MishMash

I don’t have a clear idea of what to write today and so I’m just going to put together some photos that have their own mini-stories. Hope you enjoy them! Take time to give a comment, if you feel like it!

This is a school sports activity that I went to and these girls did

a traditional dance routine. Love how they are made up!

So pretty and colorful!

Getting ready to go out onto the field.

This elephant polo was played on the beach down

south. No longer played there. I love this photo!

The mahout, the player and the elephant, on the left,

all wanted to go different directions!

It was a sight to see, with these big giants going

after the little ball!

The Galle train station.

The Galle Hindu Temple, which

has been painted since this photo

was taken.

Temple details.

Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple in Colombo.

The oil lamps for the lay people to light.

These ladies were sitting on the steps of the

Gangaramaya Temple and I thought how beautiful they

were, dressed in white, with their white hair, so I

started photographing them.

By the time it started raining, all these ladies had

gathered on the steps for me to photograph!

Check out my Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at my website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions

What’s Your Equipment?

I’m in love with Canon. I went digital while doing my adventure column when my photographer didn’t show. After that I bought a Canon D60, put it in a friend’s hand and said, ‘Once I jump off that cliff in the hang glider, don’t stop taking photos until I hit the ground.’

I put the D60 through the tortures of monsoons at Grand Cayman, sand blasts while learning to hang glide on the beach, fungus attacks while living seaside – and it still acted as a stand-in for my then new Canon 1 Ds Mark II that had a severe case of hiccups while on assignment in Yala National Park for a 12-page feature about the Yala leopards.

My favorite lens is the Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS. I used to work solo with the D60, the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, and the 70-200mm, but I’ve added equipment over time, and since I’ve been in Sri Lanka, I got an assistant because the weight and volume of equipment has got too much for one person to handle. (Note: that assistant was Lipton Jayawickrama, who over time learned photography and now is just as good as I am - almost! But he still carries all the heavy stuff!)

I am a Mac Girl all the way. I used to use laptops because they were easy for travel. My two went through the wringer and stood the test of time and abuse amazingly well – until they both crapped out! But my hat’s still off to Apple!

I use Adobe products and YES, I PhotoShop my photographs. Some more than others and some hardly at all. Some I blast to high heaven for a weird effect. Ansel Adams said, ‘You don’t take a photograph, you make it.’ I make mine in the camera, and in the computer. It’s all art.

I darkened the right side to keep the focus on the

couple. The sky wasn't photoshop - it was actually

that colour!

This wasn't photoshop'd at all.

Just a lucky shot!

Got up before dawn to get this

one, in Hatton. No photoshop.

Stopped the car to get this. Had to do it in B&W

because the colours were too distracting.

Photoshop'd to get the sky emphasised.

Just a tiny bit of saturation for this one.

A fan, a gorgeous girl, soft box and a bit of minus clarity.

Check out my Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at my website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions

Biggest News Ever!

I’m a great grammie!

My granddaughter had a boy, Kaden Marcus Duivenvoorden. Born at 9:47AM (California time), weighing 8lbs, 4oz and 21 ¼ inches long!

He’s beautiful.

Mother, son, father and all the grandparents are doing just wonderful!

Our bundle of joy!

I couldn't be prouder of our family.

Check out my Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at my website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions