The 52 Project

'A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014'

There's a little bit of mischief in this one...

I started this project last year with great intentions - but I found that I didn't want to 'force' the portraits of the girls and that at times that is what I would have had to do to get a portrait of them every week.

Waiting for the waves to come into the sandcastle...

That said I could have done better than I did!

Hard at work on something for yourself, honing your skills

"Go on puss, jump - it's safe. I'll catch you"

So I am having another go at it - I've started off slow as much of our summer has been spent with either water or sand - or both. Not the ideal environment for a camera.

A Scrabble champ in the making

This means a lot of our summer fun has been enjoyed but not captured in a photograph.

No more training wheels

These two are demons in the surf, taking on bigger and bigger waves each day

I've decided to share a few pics from the last four weeks - encapsulating 1 - 4/52.

I promise I will try harder from here on...

Slippin' and slidin'

Water baby all her life

Make a kite from a paper bag then fly it on the beach; instant fun.

In another few days the girls go back to school and the routine returns.
In some ways we all need that, but boy it's nice just to disappear into the waves and sand for a few days.

How was your summer holiday?

Developing skills

This year is a year of big change for me.

The smallest kid will be heading off to school soon and there is much I want to achieve this year; some goals family-related, some personal and some business/career related.

One of the personal things I want to do is develop my photography skills, learning to use my camera in a more manual way to achieve better results.

Very nicely, and without prompting I might add, the guy who lives here got me a walk-around Melbourne Photography tour as part of my Christmas gift.

It was on last Sunday which, thankfully, was a day post the big heatwave we have been experiencing here.

One of hundred of locks on the Southbank bridge

We had a lovely morning walking to various locations around Melbourne and taking photos under direction/with the guidance of our tour leader.

He had lots of useful tips on composition and how to use various functions of the camera such as exposure compensation, shutter speed and aperture as well as discussing means of storing photos.

 I learned that, like anything, you need time to practice what you are doing and that it is only in doing so that you will improve.
That trial and error is a good thing and you should take lots of shots in different locations.
Also to look at things from a different angle.

It was a very enjoyable and informative three hours spent walking around and snapping a variety of images and I would highly recommend the tour if you are keen to expand your photography skill set.

The tour I did was run by Happier Snappers and booked through Ted's Camera Stores.

46/52

You may have thought I dropped of the face of the earth...

Blogtober turned into Floptober for me - I really bombed out...

Wendy's became Flogtober - or What-ober!!

Never mind, life is busy and full and I won't make excuses for spending time with those I love rather than getting to blog about them.

I've missed many weeks of Che and Fidel's 52 portraits in a year - but nevertheless - here they are for this week.

Miss L - spinning and twirling - always

Miss G - exploring and discovering

Miss A - enjoying her new-found love of basketball!

If you are playing along - pop over here to see what other people have posted.

31/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

Still not keeping up with the 52 portraits project, but these are a few great shots taken last Sunday that I wanted to share this week.

First time toboganning was a big success

'The guy who lives here' took this shot.
He said he was confident her aim was such the snowball wouldn't hit the camera!!

She may not look it but she was very keen and went up and down the mountain many times!

While I have not been diligent in getting shots each week I love that taking part in this project prompts me to think more about portraits.

A reminder of how fast they are growing up really.

Join in at Che and Fidel.

28/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

I have sort of missed the boat on this one since, well, April..

Still, here are portraits for this week...

Two visits from the tooth fairy in the same number of days for this Miss.

All three fresh faced and a bit windswept...

Always pretty in pink

We'd been to a show and were walking through Birrarung Marr on a cool afternoon up to Federation Square listening to the Federation Bells chime...

No trace of my baby now. Looking more grown up every day

I love our city adventures.

A chance to walk and talk together, explore and be amazed by all we see and hear as we ramble around.

Back to school tomorrow after a two week break and I am both happy and sad.

A week in pictures...

School holidays - week one...

Phillip Island with family and friends.

If you are a Victorian and haven't been here, then you are missing out - Phillip Island is a natural treasure - there is so much for the kids to do and see, whether summer or winter.

One of my favourite activities is the penguin parade, a Victorian institution - but it's strictly a 'no photography' event - so you'll have to go see that one for yourself!

Images L to R, top to bottom:

View from The Nobbies toward Seal Rock, Pelican feeding time at San Remo, swimming with Daddy, koala at the Koala Conservation Centre, mini golf at A Maze 'N Things, milking a cow on Churchill Island, peacock on Churchill Island, surfing the tube near Newhaven, horsing around on Churchill Island with friends.

