2014 with a rocket...

 Well, not yet, but when I delivered my ailing Rancilio to the team at Coffee-A-Roma yesterday, I found myself lusting after the other silvery beauty in the showroom, the Rocket Espresso Giotto Premium V2 

Would I use it properly? Not sure, would I use it often? Absolutely... 

My Rancilio has developed a nasty italian habit --- Rusting! The chassis has started rusting out which is interesting.. But after she gets a new boiler and a filter / seal (not the large, wet, black kind) kit replacement and a darn good service, she should be fit for a few more cups of black gold. 

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My image library is offline right now, so I can't show you my rusty Rancilio, i'll update later on. 

Meanwhile, this image is "Day Six" of my self portrait series... You can find it here

 

--Sime

 

Style & Shenanigans / Studio Bambini

Recently photographed Vanessa and family at their home for a Children's Lifestyle and Fashion magazine, Studio Bambini. While the magazine issue isn't out yet, you can see a handful of the images below. Looking forward to seeing what images they chose for the magazine. 

Not really something I've photographed before, lots of work to be done if I want to keep photographing that kind of work - but the editor was apparently happy, so that's grand. 

One thing I have a pretty major problem with.. well.. two things, are self worth and self belief... I know I'm not perfect, far from it, but I immediately assume that people will hate the work I'm doing for them - bad, guess I'll just have to get over it at some point.

Have you ever had a self doubt issue?

Hello Two Thousand and Fourteen

Well, another year has been left behind and here we are, back in the same spot at 1:13am, cup of tea on my desk, London Grammar playing in the background - softly so as not to wake my just stirred boys - Seb, he's 4, just woke up, told me he was too hot and asked if he could read me a book.. Fin, he's just had his second expressed bottle for the eve as M is out with friends. He sloshed down this bottle, did a freakishly loud burp, had a little chat to me, smiled a lot and then went straight back to sleep. 

This is our new boy, Finley...

Finley likes to sleep...

Finley likes to sleep...

I've been home tonight with the boys, I wanted M to have a half decent rest / night out, they're few and far between right now - and I like being home with a cup of tea and some good music anyways, so that worked well. 

Anyways... Here's Seb, he's on day two of riding a bike with pedals and, as you can see, he's enjoying it... 

It was at this point that Seb realised he may just be able to run me down...

It was at this point that Seb realised he may just be able to run me down...

I hope you've all had a great 2013, for those of you 'in the industry' see you at Photokina 2014 and for anyone else, if you find yourself in Melbourne, pop in for a cup of tea. 

Happy New Year

Sime

A giveaway for you to play with...

One of my clients, #3LeggedThing are having an epic giveaway! 

You can enter via the form below...

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Here's what you could have won.... [or, will win if you're lucky!]

 

Day One Bundle Drawn 16th December

3LT Dave with Blue Airhed
EnlightPhoto Set of Phridge Phun magnets
Capture Pro Camera clip (Arca)
Cuff wrist strap
Elemental 5in1 Reflector
1 year SmugMug Power Account $60 value

Day Two Bundle Drawn 18th December

3LT Eddie with Black Airhed
EnlightPhoto Set of Phridge Phun magnets
Pro USB 3.0 card Reader
16GB 600X SDHC card
Elemental 5in1 Reflector
1 year SmugMug Portfolio Account $150 Value

Day Three Bundle Drawn 20th December

3LT Frank with Blue Airhed
EnlightPhoto Set of Phridge Phun magnets
1 year SmugMug Business Account $300 value
Capture Pro Camera clip (Arca)
PROpad for camera clip
Leash camera strap
ThinkTank Retro 30
Elemental Cryro LED 600
Elemental 5in1 Reflector
Tiffen Filter Bundle

Take a camera everywhere - Sony QX100

You all know I like to take photographs, I guess that may even be why you're here, on my blog... I'm not "cameraist" and I don't care how I capture - obviously if I'm shooting for someone, I need to meet that client's needs, but if it's just for me - hand me something convenient and easy to wrangle... 

Sony DSC-QX100 for under Five Hundred big ones..

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Sony Australia sent me the QX100 to use and abuse, I've had it for just over a month now and, despite initial "will this fit my lifestyle / workflow" I've come to love it enough to take it everywhere with me. 

I tend to pop it into a thinkTank "Little Stuff It" and slip that into whatever bag I'm taking on the day - I always take a bag. That's just me. 

It's a funny size in that, if you're not taking a bag it can be a bit annoying unless you have something like the Peak Design Cuff, which is mostly permanently attached to mine, means you can just have it on your wrist, or with a Leash, you can sling it / whatever. Use 'pollock' at checkout for 10% off... (Or don't, that's cool too) .....but when do you ever leave the house with some kind of bag?  

One thing I see a LOT of on the www is people posting photographs of people with larger, pro cameras, but taking a photo with their phone... There's a reason for that folks - it's because we all want to share - immediately - if we're inspired by something or want someone to see something right away... The QX100 bridges that gap effortlessly...

Do you need to use it with a phone? No, and that's one of the things that "ups the game" for me, with the QX100... I can turn it on and use it as a camera without the phone - I can control zoom and shutter and that's it... There's a little window to check the battery level, too. Sorta refreshing, actually... Like my old Pentax but without any viewfinder at all - just what your eye and hand think, and you add that 'anticipation' back in - what shots did I nail, what did I muff... You won't know until you get home!

You stick the QX on a tripod / boom / light stand via the standard tripod mount and you can stick it wherever you like... Including above the trampoline...

 

Seb and his toys on the trampoline - birds eye via Sony QX100

The QX has really upped the quality of images I can use instantly on my iPhone, too... I can ask the QX to import a 2mb file into my phone as it shoots, leaving the full res (20mp) on the camera's babySd card. 

It has a great movie mode, too, though this is reduced to 720p from the 1080 resolution possible in camera.

The Sony QX has turned into something I use daily and happily suggest people add one to their digital arsenal.. What I'd like to see in future updates - RAW image processing and a little more control over manual modes (or, the addition of a manual mode) though, the auto modes included are pretty good.