Bonython Park, SA. A bit of fun...
These kinds of parks are awesome. Bike safety parks. Get into learning in a safe environment while having fun.
SAPPA and APPA photo awards 2014
The results are in. Over the last couple of months many photographers have put their hearts on photographic paper and entered the AIPP (Aust. Institute of Professional Photography) APPA (Aust. Professional Photography Awards) and SAPPA (SA Pro Photog. Awards) awards. I was one of them. And although I may not be completely happy with my results, I know I should be. These awards are hard. Getting an award is something to be celebrated.
Below are my prints that I entered in the APPA's. (These all received Silvers at SAPPA). At APPA all received Professional Standard, with one gaining Silver. One other image was one point off Silver too. They were judged by the best of the best of my peers, so to impress them is something.
BE DETERMINED TO MOVE ON AND UP… ALWAYS BE READY TO LEARN. EVEN FOR THE MASTERS.
Bali - but different.
[gallery] So, Bali is boganville. Right? Well, if you go to Kuta area, yes. But go just thirty minutes north to Canggu, and it's completely different. Sitting at Echo Beach, watching the sun set, we see one hawker, a handful of locals, a few handfuls of surfers, a bunch of expats and some more tourists. All calm, all chilled, all getting on with the relaxed life. No smutty stickers, no drunk obnoxious grots. I find myself saying many times that I can see why people fall in love with the place, and live here. Expats sit at beachside cafes, tapping away at their laptop while swigging a beer. Everyone(well, nearly) rides a motorbike down, except for me and hubby, on our bicycles. Everyone knows them though too, branded with The Chillhouse, an accommodation in the area. It's like one big, happy family. Even further north is The Menjangan. It's the quietest part of Bali I've set foot on. Well, that is, until , we, and particularly, my kids, get there. The squeals of excitement that echo through the forest as we bump along the dirt rocky tracks in a double decker open minivan surely scare the monkeys back a step or two. The deer grazing at the beach don't seem to mind the curious kids sneaking up on them either. And the calm bay, bordered with white sand beach, framed by mangroves, is perfect to burn energy. After coming back from a canoe exploration, we wander the boardwalks through the mangrove, chancing upon a Monitor Lizard. The huge lizard watches us as we scuttle past, then slowly moves on.
So, for somewhere different, but still easy and cheap - Bali can deliver. Think outside the square - or from the stretch of hectic tourism that is Kuta, Legian and Seminyak - and head up. Canggu, Medewi, and Menjangan. Treat yourself. We met a few travellers from Australia, travelling up around the North West of Bali, and all of them were very impressed, and so glad they made the effort. Even the girl that wobbled around like a walking bandage after coming of her motorbike on the way up.
www.themenjangan.com
www.thechillhouse.com
A weekend away at Seawall Apartments Glenelg
After hanging out with the good folk at Seawall so much over the last year, updating their gallery of pics, I finally manage to stay. Purely my fault for taking so long.
A weekend of working ON the business, coffees and a wine or two. What an awesome place to hang and create. The beachfront room, with private balcony just adds to the awe factor. With The Glenelg precinct just minutes away (by foot) it would be easy to spend all day out, but I am so comfy watching the world go by, rugged up with glass of wine in hand on the balcony or comfy sofas inside. Oh, it's a hard life. Thanks to my cousin Shaya from The Family Law Project for laying the hard q's on me, and getting a different train of thought started.
Www.thefamilylawproject.com.au And of course, www.seawallapartments.com.au
Travel destination choice can mean confusion.
I'm always looking at holidays. Even when I'm on holiday. Even when I've had enough of the kids, driving us crazy while away, I'm thinking 'where can we go next?'And now I'm planning two holidays, one for hubby's 40th in December, and then one for our 10th anniversary in February. I'm pretty much settled on going to the Gold Coast for the 40th, as we have both never been there and know the kids will be entertained. But. And it's a big but. We want to go somewhere, no kids, in February.
My first plan was a surf holiday, but anywhere close to Australia is off season in February (or not good for advanced beginners). Then I thought Hawaii, but didn't know if it's worth it for five or six days.
Then there's...
Maldives South Pacific (anywhere but Fiji) Philippines Vietnam Byron Bay (hmm, why don't I have more Oz places?) Lombok
All places we haven't seen yet.
I'm confused! I've not been this confused before. This is what happens when I get freedom from kids... The world truly is my oyster of ease.
I'll let you know how I go. Feel free to comment if you have ideas or suggestions. Fun, freedom and adventure is the go.
Who else gets confused?
Job: Due South Launch
I photo'd the launch of HWR's Due South last week. It was fun. So many people to see, and say hello to again. I like the people here. Along with doing the normal event pics, I had some fun with photographing some randomness...
SA AIPP Awards 2014 and APPA National Awards 2014
I entered these pics in the SA AIPP Awards a while back… and did well. Silver awards for the family legs on the beach, cafe window, SUP'ing at Glenelg and the life savers packing up at the end of a long day.
The rest were awarded professional standard - which of course, I'm very happy about. This weekend, my four silvers are in Sydney being judged for the National Awards. Fingers crossed for me.
I'd love to hear what you think… everyone has their own opinion.
52A The Esplanade, Middleton SA
A while back a group of girls went down to Middleton for a weekend away. A weekend of wine, food, surf, massages and walks along the beach. Whales were spotted, muscles soothed, stories told, and plenty of cheese devoured. Surf was, well, tragic. But we had a go.
Booking through SA Beachhouse, we stayed at 52A The Esplanade. The stay wasn't without any hiccups - not being able to work out appliances or downstairs heating the main ones - but nothing was to detract from this fabulous holiday home and i'ts location. Or our weekend away from the kids. I loved crawling out of bed in the morning, making an (unfortunately instant) coffee and costing up on the sofa watching the waves roll in. Being winter, we were also spoilt with whales frolicking just behind the break.
It's a great house, in a fabulous location. Nothing but a stobie pole to block our view of the beach. Perfect for winter or summer. Great for families, and even better for a bunch of friends (split the cost!)
www.sabeachhouse.com.au
Barossa SoMet14AU conference
I had a last minute job in the Barossa last week. A social media conference for delegates from all over the world. Never before have I been in a room where so many people are tweeting all at once. The conference delegates trended on Twitter from mid way through the first day(I think I got that wording right?!) I could only giggle when imaging my husband telling me off for taking a photo of our hotel room, or his food before he ate it, or something like that. A few seconds, I'd take. And here I was, with about 150 people experiencing life from behind their phone. And making money from it.
It was a great experience. And I learnt a few things. Not blogging until now wasn't one of them.
Anyway, here is a pic from the last day. Nice greeting hey? We know how to showcase our state through our weather. Hmm.
SA AIPP Awards 2014
A last minute rush to get prints ready for the awards is not a good idea. Neither is accidentally scratching a print two days before delivery, when printing and matting normally take a few days. But, I am proud of my four Silver Awards. I'm very excited to go see all my fellow SA and NT 'togs work at the SA AIPP Awards exhibition opening tonight, at the National Wine Centre. If you are in Adelaide in the next week or so (it's up until the 27th), go check it out. Some very amazing stuff.
