Some Photographic Things

Sunday's Great Ocean Road half marathon was my 4th.  However, it was the first for which I downloaded the official photos.  And this was mostly due to the great scenery.  This was the first that I'd taken my phone (forgot to mention that yesterday), and stopped at a couple of points to take photos.  My brain being more focused on 'just keep running' rather than lining up camera angles and avoiding sun glare meant that neither of those photos is particularly good.  (One I edited today in Instagram and it looks a little better, but the one I was hoping would be as fabulous as the actual scene was disappointing).  My favourite of the official photos has a very similar scene though, and there is one (yeah, only one!) photo where I don't look like I want to punch the photographer.  If you get more than 1 photo, you get all those in which your bib number is recognisable, so I got the whole lot.  First time. 

I also took advantage of my technology for some music today.  I have been asked to perform a certain piece for a wedding in September.  I am really excited about this.  The piece is not easy.  I tried to get it from imslp, but it won't be available for 'a while' (their words).  So I took a deep breath, and bought the concerto from Sheet Music Plus.  The deep breath was because I know what I'm like when on that site.  Still, I only bought 2 other things, both on sale.  Then I continued to listen to more recordings on Youtube.  And one of them, instead of the actual video of the performance, or still shots of that performer, had the actual solo violin part as its images.  Score!  So I took photos and printed them, so I can start learning the piece now.

As you can probably tell, the actual part will be better, but still... 3-6 weeks?!  I want it now!

Oggl

On Tuesday, I joined Oggl.  You may have noticed slightly different photos since then...  When I first received the invitation, I had no idea what Oggl was and thought it sounded like a perv-y, dyslexic version of Google.  But no - it's like the Hipstamatic version of Instagram, with a bit of Red Bubble thrown in too.

Like Instagram, once you've taken a photo, you can then edit it (in this case using the Hipstamatic films and lenses).  Unlike Instagram, you can't import photos - which I rather like, as I feel like people are cheating when they do that on Instagram.  As I am relatively new to Hipstamatic, this is a huge bonus.  I know some people who hardly change their Hipsta lenses; others who instinctively (or, really, through oodles of practice) know which combination is needed for a subject.  I'm not really in either camp, yet.  But having the option to go through every combination after taking a photo means I don't stand in the street for 10 minutes checking photo outcomes and changing options.  Snap first, edit later.  Big win.

Also like Instagram, you get to follow and be followed.  Which also has its pros and cons.

The Red Bubble feature is the 'curating' function, or 'favouriting' as it is in RB.  Which is the main con of following.  I follow someone for their photos, and then they curate some ...erm... questionable... photos...  Which then wind up in my newsfeed.  Not cool.

One aspect of Instagram that I would like (I think) is the notification system - although it's likely that I've just missed something in my settings.  It is much more private though which is a huge plus.

Other pluses: There are so many feeds in which you can just see new photos.  You can take a photo and edit it but not share it, so I don't have to include my outfit photos in my gallery.  And, hello Hipsta films and lenses.  There are more options with Oggl than with the basic Hipsta setup.  Now I've taken my first ever black and white photo that I like. 

Hipstamatic

On Monday, I finally installed Hipstamatic.  (As a side note, this was the first app I've downloaded that isn't free).  As it was installing, a friend rang and was amazed I didn't already have it.  "It's such an Anna thing!" she said.  So true. 

Hipstamatic came about partly because I love photographic things, and partly because a good friend (also into photographic things) is a big fan of Hipstamatic.  Not just a big fan, but really good at it.  And several times recently we'd be talking and something would be mentioned about it... And I'd see some photos with different films...  And I really really wanted to be able to do those things myself.  Plus, one of the people I follow on Instagram shares her Hipstamatic photos there (not such a fan of that, actually, but the photos themselves are rather delicious).  On Monday, then, after finishing lunch, I couldn't not install this app.  And then I started playing with it.  Oh the delight! 

After many Hipstamatic discussions with this particular friend, I knew that I would need some time to get to know the product.  Holidays are perfect.  Monday afternoon, I spent about an hour taking selfies, switching films and lenses and flashes.  I then put this photo up on Facebook.

Unfortunately, most people seemed to think I'd coloured my hair.  Not so.  I haven't even put on lots of yellow makeup. 

I'm taking a few photos a day, delighting in the different effects of the combinations.  One lens I had put to the bottom of my preferred pile, but was being fair in taking the same shot with different options - and it looked fabulous!  It has redeemed itself.

