From my First Shoot, originally uploaded by tyroga.

OMG to say that today was a great day for me would be a massive understatement.

All the photographers were out at other shoots and poor Tim was sick and went home early so I was fortunate to get the call up to cover a press conference at the AFL.

It was for the Under 18’s Championships and a lead up to their grand final which takes place on Wednesday at Telstra Dome.

I was nervous as hell. I had hoped that my first time out would be with one of the other photographers. So I could get a feel for what I’m allowed to do, where I’m allowed to go and what I’m allowed to say (read as ‘make the players do’) . But there you go, first day out, in the deep end I think I did all right.

Everyone who saw the photos seemed happy with them and while there are currently only seven online, there will be a few more tomorrow.

So there it is, I present a shot above from my first official AFL photo shoot. But not my last.

I’ll be heading out to a game this weekend (not sure which one). So be prepared to see my name there a little more.

I’m incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity and thank my employer and the people I work with who knew I could do this and let me.

You won’t see any of my AFL work in the Flickr feed because they actually belong to work and the AFL. So head on over to www.slatterymedia.com.au/images to see what we’re up to.

Make Me a Supermodel, originally uploaded by tyroga.

This morning we headed into the city after having a somewhat unsuccessful breakfast at Creme in Altona, which resulted in David not having breakfast.

First the eggs came out, and while poached, were rock hard, his bacon was burnt and his english muffin wasn’t toasted, some eggs Benedict that turned out to be. He complained and sent it back. It was replaced with nice bacon but near to raw eggs. Needless to say we left them at the table and went to pay. Thankfully they didn’t charge us for David’s breakfast, cause he didn’t eat any.

We’ve been to Creme many, many, many times and never complained about anything, but this time was just too bad. I’m guessing it will be some time before we go back, and needless to say it didn’t set his birthday off to a good start.

So back to the story of the city… while driving in we saw a huge line that extended onto Elizabeth Street from Collins Street and being the nosey people we are, we had to know what the line was for. Turns out it was for “Make Me a Supermodel” a TV show for Channel 7 and while I’m not sure what capacity Jennifer Hawkins was there in, either a judge or a presenter, she was there.

I jumped at the chance of taking some snaps. Damn problem is I’m still getting used to this new camera, so I didn’t get that many good shots.

Funniest thing though, it wasn’t until I was reviewing the shots that I realised that Jackie Frank the editor of “marie claire” was standing right next to Jennifer Hawkins. I’ve worked for that woman in the past, built one of the first websites for marie clare and had arguments with her about online stuff. And here I am neglecting to notice her. Sorry Jackie.

If you want to see more photos, head on over to my Flickr account.

Today is David’s birthday, as the title would suggest, For me this is the 11th birthday I have had to share with him and I am both happy and greatful for the time he has spent with me. Hoping for many more years to come.

We’re not super big on celebrating birthdays. Since leaving Sydney they have become very low-key affairs, even presents are often neglected. But not out of a non-desire to give, more so because we tend to buy what we really want when we want it rather than waiting for a special even like a birthday to come around.

This year will be a little different, but the timing will be no different. I know what David is getting for his birthday, but I also know I can’t buy it just yet, because it’s not yet available.

And it’s not an iPhone, that’s already ear-marked for the end of the week on July 11. I know he reads my blog so I won’t write what it is here, but I will have to tell him sometime today what it is. Some people already know…

For now it is 7.30 am and he is still asleep. I still have to plan where to go for breakfast and dinner! Better get to it.

Precious couple, originally uploaded by Sjaek.

Sjaek has a few bunnies and they are ALL so cute. Unlike our bunnies (Bungee and Pounder) Sjaek’s bunnies are producers and they do a great job of it. Every now and then we are left astonished by the beauty of new baby rabbits (kittens).

But not only does Sjaek have beautiful rabbits, he knows how to take beautiful pictures of them and I am greatful that he shares them with the world on Flickr.

Check out Sjaek on Flickr

Almost a year and a half ago I wrote about my dad’s heart condition of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Back then I said that knowing te name of it, I decided not to get tested for this potentially hereditary conditon… and I didn’t.

