Assignment number 2...

 So, once again, I find myself struggling to choose 3 pictures that are best suited for today's assignment.  The theme is inside/outside photos.  That means pictures taken with either a very dark, or very light background.  It's all about getting the exposure right - whether you want a silhouette, or whether you want your sky totally washed out and your subject nice and bright.  I do find this quite difficult and I've been a lazy "auto" photographer for so long, that it's quite a big mind adjustment to take pictures manually.

Anyway, here's a whole bunch of photos that fit the needs for this specific assignment.  Truthfully, the orchid photo was taken for last week's assignment, but suits today's one better. 

I took Jake down to Intaka Island, thinking we could find lots of shady spots beneath the trees and perhaps a bird hide or two.  Despite looking very grumpy in this picture, Jake's been a very patient model for me the entire weekend...

 A fairly unexciting photograph, but I do love this boy's eyes...

 Enjoying the view...

 In a hide.  Jake has hands JUST like his father.  Feet too, but more about that later...

 We were there during the middle of the day, so there wasn't too much to see - just a few ducks and pigeons really...

 This is a bit over-exposed, but I like the idea of Jake taking photos of me, while I take photos of him...

 I absolutely love this picture of Jake's eyes and this is probably one that I'm considering printing most.  He's just doing something funky with his mouth and nose, like he's smelled poo...but those eyes...

 Despite all his good intentions, he wasn't all that happy about looking straight into the sun...

 I like this photo very much too.  I was inside the hide and Jake was playing in a tree trunk.  He discovered a gecko's nest of tiny eggs and was desperately hoping that one would hatch while he was watching...

 And this serious shot...

 Something different - the wooden structure of the hide...

 Taking a break from all the photos...

 I also really like this shot...

 I'm not sure about this picture, it doesn't look like it's in focus, because it's sandblasted onto their front door.  It's the logo for Intaka...

 There are some awesome, old trains painted brightly and parked outside Intaka.  This is taken, looking back at the entrance to Intaka Island, through one of the windows on the engine...

 My sweet boy, looking back in at me...

 I also like this shot, but I'm not sure about the exposure.  It almost looks black and white...

 I couldn't sleep last night, so I got my tripod out and messed around until nearly midnight.  Jake slept through the whole thing...

For something different, I took a photo of Mario watching the fish tank.  The bedroom was dark, besides the glow of the fish tank.  Just something silly, maybe a little out the box...

 I also love this picture of the bedside lamp.  Although I did notice that it really needs a good dusting.  I'm not sure about the top of the lamp though, I almost feel like I would like the picture cropped a bit..

 A brighter version of the above - nice to be able to see that there's someone sleeping in the background, but I think the light's a bit over-exposed...

 Back to Jake.  Those toes are JUST like his dad's.  I wish he'd scrubbed and trimmed his nails for this shoot, but he really didn't have time...

 Soft and sweet.  I wanted to kiss those little toes, but was scared I'd wake Jake up...

 I don't know why these pictures ended up at the bottom of the pile, but these were amongst the first I took of Jake.  Totally outside in bright, glaring sunshine up against a white wall...

 Hi my honey pie sugar plum chocolate dumpling...

 That wink totally melts my heart...

So what do you think?? Which is your favourite?  Let me know before 1; I need to send them in for printing.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Love Sue XXX

Pictures for Paul...

Paul's away for work in Singapore and Sydney at the moment.  He's such a jet setter and I'm quite envious, even though I know he's probably working like a dog and getting little time for much else.  I'm also pretty sure that I wouldn't want go anywhere without Jake.  By now, I'm sure that Paul's feeling homesick and he'd rather be here than there, especially now that the weekend's arrived.  So, as promised, here's a whole bunch of photos for him of his beautiful kids. I hope it helps!  I'm supposed to have posted photos for him every day, but just haven't had the time.

Mario is pretty HUGE around our house at the moment.  Jake has been a fan for years and he got these Mario characters a while back.  He's been sharing Mario with Corky, who's already told his dad on the phone that he needs to bring one home for him.  Paul, just a heads up, don't come home without one! 

