Thursday 21 April 2011

What's it Like where I Live? {Lloyd - You make it easy for us to love you!} plus my 2011 Favourite Photo Portfolio









Our local South African musician - Kwa-Zulu Natalian {that's where I live - Durban - aka Best City in the World} - Lloyd Cele - has just released his first album ONE & I have it!!  How cool is that?!  It's not even in the stores yet but the kids & I went to see him perform live after school today & got him to sign photographs that I had downloaded off the Internet & printed out for each of the kids, and the CD we bought, and I bought one for my friend Diana aka The {not so lonely anymore...} Lonely Scrapbooker, from Jamaica, who also loves South African music!!


Lloyd's new single "Make it Easy" {You make it easy for me to love you - hence my title - get it?!} is ace & he was fantastic live set up on a small stage at King Shaka, with basic sound equipment.  {If you missed the You-tube video I posted a few weeks back you can find it here}We all got to speak with him, have our photos taken with him & he patiently signed 4 photographs & 2 CD's with personalised messages. What a guy!!



I took a few photos obviously but what I also did was offer Lloyd a free photoshoot at his home or a venue of his choice!  I really hope he takes me up on my offer.  Of course I'll be nervous as I am most used to photographing family but have since started inviting friends to join in so this is the next step for me.  I really want to keep growing with my photography & if I get to take some decent shots of Lloyd & his lovely wife & child then it will make me very happy to know that I have done something for someone who is so deserving.




With my years of experience as a fashion designer I would love to style him for some publicity images too, as most of what I found on the internet were unclickable small images, but whatever I get to do for him I'll be happy :)  I'm also taking the official photographs for the show that Cami is performing in in a couple of months, but will be selling the images to any parents that like the shots I take & want to purchase them. I'm not after a "career" in photography but do find it exciting & inspiring & want to continue to improve & not sit back & shrink.
You all know that I love photography right?  This year I've definitely toned it down a notch, simply because I've made some headway with my scrapbooking & am on 5 design teams, whereas last year I wasn't on any, so had more time to devote to my photography.  I actually kind of overdosed on it & got a bit bored with having to lug my camera everywhere I went & worry that it was getting too hot in the car {it's often over 30 degrees C here...} or if it would get stolen {quite possible here too!} so now I'm going against the Becky Higgins grain - and just taking photos when I'm "feeling it".



I've given myself permission to do this - I've decided that photography is my hobby & scrapbooking is my vocation.  In other words, photography rates lower down the ranks, simply because I HAVE to prioritise.  NOT because I love it any less...I am really glad I've come to a conclusion on that because at the end of last year I was really unsure of whether I wanted to continue trying to make a name for myself with my scrapbooking & was considering switching over to photography instead. 


Photography Portfolio 2011 - My favourite shots from January to April 2011 (with a few exceptions thrown in from last year) {just for you Lloyd so you get an idea of my photography when you look up the link I gave you!  Saves you scouring my blog in the archives, trawling back through the months}  Hopefully I will get to start a "Photography Gallery" in my sidebar soon & keep adding to it, but for now I will just link up to this post!



Thanks for looking & for your support.  I know I owe a lot of you some comment love, I am just chasing my tail this week & really snowed under.  I didn't have the time to do this now but knew that Lloyd would be looking up the link so I really had to get some images up here all in one place so that he doesn't think I'm a crazed fan but that I am actually capable of photographing him as I told him :)

Happy Easter everyone!  I have tons to share & if I get my scrapbooking quota completed I'll be back!

16 comments:

Alison said...

Like I said yesterday...your photos are awesome! Hope Lloyd takes you upon your offer
Alison xx

Diana said...

Love this post. Your photos are wonderful Helen. You have gorgeous kids.
I wish you didn't think it was an either-or, scrapbooking or photography. For me the two go hand in hand and don't compete though of course with limited time one has to choose which one to do, I suppose.
OK so that last photo was kind of a bit different from the others LOL. What's the story with that one?
Can't wait for my CD. I haven't had any new SA music in years.
xoxo

Diana said...

PS don't worry if you don't get to my blog to leave a comment. heeee you know that already though

Ella Swan said...

LOL Diana that last photo was a honey-seller on the road to Mkushi - Zambia - he was so excited he thought I was from the newspaper!!

phamil said...

Helen, thank you so much for stopping by my blog, your comments were very much appreciated!!! I love your photos and Lloyd has an amazing voice, I watched the video, love the song!!!! I think your work is awesome and look forward to seeing more!!

Jolanda said...

amazng your pictures are so good!!
Have a nice Easter!!
xx

Unknown said...

Hi Helen :) Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and your very encouraging words :) Love your photos

Vicki said...

Wow 5 DT's now Helen - I think you have arrived with a bang!!! LOL. Congratulations on them all. I think photography and scrapping go hand in hand as well and that your only problem is going to be which of those stunning photos to scrap first. LOL

Nadia Cannizzo said...

WOW! Love your photos and you photography is getting SO good! Well done! Happy Easter to you and your family!

Ella Swan said...

Thank you girls! Happy Easter to you all too :)

Jasmine S said...

Wow, that is so super exciting. How awesome to get those shots and autograph etc etc.
And your photos are unbelievably amazing. You have certainly inspired me to try and photograph the kids like that.

just another day said...

Fab shots Helen thanks for visiting my blog and the tip lol!! iygmd

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

I just love coming here, not only you always have the prettiest layout, but also for you amazing photography!
Happy Easter to you and all...

Unknown said...

WOW Helen, some of those shots are A-MAAAAAAZING!!! LOVE the one with the girls and the bubbles and your little one with her arms draped around her (photo 10). Such beautiful photos, all of them, but those I would be ITCHING to scrap!!! Great photography and you have a gorgeous family, I can easily see why they are your faves! :D God Bless! xoxo ~janet

Unknown said...

I was showing my husband how good your pictures are..i re-read your email to him about the photography tips..apparently I have the tinted polarized lens on it, that's why I my pictures are darker..i have a to get a clear lens. Will try that instead..will also look for a better macro lens..will check Tamron..

Thanks again for all your help...you are awesome!!! Your pictures are unbelievably good!!! Love it!!!

Mitralee said...

DUDE! I know this is old, but I was looking you up and ran across this post, so of course got distracted and had to read the entire thing. Which just goes to show you that perhaps some nice rainy afternoon I should read a good chunk of your blog....

;-)

Did enjoy this post though!!!!