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19. March 2004 12:24
by Rene Pallesen
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Anti War Demonstrations 2004

19. March 2004 12:24 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

anti war demonstrations 2004


In 2004 Australia was being drawn into the war in Iraq. A lot of Australians were opposed to the war, but the politicians wouldn't listen.

On a nice sunny day several hundred thousand people gathered around Hyde park in the middle of the city to demonstrate and express their opinions against Australia entering into the war.

I was of the belief that the war was a mistake in the first place and was totally unjustified, so I was decided to join the demonstrations and at the same time see if I could take a few photos.

Click here to see more photosClick here to see more photos from: The 2004 Anti War demonstrations/Slideshow

27. March 2003 10:56
by Rene Pallesen
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Mia is born

27. March 2003 10:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

mia is born


Andy and Tink had their first baby...a little (and very hairy) girl names Mia.

This was also one of those periods where I was checking out what it would be like to have a beard.

27. March 2003 10:50
by Rene Pallesen
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Granddad passes away

27. March 2003 10:50 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

granddad passes away


My grandad passed away in 2003.

He was getting old and was getting tired of living so he decided to end it.

27. March 2003 10:47
by Rene Pallesen
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Botany Bay

27. March 2003 10:47 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

botany bay


With EDI I went on a field trip to visit one of the big containerships in Botany Bay.

It was facinating to see the size of those ships.

27. March 2003 10:38
by Rene Pallesen
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Thailand 2003

27. March 2003 10:38 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

thailand


I celebrated Christmas and New Year with my parents in Thailand.

We spent the time in the Northern Part of Thailand in the Golden Triangle around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

We rented a car for a couple of days and got to see a lot including all the hill tribes that still to this day live in this part of Thailand.

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Click here to see more photos from: Thailand/Slideshow

27. March 2003 10:29
by Rene Pallesen
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Kenneths Wedding

27. March 2003 10:29 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

kenneths wedding


In 2003 Kenneth got married to Anica. I was asked to be the best man by Kenneth.

The wedding took place at a homestead in Sofala three hours drive west of Sydney.

It was a wonderful weekend surrounded by wonderful people.

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Click here to see more photos from: Kenneths Wedding/Slideshow

22. March 2003 12:56
by Rene Pallesen
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Old Contents

22. March 2003 12:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

old contents
CLICK HERE - my photo in a competition



Contents . . .
My photo collection is vast. Many of them are in my albums, others scanned as images here. I have tried to include the best of the best, and will keep doing so. Feel free to explore any of the links - it make take some time to peruse them all...


( We recommend viewing of the photos through MS Explorer )


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AUSTRALIA - HOME

Cockatoo
Narrabeen Beach
New Car
Bridge-climb
Cockatoos at HomeNarrabeen BeachNew carMy Jobs



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MY FAMILY

Egypt
My Grandmother
My Grandfather
Claus
My Father
Grandmother's 80thDonkey Day OutMy Brother ClausMy Father



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2001

Mt Cook
Burma
New Zealand
(Mt Cook)		South-East
Asia



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2000

Chilli Festival
Competitors

Me!
Chilli Festival
Ecochallenge
Borneo (Sabah)		Sydney
Olympics



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1999

Thailand
Hmong
Henna Hands
Thailand
(Bangkok)		LaosMorocco



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1998

Pelicans
Anne
NZ
Kenneth
Port MacquariePete's BiteNew Zealand
(Sth Island)
Denmark



Created: 11 Aug 2001 Last Updated: 21-jan-05

10. January 2003 10:53
by Rene Pallesen
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Mum and Dad in Sydney 2003

10. January 2003 10:53 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

mum and dad in sydney


My mum and dad spent some time in Sydney over christmas and New Year.

While they were here I raught my dad how to absail.



And for Christmas I gave my parents some tickets for the Sydney Harbour bridge walk (they gave Arumi a ticket too).

1. November 2002 11:19
by Rene Pallesen
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My brothers funeral

1. November 2002 11:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

my brothers funeral


My brother passed away in the end of 2002. He had been suffering badly from his disease for almost a decade and eventually it got the better of him.

I still miss him a lot even though we weren't close when he was alive....but I still feel him close to me to this day!



I still light a candle for him once in a while.



His two biggest wishes in life was to become a professional tennis player...he was a pretty damn good player and I never played against him because I didn't have a chance.



His second biggest wish was to get himself a girlfriend. This is one of the last photos that was taken of him.



I still blame the psychiatric system in Denmark for what happened. They were too focused on treating his disease with medication and never paid any attention on teaching him to live with his disease and provide quality in life.


I still love him very much and I really miss him. I also regret that I wasn't there more for him.



He always looked after me and he has never hurt anyone.





This is the last family photo that was taken.



I would appreciate if you click here to see some of the photos from my brothers life: May he not be forgotten
Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal

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15. April 2012 07:39
by Rene Pallesen
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High Tea in Royal National Park

15. April 2012 07:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

high tea in royal national park


Today we went to High Tea in Audley in the Royal National Park 30 minutes drive from where we live. Kim had bought a 2 for 1 deal and decided to try it.





Verdict was that is wasn't anything special and even with the special deal it was a bit over priced.

Afterwards we decided to go rowing up through the creek.



Aiden was very keen to get to play with the water which was difficult in the rowing boat (next time we will get a Canoe).

Afterwards we let him play a bit on land before heading back.



8. April 2012 06:18
by Rene Pallesen
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Bora Bora Island Scenery

8. April 2012 06:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

bora bora island scenery


The island itself is a beautiful place. I took a lot of photos of the lagoon and the beauty of Bora Bora....so many that it would be too many to have in the previous Bora Bora post.

With the risk of creating a post full of Blue photos...I had to separate them out to prevent the other posts from getting too big.

Here they are...I will let them speak for themselves...


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6. April 2012 06:19
by Rene Pallesen
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Snorkeling with Sharks and Stingrays

6. April 2012 06:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

snorkeling with sharks and stingrays
One of the days at Bora Bora we went with a boat around the lagoon to go snorkeling and have lunch on one of the Motu's (Islands). Along the way we went snorkeling in spots where we also could see sharks and stingrays.

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Our first spot was a snorkeling spot with lots of coral and different fish.

I Even saw a big fat murray eel.

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Kim also had a bit of a snorkel in the clear blue water even though the water was deep and there was a slight current.

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Aiden was facinated by the fish and wanted to join mummy in the water to say hello to the fish'ies...

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After this we went to a more shallow spot on the reef with lots of reef sharks.

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Yes, that is me in the water with 12 sharks circling around me (and no safety net in place).These sharks would come swimming towards me and then turn around within a meters reach.

Click here to see a video I uploaded to Facebook with the Sharks getting close


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After lunch we stopped to feed the Stingrays in the lagoon.

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They are fairly harmless and I was feeding them dead fish. While doing so I was bitten by one of them that mistook the camera I was holding in my other hand as a fish.


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5. April 2012 06:10
by Rene Pallesen
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Bora Bora

5. April 2012 06:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

bora bora


Bora Bora is a beautiful island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Kim and I had promised eachother that we one day we will go there.

It is about an hours flight from Tahiti and along the way you pass a number of other Polynesian islands and atolls. When we landed we were met by the stunning blue lagoon and the very characteristic mountain which is an old extinct volcano.

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Aiden especially was mesmerised by the view going on the boat from the airport to our hotel.

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On arrival we were met by traditional Tahitian music and someone blowing a seashell.

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And Aiden immidiately got into the mocktails.

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Our hotel was on the main island itself and we had a small hut facing the lagoon and had a beautiful view every morning waking up.

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Every morning we had breakfast overlooking the lagoon where Aiden would stuff his face with fruits, bread and youghurt.


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We spent a lot of time at the small beach close to the hotel just swimming in the clear water of the lagoon.

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The locals were out on the lagoon showing off their skills.


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Aiden loved the calm clear water and the beach...it was a pleasant 27-28 degrees. Every time he saw water he would point at it and shout BoBo (Water)...and insist on going swimming.


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One evening I did a couple of sunset portraits.

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Aiden again insisted on going in the water.


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I also went for a swim after we finished the photos, which was absolutely magical as the light was surreal and the water was absolutely calm.

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Across the lagoon from the hotel we had a little island (Motu) with beautiful place to go snorkeling. First I went in the water and notices a small reef shark circling around the corals...being kinda shy. I mentioned it to Kim and as soon as she also spotted it later in the day she rushed out of the water (A couple of days later she had a similar experience with a large stingray at the beach).


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It was hard to leave all this beauty behind

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4. April 2012 04:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Flowers of French Polynesia

4. April 2012 04:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

flowers of french polynesia


I took a lot of photos of flowers...enough to warrant a separate blog entry..

If you are not a flower person then just scroll down the page past these...lots of other good stuff there.


Anyhow...I will let them speak for themselves...

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3. April 2012 07:08
by Rene Pallesen
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Tahiti

3. April 2012 07:08 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

tahiti


This Easter we decided to go to Tahiti and Bora Bora in French Polynesia in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

We were supposed to have been going to Japan, but we decided that we instead wanted a more relaxing holiday and changed it to an Island holiday enjoying the sun, sand, water and sunsets.

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Tahiti is the main island of French Polynesia and is not larger than it is possible to drive around the entire island in a couple of hours (appx 120 km).

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On one of the days we rented a car and did just that. We could have joined a day tour, but I am not very keen on the 5min photo stop kind of tours and much prefer to be able to travel independently and take time to see what we would like to see.

It is reasonably easy to find your way around the island. There really is just one road and the entire road is marked by kilometer markers and we had the distances for most of the sights we wanted to see. We didn;t go too much into the interior because of time restraints and some of these roads are only accessible by 4WD.


First we stopped at one of the old Tahitian temples which was interesting

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After that we headed to some large caves full of freshwater (would have been convenient in the old days)...very damp and very dark.

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After this we tried to find the road up to a lake and supposedly large waterfall. Some of the locals were very helpful with assisting us with directions but unfortunately the road was closed.

Fortunately we did find the nearby gardens which Kim wanted to visit (I will do a separate flower blog posting).

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We did find some waterfallson the island (and saw several from a long distance away high on the mountains).

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After this we headed to Point Venus where Captain Cook in 1769 supposedly saw the passing of Venus ...now this houses the only lighthouse in French Polynesia.

The next passing will be 6th June this year...243 years after the previos passing (can be seen as a shadow against the sun).


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We decided to skip the museums as we would rather experience the outsde rather than objects behind glass.

The other days we spent around the hotel and the marina, just relaxing, swimming and dining. Aiden loved spending most of the time in the pool at the hotel.

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29. February 2012 09:31
by Rene Pallesen
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Project Setting

29. February 2012 09:31 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

project setting


Yesterday I did another photo project. I wanted to do something different with composition.

I had this idea of a guy being attacked by hand-spiders (I hate spiders) and thought that the garage would be a good location for it. I had an old T-shirt and some tomato paste to add some drama.




It turned out to be a lot harder than expected as it was almost impossible to get the right composition, focus etc. when I both had to appear in the photo as well as take it (my head was cropped off on the first series which meant that I had to reposition the camera and then either re-shoot the series or try and stitch them up in post production...I chose the latter because of time constraints).

I could definitely have done a better job if I didn't have to be two places at once, but I don't think it is a total disaster.


29. February 2012 07:51
by Rene Pallesen
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Aiden Walking

29. February 2012 07:51 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

aiden walking


It is the 29th February and the last day of the bet I had with Kim....and believe it or not, but Aiden started walking by himself today.



We are very proud of him and I am double proud of him as he delivered the goods just in the nick of time...one day later and I would have been cleaning the house (lucky that this year is a leap year)!



19. February 2012 09:25
by Rene Pallesen
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Aiden Standing by himself

19. February 2012 09:25 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

aiden standing by himself


Aiden is now able to stand up by himself.

He is now 20 months and should have been walking ages ago, so he is a bit behind on that front. Hopefully I can get him to take one step before the end of next week...I have a bet with Kim going whether he will walk before the end of February.


5. February 2012 08:57
by Rene Pallesen
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Centennial Park - Feb 2012

5. February 2012 08:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

centennial park feb 2012


Today we went to Centennial Park to take some family photos. I had been complaining that I didn't have enough (good) photos of myself and Aiden so Kim offered to take some.

We found a nice spot in the park and managed to take a couple of shots before my camera ran out of battery...and unfortunately I had forgotten my spare at home.



Kim just came back from a business trip to Singapore a couple of days ago and it is really nice to have her back. I missed her but I am not sure Aiden missed her as much as he is such a daddys boy. When she was back he just turned away and would rather stay with me.

Also the little tiger is now 20 months and he is still not walking...what is going on?

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26. October 2002 11:09
by Rene Pallesen
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My Memories of Claus . . .

26. October 2002 11:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

my memories of claus


Amstmester - Claus Pallesen (newspaper article)Claus at tennis practice
Before Claus became ill, he was a rising star in the world of tennis. He was featured in the local newspaper as Amtsmester - he came first in the local "Amst" - level similar to state-level.
Claus the Skipper!Claus sunbaking
Claus and Far!

Claus and MorTrip to Karrebæksminde, during René's and Arumi's visit to Denmark (June 2002)
Claus loved being out in the wind and the sun. He was also prone to seasickness.
Claus & Mor at Freshwater BayEating oysters in SydneyClaus with Anne
At one of beaches in SydneyAt my old apartment in Narrabeen, Sydney
Claus and my family came to visit me in Australia in 1999. I think he liked it here - warmer winters and friendly people. I really like the top middle photo, of Claus eating oysters. He looked very happy. They did a lot of sightseeing here, and even visited my apartment on Narrabeen beach.
Young Claus with MorAt airport - when René and Arumi leave Denmark
Claus in MorroccoClaus in Morrocco
In North SjællandRené & Claus at Sonja's 60th birthday celebrations
In Tenerife
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The following are the last photos that were taken of Claus, on one of our sailing trips.
Alle i arbejdeLastekajen
Lasten vokserClaus arbejder
Kurt arbejderLasten klar
KurtBirthe



26. October 2002 11:08
by Rene Pallesen
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My Dear Big Brother...

26. October 2002 11:08 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

my dear big brother

My brother had schizophrenia, and he passed away not long after his 33rd birthday.

