

Arnie was the best darned serve of pork I've had yet and serves up as Day four.

Wasn't expecting that!

2010-02-21T14:19:00.001+11:00

An old mate of mine invited me out for a night of ice skating at the new rink on Docklands. I invited Maggie along and we got there early for a sticky straight after work.

Little did we realise this would be such a poignant photo

It's a fantastically set up twin rink facility which also serves as the centre for Australia's Winter Olympic Efforts and the staff are top notch. It's rare that you walk into a publically accessible area in Australia and you're greeted at the door by someone who loves their job. Top notch.

After an hour and a half of walking around the rink was declared open for Friday night's recreational skate. I began to break away from the wall and Maggie was gingerly making her way around. After three successful circumnavigations Maggie slipped, tried to catch herself and slammed her knee into the wall which popped it out.

The next 20 minutes she spent in excruciating pain while the Ambo's tried to make their way through traffic. She was bad but the staff and my mate, Marissa did their best to keep her calm and in check.

We were off to the Alfred and four hours later we were on the way back home with a splint and crutches. For a friday night I was expecting a few more people in Emergency at the Alfred which was probably a reason we got through so fast. Maggie's up for six to eight weeks of recovery now and I'm going to help her where I can.

So here's day three of the seven day project.

Life's not so bad on a local!

Seven Days - 1 & 2

2010-02-18T21:14:00.001+11:00

A mate of mine made the suggestion on a local forum that the Aussie participants should start their own "Seven images, seven day" project. Sort of a smaller brother to his 365 project.

I didn't think about it and just stuck my hand up. What would I shoot?
Today is day 2 and I thought to myself, "Wait. I'm on a train for 4 hours a day, Monday to Friday. That's not a reason to not have subjects to shoot!"

It also gives me a chance to use my new equipment purchases everyday so I'm familiar with it's functions and the old gear because practice makes perfect!

Damn. It's going to be a challenge but here's the first 2 days.

2010-02-17T23:22:00.003+11:00

I pushed hard for this shoot in the Melbourne Strobist group. We needed to shoot a subject other than models! I do love being able to shoot them but there comes a point where we're shooting them to get them their shots instead of honing our creative skills.

That was the whole point of the shoots in the beginning but now there's so many shots to get whilst 'trying' to practice lighting that it boils down to 10 minutes to setup and capture an image. Damn, that's harsh.

Six of us gathered instead to shoot ourselves and families and I was able to capture mine. The day started with lunch before we began to shoot. It was relaxed and I got my shots whilst helping out some of the newer photographers and shooting the shit with some of the more experienced ones.

It may have been a little too relaxed though as I forgot about getting shots of the other guys!

It gets busy but it feeds me...

2010-02-04T21:41:00.001+11:00

Before I really got back into photography I use to sit on the couch a lot of a weekend and let the time pass. I might limit, yes limit. I'd limit myself to booking in one outing for the weekend and that was it and now I've got this thirst to book myself solid with an opportunity to shoot, shoot, shoot! It's odd, when I was really into motorcycling it was great then I became sick of it after working in the industry. Bikes were the last thing I wanted to look at and then there was this period between photography and cars/bikes where I just didn't have any inspiration.

Now that a camera is what I grab with my wallet as I walk out the door it also gives me a reason to improve my blogging with something to write about.

Write frequently, improve. I need to improve on my blogging, I need to excercise the ol' vernacular and it's much like what I do with my photography. Shoot frequently and improve.

Saturday had me shooting with Nicole, Laura & Aimee and it was a lot of fun. Special thanks to Gary who brought in his spankin' XP Falcon. I got to practice my photography and practice my directing skills. Skills I want to weild with confidence.

I do love being part of shoots like this as it gives me a rare opportunity to be purely creative.

A big day

2010-01-28T20:48:00.001+11:00

What are you doing on Australia day?
"Drinking!"
"BBQ!"
"Beach!"

Not this year. Maggie and I started off helping her brother move his fish tank out of his townhouse and into our home which ain't an easy task considering the tank itself is 6 feet wide, 3 feet deep and just as tall and you CAN'T forget about the cabinet it sits on either! It's a tight squeeze in our little home but we'll foster them until he can find a more permanent home. That was half the day.

After tearing it all down and putting it all back together Maggie and I finally got rid of our two motorcycles. Lots of fun times but priorities change and we'll be back soon enough anyway. The Super Tenere went to a mate I know through photography whilst Maggie's SV was sold to some very close friends and after all the delivering was done it was 7 o'clock and time to buster down to Murrumbeena to enjoy dinner with my dad, sister, brother in-law and her in-laws, Rick & Mary.

