Photo Challenge for August: Wind

Living in the windy city, this choice of subject for the group's August challenge seemed only natural. WIND: capture wind in action, or the immediate effects of wind in your chosen photo. The wind can be man-made or natural (ha!).

My initial idea had involved a broken umbrella in one of Wellington's typical council rubbish bins. Luck would have it that we had an incredible week of bad weather (hail and SNOW) which meant I was avoiding the outdoors (let alone taking my camera out in it). It came to crunch time and at 11pm before deadline I ventured out to Wellington airport with my little Joby tripod in freezing conditions to capture the beautiful wind sculpture in action.

Photo Challenge for July: The Built Environment

The group Photography Challenge for July closed a few days ago. I'd missed the 3rd Photo Challenge (Birds Eye View) due to a combination of work hours and lack of creative ideas so I wasn't going to let myself down this time.

The Challenge brief

"The built environment" as decided by Chris Schraders. This means one or more buildings or structures, or part thereof, or a built landscape.

It's things that are already build and were built with the intension of improving the environment for it's users. Examples are: a stopbank, an area of paving, a building, a bridge, or of course any part thereof (a window detail, one pale of a fence, etc.)

My entry: Afternoon at Waitangi Park

The park is award-winning for its design which seeks to incorporate the existing environment and provide practical spaces for residents close to the central city. I especially love this pedestrian bridge and waterway. The waterway has been designed with the reeds which act like a natural filtration system for the existing Waitangi stream. This shot captures the relaxed use of the landscape and man-made structures: friends sitting by the water, cyclists and runners heading around the waterfront, as well as the ducks and seagulls hanging out.

Another option taken another day just on dusk. Less activity and less detail in the image but I do love the colour.

My First Photo Challenge Entry

"Muddy Boot" shot using my Sony dSLR A380 and a handsome OBU Pink Ginners model.

During May I entered my first photo competition online. The theme was Earth and everyone had the month to capture an image that "related to the element of earth (dirt, rock etc), not physical earth".

I was inspired by Bevan's muddy weekend rugby games. I headed out - full of enthusiasm - to his game hoping (for once) to find a field of muck, puddles and swampy earthiness. Just my luck that it was a perfect autumn day, only a spot of Wellington wind, and not a drop of moisture around. Despite that I managed to capture this image which was fairly close to what I had in mind (just wish there was more mud on the muddy boot...). I really like the composition with the players in the background. The late afternoon sun has also given a great light to the image.

Great thing about the challenge is that it is run by friends. The prize is glory for the month. The winning photo is displayed on the Challenge Facebook page. Check out the entries here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Photo-Challenge/

The winner has been announced... and it wasn't me. But I did get feedback from one of the judges: "The year of the World Cup what better idea for an image of earth".

Now on to the next month competition: Birds Eye View

Suggestions welcome!

Check out my other two choices for the competition in May.

This option didn't pass muster because of the lack of mud on the legs and the composition (which I'd captured the whole shadow). Great blue sky and green grass though.

I really like this image but taken in low light (at dusk in autumn) there is a bit of noise once enlarged. I took this at the abandoned Berhampore bowling green (which appears to now be a great spot for hitting golf balls). Without that background information could it be an image of the moon, or perhaps a petri dish experiment?

A bittersweet and salty tale: WHITE MEADOWS

Keshtzarhaye Sepid

I've just had the pleasure of viewing this gorgeous Iranian film (by Mohammad Rasoulof) at the World Cinema Showcase.

The brightness of the salt lake, the beauty of the sad faces at every stop, the crystal clear jar of precious tears, all making for haunting viewing. Knowing that the director has now been imprisoned for six years and banned from making films for 20 years makes this film all the more poignant.

Dreaming of Switzerland

I received a fantastic mid-year birthday present on the weekend. A vintage fondue set mint-in-box PLUS a classic fondue cookery book!

This meant cheese fondue was definitely required for dinner. We did it kiwi style: Tegal chicken sausages, Watties Pom-Poms and some fresh french stick.

Simply Delicious

DISCO PIGS is a great name for a movie

that I haven't seen.

I'm tidying the archive room which is filled with movies that were submitted or screened in the Festival. I came across this movie title was inspired to find out more about it.

A young Cillian Murphy plays Pig and it has been described as the future of Irish film (by a blogger on IMDB). Found the trailer on YouTube. Might have to give this movie a go.

7 Reasons the 21st Century is Making You Miserable

There are only a few hours left of August. Scary to think given that I hadn't really accepted it was August already and now it is almost over.

For some great Sunday evening reading check out this article on cracked.com: 7 Reasons the 21st Century is Making You Miserable.

Having just read this article it makes me want to pick up the phone and call a friend AND hand-write a letter (though not at the same time).

Take a moment.

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