3. December 2012 11:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden playing with water 3. December 2012 11:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaiden playing with waterShareNeedless to say that our lives currently revolve around looking after Lucas and Aiden. This Saturday I took Aiden swimming in the morning and I must say that he is getting more and more confident in the water. We reached another milestone with him being happy to just swim around (in circles mostly) wearing his floaties without holding onto me.In the afternoon it was really hot...36 degrees in the shade, so we decided to let him have some more waterfun at home in the inflatable pool.
3. December 2012 11:15 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden playing with Playdough 3. December 2012 11:15 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaiden playing with playdoughShareThis weekend we bought some playdough for Aiden to play with.Initially he wasn't sure what to do with it, but after a while with a bit of guidance he started getting a bit more creative.
3. December 2012 01:25 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments First December 2012 3. December 2012 01:25 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweet1 dec 2012Share It is now the first of december and the Christmas shopping has started in the shopping centres. The other day the mall has a big sale and with that sale they has different characters walk the floor...in this case a Teddy with a girlie Santa. Aiden was very excited but a lille scared of the big teddy bear.
25. November 2012 11:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Lucas two and a half months 25. November 2012 11:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetlucas two and a half monthsShareLast week Kim asked me to bring the camera an take some photos of Lucas on the bed.He is now two and an half months old and is now able to smile and get excited when he sees you and when you talk to him.He is still keeping mummy up at night although we think he is getting a bit better on that front.
24. November 2012 01:21 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments An Oldie, but a goodie 24. November 2012 01:21 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetan oldie but a goodieShareThis photo was actually taken more than 6 months ago, but going through some old photos I found it too good not to post.I was setting up for a pregnancy shoot (then Kim was 4 months due) and Aiden was trying to assist me with the setup. He happened to sit down it the perfect spot and give me a pose that tells so much about his character at that time...sucking his fingers and everything. ...and by pure coincidence it happened that the photo was perfectly lit.
20. November 2012 12:56 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Lucas Foot 20. November 2012 12:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetlucas footShareI took this photo a couple of months ago, but haven't come around to finishing it until now. It is a photo of Lucas' foot in my hands.
12. November 2012 11:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Old Photo - Aiden/Daddy looks the same? 12. November 2012 11:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetold photo aiden daddy looks the sameShareI found this old photo of myself that my dad took of me when I was about 3 years old (I think). Looking at Aiden today there is a strong resemblance in the facial features.The photo was badly damaged and requires a fair bit of restoration, but at least I now have a digital copy of the photo.
12. November 2012 07:31 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Kim and Lucas 2 Months 12. November 2012 07:31 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetkim and lucas 2 monthsShareThe other night Kim was sitting on the sofa with Lucas. They turned towards me and I took the following photos just using the built-in flash of my new camera.
12. November 2012 01:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Lucas 2 Month Photos 12. November 2012 01:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetlucas 2 month photosShareIt has now been two months since Lucas was born and the other night we did another session taking some two month photos...this time of myself and Lucas. He has now grown a lot bigger and is a lot more alert to his surroundings. He is still not a very good sleeper although I think (Kim doesn't) he is improving a bit now. Kim is pretty worn out having to wake up at night to feed him and I can't help much as I have work to look after as well as Aiden.
11. November 2012 05:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Taronga Zoo Family day 2012 11. November 2012 05:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettaronga zoo family day 2012ShareThis year my work had organised a family day at Taronga zoo. Since Chong works for the same company we managed to have most of the family covered with tickets and food. It was great to show the kids some of the animals such as the big gorillas. Snow leopards. Mountain goats... Lions... And dinosaurs... They also put on a seal show for us and it was fun to watch them performing stunts. Aiden was absolutely mesmerised... By the end of the day everyone was knackered... Click here to see slideshow with more photos
24. December 2013 05:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Family Photos 2013 24. December 2013 05:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas family photos 2013ShareEvery year I do a family photo. This year we decided to use the gingerbread village and the tree as a backdrop. Merry Christmas.
23. December 2013 05:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Gingerbread Village 23. December 2013 05:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgingerbread villageShareOver the Christmas period Aiden and I have been building a Gingerbread village.It has been good fun for me to put the houses together and for Aiden to help with sticking on the kandy.
16. December 2013 12:56 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments More Christmas Photos 2013 16. December 2013 12:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmore christmas photos 2013ShareTonight I did some more photos...The plan was to get a photo of Lucas and Aiden together wrapped in christmas lights. It turned out to be impossible to get especially Lucas to sit still, so we eventually gave up and tried to do some individual shots...the photos below are the best of the lot...not great but will have to do. To be honest the best shot of the evening is the one above of Aiden which I took after we gave up with the chain.
16. December 2013 05:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Boys best mates 16. December 2013 05:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetboys best matesShareLucas is growing up really fast and him and Aiden are now best mates doing almost everything together (including fighting).
16. December 2013 04:57 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Garage Lizard 16. December 2013 04:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgarage lizardShareThe other day I found this in our garage.I had to look it up...but it turned up to be a blue tongue lizard but without the stumpy tail we normally see.I asked Kim if the kids could keep it...but she screamed and said no, so I released it into our garden.
16. December 2013 04:55 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Banana 16. December 2013 04:55 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas bananaShareYou can tell that Christmas is approaching when Banana's in Pyjamas is wearing a Christmas hat...oh and then there is the cute Santa's helper.
15. December 2013 07:42 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Kims dads birthday 2013 15. December 2013 07:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetkims dads birthday 2013ShareYesterday it was Kims dads Birthday and we celebrated with a big lunch party with cake and good food.And Kim was beautiful as ever and Lucas was very handsome...
10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Photos 2013 - Candles 10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas photos 2013 candlesShareChristmas is approaching fast. The Christmas tree is up and Kim is busy shopping for presents for the various people.The other night I managed to slot in 10 minutes for the first set of Christmas photos of Aiden and Lucas.I was shooting these with a 50mm f1.4 lens to get the nice blurry Christmas tree lights. This also meant that I didn't have much room to play with when it came to focus...almost impossible with two moving kids whily trying to get the right mood with facial expressions, tantrums etc. Aiden couldn't sit still and Lucas refused to wear his hat. What do they say...never photograph wild animals and children!
