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More highlights from Daisy's month off. It's gonna be a rude awakening to say the least, when she has to go back to work. But at least she will have many fond memories.😉
Hey guys, check out the first part of my highlight video I just made. Lemme know what you think! It's not perfect lol, but I like it. Some of the best stuff is at the end but it wouldn't upload the whole thing. Thanks peeps! #teamsuperduck CHECK LATEST PIC FOR LINK TO THE ENTIRE VIDEO!
Not very often we have this extreme strong colors up here in north sweden...these images are all taken near my summerhouse just the other just before sunset
(One photo from each month, starting top left. You can read more about these photos and each month of my 2020 below.)
What a year this has been, in all ways. Lots of cancellations of everything I looked forward to due to a certain virus, and then health issues for the rest of the year. But all this has made me doing more of some of the things I love, that I normally don’t use that much time on – like enjoying nature and birdlife nearby, learning so much more about it and also getting to know lots of new people because of it, and also buying all the camera gear on my wish list with lots of time getting to know it.
You can read more about each month of my 2020 below if you’d like to:
1. (Top left) Sweetest Dreams
JANUARY: The year started with wind, rain and floods, and my only nature photos are from one nice sunset in the middle of the month. We never got the nice winter weather we usually hope for to set a nice mood at the start of a new year, and we never went on our traditional January bonfire and night photography trip to Eigerøy lighthouse. The fact that we also didn’t have a dog anymore that needed to go out every day, made me spend less time outside.
But I filled the days with work and several spare time assignments – like singing in a jubilee, photographing several adorable newborn babies (one of them on this month's photo), having a concert with my choir and the Norwegian singer Solveig Leithaug who I’ve listened to since I was little, and photographing lots of rabbits and cats for The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals.
My boyfriend Richard and I also started attending several of the meetings of the local club for The Norwegian Ornithological Society (NOF - the bird protection society of Norway.) It’s inspiring to see all the nice bird photos that people use so much time on getting, and nice to get to know more people with that interest. It made us both getting even more interested in bird photography as well, and during the year both of us would buy better telephoto lenses for bird photography.
I celebrated my birthday in the first part of the month by going to the town where I used to live, to by a flash for my new Sony camera (after recently starting the process of replacing all my Nikon gear with Sony). Then I also bought my second Sony camera (a9) and the Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 Art lens. It feels necessary to have two cameras – both for portrait assignments and travels where I need several lenses.
2. A weekend of nice nature experiences
FEBRUARY: Started with a really nice reunion for my choir’s trip to Israel, together with friends and family of the choir, four months earlier. As usual, I got the fun job of making a slide show of photos from the trip.
The wind, rain and floods continued, and the few days with nice weather I didn’t have the time to go outside. I photographed a beautiful kitten for The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals and a wedding on Valentine’s day. I also photographed my adorable neighbor on her christening day, and when she turned 4 months. It’s nice that her parents let me test my new cameras and lenses on her and use them for advertising. My choir also had a concert together with the awesome American gospel singer Jason Nelson this month.
We finally had some nice weather during the last part of the month, and we finally went on several hikes along the coast of Jæren and at home. But the wind was still present, and for the first time we experienced that the foam coming from the sea due to the wind, prevented us from walking on the only possible trail above the sea where we live. It made us get some unusual photos though.
I only had one day off during the winter break since we had one student with special needs left at school. But my friday off luckily was the only one with lovely weather and that night also brought the year’s first snow. We had a nice road trip photographing nature, reflections and snow that day, and I also photographed the year’s first lovely spring flowers. The rest of that leap year weekend was bad weathered again, so I’m glad I had that one lovely day off to remember for a long time.
3. Angry Bird ッ
MARCH: On the first day of the month and spring, I went outside between the showers of rain for the year’s first bird photos - of some of the numerous seabirds where we live. Little did I know that this was the activity that I would spend the most of my time on and learn so much more about during both the rest of the month and the whole year. (It really made up for spending much less time in nature that I would like to during the year’s first two months.)
The big change came when covid-19 arrived, the country shut down and I realized that my spare time wouldn’t be filled with the normal, busy and fun activities of singing, photography assignments and traveling for a long time. I had lots of singing and photography assignments during spring and summer that got cancelled or moved – most of them to the next year.
It made me buy the Sony 200-600mm lens earlier than planned, to have an exciting spare time ahead anyway. It would be so much better than the one I used for Nikon, and so much faster together with the perfect partner which I already had bought - the Sony a9 camera with 20 photos per second and a fabulous autofocus tracking. I was lucky doing so, since all photography equipment became even more expensive after shutdown.
Even though most of my colleagues and students spent the next months at home, a few of us had some students with special needs at work. From the shutdown, the weather stayed nice every day for a really long time, and I started cycling the long way back and forth to work on my electrical bicycle every day, with the new lens and the a9 on my back. I cycle by the sea all the way, and also have some nice forests for bird and spring flower photography close to work.
I actually found it that exciting to get so much better bird photos than before, that I woke up one or two hours before I had to, to have lots of time to stop on the way when I saw or heard interesting birds. On still mornings I also brought the Sony a7III and 24-70mm lens with me to finally capture the nice morning and boathouse reflections that I’ve only dreamed of while passing by by bus on early mornings. But I found it most exciting to get my first nice photos of so many familiar small birds that I hadn’t been able to photograph before, and to also find and get to know so many birds that I even didn’t know existed.
I also photographed charming seals several times, that enjoyed themselves on the skerries close to our home. But one of the absolutely best nature experiences this month was the day that the largest number of oystercatchers I’ve ever seen returned to our neighborhood (tjeld in Norwegian - my favourite sign of spring). There were nearly 400 of them around me and out on the skerries during one lovely afternoon, making the loveliest long-awaited sound.
I also had a fun dog photography assignment on the beach where we live, and photographed a newborn girl in our neighborhood this month. My choir was supposed to go on a Norway tour the last weekend, but of course we had to cancel that due to covid.
4. (Top right) ٠ Reminiscing Spring ٠
APRIL: Started with Easter from the first weekend, and I had the whole week off. Our original plan was to go on a Norway road trip, hiking and photographing landscapes like we normally do – but due to travel restrictions we stayed home. Luckily the weather was nice almost every day, and we spent much time on garden work - planting a dozen fruit trees and setting up new bird feeders, insect hotels and bird boxes. We also had several nice hikes in neighboring municipalities and made good food.
I also photographed and had fun with some neighbor’s dogs – still longing for a new dog myself (but there were really many wanting the same this year, so we never found one that we wanted who wasn’t taken yet). I was supposed to photograph a wedding and several confirmands this month, but all of them were moved to late summer and autumn
The weather got even better and warmer during the last part of the month, and I continued cycling to work, with the camera(s) in my backpack – continuing bird, reflection and flower photography. There are also lots of lambs in my neighborhood during spring, as seen on this month’s photo.
