Ebony and Ivory Elephant

Made many years before the use of ebony and ivory was severely restricted.

This was my Grandmothers and although it has a broken tusk (temporarily blue-tacked) and repaired foot, I think it has aged well. The background is a large sheet handmade paper.
Taken outside in the shade and dodging the wind gusts, with Prime 50mm

Clan Macmillan Crest

A key ring given to my by my late mother-in-law.
The Clan Macmillan crest is two strong hands brandishing a double-handed sword and the motto of the Macmillans reads "Miseris succerrere disco" meaning, in Latin, "I learn to succour the distressed".

I don't have any Macmillan tartan; this was the closest I could find and as the colours are all wrong made it black and white.

Happy Robbie Burns Day!

Bruce Springsteen

I first discovered Bruce in the late 70's and have been a huge fan ever since. In March 2003 he played in New Zealand for his first and only time, I was in heaven!

Magic is one of my favourite albums. In the centre is a pin given to me by someone I met via a New Zealand internet group of Bruce devotees, we had a party on the anniversary of the concert and all got one. The background is made up of CD covers.

Taken with the 50mm manual prime and window light; post processing and added grain courtesy of Photoshop.

Our Cat - Flickr

I couldn't have a collection of treasures without including our cat - Flickr. She is a real treasure and very entertaining; she even talks to the birds.

I was going to the Auckland Zoo today but when I took a couple of photos before leaving my mums, the red battery warning light came on and I didn't have my charger - oh well. I went shopping instead...well more looking than shopping but that was ok!

Photo taken with a Prime 50mm out on our deck.

Three Toby Jugs

I am visiting my mother today, so took the opportunity to photograph her small collection of Toby Jugs. They were her mothers, who bought them when my mother was a little girl. I hadn't noticed the character and detail in their faces until photographing them today.

I hope the border matches the others as I didn't use Photoshop.


Taken with Olympus kit lens 40-150mm, using natural window light on the coffee table.

Portmeirion Cup and a Jaffa Cake

Many years ago my Nana visited Portmeirion and bought these two cups and saucers. After seeing the Prisoner TV series in the late 70's and finding out my Nana had been there I had had a fascination with the place. Last year I was lucky enough to go and visit it for myself. I drove my mother nuts taking hundreds of photos...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmeirion
Jaffa Cakes are a favourite English treat which are occasionally available in New Zealand and are very yummy.
Although I had the idea in my mind for this shot for a while, I didn't have enough time to minimise reflections, etc before heading back up to Auckland for a few days. Fingers crossed I will get a photo up tomorrow.

Taken with the Prime 50mm, tripod and natural light.

Books by Candlelight

We went out for dinner for my husbands birthday and I never expected to get home so late... and then I found the photos I had taken earlier were awful.
For this shot of some of the books in my bookcase I used the fifty prime and tripod  with very low flash and tissue over the flash. I think the bright highlights are reflected candlelight. The candle is one of a pair of wrought iron candlesticks that I inherited (not that you can see them).
Inspired by Lady Min.