I love my brother, and I regret not telling him this. My girlfriend tells me that Claus knew I loved him.
I am not convinced of this, so I wrote him a letter, in the hope that he will read this, wherever he is.

There is so much I wanted to say to him.

I want to remember him when he was not sick, when he was happy, and when I was last in Denmark in June 2002. I want to remember him, as you will see him in these photos.
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Claus and I wearing Christmas hats



Claus' Christening



The Family



Big Brother


26. October 2002 10:35
by Rene Pallesen
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My Big Brother

26. October 2002 10:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

my big brother
My Big Brother . . .

Sharing toysOur favourite dog
Winter-timeOur first skiisChristmas together
Christmas ElvesAlways together
Friends in KenyaIn school uniform, in KenyaSitting with our cousins



Created: 8 Oct 2002 Last Updated: 24 Oct 2002

10. June 2002 11:47
by Rene Pallesen
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Singapore

10. June 2002 11:47 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

singapore


On the way back from Denmark we made a stopover in Singapore to have a look as well as do some shopping.

Here a photo from Little India in Singapore.

4. June 2002 11:36
by Rene Pallesen
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My mums birthday

4. June 2002 11:36 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

my mums birthday


We surprised my Mum by turning up in Denmark before her 60th Birthday.

She had a big party where a lot of her friends and family turned up.

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While we were there we also got to visit some of my friends and family as well as do a bit of Sightseeing in Copenhagen and Legoland. Click here to see more photos from: Mums 60th Birthday/Slideshow

29. March 2002 02:52
by Rene Pallesen
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Drive in Australia

29. March 2002 02:52 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

drive in australia


Over the Christmas holidays we went for a drive through some of the most scenic parts of Australia.

First we drive down to Melbourne and then along the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide.

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The sunsets were spectacular.

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We then continued up to the Flinders Ranges and along the way had a look at cave paintings.

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In Broken hill we went down into the old Daydream silvermine.

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We also had a look at some of the Desert Sculptures

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Along the way we saw some Australian Wildlife. Here a wombat.

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And here a possum.

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Lots of Koalas

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And here one very angry Lizard.

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And of course some Emus.

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We were camping along the way.

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Click here to see more photos from Driving in Australia / Slideshow

27. March 2002 11:14
by Rene Pallesen
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Whale Watching

27. March 2002 11:14 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

whale watching


We went with Donna and Sandra up to Port Stephens to go Whale watching.

It was a great day (very cold) and we saw lots of whales.

Click here to see more photos Click here to see more photos from: Whale Watching/Slideshow

27. March 2002 11:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Climbing in New Zealand

27. March 2002 11:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

climbing in new zealand


I went climbing with Andy in New Zealand. We flew onto the glacier at Pioneer hut with a skiplane.

We attempted a couple of peaks in the area but were mainly unsuccessful due to sloshy conditions and late starts. Andy eventually insisted going down after taking a bit of a slide after taking a bit of a slide. We did however get a little bit of climbing done.

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Click here to see more photos Click here to see more photos from: Climbing in New Zealand/Slideshow

16. September 2001 11:10
by Rene Pallesen
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My Friends in Denmark . . .

16. September 2001 11:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

my friends in denmark


Believe it or not, I still have quite a few friends in Denmark. I would like to put photos of all of them here - unfortunately I do not have photos of all of them. If you are one of my friends and your photo is not on this page then please do not despair - I still consider you a friend, and maybe, the next time I go to Denmark, I shall have photos of you all!

Kenneth in kitchen


Here is one of my best friends in Denmark. This photo was taken quite a while ago, before I came to Australia.

Kenneth is now living here in Sydney, on the beautiful Manly beach - only about a half hour away from me. Kenneth came to stay with me a few months ago. He was trying out a new job, and actually came back! He is going to give Australia a go, to see if he likes it like I do. No more biting winters, lots of warmth and sunshine, beautiful mountains and bush to explore... and I think he has discovered, there are lots of friends to make - especially the pretty fun-going ones with two legs and a skirt! *smile*

He is actually a pretty good cook. Whist he stayed in my apartment for a couple of months, he cooked pot roast with gorgonzola sauce, and also gave a wonderful 3-course dinner for a small group of friends here. About two years after I arrived in Australia, I returned to Denmark for a visit. On the day I arrived in Denmark, he threw together a party for me!

Ester







Here is Ester, another one of my friends.

She is a fashion designer and paints some wonderful paintings.



Me!


Naturally at parties, there was quite a large amount of beer being consumed (how can you not?? - not possible to have a party otherwise in Denmark.

It was nice to taste one of the annual Christmas beers from Tuborg.
Created: Jan 2000 Last Updated: 16 Sept 2001
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20. October 2012 11:21
by Rene Pallesen
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Setup Shot - Funny face

20. October 2012 11:21 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

setup shot funny face


When I setup for my photos I normally have to take a range of setup shots to check if the light is the way that I want it. Sometime I managed to volunteer Kim to help me set up and on the rate occasion she pulls a funny face.


13. October 2012 12:50
by Rene Pallesen
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Lucas 1 Month Photos

13. October 2012 12:50 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

lucas 1 month photos


This is a series of photos I've taken of Lucas being 1 month old.





It is a lot harder taking baby photos this time around for a number of reasons such as it being harder to find the time with both Lucas and the newborn around as well as Lucas not being a very good sleeper. This means that whenever he does sleep it is time for especially mummy to have a rest rather than run around taking photos.

Aiden is extremely fond of his little baby brother and every morning he wants to see the baby and give him a little kiss.



Whenever Lucas cries, Aiden will say 'Dont cry Lucas'.


I am sure that as he grows older they will be best mates.



Hopefully as he grows older Lucas will be a bit easier we will be able to take more photos than we have been.

13. October 2012 08:24
by Rene Pallesen
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Lucas 1 Month celebration

13. October 2012 08:24 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

lucas 1 month celebration


Lucas is now one month old and we had a little celebration for family and friends with bbq, food and cake.

It was a fine day with lots of kids around (so AIden was busy playing all day).




11. October 2012 04:37
by Rene Pallesen
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Work Photo Competition

11. October 2012 04:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

work photo competition


Some weeks ago there was a work photo competition where the theme was 'World Connected'. I didn't have much time due to the kids, but I did manage to put together this photo below for the competition with the title 'bringing closer those who matter!'.




It wasn't picked as a finalist, but still fun nevertheless.

8. October 2012 07:20
by Rene Pallesen
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Baby name - Lucas

8. October 2012 07:20 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

baby name lucas


Ok, Kim has finally decided on a name for the newborn out of the 2-3 names left on the shortlist.

It is:

'Lucas Lee Pallesen'



8. October 2012 01:41
by Rene Pallesen
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Samanthas B'day and Thomas Train Day

8. October 2012 01:41 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

samanthas b day and thomas train day


This weekend it was Samantha's (Sacha and Mavis' daughter) birthday and to celebrate we did another day with the Thomas Trains.





The kids love the trains and it is really good value for an afternoon out.



Even Kim had a few rides on the trains as she wasn't able to ride last time because she was pregnant.





It was a cool and drizly day...hence the warm clothes.

On one of the last rides Thomas de-railed so it took the staff a fair while to get him back on the track (the engines are pretty heavy).