I bought the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lens that I needed for portrait assignments (and sold the Sony 85mm I bought last year). This also made me able to sell all my remaining Nikon equipment, since I now had the most important lenses for Sony. I tested the new portrait lens on two adorable small dogs in a forest filled with spring flowers and was really satisfied. I love its bokeh, sharpness and even a little bokeh swirl with the right circumstances.
I also went home ordering a Helios 44M-6 58mm f/2 vintage lens that day, for amazing flower photos with even more and impressive bokeh swirl - after seeing all the nice spring flowers, and experiencing that the 70-200mm had too long focal distance for flower photography. I actually hadn’t heard of these vintage lenses before. If I had, I would have bought one a long time ago. They cost nothing, and give the loveliest photos and bokeh (it’s a photo from this lens on the June photo).
5. (Middle left) ~ Peaceful Pentecost ~
MAY: The lovely spring weather continued (not at all guaranteed in this country), only interrupted by a few days of cold temperatures and a little snow (!) There were still more amazing bird experiences waiting for me and my camera both on our island and in town. Like sitting for an hour on a rock on the shore, watching a tern couple where the male were fishing and trying to impress the lady with it. I also saw and photographed a couple of grey wagtails for the first time, up close with their young ones by a river in the middle of town (vintererler in Norwegian). It was also nice to finally get some really good photos of the adorable ducklings.
I used my Helios a lot for flower photography and also tried it on a dog among lots of dandelions – which made great photos. We drove for several hours the first weekend, just to photograph the stunning blue kidneyworts (blåveis in Norwegian). I had only seen them once before, and I had wanted to find them again for a long time. It was a little late, but luckily they still were in bloom. There were also so many lovely pink and white blossoms both in town and in parks that we drove to this month. I even bought another Helios (44-2) in hope of another variation of lovely bokeh – but since I didn’t see any difference from my other one, I sold it to Richard. It was fun to photograph flowers together for the first time. I also bought the Sony 90mm f/2.8 macro lens for close ups and insect photography ツ
After two months of lockdown, the schools opened partly with lots of restrictions – two months after closing. The National day the 17th couldn’t be celebrated as normal with children’s parades, marching bands and entertainment, and it was my first time not going out wearing my national costume that day. But Norwegians are creative, and there were boat parades in all coastal towns and villages instead, and it was nice to watch all the boats with flags and even bands on them. I think it would be a nice tradition for the future as well.
We also finally went on two road trips the two last and beautiful long weekends of the month. On the first one, we finally visited my parents for the first time this year, due to covid. Then we drove all the way to our favourite place Stryn and rented a house above the Olden lake with the stunning view towards the mountains and glaciers. We also drove on day trips to other favourite places nearby. I brought my national costume “bunad” to pose in the stunning nature, since I didn’t wear it on the National day.
The next weekend we went to beautiful Hardanger, where we lived on a nice fruit farm by the fjord. We photographed nesting birds and blossoms by the apartment, went on a hike to one of our favourite lakes by the mountains and glacier (on the photo for this month), and met several friends.
6. In summer, the song sings itself • ♫ ♪
JUNE: A warm and really nice month, where we actually felt a little good about finally getting a little rain for all our new fruit trees in the end of it. I went on some nice hikes and trips both together with Richard and with colleagues and students who were finishing their three years at our school.
I continued cycling around photographing birds and flowers almost every day, and some dogs and lots of cats in between (both indoors for The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals, and a colleague’s beautiful purebred cats in their nice garden). I also took some summer photos of my adorable neighbor at eight months. Finally I also could meet my choir for a summer party together, after only meeting them online since lockdown.
But one sad thing this month was my left foot unexpectedly starting aching one day after a long hike at work (with no accidents). It never stopped, and got worse when I went on long walks and walked a lot at work. I had to use crutches most of the time until the summer holiday. We first thought it was a strain injury, but sadly it only worsened and spread for the rest of the year, and we still don’t know what’s wrong. I never thought that it would last for that long. I thought that a quiet summer vacation would do the work.
JULY: When I started my long summer vacation, the long-lasting nice weather typically turned to cold and rainy weather. We went back to beautiful Stryn, where we had ordered a house for a week. Sadly we had rain most of the time, but since my foot was still aching I couldn’t do much anyway. During some hours of sunshine, we went out by car to get some nice landscape photos. This month’s photo is from a day trip to Geiranger. We also spent some nights in beautiful Sogn before going home. On the way home I also took some newborn photos for a former colleague ツ
While we were on holiday, my kind parents stayed at our place to change the wooden boards on our house. I went back home with them, to stay there for the last two weeks of the month. It’s the first time in many years I’ve been there so long, and I loved to do so. My sister, niece and nephew also came for one week. I didn’t go outside that much due to still some aching in my foot, but I got some bird photos nearby, and went by boat a couple of times to feed and photograph the sea eagles.
At this time, I started reporting all the birds that I’d photographed during spring and summer in a national registry, and will continue doing so for a long time. I’ve learned so much both there and after getting to know other bird photographers and registrators.
AUGUST: Started with photographing a wedding, and later going on a fun cabin holiday together with my sister and her family (this month’s photo is of my niece fishing close to the cabin). The month was really nice and warm. We cancelled our planned trip back to Stryn both due to my health and since there were too many Norwegians there, since no one could go abroad this summer.
Later I had several photography assignments - including another wedding, several families, dogs and cats, and the year’s two first confirmands (girls in their national costumes, which I love to photograph. One of them even together with her horse). I also sang in a confirmation.
After a week at work, my aching foot got worse again, and now it spread to both feet and higher up in the body. It isn’t easy with crutches and keeping up with busy students when the pain is in both feet, so after only one week together with my new 8th graders, I went on sick leave for the rest of the year. I didn’t know that then since we took four weeks at a time, and I was hopeful of it getting better soon. But since it didn’t change for the better, and the doctor and therapists still works on finding what’s wrong or how to make it better, that was how it turned out.
One nice thing was getting to know that I’m getting a new niece in the spring (my brother’s first one)! ツ And since I couldn’t walk that much, it was nice to spend some time in our boat on nice evenings, and to have my electrical bike when I needed some air. In the end of the month, the raw autumn air came to stay.
9. (Bottom left) ♤ Embracing Autumn ♤
SEPTEMBER: Luckily I had lots of photos to edit, from assignments and from the summer holiday, since I was at home every day. My physiotherapist encouraged me for some activity on good days, so I went out with my bike and camera sometimes. Just watching and photographing birds and forgetting everything else have really been my medicine during autumn. I loved to capture my first photos of small birds in colourful autumn trees due to my new equipment, and to enjoy all the migrating birds that I hadn’t seen before both on our island and on beautiful Jæren.
Going by our boat to the lighthouse nearby, making dinner outside is also a good memory from this month. I also had some long time scheduled confirmand, newborn and animal photography assignments during the month. A nice way of getting out of the house for a little while. I also joined my choir on a nice rehearsal weekend, while staying at my sister’s place nearby. There’s nothing like waking up by my nephew or niece coming into my bed ツ
In the end of the month, my kind parents came again to replace our kitchen with the new one we had ordered. They love working, and suddenly the floor and walls were new as well 😉 On the last day of the month, I visited the local center of The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals for cuddles and photos. I love being there, meeting all the rescued animals and getting nice photos to help them getting new homes.
10. The Little One
OCTOBER: My bird watching by sea continued on some of the good days. I got even closer to several birds that I hadn’t seen up close or at all before. On some really nice days, I sat for hours enjoying hundreds of shorebirds up close on the coast of Jæren (and also spent some fun time together with my sister-in-law who lives there), and had seabirds resting or fishing really close to me, while just sitting by the sea over some time at home.
Other days I only sat right outside the house or in the bathroom window, watching all the birds on our bird feeders and taking some photos on nice days. One day two of all the roe deer living around our house and in our neighborhood came right outside the window as well, just when I was photographing – as seen on the photo for this month.
Originally we had planned on going back to Stryn for the autumn break, for hiking and photographing. But when that got cancelled due to my health, I went home to my parents instead together with my sister and the kids. I loved that my niece at four years old liked to join me attracting the birds I grew up having around me, with bird sounds from my phone. She made the birds come really close, and I photographed them 😉 I also spent some time together with other bird photographers there, and met several species for the first time.
Back home again, a friend came to visit us to photograph all the birds on our island together with me. We got lucky both with the weather and with all the exciting bird meetings we had up close. Some of them were even new to me as well. Then my dad and uncle visited us too – finishing the last things on our kitchen and showing uncle our island for the first time. On his birthday, we went by boat to the lighthouse watching the waves. He loves it just as much as we do ツ
I also photographed a newborn baby, two one year olds (including my adorable neighbor) and some cats, and did like I did the month before – visited the local center of The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals for cuddles and photos on the last day of the month.
NOVEMBER: I spent less time outside due to the autumn weather, but got some nice photos of the guests on our birdfeeders. It was especially fun having the beautiful goldfinches visiting us one week (stillits in Norwegian). And the one day a bird photographer from my home island and his wife visited us, we were lucky to have some nice hours outside where I showed them our neighborhood and we came close to some rare migrating geese.
Even in grey weather, I had a couple of unforgettable seabird experiences just sitting by the shore in our neighborhood. Suddenly birds I’d never seen that close came diving for fish right in front of me, on several occasions. One day a black guillemot (teist in Norwegian) was fishing in front of me for more than one hour, and it posed with every fish it found (like on this month’s photo).
I also sang in a funeral, and photographed a rescued kitten that sadly didn’t make it after all. I ended the month by photographing an adorable newborn baby, together with the family dog for their Christmas cards.
DECEMBER: The first day was a lovely one, cycling in the cold but sunny weather, photographing birds for the first time in a while. The rest of the month was mostly made for editing photos and listening to podcasts inside.
All the Christmas concerts that I normally attend from late November on, were cancelled this year (but I couldn’t have attended them anyway due to my feet). So to get an early Christmas mood like I’m used to from the concerts – I started decorating earlier than usual. We also bought our own Christmas tree for the first time ツ
We didn’t go to the island I’m from at all this Christmas time. My parents came for one night during early December, bringing and picking up gifts. We also made an early Christmas dinner together, since it was our only time together this month. I also got to meet Richard’s relatives’ new puppy on the beach, and photographed it with a little Christmas outfit on her ツ
The day before Christmas Eve, on what we call Little Christmas Eve, we drove to an arboretum where I knew we could find bullfinches (dompap in Norwegian). They are typical on Norwegian Christmas cards, and I’ve always wanted nice photos of them. On this month’s photo you can see that we found them ツ Christmas Eve and Christmas day were some beautiful days (normally it use to rain these days), and we spent some time out in the sun and on a boat ride to the lighthouse.
We spent Christmas Eve together with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and a friend of hers. We spent the rest of Christmas and New Year’s Eve by ourselves, not to meet too many people since the virus is spreading again in our part of the country. My health isn’t made for long car rides either these days. But we find it just as cozy being by ourselves.
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From last year’s goals for 2020 – I only fulfilled the one about replacing the rest of my Nikon gear with Sony, and bought everything that I wanted due to the extra spare time.
No trip to Paris with a friend, no trip to Northern Norway with Richard neither during summer or winter, no new dog, not more time together with family and friends, not a lot of wedding assignments and not that many exciting concerts and assignments with my choir.
But this only means that 2021 has lots of potential, doing all that I didn’t this year ツ
And I really look forward to getting a new niece this March ♡
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Thanks to all who wanted to read about my year, and to all my photography followers!
I hope that 2021 will be so much better for all of us! Enjoy it!!
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To watch and read my Highlights of 2013, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2014, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2015, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2016, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2017, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2018, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2019, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2021, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2022, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2023, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2024, take a look here.
More fun with highlighter caps. This time I did used a buzz filter to make the background less distracting
© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved
Street candid taken in Glasgow, Scotland. Loved the backlit red dyed hair and the busy street life going on behind.
I can't express how thankful I am to Congresswoman Bordallo for having me as her guest at the White House Congressional Ball. It was an honor and a pleasure to work for her and to serve under President Obama.
From the Official Photographer -
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet Representative Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU) and Mr. Bryan Fram in the Diplomatic Reception Room during the Congressional Ball at the White House, Dec. 7, 2016. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
This photograph is provided by THE WHITE HOUSE as a courtesy and may be printed by the subject(s) in the photograph for personal use only. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not otherwise be reproduced, disseminated or broadcast, without the written permission of the White House Photo Office. This photograph may not be used in any commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.
Abrirla a "Tamaño Original" sobre fondo negro.
farm8.staticflickr.com/7536/16339909102_b2a4806b56_o.jpg
Fuensalida (Toledo)
Rider : ------ "Pedro Moreno"
I love the sound and feel of frozen leaves below my feet, not as fragile as autumn leaves, but still crunch just as loud
View over Donawitz and Gai towards Reiting (Eisenerzer Alpen). We had a bit of rain today but it was great for hiking and orchid hunting.
(One photo from each month, starting top left. You can read more about these photos and each month of my 2016 below.)
2016 has been filled with SO many beautiful hikes and road trips in my own country, just like the previous years. This year in the western and mid-eastern part of Norway. It has also been another year of new places to stay and live, and of searching for jobs. Sorrow and joy have also walked side by side in our family.