7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Concert 2013 7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas concertShareThe other day it was Aiden and Lucas Christmas concert with their daycare centre.This year they were supposed to dress up in some country's national clothes. We borrowed some Chinese clothes from KC and they looked very cute in it.The concert went very well. We were especially impressed how well Aiden was able to follow the instructions and the moves to the various dances.It was especially funny when they were singing this song with Konitchiwa...Namaste....BULA!!!! Lucas was also in the first part of the concert sitting down the front with one of the carers.
6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Big foot playing soccer 6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbig foot playing soccerShareAiden is still playing soccer once a week. Last week he insisted on wearing my shoes instead of his own.Maybe he was hinting that his old shoes are getting too small.
10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aidens 4th Birthday 10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis weekend we celebrated Aiden's 4th Birthday.Because of the weather forecast we decided to have iShareThis weekend we celebrated Aiden's 4th Birthday.Because of the weather forecast we decided to have it here at home rather than at the park as originally planned.As entertainment we had hired a pirate who came to do magic tricks and games with the kids for a few hours.We had combined Adams and Aidens birthday parties so there were a lot of kids and parents and lots of food and cake.
10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Mothers day card 2014 10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetHere is the Mothers day card that Aiden made this year.ShareHere is the Mothers day card that Aiden made this year.
10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Spiderman face paint 10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe other day Aiden cam back from daycare with Spiderman face paint.Normally he avoids face paint soShareThe other day Aiden cam back from daycare with Spiderman face paint.Normally he avoids face paint so him having the whole face painted was a first.
14. May 2014 07:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden at the filming of 'Play along with Sam' 14. May 2014 07:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetYesterday Aiden went with his daycare group to the filming of 'Play along with Sam'.All very formal ShareYesterday Aiden went with his daycare group to the filming of 'Play along with Sam'.All very formal with model release forms to be signed, what T-shirts they had to wear etc. Aiden said that he liked the dancing!I hope we get a chance to see the show at some stage and it will be interesting to see if we can see Aiden in it (he was sitting to the side).
8. May 2014 11:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden meets the Rabbitohs 8. May 2014 11:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetEarlier this week Aiden went with daycare to the local park and they happened to meet some of the plShareEarlier this week Aiden went with daycare to the local park and they happened to meet some of the players from the Rabbitohs (National Rugby League).Apparently he went missing from the group at one point and when they went looking for him it turned out that he was chatting to the players.
5. May 2014 15:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Australian Museum - Dinosaurs 5. May 2014 15:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAutumn has arrived and this weekend was really cold and wet so we decided that Sunday morning shouldShareAutumn has arrived and this weekend was really cold and wet so we decided that Sunday morning should be a museum day.We had heard that the Australian Museum has a dinosaur exhibition on, so we thought this could be fun for the kids.They had some pretty cool interactive displays on where you could interact with the dinosaurs.The kids handled it pretty well without being too scared (although they jumped a few times when they heard the loud roars).Some of the displays were pretty scary.And Aiden certainly wasn't too happy about posing next to the big teeth (reminds me of a photo with a crocodile from last year)....so dad had to show him that it wasn't scary at all.The skeletons were really impressive.Lucas was hing a good time staying close to mummy.And Aiden was having a great time exploring.
4. May 2014 09:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Don Quixote - The Russian Ballet 4. May 2014 09:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis weekend Kim and I went to the State Theatre in Sydney to watch the Russian ballet perform Don QShareThis weekend Kim and I went to the State Theatre in Sydney to watch the Russian ballet perform Don Quixote.The performance was pretty good and apparently they will be back next year performing Swan Lake.
2. May 2014 15:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments To my one and only - May 2014 2. May 2014 15:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetShare
1. May 2014 15:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Toronga Zoo April 2014 1. May 2014 15:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetA couple of weeks ago we made a trip to Taronga Zoo.One of the families from daycare had a spare pasShareA couple of weeks ago we made a trip to Taronga Zoo.One of the families from daycare had a spare pass that we borrowed for the day.First we went through the bird sanctuary and the kids were not overly impressed and were more interested in the waterfalls and the leaves fallen off the trees.After that we walked past the playground and Lucas immediately ran off (Aiden was a bit more hesitant as he is more cautious) and couldn't get enough of going down the big slide (by himself).The seal show was more to the taste of Aiden even though he'd seen it before.After this we went to the Australian section of the park to see some kangaroos (including a tree kangaroo) and other wildlife.
23. April 2014 12:04 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Open day photo shoot - Other various 23. April 2014 12:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetHere is some more photos from the shoot the other day. They are not my favourites, but good enough tShareHere is some more photos from the shoot the other day. They are not my favourites, but good enough to share I think.Model: Kerry Ann PetersonModel: Gabriella SrageModel: Emma Perceval
21. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Kim riding a bike 21. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetKim has never learned to ride a bike. One day at the park she borrowed Kaylas bike and gave it a tryShareKim has never learned to ride a bike. One day at the park she borrowed Kaylas bike and gave it a try.She did pretty good considering that she's never done it before.
20. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Cool art work 20. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetHere is some quick snaps of some public artwork that I find really cool.This artwork I found in the ShareHere is some quick snaps of some public artwork that I find really cool.This artwork I found in the Macquarie centre.It is thousands of plastic balls suspended from the ceiling.And this grafitti is from Redfern...I wish all grafitti was this well done.
19. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments The Tiger who came to tea 19. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne day we went with the kids to the opera house to experience a play called "The tiger who came to ShareOne day we went with the kids to the opera house to experience a play called "The tiger who came to tea" which is based on a childrens book of the same title.We had borrowed the book week before and read it to the kids so they were very excited and the play was really good fun and well made.
15. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Lindt Cafe 15. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne of the sad events of the year was the attack on the Lindt cafe in Sydney where a lone gunman tooShareOne of the sad events of the year was the attack on the Lindt cafe in Sydney where a lone gunman took the patrons as hostages. He was eventually shot by the police after killing two patrons.All of Sydney laid flowers in front of the cafe as Martins place.
22. November 2014 16:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Daydream island 22. November 2014 16:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetA couple of weeks ago we went to Daydream island in the Whitsunday islands at great barrier reef.ThiShareA couple of weeks ago we went to Daydream island in the Whitsunday islands at great barrier reef.This was a great opportunity to check out some of the natural beauties......such as Whitehaven beach.We spent a lot of time playing at the pool and at the beach.The resort has a massive inland lagoon with lots of stingrays and sharks that the kids loved.Aiden and Lucas were allowed to touch some of them including this live shark.and stingrays and star fish.And on the island there were lots of kangaroos.A beautiful place.And I did have time to do a bit of creative shooting.Eventually it was time to say goodbye to the island with a vulcan salute.
20. November 2014 14:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Mini open day photo shoot 20. November 2014 14:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn early November I did another open studio day. This time a mini day with less models, hair and makShareIn early November I did another open studio day. This time a mini day with less models, hair and makeup and studio setups.As usual it was good practice and fun to work with the various models. I think I did get some great photos and there were a lot of lessons learned that can be done better next time.Model: Charlotte de Lucey< Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 19. July 2020 13:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Indoor boudoir with Kateriina 19. July 2020 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThese photo are from a workshop I did with Kateriina as a model.It was mainly studio with fixed (hotShareThese photo are from a workshop I did with Kateriina as a model.It was mainly studio with fixed (hot) lights instead of strobes which I am more used to.Advantage of the fixed lights in a workshop setting is that it is easier to see what the light is like before taking the photo as well as having multiple photographers shooting at the same time. 21. June 2020 17:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aidens 10th Birthday 21. June 2020 17:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAidens birthday was during the covid lock down.Fortunately we were still allowed to have a couple ofShareAidens birthday was during the covid lock down.Fortunately we were still allowed to have a couple of his school friends over for a little celebration (his school was still open anyhow).We decided to have it in the garden with a fire pit with roasted marshmellows, sparklers followed by cake. 5. March 2020 20:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Shooting - 800m range 5. March 2020 20:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetRecently I had the chance to visit the shooting range at Malabar headland with a group of friends.I ShareRecently I had the chance to visit the shooting range at Malabar headland with a group of friends.I used to do a lot of shooting in my younger days, so I was curious to see if I still had it in me.On this day we were shooting on the 800 meter range (which is a very long distance) with 7.62 NATO rounds.The distance means that you cannot see where you hit, so they have an electronic readout next to the shooter. The two circles in the middle are about 25cm in diameter at the far end.Below is the group of shots from my round.This photo gives a better idea of the distance we were shooting at (It was also a very windy day)Apparently I shot the best round of the day including the regulars... Conclusion is that, yes, still got it and I may pick it up as a regular activity some time in the future. 20. October 2019 19:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Boracay Phillipines 20. October 2019 19:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetWith Kim having a few weeks gap between jobs and badly needing a break she wanted to go somewhere reShareWith Kim having a few weeks gap between jobs and badly needing a break she wanted to go somewhere relaxing and where the water and weather would be warm.After a bit of research we settled on a week to the Phillipines to an island called Boracay.This is a small island with the most beautiful beach we have seen anywhere outside of Bora Bora (interesting that both have the name 'Bora').The boys (and adults) managed to get a mighty sunburn already on the first day.The island also has the most amazing sunsets at the beach.Also lots of activity on the beach in the evenings whereas during the day is is mostly empty.We stayed in a large resort built around a golf course. It had seven swimming pools and we spend a lot of time here relaxing with the boys and sipping cocktails.It was really nice in the evenings to sit in a bar listening to cruisy music. Most of the restaurants and bars would have live entertainers on in the evenings.One day we went on a snorkeling trip around the island. The boys are well accustomed to snorkeling now and love it. Unfortunately I didn't bring an underwater housing on the trip, but I can say that the coral reef looks to be in a good shape although a lot of the larger schools of fish and large predatory fish seems to be scarce.We also did a day trip to the main island where we went through one of the local caves. The cave was full of little bats and also had other creatures that were attracted to the bats and insects such as a snake and spiders I've never seen before.We even spotted a large hermit crab (size of a hand).We also went to a local river where there was waterfalls and also rafts for the boys to have a play with.The food in general was pretty good although we only tried a couple of local dishes (Phillipines is not famous for its food). Especially some of the seafood was really nice.The way we got around the island was on these small tricycles. There are two types, the old ones pulled by a small moterbike and then the new ones which are all electric. The government wants to have all the old ones off the roads by 2024 which is very sensible both environmentally and economically as even the locals say that they make more money on the new ones.The main road however is horrendous. In late 2018 the island was closed for 6 months to any visitors due to them sorting out a lot of issues with the sewage system. This means that they have dug up the entire road to install large pipes along with a road widening. A lot of this was still ongoing with the main road being full of holes, but given that it is such a small place it was alright to still get around. 10. October 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Karate 10. October 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis year the boys started doing Karate.It was something that I've always wanted do do with them, soShareThis year the boys started doing Karate.It was something that I've always wanted do do with them, so we looked around for a place where initially they could join some kids classes and then along the way I'd join as well.Initially they got their red and white stripe belts (automatically)And then later they went up for grading to get their Red belts.They love training with some of the equipment that we have at home for it.Late in the year I joined as well once the sensei established some adult classes and I have now after 20 years (I did a bit of karate back in 1998) finally received my Red belt.Even Kim has taken a couple of classes - maybe she will even grade on of these days. 1. October 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden Holy Communion 1. October 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAiden as part of his school had to do his holy communion.He looked very handsome in his little suit.ShareAiden as part of his school had to do his holy communion.He looked very handsome in his little suit. 10. September 2019 21:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Canoeing with family at Royal national Park 10. September 2019 21:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweet Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coastal drive to Trogir - Croatia 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcoastal drive to trogir croatiaShareThe coastal drive from Dubrovnik back up to Trogir just north of Split is absolutely amazing. It follows the coastline closely all the way and it