 While Corky's game to pose for me, Princess Bi is not interested in the camera...

 A special smile for my dad...

 Corky decided that I needed to take a picture of him with his sister...

  But to get a smile from both of them with both their eyes on me, is virtually impossible...

 And, while I'm very consciously aware that this picture is very blurred, it's too sweet.  Corky's holding Bi's head in place, so that she can't look away and my mom was doing some entertaining...

 It didn't last long, Be was too busy reading stories...

 And building boats...

 I managed to get her outside for a few minutes, but it was almost more difficult to get her to look at me...

 She's just too busy and life is too exciting...

 Home girl playing with the fallen leaves...

 And shaking seeds out the fallen pomegranates...

 Yes, she did stick her hands in there...

 And she though it was funny when I told her it was poef.  Least I got her to smile, even if she wouldn't look at me...

 Not to be outdone by his little sister, Corky was back for one last snap, before I went off to work...

OK, Paul, I hope this makes up for not having posted pictures all week.  SORRY!!  I'll try be better next week!!  Travel safely.  Oh and Jake asked for money from Australia and Singapore, please.  He's doing his collectors badge and has decided to show his coin collection.  

Lots of love,

Sue XXX

What do you think??

 Our weekend whizzed by us in a blur and I actually can't believe that it's Monday morning already.  Friday night was spent over a delicious meal and lots of sherry (that time of year again) at my folks.  We ended up staying over, which is always a novelty for Jake.  I had a very good friend's sister's funeral on Saturday morning, which was really tough and completely draining.  The funeral was followed by a braai with friends, followed by a 70th birthday party.  Yesterday we had church, then joined friends for ice-cream/mini doughnuts on the beach.  I did house work and washing and we had an early evening braai with my parents and sister, which was a great way to end our busy weekend.

As you know, my photography assignment for the week was to take photos of anything, using manual settings.  I need to print 3 photos of the same subject, taken from different angles.  It's tougher than it sounds and if they'd given us a specific theme, I'm sure it would've been far easier.  Anyway, on Friday evening, the light was catching my mom's orchid in the most beautiful way, so that became my subject.  The tough part is choosing 3 of my favourites to print.  The above and below pictures were taken indoors...

 And this one was taken in the full evening sunshine on the stoep outside...

 But then we had a braai and the kids are so much cuter than the flowers!!  They're more difficult to take snaps of, especially Bi, because they just don't sit still...

 Bi only likes the camera when she's in the right mood.  She loves seeing her picture on the monitor after I've taken her snap.  But, while Bi's very cute, I don't think either of these pictures are particularly impressive...

 I love this one of her, but I need 3 prints, not just one...

 My "little" sausage, is getting too big for words.  It feels like yesterday that he was as little as Bi, but look at him!!  He's quite self-conscious in photos at the moment, so that's also not great for what I need right now.  Hopefully I will get some great ones of him soon enough.  Again, all about getting the right mood...

 I did manage to get a smile and I do love this photo of him very much...

 And this one - grubby face and all.  He still loves to braai...

 Corky stole the show though.  He was on top form and full of smiles and actions for the camera.  Just what I needed!!  So now, the really tough part is choosing 3 photos that I think are great enough to justify printing and taking in to my lecture to be criticised.

1. This one of Corky is great, I like his pose, but I'd also like to crop it.  Might work for sure...

 2. In this picture, he was cross because Bi was stealing his thunder.  I like that you can see he's not happy about sharing his limelight...

3. There's him climbing a tree with a big smile...

4. This one might be a little over-exposed, I think, but I do love it...

5. This one is my absolute favourite - it shows just what a happy boy Corky really is...

6. This one is overexposed, I know, but I still like it... I like it a bit washed out.  Still, the purpose of the exercise was to get the light right and it's not in this picture...

 Anyway, I will be sending them off for printing around 12:30 today, so if you pop past, drop me a quick note to tell me which ones you really like.  I need help deciding and I love your input, so please let me know what you think.  I think I like pictures 1, 2 and 5 of Corky.  Pictures 3 and 4 are also up there and the last one I know I won't print, but I like it anyway, so just sharing...

Sending love,

Sue XXX