1. (Top left) .｡☽｡ 15 Days Later ｡☽｡.
JANUARY: I started the new year in the best way – together with my new boyfriend Richard (who I first met on Flickr). The first minutes of the year, we got to photograph the northern lights and the fireworks on a peak close to his house. And on the first night of the new year, we went on a hike to Eigerøy lighthouse on his home island. We brought wood for campfire, sausages, something good to drink and of course our cameras.
Later that month we went on several nice walks and road trips in the immediate area and in the neighboring municipalities. Early January was really cold and I got some nice photographs of ice covered landscapes. Later we even got long lasting snow, which is not that usual here by the ocean - and we finally got to go back to both Eigerøy lighthouse and other beloved places in the area and in the county, to photograph them in the beautiful snowy landscape.
After a really long and fun Christmas holiday together with Richard, I got to stay in a friend’s really cozy apartment by the sea for some months, in the lovely town of Stavanger. I got a temporary employment at my old workplace there (on a high school, with teenagers with special needs) – since I hadn’t got a real job after moving back to my home island the previous summer. Richard was very kind to have my dog this month, since I couldn’t have her in the apartment. Luckily it was easy to visit them by an hour-long train ride in my spare time ツ I also had several fun happenings with my two choirs this month, and finally could spend time with my friends in Stavanger again ツ
-My album of snow here, with many of the photos from January at the top.
FEBRUARY: Continued as January – with work in Stavanger and train to Richard’s homeplace in my spare time. We brought our cameras on several hikes and road trips in both his region called Dalane and in the region of Jæren, where I was working and living.
I also recorded a new version of an old and dear song about the region of Jæren, after the initiative by my friend Anne. She wanted to make a video of this song with photos from Jæren - shot by herself, me, Richard, and other people who live there. We were all satisfied with the result and many have shared the video/song on the Internet.
3. Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter
MARCH: I and Richard went on several nice hikes and photo trips this month too. I got to see new places near where he’s from, and we photographed beautiful sunsets and signs of spring on Jæren and on his homeplace.
I also photographed my first paid full-day-wedding this month. Luckily both I and the bride and groom got really satisfied with the photos ツ
In the end of the month I moved from the nice apartment I had borrowed in Stavanger, to my home island Bømlo (in another county) - where I had got a job on the local high school for three months, and to live in the house I had rented there since the summer.
-A couple of wedding photos and other portraits of mine here.
APRIL: After moving back to my home island Bømlo and the cozy old house I rented in the forest among lambs, sheep, spring flowers, cuckoos and also a couple of eagles, I also finally got my dog Tessi back from my ex-in-laws – who had taken care of her for two months. Even though I missed my boyfriend, friends, choir and colleagues in the Stavanger area, it was really good to be reunited with my dog and to be able to see my family when I wanted to. My new colleagues and job were also great, and only a bike ride away.
It was especially nice to get to visit my grandma every week at the retirement home this period, only a bike ride (or a hike with my dog) away. Each time I brought her self-picked flowers or something good to eat, which she really appreciated. Little did I know that these three months of visiting her would be extra precious since she suddenly died in the end of July ♥
I also went on hikes and bicycle trips with my camera to capture more of my home island this month – photographing the beautilful coastal landscapes, the signs of spring, all the lambs (even lamb births) close to my house, and the beautiful Northern lights (the strongest and most beautiful I’ve ever seen, as late as April!). I also got to show my beautiful homeplace to my dear Richard when he visited me, and I traveled to visit him and to attend happenings with my choir in Stavanger town.
-Photos of the lambs and other domestic animals here.
5. (Middle left) National Day Selfie ٩(-̮̮̃•̃)۶
MAY: I spent lots of time outside this warm and lovely month, both together with my pupils at work, with my dog on the deck outside our home, or out exploring with my camera. The charming lambs were still around my house to photograph, and the photogenic spring flowers covered my and my neighbors' garden.
I had singing assignments in Stavanger, and got to visit Richard and do some photographing on Jæren together with him at the same time. Our friends Camilla and Øystein (who I first met on Flickr) also came to meet us on Jæren, and I was happy to finally get to show them the picturesque and fairytale-like Risa forest – filled with loads of spring flowers, and a bird park with cute chickens (on the same day I picked up my new telephoto lensツ).
The weekend of Norway’s National Day (on the 17th), I and Richard went on an unforgettable road trip to the beautiful Hardanger region, not far from my home island. The region is known for its beautiful fruit blossoms close to the Hardanger fjord on that time of year. We stayed in a lovely and dignified hotel, and got so many nice photos from the area. It was fun to wear my bunad (national costume) while photographing in such beautiful national romantic surroundings.
In the end of the month a friend from town visited me. Fun to finally get to show some of my friends the island I’ve talked so much about ツ I also had my first family reunion photo assignment, which went well.
I also finally managed to sell the apartment me and my ex husband lived in for 8 years in the town of Sandnes on Jæren, after my sister and her husband had rented it after we moved. The market was bad, so we did not get what we hoped for – but we were at least rid of it.
-My album of spring flowers, chickens and lambs here.
6. Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow.
JUNE: Another month with many beautiful and warm days spent outside. It started with another visit by Richard, and finally I got to show him my home island from the sea. We went by boat to watch and photograph all the beautiful flora, nests and seagull chicks on the islets. He came back only one week later together with our friend Anne, and I showed and photographed the flora, nests and chicks at sea together with her too ツ
My summer holiday started early, after finishing my job on the local high school, and I started preparing for moving...again ; ) I also photographed in a wedding, which went very well.
I went to visit Richard to celebrate St John's Day/midsummer together with his family, and to go on some nice hikes together. He also showed me a really special island a short boat ride from his home island, with several special and large caves and potholes.
-A photo of one of the special caves here.
7. ♡ Last Flowers for Grandma ♡
JULY: Started with me moving again…to Richard’s home by the sea this time, on his charming home island called Eigerøy - a short drive from the town of Egersund ツ We spent much time this month waiting for long lasting nice weather, to go for a photography road trip with our new car in our beautiful country. While waiting, we packed out my stuff after moving in on the grey days, and spent the nice days in between (and several grey ones too) on beautiful and long hikes in the region I had just moved to. We participated in a a local selection of hikes, that we as participants tried to walk and register during the summer and early autumn season. A brilliant way of seeing and getting to know the municipalities in the region I had just moved to! Several of my friends also visited us this month, which was great fun.