The other perk (maybe) is the developing time.  None of this digital-age instant photo stuff.  Sometimes, I get impatient and just want to see it now.  But other times, I feel like I'm a teenager again, pressing a button and then not seeing the finished product for some time.  This photo I just took, then didn't look at it until a few hours later - I love surprises.

Of course, this means I will become even more annoying, not just taking photos, but taking a photo, then checking the effect, then changing lens or flash and taking another photo...  (Must remain socially aware...  Must remain socially aware..)

In Retrospect - Fifth Quarter

I feel that I have been rather different this quarter compared to this time last year.  Or any quarter last year, in fact.  When compiling a list earlier today though, I was a bit stumped.  I'd been meaning to compile this list on the go... Hopefully, I'll be better at that in the next 3 months.

New Year Resolutions.  I'll admit it - I'm not doing fabulously well on this front.  My running goal is just not happening.  However, I'm hoping the holidays, as well as the proximity of my next running event, will get that going again.  The other goals are doing moderately well (see below).

Food.  Apart from the Easter eggs, I'm doing really well with the No Pre-made Chocolate thing.  Giving up sugar for Lent possibly helped, but I didn't really crave a block of chocolate.  Making my own - and knowing exactly what went into it - satisfied any chocolate urges I had.  Okay, not 'any' but 'all of the'.  I haven't made as many new recipes as I would have liked, but the recent dip into a recipe book has rekindled that little flame.  (Looking forward to dinner tonight!).

Students.  I have been much better at communication with parents this year.  I used to let things slide, and intend to contact a parent about something but then not get around to it.  Sometimes this doesn't really matter, but sometimes it does.  This year, I have been good.  I didn't realise just how good until I was sending out next term's invoices (on time - go me!).  Except for a boarder, whose parents live overseas, I had made email contact with every parent during the term.  I've sent photos of posture, music, recordings, checked lesson times, rescheduled when I've realised before the parents have informed me that their child will be unavailable during their lesson time, and organised music exams.  So now I'm feeling on top of things, as well as rather virtuous.

Outfits.  Amazingly, these are still going.  I have started slipping in slightly more daring pattern mixing without being howled down by the 8-12-yr-old Fashion Police.  The bigger change (in my head, anyway) has been to pick a theme for the week.  The last week of term was 'pattern'; the week before that, floral; and 2 weeks before that, stripes.  I have a few more ideas, but feel free to pitch your idea to me!

Trivia.  Not every week - but many weeks - I've been part of a team for trivia at a local pub.  So much fun.  We normally do fairly poorly - but we have had some good bits too.  Like when the last round theme was 'vegetables'.  So, kale is European, but I got every other answer.  And I'm reasonable at working out the Who Am I (always someone born on that day).

Movies.  After the dodgy experience (Bulletproof Monk), I've been unenthusiastic about watching more movies.  Except for Star Wars, that is.  Episodes IV, V, and VI (review pending) have been very much enjoyed.  Now that holidays are on, I'm feeling like my brain can absorb some more though.

Breakfast.  Except for the mornings with eggs, or with parents (eating the former, eating with the latter), breakfast is now in bed.  I love it.  I get the fan during hotter weather, and the snuggliness during cooler weather.  And Wednesdays are now smoothie mornings as they're also gym mornings.  I'm loving this new schedule.

Photography.  I'm still enjoying Instagram.  I only rarely share them on Facebook, preferring to see them as different bits of my life (mostly).  However, I started taking more and more photos of the cathedral.  As I'm one of the cathedral Facebook page administrators, I decided to share my photos of the cathedral through that medium.  I'm pleased to see they are 'seen' by hundreds of people, and they get so many 'likes' I am quite chuffed.  This is my favourite - looking up in the northwest are of the Narthex.

New Places in Brisbane.  This is something I am so glad I started, and wish I had started long ago.  Although I am a little embarrassed there are so many parts of Brisbane I haven't seen yet, just taking a couple of hours to visit somewhere new is such a good thing for me.  I can tick a few more places off my list, take photos of different aspects of Brisbane, and enjoy some time out in the process.  Big win.

Music.  This has been such a full-on term.  Such a fabulously full-on term.  On Australia Day, there were 6 of us - a non-muso, and 5 string players.  We realised we were a quintet, so had a quintet night.  As we were playing, I was thinking "It would be so nice if we performed this" - then someone else said what I was thinking, so now we're doing a concert.  We're also doing a quartet, so this is a whole lot of Schubert.  A whole lot of fabulous Schubert.  And a whole lot of rehearsing.  I'm loving it. 

