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My new blog is over here at http://sammyorchard.tumblr.com

Max and I also have a blog for our comedy material at http://maxandsam.tumblr.com

Long Time No Post

There's been a lot going on in Sammy land over the past two months. Each of these little things have added up to the fact that I couldn't keep up with my daily photo anymore. The main factor being work six nights a week at Mezethes from 6pm onwards, which also usually happens to be my most creative time of day. I'm going to try to update the blog on a weekly basis or so just to keep my photography passion moving forward. I've recently lost my hotshoe trigger for my cybersyncs too which means no flash photography until i can afford to replace it. That really sucks as it's one of the aspects of photography I enjoy the most.

We've also been given a notice to vacate premises from our current share house by the 28th December which is a pretty lame thing to do. On a good note though, this means Katie and I can find a house together. We've got our eye on one house in particular and have made all the applications but are still waiting to hear back from the real estate agents. Being homeless three days after Christmas isn't my ideal way to spend the festive season.

I'll update the blog again in a couple of days but for now here's a couple of photos from Katie and My getaway long weekend on the north west coast of Tasmania in November. More photos over on my flickr.

Day One Hundred Twenty One - Rolo Tony Brown Town

Uni is just about done for the year. I know I've been pretty slack lately at updating this blog. It's not so much me being slack, but more that I've been busy as fuck. Working in a busy restaurant four nights a week and stacking fruit the other three, when added to a full time uni workload and freelance video work, definitely puts a little bit of a damper on a photography hobby. In short, I haven't really had time! I'm freeing up a little at the moment though as two out of my three units for uni are handed in and done. The third unit, which is a trailer for a short film we were supposed to get done, should be done by Wednesday. *big sigh*. Being busy also means I haven't had much time to see Katie. She's been really busy too. It sucks. We're going away together for my birthday in a few weeks though so that's really exciting!! =) I can't wait!!

I have a terrible cold at the moment. I've lost my voice and am snotting all over the place. It's pretty fucking gross. I also had the pleasure of waiting last night with only half a voice. Wasn't too fun. Luckily my boss took pity on me and gave me tonight off. I love Stas. It's a weird feeling having to take a 'sicky' when I actually do want to be at work. As stressful and busy as hospitality is, I do kinda enjoy it. Maybe it's the people I work with. But I always leave the restaurant smiling and with a feeling of achievement rather than finishing work at Woolies and wanting to get the fuck out of there as fast as possible.

Kittens are growing up fast! They're all I've really had time to photograph in the last two weeks, which is pretty evident. They are so adorable though and I love them all. Seeing them go in a couple of weeks will be very sad. Katie and I are keeping one. I think I've already mentioned this but it's quite exciting nonetheless. I think my heart has found a special place for runty, even though I originally didn't like him much. But shh. Don't tell him I said that! He's got such a fun personality and is always the most curious and outgoing of the three. And of course he's a little cutie. He's male obviously. The brown tabby is also male leaving the grey tabby as the only female of the three kittens, apart from mother kitty of course. =)

Also, I should also add a few words for Jiraiya. He was one of my favourite characters. Poor Old Pervy Sage. Naruto won't be the same without you!

Day One Hundred Twenty - Runty

I felt a bit sorry for this guy at first. He was the smallest of the three kittens and his fur took the longest to grow. I thought he might have ended up really small and ugly but he's kinda turning out really cute now and i'm beginning to favour him over the others! I know that's a little harsh, because I love all of them but this guy is really cute and loves to adventure around the room by himself. All of the kittens slept with their mumma on my bed last night. It was rather cute.

Nikon D200
35mm f2
Ambient Light.

Day One Hundred Nineteen - Album Cover

So Max has appeared in a few of my photos as a creepy looking 80's character lately. I'm aware of this. There is a reason though and you'll all see it soon enough. Depends if our new 80's band really takes off or not though...Hmm

Day One Hundred Eighteen - Meow

Kittens have opened their eyes well and truly now and they're wobbling around the box in a drunken state. This little guy has just figured out there's a world outside the box too and has begun to attempt to climb out. Oh I love kittens.

Day One Hundred Seventeen - Simplicity

Something simple for today. It even seems like a little bit of a cop out for me to post a photo that was taken as I was walking rather than a photo that I'd put a lot of thought into. However, something about the balance and composition of this photo had me just staring at it for quite a while. I still don't even know what it is. Maybe I'm the only one who likes it. I suppose at the end of the day that's all that matters anyway.

I didn't have much time to think about a photo or set much up today but I still want to keep in routine or I'll let myself slack off too much, and at a time of year such as this when uni work is piling up and due dates are ever so quickly approaching, lack of routine is not a good thing.

On a good note, not that there was anything bad about the above, but I had a great night at work tonight. I'm finally getting the hang of the menu at Mezethes and the whole waiting and serving thing is starting to come to me more naturally which is a good thing. It allows me to have a bit of fun with work and take my mind off things which is a luxury i haven't had in a while. I use the term luxury very lightly too. Waiting is not a luxury in the traditional sense, quite the opposite. But it's an escape from my busy and cluttered mind and it's something that gives me quite a bit of satisfaction too. It also helps that the people I work with are great guys and heaps of fun!!

I'm off to bed. Today's been long enough.

Day One Hundred Sixteen - Since You've Been Gone

This is Max as an eighties rock star belting out some lyrics to his latest hit. Yeah we filmed more today for the eighties filmclip. It was pretty amazing.

Ambient/Stage lights.

Day One Hundred Fifteen - Hitching to the Eighties

Max and I filmed a scene for our eighties filmclip today which we'll have to finish over the next couple of days as i'm pretty sure Max doesn't want to have a Hall and Oats style mustache for much longer than that, especially working as a waiter.

Ambient Light.

Day One Hundred Fourteen - Home Recordings

I bought a shiney new, but secondhand mixer the other week. I've been putting it to good use with Max and have recorded a nice 80's love song which will soon have a filmclip to accompany it in the vain of cliff richard. Oh yeah. Next it's the Cranberries.

Strobist
Vivitar 285hv at 1/16th bounced off the roof

Day One Hundred Thirteen - Kitten Cuddles

This is my favourite of the three little kittens. It seems Kitten has taken a liking to it also. =)

Day One Hundred Twelve - Passers By

Sitting on the porch at our place is a pretty daily thing these days, especially as the weather is warming up. I find it interesting watching all the different people that walk past.

Day One Hundred Eleven - One Day Old

Kittens are one day old. This little guy is one of my favourites of the three. He's sitting in the hands of my favourite person too!! Katie and I are going to keep one of them together. Most likely this little guy.

Day One Hundred Ten - Mother Kitten

Kitten is finally a mother. I got home from work this morning to find three gorgeous little kittens curled up with a very proud and happy mother kitten. Unfortunately the place she had decided to introduce these critters to the world was none other than my bed. INSIDE my bed. In fact, inside my doona.

This meant I had to relocate the mother kitten and three little kittens to a nicely prepared box and convince her it was okay to sleep in there. Then it was off to the laundromat to get my bedding cleaned up. Definitely worth it though. I love kittens. =) It's so interesting how my perception of my cat has changed in such a short period of time. Yesterday I saw her as a playful little kitten as quirky as they come and now she seems like a mature woman with extraordinary mothering skills. The way she looks after them and grooms them is so adorable. When it gets a little cold or someone she doesn't recognise enters the room she shields them from view and the cold air. *sigh* kitteeeennssss!!

Day One Hundred Nine - More Grad Show Photos

Wilko needed a photo for the grad show booklet today so here we are!

Strobist
Vivitar 285hv at 1/16th to camera left into 43" reflective umbrella

Day One Hundred Eight - Graduate Catalogue

I took a photo for Dan for our catalogue of work for arts school graduates today and he also snapped a couple of me too. Full cheese.

Strobist
Vivitar 285hv at 1/16th to camera right into 43" reflective umbrella

Day One Hundred Seven - Wilko

Today was the Hobart Premiere for our DVD which STILL hasn't arrived back from replication. Apparently tomorrow they'll be here (Monday). So then the real excitement starts.

This shot was out in copping at Trav's place. Shot at ISO HI-3 which is equivalent to about ISO 6400 or something. Also handheld at about 1/20th so that explains the lack of detail!

Wilko's a legend.

Here's a couple more from the night. I'll upload the rest to my facebook when my internet isn't being a tortoise.

Day One Hundred Six - Like A Child

Also on the second day of filming. This cell is also one of the dozens on the top floor or ward E at the abandoned Royal Derwent Site where we were filming over a couple of days this week.

Vivitar 285hv at 1/16th into 43" reflective umbrella just inside the door and to the left.
Camera handheld.

Same settings for the photo below...

Day One Hundred Five - Bathroom

From the First day out at Royal Derwent during a break from filming. This is in the old bathroom just around the corner from where most of the dialogue in the film took place.

Vivitar 285hv at 1/16th into 43" reflective umbrella just inside the door and to the left.
Camera handheld.

Day One Hundred Four - Just Like Raindrops

I am in no way advocating that you listen to Basement Jaxx. I do not either.
I know i've missed about a week of photos. Things have been hectic around here lately. The end of 2nd Semester for 3rd Year Uni is fast approaching and different projects are being hauled my way from every angle giving me no time to really think about photography. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in New Norfolk filming solidly for the short film Mark, Viv, Dan, Angus and I are doing. It's ultimately Mark and I's project as we're being asessed on it but we're also planning on entering it into trop fest.

This shot was taken downstairs in Ward E at willow court. It was raining pretty consitantly all day which was a bit of an annoyance. Oh and Handheld too. I'm going to try and keep up with the daily photo but things are only going to become more and more busy for me as uni due dates creep up and shifts at work pop up.

Maybe a photo every second or third day might be more realistic!