Sunday, February 20, 2011

More from Whitford

I am a little disappointed in the photos I took at the Whitford Bird Garden, it was very dark and the lens I was using just wasn't up to the task. That said I have some more to show you today. There is one of a very deadly plant - one touch and it can kill you with anaphylactic shock depending on how alergic you are to it. It is far enough off the track that you really would have to seek it out to touch it, but definitely not a plant I would like to have in my garden.
Ongaonga or Tree Nettle
When we were being shown around the gardens by Blake, I asked him if he had any frogs in the pond. I am still wanting to get a shot of a frog peeping up through weed in a pond. Before our hour was up, Blake was back with a net and in it was a frog for us to photograph. Now that is customer service!! The frog was lucky to escape being run over by the lawn mower.

If there was one bit of advice I would offer to visitors of this garden it would be to use insect repellant. I didn't and I have big red blotches all over my legs. The mosquitos were large and vicious and they seemed to like my  blood the best - none of the others with us got bitten at all - my legs on the other hand look like a bad case of chicken pox and itch something chronic!




Thursday, February 17, 2011

Whitford Bird Gardens

I know it has been a while since I have posted but we have been kind of busy with family stuff. We are currerntly in Auckland for a few days on route to Dargaville again and found some time to visit the Whitford Bird Gardens. This was an amazing wee place that was really interesting to visit. It is very obvious that the owner Blake Twigden (an amazing artist) has a passion for his gardens and the wildife within. Below are some of the images from today - I will post some more over the next few days when I have the time.




Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Frolic Lounge - Burlesque Show

Miss La Belle being interviewed by Sadie Von Scrumptious
Backstage
Last Saturday night saw us at Frolic Lounge - a burlesque showcase from a graduating students from Miss La Belle's Burlesque dance school (don't forget to check her website!). Never having been to one of these shows I really wasn't sure what I was in for photography wise and being the 'official' photographer of the night I wanted to do my best for the ladies. The lighting was pretty dire (from a photographic point of view) and the venue has seen better days but once the ladies stepped onto the stage all of that was forgotten.


I got to see 'behind the scenes' while the ladies were busy getting ready for the show. Nerves a plenty and pasties being frantically glued in place. It was an extremely hot evening and that made it very difficult to get the glue to stick to skin. However the show must go on and pastie or no pastie the dancers continued.


We were treated to delightful corsets, stockings, gloves, feather boas and so much more as each of the six dancers did their solo acts. The highlight of the night for many would be when those pesky pasties just wouldn't stay stuck and instead of twirling they flew away! The art of tease is still alive and these dancers showed us just how it's done. It was a most entertaining show!

I am looking forward to working with some of the burlesque ladies again and hopefully I can do some really cool pin up photographs with them. This is an area of photography that I am finding really challenging and until I have that 'perfect shot' I will continue to work at whenever the opportunity arrises.