India

Whilst we are in India, I'll do my best to keep things updated.

Taking these two latest pictures over for my brother. They are both photos taken by a guy name JJ Harrison.

Enjoy and we'll see how things go in India... Hopefully I'll get some more posts coming over the next few weeks!!

For Jords

Since it has been a while since I posted last, I thought I better post before too long. Hoping to get some great pictures in India over the next couple of weeks.

Also, I did say that I would post RE finished work...

Here is a piccy of an aboriginal work done on canvas. Although the border was rather thin, it stretched fine before being framed.

... for Jords...

Progress Report

The flu has held me back a bit with things recently. Couldn't teach this week either which is sad. I should be back to full health soon though. However, it has given me a chance to catch up on SOME of the paperwork that has been put on the backburner. 

Gonna be hard to join this little one

Lovin the twisted bits on
 this one, but delicate.

Close, yet still a WIP

Some sneak peeks of the frames I did some work on yesterday. They are not complete, however after making a solid start on each of them I'm happy with the progress made. Should get another chance to finish them off soon. Anyway, here are the pics... I know they don't give much away, but I'll post images of them once I'm done  :)

Also to note, I have in mind to get posting about some of the things I have learned with wood over the past year both in regards to picture framing and to general woodworking. I love it how wood nicely complements pretty much any house decor.

Early Sunrises

EARLY morning sun provides so much inspiration for life...


Feeling inspired after coming back from my morning run, my day appears that it will operate like this.

Breakfast

Bible

Be inspired to create 5 unique frames

Break time - run errand to post office

Begin work on the 5 unique frames that I was inspired to create earlier

Break for lunch

Bring wife home from uni

Back to finish the frames

Blog about it

Gee, do I feel inspired yet? Too many B's I'm afraid. A shower, a coffee, and a strange blog and I'll be away!

Getting started on things is often the hardest part, but once you relax and make the first step the rest becomes a breeze. I shall post again with a progress report on the 5 frames.

Editing

Does editing feel a little tiresome at times?

Fair enough. It takes so long and sometimes doesn't seem worth it. In reference to my last post, I am definitely keen to get myself a new camera soon. The sensor seems to just get worse with time. I end up spending too much time cloning out hundreds sometimes thousands of small dots.

Anyway, here are a few of the shots that have been sitting around on my computer waiting for me to get sick and spend a little time on them.

Tip: I guess it is helpful to do your editing in relatively small portions in order to get through it all :)

Equipment

After receiving bundles upon bundles of magazines in the mail in the lead-up to Christmas, it is the time of year that make you feel you need more and more equipment. Also, it is easy to get stuck a rut with your photography once you start feeling as though you don't have the right gear. Here are a couple of hints I have found helpful in this regard and try to keep in mind when the junk mail arrives in the postbox.

1. Persevere with the equipment you have, even if the final product seems less than satisfactory. Take lots and lots of photos - digital is fantastic like that! If you stop taking photos, months can easily go by before you pick up the camera again. The likelihood is that you will learn more about light and your camera this way than if you were to let it collect dust in the cupboard. You are also bound to stumble across a few great images in the process. Whilst a student at uni, a string on my guitar broke - I couldn't afford to fix it, so I kept playing without the D string. I learnt more about scales and fingering in those few weeks than i did in the prior months. The same is true of photography.

2. Invent ways to keep yourself interested in taking photos. Instead of taking photos of the same old things, look for completely new things to photograph. Go small, go large, go landscape, go portrait. Again, if you feel finances are limiting you with your camera gear use what you have to improvise the more expensive stuff. Flip your inexpensive standard zoom lens [see image of mealy bug on mulberry] over to capture the very small. Find a cheap tripod and use continuous light sources to shape your image.

Mealy Bug taken with my 6-yr old camera and original 14 - 45 mm lens.

3. If all else fails, give up. Photography is not for you...

                                                             WRONG

If you want to get some great snaps and make some good images keep at it! If you have an appreciation for good photography, I have no doubt that you are capable of reproducing what is in your mind.

4. :)

Spring Flowers

Summer is on its way!

 However, still lots of those lovely spring looking flowers that come out. Emily's sister has been away on teaching prac, so the watering has been our responsibility. Fortunately, I don't think that any plants have died yet (Don't worry Sarah, we HAVE been checking and watering). Anyway, these are some of the pretty little things that are in the garden at the moment.

 There have been a heap of lady bugs around too. Seems the millions of aphids have been attracting all the little lady bugs. I love how rather ordinary looking buds transform into beautiful blossoms in a matter of hours.

South-West Crops

Not sure if this last lot of rain damaged too many crops, but it was exciting the other weekend to see so many great crops down south. This picture is quite similar to one I will exhibit in the future...

Gnowangerup side of Mt Toolbrunup...

The spring season provides some amazing sunsets with interspersed cloud patterns and clear skies.

Older Photos

Since this blog hasn't been going for that long, I decided to post some of my older photos and framing works.

Landscapes

 Macros - (Mostly small insects and flowers)

Original Jarrah Frames

 That seems like its probably enough for now. I suppose I may put up some older photos from time to time. However, I would rather focus on things I am currently doing or are planning to do in the near future. Either way, I hope you enjoy!!

Exhibition Examples

I thought I'd put up a few of the pictures from the exhibition in Fidel's Cafe as a taster for those who haven't yet been down to have a look. Each of these have something special in them for me. The walls of the cafe look great.

Opening hours are Mon - Fri 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Weekends 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM

24 Essex St, Fremantle until January, 2012

Stirling Ranges

                        

Now that my blog is working again (thanks to the likes of DarkUFO and Peter McCartney), I can get posting. 

We went camping over the most recent long weekend to the Stirling Ranges. We spent most of the Saturday walking/climbing Mt Toolbrunup which is the second highest peak in the range, but a bit more difficult climb than Bluff Knoll. A great time spent with friends. As it was October, there were HEAPS of wildflowers out. Just near the place we were camping, I managed to spot a few orchids amongst the mass of colour. Here are a few little preview shots of some of the great flower life down there.

Common Dragon Orchids (Caladenia Barbarosa)

Common Dragon Orchid

As you walk around the bush, literally thousands of wildflowers colour the ground with various shades of pink, red, and green. It is absolutely stunning. Another curious visitor gave us some interest (especially around lunchtime). 

Racehorse Goanna or Sand Monitor (Varanus gouldii)

Overall, a fantastic weekend for both camping and for photography!