Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Sometimes the Chocolate just dont cut it..

After a long day at work, it was finally time to go home. But not before a meeting about the new sandwich making procedure for work. Yep, we sat in a room, ate some sandwiches and talked about how to make the new sandwiches. Pretty difficult stuff actually, the process is quite hard to master.

For Example:
Step 1: Take two slices of bread out from the loaf and place on chopping board.
Step 2: Place fillings onto one slice of the bread, piling fillings on top of each other. Eg Lamb, gherkins, cheese, rocket. (if you put the rocket on first you're screwed)
Step 3: Place the slice of bread without any fillings on, on top of the fillings to create the outside of the sandwich. (if you put the slice under all this you are screwed).
Step 4: wrap sandwich with plastic wrap and tape down ends. (if you tape sandwich and throw out plastic wrap, you are screwed)

Yeah its pretty difficult stuff.

End result should look like this:
If you get this you have gone overboard:
If you end up looking like this from making sandwiches then please leave the kitchen and seek medical help:

Anyway, that wasn't meant to be the major part of my story. After making some sandwiches and not looking like the guy above I left and went home. Like any normal person would have wanted to do an hour earlier before getting a crash sandwich course. 

Mum came around and we decided to go out for dinner. At first I couldn't make my mind up what I wanted to eat, you know those nights? when nothing seems quite what you want, so you just circle around for hours without getting anything. Well tonight was shaping up to be one of those nights. Finally mum decided we should go to Bondi, so off we went, down to the beach for the evening. After a while we found ourselves at a place called Moo Burgers. (can you guess what they made their burgers out of?) These vastly expensive burgers were nice to eat but probably not really worth the money. The thing that would make me go back is the restaurant was really nicely set out, had good music playing and a great vibe inside. The chips were also crunchy which is a great thing to find in a place, especially when like me you want crunchy chips. 

After dinner we wandered down the street to a chocolate shop, where mum had been told she could finally get a european style, thick hot chocolate. Needless to say she was quite excited when the man behind the counter told her that yes, the chocolate was very thick, thicker than anywhere else. So mum ordered an happily went outside to the table to wait. About five minutes later when the hot chocolate arrived you can imagine her disappointment when it turned out to be quite a runny, watery hot chocolate. 
You know when you give a child a wrong present at christmas and they complain loudly so everyone can hear how disappointed they are in the present and you? well that was mother when she took her first sips of the drink. Sentences like "what a waste of money" and "I don't think i'll even bother drinking all of this" were uttered. Sentences that one does not expect a mother to say. She really was quite cranky, like a bee who has come back to his nest only to find all the honey gone, she was ready to sting anyone who came near. Cranky Cranky lady she was. So quietly I tried to lead her back to the car. That worked about as well as when you set off loud music in a perfectly quiet house at 1am, everyone notices no matter how wildly you grab at the volume control.. I'm pretty sure everyone noticed our leaving. I don't think we will be invited back, but then again we were not invited there in the first place..

Needless to say, when it comes to think hot chocolate, Europe corrupts and spoils one. For Life!



Sunday, April 10, 2011

Rainy Weekend

So on the weekend I went to Wakefield Park, just outside Goulburn NSW to Photograph the MRA round 2 race day that was taking place at the track. On Saturday I had finally managed to buy myself a new Pentax K5 and Sigma 50-500mm Lens, both things I have been wanting to get my hands on for a very long time. I couldn't wait to get to the track and take some new shots to get used to such a good camera I had found myself with.
The day dawned to a rainy Goulburn. In the town centre the day didn't seem to bad, light rain falling on the tin roof making a delicious peaceful noise that only made one want to snuggle up for the day. I pushed myself to get dressed and go off to the track. After failing once and falling asleep under a blanket in front of the TV I finally got out into the car, an hour later than my planned leaving time.
Driving the 15mins out to the race track made me feel more and more worried. It may sound stupid to say but when doing outdoor photography there is rain and then there is RAIN. Today it was RAIN, the driving, relentless downpour that even the gutters and drainage cannot keep up with. When I arrived the track and surrounds were beginning to resemble more a swimming pool than a racetrack. Due to this I seriously believed the event would be called off. I was mistaken.

After signing my release forms, (a compulsory document that needs to be signed to say that I wont sue if I get injured or killed while taking photos) I ventured out to the side of the track, trying to find a vantage point that I could use for the day. It was then I realised that I did not have an umbrella or cover for the camera. With my old camera I would not have worried about it getting wet, but this was a new deal, I had spent a lot of money on this equipment and I didn't want to risk damage to it the first day out of the box. So I searched the car for anything I could use to keep rain off. Eventually I found a way where I could use a shoe box lid, strapped to the lens hood with a bag strap to cover the lens itself and a Cat Empire sweater draped over the camera and lens to double cover everything.
Here is a Picture of the setup:


Standing in the driving rain I looked like the silliest photographer. (Probably more cause I was the only one who was standing out in the driving rain through all the races)

Three hours after arriving, with fingers numb from cold and a cough developing, I decided enough was enough, it was time to go home. So soaking wet and dreaming of hot coffee I packed my bags for the two hour drive home. Happy that I had achieved something and learnt some lessons which I can implement for the next event I will be photographing. The FOSC (Festival of Sports Cars) days at Eastern Creek this Easter long weekend. I really cant wait to get out to that track..

Lastly, I would like to add a series of photos, my favourite from the weekend. Its about a little mini who lost his way.








In a Mini, no-one can hear you scream! 




Wednesday, December 1, 2010

December 1st

Took a couple of shots of the snow that fell today, in the rapidly fading like of early evening. 
All photos taken with the Pentax M series 50mm prime lens. 

Street Sign: F2, 1/20sec

Playground: F2.8, 1/35sec

Bench: F2, 1/20sec

Monday, November 29, 2010

Bratislava


The city I have loved and learnt in, for the last four years. 'Oh how you have changed me, I hope I've left some mark on you..'

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Decay



It can be beautiful

Friday, November 26, 2010

The Path

Just walk.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Shelvin


Sometimes it seems you just have to use whatever you can to display your wares. 

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A Hike

Because we can and Autumn is Beautiful..














Sunday, November 14, 2010

FALL

It must be a rush to fall out of a tree and make your way to the ground. Otherwise they wouldn't do it year on year would they?

Friday, November 12, 2010

Tasmania

GO THERE..

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Parisian Night

Old Vs New.
Fun Vs Study

Moulding together in the French Capital.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Van Gogh

In Bratislava.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Cornwall Coastline



This photo of the Cornwall coastline really spoke to me. Technically the exposure levels are a little off and it could probably do with a bit of a touch up. Yet the positioning of the boats just inside the reflection of the sun, the colour levels and the water on the coastline all help to give me the sense of being back in this scene.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Sunset

So much fun playing with the camera settings, looking at the sunset... Can't decide which photo I like most. Or which works best for me... Just really enjoy the whole rang as a series..












Nature

Two shots from today, playing with the camera settings in manual mode... both of these photos were shot around 6:30pm with rapidly dimming light, and no flash..

Flower:



Spider:

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Exhibition

So on the weekend I am going to a small exhibition / get together of some photographers in Slovakia. It is an opportunity for all to show some works, be voted on by peers and also mingle and discuss all things photography wise... I decided I would like to put some photos up. I was planning to only limit to photos taken this year, but two from last year grabbed my eye, and so that means I have decided to get 5 photos printed, at a size of 30X40cm, to display on Saturday.
Now I am trying to decide upon names for each of the photos.. If anyone has any ideas I would like to hear them. I have some in the back of my mind, but not sure if anything fits.
Below are the 5 photos, some have been on this blog before, but I wanted to post the whole series to be seen as a group.









Saturday, September 18, 2010

Bratislava Photo Marathon 2010

12 photographs on 12 topics over 6 hours.. Sounds easy, however, when in the heat of the moment, thinking of ideas. Easy quickly disappears..
Had an amazing day though, was really fun to challenge myself and develop my abilities.
Below are the photos, in order, with the topic which they relate. Taken straight from the list given to us this morning..

0) Registracne cislo / Registration number



1) Prvy Plan / First Plan



2) Zaostri / Focus



3) Krik / Shout



4) v Zrkadle / In a mirror



5) Cudzinec / Stranger



6) Na horucej stope / A burning trace



7) Imunita / Immunity



8) Tancovala / She danced



9) V spagetach / In spaghetti



10) Voyeur / Voyeur



11) Nestiham / Out of time



12) Kosice / Kosice



Well I hope you enjoyed that. I know I did...