It's time to vote!

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

Sign up HERE. I have!

I will be playing a boardgame by candle light with family and friends!

Leave me a note to tell me what you will be doing in your hour of darkness?

PS: If you have a blog, post a video or link so we can get as much people as possible to sign up!

Check out how you can spread the word!

10 things

I saw that on some of the blogs that I follow that they have a list of 8 interesting things or things no one knows about them. You then tag 8 people and they have to do the same. It seems like fun but I don't know enough bloggers to be tagged or to tag. So I've made my list 10 points long and I'll only tag one person. It seems fair I think!

1.I love Soft Lips (lip ice) but for a R17 worth lip ice I really loose them easily! Like put them in my handbag the morning an open a new one that evening, easily. I have given up on buying them. It just so happens that a lost one pops up somewhere (like the washing machine) as soon as I need it!

2.I am an Organ Donor. It seems more use full if some one's life can be saved by my departure than letting the worms eat it all.

3.If I don't paint my nails, I nibble at them. Nibbling leads to tearing and then it just doesn't look pretty! So I paint my nails! So the point is, I bite my nails.

4.I love dark, DARK, deep dark chocolate!

5.I love animals so much that I dream about having a farm with baby pigs, miniature horses, regular horses, 8 dogs, 6 cats, rabbits...OK, you get the picture!

6.I talk in my sleep. I have had episodes where I wake up from talking. I see things like ants under my pillow or I want to know at 2 in the morning where my handbag is....Nico finds it hilarious!

7.I can't stay up very late. By 9 I am tired and cranky. Even over weekends! I have tried staying awake longer...but there has to be really good conversation or food, otherwise I'm OUT!

8.I can't handle raw meat!Even if its the slightest of pink, I cant stomach it! It has to be dry, almost burnt and practically impossible to chew! For that reason I am not a big red meat fan. I prefer chicken or fish and i wont mind eating just veggies!

9.I don't drink coke. I am not a fan of fizzy drinks in general, but coke is just way too sweet and gassy!

10.I love rain! I love how it cools everything down and how it smells! It has rained on my birthday almost every year since I can remember. I consider it a blessing!

There you have it!
Chani, you have been tagged!

And because its not nice to blog without a picture
A field of lucern in Orania.

Out of the box

My Grandad gave me his old cameras. For some reason he thinks I have a thing for photography, go figure!
Oh, I love my Grandad! The Holiday flash camera he was still taking photo's with till the other day! OK, if the other day includes 10-20 years ago, but it is in complete working condition! Isn't it cute?

Now this little beauty is a bit older. They were released in February 1934 and discontinued in October 1942.
I have no idea if it still works, but I'm busy finding out here, on the Brownie Camera Page. They have users manuals that you can download. Like they say, if all else fails....read the manual!

**Edit to add: It is complete co-incidence that Chani and I inherited almost the exact same cameras!**

Scatter cushions & Fairylights

I stay in a bachelor garden flat. It is tiny, but it's my own little space. Most of the things I own are hand-me-downs or don't-want-no-mores so I haven't had much to work with in terms of my own style.

My Mom gave this duvet set. She also gave me some of the scatter cushions, the lamp and the tables. My step dad made the headboard.

I have a couple of teddybears that are very special to me. There are 2 honourable teddies in my room, Kitty Cat & Pooh Bear! Pooh was my first valentines present from Nico and Kitty Cat is the only other teddy he has ever bought me. So they get to sit on the bed.

'Hatikvah:Land van hoop' (Land of hope) by Marzanne Leroux-van der Boon is the book I am currently reading. It is a follow up of 'Granate bloie in Jerusalem' (Pomegranats bleed in Jerusalem). It's a gripping love story of an artist, his journey to Israel and his developing relationship with God.
On my bedside table I have a photo of Nico that I just love! It is also my background image on my phone. You know, just in case I forget what he looks like! The heart on my lampshade was a serviette ring at a wedding and the butterfly on my headboard was what I wore in my hair to my Matric Farewell. It's broken now so I thought it would nice as a decoration.

I have quite a stack of books om my to-do list of reading. I like reading books that have a christian moral to it. Francine Rivers is one of my all time favourite authors!

I collect old photographs and the one on my bedside table is of my Grandmothers, Mother when she was a little girl.
The coffee stains on the table are from great late night cups of coffee and good conversation!
There is no space in my flat for more than my bed. So it serves as a dinner table and TV couch. What makes it great is that after eating...you can just roll over! (he he)

I dream of having a bigger place but I won't be able to afford the rent on my own and finding a suitable room mate.....is harder than you think.

Thank you for sticking round for a tour of my lounge, dinning room and bedroom!
Have a great Thursday because tomorrow is Friday! Yay!

PS: Check out Chani's blog to see her styling bedroom!