Jen & Dave recently overhauled their garden and patio areas in order to reclaim some gorgeous living area in inner suburban Melbourne. It looks spectacular.

The Chicken may have been a little undercooked but among good company you over look these things.

This is my dad...

2010-01-19T22:11:00.002+11:00

...and in July 2010 he'll make 66.

This part of my blog is for my dad so I can write here all the memories I've had with him and all the experiences I'll have with him in the future. On January 19th 2010 he told me he might have pancreatic cancer. He told me he would rather enjoy his time here and ensure he keeps his quality of life as constant as possible, I smiled.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T12:30:00.000+11:00

Maggie and myself rest up for a Polish Christmas lunch just waiting for us at her mum's.
It's going to be big, festive and I'll have to take away some snacks just to be able to enjoy them later!

Merry Christmas to the World Wide Web!

2009-11-21T10:16:00.004+11:00

I grew up with every weekend spent on the ocean. If I couldn't start dad's dingy I'd swim with my sister and our friends around the boat or to the closest shore which was more often than not a kilometer from the mooring. I haven't been on a boat since I lived in Brisbane almost a decade ago and as I've found out I don't have my sea legs anymore and have picked up my mum's nausea instead! Mum loved the boat as much as I but was was always wearing wrist straps to hold off the effects of sea sickness.

My last outing onto the ocean was terrible but out onto the Great Barrier Reef I felt ill and although I did 'purge the evil'. Once I'd finished feeding the fishes I felt immediately better. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful I felt but let's just say I was set to enjoy the rest of the day like everyone else. Apparently the quick duck under the railings gave me a little shiner too.

I did stow my gear well before that adventure and didn't take it out for the rest of the trip. I think some of my nausea was caused by looking through the lens and didn't want a repeat.

The trip out to the reef was made with the wonderful crew of Passions of Paradise. I highly recommend them as they are great entertainers and fabulous people. Especially one of our divemasters' who was instrumental in helping Maggie get back into diving.

Simon - our smooth talking, card shuffling divemaster. The man is an absolute riot.

After two dives and a visit to Michaelmas Cay I can only say with a little sadness that the reef isn't looking it's once colourful self. I remember swimming as a kid on the reef and the immediate colour and vibrancy of the coral would hit you right in the face! Giant clams and a few anemone are all that remains of that once vivid memory. The good new is the fish are still flourishing and looking wonderful!

I hope to go back and take in more of this wonderful sight and be prepared with more photos. ;)

2009-11-07T22:28:00.000+11:00

Today Maggie was battling vertigo on top of a giant rock overhanging the gorgeous Joesephine Falls so I could get this self portrait in for the New Zealand edition of Jasmine Star's Workshop! I love my Maggie who is a gorgeous 32 year old today!

She was holding out my main flash to light me up whilst my old favourite was perched on a rock. The second flash gave me the lovely starburst in the background.

I've been um-ing and ah-ing about entering this competition but the 5th of January will be my 30th and what a lovely way of spending it than in New Zealand and further setting the foundations for my future!

More to come from the trip including a complete lack of shots from our dive trip to the Great Barrier Reef!

I'll explain why in a later post. ;)

On leave...

2009-11-06T18:43:00.000+11:00

I'm on leave with my missus in Far North Queensland. My folks are up here so it's a popular place to go.

From a wet Victoria we stopped in sunny Sydney.

Maggie's mum sent us on the way with sandwiches that I didn't think we'd get through but boy were they great. A bit heavy on the spanish onions which was quite obvious when we found a quiet corner of the terminal to sit and bust open the zip loc bags. Two other travellers sitting close by got up and took off!

I'll leave the trip there and with another note as I've got to head on down to mum's resturant for a little dinner. I have forgotten to upload Burke & Diana's wedding photos for all of you! I was so excited with that one shot I dismissed having to post further shots, heck, I've delivered the photos to them but I forgot about the fanclub!

I'll try to get some up when I get back home!

Burke & Diana

2009-10-14T22:15:00.000+11:00

On fire. I was on fire! Burke & Diana tied the knot and what a great bunch on people. The energy that radiated from the family on this day was a source I had to tap into!

I'm paying for it now because I have a mountain of photos to sort, edit and process so there's more to come on this beautiful couple. Burke & Diana thank you for letting me be part of your special day!

Lisa & Joel

2009-09-27T19:49:00.000+10:00

I'm getting a hang of this wedding thing but it still challenges me.

