Already reflecting on 2009

It’s not unusual for one to get nostalgic at this time of the year. Regardless of whether you believe in Christmas or just enjoy a few days off from your day to day hustle and bustle of the working cycle.

So forgive me for reflecting, even before the year is done. I am grateful for so many things this year, thankful for those in my life who I love and not to take away from those I love, I am extremely thankful for the turn that my photography took this year.

It started when I was on a coffee date with a person who, how can I say, I just wasn’t really into! We were having coffee at my favourite coffee shop in Croydon Main Street, Kofi Beans. Which is probably my favourite for the reason that it’s located right near my favourite shop in the world, Croydon Camera House (CCH).

Anyway I was having coffee with him, listening to him planning what we were going to do together, hello???!! Hmmm can you see why my mind was wandering?

In my own thoughts I interrupted him and said,

“ I just need to do something, do you mind?”

Puzzled he said “sure,” as he paid for our coffees and followed me to CCH.

I’d been looking at photographic workshop brochures for this “bloke” called Shelton Muller.

Apparently he was a great photographer, and also a great teacher.

In my boredom due to my date’s conversation I started wondering if that was what I needed to inject some life into my life. Dean was at the counter when I approached and I asked a little more about this Shelton bloke’s workshops. Dean was all praise, in fact I guess I have to thank Dean too. I signed myself up for the workshop and dumped my date and I haven’t looked back.

I’m sure some of you reading this will say it’s a big call to say Shelton’s workshop turned my photography onto a fresh exciting path, but it really did.

A day after I posted the images from that workshop on facebook I had a friend of a friend who’d seen my portraits from the workshop book me for a portrait session.

Shelton has a method of teaching that not only makes it fun, insert he's a laugh a minute, but he also explains in a way that the average Joe, or in my case Jane can understand.

He shows you how to take the photos in a way that you can use that technique yourself later on. When you understand what you are doing it makes it so much easier to do it again and again and again.

If you want an insight on how to use your talent and your camera for the good side, then I highly recommend Shelton Muller.

If you want to learn more about your camera, learn more about light then Shelton is your man. Shelton works with Glynn Lavender under Creative Photo Workshops banner, and you will not get better value for your money, more fun and laughs whilst learning and amazing photography from your very own camera. Oh and you might even meet some amazing people who will become great friends. That is what I got out of my workshop…. Oh and my purse being stolen! But everything happens for a reason and that is another story for another blogging site.

I have also attended the Creative Flash Photography Workshop and the Wedding Workshop. Of course there are others, but I'll save them for 2010.

I’d love to hear from anyone who joins in on a Shelton Muller/CPW workshop.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy 2010.

Blogging is fine when you are consistent

I was really hoping to create this blog in some sort of chronological order. Then days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into over a month... oops.

So much has happened within my photographic world, and well I think I missed the boat slightly with regards to any sort of order of blogging about it here, make that any sort of timely order.

Please forgive me if I jump around a little with my future posts. Without further ado let's start with today.

Just another Tuesday in my life, where I work from home performing my "day time" or should I say full time paying job. Since being published in the Leader Newspaper a few months back, and being asked by the editor to continue to contribute its become a ritual of mine to check the online version of the paper on Tuesday.

So in I wander to their webpage Online Maroondah Leader click on Croydon/Ringwood area, scroll through the pages hoping to see a photo I've taken, page 14 - nope, page 16 - nope ... page 20 - BINGO. There in front of me is a large photo of 4 young boys at their Auskick presentation day.


My photo - hooray I celebrate quietly to myself. This is the second time I've been lucky enough to have a photo of my son and his buddies from Auskick published in the local paper. (The fourth image I've had published this year).

The first time generated a lot of interest in my sons grade at school with the teacher cutting out the photo and posting it on their bulletin board for all the class to see. Last time I was on literacy duty a few of the girls pointed out that they'd like me to take THEIR photos for the newspaper. I promised them I'd try. Yes girls, I am still trying.

Oh and last time the boys were in the paper, you might notice one of them changed footy teams, much to his Dad's disgust. Oh well that's kids and their footy loyalties I guess.

Here is the photo which was published in the Maroondah Leader on July 7th, 2009 (page 17) .. caption (as provided by me) read :

Footy Friends: Bonds of Mateship start young at Auskick in Croydon Hills. Mitchell, Mitchell and Thomas enjoy each other's company at Croydon Hills Auskick clinics on Saturdays, 9-10:30am

This photo is also a finalist in the 2009 Centro Smile Photographic competition. The national winner will be announced in November.

Oh and while I remember did you spot the child who changed teams?

Where it all began

I'd like to share with you where my passion in photography was born.

Which commenced when I was 8 years old using my parents (film) camera(s).
I was fortunate that my parents liked gadgets, and cameras were one of the gadgets they were happy to have around the house, and let me use.
My grandfather on my Dad's side was very much into the "technical side" of photography but my Parents were memory makers - point and shoot - memory captured.

Initially I too just wanted to capture images, photos of our 4 cats, photos of our dog, my friends, even photos of my sister and her friends at play. I once organised our dress-ups play time into a wedding, just so I could take photos.

I even talked my younger sister and a little friend into doing a wedding kiss. This was of course so I could take a photo and boy was my Mum a little surprised when she got the film developed for that one.

Way back then the films were all in black and white, not to mention expensive for our struggling household budget. But with a raised eyebrow my parents continued to let me shoot away.

Fast forward to 2005 when my then husband got the shock of his life as I reported to him on the phone that I'd just spent $2000 on my first Nikon D70 digital SLR Camera. Not surprisingly he was lost for words. But what could he really say his Golf Clubs were worth more than that!
(By the way he is now an ex-husband and it has nothing to do with the D90 I now have!)

I suppose you could say I started to get serious about my photography with my D70 and although I shot in Automatic for a year or so I was capturing some great images.

Knowing I could only go so far self-taught I enrolled myself into a 6 week TAFE course.
Learning to shoot with a Digital SLR Camera was something I looked forward to attending on a weekly basis. It was fascinating for me, and the groove I was wearing on the AUTOMATIC setting finally got a break as I starting shooting in M - MANUAL. The below image is of my Friend's beautiful daughter .. using the window light and Manual settings. My friend still has this image up on her wall at home.


I was capturing images with more depth, more color, more "WOW" on a regular basis. I looked at my shots differently. I considered the light, I avoided the in-built flash, I cared where the sun was, and I knew how to change my camera settings to suit the situation. For several years I honed my eye in using my kit lens (18-70mm) and my newly acquired knowledge of the Manual settings.

I even captured some lightning shots, here is one of the two that are my favorites.


Of course there is still a lot more I'd love to share but I'll save that for my next blog.

The journey begins

Well here I am in a new little corner of the internet, my photographic journey blog. I suppose my main purpose for being here is to journal my journey, my trials, my triumphs and everything Kellie Jayne photography may become, or may not become.

It could be a long and fruitful journey, or I could simply disappear back into the hobby-ist world of taking photos.

I'd really like to say I gave it a go, so as I said here I am and here I will begin.

Enough for now, don't want to lose you on my first post. But do check in with me again soon, as I love my passions and writing is one of them along with my photography. Although I have to confess right off the bat My CHILDREN are and always will be my number one Passion.

xx