is both a fun drive and incredibly scenic. I found it better than the Great Ocean Road here in Australia. One minute the road is really close to the water and you can see all these little bays with crystal clear water and sometimes with small beaches and people swimming. Next minute the road is up high and you get an incredible view of all the high mountains and islands off the coast. The whole route is dotted with small towns and beautiful little churches. The road is really winding and does not have too much traffic on it, so it is a very pleasant and never boring. To complete the drive we also had to cross back into to Bosnia only to cross the border back into Croatia a few kilometers later. Unfortunately both Kim and Aiden missed out on much of the scenery as they were sleeping most of the way. Along the way we stopped in Markarska to get a bite to eat. It is an incredible little natural harbour with a steep backdrop to the mountains behind. We stopped for the night in a small island town called Trogir. It is a charming little town with narrow passageways and very nice little restaurants. It is very popular with the rich in their 150 foot motor boats. Kim had found a hotel right in the centre of the old town so we had to park outside the city and then walk in. We were only staying for one night, so it was easy for us to just pack one bag and leave the rest of our things in the boot of the car. Arriving to the hotel we found that the Aircon and TV wasn't working...we complained to the reception desk and they came to have a look at it. It turned out to have been turned off at the fuse box. We turned on the Aircon and it was quite noisy but at least it was somewhat working. Kim went to have a shower and suddenly I heard a very loud vacumm cleaner type sound and then Kim started screaming. I went out to the bathroom and there was water and soap everywhere...the walls, the doors (even the outside of the door) and the floor. The Jacuzzi in the bathroom had suddenly automatically turned itself on in the middle of her shower and the off switch wasn't working. The only way we could turn it off was on the fuse box...so now we knew why it was off when we arrived. This turned out to be probably the worst of the hotels (Hotel Fontana) that we stayed in...it was really unbearable hot in the room, we couldn't open the window because we would be attacked my moscitoes, and if we wanted to turn on the noisy aircondition then the jacuzzi would automatically start every 10 minutes and disrupt our sleep. And the included breakfast was also not worth writing home about. But besides from that Trogir was very nice. We spent a fair bit of time getting lost in the small alleys. Kim would ask if I had any idea where we were or where we were going...and I'd say "No, we are definitely lost" (Trogir is a very small island so you are never truly lost). 16. August 2011 09:49 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Dinner in Montenegro 16. August 2011 09:49 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdinner in montenegroShare After the Peljesac Peninsular we thought we'd drive to Montenegro for dinner. The border to Montenegro is about 30 kilometers from Dubrovnik and Herzeg Novi a coastal town is just on the other side of the border. Crossing the border we saw a 2 kilometer long queue of cars trying to get back to Croatia. Every car was being stopped and checked for how many cigarettes they were bringing across. We though "Oh My...we have to get back through this is a couple of hours time". Fortunately by the time we returned the queue had cleared and we were processed really fast at the border. It was a pleasant evening in the city and we had dinner along the seashore. People were really very friendly as well. The food was very nice and especially the Tiramisu and chocolate pancakes were indulgent. It was very hot so we used the opportunity to do some funny photos of Aiden. 16. August 2011 05:48 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Peljesac Peninsular 16. August 2011 05:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpeljesac peninsularShare While in Dubrovnik we went for a drive up along the Peljesac Peninsular. It has some really nice litte beaches and the town of Ston has the most amazing fortres defence line running across the mountain tops. It is almost like the great wall of China. In total the town has 6km of defensive walls around it. We also came across this beautiful little abandoned church. We spent the afternoon at one of the beaches just dazing in the sun and letting Aiden play in the water. Some of the bay have small picturesque islands and there are lots of oyster and mussel farms that have been in operation since roman times. 15. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Dubrovnik - Croatia 15. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdubrovnik croatiaShareAfter Bosnia we headed back to Croatia (and we then quickly had to cross back through Bosnia on the way to get there because of the geography) to Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik was founded in the 7th Century as a refugee camp after the fall of the roman empire. A Slavic invation forced the romans to seek further south and eventually barricaded themselves on a rocky outcrop at Dubrovnik buy using a natual channel and building big walls as a defence. Dubrovnik as such prospered and became a powerful trading port in the adriatic sea. Now it is probably one of the largest tourist attactions on the the eastern side of the adriatic sea. As usual Kim had done a great job finding accomidation in an apartment only 100 metres from one of the main gates to the city, so it was a easy stroll to the old town. My first impression of Dubrovnik was something along the lines of 'Holy @#@$@%...there are so many stairs here" (tough job carrying Aiden up and down stairs with a pram). Fortunately we found an easier way that did involve very little more walking, but no carrying...so all a happy family. The main street through the middle of Dubrovnik is very nice and full of nice places to eat and shop. There are a lot of people everywhere and in general everything is really expensive compared to elsewhere is Croatia. Parking for example was equivalent to $48 per day for street parking...and again considering it is a big tourist destination people are not that helpful with advise and guidance. There are also several churces that are very nice. Our favourite one (by far) was the St. Ignatius Church. Inclucing some museums such as the national archives which used to be the Sponza palace. This is the handrailing for the stairs As well as some great little Franciscan and Dominican monesteries. These both had some great little courtyard garden with palm and orange trees. As well as some cool water fountains (Aiden was very happy with these) and really likes a cool splash whenever he could get the chance. In more modern times, Dubrovnik was under heavy shelling by Serbian and Montenegro forces during the Yugoslav war in 1991 although it had absolutely no strategic value whatsoever. Click here to see a video of the shelling of Dubrovnik Today It is hard see any scars of this conflict as most of the buildings have been repaired although there are some signs of the shelling. And again I managed to sneak out for a couple of evening photos. Evening shots were really hard to take as they were usually around the time where we either had to have dinner or get Aiden ready for bed. 13. August 2011 05:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Mostar - Bosnia 13. August 2011 05:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmostar bosniaShareAfter Split we headed across the border into Bosnia to a town called Mostar. Some will remember Mostar from the terrible fighting that took place here during the war in Yugoslavia in 1992 and 1993. The town has this beautiful river running through it with this anciant bridge running across it. During the war this bridge was blown up by the Bosnian Croat forces but has now been re-built thanks to the United Nations and especially Spain. The original bridge was built during the ottoman empire during the 16th Century. The Bridge looks even more stunning at night and especially with all the mosques in the surrounding area. Mostar is only a few hours drive from the border up through this beautiful valley. Today a fair number of tourists go to Mostar to see the bridge, but most of them only stay for one night and then