super dad

Super Dad was the first of 6 LO's commissioned by Scrapbooking Memories for a photography brief. I was asked to explain a 'how to' photographically speaking and then support the blurb with a layout.

This one featured Black and White Photography in Scrapbooking Memories Vol 16 Number 7.

i solemnly swear that i am up to no good

I've had a 6 month brief with Scrapbooking Memories which has been fun. They asked me to show a photography style via a scrapbook page and then explain that style in layman terms how to go about capturing that sort of photograph.

This one is about perspective. Meaning looking/thinking/capturing vision from a different point of view. Like an ants point of view as an example.

Volume 16, Number 11.

be patient. your time will come

This one just rolled off the table in an hour or so.  The photo was taken back in 2010 when we had a dress up afternoon after school. And as luck would have it, this railroad siding was cleaned up and had some roadworks done for a safer crossing, so I very nearly didn't have the 'older' feel to it.  Sometimes luck does smile.

eyre peninsula culinary adventure guide.

The Eyre Peninsula Culinary Adventure Guide was launched last week. It's a glossy brochure and an Ebook designed to promote the quality foods produced on the Eyre Peninsula.

I've two photos in the brochure. On page 14 to promote sheep (the Suffolk Ewe and Lamb with North Block in the background) and on page 41, Wheat to promote agriculture and the bakeries.

This is the link to the eBook, beautifully put together by Woof Media in Port Lincoln.

http://culinaryguide.exploreeyrepeninsula.com.au/#folio=1

blesssed

I've had the scrapping doldrums lately. Zero mojo and my energies have been directed elsewhere, mostly with the gym club/coaching/competition coaching/MAG accreditation for me. I've also been spending a bit of time behind the camera and the associated post production involved with that.

This LO has been sitting on my desk half done, for over a month. I've never had that happen before. I just couldn't be bothered finishing it. I love the photo, its a very special one, I've loved what I've done to the LO up to the point where I left it (abandoned it), so its not like I hated it and never wanted to finish it. Its just that I couldn't find that creative spark to finish it with a bit of flair.

Well yesterday, I finally cleared my office desk of everything that was pressing my time and I turned to the scrap desk. And 20 minutes it was done.

At last.

what a day

the best day of golf EVER!!
27 hole match played as pairs with 2 other pairs, so there was six of us going round together. What a great social day.  We hit off about 9.30 and finished up around about 5.25pm.

The first nine was ok, the second nine was pretty good, the third nine was amazing. We hit 49 off the stick on that 3rd nine.  That's A grade stuff.

Tracy and I had a fair few high fives and happy dancing on the fairways and scrapes. Man, she sunk some monster putts.

Back at the club we won 2nd Div Handicap and the Novelty of the second stroke on the 18th. My drives improved a lot during the day, and Tracy hit some bloody handy second shots.

What a wonderful team mate, lots of fun, with the same mind set, and just a wonderful support when I duffed my shots.   Thanks heaps and I really hope we pair up again for the next foursome event.

bubba RM's

I've had such a lovely run on new born babies to photograph lately.  I get my clucky fix by having a little cuddle and having a snuff of that special Johnson & Johnson baby smell they have.

Dad and Daughter

little rays of sunshine

Man. I just LOVE this time of year. The earth has greened up with foliage (usually weeds), the light is soft and we have glorious good living days. What's not to love??

These little rays of sunshine just light up my life.

(he's such a little scalawag for the camera)  :)

life as a gymnastics coach

I'm training 6 boys for 3 MAG (Mens Artistic Gymnastics) competitions this year. The first one being a couple of weekends away.

I've really got stuck into training myself this year, with upskilling and getting accredited as a MAG coach. I've been a WAG (Women's Artistic Gymnastics) for a couple of years, but now that its just Sean doing gym, my focus has changed. This has meant online assessments, a day of face to face training in Adelaide, my being mentored and seeking other coaches assistance on the way.  It's being quite a journey.

Cummins and Port Lincoln clubs' have combined to fly over an instructor over for the day of intensive squad training on Sunday, which will really benefit both coaches and the gymnasts. I'm hoping with all my fingers crossed that I can be ticked off for the final paperwork and assessments. And that would be a huge sigh of relief from me, and a wonderful sense of achievement.

Our club is in need of expanding our pool of coaches for its long term future, and I'm very much involved in that.

been a bit busy......    ;)

two little poppets

Visited this family recently to celebrate their new arrival.  I get to have a little cuddle and smell that special new born smell. 

More images over at Tiff Firth Photography in the Two Little Poppets album

its all about family

I had this family in front of my lens recently...

gotta love the steer on the right of frame, talk about a classic photobomb hehehe.

There's one in every family isn't there.

anzac 2014

I've been asked by our local RSL Branch to photograph the Dawn Service and Remembrance Day occasions for the last couple of years. What an honor.

I always struggle with my tears with the Dawn Service. I wear my heart on my sleeve and believe in not bottling up emotion, so I usually have a lot of tears fall.  Last year I found especially difficult. I struggled to keep quiet and discreet, and I just had to turn away for a little bit to find some composure.

This year Sean found me up near the front photographing while I was crying. He pulled me down to whisper in my ear 'Don't cry Mum' and gave me the biggest of hugs. Oh man, it was hard to keep quiet then. Dear little man, he has such empathy in his soul, and I hope he never loses that.

A wonderful moment showed in the sky this Anzac morning. Nearly everyone had marched from the Plinth to the RSL when the solar ring formed. It was pointed out to me, and I quickly found a lift back to the Plinth to capture it in all its glory.

They shall grow not old,
As we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn them.
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning,
We will remember them.
Lest We Forget.

travel plans 2015

I've just confirmed my travel plan for 2015.  Something to tick off on my bucket list.