Update!

I haven't updated my 100 in 1001 list in a while. Allot of things on this list I have actually completed in the December holidays. I will be updating soon.
I also have so many photos of my birthday and of our trip to visit my Mom i n Orania!

Tomorrow though I'll be blogging about my bedroom! Chani and I will both be sharing our sleeping spaces with cyberspace!

In the meantime here is a preview of what Orania looks like:

So stay tuned and watch this space!

Take 2

Finally, they are here!
These photos are of a sweet spot, that I thought would totally rock for a photo shoot! I can imagine taking photo's for a band or even a wedding here! It would be a super combination of contrasty grunge and beauty! I just love it!

This house is on the corner, just a couple of blocks from where I stay. It was vacant since I can remember. It was so overgrown and all the windows were painted so you couldn't see in. Nico and I had convinced ourselves at one stage that Jigsaw from the Saw movies had to be living there! Then, the next thing we knew it was cleaned out and burned down! Kinda makes you wonder?!

But I am more than happy that there is now a super cool spot for a shoot!
Check it out!






Inside the building is a rusted old car....really makes you wonder, what happened! But it sure looks awesome!

Happy tuesday!

Mondays

I overslept this morning....not because I didn't set my alarm, but because I never saved it on my phone! So I rushed and got ready in 15minutes! I think that's a new world record! Things like that just happen to me! I'm the one that will spill red wine on a white shirt! Or fall over the step that I was just warned about! I'm a cluts.... but hey, at least life ain't boring!

When a day starts off as this one has, it usually means its the start of bigger things. I realized this when I wanted to blog about a great place I found for a shoot! I specially went there to take photos yesterday, made them look all picture'licious ( yes, I just made that up) and loaded them onto my memory card...or did I? I even promised a good friend that I would put up the pictures.
However, when I inserted my card into the reader this morning....only 1 photo loaded! 'How is that possible?' I asked myself in total shock and disbelieve. The answer was staring at me in the reflection of my screen, 'Because you're MoniQue! That's why!' But I will look at it this way, now I have something more to blog about tomorrow!

Here is the one picture that managed to find its way onto my memory card!


I'd like to give a shout out to Chani! Thanks for being the first follower on my blog!
Check out her photos here!

WPPI

Wedding and Portrait Photographers International’s 29th annual Convention and Trade Show.WPPI has become the largest professional photographic convention and trade show in the world.
Anyone who's anybody in the photography industry attends this convention in Las Vegas!
I only dream about attending! It is a 5 day convention where knowledge flows from the most experienced and innovative like Mike Colon to the young and fabulous like Jasmine Star and Jamie Delaine. They all attend and swap grey matter with anyone who passes by! Well, jasmine and Jamie are attending, and I'm sure they would stop for a chat, but it's the other greats who have stalls and workshops at the convention that allow you to pick their brains and stand in awe of there shutter genius! (haha, shutter! I'm so funny)

All that photographic knowledge in one huge room! Can you imagine?
I'd be like a kid in a candy store!

I have close to 50 blogs that I follow (note, follow not stalk) on Google reader. About 45 out of the 50 have been talking about only one thing the past week. Yup, you guessed it WPPI! And now I'm following suite. So during my daydreaming about meeting the super stars of the photographic industry, I decided that I could decide what I'd like to attend, even if I'm not there. Like window shopping!
I follow her blog so this would be so cool!

Laura Novak is presenting a workshop.
Growing Your Studio With Relationships Join Laura Novak as she discusses how to create a comfortable and energetic environment where employees, clients and partners will be enthusiastic about being a part of your photography. Find out how to network with vendors and clients to create qualified wedding referrals that turn into immediate bookings. Learn how Laura built a successful portrait studio in just two years by partnering with other businesses in her area. This exciting program will give you practical, hands-on advice that you can use immediately!

Other events include:


If you read the info you might have noticed a couple of things like Photoshop CS4! CS4? I'm still on CS2! I knew about CS3 but CS4?! It's crazy how far behind we are regarding technology here in sunny South Africa. Even something as simple as a blog is a staple for every single photographer in the states. It's the best ever free marketing tool!

I so badly want to attend even a regular workshop. It doesn't even have to be at WPPI. So many photographs that I admire have workshops where you spend a day or two with them and they show you how the go about their work flow and camera settings and using natural light!

