Overcoming an irrational fear of babies - The Walter Family's Photoshoot

Being currently childless and having only recently succumbed to holding a newborn (under the supervision and tutelage of Therese), I sometimes feel babies are one of the most unfathomable things in the universe, next to the Navier-Stokes equations, Fermi's paradox and why food always tastes better when mum cooks it.



People portraits are easy, adults can be engaged... but babies... They seem capable of mocking you by not looking into the lens or looking straight through you as though you were the most uninteresting person they had seen that day jumping up and down like a chimp and making monkey noises (I do that a lot around babies for no apparent reason other than some misguided attempt at failed communication).



I've steered clear of baby photography for just such reasons... however...



Some friends in The Can thankfully had the most chilled and friendly baby for me to do a session with (a particular thanks for the stick-in-mouth pose, that made my day).Without any further ado, I move into the realm of family photography. Tell your friends!



Acknowledgements: Thanks to Ged M for tips and guidance, and the Walters for assuaging my fear with such a great kid.

YeeaaHaaawwwrrr! - Bungendore Rodeo 2010

Very overcast day, tip the camera ever so skywards and you are instantly having to dial in +1.3EV. Again let down by my woefully slow focusing 80-200mm. Wishing I had a 300mm f2.8, but I am thinking a 70-300mm AF-S VR might be a good stop gap. Would have liked to have seen what the pros were pulling out of their big lenses. Had some dood in black pin striped suit jacket with John Lennon sunglasses (AT A RODEO fer CRYING OUT LOUD), motoring away at 11 fps with a D3 + 400mm (I think).



I reckon this is the face the Fonz would pull if he were into rodeos "Heeeeeyy.."

Out and about - Scott 24 hr

Went to see a friend race in the Scott 24 hr at Mt Stromlo. The light was getting nice and long. Should have used the bigger guns to kick out the background and perhaps drop the shutter speed for less freeze frame. Meh...no one was paying me to nail the photos. Used +2/3rds EV out on the course to get some detail in the shadows. Gotta love Canberra's late afternoon light in spring.