2. October 2012 07:37
by Rene Pallesen
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Baby's hand

2. October 2012 07:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

baby s hand


The other night I took this photo of the baby's hand grabbing my finger.

We are now approaching week 3...still no closer to having a name for him.

2. October 2012 07:19
by Rene Pallesen
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Auburn Botanical Gardens Picnic

2. October 2012 07:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

auburn botanical gardens picnic


After our escursion to the park last week the family decided to go there for a picnic on this Labour Day (public holiday).

I was soooo tired after having food poisoning the night before...and wasn't able to eat anything...but the others were having fun.




Here is Kims dad with the four daughters.



What I didn't realise was that this was the park that KC and Chong got married in. The ceremony was in this spot where I took this photo of Kims dad with most of his grand children (the two youngest missing).





I also did some more peacock photos while we were there.



Afterwards there was cake and KC and Chongs place (it was his b'day a couple of days earlier)...but we were too tired to join them.

29. September 2012 05:57
by Rene Pallesen
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Photo Competition

29. September 2012 05:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

photo competition


For the last couple of years work has has an annual photo competition. This year the theme was 'connected world' and I decided to participate.

Not an easy task coming up with an idea and doing a project like this with a new kid. With bit of brainstorming I came up with a couple of ideas and with Kims permission to doing a night shoot in the city I decided to put one of the ideas to life.



I am not sure if it is a strong enough photo to be a real contender, but it was fun trying to put it together. The photo was taking at the Domain in Sydney with the highrises in the background.

28. September 2012 08:39
by Rene Pallesen
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Auburn Botanical Gardens

28. September 2012 08:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

auburn botanical gardens


Yesterday we made the trip to Auburn Botanical gardens which is located about 25km from where we live.


I am paternity leave at the moment at this was a nice opportunity to get out of the house with Aiden and the newborn and also take some photos.



The garden contains a Japanese section full of Cherry blossoms in spring...unfortunately it is no longer cherry blossom season, but I did find some apple trees with flowers on them as well as other flowers.





There was also a bunch of peacocks around the place...one of them kind enough to show us its pride.





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5. February 2026 16:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Cook Islands - Snorkeling

5. February 2026 16:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

We went snorkeling in the lagoon
We went snorkeling in the lagoon








































5. February 2026 16:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Cook Islands - Long Boat

5. February 2026 16:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

On a rainy afternoon we went in a longboat. The idiot at the back almost got all of us killed by hav
On a rainy afternoon we went in a longboat. The idiot at the back almost got all of us killed by having no idea how to steer (that was his one job) and landed us on the outer reef.




5. February 2026 16:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Cook Islands - Boys at Black Rock Beach

5. February 2026 16:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I also took some photos of the boys at Black Rock Beach.
I also took some photos of the boys at Black Rock Beach.













5. February 2026 16:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Cook Island - Turtles

5. February 2026 16:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One day we went snorkeling with the turtles in the lagoon.
One day we went snorkeling with the turtles in the lagoon.































5. February 2026 15:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Cook Islands 2026

5. February 2026 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

This year we decided to travel to Rarotonga in Cook Islands. Some of the immediate family booked at

This year we decided to travel to Rarotonga in Cook Islands. Some of the immediate family booked at the same time so that we 
had some days together.






5. February 2026 15:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Cook Islands - Eating out

5. February 2026 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

In the evenings we were eating out. Every restaurant was facing the lagoon.Also cocktails were cheap
In the evenings we were eating out. Every restaurant was facing the lagoon.

Also cocktails were cheap, strong and flowing...









5. February 2026 15:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Cook Islands - Games

5. February 2026 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Other times were spent playing games - Dark, Snooker Fuzball, building cairns and chasing crabs.
Other times were spent playing games - Dark, Snooker Fuzball, building cairns and chasing crabs.







5. February 2026 15:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Cook Island - Lagoon

5. February 2026 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

The beautiful lagoon surrounds the island, so much of the time was spent in the water.
The beautiful lagoon surrounds the island, so much of the time was spent in the water.




























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20. July 2014 14:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Cabramatta

20. July 2014 14:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Last weekend we went to Cabramatta to have my car services and also make a bit of a day trip out of
Last weekend we went to Cabramatta to have my car services and also make a bit of a day trip out of it.

Kim had a haircut while the boys has ice cream.



She also went past the show shop where they sell boots in her size.




Aiden got a new Lightning Mcqueen pyjamas that he was very excited about.




Lots of street food about to make you hungry.










So Lunch we had...





All very tiring.


19. July 2014 14:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Aiden recovering

19. July 2014 14:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One of the last days when the kids were still a bit sick we though we'd get them out of the house an
One of the last days when the kids were still a bit sick we though we'd get them out of the house and go to Darling Harbour.

Aiden wanted to go on the tea-cups even though he was still suffering a bit.


18. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Hospital again

18. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

A few weeks ago I was in Melbourne for work.On the way back Kim called and said that Aiden had a rea
A few weeks ago I was in Melbourne for work.

On the way back Kim called and said that Aiden had a really high fever (41+ degrees) and that she was going to get him to the hospital because she was afraid that he'd collapse like he did last time.

I jumped on an earlier flight and went straight to the hospital and spent the night with him. He was really miserable and it took 5 days (fortunately not in the hospital) before we got the fever under control.



After that Lucas got sick and then Kim as well....what a week!!

17. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Various play photos

17. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Here is some photos that I have taken from various places including work.They don't really belong an
Here is some photos that I have taken from various places including work.

They don't really belong anywhere but it is a pity to not share them.

One day walking from the train station I walked past this pair of sandals under a tree. I don't know the story behind them or the reason why one was taped up.

Did the owner climb the tree and then vanish? Did he (I assume it was a male) walk away bare feet? Where did he come from (Bata is a big brand in Africa and India)?



This next one was taken on the train. I was bored and notices this girl with a small swallow tattoo.




One day I was at Warriewood for a work meeting a dropped past Narrabeen beach (where I used to live). It was a beautiful day to have a play with the panorama function on the iphone.



Here is another panorama. This time from Town hall in Sydney.

We had our annual conference there and couldn't resist getting some photos of the beautiful architecture with my phone.





A couple of weeks ago I went to Melbourne for work. On the way we flew over the Snowy Mountains and I could see the snow there.




Here is another one from work that I took ages ago. When we all moved to the Campus from the city we were invited to hand our own avatar on this wall (mine is hanging somewhere in the top left hand corner).




Here is a photo from the campus itself. It is a cool place to work. Just a pity it is so far from the city.


16. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Aiden Painting

16. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

It is not often that I see Aiden engaged in painting at daycare (he used to be reluctant to get dirt
It is not often that I see Aiden engaged in painting at daycare (he used to be reluctant to get dirty, but now he loves it).

Here he is working on one of his masterpieces.


16. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Lucas Reading

16. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Lucas loves reading books...he can sit and look at books for hours if he is allowed.One day at dayca
Lucas loves reading books...he can sit and look at books for hours if he is allowed.

One day at daycare all the other kids were playing loudly in another room and I found him in a separate room sitting quietly sitting in a small cardboard box reading by himself.

16. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Anything Thomas

16. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

The kids are really excited whenever they get something with Thomas (the tank engine) on it.Latest i
The kids are really excited whenever they get something with Thomas (the tank engine) on it.

Latest is Aiden's new Bath rope. He was so excited that he asked me to take a photo.


30. June 2014 07:06
by Rene Pallesen
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Kims Birthday 2014

30. June 2014 07:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

It was Kim's birthday on the weekend.In the morning the boys and I woke her up with singing Happy Bi
It was Kim's birthday on the weekend.

In the morning the boys and I woke her up with singing Happy Birthday to her.

In the evening we had a babysitter so that we could have an evening just the two of us. We went to the Bridge Room restaurant in the city, food was nice!


30. June 2014 07:06
by Rene Pallesen
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Excursion to the city

30. June 2014 07:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Yesterday we decided to do a little excursion to Circular Quay and the Opera house with the boys.The
Yesterday we decided to do a little excursion to Circular Quay and the Opera house with the boys.

The both love trains, so we took the train into the city so that they could have the experience.



It was a cold and windy winters day here in Sydney so standing still for too long was freezing.



But it was great getting out and also get another family photo.


10. June 2014 11:06
by Rene Pallesen
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Bumble Bee

10. June 2014 11:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Recently Kim bought Aiden a yellow bumble bee umbrella and gumboots.They will come in handy now that
Recently Kim bought Aiden a yellow bumble bee umbrella and gumboots.



They will come in handy now that winter is here.
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14. November 2004 02:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Temple of Philae - Moved from One Island to Another Part 3

14. November 2004 02:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

temple of philae moved from one island to another part 3

14. November 2004 02:06
by Rene Pallesen
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Temple of Philae - Moved from One Island to Another Part 2

14. November 2004 02:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

temple of philae moved from one island to another part 2

14. November 2004 02:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Temple of Philae - Moved from One Island to Another

14. November 2004 02:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

temple of philae moved from one island to another
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22. April 2014 12:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - Dream

22. April 2014 12:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I just finished another edit of one of the photos from the open day. Someone else had posted a photo
I just finished another edit of one of the photos from the open day.

Someone else had posted a photo of a dream like impression and I wanted to see if I was able to do the same with one of my photos.



Model: Taylia Lopez
Lighting & Set: Studio 1A
Hair & Make-up: Kabuki Mee Designs

I also did another photo of one of the other girls at the photo shoot.




Model: Britney Williams
Hair: Cara Leupuscek
Makeup: Melisa Tomic
Sets: Studio 1A Sydney

19. April 2014 15:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - wrap up

19. April 2014 15:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

The photoshoot last week provided a lot of lessons...some learnt and some where I need more practice
The photoshoot last week provided a lot of lessons...some learnt and some where I need more practice.

My main reason for participating was to gain more experience working with models and especially be able to pose models better. A secondary objective was to get some great photos that I can use for my portfolio and for this website.
I think I succeeded with both objectives although I definitely need more experience with posing.
 
 I had no idea what to expect before getting there apart from knowing that there would be a number of models, makeup artists and a number of different sets.
 
The format is pretty simple...first come first serve to a set. You use the time effectively, work quick and take 20-30 shots with each model and after that you let someone else have a turn and move onto a different set.
 
This means that you have to work very effective with the models and try and get a good photo. You cannot change the set and you cannot change the light setup so in terms of creativity this is quite limiting.
It came in very handy that I have done some studio photography and have a good understanding of the theory. This means that it was easier for me to work with the variables that I could change, mainly changing my position on the set to get different shadows and lights and then also let the models move closer or further away from the lights to change this. I definitely think that this allowed me to get some pretty unique photos, but I definitely something I need to do more of if I get the chance to do this again.
 
Also, some of the models were professional models and others had done absolutely no modelling before. They all presented different challenges, as the professional models will give you the model poses and looks and it it hard to change this without it being pretty obvious that you only have little experience. The ones with no experience required a lot more guidance and this was where I really struggled and I definitely need some more standard poses that I can pull out for these situations. That said some of the models with no experience did really good and the most of the models were rally good fun to work with.
I especially found it really hard to pose with the male models.

Another thing is how social media works. The agreement was that you would put your shots into a dropbox folder so that the hair and makeup artists as well as the model could access low resolution files and at the same time get access to your contact details if they would like prints/hires files. I also posted the photos on the groups facebook page and the response was amazing compared to what I normally get on photos. Lots of likes and suddenly everyone wants to be my friend on Facebook (they may be disappointed when they see the stuff I normally post) and most amazing is the response from the models and the hair and makeup artists...a number of them are already using the material to promote themselves (which I am fine with as long as it doesn't go beyond that) and they are leaving comments/shares saying things such as 'this is my favourite photo from the day so far'.

Not knowing what gear to bring I brought pretty much everything I terms of lenses and even a couple of flashes and grey cards. I ended up shooting with my 85mm f1.4 pretty much most of the time and occasionally changing to a 50mm f1.4 for full body shots or on the sets where there wasn't much space on the set. What I didn't bring was my 105mm macro lens. I could have used this lens for getting in close for detail type shots and wish I had brought this along.
I should also have brought an ND8 filter for shooting natural light at f1.4...even with the Nikon D800 it was next to impossible to not overexpose using that bright light.
 
They have announced that they will be holding another shoot in august which I am planning to participate in and they also have a nude workshop in July that I am trying to convince Kim that I should go to...but we will see.

18. April 2014 07:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - Miyuki

18. April 2014 07:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Miyuki is a makeup artist and had never done any modeling before and this was the first time as a mo
Miyuki is a makeup artist and had never done any modeling before and this was the first time as a model.



She has a really nice outfit/hair piece and the makeup was done really nicely. The skin in her face is absolutely flawless and virtually no re-touching was required.



Photographer: Rene Pallesen
Model: Miyuki Tsuda
Hair and Makeup: Kabuki Mee Designs
Set/Light: Studio 1A Sydney

18. April 2014 07:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day Photoshoot - Melanie J Bowers

18. April 2014 07:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One of the professional models on the day was Melanie. She knows how to model and give you the looks
One of the professional models on the day was Melanie. She knows how to model and give you the looks but it also made it hard to get a unique photo. Even though I did get a lot of great photo I think the one below is the best...it is very magazine like.

At one point during my session with her she started talking to some other people down the back and she became all smiley and giggly...the modelling cover totally disappeared. I really kick myself that I didn't keep shooting while this happened.



Photographer: Rene Pallesen
Model: Melanie J Bowers
Hair: Cara Leupuscek
MUA: Melisa Tomic
Studio and lighting : 1A Sydney

18. April 2014 07:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - Pia Prestley

18. April 2014 07:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Pia had a very cool red and white facepaint/makeup. It was a bit strong for the set but I think it i
Pia had a very cool red and white facepaint/makeup. It was a bit strong for the set but I think it is pretty good in black and white with a slight hint of the colours blended back in.




Photographer: Rene Pallesen
Model: Pia Prestley
Hair: Cara Leupuscek
MUA: Marie Donnell
Studio and lighting : 1A Sydney

17. April 2014 14:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - Sudip Limbu

17. April 2014 14:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

At the photo shoot there was also a couple of male models.I find it a lot harder to pose males than
At the photo shoot there was also a couple of male models.