Here is bit more info on what's going down at WPPI:
There are over 130 different programs to choose from, with over 70 included
as part of your full registration. New events this year will help reinvigorate your
business and add to your WPPI experience. The Canon-sponsored Wedding and
Welcome Reception kicks off the week, followed by the Nikon-sponsored Big
Night, the Miller’s-sponsored Town Hall, Adobe-sponsored Digital Workflow and
the Kodak-sponsored Awards Reception.
Forty-nine different companies have directly sponsored the key events, along
with almost 300 other manufacturers who support the trade show and various
programs that has made this convention the most talked about event in professional photography.
That said, the next few days are all about you. You’re one of thousands of people
who have helped build the WPPI family. While you’re here, make it a point to talk
with attendees you’ve never met before. Share your ideas, frustrations and accomplishments
with the photographers sitting next to you in various programs.
This is an opportunity for you to build your own customized WPPI network.
We appreciate you being with us this year and congratulate you on setting an
unmatched standard for professional photographers in creativity, imaging skills,
marketing and, most especially, friendship.
Welcome back to Las Vegas!

Who knows, maybe one day. I could join the crowds that steam to Vegas for 5 day photo-ganza! (yes, I did just make up that word)

Happy Wednesday!

A day at the dam

Being on a tube that is being pulled by a motor boat at speeds that make it feel like you could relate to clothes in a washing machine, is a great way to spend a day don't you think?
During the December holidays, we spent a day with friends at the Bronkhorstspruit dam. We had so much fun riding the tubes!
There are two types.
1) The standard round tube. Its great because you can attach more than one to the boat and you can steer on the waves. There are also several ways to hold on to the tube. You could sit inside the tube, with your bum grazing the choppy water. This isn't the best option because at high speeds, water starts feeling like a tarred road! Not something you want to scrape your derier on! The other option is lying on your stomach and letting your arms take most of the shock. Most people prefer this option although it is quite a workout on those triceps!
At some point no amount muscle-locking grip action is going to keep you on, so you let the inevitable happen. You hit the water and only realise what has happened once you suddenly have to hold you breath!
Then you wait for the boat to make a u-turn and you swim back to the tubes to do it all over again!
Its just as much fun to sit on the boat and feel the wind in your hair, without the risk of drowning! In the beginning Corne, Reinette and I preferred this option.

But It just seemed like so much fun! So we decided to go on the second type of tube: The Worm! Its a long pencil shaped tube that allows three people to ride at the same time. Allot of fun but a killer on your hands. Or its just me gripping onto that tube like we would fall into molten lava instead of water!

However there is a trick to being three on a tube. You have to balance!
And if you don't, you land in the water, no matter how tight you hang on!


We had a great time at the Dam. A little sun burnt, muscles a little sore and energy completely depleted! But a fun day none the less!

We headed home just before sunset, so I took this shot over the dam.

Road Trip!

In December of last year, my Dad invited me to join him om a road trip to St Lucia. It wasn't just any road trip though! You see, my Dads only mode of transport is his BMW R1200 GS motorbike! I was so excited! Ive always wanted to take a long journey on a motorbike! Motorbikes speak to my secret side! A side of me that is adventurous and daring. I have until now only watched and admired those who take on the roads with their two-wheeled rockets! My Dad, who had a motorbike when I was allot smaller, got himself a BMW motorbike after 20 years of being bike free! I guess its just something that's born in! So when this opportunity presented itself to travel over 1000 kilometers on a bike, I dusted off my leather jacket and packet my backpack!

I stay in Pretoria and St Lucia is on the East coast of South Africa.

We looked pretty sexy in our biking gear. We had to match the bike after all!


On the road it started looking overcast and rainy, and I was getting colder by the second! So we stopped to warm up with some Muscadel!

I look like I'm squashed into my helmet!

Piet Retief is the halfway mark. So we stretched our legs to warm up our cold wet freezing bodies with breakfast and Horlicks!
We had these cool headsets attached to our helmets that allow you to talk to each other while your riding. It also allows you to answer your telephone. It really makes the ride so much more exciting!


The bike wasn't exactly presentable by the time we were finished with it!
We stayed at The Elephant Lake Hotel in St Lucia. Our room had a view over the lagoon and there were deer and monkeys in the bushes just below us. I was thrilled when a eagle perched on one of the dry branches of a tree a mere 20 meters from us!


And then there were two!

And suddenly, just like that....
...And he was gone!

I know Eagles mate for life, so it was amazing to see these two every day. The dry branch seemed to be there 'hang out' spot. One of them even ate their breakfast ( which looked like a snake) on this branch. The public display of affection only happened that once though!

During our stay we took a drive, or is that a ride, to Richards bay. This beautiful coastal town is a couple of kilometers further down the east coast.
All I dislike about riding bike is how flat the helmet makes your hair!

My Dad reset the clock when we left St Lucia to come back home, but this is what it read... 645.8 km... times 2...and that would be what we traveled in 3 days!


I had such a great time with my Dad! I am forever in love with the thrill of feeling the road rush under my feet and the wind in my hair, and the scenery so close you can experience every smell and sight and raindrop with memorable intensity! Thanks Daddy! I love you!