Memories, Dreams and Reflections 2011

Wow, what an eventful year 2011 was. My son started school this year, with new routines and challenges to get used to. We've been really pleased with his development though and his reading and writing has come along wonderfully. He's a little scientist and talks and asks questions constantly. Which can be very time consuming but lovely nonetheless.
I really got into photography this year too. Just before the end of 2010 I got my 50mm 1.8, then in March an extension tube for macro work. I started to really enjoy photography as an art form and mid year I decided to start a blog to connect with other photographers.
So over at Ashley's Ramblings and Photos there's a fun link up going on where you look back over your photos from the year find photos to reflect 25 prompts.So here they are a bit late due to many technical difficulties.

1. Me!

A self portrait with my mum's Zeiss Ikon camera, taken for the Scavenger Hunt "Nostalgic" prompt.
I'm proud of myself for starting this blog mid year, for having the courage to put myself out there, for keeping on with it even when I doubted myself and became overwhelmed with other aspects of my life. But now at the end of this year I'm proud of how I've developed and the photos I've taken as a result of this blog. Also I so appreciate the people I've met.

2. I Love You

I love my husband and son. I took this photo around the time we were watching the "Wonders of the Solar System" with Professor Brian Cox . It's such an interesting series and has beautiful cinematography. The latest we watched was about the sun. I love this quote "For us it's everything, and yet it's just one ordinary star amongst 200 billion starry wonders that make up our galaxy. " I love that, but it makes you feel so small. For me my husband and son are everything.

3. Still Laughing...

I have shared this so many times but I just love this moment. It was Easter and I'd given my son a huge piece of watermelon to hold, just to take a photo, but he couldn't resist taking a bite. I love the expressions on his face, he's so cheeky and pleased with himself, and eventually he put the piece on his head. It still makes me smile and laugh. I love that a spur of the moment decision led to these photos that captured his personality so well.

4. Winter Wonderland

So this is our Winter Wonderland, not exactly what Ashley meant I think, but this was taken in the middle of winter when we were on holidays at Rainbow Beach, Queensland Australia. I played around with some overexposure, I like the light and airy feel.

5. Birthday

This was really hard, as my son was sick for his birthday this year. But I made some small cupcakes just for the family to celebrate his 5th birthday.

6. Friends

To protect the innocent ;-) here's a photo of my son with his best friends, his Angry Bird soft toys. :-)
I took this photo for the Scavenger Hunt "Custom Bokeh" prompt, using a flower shape.

7. I was Inspired...

by all the gorgeous florals and texture work on Florabella and Sarah Gardner and many other blogs.

by the beauty in nature.

by everyday things and vintage finds.

8. Spring Fever

Taken on a spring visit to the Botanical Gardens. Everything was starting to bloom, and I loved these lovely daisies.

9. Travel or Vacation

We just got back from a holiday in New Zealand. I loved the beaches around Kaikoura, so rugged and rocky, so different to our white sandy beaches. To see more of the photos check them out here.

10. Summer Days

Also from our trip to New Zealand, I love these grasses on Raumati Beach. They're so soft and warm, reminds me of lazy hazy days of Summer.

11. A Day in My Life

The best part of my day, a sandwich hug with my family in the morning before we go about our day. Taken with a tripod in our entrance way.

12. All Smiles

 My son is all smiles most of the time. I took these series of photos at Rainbow Beach. My husband had dug him a hole and he was pretending to be a crab in his hole. He's such a goof, I love him.

13. Autumn Harvest

We don't get autumn colour here unfortunately. but I took this and it kind of looks like autumn I think.

14. Family or Home

Sunday morning sleep in!

15. Celebrate!

 We celebrated two important milestones this year, the first that my son was the first in his class to reach 100 nights home reading which he was very proud of. Actually he finished the year with more than 300 nights accumulated. Yay!!

The second being my husband and I celebrated 10 years of marriage. My mum took this photo after I set all the settings, just before we left our son with her to enjoy a rare fancy dinner at a french restaurant.

16. Let's Do It Again 

 Get up before sunrise to catch the beautiful light and peaceful mood.

Play games, feel young and enjoy life! We played our first game of mini golf with our son on our trip to New Zealand, we really enjoyed it. He held the club wrong and definitely had his own style, but he did better than we expected and we wondered why we hadn't done it before. So I think next year we'll have to play more. Plus we enjoyed it and mummy hit a few random hole in ones! :-)

17. I Miss You 

 My dad died of an aggressive prostate cancer six year ago, almost to the day. He was far too young at 58 and it progressed far too quickly. I really miss him especially as he died before my son was born, actually the day he died we had my 20 week scan and we found out we were having a boy. I think they would have been two peas in a pod and loved each others company.
So this winter I was in my mum's garden and I spotted this Gloriosa or Glory Lily, my father's favourite flower. What an exquisitely beautiful flower!

18. Beautiful 

Time and time again I'm amazed by the beauty in nature. Who would have thought a fly could be so beautiful!

19. Dress Up 

My son in his Captain Feathersword costume, he loves this costume, I think because of the feathers. Taken in front of our bathroom mirror.

20. Macro 

 A row of water drops on a branch after a night of rain. Taken with the morning sun refracting off one drop, with two star bursts. Taken with my 50 mm 1.8 and extension tube 25mm.
I have a post about my extension tube here.

21. Holidays 

 Christmas, my favourite holiday! I was so confused with this prompt at first because here in Australia we call our vacations holidays.

Tying silver thread on my new baubles. I was so proud that this photo was noticed by iheartfaces in a non competition holiday bokeh linky.

22. My Favourite 

 I just love this photo, says so much to me. I love my son's little hand in my husbands, his dirty fingers from exploring the gardens and my husband's wedding ring. I just love it! It's even extra special to me as it was taken on Father's Day.

23. Don't Ever Change 

 What can I say, he's wonderful, so sweet, so inquisitive, so sensitive, so special! I love him, and although I accept he'll grow and mature, I hope he never loses what makes him so special and wonderful.

24. Just Because...So There!

Sometimes you just need a bit of luck. Less than two months after starting to shoot in manual, I saw a bee in our yard and ran out with my camera with my 50mm and extension tube to try to capture it. I set my aperture and ISO and metered off the bushes he was buzzing around.  As I use an extension tube I have to focus manually and can't zoom in on my subject. So I just plunged my head and camera into the bushes and tried to find the bee. When I thought it was in focus I managed to shoot off one frame before he buzzed off and then left our garden.
I was so happy when I zoomed in on the bee in the view finder. I love that the shutter speed was fast enough to freeze his body but slow enough to show movement in his wings.

25. Hopes and Dreams

 I hope all his dreams come true!

For myself I dream of more time! To develop as a photographer, to help my son to fulfill his potential, and to be the wife and mother I want to be.

So let's see what 2012 has in store!

For some reason I couldn't get the button to work so here's the link to join in the fun.