Then about two months ago I went to the doctor cause I had a bad cold. At the time she took my blood pressure and said that it was very high, but that it could have been caused by my sickness. She asked that I return when I was better to have my blood pressure taken again when I was well. Return I did about two weeks after that, only to find that my blood pressure didn’t change and was still high.

So a bunch of blood tests and an ECG were done, I didn’t worry about it too much, then it came back and the results prompted the need to have another test done. An echocadiogram where they ultrasound and check the electrical function of the heart.

I hate having tests done especially ones where I have to get half naked in front of a stranger while they tick electrode things all over me. But the echo was cool when they show the electrical current in the heart. Of course I had no idea what I was looking at.

Three weeks after having this done I finally went back to the doctor tonight and got the results. The doc tells me that my heart has thicker walls than normal and that he would like me to start medication for my high blood pressure. I’ve elected not to do this at this time for a couple of reasons.

1. I want to make sure what the condition is before I start treating it, I don’t want to start a treatment which may be detrimental in the end.
2. I’m crap at taking any type of medication, I always forget and blood pressure medication is something I would have to take at least once a day. ARGH as if I could remember to do that.

So now I’m to go back and have more blood tests and to pee in a bottle. Sounds like fun.

Tram Light, originally uploaded by tyroga.

I took this photo on the way into the city, the day I bought my Joe McNally book “The Moment it Clicks”. Great book by the way.

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images seen on boston.com’s Big Picture story Xenophobia in South Africa

One of my favourite sites at the moment is “The Big Picture” from boston.com, most of the photos are amazing. But today there are some photos on the site that make me feel bad to my core. They have brought home to me that I could never take photos like that.

I like the fact that I can, at times, disassociate myself emotionally from my environment. But I’m pretty sure I’d never be able to do it when seeing what can be perceived as innocent people suffering. The choice to take the photograph rather than assist  would be a no-brainer for me. I’d have to assist, even to my detriment.

There is no way, this side of hell, I could watch a man on fire and take the photo. And that’s what you’ll see if you click the link to reveal the photo on Big Photo’s Xenophobia in South Africa labeled

Warning:
This image contains graphic
or objectionable content

click here to view it.

I of course didn’t read the caption on the photo before I revealed it, perhaps I should have. I emplore you to check out boston.com’s Big Picture and don’t want this to turn you off some of the truely inspiring photos they have on the site.

I also have to note of course; without the people who can take these photos we would live in our own little worlds and never know of the atrocities that exist beyond our borders, nor would our eyes be opened to the fact that they don’t only happen there, but they also happen here.

One thing local news reports do is propagate an us and them approach to death. Even when the tsunami hit south east Asia, Australian news coverage was centered around the number of Australians who had died. But the other 200,000+ who perished were no less important even if we were made to feel they were.

So I guess I’m saying that no person should look at the photo of a burning man and not be hunted by it for a time, just because he’s not “one of us” or because the problem is “over there”. We are all the same people. We all want to live our lives and no one should ever be treated in this fashion.

No living creature deserves to know what it feels like for their flesh to burn.

Of late we have found we are working quite steadily and quite a lot and therefore eating out a lot more than is healthy and it has impacted our lives for long enough.

So now we’re paying for our food to be prepared for us. We’ve done it before and gave up on it as it became too expensive. But calculations of cost against convenience against time tell me that it is costing us more NOT to do it now. With the cost of lunch and dinner alone we’re falling behind on cost and on our health.

And right now I’m watching a video on TED (Ideas Worth Spreading) from Ray Kurzweil on How technology’s accelerating power will transform us. He’s saying that by 2020 humans will start to take on robotic red and white blood cells which will be 100 times more efficinent than our own. We’ll be able to sit on the bottom of a pool for 4 hours! That coupled with gene thearapy that will turn off our prehistoric genes that store food as fat will ensure we have much, much longer lifespans. Amazing.

In Mc Donalds, originally uploaded by czd72.

czd72 has done some amazing things with light painting. This little guy here is an awesome example of it. I’ve only ever tried a little bit of light painting and believe it takes a fair bit of practice and also an ability to visualize what it is you want to draw and while you draw it.

Be sure the check out more of his creations in his Light Paint set on Flickr.

A hillarious look at the recent Californian law change which sees gay people being able to get MARRIED not civil freaking partnered.