Losing my marbles...

My assignment this week is to make a home studio and take 4 photos, of 2 different subjects, using different lighting.  Our lecturer made it look unbelievably simple and did this in about 40 minutes.  Granted, he has a lot more knowledge than I do, but it just looked so easy and like such fun.  We have to use something see-through, or something with a reflective surface.  Jake's marbles are colourful, see-through and reflective - everything all rolled into one.  Thankfully, my spare bedroom is currently devoid of furniture, so it gave me plenty of space to play with.

NOTE:  IF YOU DON'T LIKE MARBLES, OR MY ASSIGNMENTS, CHECK BACK.

While I like all these photos, they could all do with a little tweaking, which is what I plan to do this afternoon - re-shoot.  The first photo is OK, but too close to the edge of the glass and you can see me in the marbles, which is what I was really trying to avoid.

The light in the next one is OK, but there's the darned edge of the glass again.  I also need to move that jar and the light behind its not great...

Better, but I need more light in the front and at the back...

 Darn it - need to move the marbles further onto the glass...

 And make sure that I get the full reflection in the picture...

 I quite like the colour and size of the big marble next to the little guys...

 Solitary, but might be a little too dark...

Too dark, plus green from the glass in front, but I like the layout...

 Ooooh... I like this...

 And what about this one?  Too much?

 And how about in colour?

 Back to the simple look, but again I need more light in the front.  It's good to see my pictures like this and to be able to criticise them properly...

 I like this view too, but I need to be careful to line them up straight and I will also need a better piece of glass.  I love the colours in these marbles.  They come from the transport museum in Glasgow, if you wanted to know...

 Sparkly marbles...

 Need to sort out the faded blue in the corners if I'm going to use this...

 OK, so something more sedate...  Too little light, not enough detail...

 Playing with backgrounds...

 I think I like this one best...

 And another view.  I need to move that paper label...

 My next subject was a bottle of perfume.  I can't remember what it's called, something by Elizabeth Arden...

 Better with the nozzel pointed forwards.  This one was using a gold reflector...

 And this one was with a yellow one...

 I like this, I like all the reflections.  I don't like the rough edge on the glass, or the dark stripe in the background.  And what is that mark on the perspex??

 Back to the marbles.  I need to work on this again today.  This marble is on a skewer stick, about 10cm in the air.  Needs more light.  Everything is about light here...

 My last subject for the weekend, was this cute little glass guitar.  I need to dust it before I re-shoot it.  I like the distortion of the line in the background.  Is too dark though..

 Also playing with backgrounds, I quite like this brightly lit up...

And just in case you were wondering what it all looks like, here you have it.  Please excuse the mess.  And no, I wasn't drinking that wine, I was using it to hold my perspex upright...

All these pictures are completely unedited and taken in the dark.  I'm quite impressed, but I know that I can still do better.  Watch this space!

Sue XXX

Before the next weekend...

 Here are the snaps from the last one!

First up, Marius' sister got a new Boerboel puppy on Saturday.  His name is Duke and he's 8 weeks old.  She brought him to visit us on her way home. He is undeniably very cute and so snuggly.  He's gonna be a big boy, but look how short his little legs are...

 We made a fire and that was pretty much how the rest of our day went.  Unlike the balmy week we've had this week, the weather was miserable and we pretty much spent the rest of the weekend slobbing in front of the fireplace.  Bliss...

 This is the view from the couch in Marius' lounge - you know where I spent most of my weekend, right...

 We did decide to do a quick trip down to the beach during a break int he weather...

 The sea was rough and it was very cold.  Robben Island looks very close in this picture...

 Marius found a buoy, washed up by the storms, which Jake insisted on carrying.  I think Jake was trying to bag it for himself...

 We mis-predicted the rain and the wind blew the clouds in faster than we expected.  Marius and I took refuge behind the dunes...

 While the boys hid in a little den that someone built on the beach...

 The rain didn't last long and soon enough we were able to carry on with our walk...

 My four monkeys on the dunes.  The boys (big and small) love the dunes...

 One of these days, Michael's going to be stronger than his dad - he nearly pulled his dad down...

 I know you've seen these dune photos before (well not these exact ones), but they're such happy photos for me.  Look at their smiles...

Jake is in heaven when he's outside getting up to mischief with his new friends...

 Loving it...

 And then there's the crazy scramble back up the dunes for another go...

 Unfortunately, another rain cloud was headed our way and we had to cut our trip a bit shorter than normal...

 Jake was in his own little world heading home.  I think he was hoping we'd all get soaked...

 Michael hitching a free ride...

 We made it back before the rain struck.  Just in time for coffee and left over spaghetti bolognaise in front of the fireplace.  The rain is beautiful from inside...

 Walking back home, there's always so much to talk about.  Cam's behind Jake, chatting to his dad and Michael was already at home, waiting for us...

 In other news, little Pip has found his forever home!  He went to go and live with a lovely couple in Table view, only to be returned a week later.  He's now very much a part of my mom and dad's home and he's not going anywhere.  He's a funny, happy little dog, with the worst breath you've ever smelt in your life, but he's cute and he's cuddly and not hyper at all.  They've decided not to operate on his massive cleft pallet, as he seems to be managing his eating and drinking well enough without intervention.  He's a real survivor..

Hey Pippie... we love you X

And that brings you up to speed on our news.  For the coming weekend, I have to make a home studio, out of boxes and light bulb and I need to take pictures of two different subjects.  Sounds simple enough... not.  I'll be in my spare bedroom most of the weekend, thanks.

Hope you have a stunning weekend, whatever you get up to.  Hope the weather holds!!

With love,

Sue XXX