In the mddle of the month my dear grandma and last grandparent suddenly felt more tired and exhausted and didn’t get out of bed any longer. She did always have a healthy mind, but now her age of nearly 96 years didn’t let her stay with us much longer. I and Richard went to visit her for a a little talk and a nice and touching goodbye 9 days before she died. I’m so thankful for that. She seemed to know that it was our last time seeing her, and she said precious and kind things to us. I also got to give her one last bunch of flowers - which she had appreciated getting from me all spring, and loved to smell. (In addition she always showed equal enjoyment when I brought her pizza and kebab, despite her 95 years of age)ツ She died peacefully on the evening of July 27 th. I'm thankful for all the good memories from trips on the sea, moments of playing, the delicious food she made for us, Santa gifts that got just as important in youth as in childhood, and for all the smiles and care ♥
When we were home visiting grandma, we also got to take some really nice summer images on my homeplace. After grandma died, the forecast finally predicted nice and long lasting weather, so we went on a short road trip while waiting for the funeral - starting in the mid-eastern part of Norway.
-My images from my new homeplace Eigerøy island here.
8. Cold Lake
AUGUST: We continued our road trip from the mid-eastern to the western part of Norway, and back to my home island Bømlo further south for grandma’s funeral. After some days filled with hikes and visits back home on Eigerøy, we started on our next photography road trip. The weather forecast was perfect! We went back to the mid-eastern part of the country – but to other places than on the previous road trip. Then we drove further north on the western part than last time. We were really lucky with the weather, and both of us enjoyed showing the other one places we had been before separately. Our memory cards got full of beautiful images and memories!
While we were exploring, my little sister gave birth to her first daughter and my parents’ first grandchild Alexandra, on the 15th - nearly one month before due date. So it was a little shock to get that call while we were away, but luckily all went really well with everyone ♥ ...and we never got to throw the baby shower we were planning =/ ; )
Back home again my dog Tessi also moved to Richard’s place (she had been with my ex-in-laws during the summer). We continued on all the beautiful hikes we participated in walking and registering, and I got temporary employments both on the local highschool in the town of my new homeplace Egersund, and on the higschool where I used to work in the town of Stavanger (with a 1.5 hour commute each way).
-My photos from the road trips, hikes and our home islands in summer here.
9. (Bottom left) My Dear Ones
SEPTEMBER: We went on the last and longest hikes that we wanted to register for the competition on the nice early autumn days. I finally started on a gym again for the first time in over one year (much needed), and got busy with training and luckily more work than in a long time. I also went on a Norway tour with my Gospel choir.
OCTOBER: Started with stunning weather and nice walks on beaches, forests, by the sea, and finally a night walk to Eigerøy lighthouse again - with wood for campfire, sausages, something good to drink and our cameras. The nice weather lasted nearly the whole month (not a guarantee at all where we live). We went to visit my family in the first part of my autumn holiday, got to photograph some stunning landscape reflections on our way home, and enjoyed ourselves and went on some hikes back home. I continued working/commuting and training, and had some singing assignments. We also went to my niece's christening where I was the photographer of the day. She is so adorable – I love taking photos of her ツ
-My album of autumn reflections and landscapes here, with several of the new ones on top.
11. ❀ The best thing to hold onto in life is each other ❀
NOVEMBER: No nature photography this month. I was busy with singing assignments on my spare time, and went to my home island to photograph another full-day-wedding. It’s really fun, but it’s always exhausting photographing and being focused for about 16 hours (!) I also got to photograph my niece for my sister’s Christmas cards. They got really cute ツ
I also got a new job this month, at the primary school on the island where we live! The routines, tasks and challenges are some different than I’m used to from working at highschools, and I miss my good colleagues and pupils in Stavanger – but now I don’t have to commute any longer, get to work more, have secured job a year ahead, and get to learn much.
In the end of November my Gospel choir always starts having our first Christmas performances and concerts together with known Scandinavian artist. These days and concerts always turn out really popular, fun and unforgettable. This year our first concerts were held together with the really talented twin sisters Garness. I’ve listened to them since we all were nine years old, and have been on their concerts every year for a long time. Talented people in my choir writes a new Christmas song for the concerts each year, together with the artist(s) of the year. This December our song “Julens Sang”, about our Savior and Brother was played on the National radio every day ツ You can find it on Spotify, Tidal and iTunes.
-Garness’ performing their beautiful Christmas songs are found here, on YouTube.
12. 4th Sunday of Advent Rising
DECEMBER: I only went out to photograph a few mornings and evenings in the immediate area this month. We enjoyed ourselves at home and on walks with the dog (without cameras) in my spare time. We finished the choir’s Christmas performances in the start of the month and I only had small singing assignments later, so I also had time to go on some Christmas concerts myself – just to listen and enjoy. I also went on two fun colleague Christmas parties – both with my old and my new job.
We celebrated Christmas Eve together with Richard’s family – which was really nice. Sadly he got ill that evening and also got a bad back prolapse, so we had to cancel the rest of our plans for the holiday. I also had to work during the holiday for the first time in 10 years, so we couldn’t do as much as I’m used to during this period. The Christmas weather have been really windy, rainy and mild anyway – so my walks with the dog in the immediate area have been enough. On the 26th the wind even blew in hurricane force on our island. But the most important thing is to be together and enjoy ourselves the best we can at home when we’re together, and for him to get well ♥
On Christmas Eve I reached a goal: I have tried to get rid of the more than 5 extra kilos I gained after getting together with Richard – by having much good food and drink, and little exercising ; ) And two months after I started counting calories (but really didn’t change my habits that much) in addition to the regular training, I was back to normal again this Christmas ツIf I’ll get rid of even more now due to my new habits, it will only be a bonus ツ
We had planned to celebrate New Year on my home island together with my family who I hadn’t seen all Christmas, but now we can’t travel that far – so I’ll make a cozy celebration at home for the two of us instead – just like we did last year ♥
-My album of Christmas images here.
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As you can see, the previous year has again brought many beautiful Norwegian nature experiences and photographs, new jobs with nice colleagues, and yet a new homeplace – where I know few people but have got to know most of its places which are both cozy, idyllic and beautiful. Luckily the even more familiar places, many of my friends and some of my family (including my little niece) are only an our by car or train away. And a fun thing is that two of my friends also have got boyfriends who live in our town.
I’m glad I spent some months on my home island this spring, before moving back to the county where I’ve lived for a long time now, since studying. I’m so thankful for spending so much more time together with my grandma than in many years, during what turned out to be the last months of her life.
An era is over now when all our grandparents and everyone at their age in our family are gone. But a new one started only 2.5 weeks after my grandma passed away – when my niece was born and my parents got their first grandchild ♥
I’m ready for a new year together with all my loved ones, maybe some new acquaintances on my new home place, and of course my camera ツ
Thanks to you who bothered reading this, and to all my Flickr followers!
I hope you'll have a nice New Year’s Eve, and a:
☆¯`★´¯☆ ✿¸.•*¨★*☆*★`*•..¸✿ ☆¯`★´¯☆
★[̲̅̅H̲̅][̲̅̅A̲̅][̲̅̅P̲̅][̲̅̅P̲̅][̲̅̅Y̲̅]★[̲̅̅N̲̅][̲̅̅E̲̅][̲̅̅W̲̅]★[̲̅̅Y̲̅][̲̅̅E̲̅][̲̅̅A̲̅][̲̅̅R̲̅]★
♪ ღ ♪ •*•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*• ♪ ღ ♪ •*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*• ♪ ღ ♪
...filled with nice days and joy!
To watch and read my Highlights of 2013, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2014, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2015, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2017, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2018, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2019, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2020, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2021, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2022, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2023, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2024, take a look here.
I'm doing a little thing over on my Instagram at @TreyRatcliff where I am uploading 25 Burning Man photos a day for 10 days to my Insta story... doing that so I can get make those "Highlights" thing at the top of my profile. I should really utilize those things better, so this is my little push in that direction!
Inspired by many great photos I've seen on Flickr where the foreground and background colours are balanced.
The subject is an orange Stabilo highlighter pen photographed from an elevated view. I placed the pen on an orange piece of paper which had been chosen to complements the felt tip of the highlighter. The pen is backlit using an A4 crafting lightbox.
For the 'Macro Mondays' - 'From The Top' challenge 30th March 2015.
The Rainy Day Bandit strikes again!
I think it has been 3 or 4 years since I have had a chance to shoot a rainy day during the evening rush hour and boy was it a treat! I'd have to check my files, but I might never have had the opportunity before to shoot the rain and rush hour on a Friday with both a mix of weekend tourists and downtown worker bees.
available for purchase through GettyImages.com: www.gettyimages.ca/detail/photo/frosted-tips-of-maple-tre...
Metroline TE951 (LK58KHU) in South Harrow on a 114 service to Ruislip Station.
Station has been added to these new blinds as a way of improving the accuracy of the destination display, as the bus does not actually serve the central area of Ruislip.
(One photo from each month, starting top left. You can read more about these photos and each month of my 2018 below.)
I’m so blessed to always have so much to be grateful for when I get to the end of a year. 2018 have been a great, fun and busy year – once again filled with lots of traveling, lots of photography assignments, work and singing. We’ve had a crazy cold winter and an abnormal warm and nice spring and summer, before a regular mixed weather autumn. I’ve also got a new nephew this year ♡
You can read more about each month of my 2018 below if you’d like to:
1. (Top left) • Nobody can make you happy until you’re happy with yourself first •
JANUARY: The first weekend of the new year was a beautiful one with perfect conditions for sunset and sunrise photos. We went on our traditional New Year’s trip to Eigerøy lighthouse nearby, for photographing in the sunset and sausages on the bonfire. This time we brought two photography friends, who loved it too. I love to show my friends the beauitful island I now live on. (Actually my self portrait by the bonfire that evening was published on the middle pages of Norway’s largest photography magazine six months later.)
In the middle of the month we also got to photograph the lighthouse in a thin layer of snow that we had for several days (it’s not often we get snow here by the coast). I also was really good at going on walks with my dog Tessi and Richard on my spare time this month (which I failed to maintain when the spring arrived and I got too many photography assignments to edit). I also did some fun singing together with my beloved gospel choir and an American gospel artist-friend of ours this month.
The one nice but also sad thing this month (and the next ones), was that I got to know that my little sister was expecting her second child, but she had severe pregnancy sickness which led to lots of vomiting and no food intake, weightloss and dehydration, feeding tubes and hospital for almost the whole pregnancy. (But luckily everything went well in the end, and her baby boy born in July was big and healthy.)
-My album of more images of Eigerøy lighthouse and the rest of the island here.
FEBRUARY: Started with a long week of nice weather and frost, which we appreciate since it often is wind and rain at this time. The first weekend we went back to the local lighthouse to photograph during the sunset and eat sausages from the bonfire, together with Richard’s sister and her boyfriend for the first time. We had some road trips and several walks during the first weeks of the month, and photographed snow, ice and sunsets on several of them.
I didn’t have a winter break this year like I often get to, but we had a nice time together with the few pupils with special needs that we some times have at school during vacations (like walking and playing in the snow, go to the cinema and go by train to the town of Stavanger to enjoy ourselves). I also picked up my new Samyang 10mm f/2.8 lens in Stavanger, for much better and wider night images ツ They also removed four dilapidated neighbouring houses of ours this month, so that we can see both the roe deer, sunsets and northerns lights better when they are present.
In the middle of the month we had one exciting weekend on Ryvarden lighthouse (on the photo in the collage), close to where I’m from. I was there to photograph the nature, lighthouse, art gallery, hikers, café and hosts for the local travel guide company called Visit Sunnhordland. We stayed for free in the nice former lighthouse keeper's residence, with the lighthouse right outside. And we got lots of good homemade food and local made drinks. We were really lucky with the weather – we got both nice sunsets, dramatic clouds, rainbows, starlit nights and even some northern lights over the island I’m from in the horizon. I really got to test my new lens, that I’m really satisfied with.
-My album of night images here.
3. Hunting
MARCH: Started with singing in a studio for a local band that has used me as a backing vocalist this year, on their first CD. I also sang in the year’s first wedding this month, which I love, and had some fun singing with my gospel choir and a known and beloved pastor before Easter, and together with .
The weather was nice but really cold this month, and we had several cold records on the month’s first day - it certainly didn't feel like «the first day of spring». But it gave lots of nice and special ice art to photograph along the sea and lakes!
I was alone most of this month. Richard went away for three weeks on a rehabilitation center in Sogn og Fjordane county, and my dog went to my parents at the same time until I went for an Easter vacation there too. It was both lots of fun and lots of work to spend the vacation on my home island. The really fun part was to go by boat three days in a row together with an acquaintance to photograph several sea eagles (and other seabirds) up close, in beautiful and still weather.
The tiresome but necessary thing was that I almost didn’t have time to be together with my family or friends, since I spent too many hours and days on my uncle’s attic – finally sorting the about 40 moving boxes of belongings that I hadn’t looked at in two years, or more for some of them. There were so much to throw, sell and give away.
I also finally got to photograph the first long-awaited spring flowers during Easter, among the green one day and after digging them out of the snow (!) the next ones. I also got to capture some northern lights this month, which doesn't happen often where we live.
-The ice images from this month and from earlier here.
4. (Top right) Teddy the Toy Poodle
APRIL: We had some nice road trips, walks and boat trips during the month where we photographed the first migratory birds, spring flowers and the local lighthouse. In the end of the month I had the first two of all the portrait photography assignments this year. First of our nice neighbouring family, and then of this cute puppy in the collage that came a long way to be photographed.
I also had one really busy and fun weekend of much singing – both in my former boss's birthday party (where I also was pleased to meet several of my former colleagues), as a backing vocalist on the release concert of a band, and in beetween all this - two days of singing together with my gospel choir, the amazing American gospel artist Judith McAllister (who actually has visited us several times), and several other gospel choirs and singers from the same county.
-One of the nice spring flower photos from this month here.
5. (Middle left) ~ Flapping in the Wind ~
MAY: I was lucky to photograph portraits of six seperate confirmands in the start of the month. They were all so beautiful and really good in front of the camera. Most of them had their beautiful national costumes on (called «bunad»), and several of them wanted to include animals in the photos - both rabbits, lambs, a calf and a cat, and also a surfboard and a vintage carツIt got really busy after the photo shoots too, since I used all my spare time on editing their photos and had to downgrade both hikes and workouts for a long time. But it was really fun and worth it, and I got really satisfied with the results ツ
I also sang several songs in one of the confirmations, and some in a funeral. Two opposite aspects of life – but I love to share appropriate lyrics and melodies to people in all stages of life.
We went on our traditional May road trip over a five days long weekend in the middle of the month, which started with Norway’s national day. We went to Hardanger and Sogn, which are some of our favourite regions in western Norway, and only stayed on beautiful and nostalgic accomodations with great hospitality and delicious food. We stayed on Norways oldest hotel (again) on our National day, which was perfect. We got lots of nice images of waterfalls, mountains, reflections in fjords and lakes, fruit blossoms and even lots of charming alpacas on a farm we stayed on. We also finally got to experience the Flåm railway and got some nice photos of and from it.
The weather was abnormally warm, dry and nice all month – just like a beautiful summer, and we had lots of heat records around the country. When we came home from the road trip, it was nice to find the seabird nests with new eggs and the first summer flowers by the sea close to our house. I love the feeling of these first sights each year!
The last weekend I went to London together with my gospel choir. We sang on the big festival called Big church day out, and in Kensington Temple. We also had time to do lots of shopping and enjoy good food.
-My album containing the beautiful confirmands I’ve photographed here.
JUNE: Started with a backing vocalist job for a band on their outdoor concert in the hot sunshine. I also photographed one last confirmand who loved soccer, and a really cute one year old both inside and out in the green. My choir had a really fun concert together with the Swedish pianist and singer Per-Erik Hallin, who actually was a friend and pianist for Elvis back in the days, and I also got to sing at the wedding of a colleague of mine. My parents also came to help us finishing the work with our new basement apartment and terrace. We aren’t good at that kind of work ourselves, but my dad is a carpenter and my mom is, among other things, very good at painting – so they always are a really good help.
The weather was really nice, warm and dry this month too. It was a really long time since we had such a dry spring and summer in Norway, and the farmers struggled with the crops in most parts of the country. The summer flowers didn’t last long since the dry weather made them wither much earlier than usual. But the baby birds hatched, and I was lucky to check some of the nests nearby just when the chicks came ut of their eggs. I’ll never get too old to be amazed by all these wonders of nature ツ(Even though the sad thing is that the American mink, which doesn’t belong in our nature, took most of the chicks and eggs right after, and only a few of them that was furthest away from the sea/closest to our house grew up.)
-My album of nests and birds here.
JULY: The first thing I did this month was to have a mini concert by the local lighthouse, to raise money for an orphanage in Tanzania, organized by some locals on the island I live on.
Some days later I went on holiday to my parents’ home, before Richard came too and we went on a new exciting Norway road trip for 12 days - in the whole western part of Norway (in most parts of Sogn og Fjordane and Møre og Romsdal counties). We drove by the coast one way, and by the mountains and fjords back home. I got to revisit so many beautiful places and accomodations, and we also went to the few places I hadn’t been to in the region yet. To Richard almost every place was new, and it was fun to be his guide ツ
There are too many highlights from that road trip, and hard to pick just one photo to represent the month. I chose the puffin since it was really fun to photograph them (and the great skuas) again, on Runde island. It’s starting to be a while since I last photographed them on Shetland and the Faroe Islands. I also loved going back to the Ytre Nordfjord area, and to stay at the spectacular Kråkenes lighthouse at summer, since I’d only been there during winter before. I also loved the little island we went to by boat to spend one night, by the Atlantic Road. It was also nice to finally take a hike in the beautiful Innerdalen valley, and on one of the beautiful mountains in Rauma with a stunning view towards the amazing Troll Wall. The most surprising highlight was to spend a night in Geiranger. I always feel that there are too many tourists and traffic there, but when the cruise ships had left in the evening – it was really cozy and not that many tourists left. I loved our fjord view room and to sit on the restaurant on the quay, right outside the hotel. We also found a new absolute favourite hotel and restaurant in Voss, which we use to drive past on our trips.
The weather were almost too good this month too, and many Norwegians started to pray for some rain and water to save the gardens and crops.
In the end of the month I got to photograph a newborn baby boy, and I had a new assignment for the local travel guide company where I’m from; We spent two days and nights on an idyllic island called Espevær (belonging to the municipality I’m from), to photograph the coastal life, people and the new restaurant there. I got to know so many helpful and nice inhabitants, and got many nice photos of children and adults at sea, fishing, rowing, eating and so on. And we got so much delicious food and drink from the restaurant I photographed in!
When we got back home, my sister who lives one hour away from us gave birth to a perfect boy called Adrian, on the 29th ♡
-Some of the photos from our road trip and the areas we visited here.
AUGUST: Started with meeting my beautiful new nephew, and take his newborn photos. The long lasting nice and dry weather came to an end now, and the farmers finally got some rain after three months. Not normal in Norway at all. But then there were floods in many places due to the dry soil.
It was a really busy month with wedding photography assignments all four weekends (!) in four different municipalities, work (still as a social worker on the lower secondary school where I started one year ago), and lots of editing on the wedding photos in all my sparetime. But it was fun to get the chance to photograph that many happy couples, and I got many nice photos of them. Between everything, my brother and his fiancee came to visit us and test our new basement apartment for some nights ツ
I also as a whim contacted the local department of The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals, hoping to get to meet more charming animals to photograph as a volunteer for their adoption ads and calendars, and also in that way meet more people where I live. Now I've photographed for them every month since I contacted them. Both animals in foster care in private homes, and on the local center. I hoped to get to photograph different kinds of animals but 99% have been cats. Most of them adults, but some cute kittens too like Shoko and Sheri in the collage, who were the first ones that I photographed in the end of August. I didn’t use to like cats that much compared to dogs, but now I’ve started to think that it's really nice to meet that many different cats - beautiful in their own ways, and with very different personalities ツ
-My album containing the wedding photos from this month here.
9. (Bottom left) The Power of Nature
SEPTEMBER: Started with a still and warm weekend, and I went on several road trips and hikes together with my mother-in-law, while Richard and my dog was away for a couple of weeks. We got som nice hiking images and captured the first autumn colours. I also was happy to get a new cat to photograph for the Society for Protection of Animals, and had lots of fun on a rehearsal weekend together with my choir.
