Back Again!

Well, it's been a while since I last posted here...and I'm not really sure what I want this blog to look like.  Maybe just some personal stuff but also a place where you can see some of the work I do, you know, just in case you like my style and want to collaborate with me on any projects of a photographic nature.

So maybe I'll start with a shoot that happened last year in the little town of Te Aroha.  Here you will find an artist with an absolutely amazing talent of turning junk into art.  When I visited his studio, Adrian was working on a sculpture of a bull - a commissioned piece of art, which was inspired by the bull of Wall Street.   You'll also see sculptures of his dotted thoughout the main street of Te Aroha.   Go check out Adrian Worsley Gallery next time you visit New Zealand...his work speaks for itself.

jayesh's wedding shenanigans...

...backtracking to the day of the wedding when everyone was getting ready...nothing beats having a house full of 19 people enjoying the lead up to the ceremony!  The most stressful moment for the boys was getting those ties tied properly but they ended up looking quite the part and they even got away on time!

no wait! - the speech was also in its final draft stages and being worked on throughout the morning. I reckon it must be a family trait to leave speeches till the last minute?

Anyway here goes...

the wedding!

Well Jayesh and Jess got married yesterday in a very memorable ceremony (no one will forget his speech in a hurry!)   Their photos were captured by a lovely New Zealand girl Lottie Hedley who is a super talented photographer http://www.lottiehedleyphotography.com/ so I left my camera in its bag and enjoyed the ride.

I did however have to snap a few shots of their first dance which was such fun to watch - well done Jayesh and Jess!!

My family is growing...

painting daze...

I reckon that by now, I have pretty well painted most of the inside of our house - no joke.  The almost final hurdle is the room affectionately know as the "school room" thanks to years of homeschooling!    Taking a break from hours of sanding I thought I would grab the camera and take a couple of shots of stuff around the room - just for fun.
The height chart is something I don't really want to paint over just yet - but the dilemma is how to leave it there without making it look like a piece of wall I forgot to paint over...still working that one out.  The door to Elise's bedroom is testimony to how well she keeps it tidy - waahaa!!

spontaneous boonah

Shayna and I jumped in the car and took a detour to Boonah.  The sunset was pathetic so light trails became the next option.  Will need to take another detour out that way soon to this little place called Aratula - blink and it's gone.  But oh my goodness, does it have the best second hand shop/shed around!

how gold is the coast...

a few days break with family to the coast - what is nicer than sun, surf and the beach!

a little surf, a little sun...

...over by Manly is where Kashelle and I will be heading on Saturday to photograph a wedding.  We spent a few hours checking out the area and the conditions.  If it is an overcast day we could have an amazing sky as a backdrop.  Once we discovered the gazillion crabs scuttling along the tidal flats, well there was no stopping Miss T and we got distracted - a bit.

to new zealand and beyond!

finally getting around to editing our new zealand skiing holiday with family and family.   these are a few highlights of the time spent together, but not so much of the snow...the love of skiing surpassed (for once) the love of photography!

the jump....

jayesh clocked up another year of life and to celebrate he courted death!
naa - just joking!
jess shouted (kiwi terminology) him a tandem parachute jump, and mitch was more than happy to come along for the ride
that's one thing crossed off their bucket list
somehow i think they will do it again!

the birthday, the beach and the bump

So charlotte turned 20!! and being a holiday...we went to the beach.  Just for the day.   We probably ended up spending as much time in the cafe across the road as on the beach.  Good food, OK coffee, shelter from the wind and a play area for Tarquin - perfect!

Trying to play Settlers of Catan on a cell phone on the beach was a logistical nightmare - that's when the towels came in handy.   Made sure we captured Kashelle's 17 week baby bump too.

The weather was warm enough, but the wind cooled things down somewhat.  Not much swimming was accomplished but it was a  relaxed and totally fun day nevertheless... 

coromandel road tripping...

I had almost forgot about the photos I took when my mum, my sister and I went around the Coromandel Peninsula  for 3 days to celebrate her 86th birthday!  We had a ball...

On the road to Coromandel - a bit overcast but we were able to catch glimpses of the Hauraki Gulf as we travelled up the coast.  

Hall Hunting!

Last weekend Charissa and I went for a drive - out to Somerset Dam then ended up all over the place.  We even managed to end up in the middle of this vintage hotrod car show - impressive!
Visited Coronation Hall which Shayna had always talked about.  It is a country hall with this country hillbilly feel, and loads of character.  Would scrub up really nicely with lights and decorations and make an awesome wedding reception venue...the only downside being the time it takes to get there. Despite the distance, the drive out there is absolutely picturesque and a smorgasbord of scenic delights.

the birthday!

Tarquin was one year old - back on 11th May!
What a bundle of cuteness she is...and being an Oma for the last year has been pretty special.  Her birthday present was pretty amazing too!

...family times in Tasmania

Yep, still one post left to go in recounting our Tasmania adventures at Christmas.   This post though is not so much about the places we visited, but more about the stuff of family and the crazy, fun times we had.

So let's start on Christmas Day - with loads of selfies!!

Out and About - Tasmanian Style!

It was great being able to do day trips to get a feel of the place - especially the area south of Hobart.  Having to collect various family members from the airport at various times, meant there were 2 trips to Mount Wellington and an increasing familiarity with Hobart's central shopping district.  Last minute Christmas shopping and all....

The mighty Huon River...always travelled alongside this waterway in our comings and goings.

Port Arthur.....

Port Arthur was a bit of a surprise...never imagined a convict settlement to be situated in such pristine surroundings.  Apart from being together for a short boat cruise and guided tour, everyone headed off in different directions - and every now and again, our paths crossed....

our huonville hideaway

Our Christmas retreat was a home nestled up in the hills near the town of Huonville.  This small farmlet was at the end of a 800m driveway which in itself was an adventure...we loved the rural lifestyle and thoroughly enjoyed the delights of the land...fresh eggs, vegies, and berries of every kind!

Oscar and Elise!

sooo...I haven't been posting that much lately, and I am finally getting around to getting our Tasmanian holiday shots sorted.
Yep...at Christmas the family travelled down to Tasmania.  We stayed at a home near Huonville (more about that later) which boasted every kind of berry as well as a menagerie of animals that we kept an eye on.  Oscar is the family pet who super enjoyed our company and was absolutely beside himself when he got special attention.  That's when Elise, one afternoon, had a sudden burst of doggy affection.  It went well to start with...

a very formal....

....it was a big day for Elise with her Year 12 Formal - and my oh my, did she look beautiful!!    It not only marked the end of school but it was also the end of an era for us as a family - the homeschooling journey is well and truly over.  What a milestone!!

So without further ado....

...when grandma comes!

Mum came and spent 10 days with us...meeting her great-grandaughter for the first time!
The weather decided to put on an awesome display of "HOT" during her time with us!

Here are some glimpses....