Archive for the 'Photography' Category

Photo Update : Trip Down South

Posted by Simone on Sep 24 2008 | Adventures, Blogroll, Photography

Kylie and I went gallavanting down south a few weeks ago and I have only just started going through all the photos. Which are many! Lets just say i took 300…… because i can. :)

Here are a few and there are lots more on flickr (not 300 tho)!

lindis pass

DSC_0266 - Version 2

Wanaka at night

oamaru

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Photo Update : In Esthers Garden

Posted by Simone on Sep 23 2008 | Photography, The Garden

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Spring is Here with a desktop wallpaper download

Posted by Simone on Sep 17 2008 | Photography, The Garden

Its like someone has flicked a switch and all of a sudden warm weather, blossoms daffodils and magnolias bamboozled us with their colour and ability to make us sneeze, uncontrollably for minutes at a time..

I am loving the warmth and being able to wear a tea shirt and skirt and go for bike rides without wearing layers of smelly polypro.

Last night after sitting in two banana lounges drinking our summer beverage, soaking up the last of the suns rays, I ran around taking photos in the beautiful light. My flatmate wanted a desktop wallpaper from of one of the images, so i thought I would offer it all to you aswell! To remind you of spring if it happens to be the opposite where you are, or to keep you excited for the coming summer months…

The Preview:
Desktop Spring Wallpaper  thumbnail of wallpaper

Download:

800×600

1024×768

1280×1024

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Lake Daniels

Posted by Simone on Jun 29 2008 | Adventures, Blogroll, Life in general, Photography

A friend and myself decided to attend (fairly last minute) a pirate party in Lake Daniels. I didn’t know the birthday boy for whom the party was for, but he didn’t seem to mind. We dashed off after faffing in town at about 1, we drove through drizzle and rain for twoish hours. Arrived at the hutt in the dark around 6ish. It rained the entire time we walked but never enough to get to upset about, as we were under the bush canopy and fairly well protected.

After fun frivolty and many “arrrrgggggg” with fists shaking… we all went to bed to wake up to this:

Lake Daniels in the morning

I happily ran around with my camera and and took ALOT of photos…

Lake Daniels in the morning

Lake Daniels in the morning

We dashed off because we had to get home quick like. There was no stopping but as we drove up the pass there was SNOW and I took even MORE photos out of the car window.

Lewis Pass

Lewis Pass

Lewis Pass Farm

All in all a lovely weekend really…

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Moments to myself with a camera

Posted by Simone on May 01 2008 | Photography

Work and Life are pretty crazy at the moment. To keep me sane theres the occasional spinning frenzies and an early morning wake up and dash to Hagley Park, to catch the morning light. I ended up have a whole hour to myself walking through the park taking photos! Exactly what I needed before work demanded every moment and thought until a late home time. Here is one of the photos: (i took a whole card full! I use RAW so that means 90 photos)

Hagley Park, early morning

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Autumn Photos

Posted by Simone on Apr 30 2008 | Life in general, Photography

I walked down to the local park after work today, took some photos in the divine light. Here are a few.

Autmun in Christchurch

Autmun in Christchurch

Have I mentioned Autumn is my favorite season yet? Well its my favorite season. :)

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Mt Somers and an Autumn Wedding

Posted by Simone on Apr 27 2008 | Adventures, Photography

I went to a wedding this weekend. Due to the overwhelming amount of Photographers I didn’t bring my camera out, so no photos of the lovely people and gorgeous wedding things unfortunately, all the same it was nice not to be behind a camera and to take it all in. We stayed in a lovely lodge called “Pudding Hill Lodge” where we had a bunk room to ourselves and a big fireplace with sofas you could fall asleep on, looking over Pudding Hill and Mt Hutt, framed by autumnal trees. In the mean time here are some photos from a day walk we walked the day before. There is more on flickr..

View from Mt Somers

Along the tops of Mt Somers

View Up the Valley

Along the tops of Mt Somers

For those of you who have asked here are my camera details: Nikon D80, with three main lenses I use.

1. The first multi purpose lens I brought: Sigma DC 18 - 50 mm 1:2.8

2. Landscape lense: AF-S Nikkor 1:4.0 12 -24mm

3. Portraits: 50 mm AF Nikkor 1:1.4 D

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Photographing Food and Preserves

Posted by Simone on Apr 11 2008 | Blogroll, Food, Life in general, Photography

Last weekend I went into photo and video with Kylie to buy him a new lens. He got one, then the salesman showed me a few lenses I would have fun with on my camera. OOoo and am I. (Lets just say spare cash from selling car is bad… it stayed in savings account for about aaaaa… 2 weeks)

The play starts with photographing our preserves making epic/s. LOTS of apples. I also found a cool tutorial on photographing food from photojojo, nice and easy to read full of easily implementable suggestions…. fun! I kinda enjoy the light and coziness of photos that are yellowed by interior lights tho, helps one remember that they were up til’ 11pm, jarring those apples…

Boil, boil...
Applesclean jars waitingDutch Apple Preserve
Preserve jars
(kylies photo)

The recipe found for the cinnamon looking preserve (can you say Apple turnover, apple pastry aaand apple… yum yum) the original is here, but for your pleasure its also here: (with changes) we doubled the recipe to fill 3x 500ml Jars.

********

Dutch Apple Preserves

1 kg Granny Smith or cooking Apples (that’s 1kg after peeling & coring!)
1 cup sultanas
3 cups water
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup light brown sugar

To prepare:

1. Pour water and lemon juice into a large pot.

2. Wash then peel and core apples, then slice them into small pieces. Cast the apple into the pot as you go.

3. Add the sultanas and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a good simmer.

4. Add remaining ingredients and continue to simmer with the lid of the pot off.

5. Simmer for at least half an hour. Stir regularly!

6. Wash 3 500ml preserving jars, place on oven tray and bake in oven at 120 - 140 degrees Celcius for 20 minutes. Whilst they are baking (to sterilise them) wash and dry the screw bands and set aside. Wash and prepare lids according to manufacturers directions.

7. When all is ready. Quickly ladle preserves into clean jars. Wipe jar rims and threads with dry clothe.

8. Cover with two-piece lids. Allow to cool completely before checking seals. Label and date.

*********

Stay tuned because its autumn (my favorite season) I am all amped to take lots of pretty piccies!

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Black and White Photography Play

Posted by Simone on Feb 29 2008 | Blogroll, Photography

From this:
Old Daylillie
To This:
Black and White Daylilly

From This:
Old Daylillie
To This :
Black and White Daylilly

From this:
Incoming Stormy Rain
To this:
Black and white old house

Theres more where those came from

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Digital Star Photography

Posted by Simone on Feb 27 2008 | Blogroll, Photography

Over the Christmas break I was lucky enough to be able to spend time in a little known town called Murchison. My mum and her partner have a place there. Not only did I go mad, with camera, in her garden (she has a FANTASTIC garden) I also spent one evening taking photos, running back to my laptop, checking out the photos, making adjustments, running back out to take more images.. until I was satisfied that I had taken a few successful shots and tired enough to get some sleep (2 oclock i think)

The first shots were completely black, but as I got to know my camera, I found the right ISO and shutter speed (holding down button for about a minute) and I got out my torch to have some fun! Here are the results:

Stars - Southern Hemisphere

Stars - Southern Hemisphere

Stars - Southern Hemisphere

Stars - Southern Hemisphere

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