After so much socialising though, I am needing to hibernate for a bit.  And to practise.  And weed my garden.  I should emerge in a couple of days.

Instagram

It's finally happened.  Today, I started using Instagram.  One of the deciding factors for me in getting this phone was the camera.  And once I had it, I checked out various photographic apps.  I didn't install any though, fearing a sudden iPhone addiction.  Recently I have been feeling that it's time to do something more with my phone photos, and Instagram was recommended as my 'first'.

My first photo (so far, my only photo), was the angel on top of my Christmas tree.  One of my traditions is to put up the Christmas tree on Advent Sunday - despite the heat.  It took me many attempts to find a suitable username, but eventually I came up with 'missannabananna'.  So if you're on Instagram, do stop by...  Or you can go through this link.  I am loving the different filters!

In Retrospect - Second Quarter

It's that time of year.  3 months since my last retrospective, so here's how I feel I've changed since then.

Food:  Something you wouldn't know - unless you've been spying on me in a serious way - is that my school lunches have changed.  For quite some time (more than a year, that is), my school lunches were really predictable.  This term, I've started taking non-salads occasionally.  Especially welcome in colder weather to have a hot lunch!  A great food behaviour change has been the introduction of No Cook Weeks.  These are the greatest.  I have fresh organic fruit and veges delivered every fortnight, and the week following will be a Cook Week, the week after a No Cook Week.  I still have quite a stash of frozen meals in the freezer, plus it's holidays right now and I'm cooking quite a lot, so this wonderful destress habit can continue for a while.  Knowing that I don't have to do anything except thaw and heat is such a calming feeling.  Obviously, I love cooking, but I love not needing to cook as well.  An added benefit is I am more likely to cook the fresh produce before it's past its best instead of needing to ditch it.  The other food behaviour change is another not many would have noticed - I no longer buy peanut butter.  I gave it up for Lent, then went a bit crazy with it after Easter.  Peanut butter is no longer my friend.  I had decided I couldn't trust myself with it, when a quote came up on Facebook - if you can't eat it responsibly, don't keep it in your house.  Good advice.

Clothes:  The 'search keywords' that lead people to this blog are usually fairly ordinary (recipes, movies, that sort of thing).  By far the most searched item though is stockings.  This has been a bit of a surprise... and a little unnerving...  Nevertheless, I am far more adventurous with my stockings now, and they definitely initiate comments and conversations.

Organisation:  I have a slightly more organised house.  Not by much, but every little bit helps, right?

Photography:  I'm loving the Daily Photo.  Partly, it's feeling like I have an excuse to take those photos I'd normally walk past because I'm a local.  But I'm also enjoying getting up close and personal with my environment again, and seeing my world through the lens again.  And seeing the colours in the northwest of the state - so different from Brisbane! - made for an even more interesting trip to Mt Isa and Townsville.

Running:  This feels like the big one.  Running is a brain thing for me, and to train for the half marathon involved not just running but brain training as well.  Taking different routes and doing different gym workouts, as well as different running shoes and tweaking little things about my running practice - these all helped the Gold Coast Half Marathon to be a successful and positive experience for me.  Having run many, many kilometres in these shoes now, one big bonus about them is the grip.  To get anywhere, I need to run down a fairly steep hill, which is often (usually) covered in leaves.  When it's been raining, this makes for a slippery descent.  Similarly, the downhill slopes on the bike path can be a bit on the slippery side after (or during) rain.  I can feel these shoes really gripping though, and I no longer worry I'm going to slip.

Coffee and Movies:  Looking at the list of blog posts for the last 3 months, I see a lot of coffee places listed...  Now when I have a catch up with someone, we purposely find somewhere I haven't been before, so it can get to the blog.  I also see on the list many movies I wouldn't normally have watched.  I like that people will ask if I've seen something, then if I haven't they loan it to me.  This is not just broadening my movie experience, but I am flattered that people want to know what I think!

The Term 2 Goals:  Well.  The facial expressions were a bit of a disaster after the first week or so - it was so hard!  I am very pleased to report, though, that I was successful in putting away teaching materials after each day.  I think I can say now that the practice has now become a habit.  Woohoo!

Tuesday's Daily Photo:

Gin cocktails - experimental, of course!  Needs something like lemonade or tonic water.  But, the shelves looked far more interesting through the glass.