To say I'm really excited is a massive understatement. There are only 8 spots on this photography tour and 4 have been snapped up in the first few days of release. That's says a fair bit about the tour leader if you ask me. Details here.

eagle fledglings

Today was the kids first day playing for United Yeelanna aka Eagles aka Blue & Gold.

The kids really enjoyed their games. She played GK and WD for the match, he got a kick and a couple of touches.

Whilst neither of their teams won, they gave it there all. I had a surprising number of people after her game come up and say what a great defender she was, and how she read the play to intercept the ball. Jeeez, my heart swelled a fair bit, I tell you.

He lead his team out of the change rooms and onto the ground. I had no idea, but I do have some photos of it (of course).  He felt pretty awesome about that!!

Top day all round. The kids have molted their black and white wings and now have their blue and gold flight feathers now :)

cummins gym club western rump and red dinner with a good and services auction, and other things

I am totally zapped and sooo looking forward to school holidays. I've had a bunch of things on my plate that have finally come to fruition and now I've time to take a little breath.

I've been very involved with the gym club's Western Rump and Red Dinner which included a Goods and Services Auction. I am so very pleased to say the whole night was a resounding success. Damien Mrjden catered for over 90 people, the guests bidded for over 30 auction lot items, which in turn raised over $11 000 for the night. $8055 from the auction and the remainder from the dinner and bar after expenses. The funds raised are going towards the monies needed to build the new purpose built training facility at the old basketball courts at the town oval.

From all those people I've seen since the dinner, they ALL say what a fantastic night it was, lots of buzz, great food, great music and what a great way for people to support the club.

The relief I felt once the night was under way and things were swinging along so wonderfully, was immense.  I hadn't realised what a weight on my shoulder it had become until the next day and to hear the positive feedback, was incredibly heartening.

I've also been studying and have undertaken extra gymnastic training to be a MAG (men's artistic gymnast) Intermediate Coach. This has included a number of internet hours study, and a trip to Adelaide for face to face training. At the moment, I'm about to begin a number of hours being mentored by a Port Lincoln MAG coach in the Lincoln Club. I need to submit a video of a lesson that I have planned, executed with the gymnasts, and self critiqued, for examination by GYM SA, to gain my Intermediate coaching ticket.

I'm also coaching 5 boys to take to Port Lincoln, Country Champs in Adelaide, and the Port Pirie comps this year.  They are the most motivated bunch of kids and they are so keen to train. That's a huge help.

Sean and I have a trip to Adelaide next week for the day and as soon as we land back in Lincoln, we are heading straight to the Lincoln Gym club, for my mentoring and for Sean to have some coaching by someone else other than his Mum.

I've had a 3 month commercial photography project finalize this last week. That's been quite fun, and its been great stress outlet for me.

I've been asked to explain/teach my post production workflow from Camera, Bridge, Camera Raw and into Photoshop for an upcoming Camera Club weekend away in May. I've been making notes already for that. And as Kym will be seeding, the kids will join me at the weekend away by the sea.

I've had a photograph of Tumby Bay Jetty feature on the cover of the newest Tumby Views Magazine. My first cover and a glossy too  :D   whoop whoop.

I should be charging my accountant in 3 minute increments for the amount of work I've been doing for him lately, instead of the other way round haha.

I've had a scrapping brief to complete last week, and I'm super stoked with that.

I'd love the time to scrap more than I have, but right now I feel far too drained to be creative.

My Mum's not been well, and I've really struggled to find the time to spend helping her. Or the 'want'.  Lots of past history there.

We've swapped Footy/Netty clubs this year. We've made the shift from Ramblers to United Yeelanna purely and simply for social reasons for Annie. All her close friends are Eagle kids, and she was miserable at Ramblers. Didn't mix with her team, didn't want to go the Club, didn't want to stay at Footy during the day, and sit in the car to read/hide in her book.  I've been a Rambler for 34 years, but I'm not that one-eyed to put myself in front of the kids needs. So we have made the shift. She has really come out of her shell and we've been so welcomed by the club. Sean has a couple of Rambler boys who have also come across to UnitedYeelanna as mates, and he has fitted in fairly easily.  First whistle is tomorrow and the kids are keen.

I've Kym's 2 sisters and their families coming over for Easter, so I'm about to madly clean house and attack the garden. It's looking like great gardening weather for the next few days, thank goodness.

So with everything that's been going on, or about to happen, I haven't been here for the last week or so, and that unusual for me.

gpa

Layout number 9 from the e2c retreat weekend. This one was a Celeste Vermeend class that I took. Its the first class I've done in many years. (6 years if I recall correctly) and I did feel a bit buzzed from it.

Its not copied verbatim from Celeste's example, Ive added a lot of me into it instead. ie - changed the colour theme, changed the mist colour, water coloured the tags, changed the colour of the hello adventure cut file label, used my dymo instead of handwriting, used the paper clips, rolled up the edges to reveal the peekaboo buttons, used washi tape.

running away

This photo shoot back in 2010, was inspired by John Sands greeting cards. I wanted to portray kids running away from home in the early 20th Century. 

Lots of textiles on this LO, keeping it muted so the photo dominates and tells the story.

LO no 8 from e2c

family

Loved pulling this one together. And I do love discovering wonderful 'finds' at the local Cheap as Chips.

Have a great day.

LO no 7 from e2c

magic pink bubbles

Sometimes a LO doesn't need a title or added journaling as the photo says it all.  :)

LO no 6.

not negotiable

This LO background is totally inspired by Jen Matott for Faber Castell. I had a spill of sequins across my craft table which lead to the idea of using them on the LO as well.

Some accidents are just meant to happen aren't they.

:)