move on. We decided to stay for two nights because it was easier with Aiden. Again Kim had done a good job finding accomodation in at Old museum (more like a beautiful old house really)...the was also the only house that was left more or less intact after the war (only a few mortar shells through the top floor). During the day we spent a few hours on the river going for a swim. The water was quite cool coming from the mountains and there was a lot of current so Kim and Aiden stayed at the edge, but I jumped in a few times and let the current take me a couple of meters before heading back to shore. The locals jump off the bridge and into the river...and it is a fairly high jump from the bridge to the water (24 metres apparently). Ev Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coastal drive to Trogir - Croatia 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcoastal drive to trogir croatiaShareThe coastal drive from Dubrovnik back up to Trogir just north of Split is absolutely amazing. It follows the coastline closely all the way and it is both a fun drive and incredibly scenic. I found it better than the Great Ocean Road here in Australia. One minute the road is really close to the water and you can see all these little bays with crystal clear water and sometimes with small beaches and people swimming. Next minute the road is up high and you get an incredible view of all the high mountains and islands off the coast. The whole route is dotted with small towns and beautiful little churches. The road is really winding and does not have too much traffic on it, so it is a very pleasant and never boring. To complete the drive we also had to cross back into to Bosnia only to cross the border back into Croatia a few kilometers later. Unfortunately both Kim and Aiden missed out on much of the scenery as they were sleeping most of the way. Along the way we stopped in Markarska to get a bite to eat. It is an incredible little natural harbour with a steep backdrop to the mountains behind. We stopped for the Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there. 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier). 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield). 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones. 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy. 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited. 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover.
19. July 2020 13:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Indoor boudoir with Kateriina 19. July 2020 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThese photo are from a workshop I did with Kateriina as a model.It was mainly studio with fixed (hotShareThese photo are from a workshop I did with Kateriina as a model.It was mainly studio with fixed (hot) lights instead of strobes which I am more used to.Advantage of the fixed lights in a workshop setting is that it is easier to see what the light is like before taking the photo as well as having multiple photographers shooting at the same time.
21. June 2020 17:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aidens 10th Birthday 21. June 2020 17:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAidens birthday was during the covid lock down.Fortunately we were still allowed to have a couple ofShareAidens birthday was during the covid lock down.Fortunately we were still allowed to have a couple of his school friends over for a little celebration (his school was still open anyhow).We decided to have it in the garden with a fire pit with roasted marshmellows, sparklers followed by cake.
5. March 2020 20:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Shooting - 800m range 5. March 2020 20:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetRecently I had the chance to visit the shooting range at Malabar headland with a group of friends.I ShareRecently I had the chance to visit the shooting range at Malabar headland with a group of friends.I used to do a lot of shooting in my younger days, so I was curious to see if I still had it in me.On this day we were shooting on the 800 meter range (which is a very long distance) with 7.62 NATO rounds.The distance means that you cannot see where you hit, so they have an electronic readout next to the shooter. The two circles in the middle are about 25cm in diameter at the far end.Below is the group of shots from my round.This photo gives a better idea of the distance we were shooting at (It was also a very windy day)Apparently I shot the best round of the day including the regulars... Conclusion is that, yes, still got it and I may pick it up as a regular activity some time in the future.
20. October 2019 19:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Boracay Phillipines 20. October 2019 19:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetWith Kim having a few weeks gap between jobs and badly needing a break she wanted to go somewhere reShareWith Kim having a few weeks gap between jobs and badly needing a break she wanted to go somewhere relaxing and where the water and weather would be warm.After a bit of research we settled on a week to the Phillipines to an island called Boracay.This is a small island with the most beautiful beach we have seen anywhere outside of Bora Bora (interesting that both have the name 'Bora').The boys (and adults) managed to get a mighty sunburn already on the first day.The island also has the most amazing sunsets at the beach.Also lots of activity on the beach in the evenings whereas during the day is is mostly empty.We stayed in a large resort built around a golf course. It had seven swimming pools and we spend a lot of time here relaxing with the boys and sipping cocktails.It was really nice in the evenings to sit in a bar listening to cruisy music. Most of the restaurants and bars would have live entertainers on in the evenings.One day we went on a snorkeling trip around the island. The boys are well accustomed to snorkeling now and love it. Unfortunately I didn't bring an underwater housing on the trip, but I can say that the coral reef looks to be in a good shape although a lot of the larger schools of fish and large predatory fish seems to be scarce.We also did a day trip to the main island where we went through one of the local caves. The cave was full of little bats and also had other creatures that were attracted to the bats and insects such as a snake and spiders I've never seen before.We even spotted a large hermit crab (size of a hand).We also went to a local river where there was waterfalls and also rafts for the boys to have a play with.The food in general was pretty good although we only tried a couple of local dishes (Phillipines is not famous for its food). Especially some of the seafood was really nice.The way we got around the island was on these small tricycles. There are two types, the old ones pulled by a small moterbike and then the new ones which are all electric. The government wants to have all the old ones off the roads by 2024 which is very sensible both environmentally and economically as even the locals say that they make more money on the new ones.The main road however is horrendous. In late 2018 the island was closed for 6 months to any visitors due to them sorting out a lot of issues with the sewage system. This means that they have dug up the entire road to install large pipes along with a road widening. A lot of this was still ongoing with the main road being full of holes, but given that it is such a small place it was alright to still get around.
10. October 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Karate 10. October 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis year the boys started doing Karate.It was something that I've always wanted do do with them, soShareThis year the boys started doing Karate.It was something that I've always wanted do do with them, so we looked around for a place where initially they could join some kids classes and then along the way I'd join as well.Initially they got their red and white stripe belts (automatically)And then later they went up for grading to get their Red belts.They love training with some of the equipment that we have at home for it.Late in the year I joined as well once the sensei established some adult classes and I have now after 20 years (I did a bit of karate back in 1998) finally received my Red belt.Even Kim has taken a couple of classes - maybe she will even grade on of these days.