We've visited Phillip Island before - click these two links to see how they've grown!!

16/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

The weeks seem to be flying past and I seem to only blog my photos each week, still that's better than nothing I suppose!

'Middle' Miss had a big week.
She took out third place in the school cross-country for girls in her grade - no small feat when there are about 50 competitors in there, and she's not a particularly competitive child.

We think the lure of the medal did it.
She wore it all evening, even when she had changed into her PJ's and put it back on after school the next day too.

Surprise medal

'Big' Miss is conquering riding her new bike brilliantly.
There's nothing this kid won't have a go at.
When she's on the seat her feet can't touch the ground, something not many seven-year-olds would be comfortable with.
She takes a spill and gets right back on.
I admire her determination and courage, all done with a cheeky, shy smile.

Outdoors girl

'Little' Miss seems to be riding off away from, me day by day.
While this is just a photo, it shows what I often feel, that Little Miss Independence is leaving me behind all too quickly.

Bicycling Bush 'baby'

Playing along again with Che and Fidel.

15/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

I had a few to choose from this week, it was hard.

Playing is thirsty work

The quietly satisfied smile of someone who just found another corner!

Her version of heaven, post a trip to the library.

Playing along with Che and Fidel again.
I missed last week, we had the wonderful joy of a shared bout of gastro for the holidays...
Nothing much fun about that!

13/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

It's school break here - the end of the first of our four school terms for the year so we have been away for the Easter weekend with some friends to their weekend home on the Murray River - the border between Victoria and NSW, here in Australia.

We had the most amazing time - the girls hardly stopped smiling all weekend...

This little lady has always been very comfortable in and on the surf, seems she's just as at home on the river; taking to riding on the 'biscuit' behind a speeding boat like she had been doing it for years.

There's a 'wild child' lurking within that sensible exterior after all!

And yes, since last week she's now got a 'gappy' smile!

Another water baby with eyes as blue as the water. This one in the pool, with a lifejacket just for fun!

All my children are part fish I think!

This little Miss is ready to take on the world, with gusto!

While I have almost lost her out the top of this shot (she jumped higher than I anticipated!), I love the sense of freedom and abandonment shown here.
Jumping for the pure joy of it!

Taking the plunge in a big way!

I'm playing along with Che and Fidel again.
Go and join in if you like.

12/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

I'm really enjoying this process - it makes me look at what the girls do and think about who they are as individuals, and I hope it will also improve my photography skills along the way.

This little lady LOVES to read.
She devours books in a way that I remember doing as a child.
Every spare moment she has she picks up a book; she retains facts in a truly remarkable way for her age and is reading books way beyond what is expected of her years.
While all that is lovely, it's the fact that she just genuinely loves to read with such a passion and that it gives her such delight that makes me so happy.
It's a lifelong love that we foster at every opportunity.

Here she reads a bedtime story to her sisters, "Tessa snaps snakes" - by possibly her all-time favourite author, Alison Lester.

Such a grown up pose for a little girl.  She's in 'teacher' mode!

While the shot below shows all three girls - it's the portrait I chose this week for the smallest kid because for me this is truly reflective of her personality.

If she doesn't end up on the stage I will be amazed.
She loves a theatrical entry into a room, with arms spread and a loud 'ta-da' to be heard.
She sings 'opera' at the top of her lungs through the house.
She constantly makes up voices and characters and tells outlandish stories that are a pure delight.
And clearly she decided that she should be the centre of attention in this photo too!

It's all about her isn't it??

This little lady is having a huge year - with so much more self-confidence than last year.
We worked out it was a peer who was making her doubt herself and now, having been separated from that child, she is blossoming.

With that - her gorgeous cheeky smile has returned, the sparkle is back in her eye and it makes me so very, very happy to see it.

In case you were wondering, the cow is fibreglass!

Playing along at Che and Fidel if you want to join in.

11/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Joining in with Che and Fidel again for the portrait project.

This gives you a tiny inkling of the cheekiness of this child.
Sipping her 'pink bubbles' drink at the start of her sisters' 7th birthday party.

I love the vulnerability of this shot, posing for me at the end of the party.

Not a huge smiling grin, but a soft smile as is her way.

There's a lovely sparkle in her face in this one - smiling at a joke a friend she has known since birth has made as they prepared to race each other on their scooters.

By not 'posing' we get her true smile - not the slightly cheesy one seven-year-olds are wont to do!

There's been lots of sewing here - and craft of the party variety.

I'll share it all with you in the next few days - once I have recovered!