Evan loses his first tooth (Aiden hurts his thumb)

Boys rugby

Aidee is really getting into his rugby these days - and he's quite quick and runs straight with quite a wicked side-step.  He plays centre or wing (but has also managed to wangle being the hooker somehow when they have scrums - which are partially contested front row only affairs)

 

Evan on his way to the try-line - because the fields at Sandy Bay are quite far apart, and three of their four games overlapped (they each play 4 x 20 minute games at a festival) I only got to watch Ev playing one game, which was a pity; Ev likes the rough stuff.

The rugby tournaments are popular with the amateur photography clubs in Hong Kong (of which there are many) so this is what the side of the field can look like - not unlike playing at Eden Park or some such :-)

A new snoot

In the wee hours of last night's journey into this morning I built a new snoot by modifying one that fits on a studio flash so that it goes on my speedlight and can take gel filters.  The idea is to have it throwing a confined but diffuse pool of light, as you can see in the pic of me at the bottom (there was no-one else around to oblige ;-).  Late this afternoon we went to the beach to see if we could catch a couple of waves - it was lovely, cool, pleasant breeze - water was fine and there was a bit of swell - about right for Aiden and Ev (the boys were sporting their hand-me-down wetsuits - never a good idea taking kids out when they have wetsuits and you dont - brrrr by the end). So I took the snoot along (not that you really need it in that kind of space) and shot some tungsten yellow gel shots of the sort that Jens taught me years ago - I think they are pretty cool though - nutella on Aiden's face - "petrol" in the car on the way to the beach.

Some pics unloaded

One more - the road

I'm terribly chuffed with this photo - I think it is really cool.

My "Trent Parke" version of the endless beach

Trent Parke is something special.  He does these super high contrast, undercooked black and whites - this is my attempt at one - the endless beach, a small group of fishermen and then just miles of mist kicked up by the surf - love the Southern Cape.

Fishing off the old bridge - best route to deep water...

... but alas no fish.  Aiden and Ev had a blast throwing stones though.

Caitlin and Ross

Work took me briefly to PE - I spent the night with Carmen, Craig, Caitlin, Ross and my Auntie Beth.  They used to live in Pretoria, perhaps you remember spending time with Caitlin when you were a little boy.  Here she is at nearly 18, and below with Ross who would have been a very little guy when you last saw him.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them all again after so long - like a decade or more - a good family.  I took these in the morning before leaving - opted for black and white because I made a hash of the colour settings under the kitchen lights.

Canola fields on the road from Cape Town

I burned this photo out completely, but liked the outcome.  The pic below I love - but maybe you have to live here in HK to be blown away by the vistas all around in SA.  They were both taken on the road between Knysna and Cape Town.

Looking down on the top of the tree canopy - Oribi gorge suspension bridge

You would have liked this suspension bridge - it was way high, and moved all over - I liked this because it's not often that you get your back on some really big trees by looking down at them from above.

The road to Oribi gorge

Camera sequence of Emma-Daisy's one handed cartwheel in the sky

Congratulations hard working super-smart young man

Josh, I was so thrilled to read your email about your results - its such an achievement - heartfelt congratulations - hope you got my message.  I thought I would use a lunch break to start posting a few pics from ZA - it was great to have a few days off, as always though, wish it could have been more. 

This was one firey late afternoon, dramatic clouds and colours, ugly sea running, rainbow to add to the surrealness - kids had an absolute blast on the dunes, armed with sticks - made my heart laugh.

Lightning and Fun-da

The week tried to end poorly.  It's been raining torrentially, with invading hordes of thunder and lightning; one of the troops zapped (the house? close by? not sure) the computer - a mother-board cooker.  A real pain (which the asprin of HK efficiency went a long way to alleviating).  This evening it let up for a while, and there was a super-low tide - and of course hot and sticky despite appearances - so we hit the sandbank for an hour.  The water was silty from all the run off.  Costruction featured.  Combat too.  Of course speed trials - running off 150mm of downpour induced cabin fever.  Tomorrow is Roy's 60th birthday bash - three junks, one beach - hold thumbs for the skies.  We've been thinking of you - hope the big Q's are going OK.

Sunday late afternoon at The Short Bar