Challenge, what a word. It's like using "nice," it's kind of clinical, kind of boring, it hides more than what I'm letting on.

Weddings, they seem great as I approach the day. On the day I get a little nervous, a little anxious but drive through it trying to cover the good angles and let the day flow. Whilst I'm buried in the emotion of the day it's great! People are happy, there's a few stories that get whispered and I get to meet some fantastic people it's great but the next day I'll sit in front of the computer ready to process and I feel I've acheived little.

I plug through it, delete a few here, process a few there. Black & white? Hmmm, works well here. A little warmth there. The photos grow, they come alive. The energy of the day is recreated and I begin to love it.

My oh my what a rollercoaster.

Thank you Lisa & Joel.

The best weekend yet

2009-09-16T21:25:00.003+10:00

Saturday.

It started off a little uninspiring as I bummed around Tony Ryan's Studio while everyone else got stuck into shooting with their models.

Ross my team mate for the Flickr strobist meet started shooting and I sorta-kinda shot as well but was getting as much inspiration from my shots as I was putting in.

Sweet F.A.

Lunch came and went and the gears started turning...slowly. Gradually I was getting back into my creative groove and then they started humming along nicely when I got a knudge, "Al, we're off to the laneway again. The Mustang is coming out."

OH HELL YEAH!

I love painting a scene and creating a story with my photography and shooting with the Mustang really helped bring all of that out.

After that it was a quick blast home from Northcote to pick up my missus and celebrate a mate's birthday. Joe is a Country Fire Authority member and recently gave up a bit of his time to concrete our driveway and patio. Shooting his family and doing a simple couple portrait, whilst a little inebriated was the least I could do!

Splash and dash

2009-09-11T22:48:00.000+10:00

A quick note.

I'm off for a shoot tomorrow but not before working on the old gate and hanging it....Maggie and I have a new concrete driveway! YAY!

That's the first thing in the morning, then the shoot, then birthday party.

Long day but soooo worth it.

Oui!

2009-09-07T20:33:00.002+10:00

I can't begin to describe the excitement, the elation and the satisfaction I feel when someone tags my flickr account.

Another fan of my work! Yay! It drives me on to acheive more and boy do I ever feel that much better about what I'm doing with this whole photography milarky.

During my work week when I've got a few moments to myself I load up the Canon User's Forum and my Flickr "groups" page ready to open up a new tab when time presents itself and to wonder through the pools. Some days the thumbnails hide a treasure and sometimes...well, I'll say it's dissapointing but most times the tiny image is an accurate depiction of what lays beneath.

When I hit a great image, I'll add it as a fav or leave a comment but if I'm pressed for time I'll copy the shortcut into a email I leave open all day. This email contains all the links to interesting galleries, shots, articles, etc that I find so I can read them in depth at home during my wind down from work.

Today, Ross Barker caught my eye in the Strobist Photo Pool with a beautiful head shot. I saw the thumbnail and said, "Wow." Once I'd added it as a fav that was it, Monday ran it's natural course as the busiest day of the week however when I got home I'd found that Ross had added me as a contact, YAY!

I love a tight headshot like Ross's. Bright eyes, high cheeks, every lash lovingly teased out and lighting that helps accentuate all those details. I also prefer that she hasn't had her skin smoothed out to buggery it detracts from the intimacy that comes with a headshot.

Handy tips for the Second Photographer

2009-09-01T20:05:00.005+10:00

2nd Photographer. Most people sign on for the experience so they can improve themselves and at the end of the day "myself" is all they think of.

The first time I shot a wedding as 2nd, yes, I was lucky enough to be given a free run and some opportunities to develop but when it came down to it I was there to support the photographer.

I've been reminded of that wedding because of a post made by Jasmine Star. There were two things I should have done better.

The first was my dress sense. Although I was smartly dressed I didn't dress to the same standard as the photographer I was supporting.

The second was to know where everything was in the gear bags. I was able to work everything but was fumbling trying to locate gear.

I think I'll easily do better on the next round which is odd as I was swinging toward NEVER shooting weddings again after the first. Reflection tends to change you.

For now have a wonder through Jasmine's blog, I really do admire her style. Her blog design is "to die for." ;)

New Kittens & A Family Portrait Opportunity

2009-08-23T11:40:00.004+10:00

"Getting the cats before we have Vietnamese might not be good." I replied to Maggie tongue in cheek. Off we went for Friday lunch with a couple of my workmates.
Friday lunch at work is a fresh thing that I've been enjoying of late. Four workmates go out to a restaurant for food, the odd drink and some decent conversation and unlike the Friday night get together the wind down seems more effective.

After lunch Maggie popped down to the Lort Smith to pick up our new kittens, Murray & Lilly and brought them by work for a quick looksie.

They've settled in now and have run of the house which was an easy decision to make considering the proficiency of their house training. Kody, our Labrador loves them however Pokie, would rather they stay at one end of the house and himself in the other.

Here they are from their first morning here. They found some paper work and were spreading it around down the side of the bed.

On another note, one of Maggie's workmates, Chrissy, was quite impressed with my shoot with Laura and asked if I would shoot a family portrait for her. Maggie passed on my acceptance during a night shift and she was so excited she was literally speechless. Apparently she doesn't own a single group shot of her family together so it will be a first for me and I'm quite excited.

I'll draw up some ideas but this will be a shoot I'm really looking forward to.

Dope, Soap & Hope

2009-08-16T07:21:00.004+10:00

Here's one of a series of posts from Zack Arias. Derrick is trying to make a difference in his life but every so often he makes a difference in someone elses.

Read the post and more here

The Mini Meet

2009-08-09T21:01:00.003+10:00

I'm finding it quite difficult to do anything today. My head is clogged up but I've got to do this post as part of my workflow.

Upload, rate, cull, process, upload to Smugmug and Flickr then write about it....blow nose, take tablet....uuuggh.

...and now leave it for a couple of days and you feel much better about it all. ;)

Now let's get back to saturday's work. I went to an old shoot local where I'd left a jacket behind and it wasn't open so a quick stop at a Burger King and then bustered to Rey's place for the shoot.

Parking was easy and I was the first one there by 15 minutes. Out came the windex and newspapers to clean the road grime off the balcony before the rest of the MUA's, stylists & our 2 models. Now I'll let it be known that Rey had a great itinery set out and we VERY loosely adhered to it. As a consequence I only shot with one of the models but I acheived a lot from the day.

Shooting in the bedroom was an awesome thing which saw me asking Rey for an iron so I could get all the creases from the sheets! I've never ironed on a bed before and no one had ever seen it being done before but it paid off!

Thanks to Rey for wrangling the models, MUA and stylists and lastly for allowing all of us to shoot in his apartment for the afternoon.

A Flickring and a strobin'

2009-07-26T12:31:00.001+10:00

Yesterday was spent with the people of the Melbourne Flickr Strobist Group and being the second time around for me I was rather revved up about it.

Firstly I needed to have breakfast and the best damned baked goodness is found at the Swiss Bakehouse on Stephenson's Rd. Bagels, I love Bagels and they've got them in spades.
On arriving at the Bakery I let Maggie order for us while I worked out the maths for Rolls...we were organising the catering today as well as shooting. Eyebrows shot skywards when I asked for,
"Fifty Rolls please and can I start with ten of the White knots?"
"Fifteen?"
"Fifty please"
"One, Five?"
"Five, Oh."
"Oh"

After that and a little breakie in the car we both decided to head into Richie's IGA for cold cuts and drinks. It was all quite an ad hoc way of organising the catering but well seeing as I was settled on ordering Pizza (A Melbourne Strobist default) it was worth it and everyone loved the choice. "REAL FOOD! THANKS!" was the comment heard most. ;)

I tells ya, I've got to get a trolley or wheels back on my Pelican 0340 case because that mother is a bastard to carry when it's packed like a Esky.

The great thing about a Strobist meet is having to call on your creativity in order to set your lights, settings and work with a model to create a scene without any planning. Right there and then, create an image or go home.

What a weekend

2009-07-19T20:29:00.000+10:00

The last two days have been filled with photowalks. Scott Kelby's through Brunswick then a flickr based Melbourne forum's run through Melbourne Open House and lastly with a short walk through St Kilda with my Monthly POTN walk.

I honestly don't feel tired. I feel as if I could take on two more days.

The greatest thing I've found in this old hobby of mine is the energy that it gives me and the people I get to meet through it.

I'll stop there but I'd like to build up one day to a blog with depth but for the moment, this is a slice.

Designed, setup, lights, camera, action!

2009-07-15T21:52:00.000+10:00

I believe some time back when I was a regular blogger an event happened that made blogging for me a little less convienient.

One puppy + one laptop power supply cord = A shorted motherboard and no more laptop

Not long after that I dropped out of using my Livejournal account on a regular basis but now I'm back and I'd like to get my ideas down, record my progress and just to get it all out.

Let see how I go.