Going RAW .............

I have used the RAW setting on my camera before but I could not get the hang of how to edit them and they did take up a lot of space on my memory card too, but once again the Practical Photography mag has given me a few heads ups on the best way to use and edit RAW files.

Here is 2 portraits of Erin I have tweeked up and no photoshop needed just adjustments in brightness, contrast, hue, saturation and sharpness.

Using RAW has not degraded the quality of the photo after editing unlike a jpeg and as someone who likes to play with my pics I think I will shoot a bit more in this form, just need a bigger memory card! Maybe 16G!!!!!

HUGZ.

Howdy......................

Yes it has been ages since my last post , but I've been having a melt down again!! All Etihad's fault.

To keep my mind off the CR%P that just seems to keep flowing, I've tried to keep my self in a creative frame of mind! Kind of works for a while at least.

I got my hands on a copy of Practical Photography which gave me some inspiration to play with my camera, these pics are what I came up with after reading one of the articals..........

Working with small things is something I can do inside, these Monopoly tokens were fun to play with I think I might have to fosick around for some more minis to take pics with.

And here is my first layout in nearly 2 months, am finding it hard to scrap..........

I have also been doing Inchies will post pics next time....

HUGZ

Salam to all................

Still can't shake off this dam cough starting to drive me a little crazy!!

Cameron went back to work today after having nearly a month off, the kids are nearing the end of their school year with only 5 more weeks to summer break. It still feels so strange having the kids finish mid year and start back in September..........

I have been doodling, Erin named this Heart angle ...............

I also have some more Henna pics that I took before I went to OZ.............

The last one is my fav of them all ........ There is something very feminine about wearing a shayla.......

Need to get out of the appartment so I'm off.... hope you have a good day,

HUGZ

Lazy day...........

With the heat outside the best escape is to just stay at home in the aircon which makes for a very lazy day and with Summer on the way there are going to be lots more of them!!!!!!!!

But I got out my art journal and a pencil and had a bit of a draw, so maybe that is what I can do through the long Summer months tucked away in my appartment.

Well at least my cough is getting better,

HUGZ

Still no very well.......

I still have a nasty cold and cough so taking it easy, been doing a bit of art work just to keep the mind free and have enjoyed it so much...........

I have used pencil, pen, water colours and acrylic paints, stamping and rubbings, henna and rubons.............. I am not great at drawing but it felt really good to just freehand something and then add to it and see it transform.

I need some sleep so I hope to see you soon,

HUGZ

I'm not very well...........

I have come back with a cold and am finding it hard to get over the jet lag..........

Before I left I made wedding reception invitations for some friends, I was happy to have a little project to work on and its always fun to help out where you can.

They came out really well and my friends were delighted with them too.........

I'm off to get ready for the morning rush,

HUGZ

I have been back to OZ.........

I made the trip back to Melbourne to see my Dad for his 80th birthday, it was a suprise visit as my Dad had know idea I was coming.......... My Mum had been addmitted to hospital the day I arrived so I spent time with her there and she was able to have day leave to go to Dads party.

I also got the chance to jump the train to Ringwood and catch up with some of the girls from the Scrap Chat forum for a shop at Scrappy Hollow and lunch, I would like to thank Sandy so much for picking me up and to all those that came for taking the time out of their day for me.

Here is a pic of me with my Dad in the national dress of the UAE which I gave him for his birthday from now on he can be Sheikh Derrick Bin Findlow Al Nayan of Abu Dhabi..........

And a piccy of me with my Mum in the hospital............

I had a wonderful time with my parents and family and am looking forward to December to see them again.....

HUGZ

Marhaba ( Welcome ) to all............

I have been having trouble with the internet of late, totally frustrated with it!!!!

Seems to be OK today YEAH...........

I have some pics to share that I took in a moment of inspiration...........

I had black henna done and just had to do some pics with it, I have played around with the colouring and exposure on these to give them a dream like feel. Would love to print them on to canvas one day..........

Hugz

My fav Mosque in Black and White...........

These pics are of my fav Mosque in town, the dome is just so beautifully patterned and it looks just wonderful in black and white............

When I leave the Mosques will be one off the things that I will miss the most, as they are apart of the landscape here totally intertwined with the city and a great source of photography.

HUGZ...........

OMG I'm addicted..........

I have got myself 2 more of those wooden stamp things, I just could not resist them there just so beautiful............

I need to find a better way of using them with my scrapping, just don't seem to have much time to play around with different techniques at the moment............. and,

I really need to stay away from that antique shop.........

HUGZ

Move over Troy..........

It's Kalin the basketball mad crazy boy.............

Erin, Regan and Kalin have been doing basketball lessons for a couple of months now every Sunday and Wednesday, it's now getting to hot to be outside so I think this will be the last week till after summer break.

I took the kids down one day for an extra practice and snapped these pics of Kalin doing his best basketball moves............

HUGZ........

Guess the pic??????

Ok here is a pic now can you tell me what it is?????

Its a Camels bottom........... just for something different. LOL

Hope I made you smile, HUGZ......

Todays pic............

With the weather heating up at the moment this is a very common site in the streets of
Abu Dhabi, drinking water is such a must with most days at the moment above 40 degress C.

Have a great day, Hugz

Busy Busy Busy.......

The last couple of days have been so busy, just getting stuff done.

Finally things are starting to slow down to a normal pace and I have some pics to share.......

These pics are of a brass lantern, these are very promonant here.

I'm still in black and white............

Seeya round soon............. Hugz

It's ANZAC day.........

I'm missing my usual ANZAC day traditions, especially Dawn service......... ANZAC day has been special to me form when I was an Air Cadet, I did several gards of honnor in Melbourne at the Shrine of Rememberance and have always done my best to attend Dawn service with last years at the Redcliffe cenataf being the most memorable, as I was sitting on the beach watching the sunrise and listening to the last post a pod of dolphins appeared it was just so moving something that will never forget.

We are having an ANZAC Day BBQ for dinner and I think one of the boys is going to run the 2up and I have been looking for a copy of the last post as I want to play it on sunset.

Of to bake some ANZAC cookies with the kids.

HUGZ

Todays photo pic is..............

This bike I really love, it belongs to one of the workers in the compound and every time I see it I smile.......... The workers love to dress things up, but this has to be the best example that I've seen yet.



Masalama..........HUGZ

Black and White...........

I have really taken to black and white pics while living here in the UAE, you get such a difference between light and shade and it makes for great pics. Light and dark gives a kind of dimension which brings out the details that I so love and I'm getting a little stuck on it of late.

Here are just a few to share, hope you enjoy them as much as I do...........

HUGZ..........

Scrap share.........

Remember how I used that stamp then water coloured it, I finally used it for a layout I only adding a bit more paint, some rubons very basic.

This is my parents wedding day way back in 1952, 20years before I was born..... How's that after 20years of marriage they still were having kids!!!!

Have a great day, HUGZ

More Red bull pics............

We went back to see the air race again yesterday so here are some more pics..............

I found myself thinking my camera and lens weren't good enough to capture the moments as I wanted......... I should be happy that I have an SLR at all.

HUGZ

Sorry about not being round.........

We had a little hicup with the internet for the last few days but all is good now..........

Yesterday I went in to town to watch the qualifying session of the Red Bull air race, not the best for taking photos as the sky was very hazy and then you had the smoke from the planes too.

But all the same it was awesome to see.

The pics are not that great...............

These ones I played around with for a little fun......

Ok will catchya tomorrow..... HUGZ