1. October 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden Holy Communion 1. October 2019 20:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAiden as part of his school had to do his holy communion.He looked very handsome in his little suit.ShareAiden as part of his school had to do his holy communion.He looked very handsome in his little suit.
10. September 2019 21:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Canoeing with family at Royal national Park 10. September 2019 21:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweet Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coastal drive to Trogir - Croatia 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcoastal drive to trogir croatiaShareThe coastal drive from Dubrovnik back up to Trogir just north of Split is absolutely amazing. It follows the coastline closely all the way and it is both a fun drive and incredibly scenic. I found it better than the Great Ocean Road here in Australia. One minute the road is really close to the water and you can see all these little bays with crystal clear water and sometimes with small beaches and people swimming. Next minute the road is up high and you get an incredible view of all the high mountains and islands off the coast. The whole route is dotted with small towns and beautiful little churches. The road is really winding and does not have too much traffic on it, so it is a very pleasant and never boring. To complete the drive we also had to cross back into to Bosnia only to cross the border back into Croatia a few kilometers later. Unfortunately both Kim and Aiden missed out on much of the scenery as they were sleeping most of the way. Along the way we stopped in Markarska to get a bite to eat. It is an incredible little natural harbour with a steep backdrop to the mountains behind. We stopped for the night in a small island town called Trogir. It is a charming little town with narrow passageways and very nice little restaurants. It is very popular with the rich in their 150 foot motor boats. Kim had found a hotel right in the centre of the old town so we had to park outside the city and then walk in. We were only staying for one night, so it was easy for us to just pack one bag and leave the rest of our things in the boot of the car. Arriving to the hotel we found that the Aircon and TV wasn't working...we complained to the reception desk and they came to have a look at it. It turned out to have been turned off at the fuse box. We turned on the Aircon and it was quite noisy but at least it was somewhat working. Kim went to have a shower and suddenly I heard a very loud vacumm cleaner type sound and then Kim started screaming. I went out to the bathroom and there was water and soap everywhere...the walls, the doors (even the outside of the door) and the floor. The Jacuzzi in the bathroom had suddenly automatically turned itself on in the middle of her shower and the off switch wasn't working. The only way we could turn it off was on the fuse box...so now we knew why it was off when we arrived. This turned out to be probably the worst of the hotels (Hotel Fontana) that we stayed in...it was really unbearable hot in the room, we couldn't open the window because we would be attacked my moscitoes, and if we wanted to turn on the noisy aircondition then the jacuzzi would automatically start every 10 minutes and disrupt our sleep. And the included breakfast was also not worth writing home about. But besides from that Trogir was very nice. We spent a fair bit of time getting lost in the small alleys. Kim would ask if I had any idea where we were or where we were going...and I'd say "No, we are definitely lost" (Trogir is a very small island so you are never truly lost). 16. August 2011 09:49 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Dinner in Montenegro 16. August 2011 09:49 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdinner in montenegroShare After the Peljesac Peninsular we thought we'd drive to Montenegro for dinner. The border to Montenegro is about 30 kilometers from Dubrovnik and Herzeg Novi a coastal town is just on the other side of the border. Crossing the border we saw a 2 kilometer long queue of cars trying to get back to Croatia. Every car was being stopped and checked for how many cigarettes they were bringing across. We though "Oh My...we have to get back through this is a couple of hours time". Fortunately by the time we returned the queue had cleared and we were processed really fast at the border. It was a pleasant evening in the city and we had dinner along the seashore. People were really very friendly as well. The food was very nice and especially the Tiramisu and chocolate pancakes were indulgent. It was very hot so we used the opportunity to do some funny photos of Aiden. 16. August 2011 05:48 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Peljesac Peninsular 16. August 2011 05:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpeljesac peninsularShare While in Dubrovnik we went for a drive up along the Peljesac Peninsular. It has some really nice litte beaches and the town of Ston has the most amazing fortres defence line running across the mountain tops. It is almost like the great wall of China. In total the town has 6km of defensive walls around it. We also came across this beautiful little abandoned church. We spent the afternoon at one of the beaches just dazing in the sun and letting Aiden play in the water. Some of the bay have small picturesque islands and there are lots of oyster and mussel farms that have been in operation since roman times. 15. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Dubrovnik - Croatia 15. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdubrovnik croatiaShareAfter Bosnia we headed back to Croatia (and we then quickly had to cross back through Bosnia on the way to get there because of the geography) to Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik was founded in the 7th Century as a refugee camp after the fall of the roman empire. A Slavic invation forced the romans to seek further south and eventually barricaded themselves on a rocky outcrop at Dubrovnik buy using a natual channel and building big walls as a defence. Dubrovnik as such prospered and became a powerful trading port in the adriatic sea. Now it is probably one of the largest tourist attactions on the the eastern side of the adriatic sea. As usual Kim had done a great job finding accomidation in an apartment only 100 metres from one of the main gates to the city, so it was a easy stroll to the old town. My first impression of Dubrovnik was something along the lines of 'Holy @#@$@%...there are so many stairs here" (tough job carrying Aiden up and down stairs with a pram). Fortunately we found an easier way that did involve very little more walking, but no carrying...so all a happy family. The main street through the middle of Dubrovnik is very nice and full of nice places to eat and shop. There are a lot of people everywhere and in general everything is really expensive compared to elsewhere is Croatia. Parking for example was equivalent to $48 per day for street parking...and again considering it is a big tourist destination people are not that helpful with advise and guidance. There are also several churces that are very nice. Our favourite one (by far) was the St. Ignatius Church. Inclucing some museums such as the national archives which used to be the Sponza palace. This is the handrailing for the stairs As well as some great little Franciscan and Dominican monesteries. These both had some great little courtyard garden with palm and orange trees. As well as some cool water fountains (Aiden was very happy with these) and really likes a cool splash whenever he could get the chance. In more modern times, Dubrovnik was under heavy shelling by Serbian and Montenegro forces during the Yugoslav war in 1991 although it had absolutely no strategic value whatsoever. Click here to see a video of the shelling of Dubrovnik Today