I find it a lot harder to pose males than females...with females I can (kind of) tell what looks good and what doesnt and when I get a goo pose I know it. With males it is a lot harder as I never think about what looks masculine.

This day was a really eye opener that before I next time have to shoot a male I will have to do a bit of homework and have some general ideas already mapped out.

At the end of the day they were shooting inside this caged lift and I got the this shot. Later I saw another photographers photo using the same setting and it was amazing.




It was really cool to see what other people did in the same set and I learned so much just from watching other photographers as well as models.

I also did a couple of shots using a projection screen...not a big fan, but I did snap the following that turned out somewhat ok but not entirely happy about it.




Model: Sudip Limbu
Hair: Cara Leupuscek
Makeup: Melinda
Lighting & Sets: Studio 1A Sydney

17. April 2014 14:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - Valerie Peovska 50's style

17. April 2014 14:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I did another set/makeup shoot with Valerie in a more 50's style setting.First I had her standing up
I did another set/makeup shoot with Valerie in a more 50's style setting.

First I had her standing up, but just could not get the poses working for me with the makeup and the set...just somehow seemed out of place and it was my second set of the day so I was still trying to get used to the whole idea of giving posing directions.

Eventually I had her sit down and managed to get this photo which I think captured the whole 1950's style much better.




Model : Valerie Pueovska
Hair : Cara Leupuscek
MUA : Melisa Tomic
Studio/Set: 1A Sydney
Photographer : Rene Pallesen

17. April 2014 06:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - Valerie Peovska

17. April 2014 06:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I did a couple of different sets with Valerie. Depending on the makeup she would look totally differ
I did a couple of different sets with Valerie. Depending on the makeup she would look totally different and unrecognisable.

I call this my 'Get Lost' photo...bit of attitude.







Model: Valerie Peovska
Hair: Cara Leupuscek
Makeup: Melisa Tomic
Set: Studio 1A Sydney


16. April 2014 16:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - Edyta Jedrzejowska

16. April 2014 16:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

The last of the girls that I shot at the window set was Edyta.She has got a bit more of a rough look
The last of the girls that I shot at the window set was Edyta.

She has got a bit more of a rough look to her...a bit like Geena Davis in 'Long Kiss Goodnight'.

Being at the window with soft light everywhere the tough look didn't work for me, but I did manage to get this photo which emotionally is a bit more on the lighter side.




Model: Edyta Jedrzejowska
Hair: Cara Leupuscek
Makeup: Melisa Tomic
Set: Studio 1A Sydney

16. April 2014 08:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Open Day photoshoot - Britney Williams

16. April 2014 08:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Another Natural Light shoot that I did was with a girl called Britney.She has a very photogenic face
Another Natural Light shoot that I did was with a girl called Britney.

She has a very photogenic face if done right. I also did a couple of shots in one of the sets but I just couldn't make it work as well as with soft natural light.




Again I was shooting with the Samyang but it was a bit later in the day so it was easier to control the light.



Photographer: Rene Pallesen
Model: Britney Williams
Hair: Cara Leupuscek
Makeup: Melisa Tomic
Sets: Studio 1A Sydney

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19. February 2014 06:37
by Rene Pallesen
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Serenpidity canyon

19. February 2014 06:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

serenpidity canyon


Last year I received a gift voucher through work and decided to use it for a canyoning trip in the blue mountains before it expired.



one of the companies were doing intermediate canyons and it happens that the canyon they were doing this Sunday was the serendipity canyon at mount Wilson. We (two guides and 6 other clients) parked at mount Wilson fire station and headed down the trail 30 minutes downhill.

After a quick briefing about the canyon and a change to wetsuits we absailed into the canyon itself.




There were lots of yabbies...really big ones everywhere.



It was a fun canyon with a couple of a absails and lots of jumps into water pools and swim-throughs. It was raining a lot the day before so there was a lot of water in the canyon and the water was relatively warm.














Once we were out of the canyon we had some lunch and headed back to the car a 45 minute uphill walk later. We returned back to Katoomba at around 3pm in thick fog. After a quick turnaround I headed back towards sydney as a snail pace until I was below the clouds where visibility improved. I made it back just in time for having dinner with the family.

A lot of the canyons in the mountains are still closed due to the bushfire a couple of months ago.

10. February 2014 12:13
by Rene Pallesen
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Baking bread - Sourdough

10. February 2014 12:13 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

baking bread sourdough


For the past 9 days is has been a small project of mine to try and bake an authentic sourdough bread.

By sourdough I mean by using the old techniques of not adding yeast and let the bread ferment using the natural yeast from the air.

As such it is not a lot of work, but there is a lot of waiting time and there are a lot of places that things can go wrong.

I finally managed to bake an actual bread last night and brought it for the family to taste.



They liked it and asked if I could bake them some more. Fortunately I still had some ferment left over for an additional two breads...photo above is one of them.

Although it was interesting to do, I think it will take a while before I attempt it again...the whole process is just too long.


6. February 2014 04:26
by Rene Pallesen
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Emmas Babtism

6. February 2014 04:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

emmas babtism


Emma was baptised this weekend at the local church. Fastest ever...the priest was speed reading!






6. February 2014 04:24
by Rene Pallesen
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Chinese New Year 2014

6. February 2014 04:24 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

chinese new year 2014


The other day it was Chinese new year. It is now the year of the horse.



Again it was celebrated with vegan food and money was put on Aidens rocking horse for good luck.

6. February 2014 04:19
by Rene Pallesen
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Aiden pedalling his tricycle

6. February 2014 04:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

aiden pedalling his tricycle


Aiden has finally learned how to ride his little tricycle (the one his grandma gave him just before she passed away) by using the pedals.

He is very proud...hopefully he is able to soon using his new skills on the bike he got for christmas.



Even Lucas was proud and gave Aiden the victory jump.



6. February 2014 04:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Baking bread - Walnut and Fig bread

6. February 2014 04:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

baking bread walnut and fig bread


At the moment I am going through a phase where I Loooveee baking bread.

There is something really satisfying about working with something that is so diverse and alive. And there is nothing like eating a freshly baked bread with a nice crust.


So far I have found a couple of recipes I really like...one of them is this walnut and fig bread.



On the weekend I made it for the family dinner and they wanted the recipe.

- 400g white flour into a bowl
- Add 100g of wholemeal flour
- Add 10g of sea salt flakes
- Add 5g of dry yeast into the bowl
- Add 335ml of water
- Mix it all together using your hand
- Kneed it by stretching it out on a table and then roll it up...do this 3-6 times
- flatten the bread to a thickness of about 15mm and then place walnuts and chopped figs on top. Roll up the bread with the walnuts and figs inside.
- Stretch the bread another couple of time and roll it up until the walnuts and figs are mixed into the bread.
- Put the bread in a bowl and cover it with glad wrap (or better yet, just leave it on the table and cover it with the bowl) for one hour...knock back the bread every 20 minutes (3 times in total).
- Leave the bread for another one hour (without knocking it back). After 30 minutes (30 minutes prior to baking) start preheating the oven with a baking/pizza stone at 250 degrees. Also put a small metal tray in the oven (for the ice cubes)
- Add a bit of semolina (or flour) to the baking stone and to the top of the bread to avoid it sticking.
- Place the bread on the baking stone and make a couple of cuts to the top of the dough.
- Add 3-4 ice cubes to the metal tray
- Close the oven and turn down the temperature to 200 degrees immediately.
- Bake for 30 minutes and remove from the oven.

