Mocking Bird l Vancouver Film Photographer » Creativity

Summer Baseball On Film

Amanda — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:58:34 +0000

One thing about living abroad that I find totally inspirational is just getting out there and doing things that you wouldn’t ordinarily ever do at home. One thing that I can say I’ve never done in Australia, is go to a baseball game. Seeing as Vancouver doesn’t have a Major Baseball League team, we go to the minor league games at Nat Bailey Stadium. It’s a beautiful little field with all the right colours and sounds to create beautiful memories.

This is what I love about living in a foreign country. You get to experience little snippets of a very different life that you would never get to do while holidaying. I love embracing this part of a culture that I’m learning to fit in to.

Going on these little adventures are a great way to stretch the photography skills and I can totally recommend getting out there and doing these things in your own city. Things that you may not have necessarily ever thought about doing or experiencing. Imagine you’re that tourist for the day or the new kid in town. Take your camera and explore, shoot a photographic essay of the day. You never know the gems that may follow you home.

A Time To Be Brave

Amanda — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:00:52 +0000

Hello weekday readers. I hope your weekend was sunny and marvelous. I spent my first real summer evening out with friends on a restaurant patio eating good food and it was Vancouver awesome. I plan on doing that many more times over the next few months.

I just read this little nugget on Keri Smith’s blog ( which is fabulous by the way) that I’d love to share with you;

The lesson garnered from this story; you never know what will come up when you just put yourself out into the world in new and unexpected ways. People you didn’t know you were looking for are bound to find you. The universe opens and gives you little surprise gifts.

The story that she refers to you can read on her blog, however I loved what she said about being brave enough to put yourself into the world and never knowing what you’ll find.

I think about this stuff a lot. It vexes me at times. I have been brave and put myself out there in ways that years ago would have terrified me. In fact, it still does terrify me, but I have grown to realise that the awesomeness that can come your way outweighs the scariness. I can be quite the scaredy cat when it comes to just about anything so figuring my way through the nerves to get to the other side is always a struggle. What I do know is this, once you get to the other side, a whole world of fabulousness can be yours. I know this to be true.

One of my people who “I didn’t know I was looking for” found me a couple of years ago and because of her, a whole world of opportunities have come my way. I’ll tell you more about her soon perhaps. I’m sure you’ve heard of her. Really, you have. I’ve mentioned her here a few times. She’s kind of fabulous.

I’m putting myself out there more and more and I’m being brave. It’s really bloody hard but it’s worth it.

How was your weekend? Do you get nervous when putting yourself out into the world?

Artful Blogging on Film

Amanda — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Yes, I’ve already talked about being published in Artful Blogging, but I wanted to share some pictures I took of my article in the magazine. I didn’t actually have a copy of my own when I shared the news, so it’s pretty awesome to actually have it in my hands.

There are some gorgeous other blogs in this season’s issue and I am honoured to be amongst them. Check out these creative blogs.

Simply Hue

Two and Six

A Creative Mint

Christine Mason Miller

Emma Lamb

An Artful Life

I am thrilled to have been published in a magazine and loved working with Jennifer and Christen.

Being a Stealth Photographer

Amanda — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:00:48 +0000

Do you see possible awesome photograph options while you’re out and about but don’t have the nerve to shoot them? Do you ever wish that you had more camera courage whilst out in public? Recently one reader asked how I shoot the things I do without getting funny looks. She wanted to know what my “secret to avoiding the silly is”.

Often times I have missed great photo opportunities because I’ve worried about what people may think. Nobody wants to be the crazy lady crawling through the bushes or laying in the middle of the street legs and arms a-flailing with a camera pointed in the air. The secret is…there isn’t one unfortunately.

However, I pose to you this…how badly do you want the shot? There are plenty of times that I have wanted to shoot something and been too nervous or worried that people might think I am a weirdo. It’s moments like those that I ask myself this very question: How badly do you want it? If I want it badly enough, I will size up the situation, shoot as quickly as I can and then get the hell out of there.

Of course, there is a time and place for photography. As I’ve mentioned before, I used to shoot a lot of bands. One time I had a really hard time shooting and simply had to put the camera away. It was a Joanna Newsom gig. It was in the famous Spiegel Tent and with nothing but a little lady strumming a harp, it was dead silent. Having my shutter button clicking away during the performance would have been downright rude, so I put the camera away. Obviously, some things are not appropriate to shoot and I make a judgement call.

The photographs that posed this initial reader question were taken in a store. Now quite often some stores have rules about taking photographs so you need to be careful. I will admit that when I took some pictures inside The Regional Assembly of Text, I was nervous about it. I wanted to ask permission but it was super busy, so I just took a few shots as I walked around the store. Thankfully, one of the owners actually emailed me telling me that she loved the post. There is always the chance that you won’t be that lucky.

I take quite a lot of photographs in cafes and people may think I’m a bit of a weirdo but I’d rather walk home with some lovely pictures of my day than regretting not shooting that moment. I guess it comes down to not being worried what people will think and being courteous. I am always mindful of my surroundings and if I think that my shooting might disturb others then I will give it a miss. You can always ask permission first too.

I’ve had some funny looks from people, I’ve had comments and even quite a few people asking me to take their photo. It goes with the territory. If you really want the shot, compose it in your head, stand tall, be quick and courteous and be brave! You never know what you might come home with.

Some Springtime Polaroid Goodness

Amanda — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:00:11 +0000

During my absence from Vancouver, flowers have sprouted up all over the place. Fields are over run with wild flowers while gardens are brimming with colour and happiness.

Secretly they whisper to me with a little nod and a wink letting me know that everything is going to be OK. The sadness that sits low in my heart is lifted a little with all the blooms and hues dotted amongst the green.

It’s as though Monet has waltzed in with his paint brush and dabbed his little Parisian heart out all over the streets and sidewalks.

High Tea Breakfast

Amanda — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:03:47 +0000

From the time I was a wee one, my mum put a lot of effort and thought into making our celebration days special. Birthdays, Christmas and Easter were always a big deal and all of my mum’s ways rubbed off on me. I adore decorating and making a fuss over someone’s birthday to the point of silliness.

I was happy I got to spend Mother’s Day at home with Mum this year, so we went with a High Tea theme all decked out in pink and florals. It wasn’t a traditional High Tea, more like chocolate and croissants tossed on a High Tea style platter. Mum loved it so much that I had to recreate the table for all the other mothers in my family who were coming for lunch.

I’m quite the decorating nerd and often dream about hosting my own garden tea party with fairy lights cascading through low hanging branches. Sometimes I wish I was a professional party decorator or worked at Martha Stewart Living magazine. Do you enjoy decorating?

********

And now to the winner of my birthday print, which will be sent out once I am back in Vancouver.

I used a random number generator and Jade Sheldon was the winner. :)

Thanks for all the comments everyone! I will send you an email, Jade.

When You Need Creative Soulmates

Amanda — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:27:01 +0000

Do you ever feel that sometimes your friends don’t understand your creative passions? That the creative being inside of you is often quietly hidden from your real world? Sometimes the people that we have grown up with and shared years of friendship and relationships with are a world a way from our creative addictions. I find this hard to deal with at times and often I will hide my true passions from those I am closest to.

Most of my close family and friends do not read Mocking Bird and it’s simply because I haven’t told them about it. I’ve come a long way with blogging over the years and I almost feel like it’s too late to start sharing the little pocket of the world that I have created here.

I do however have lots of friends that I can share my creative life with but many of them live on different continents and are known to me by way of a computer screen. I love that I can chat away about photography and a creative rich life with the amazing people I’ve met through the internets, but often I wish that my close friends, whom I love dearly, understood this thing I do.

I’ve just scored a book deal and I am embarrassed to even mention it to family and friends. That’s not normal, right?!

Do you have many creative arty friends? Maybe I was supposed to meet them at university but never did. I’d take an art class but I couldn’t paint to save my life!

Thankfully I’m meeting up with one of my awesome photographer friends very soon and she is introducing me to one gorgeous spirited creative lady whom I can’t wait to meet.

Who are your creative soul mates?

Oh Roid Week, How I Love Thee

Amanda — Mon, 03 May 2010 10:41:44 +0000

Polaroid lovers get a little giddy this time of year with Spring Roid Week upon us again.

This Roid Week I am looking through my Polaroid camera with new eyes. I am seeing my hometown with a fresh light and it’s actually very exciting. To be able to see newness in something that I know like the back of my hand has me wanting to get out there and re-experience this fabulous city.

Of course, my first Roid Week shots are an illustration of some of my favourite things… my muse & sister, chocolate sprinkled cappuccinos, Sydney sunshine and purty cupcakes.

Will you be joining me this week? If Roid Week is new to you, go grab your Polaroid, snap some roids and upload your shots to the Roid Week flickr pool. Of course, once you’re done, go grab a cuppa and spend some time browsing through a cavalcade of Polaroid magic.

Not As It Is

Amanda — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:48:33 +0000

Oh how my photography has changed. When I first really got into photography, I could never understand why anyone would take photographs of flowers. “How boring!” I would think to myself.

Now I take so many photographs of flowers that it’s getting to be ridiculous. Flowers are pretty, sure, but it’s not really the flowers themselves that I like shooting. It’s the colours and textures I can make and the way the bokeh looks all swirly that compels me to shoot them.

I really love it when pictures of everyday things like flowers turn out to be more like paintings of pink cauliflowers huddled in a corner. That’s far more interesting, right?

Tomorrow I will be back to share some of my first Sydney Polaroids, including one of my little muse.

The Regional Assembly Of Text

Amanda — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:20:59 +0000

Doesn’t the name alone illustrate how awesome a place this could be? Last week I finally made my way to Main St, Vancouver to check out the stationery store with so much more, The Regional Assembly of Text.

This amazing land of paper and stamps shot to the top spot of Amanda’s Adored Attractions the moment I stepped through the door. It was jam packed with stationery lovers looking over the cards, address books, stamps, To Do lists and wooden address boxes. You can even pick up a Make Your Own Damn Book kit.

What I really loved about the store was its passion for reading and writing. In one corner typewriters are set up ready for letter writing while a tiny desk outfitted with crayons and paper is waiting for little ones to sit and create. The lowercase reading room appears to be a storage closet full of hand made books and reading materials ready for your perusal.

The Regional Assembly of Text doesn’t look like every other stationery store- the products are unique and the colour scheme blends with hues of pastel blues, yellows and browns. Behind the front counter are filing cabinets and some of the walls are adorned with gorgeous turquoise wallpaper and clipboards with letter writing club sign up sheets. Yes, they have a letter writing club that happens on the first Thursday of every month- supplies are provided.

I left the store with a new love for creative design and independent thoughts which so clearly are entrenched in the minds of the store founders Brandy and Rebecca. If you ever find yourself in Vancouver, make sure you get yourself to this fabulous store full of reading and writing goodies. You will love it!