It is hard see any scars of this conflict as most of the buildings have been repaired although there are some signs of the shelling. And again I managed to sneak out for a couple of evening photos. Evening shots were really hard to take as they were usually around the time where we either had to have dinner or get Aiden ready for bed. 13. August 2011 05:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Mostar - Bosnia 13. August 2011 05:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmostar bosniaShareAfter Split we headed across the border into Bosnia to a town called Mostar. Some will remember Mostar from the terrible fighting that took place here during the war in Yugoslavia in 1992 and 1993. The town has this beautiful river running through it with this anciant bridge running across it. During the war this bridge was blown up by the Bosnian Croat forces but has now been re-built thanks to the United Nations and especially Spain. The original bridge was built during the ottoman empire during the 16th Century. The Bridge looks even more stunning at night and especially with all the mosques in the surrounding area. Mostar is only a few hours drive from the border up through this beautiful valley. Today a fair number of tourists go to Mostar to see the bridge, but most of them only stay for one night and then move on. We decided to stay for two nights because it was easier with Aiden. Again Kim had done a good job finding accomodation in at Old museum (more like a beautiful old house really)...the was also the only house that was left more or less intact after the war (only a few mortar shells through the top floor). During the day we spent a few hours on the river going for a swim. The water was quite cool coming from the mountains and there was a lot of current so Kim and Aiden stayed at the edge, but I jumped in a few times and let the current take me a couple of meters before heading back to shore. The locals jump off the bridge and into the river...and it is a fairly high jump from the bridge to the water (24 metres apparently). Ev Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coastal drive to Trogir - Croatia 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcoastal drive to trogir croatiaShareThe coastal drive from Dubrovnik back up to Trogir just north of Split is absolutely amazing. It follows the coastline closely all the way and it is both a fun drive and incredibly scenic. I found it better than the Great Ocean Road here in Australia. One minute the road is really close to the water and you can see all these little bays with crystal clear water and sometimes with small beaches and people swimming. Next minute the road is up high and you get an incredible view of all the high mountains and islands off the coast. The whole route is dotted with small towns and beautiful little churches. The road is really winding and does not have too much traffic on it, so it is a very pleasant and never boring. To complete the drive we also had to cross back into to Bosnia only to cross the border back into Croatia a few kilometers later. Unfortunately both Kim and Aiden missed out on much of the scenery as they were sleeping most of the way. Along the way we stopped in Markarska to get a bite to eat. It is an incredible little natural harbour with a steep backdrop to the mountains behind. We stopped for the Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there. 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier). 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield). 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones. 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy. 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited. 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover.
18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coastal drive to Trogir - Croatia 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcoastal drive to trogir croatiaShareThe coastal drive from Dubrovnik back up to Trogir just north of Split is absolutely amazing. It follows the coastline closely all the way and it is both a fun drive and incredibly scenic. I found it better than the Great Ocean Road here in Australia. One minute the road is really close to the water and you can see all these little bays with crystal clear water and sometimes with small beaches and people swimming. Next minute the road is up high and you get an incredible view of all the high mountains and islands off the coast. The whole route is dotted with small towns and beautiful little churches. The road is really winding and does not have too much traffic on it, so it is a very pleasant and never boring. To complete the drive we also had to cross back into to Bosnia only to cross the border back into Croatia a few kilometers later. Unfortunately both Kim and Aiden missed out on much of the scenery as they were sleeping most of the way. Along the way we stopped in Markarska to get a bite to eat. It is an incredible little natural harbour with a steep backdrop to the mountains behind. We stopped for the night in a small island town called Trogir. It is a charming little town with narrow passageways and very nice little restaurants. It is very popular with the rich in their 150 foot motor boats. Kim had found a hotel right in the centre of the old town so we had to park outside the city and then walk in. We were only staying for one night, so it was easy for us to just pack one bag and leave the rest of our things in the boot of the car. Arriving to the hotel we found that the Aircon and TV wasn't working...we complained to the reception desk and they came to have a look at it. It turned out to have been turned off at the fuse box. We turned on the Aircon and it was quite noisy but at least it was somewhat working. Kim went to have a shower and suddenly I heard a very loud vacumm cleaner type sound and then Kim started screaming. I went out to the bathroom and there was water and soap everywhere...the walls, the doors (even the outside of the door) and the floor. The Jacuzzi in the bathroom had suddenly automatically turned itself on in the middle of her shower and the off switch wasn't working. The only way we could turn it off was on the fuse box...so now we knew why it was off when we arrived. This turned out to be probably the worst of the hotels (Hotel Fontana) that we stayed in...it was really unbearable hot in the room, we couldn't open the window because we would be attacked my moscitoes, and if we wanted to turn on the noisy aircondition then the jacuzzi would automatically start every 10 minutes and disrupt our sleep. And the included breakfast was also not worth writing home about. But besides from that Trogir was very nice. We spent a fair bit of time getting lost in the small alleys. Kim would ask if I had any idea where we were or where we were going...and I'd say "No, we are definitely lost" (Trogir is a very small island so you are never truly lost).
16. August 2011 09:49 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Dinner in Montenegro 16. August 2011 09:49 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdinner in montenegroShare After the Peljesac Peninsular we thought we'd drive to Montenegro for dinner. The border to Montenegro is about 30 kilometers from Dubrovnik and Herzeg Novi a coastal town is just on the other side of the border. Crossing the border we saw a 2 kilometer long queue of cars trying to get back to Croatia. Every car was being stopped and checked for how many cigarettes they were bringing across. We though "Oh My...we have to get back through this is a couple of hours time". Fortunately by the time we returned the queue had cleared and we were processed really fast at the border. It was a pleasant evening in the city and we had dinner along the seashore. People were really very friendly as well. The food was very nice and especially the Tiramisu and chocolate pancakes were indulgent. It was very hot so we used the opportunity to do some funny photos of Aiden.