23. January 2014 12:39
by Rene Pallesen
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Hunter Valley Gardens light show.

23. January 2014 12:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

hunter valley gardens light show


Every year hunter valley garden put up a light show where they decorate part of the garden in christmas lights.

They leave this open until end of January, so this year we headed up there to have a look....enjoy.



















23. January 2014 12:28
by Rene Pallesen
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Hunter Valley Trip with family

23. January 2014 12:28 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

hunter valley trip with family


Last weekend we made an overnight trip to the Hunter Valley a couple of hours drive north of Sydney.

The main reason was to see the lights in the Hunter Valley Garden (see separate post), but also to go and taste some wine and generally have a good time.

Pretty soon after we arrived the girls were distracted by the chocolate and cheese places.






We did however go to a couple of places for wine tasting.







We also had some really nice food up there. I was especially impressed by a really nice gnocchi salad I had....it was yummi.


Outside it was really hot...like 39 degrees in the shade. There were a couple of horses relaxing under a couple of trees.



We decided an alternative approach of checking into our hotel and jump in the pool to cool off.

In the evening we went to the light show and on the following day we just did a number of wineries before heading back to Sydney.

17. January 2014 12:11
by Rene Pallesen
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Ten Pin Bowling

17. January 2014 12:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

ten pin bowling


On the weekend we did some ten pin bowling with the family.



Kim had managed to secure some cheap tickets so it was great to play against the family.

We had one lane for the kids (with rails) and one lane for the adults.






I had a bad start and was behind much of the game, but my luck eventually caught up and I started playing a good game.




Afterwards we had a bit of a play in the games arcade





Aiden was absolutely terrified of the big scary bear (I can see why).



The kids also tried to figure out what this machine was for:



I love some of the old 50's style decor.







17. January 2014 12:08
by Rene Pallesen
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Water Play

17. January 2014 12:08 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

water play


It is summer and Lucas and Aiden is enjoying a bit of water play in the back yard on warm days.





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18. August 2011 07:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Coastal drive to Trogir - Croatia

18. August 2011 07:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

coastal drive to trogir croatia


The 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.

Click here for more photos

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.

Click here to see more photos

Click here to see ore photos

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.

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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).

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16. August 2011 09:49
by Rene Pallesen
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Dinner in Montenegro

16. August 2011 09:49 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

dinner in montenegro


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.

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The food was very nice and especially the Tiramisu and chocolate pancakes were indulgent.

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It was very hot so we used the opportunity to do some funny photos of Aiden.

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16. August 2011 05:48
by Rene Pallesen
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Peljesac Peninsular

16. August 2011 05:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

peljesac peninsular


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.


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We also came across this beautiful little abandoned church.

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We spent the afternoon at one of the beaches just dazing in the sun and letting Aiden play in the water.

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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.

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15. August 2011 03:30
by Rene Pallesen
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Dubrovnik - Croatia

15. August 2011 03:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

dubrovnik croatia


After 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.


Click here for more photos 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.


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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).

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Fortunately we found an easier way that did involve very little more walking, but no carrying...so all a happy family.

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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.


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There are also several churces that are very nice. Our favourite one (by far) was the St. Ignatius Church.


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Inclucing some museums such as the national archives which used to be the Sponza palace.


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Click here for more photosThis is the handrailing for the stairs




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As well as some great little Franciscan and Dominican monesteries. These both had some great little courtyard garden with palm and orange trees.


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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.


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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.

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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.


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13. August 2011 05:39
by Rene Pallesen
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Mostar - Bosnia

13. August 2011 05:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

mostar bosnia


After 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.

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The Bridge looks even more stunning at night and especially with all the mosques in the surrounding area.

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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).

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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.

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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). Every year there is a special festival where they do it, but now they mainly do it to entertain the tourists for a bit of money in return.

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People were very friendly in Bosnia, of all the places we travelled through we probably found the croats the least approachable and helpful.


During the war the town was surrounded by Bosnian Croat forces and the population consisting mainly of muslims decided to defend themselves. The city was hammered to pieces by Croat artiliry fire and even today it is hard to find a house without scars from bulletholes and grenades.

It is worthwhile to have a look at the following video to see what happened here in 1993: Mostar in 1993



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Mostar is surrounded by steaphills and it would have been almost impossible to find cover from snipers and artiliery from above.


Now almost 20 years later there are still many ruins right in the centre of east Mostar where we were staying and there are lots of house that are full of bulletholes and people are still living in these houses.In the houses that have not been repaired it is almost impossible to find a 30 by 30cm patch that does not have a bullet hole or grenade fragments in it. It would have been a hell on earth living or fighting here during these times.


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Inside the city limites there are three cemeteries and they are all full of victims killed in 1993...all mixed with Muslim, Christian and Orthodox. It is a very sobering experience to see that every grave is marked with the exact same year and that almost every victim was born at about the same time as Kim and myself.

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Today the population seems to be getting along regardless of background and religion.

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The surrounding hills in the valley driving in from Croatia also have old castles and ruins on them. It is a very scenic drive and highly recommended.


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We have a very nice time in Bosnia and we can highly recommend that people go there to visit.

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People should not forget Mostar and especially not forget what happened here in 1992 and 1993.

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12. August 2011 10:55
by Rene Pallesen
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Krka National Park - Croatia

12. August 2011 10:55 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

krka national park croatia


We spent a day driving to a National Park along the Krka river.This park has the most amazing waterfalls and clear blue water to swim in.

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Kim and I both agree that this park is much better and less overcrowded than Plitvice National Park. There are also fewer steps and better tracks whick made it more pram friendly.


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The park is full of small waterfalls.

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Back in time the water from the river was used to drive a watermill, which is still functioning to this day.

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The lower falls you can swim in. We all went for a swim and the water was beautiful...Aiden didn't want to leave.


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10. August 2011 12:25
by Rene Pallesen
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Split - Croatia

10. August 2011 12:25 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

split croatia


After Denmark we went to Croatia. Our first stop was Split arriving late at night into Split Airport, picking up the rental car and baby seat and then navigating our way to the apartment we had rented for a few days.

The apartment was very nice (Kim is good at finding accomodation) and they had provided a baby cot for Aiden to sleep in (all the places we stayed provided a cot for us), next to the best beach in town and it was about a kilometers walk from the central part of the city.

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Split is famous because of the Diocletians Palace, which is an enormous and fairly well preserved palace in the middle of the city. The Palace was built for the retirement of the Roman emperor Diocletian at around 300AD. There are still a lot of well preserved buildings and cellars within the palace walls, but there is also a lot of more 'modern' houses, shops, restaurants etc.

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Walking around and getting lost in the small alleys was really pleasant.


Just outside the Gold gate there is an enormous status, and it is said that if you touch the toe of the statue then it brings you luck and guarantees your return to Split (We did drive past Split a week later....maybe that counts).

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In the evenings it was pleasant walking along the shore and take in the views of the city.

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And all the locals were out stretching their legs too...

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And we really enjoyed the fresh seafood.

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Aiden loved the food and the decor of some of the restaurants.

