Where's my rider?

More Testing for the Guinea Pigs

 

Jump in here for a sec. Try this. Let me see what this looks like.

Love the way my kids are so obliging...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If only our Christmas card was ever that easy!

 

 

Joseph's Family

 

 

I was already booked for a couple of photo shoots the day after I got back from Fiji, so when I was contacted at lunchtime that day to see if I could do one more in the afternoon I was pretty reticent, especially with dark clouds coming over.

But the family was moving to New Zealand the next day, so we decided to go ahead anyway, and I'm so pleased we did...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes me smile.

 

Bloomin' Amazing

 

 

Keren had told me this afternoon about red algae off the beaches, and she'd said it might glow but I'd forgotten about it until I was getting the kids into an already late bedtime.

We decided it was worth checking out anyway. Evan and I loaded up with our cameras and tripods, but then the rain came. We wanted to go anyway.

Almost had an accident with an idiot driving behind me, sitting on my tail for ages (note to idiots, I'm night blind so you're playing with fire), and Belle let out the most piercing scream ever - there was a cockroach on the backseat! I had nowhere to pull over, she's panicking, it's dark, I'm asking India and Evan if they can do something about it, and I'm shitting myself because I am completely phobic of cockroaches, and I'm still driving in the dark, in the rain with an idiot behind me. When I did pull over, it was all of us out of the car in the dark, in the rain (lucky Evan had bought his torch), and lucky Evan and India are my cockroach kill team cos after a bit of searching and struggle they got it. Phew!

 

We got to Palm Beach and squealed with delight when we saw the bioluminescent lights in the waves.

Whale Beach was better viewing because there were less lights, but it was still a bit wet.

I took these images at Avalon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Noctiluca scintillans' - magic!

 

Trash the Dress - Fiji Style

 

 

I've been really keen to trash someone's wedding dress for a while now, and Carla was keen too. 

Eager participants and an idyllic location - perfect!

Just a shame I couldn't get my hands on some underwater housing for the watery shots, instead using a waterproof Olympus, and filming on the GoPro. I will grab stills from the GoPro when I get a chance and post them here, because there are some great moments.

In the meantime, here's a few of my favourites...

 

 

 

So relaxed now - just gorgeous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love it.

 

 

 

 

They swam across the lagoon to get to this driftwood, with a giggling audience in tow. It was worth it!

 

 

Love. Love!

 

 

 

So cool. Probably the most fun I've ever had on a photo shoot!

 

A big thank you to Carla and Greg for making me smile so much.

 

 

 

A Wedding in Fiji

 

 

 

 

 

On the morning of the big day the boys went to the golf course, and I tagged along for a few quick shots before checking up on the bridal preparations...

 

 

When I stole away with the Carla's shoes, and the rings for a couple of shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then took the dress out for a run, safe in the knowledge the groom was still on the golf course.

 

 

Bridesmaid Kelly suggested Carla climb up the tree with the dress, which she was more than happy to do (setting a bit of a precedent for the wedding photos, which involved quite a few more tree-climbing shots). Love that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carla's daughter, Gabbi (cute enough to eat) helped apply some make-up...

 

 

then melted my heart just a little more

 

 

 

 

Almost ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Father of the bride, happy and relaxed in the car (probably thinking about surfing Cloudbreak the next day)...

 

 

 

 

 

Tropical wedding. Just the best. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Skype (and a couple of pairs of sunglasses over the webcam to cut glare) those who couldn't make it to Fiji, still got to enjoy the ceremony - and have a chat afterwards...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greg with Hayden. Such a lovely dad!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture cracks me up - hope you don't mind me posting it, Carla (my other two readers probably won't notice if you want me to remove it).

 

 

 

 

On our way between 'official photos' and the reception (via a poolside bar - we had a lot of time to fill) Carla and Greg decided on a spot of tennis.

Is this the best jump-in-a-wedding-dress ever??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a teeny threat of rain (as you can see by that dark sunset, above), so the reception was moved indoors. It didn't dampen any spirits, though,

 

 

 

 

and the change in venue probably made the 'jump and catch' of Carla and Greg's first dance a little easier with the solid dancefloor.

 

 

 

 

The paparazzi were out in force for the cake cutting...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love.

 

 

 

 

 

I Heart Fiji

 

 

Especially when there is a wedding involved.

 

Golly, imagine how much I would love it if it were my wedding!

 

I went to Fiji a few weeks ago to shoot a wedding.

Tough gig, eh! 

It was so lovely. I always feel at home at The Fijian - this was my tenth visit, and Carla and Greg (the bride and groom) were so welcoming that by the end of the few days my assistant and I felt like part of the family. 

 

I just didn't take many photos this time. Actually, that's not true at all. I took a huge amount of photos, just not many happy snaps,

so here's a few, from the few.

 

 

Sunrise.

From the first class lounge - noice!

 

 

 

 

I can see my house from up here!

 

 

A plane departure pre 7am meant for a very early brekky, and the world's trendiest airline didn't offer a lot more, so I was starving by the time we landed.

We decided to have a quick look to see if TomLu's was open for lunch and (even though the door was locked) it was - at least, it was re-opened.

Sonny souped

 

 

and I curried

 

 

and we made a reservation for the Saturday night where we both feasted on

Kokoda

 

 

Lobster

 

 

and Crab ('scuse the dreadful flash pictures)

 

So delicious!

 

We went for a little location scout after a dinner of kokoda (so good - raw fish in cocnut and lime) at the hotel.

I love the pattern from a backlit palm on the ground...

 

 

And the late-night painter

 

 

A quick drink at the bar

 

 

And we saw this bride - running to see fireworks that had just started cracking

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day after the wedding (before we trashed the dress), Moses from the marine centre took us to visit our fish house that we made last time we were at The Fijian.

 

 

Labeled with a number and with co-ordinates for GPS, it's not too hard to find

 

and it's so cool to return to the reef and see the progress of the rehabilitation...

This is a platform of coral cookies...

 

and this is the bat fish making a home of one

 

 

The area of rehabilitation is such a shallow reef - I remember walking on it always as a child - but I love snorkelling over it. I am a voyeur in a world I am normally excluded from. Privy to the comings and goings of some of the world's cutest and most colourful creatures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the last day I was a surf widow. Normally keen to go bouncing around on a boat peering through a glary viewfinder for half a day, I was exhausted. I had been really busy prior to going to Fiji, and I knew I was going to be busy afterwards, so I opted for the sleep in past 7am.

Shy girls picking flowers...

 

 

and the surf widow lunch to finish...

 

 

Aaaaahhhh.

 

 

 

Two By the Few Or More... Continued

 

 

Whew, it's been a busy few weeks!

But now, as I slowly remove the 120-odd gig of photos from my D drive that I have collected in that time, I can update with a few images from some of those jobs. Starting with a few more from my shoot with twins, Claire and Joshie...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is it they say? Never work with kids and animals? 

 

 

Do they mean both at the same time?

 

 

 

Love. Love. Love!