Later there were much rain outside and lots of wedding photo editing on my spare time. But I also had to take the time to start workout again, after too many months without due to the busyness. Then the autumn storms arrived too, and one day while the wind turned and the rain stopped we got some nice storm photos like the one in the collage.
My choir also had an amazing weekend together with the American gospel singer Donald Lawrence who revisited us, and I was backupsinger on a concert again for the local band that I had been singing with through the year.
-My images of autumn leaves and colours here.
OCTOBER: The rain and floods continued, but we had some nice days in between and most weekends were really nice. I used them to go on several nice road trips and hikes both together with Richard, my mother-in-law (the most) and my mother when she was on a visit, and we made several nice experiences and memories together. I also got some last nice autumn images before all the leaves blew away.
I also had a little autumn break, where we and our dog went to some nice places and accomodations by the sea, in the southern part of Norway. There were also a beautiful autumn coloured forest and a still lake on the first place we stayed (Farsund), and I got lots of nice autumn photos. I got the fun autumn umbrella on the photo in the collage from Richard for this trip ツWe also got to see and photograph the sunset again from the beautiful Lindesnes lighthouse.
Later my kind aunt, uncle and their cat came on their first overnight visit since I moved here 2.5 years ago. I finally got to take some nice photos of their cat Alma, like I’ve wanted for a long time. She has a really beautiful thick grey fur.
The last weekend my parents came and we went celebrating my nephew’s baptism, where I got to be a godmother ♡
-More of the autumn sceneries I captured this month here.
11. Low Sun Season
NOVEMBER: Finally the wedding photo editing came to an end, and I started rehearsing for this year’s Christmas concerts. In the weekends we had some lovely hikes where I got some nice sunshine photos, and we went on a photography fair where we met several of the nice photographers we mostly communicate with on the internet.
The last week of the month my gospel choir held three Christmas concerts in two days, together with a part of the amazing Stavanger symphony orchestra. AND at the same time, I got to know that I was one of 16 lucky ones from the choir chosen to share stage with THE Mariah Carey on four songs at her Christmas concert in Stavanger (!) on December 1 (the first on her European tour). So two days later, on the last day of the month - tired after being up all night rehearsing on all the choreography we got for Mariah’s songs, I met up at her stage for rehearsal right after work and did my best together with the others. Little did I know that it was the movements and not the singing that would be the most important, but after seeing us try our best they made the choreography a little easier for us and it went really well in the endツ We spent five hours on stage and backstaget that first day of rehearsals, and it was an awesome experience. All the people that worked, sang and danced for her were great people! And of course to see and hear her sing for the first time was a little bit of an surreal experience.
-Here you can listen to two of the songs my choir recorded for our Christmas CD last year, together with the symphony orchestra we had concerts together with this year too:
12. ~۰ Grateful ۰~
DECEMBER: Started with 10 hours of rehearsing, preparing and having an awesome time before and at Mariah Carey’s Christmas concert. A once-in-a-lifetime experience! We joined her on the songs Joy to the world, Silent night and All I want for Christmas, and performed together with her talented backup singer on Jesus oh what a wonderful child. When we weren’t on the stage we stood right by it, and watched the rest of the show really up close together with the rest of the stage workers. It was SO much fun, and the feedback from the nearly 7000 people in the audience was so fun to experience! The next day my choir also sang on the annual and cozy Christmas tree lighting in the town of Stavanger, and on two large Christmas concerts in the concert hall the next weekend. I also attended one concert in the town where I live right before Christmas.
I also had lots of fun when many of my former colleagues that I hadn’t seen for a long time, came to my new hometown and invited me with them on a restaurant and to the local cozy Christmas Market. I just love being together with them, and miss working with them. The next day we had a Christmas party with my new colleagues. They are luckily great people too ツ
As you can see, I use to have little time to photograph in December. But I went to the local center for The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals in the middle of the month, to photograph 13 cats and one rabbit that’s ready for adoption. A lovely experience. And we got to enjoy at least one of the nice and cold days outside with our cameras, both by still lakes and during sunset at the beach on the day before Christmas.
Even though we haven’t had any traces of snow as I always hope for for the extra Christmas mood, it’s been a really nice and relaxing Christmas. We’ve celebrated together with Richard’s kind and fun family. And now we’ve arrived on the island I’m from to celebrate New Year with my parents, siblings, sbilings-in-law, niece and nephew. Exciting!
-Here's a video of us performing together with Mariah Carey.
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Now I’m ready for an active and fun new year filled with more of everything I love and feel so blessed to do. I’ll start the wedding singer season already in the middle of January, and the same weekend the great gospel artist Norman Hutchins will revisit my choir. I really look forward to sing with him again! I also look forward to our Easter concert tour around the southern part of Norway.
I hope for some nice weekends closer to spring, so that we can use both my birthday and Christmas gifts for Richard – which are weekends on one idyllic island in our county, and on a hotel and their gourmet restaurant and golf course in southern Norway. I also hope for a new long weekend road trip in May, and we will also plan another Norway road trip for the summer. We just can’t get enough of our beautiful country ツ In October I will go to Israel for the first time together with my choir.
I also really look forward to several confirmand photography assignments in May (love those photoshoots!), and some more wedding singing in the summer season. I also hope to get to photograph more charming animals for charity. In September my brother will get married, and I will both sing and photograph them – can’t wait! ♡
Even though I have many things planned already for the new year, I hope to fill the regular weekdays and weekends with even more time together with my loved ones and in nature than I have had the time to lately. And like I wrote one year ago - I hope that even more friends and family, especially those who haven’t been to my new beautiful homeplace yet, will come to stay in our new basement apartment through the year. There’s so many nice things to show and walks to go on the island and in the area.
Thanks to you who wanted to read about my year, and to all my photography followers!
Wishing you all a blessed 2019, filled with joy and nice experiences!
☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆
╔╗╔╦══╦═╦═╦╗╔╗ ★ ★ ★
║╚╝║══║═║═║╚╝║ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆
║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ ★ NEW YEAR ☆ 2019
╚╝╚╩╝╚╩╝╚╝═╚╝ ♥￥☆★☆★☆￥ ♥ ★☆ ♥
To watch and read my Highlights of 2013, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2014, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2015, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2016, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2017, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2019, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2020, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2021, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2022, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2023, take a look here.
To watch and read my Highlights of 2024, take a look here.
Taken during a sunrise shoot at Susan Gilmore Beach, NSW, Australia.
I've noticed that my eye is drawn to the brightest parts of an image first, so I tried to catch the brightness of the sunlit wave as it broke.
This small beach was once locally infamous as a nudist beach, but changing times and attitudes have changed this trend.
As always, thanks for any comments, views or favorites, they are much appreciated!