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9. August 2011 04:56
by Rene Pallesen
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Rostock and Warnemunde

9. August 2011 04:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

rostock and warnemunde
Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal

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6. June 2012 02:28
by Rene Pallesen
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Passing of Venus

6. June 2012 02:28 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

passing of venus


Today is a very unique day in that the planet Venus passed over the disc of the Sun. The next such passing wont happen for another 105 years.

And it is even more interesting since we recently returned from Tahiti where Captain Cook observed the last passing several hundred years ago.



Here in sydney it was a very cloudy day, but I did manage to snap a couple of photos using a very powerful lens covered with dark filters. It is a planet Venus at the 7 o'clock on the sun in the photo.


5. June 2012 07:50
by Rene Pallesen
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Camera returned for warranty

5. June 2012 07:50 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

camera returned for warranty


Bummer...I had to return the camera yesterday. It was driving me mad with back focusing...not what you would expect from a $3000 camera. Hopefully they will be able to fix the issue, but unfortunately they are saying that there is a 21 day turnaround. The focus was 5cm off which is critical especially then taking portraits.


I did however manage to take a couple of photos that were ok and a bit of video with it on Sunday inside a very dark ten-pin bowling place (it was Kayla's birthday party) with all kinds of weird lighting. I was shooting at insanely high iso (12800) and I must say that I general I was pretty impressed.



Especially impressed with how fast I could shoot with lots of kids running around. They are totally usable for my blog and online posting although I wouldn't enlarge them. There was a lot of noise at these high ISO's, but most of it could be managed to a certain degree in Lightroom.






Later I was shooting with KC's camera at the lunch table...there was more light and I was strugling with taking photos using natural light.

31. May 2012 07:59
by Rene Pallesen
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New camera - Nikon D800

31. May 2012 07:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

new camera d800


Today I picked up my new camera. It is the new Nikon D800 and is currently one of the most sought after cameras on the market.

I have been wanting to get a full frame camera for some time now and this was the one for me to get...the reviews are excellent.


I pre-ordered it shortly after is was announced and has been waiting for over three months for it to arrive...but it is finally here.




It will be a steep learning curve to get used to all the new features of the camera and it will be a sad goodbye to my almost 10 year old D50 entry level camera.

I am now moving from 5 auto focus points to 51...from 6 Megapixels to 36 megapixels...max 1600 ISO to 25600 ISO...no bells and whistles to having features such as Video, Timelapse, HDR, face detection, live view, aparture preview...and the list goes on...



The D50 has served me well, but it is definitely time to move on as the technology has advanced so much. Not sure what I do with the old camera...but I will most likely end up selling it.



14. May 2012 06:55
by Rene Pallesen
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Mothers day with Autumn colours in Mt Wilson

14. May 2012 06:55 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

mothers day with autumn colours in mt wilson


It is Autumn here in Sydney and today the forecast was for 19 degrees and sunny...the first cool'ish day here. In the morning we went with Kims family to the cemetry to visit Kims mum. After this we were planning to head up to the Blue Mountains to Mt Wilson to visit some of the private gardens to take photos of the Autumn colours and get some new family photos of Kim, Aiden and I.


When we arrived it was really windy and only 7 degrees (later it dropped to 5 degrees). We had dressed for the cold, but Dylan who had joined us on the spur of the moment was a bit underdressed and cold so he borrowed a spare jumper I had with me. We immediately found a pile of leaves and they started having fun throwing them up in the air.

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We decided to visit the Yengo Sculpture garden and the owner came to greet us, tell us about the garden and charge for the entry.

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The garden was very nice and the colours were awesome.

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There were lots of sculptures hidden around the garden.

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Dylan got a bit upset because we had to scold him for running around (this was a private garden so deserved a bit of respect), throwing pebbles, thrashing my camera gear and keeping to run into the frame of the photo I was trying to take. I had also been trying to get a bit interested in what he is seeing around him to learn more things and asking him if he was interested in some of the lookouts to experience one of the most beautiful places in Australia, as well as look at the things in antique shops etc., but he was totally dis-interested..."you can drag the horse to the water, but you can force it to drink".

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After the garden Aiden was really tired and cold and we were getting hungry, so we decided to head back and stop along the way for lunch. It was good timing as it started to rain a little. I decided to drive on the great western highway as there were more options for food and I though it would be quicker getting back...turned out everyone else had the same idea so it was at a crawl.



12. May 2012 07:56
by Rene Pallesen
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An Officer and a Gentleman

12. May 2012 07:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

an officer and a gentleman


Today Kim and I went to the Lyrics Theatre to see the 'An Officer and Gentleman' musical.

It was a remake of the 1982 movie, but on the stage.



It was ok but nothing special. The acting and singing was great, but the screenplay itself as well as the music/lyrics could have been more original and the stage setup was pretty basic.

7. May 2012 05:45
by Rene Pallesen
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Halfway there - Baby brother for Aiden

7. May 2012 05:45 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

halfway there


Kim is pregnant again and we are now halfway there and on Monday we went for the halfway scans (due late September).



Everything is on track and looking good so far (5 fingers and toes etc.). For the first time we were able to tell the gender of the baby and it turns out that we are expecting a little brother to Aiden.

This means that Aiden very soon will have someone to play with here at home.


25. April 2012 03:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Kurnell walk

25. April 2012 03:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

kurnell walk


Today was Anzac day. We decided to use the day to explore some of the local area in the National Park on the other side of Botany bay near Kurnell.



It was very windy (Aiden wasn't happy with the wind). The walk along the coast is easy an quite scenic. There is even a small lighthouse about a kilometer down the track and the rocks have cook textures.






22. April 2012 07:40
by Rene Pallesen
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Symbio Wildlife Park

22. April 2012 07:40 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

symbio wildlife park


Today we went to the Symbio Wildlife park together with some of our friends.

They don't have a lot of animals in the park, but the ones they have a pretty cool and it is a good spot to get some nice animal photos (It was especially nice to see that they had polished the glass surrounding some animals).

It was also really cool to have Aiden and Sammi feed some of the more friendly animals.

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22. April 2012 05:44
by Rene Pallesen
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Luke and Alexsandra's wedding

22. April 2012 05:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

luke and alexandra s wedding


Today Luke and Alexsandra was married. She is from Serbia so the wedding itself was a beautiful traditional Serbian Orthodox wedding in a small church in Alexandria.


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The church was very darkly lit and I was shooting using natural light trying to be as discreet as possible using my old Nikon D50 camera (still waiting for the new D800) but by some miracle I was able to capture the above photos (by setting it to my max 1600 ISO and underexpose 2 stops and then push and noise reduce in post...would have loved to have one more stop).


Luke has some Scotish ancestry so ourside the church there was a guy playing the bag pipe.

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Afterwards the reception was in Drumoyne with about 250 guests invited. Lots of very loud Serbian music and traditional Serbian line dancing (Not sure what the correct name is).


16. April 2012 07:40
by Rene Pallesen
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Easter show and EQ

16. April 2012 07:40 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

easter show and eq


Synday we took Dylan to the Easter show at Fox Studios. We had bought him a 5 hour pass as a reward for an assignment we gave him.



Dylan tried a number of rides, but I think his favourite was a dodge'm'cars.



While Dylan was queueing up we had a look around at the other entertainment.