Posts Tagged Photography

New Camera Equipment

Dec 4

Posted by ness in Dogs, Photography | 2 Comments

IMG_5906

Okay, so I’ve only rented these pieces for the weekend, but I am *so* already enjoying them.

My kids are going to feel like the papparazzi have moved in for the weekend.

Until I fetch them from school (which should be happening in about -5mins) this girl has been putting up with the constant onslaught of the speedlite 580EX and the f2.8 24-70mm…

Possibly Related Posts:


Tags: , ,

I feel like I’ve just given birth

Nov 6

Posted by ness in Confidence Issues, Photography | 3 Comments

Okay, maybe that’s too graphic a description.

But put it this way, there has been lots of soul searching, talking myself ‘up’, being my own ‘rah rah’ committee, lots of deep breathing, and to cut a long story short I just emailed off the proposal.

What have I got to lose? Except maybe for a few fingernails while I wait to hear if I have been awarded the opportunity.

I decided that instead of trying to sound like something I am not (what I am not, is a highly experienced, arrogant, photographer, who doesn’t get out of bed for less than $10 000 a day).

I decided to be me. To present the proposal as best I could, on my terms, state what I can do, how I will do it, and to say that I looked forward to the opportunity, and that I was firm in my belief that I could delivery the type of results that they need for this shoot.

This way, if they decide they want to go with the highly-experienced-arrogant-truckload-of-equipment-photographer, then it’s because that is what they want.  If they decide to go with me, then it’s because *I* am what they want.

Want to hear something interesting?

Here’s my November horoscope cut and paste verbatim:

On November 11, talks go really well. Mercury, the little chatterbox, will signal Uranus, planet of genius, and you’ll be every inch the rock star.

The new moon in your professional success sector, the tenth house, will appear on November 16, the moment you’ve awaited all year.

This will be your moment to make your move to a position that will yield more power, responsibility, and prestige. If you already have a job like that, you can present an idea to a client or top boss – your timing will be perfect. This month, however, you will be able to get the victory you’ve craved for some time – it is now within your grasp if you want it. With Venus in your tenth house, the buzz about you is so positive.

It would be a shame not to reach for something big. After all, you’ve got the deck stacked in your favor.

With Uranus sending out-of-the-blue lightning bolts to that new moon on November 16, you may find yourself mulling over an offer that will come straight out nowhere, as if in a dream.

Uranus will also see to it that the salary offered you would be excellent. You need not sell yourself too hard – be confident. You definitely have what it takes.

Now, I’m not the moon-child type who puts a lot of stock in things like this, but I do take note, of when things look good. This particular astrologer has had some very valid points, which have helped me in the past.  While I did not decide to go for it, solely because of this forecast, it certainly helped me to feel as though it’s not just me going forward, but that the universe has big plans for me, and that it’s now or never, so why not jump? I may just learn that I can fly.

Lastly, have you guys started Christmas shopping yet? I picked up a few items for my mom, and boys from a craft market locally, which are really nice. I’d really like to get the hubby something swish like a bluray player, or even a flatscreen TV (if the mun-nay were more forthcoming), but for now, I’m still wracking my brains as for what to get him.

Any ideas anyone?

Possibly Related Posts:


Tags: ,

Running and Screaming

Nov 3

Posted by ness in Big Dreams, Confidence Issues, Headcase, Photography | 5 Comments

Pop quiz hot shot.

Remember that movie?

Anyhoo, here’s a pop quiz for all of you.

Actually it’s not so much of a quiz as a question, and of course it’s totally optional. In fact never mind. I’m going make a hair appointment, apply some under eye cream, put cucumbers on my eyes and log off now.

Just kidding.

So here’s the thing…

What do you do, when like, all your planets are in alignment, and jupiter is in the seventh house (or your house, or the house of, oh never mind, let’s just say they’re all exactly where they’re supposed to be, for things to be going well okie dokie?)

…and, it would appear that a fairly large opportunity presents itself.

Or at least appears to present itself, when someone approaches you.

In order for this opportunity to be fully realised, you will need to move out of your comfort zone.

Like so far out of your comfort zone, and into the next zip code.

Like as in the thought of this opportunity becoming yours, is enough to send you running and screaming, to hind in a corner, suck your thumb and wish you could just disappear? Maybe some rocking back and forth, with alternating fetal positions would help?

The thought of the opportunity becoming yours, you being awarded it, and then actually being successful at it, (though this is a far distant finish line, and the self imposed hurdles named ‘confidence’, ’self-belief’, ’self esteem’ and a hundred others stand between you and this distant finish line) would be enough to seriously catapault your career.

Bring you some much needed mun-nay, and the proverbial boot up the arse of your career that you should have had a year ago anyway, if you weren’t so busy procreating, mothering, and avoiding any type of job-related success at all?

Pop quiz hot shot. What do you do. WHAT DO YOU DO??

…

…

…

Right now running and hiding is the most desirable option.

But the thought of success…keeps this little spark inside of me alive.

This little spark that says I am talented, can do anything, can achieve anything, and will be a success if I only put my mind to it…

…

…

…

Let’s just say that while I can’t say too much now, I can say this:

Photography

Request for Proposal

International Catalogue

(now excuse me while I go and sh*t in my pants!!)

Possibly Related Posts:


Tags: ,

Photo Restoration: Great Great Grandpa’s 19th Century Beard

Aug 13

Posted by ness in Africa, Emigration, Horses, Photography, Photography Effects, children, family | No Comments

Well, Guten Tag to great-great-grandpa August. Make sure you pronounce his name properly… Saying Ow-Goost should do nicely.

In case you missed it, do go and take a look at yesterdays post of Ow-goosts wife Vil-hell-meena and the restoration that I did on her half of the photograph.

Here’s the original scan of Great-great-grandpops. He has fared slightly better than gg-grandma in terms of the aging of the photograph. So not too much work to do on him other than remove a scratch that is running downwards through his left eye (HIS left) and down on to his cheek.

Of course the whole photograph has discoloured over the years – well I suppose that’s not really a term one uses for something that was monochromatic in the first place. Let’s just say that it has aged and dramatically yellowed with time.

Isn’t it amazing that it’s lasted so long? At least 150 years. Amazing.

So um about that beard gg-pops? Was that fashionable at the time?

To have even been photographed all those years ago, he must have been a man of some standing, and judging by the fine detailing on the tie, it appears to be made of silk.

Vil-hell-meena’s frock is certainly nothing to sniff at either, because again, one can see that this is a fairly swish looking fabric with intricate detailing.

Again, I can’t imagine what it must have been like all those years go, battling the elements in a harsh environment, in a colony so, so far from home.

Anyhoo. Here’s a closer look at great-great-grandpops.

I find myself staring at this photograph and wondering what was he like?

Did he smoke a funny shaped pipe?

Was he a kind man?

I know that they had a fair amount of land and kept horses (there’s a piece of my own personal puzzle solved) but I suppose in those days it was a case of HORSE or WALK.

Amazing to think that he would never have laid eyes on a car in his lifetime.

What would he think of aeroplanes these days?

Of Cell Phones and the Space Shuttle?

Of walking on the moon, and a possible mission to mars!?

When you think about it, we really are only just a few spandex suits away from the future as envisioned by Buck Rogers, Star Ranger of the year 2025.

Did he know his waistcoat buttons were undone? Did he care? Did he look at the photograph later when he would have received it, and smack his forehead and give the German Namibian colonial equivalent of ‘Doh!’

Did things like life insurance leads exist back then?

Anyway, here’s the final piece after having restored, reshaped, flipped and recolorizing the newly restored photograph.

I had it printed out to A4 for my mom, and well without tooting my own trumpet, it looks really great.

At first I restored it to pure black and white. But there really is something romantic, about a subtle sepia hint, just a little something to show that it’s not merely a constructional piece, but that it represents something which has really witnessed the passage of time.

I’m glad that I’m going to have a piece of family history to show my boys one day.

Where ever in the world we end up living, I’ll be able to show them a piece of their family history, and I will be able to tell them about August and Wilhelmina Schroder the German husband and wife who left their native land of Germany and boarded a ship, to go and live in a colony at South West Africa (Namibia).

I suppose in a way, history is sort of repeating itself.

…

…

I wonder what my butt will look like in a spandex suit in 2025?

Possibly Related Posts:


Tags: , , , , , ,

Photo Restoration: Hey There Great Great Grandma!

Aug 11

Posted by ness in Africa, Emigration, Past Blast, Photography, Photography Effects, family | 3 Comments

Yes, this is indeed my great-great-grandma.

My moms-dads-moms-mom.

In fact, “Guten Tag” might be a more fitting greeting, since they were fresh off the boat from Germany, arriving in the colony of South West Africa, which today of course is known as Namibia (made famous by being the birthplace of Brangelina’s first biological child).

Her name was Wilhelmina Schroder.

Das ist very German ya?

It’s odd. Because my father is Dutch (born and raised in the Netherlands and emigrated to South Africa in the 50’s) I’ve always felt more dutch than anything else (My stubborn streak. My sense of humour. My distinct LACK of humour on occasion. My bluntness).

However, while the Dutch usually turn their noses up at the Germans in general (they’re still bitter about World War II and with good reason…) there’s something about German culture that has always felt a bit like home for me. (NOT the nazi bits okay?)

Now I know why too.

Don’t you love digging around in your ancestry? It’s always so deliciously fraught with scandal too. (More on this later).

I can’t help wondering what made Wilhelmina (and her husband August – who you can’t see in this picture the way I’ve cropped it.) Get on the boat all those years ago, and swop the beautiful countryside of Germany, for the barren wastelands of the Kalahari desert. I mean okay, so it’s not like they could just take off on a cruise or select from a bunch of a miami vacations packages. When they got on a ship to go somewhere it took *months*. It cost a *lot*. If you were going, then you were going for good, so you had to be sure about your decision.

Ok, I’m exaggerating, all of Namibia is not barren and lifeless.

Well mostly not.

Well okay, so most of it IS desert, but still, I wonder with what sense of adventure and pioneering spirit they set off for the deepest darkest (driest) Africa all those years ago.

I nearly forgot the reason for this post too – because look here – I set about restoring the photograph!

Here’s my great-great-grandma after I’ve scanned in the disintegrating photo of her and August Schroder, and worked a little Photoshop magic with it…

Yeah this is the point where you slap your foreheads in awe and say WOW! How did she *DO* that!? Where you email me and beg me to restore parts of your ancestry to former glory, and promise me all your worldly goods and first born children to do just that.

Have a look side by side…

Okay. Maybe not.

But still, it’s cool right?

Coming tomorrow: August Schroder My Great-Great-Grandpa, and his very thick, no good, very 19th century, scary beard.

Jawohl.

Possibly Related Posts:


Tags: , , , , , , ,