Yes, it's a another blog. I spend a fair bit of time online (no, really I do) exploring photography websites, so Photography Sights was born. Only a day or so ago, so it's somewhat embrionic really. I hope to showcase a lot of really good and interesting photography. It's the same deal with the ads, click and help us lead the life of luxury we were destined for!
So far, with the help of Photography Classes you've earnt us $7.96. Yup, we're rolling in it. And we thank you.
Thanks to everyone who sent their birthday wishes, and blessed Rosa with wonderful gifts. She had a terrific day.
I think I've mentioned the girls are just a little clingy lately. Case in point. 
Oh, it's Rosa's birthday on Thursday. Party? Oh. I knew there was something I was meant to do this week. (Yes, yes. Second child. Neglected.) Send us a cheer anyway. Luckily we're going to the birthday of the daughter of some very good friends on the weekend, and they've kindly offered to share the celebrations.
Actually, I lie. We are having a little party. James is working, and it's just a normal day, but there will be cake and presents and another baby friend coming over to help her eat the candles and blow out the cake (or something like that.) And yes, there'll be music and dancing and laughter.
Rosa, we love you, our sweet, wide eyed, funny girl.
Mari painted these for PapaCliff (her grandpa) for his birthday. It's a family portrait of PapaCliff, MaJenny, and their cat Phaedra. 
I've been feeling the need
to get back into work (the paying kind) lately, but have been a bit stumped. I'm reluctant to use childcare (there's a two year waiting list here anyway), so need something I can work on with the kids around. I vaguely mentioned ventures in the pipeline last post, and the latest that both James and I are working on is this: Fine Art Photography Classes. It's online and free, and concentrates on (you guessed it) the fine art side of photography. There are a lot of online photography courses, but they all seem to concentrate on the technical side of things. "How to get the most out of your digital camera!", "The two-thirds rule for beginners!". That sort of thing. So, we hope, this will corner a bit of the market. Even just a tiny fraction of the market will do. I've placed ads on the site - each time someone (you, for example) clicks on an ad, it earns us a few cents. So, do pop over and have a look. We'll be adding new exercises as often as we can.
So, with that and a bit of freelance work, hopefully I'll dropping a few coins into the tax man's pocket again!
The reason why Mari's been so keen on her 'job', has been because of mine. Job, that is. Oh yes, I'm eloquent before my second cup of coffee. Anyway. I've been working on some food shots. We have a few ideas in the pipe line for generating an income; some ventures that I can work at from home (mostly) while the kidlets are still dependant 24/7. (One is hanging off my leg right now. Kidlet that is. You know.) And one of those ventures is just plain old taking photos for money. Of course, there's nothing 'plain' or 'old' about it. Love it. So, I've been building up the folio after a few years away. And the food stuff has been fun.
Of course, Mari's shots are infinitely better than mine. But there you go. Shame about those pesky child labour laws.
Mari woke up this morning and told me all about a bad dream she'd had. A naughty orange monster was tearing everything in half. Trees and teddy bears and everything. And it was green too. Yikes.
It reminded me of one of my earliest memories. Definitely the first dream I remember. I was the same age as Mari. There were two furry monsters, one blue and one green, hiding behind a fishtank in my grandfather's hallway. I knew (mixing up the laws of physics just a little) that because they were behind water they looked smaller than they actually were. Then the blue monster stepped out and was suddenly HUGE. Adult size. I ran down the hallway into our kitchen (the fluid nature of dreams) and lay myself across a chair and kicked and screamed... There are several drawings i did at the time to illustrate this obviously formative somnatic experience!
Some more of Mari's photos (see below). Again, she busied herself setting up the shots, and hopping up on a chair behind the camera (on tripod) to take the photo, checking the image on the back, hopping down and setting up another scene. And so on and so forth. My only job was to hover in case she leaned a little too hard on the camera and tipped the tripod.
