I started 2011 with what most would consider a trip of a lifetime. I’ve been lucky enough to do it twice. Starting with Singapore, a home for my family (pre-me), when, once the English were caretaker. You can see the English influence in many places. The feel of the older buildings is that they very much contain history of things long past, that the tropics are to be taken into consideration, and large courtyards filled with trees and plants are in abundance.

The new is very much taking over, though. New buildings pepper the skyline with buildings changing. My mother pointed out that when they arrived in the middle of the 60′s they could see the ocean from their apartment. By the time they had left, their view was no more. But is new wrong? The city is bustling with activity, the shops simply buzzing, the people happily go about their daily business and enjoy the Christmas sunshine. Maybe new is to be embraced, after all?

Moving onward, we travelled still further to New Zealand to see friends that have been there more than 10 years. One in the south of North Island, in wine country not far from Wellington, the other to the north in Auckland. Two very different places and yet in harmony. Can different be embraced and live in harmony? Much like the old and the new coming together to form its own beauty, so differences can be equally embraced.

And finally we ventured back towards home, stopping in at San Francisco, my favourite US city on the west coast. Where we spent out last few days enjoying winter sunshine, amazing wildlife and walking in the woods (all a stone throw from city life).

All going to prove that differences of city and country need not live apart.

2011 was a year of challenges and of differences. I hope that 2012 also provides many challenges as it already promises to be very different. Wishing you all a fantastic start to 2012.

Lisa

PS. Trying out Blogstop for the images… tell me what you think?!

Stripes, originally uploaded by SciFiBookNut.

A long time ago when I first started taking pictures, I would always try to get everything in. All the person, all the house, all the tower, all the animal. The All.

In those whilst I was trying to get everything in, I realised I was sacrificing something to get that “everything”. But what is everything?

When you get in close, you can focus on the detail, capture the eyes, the brickwork, the woodgrain, the fur… and then you start to see other things.

By reaching in and capturing the head, I managed to capture the detail of his fur, eyelashes, stripes and all very zebra (he wouldn’t get his nose out of the food for the All shot). I only captured a small amount of him, however, the viewer can still tell exactly what it is.

Prehaps they too will stop and look at the details rather than the all and capture more than they thought they could.

_MG_6777, originally uploaded by SciFiBookNut.

There is something about classic cars that I love to capture. They’re always shown at their best – sleek curves, shining trim, never any dirt to be found.

It makes you wonder if the cars of today will ever been seen like this?

Taking their image is never that easy. As they are so wonderful, they are usually surrounded by the general public, have winning cards attached or just their entry form, oweners sitting proudly by in fold up beach chairs.

So to capture a timless image, I like to get down low. Lie on the floor if I have to. This does get some amused looks from passers-by, kids who try to get in front of the lens and an occasional “so what you looking at, exactly” from someone wanting to know why I’m not shooting head on and grabbing the whole car.

Well. I want the lines. I want the shine. But mostly I just want the car ;-)

Over at Instructables, there’s a how-to for making a flash diffuser from Ikea Drawer Liner (apparently it comes on large rolls in the store).

Looks rather fab… ;)

 

sc-6997, originally uploaded by Emma and Steve Clemson.

So – following on from Lisa’s post, we attended Jo Rutherford’s fantastic Victoria Baths workshop. So many models, so many fantastic rooms to shoot in (and a fabulous set of MUAs and clothes!) – not to mention a whole load of really great photographers… All made for a mind-blowing day.

I can highly recommend any workshop that Jo Rutherford puts on – it’s well worth the money, and her enthusiasm is infectious.

See Jo here… http://jorutherfordphotography.blogspot.com/ for her blog, and Jo Rutherford Photography for her studio.

For more of my pictures from the day, see my flickr set, and for photos from some of the delegates, go to the Southport Photo Walkabout group – this is the group for pictures taken at any of Jo’s workshops.

I did the scariest thing in the world, yesterday. I asked another photographer to do a session with me. Well, of me, to be truthful. One of the reasons (at least this is what we tell ourselves) that we pick up the camera and stay behind it is that it becomes our protective shield. Some of us use it to hide behind, others it becomes a talking point. Its our safety blanket.

So I decided that if I was to continue poking bigger and bigger lenses at people and ask them to act natural, I had to find out what it was like.

I met Jo at one of her amazing Walkabouts last year where she gave amateurs like me the opportunity to add to their portfolios by bringing together models, make-up artists, stylists and other photographers for an amazing day of photographic fun. I’ve learnt so much in, what really amounts to, five days. But not what it was really like to be told what to do, where to stand, how to hold your head etc. Further, I had no real images save one or two, that I really liked of myself. Needing to put away my safety blanket and stand in front of the camera brought cold sweats and knocking knees. So I needed a photographer I could put my absolute trust in. Someone who would be able to read the non-verbal cues of uncomfortableness, awkwardness, shyness and instil relaxation, confidence and fun.

So, a Christmas gift was begged for and duly bought along and the date was set. As it approached, panic set in… oh my god did the panic set in! How can someone so willing to stand in front of a 100 strangers and talk for one hour unfazed, be so nervous about spending a couple of hours in front of a camera with only one or two other people (and several peacocks and ducks) around?

Jo is just too easy going to remain nervous for long. After the first cup of (decaf) coffee and a chat on ideas, locations and styling, the hands were steady (mine that is) and we were ready to go. So bottle up that fear and turn it into determination. If you do nothing else this year, go book a photo session with Jo Rutherford Photography.

After that, the rest of the day was, as a certain advert would say, Simples!

Thank you Jo, it was worth every second.

Lisa Dearnley-Davison

One of the locations at Victoria Baths

http://jorutherfordphotography.blogspot.com/2011/04/victoria-baths-photography-workshop.html

A chance at shooting professional models in an amazing location. Jo Rutherford has organised a spectacular day and if the previous workshops are anything to go by, this one will be no exception. I’ve managed to join Jo on several of her workshops both last year and this year and she has inspired a confidence in me that I didn’t know I had. I wouldn’t miss one of her workshops for the world.

Give it a try – you know you want to!

Tasha 2, originally uploaded by SciFiBookNut.

I’m still struggling with the art of processing images. When it comes to trying to assess what needs to be done, I look at some of the bland colours and I know where I want to go with the image as a whole but I don’t know the journey, heck I don’t even know which bus stop to start at.

This image was part wanging sliders and part playing with pre-sets. I was really surprised when I achieved something that I really likes. I can start to see my style yearning to be set free.

The best thing is this whole digital thing. I can’t remember the settings I used to get this… but at least the computer can!

Sunrise at The White Ladies Priory, originally uploaded by Emma and Steve Clemson.

I know purists will hate me for the lens flare, but I couldn’t resist.

The White Ladies Priory (redux), originally uploaded by Emma and Steve Clemson.

One week and a change of weather makes all the difference!