16. August 2011 05:48 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Peljesac Peninsular 16. August 2011 05:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpeljesac peninsularShare While in Dubrovnik we went for a drive up along the Peljesac Peninsular. It has some really nice litte beaches and the town of Ston has the most amazing fortres defence line running across the mountain tops. It is almost like the great wall of China. In total the town has 6km of defensive walls around it. We also came across this beautiful little abandoned church. We spent the afternoon at one of the beaches just dazing in the sun and letting Aiden play in the water. Some of the bay have small picturesque islands and there are lots of oyster and mussel farms that have been in operation since roman times.
15. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Dubrovnik - Croatia 15. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdubrovnik croatiaShareAfter Bosnia we headed back to Croatia (and we then quickly had to cross back through Bosnia on the way to get there because of the geography) to Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik was founded in the 7th Century as a refugee camp after the fall of the roman empire. A Slavic invation forced the romans to seek further south and eventually barricaded themselves on a rocky outcrop at Dubrovnik buy using a natual channel and building big walls as a defence. Dubrovnik as such prospered and became a powerful trading port in the adriatic sea. Now it is probably one of the largest tourist attactions on the the eastern side of the adriatic sea. As usual Kim had done a great job finding accomidation in an apartment only 100 metres from one of the main gates to the city, so it was a easy stroll to the old town. My first impression of Dubrovnik was something along the lines of 'Holy @#@$@%...there are so many stairs here" (tough job carrying Aiden up and down stairs with a pram). Fortunately we found an easier way that did involve very little more walking, but no carrying...so all a happy family. The main street through the middle of Dubrovnik is very nice and full of nice places to eat and shop. There are a lot of people everywhere and in general everything is really expensive compared to elsewhere is Croatia. Parking for example was equivalent to $48 per day for street parking...and again considering it is a big tourist destination people are not that helpful with advise and guidance. There are also several churces that are very nice. Our favourite one (by far) was the St. Ignatius Church. Inclucing some museums such as the national archives which used to be the Sponza palace. This is the handrailing for the stairs As well as some great little Franciscan and Dominican monesteries. These both had some great little courtyard garden with palm and orange trees. As well as some cool water fountains (Aiden was very happy with these) and really likes a cool splash whenever he could get the chance. In more modern times, Dubrovnik was under heavy shelling by Serbian and Montenegro forces during the Yugoslav war in 1991 although it had absolutely no strategic value whatsoever. Click here to see a video of the shelling of Dubrovnik Today It is hard see any scars of this conflict as most of the buildings have been repaired although there are some signs of the shelling. And again I managed to sneak out for a couple of evening photos. Evening shots were really hard to take as they were usually around the time where we either had to have dinner or get Aiden ready for bed.
13. August 2011 05:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Mostar - Bosnia 13. August 2011 05:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmostar bosniaShareAfter Split we headed across the border into Bosnia to a town called Mostar. Some will remember Mostar from the terrible fighting that took place here during the war in Yugoslavia in 1992 and 1993. The town has this beautiful river running through it with this anciant bridge running across it. During the war this bridge was blown up by the Bosnian Croat forces but has now been re-built thanks to the United Nations and especially Spain. The original bridge was built during the ottoman empire during the 16th Century. The Bridge looks even more stunning at night and especially with all the mosques in the surrounding area. Mostar is only a few hours drive from the border up through this beautiful valley. Today a fair number of tourists go to Mostar to see the bridge, but most of them only stay for one night and then move on. We decided to stay for two nights because it was easier with Aiden. Again Kim had done a good job finding accomodation in at Old museum (more like a beautiful old house really)...the was also the only house that was left more or less intact after the war (only a few mortar shells through the top floor). During the day we spent a few hours on the river going for a swim. The water was quite cool coming from the mountains and there was a lot of current so Kim and Aiden stayed at the edge, but I jumped in a few times and let the current take me a couple of meters before heading back to shore. The locals jump off the bridge and into the river...and it is a fairly high jump from the bridge to the water (24 metres apparently). Ev Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coastal drive to Trogir - Croatia 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcoastal drive to trogir croatiaShareThe coastal drive from Dubrovnik back up to Trogir just north of Split is absolutely amazing. It follows the coastline closely all the way and it is both a fun drive and incredibly scenic. I found it better than the Great Ocean Road here in Australia. One minute the road is really close to the water and you can see all these little bays with crystal clear water and sometimes with small beaches and people swimming. Next minute the road is up high and you get an incredible view of all the high mountains and islands off the coast. The whole route is dotted with small towns and beautiful little churches. The road is really winding and does not have too much traffic on it, so it is a very pleasant and never boring. To complete the drive we also had to cross back into to Bosnia only to cross the border back into Croatia a few kilometers later. Unfortunately both Kim and Aiden missed out on much of the scenery as they were sleeping most of the way. Along the way we stopped in Markarska to get a bite to eat. It is an incredible little natural harbour with a steep backdrop to the mountains behind. We stopped for the Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there. 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier). 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield). 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones. 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy. 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited. 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover.
18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coastal drive to Trogir - Croatia 18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcoastal drive to trogir croatiaShareThe coastal drive from Dubrovnik back up to Trogir just north of Split is absolutely amazing. It follows the coastline closely all the way and it is both a fun drive and incredibly scenic. I found it better than the Great Ocean Road here in Australia. One minute the road is really close to the water and you can see all these little bays with crystal clear water and sometimes with small beaches and people swimming. Next minute the road is up high and you get an incredible view of all the high mountains and islands off the coast. The whole route is dotted with small towns and beautiful little churches. The road is really winding and does not have too much traffic on it, so it is a very pleasant and never boring. To complete the drive we also had to cross back into to Bosnia only to cross the border back into Croatia a few kilometers later. Unfortunately both Kim and Aiden missed out on much of the scenery as they were sleeping most of the way. Along the way we stopped in Markarska to get a bite to eat. It is an incredible little natural harbour with a steep backdrop to the mountains behind. We stopped for the Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there. 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier). 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield). 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones. 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy. 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited. 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover.
27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there.
26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier).
21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield).
17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones.
17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy.
11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited.
6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover.