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3. October 2014 08:10
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day - Melanie

3. October 2014 08:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Melanie was back for this shoot and in high demand with lots of photographers wanting to photograph
Melanie was back for this shoot and in high demand with lots of photographers wanting to photograph her.

I only had the chance when she was with Sophia at the goods elevator as I didn't want to waste a lot of time at some of the other sets standing in line waiting.



Here is one of her and Sophia Angeleena.



And here is a photo someone took of me in action.



Set: Studio 1A Sydney
Model: Melanie Bowers (and Sophia Angelena)
HMUA:
Photo: Rene Pallesen

30. September 2014 07:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day - Jayden

30. September 2014 07:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Photo: Rene PallesenModel: Jayden S - Ikon model HMUA: Rachael BastiaansenSets: Studio 1A Sydney
...and here is Jayden.

This was taken using a large octabox to the right of the camera.

A lot of work had to go into the post production of this photo. The background had a lot of creases that had to be evened out and it was a fairly tight image because the background was really narrow. I wanted something a little wider so had to expand the background while retaining all the natural shadows. The shadows that are remaining are all natural and I was so-so as to whether they should be worked on some more but in the end I've decided to leave them as they are.




Photo: Rene Pallesen
Model: Jayden S - Ikon model
HMUA: Rachael Bastiaansen
Sets: Studio 1A Sydney



28. September 2014 06:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day - Sophia Angeleena

28. September 2014 06:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Another model at the photo day was Sophia. She is an experienced model and I have seen some of her o
Another model at the photo day was Sophia. She is an experienced model and I have seen some of her other work and it is very nice (https://www.facebook.com/sophia.angeleena.1).

This photo was taken in a goods elevator full of smoke from a smoke machine and then backlit with a bare bulb strobe. The front was lit using a small beauty dish with a sock on it.



Set: Studio 1A Sydney
Model: Sophia Angeleena
Hair: Roxanne Cahill
Makeup: Syham Elomar
Photo/Retouching: Rene Pallesen


26. September 2014 09:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Movement with stroboscopic flash and bodypaint

26. September 2014 09:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One of the sets there was set up with a stroboscopic flash in an octabox to allow capturing movement
One of the sets at the Open day photoshoot was setup with a stroboscopic flash in an octabox to allow capturing movements. The model Bree was covered in a full body silver body paint which looked fantastic.



We would be 5-6 photographers on the set, but only one person would be in control of the trigger and this person also had control of providing instructions to the model. Sometimes the person would give you a countdown, but more often than not they would just say go and then you would pull the trigger and hope that you captured the 2-3 second sequence of flashes.

This was especially difficult because it was all about timing, coordinating the movements and then holding the camera really still (A monopod or tripod would have been great).

What made it especially hard was that the first flash was the strongest followed by a sequence of less powerful flashes. This meant that for some movements you would have to do things in reverse and have the model walk backwards to get what you were after (really hard to look natural). At the same time you would also have to consider the direction of light to make sure that the movements were properly lit.



I had very few usable photos from this session even though I spent a fair bit of time trying to get it right. These are some of the ones I did get.

Set: Studio 1A Sydney
Lighting: Stroboscopic Lighting provided by; http://www.kayellaustralia.com.au/
Model: Bree Williams - www.facebook.com/BriannaWilliamsArtist
HMUA: Jade Little - http://www.alittlemakeupstudio.com/
Photo: Rene Pallesen

15. September 2014 16:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open Studio day - Urban

15. September 2014 16:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Another urban style shoot I did was with a girl named Christina. Model: Christi
Another urban style shoot I did was with this girl.

These were all shot outside using natural light.

Model:
HMUA: -
Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney
Photo: Rene Pallesen





15. September 2014 09:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photoshoot - Jamie

15. September 2014 09:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

For the first time ever did I try some urban style photos with a model named Jamie.I both did some s
For the first time ever did I try some urban style photos with a model named Jamie.

I both did some studio lit shots but also some natural light shots...all good fun.

She is of a Filipino and Spanish background and am represented by IKON Model.

Model:
Jamie A - IKON Model, Jamie Aspillaga
HMUA: Syham Elomar 'Doll Face'
Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney
Photo: Rene Pallesen

The studio lit shots were taken in a lift with a smoke machine and a bale bulb strobe inside the lift. The front is lit by a 15" beauty dish with a sock. f5.6 @ ISO 100.













14. September 2014 13:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open Studio - Pia Priestley

14. September 2014 13:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I had the pleasure of photographing Pia again during this shoot. Initially I didn't recognise her be
I had the pleasure of photographing Pia again during this shoot. Initially I didn't recognise her because she wasn't wearing the same amount of makeup and she said that she didn't participate in the last shoot.

Once I showed her the photo I took last time of her she said 'Wow, was it you who took that. It is in my portfolio!'...love it when people love my work and it is actually being used.

Model: Pia Priestley
HMUA: Carla Vallelonga
Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney
Photo: Rene Pallesen
— at Studio 1A Sydney





13. September 2014 17:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open Studio Day - Taylia Lopez

13. September 2014 17:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Model: Taylia Jordan HMUA: Donna Kalasho Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney Photo: Rene PallesenHar
Model: Taylia Jordan
HMUA: Donna Kalasho
Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney
Photo: Rene Pallesen




Hard to believe that this is the same girl/model who during the last shoot was in this extravagant hair and makeup. I almost didn't recognise her.

13. September 2014 14:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photo shoot - Michaela

13. September 2014 14:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

First of many from the photoshoot I did two weeks ago. Model: Michaela Baranov HMUA: Roxanne Cahill
First of many from the photoshoot I did two weeks ago.

Model: Michaela Baranov
HMUA: Roxanne Cahill
Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney
Photo: Rene Pallesen




21. July 2014 14:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Golf after 5 years

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

Kim and I found a couple of hours to play 9 holes of golf on a short (mostly) par 3 course.It was ni
Kim and I found a couple of hours to play 9 holes of golf on a short (mostly) par 3 course after not playing for 5 years.

It was nice getting out again after that long time even though it was very windy and freezing.

Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal

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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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24. December 2013 05:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Family Photos 2013

24. December 2013 05:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas family photos 2013


Every 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
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Gingerbread Village

23. December 2013 05:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

gingerbread village


Over 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
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More Christmas Photos 2013

16. December 2013 12:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

more christmas photos 2013


Tonight 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
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Boys best mates

16. December 2013 05:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

boys best mates


Lucas 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
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Garage Lizard

16. December 2013 04:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

garage lizard


The 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
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Christmas Banana

16. December 2013 04:55 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas banana


You 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
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Kims dads birthday 2013

15. December 2013 07:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

kims dads birthday 2013


Yesterday 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
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Christmas Photos 2013 - Candles

10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas photos 2013 candles


Christmas 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
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Christmas Concert 2013

7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas concert


The 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
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Big foot playing soccer

6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

big foot playing soccer


Aiden 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.
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10. June 2014 11:06
by Rene Pallesen
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Aidens 4th Birthday

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

This weekend we celebrated Aiden's 4th Birthday.Because of the weather forecast we decided to have i
This 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
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Mothers day card 2014

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

Here is the Mothers day card that Aiden made this year.
Here is the Mothers day card that Aiden made this year.


10. June 2014 11:06
by Rene Pallesen
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Spiderman face paint

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

The other day Aiden cam back from daycare with Spiderman face paint.Normally he avoids face paint so
The 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
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Aiden at the filming of 'Play along with Sam'

14. May 2014 07:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Yesterday Aiden went with his daycare group to the filming of 'Play along with Sam'.All very formal
Yesterday 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
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Aiden meets the Rabbitohs

8. May 2014 11:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Earlier this week Aiden went with daycare to the local park and they happened to meet some of the pl
Earlier 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
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Australian Museum - Dinosaurs

5. May 2014 15:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Autumn has arrived and this weekend was really cold and wet so we decided that Sunday morning should
Autumn 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
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Don Quixote - The Russian Ballet

4. May 2014 09:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

This weekend Kim and I went to the State Theatre in Sydney to watch the Russian ballet perform Don Q
This 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.


1. May 2014 15:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Toronga Zoo April 2014

1. May 2014 15:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

A couple of weeks ago we made a trip to Taronga Zoo.One of the families from daycare had a spare pas
A 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
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Open day photo shoot - Other various

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

Here is some more photos from the shoot the other day. They are not my favourites, but good enough t
Here 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 Peterson



Model: Gabriella Srage



Model: Emma Perceval
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23. June 2015 11:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Phuket - Snake show

23. June 2015 11:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

They also had a snake show at the elephant place.Some of the snakes were very poisonous such as this
They also had a snake show at the elephant place.

Some of the snakes were very poisonous such as this monocled cobra.





And the huge king cobra (which kept coming over the safety barrier).



Chong and I volunteered to hold the python.












I wonder how often the snake guy has been bitten by his snakes.

22. June 2015 11:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Phuket - Small monkeys

22. June 2015 11:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

At the place we went riding elephants they had a group of little monkeys that we could hold and feed
At the place we went riding elephants they had a group of little monkeys that we could hold and feed.

They were chained to their little houses which was a bit cruel, but the kids loved seeing the monkeys up close.










The kids thought it was very funny when one of them grabbed my nose.

























21. June 2015 11:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Phuket - Elephant ride

21. June 2015 11:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One morning we went on an elephant ride with the family.Kim had been on elephant rides before and is
One morning we went on an elephant ride with the family.

Kim had been on elephant rides before and is terrified, but she was still brave enough to do it again (She was screaming that she wanted to get off most of the way).






It was an amazing experience for the Kids.









They got to see the big animals up close.


























20. June 2015 08:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Phuket - Kata Beach

20. June 2015 08:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One one of the first days we went to the beach at Kata. The hotel had a shuttle bus to the beach whi
One one of the first days we went to the beach at Kata. The hotel had a shuttle bus to the beach which was an easy 10 minutes walk away.

The beach was actually surprisingly nice with warm water.



About two months ago a sailing boat stranded on the beach during a storm. No one has claimed the boat and a few attempts of lifting it off the beach has failed.



We told the kids that it was a pirate ship, so they wanted to have a closer look.











Kims dad didn't want to go in the water, but decided to keep to his thing with wearing warm clothes in hot humid weather.






19. June 2015 08:26
by Rene Pallesen
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Phuket – Travelling

19. June 2015 08:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

This year we traveled to Phuket in Thailand along with Kim's sisters family and her dad. We had t

This year we traveled to Phuket in Thailand along with Kim's sisters family and her dad.

We had to fly via Bangkok, so we were a bit worried how the kids would handle the long flight (especially Lucas), but everyone handled it reasonably well.

The boys were very excited to be going on a big aeroplane.

 

Once we arrived to Bangkok it was pretty obvious to see that they were very excited.










The only thing that never made it all the way to the hotel was our stroller. We lost it somewhere between Phuket airport and the hotel...but wasn't a big loss and hopefully someone puts it to goo local use.

20. May 2015 12:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Passport photo session

20. May 2015 12:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

It is time to renew Aiden passport and like last time there were a lot of outtakes that we could not
It is time to renew Aiden passport and like last time there were a lot of outtakes that we could not use, but which were quite funny.


20. May 2015 11:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Grandma and grandpa

20. May 2015 11:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Here is some more photos of my grandma and grandpa on my mothers side.Here she is with her sisters (
Here is some more photos of my grandma and grandpa on my mothers side.

Here she is with her sisters (my grandma on the far right)



Here is some of her when she was young.






Here is one that I assume was taken in 1969 based on the date of the photo.



I think this one if my grandpa when he was young.



And here is some more.







And here is some family gathering photos.



I think it is her brother on the left. And my cousin Mette on the right.



And this is with my grandparents on my fathers side (left to right bedstefar, mormor, morfar, bedstemor, mum and Claus).

12. May 2015 11:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Grandparents and Great Grand parents

12. May 2015 11:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Going through some old photos I came across these of my great grand parents (on my mothers side).I a
Going through some old photos I came across these of my great grand parents (on my mothers side).




I am pretty sure that the little girl on the left is my Mum (So the photos must have been taken around 1943-1944) and the other two girls are her sisters (My Aunties) Eli on the right and Yrsa in the middle.

I assume that the women in the back are their grand parents (my great grands) with the woman on the right being my grandmothers (mormor's) mum and the one on the right being grandad's (morfar'd) mum.


Here is a family photo of what I assume is my grandmothers (mormor's) family. I think it is my grandma in the middle right behind my great grandmother.


I assume this is my great grandparents, but I cannot be certain.




This must be a birthday for my grandmother.


This was taken outside the farm where my mum grew up. It is my grandad (morfar) in the middle on the right and it could be my grandmother (mormor) on the stairs with her mum. The farm is still there today owned by my uncle.






This must be some of the family on my grandads (morfar's) side, so possibly some of his siblings.

9. May 2015 18:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Comissioned work

9. May 2015 18:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

A friend asked if I would do a commissioned corporate portrait for professional usage.I said I was h
A friend asked if I would do a commissioned corporate portrait for professional usage.

I said I was happy to help and on a very rainy day we managed to get the the shoot done. This is the most corporatey of the lot.


9. May 2015 18:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Ring flash portrait

9. May 2015 18:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I purchased a cheap ring flash and had a bit of a play with it one evening and took the following ha
I purchased a cheap ring flash and had a bit of a play with it one evening and took the following happy snap photo of Kim.




We are planning a holiday and I am thinking that I might bring it along.
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29. January 2012 07:38
by Rene Pallesen
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Ronan Keating Concert

29. January 2012 07:38 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

ronan keating concert


Last night Kim and I went to the Ronan Keating concert in State Theatre in Sydney.



Kim is a long time fan of Ronan and really wanted to see him live. I am to be honest not really familiar with his music but had a good evening nonetheless.

The warming up band was Sharon Corr (from The Corrs) and I really enjoyed her both playing and singing...she is pretty talented on the violin.



29. December 2011 10:24
by Rene Pallesen
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Tomakin 2011 - Fishing

29. December 2011 10:24 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

tomakin 2011 fishing


Chong brought his Tinny (Australian slang for boat) to Tomakin and every morning the guys went out fishing for a few hours (I only went out one morning because 1. I had to look after Aiden and 2. I am not a morning person).





We caught lots of fish, but none of them were worth keeping as they were too small.



Just as well we didn't keep any, because on one of the days the fishing inspection gave us a visit.




In fact the only thing we caught that was above the size limit was this blue swimmer crab (and he was allowed to live another day).




We also had a visit from two massive sting rays (about 1 meter in diameter).

28. December 2011 10:23
by Rene Pallesen
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Tomakin 2011 - Table Tennis

28. December 2011 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

tomakin 2011 table tennis


The house we stayed at had a table tennis table in the garage. We had enough people to form three double teams and we spent quite a few hours playing each other.





Kims dad is 78 years old and is still going strong...he loves playing games.



27. December 2011 10:12
by Rene Pallesen
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Tomakin 2011 - Evening Photos

27. December 2011 10:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

tomakin 2011 evening photos


On the last couple of evenings we went to the beach to do some nice sunset photos. Tomaking is very onique in that it has some beaches that are facing west so you can use the nice light in the evening.

We did some family photos (some of which are on the previous blog post) as well as some of just Kim, Aiden and I. Kim still looks as beautiful as the day I met her.











I also did a rush job taking some long exposure shots of the ocean and the cliffs (not sure if I like the post processing...may have to come back to it some other day).

26. December 2011 09:59
by Rene Pallesen
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Tomakin 2011

26. December 2011 09:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

tomakin 2011


This years christmas family trip went to Tomakin on the NSW south coast (about 5 hours drive south of Sydney).



We rented a house with four bedrooms (for 9 adults and 5 kids) very close to the beach and fishing in the river. Fun with this large a group of people.





As usual we spent some time at the beach and I was showing Aiden how to build sand castles again.



He is still not walking so we had to hold his hands walking on the beach and in the water.





Right next to the house there was a nice litte organic coffee shop serving really good coffee and scones.



One morning we went to Mogo to have a look at the shops. There was a lot of art and crafts shop that Kim was interested in. The town had very conveniently created facilities for husbands as well.

25. December 2011 09:46
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Day 2011 - Bondi

25. December 2011 09:46 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas day 2011 bondi


Christmas day we spent at Bondi Beach with Sacha and Mavis and their daughter. We met up at the kids pool at the end of the beach to let our kids have a splash in the water.



Aiden couldn't get enough of walking around in the water with myself and Kim holding his hands (he still can't walk by himself), he is very fond of water.



Sammi, Sacha and Mavis' daughter was wearing a flotation suit which was causing her a few problems as this photo series testifies.



24. December 2011 09:35
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Eve 2011

24. December 2011 09:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas eve 2011


Christmas Eve this year was celebrated with Kims family. Normally we do this on the 25th like all other Australians, but this year we decided to do it the day before like in Denmark to avoid a lot of leftover food before going down south on out family trip to Tomakin.



Later in the day Santa Claus arrived to hand out presents for the kids.



For the lunch I roasted two ducks and Kim baked a chocolate ganache and made a salad.





Aiden was very excited and played with all Ethand and Kaylas toys.





19. December 2011 11:22
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Family Photos 2011

19. December 2011 11:22 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas photos 2011


Christmas is now approaching and to keep up traditions I have created some family photos as well as some photos of Aiden.

Click here for more photos

Click here for more photos

Click here for more photos


19. December 2011 01:21
by Rene Pallesen
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Daos Wedding

19. December 2011 01:21 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

daos wedding


Recently Dao's husband moved to Australia to join her. One of the visa requirements are that they must enter a legally binding marriage (The marriage from Vietnam is not recognised here) for him to stay here, so today we went to the registry office to have them married.







19. December 2011 01:19
by Rene Pallesen
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Water Playground in Darling Harbour

19. December 2011 01:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

water playground


On the weekend we went with the family to Darling Harbour where they have a big water playground.

This gave Aiden a chance to play in the water...which he loves.







I also took a couple of photos of Aiden with grandad and auntie.







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4. May 2015 12:05
by Rene Pallesen
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France 1983

4. May 2015 12:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

When I was a kid we spent a lot of time in southern Europe.In 1983 I went with my mum and dad throug
When I was a kid we spent a lot of time in southern Europe.

In 1983 I went with my mum and dad through France and through Avignon.

We were camping on the opposite side of the river just where the half bridge would have met the other bank.



One night there was a firework and we got showered in debris from the exploded rockets.





4. May 2015 12:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Kenya Camping

4. May 2015 12:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

In Kenya we would just camp somewhere in the bush whenever we went out on safari. In the evening we
In Kenya we would just camp somewhere in the bush whenever we went out on safari. In the evening we would sit around a camp fire and on more than one occasion were we visited by lions either wandering past or approaching the camp site at night.

One night my mum woke up with a lion starring into the tent and we had paw prints on the car next to the tent.

 






































Some of the sights were truly amazing such as the extinct volcanoes.



Or Lake paradise in Marsabit in the middle of the desert.




Or lake Nakuru with all the flamingoes (and as I discovered, ancle deep poo).



And the locals were always friendly.




1. May 2015 17:05
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Tender Embrace

1. May 2015 17:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Last weekend when we went to Eastgardens I spotted one of the shops were setting up new clothes on t
Last weekend when we went to Eastgardens I spotted one of the shops were setting up new clothes on the mannequins. Two of the arms were placed on the floor perfectly for this tender embrace.


17. April 2015 16:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Fox Easter family show

17. April 2015 16:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Sunday we went to the Easter show at the Fox studios. This year we bought an unlimited rides pass fo
Sunday we went to the Easter show at the Fox studios.

This year we bought an unlimited rides pass for all of us. This mean that both Lucas and Aiden could do a lot of rides with bot Kim and I.

Aiden was feeling a little sick but he didn't let that stop him and Lucas was a bit more hesitant and spend the first couple of hours refusing to go on any rides but once he got started he wasn't to be stopped.







We went with a couple of friends and everyone had fun.
















Except he who had to take Aiden on all the rides that make me seasick.










The also had a 1:1 size Lightning McQueen car and Mack truck, but Aiden wasn't in a mood to say hello or have his photo taken.





17. April 2015 13:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Symbio Wildlife park

17. April 2015 13:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

On the weekend we went a trip to Symbio wildlife park. We have been there before, but we managed to
On the weekend we went a trip to Symbio wildlife park. We have been there before, but we managed to purchase some cheap tickets and it is a great place for small kids as they can pad and feed the animals. Aiden especially loves animals and is getting good at feeding them himself.







Even Lucas who is normally terrified of animals eventually took courage to touch a Joey (baby kangaroo).







But he was too scared to approach the larger ones.




We also looked at some of the other animals there, such as the crocodiles.




The Dingo's.




The snakes.




The Emu




And the chameleons.




And the red panda.


29. March 2015 08:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Le Noir - or The Dark and intimate side of Cirque du Soleil

29. March 2015 08:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

This week Kim and I went with a couple of friends to Lyric Theater to see Le Noir.It was a bit of a
This week Kim and I went with a couple of friends to Lyric Theater to see Le Noir.

It was a bit of a last minute decision day before as cheap tickets suddenly came up.



It was really good with death dying stunts and great performances and rancy sexiness to enjoy.


18. March 2015 13:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Bedstefar visiting

18. March 2015 13:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I February my dad came to visit for a couple of weeks with Connie, mainly to see the two boys.Aiden
I February my dad came to visit for a couple of weeks with Connie, mainly to see the two boys.

Aiden was very excited to have him here and Lucas was initially a bit shy but eventually warmed up.



My Dad brought all my old lego from Denmark, much to the amusement of especially Lucas who enjoys building things.




Aiden eventually also wanted to join.




They also spent time in the garden playing ball.










One day we went to Darling harbour for the Chinese new year. We stopped for some coffee and chilled out.










Afterwards we went to see the chinese decorations.
















And we also did a carousel ride.







And we also stopped to get some photos of my dad with both the kids together...which is never easy.








1. March 2015 09:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Swan Lake

1. March 2015 09:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Kim and I went to see the Swan Lake with the Australian Ballet at the Capitol Theatre this season.Ne
Kim and I went to see the Swan Lake with the Australian Ballet at the Capitol Theatre this season.

Neither of us had ever seen the swan lake and really wanted to see it. My dad was here at the same time but he was happy to babysit the kids while we we were going.



It was a beautiful performance and without a doubt the best ballet I have seen.







19. February 2015 14:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Kenya Tribes

19. February 2015 14:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

It was a privilege to live in Kenya during the 80's. Much of the the country had seen very few (if a
It was a privilege to live in Kenya during the 80's. Much of the the country had seen very few (if any) white people.

So, everywhere that we went we seemed to be the main attraction (especially me and my brother with our blonde hair).

To be honest I can't identify all the tribes anymore, but I know that a lot of them are from Samburu, Turkana and the northern part of Kenya.

I suspect that if you went to those areas today then they would all be wearing T-Shirts.
















































































































































































19. February 2015 14:02
by Rene Pallesen
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Kims Babtism

19. February 2015 14:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Since the kids were babtised last year Kim though it would make sense that she would be babtised too
Since the kids were babtised last year Kim though it would make sense that she would be babtised too.

So, early January it was her turn with just the immediate family around.














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28. January 2015 16:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Kenya - Animals

28. January 2015 16:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Needless to say that I saw a lot of animals while in Kenya.I don't know how it is today, but back th
Needless to say that I saw a lot of animals while in Kenya.

I don't know how it is today, but back then they were everywhere in the national parks.

Here is some of the Rhinos we saw.












Elephants were plentiful.




Lots of cheetahs.










And lots of lions.



























Their kittens.










Lots of Hippos (Lots of these in Lake victoria) and they would be grazing on the golf course across the street.



Hyenas




The vultures eating the remains of the kills.




And of cause loads of zebras and various gazelles.








23. January 2015 15:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Kenya - childhood

23. January 2015 15:01 by Rene Pallesen | 1 Comments

My time in Kenya was every kids dream.I got see and do things that few other kids had a chance of do
My time in Kenya was every kids dream.

I got see and do things that few other kids had a chance of doing and it definitely had a big impact on my adult life.



Living at Lake Victoria gave me the chance of catching the biggest fish I have ever caught (A 56pound/25kg Nile Perch).



I also caught the smallest fish I have ever caught in that same lake.




We didn't need fancy fishing gear, just a stick with a piece of line on it.



Life, going to school and emerged in a different culture was a different kind of life (This is our house maid, my brother and my grandmother in front of our house).





This is Filistus another of our house maids. She was working for us most of our time there (we found out the she died from a bad case of malaria years after we left).





Here we are riding a 100 year old turtle.



Life with my brother was also very different. He discovered his talent for Tennis in Kenya and could whoop most of the adults arse when he was 12yo.






No hair dressers around so we also had the worst hair cuts.







There wasn't a lot of Europeans around so we'd know most with a 100km radius.



Family life was simple (not TV) but good.










Our dog was part of the family and made quite a few trips to Kenya.





Every afternoon was spent at the Nyanza Country club where Claus played Tennis and we went swimming.

I taught myself to swim and owe these days to how solid a swimmer I am today...I got really upset that I couldn't swim and my stubborness kicked in and I became determined to learn...fast.



Some of the less memorable moments were the school plays where I was dressed up as a big bird.



Here is one of Claus singing in the choir.

23. January 2015 07:01
by Rene Pallesen
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1981 Kisumu Primary School class photo

23. January 2015 07:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I have started going through some of the old photos on my computer and will start post some of them
I have started going through some of the old photos on my computer and will start post some of them on my blog.

The first one I stumbled upon one of my class photos from Kenya from 1981/82 when I went to Kisumu Primary School.

I was the only white person in my class (we were 5-6 europeans in the whole school)








16. January 2015 15:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Alpaca farm stay - hunter valley gardens

16. January 2015 15:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One evening while staying at the farm we went to the Hunter Valley gardens to check out the light sh
One evening while staying at the farm we went to the Hunter Valley gardens to check out the light show and the mega bugs.





There were lots of really creepy insects around the garden and they were all moving and making sounds.






The light show was also really good and there were a couple of new things compared to last year.



And we also spend a bit more time in the story garden.







And the story about girls and boys is 'different'...






...but maybe true for these little monkeys.






16. January 2015 14:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Alpaca farm stay

16. January 2015 14:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

At the end of the summer holidays we made a trip up north to Broke (Hunter Valley) with the kids and
At the end of the summer holidays we made a trip up north to Broke (Hunter Valley) with the kids and some friends to stay at an Alpaca farm.




It didn't take long for Aiden to get comfortable with feeding the Alpacas but Lucas was a bit more hesitant and was happy to just observe or throw the food at them.










The Alpacas also provided them with a biology lesson teaching them about the bees and the flowers.




We also did a bit of wine tasting while we were in that part of the hunter.









But the kids were more interested in playing outside and chasing the cat.


16. January 2015 10:01
by Rene Pallesen
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NY resolution - Get healthy

16. January 2015 10:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

My New Years resolution for this year is to get healthy.By this I don't mean that I will try and bec
My New Years resolution for this year is to get healthy.

By this I don't mean that I will try and become super fit and start running marathons. No, I just mean that I want to get to a stage where I feel healthy, do a bit of exercise, have a healthy mental state and generally eat healthy.

I started really well on this last year, but about half way through I started getting sick all the time (like every 2-3 weeks).

 


This time around I want to have 2 months without getting sick and then I will start some easy to moderate exercise again.

I want to see if I can get back to running again.

16. January 2015 10:01
by Rene Pallesen
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A place to stay

16. January 2015 10:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Here is a fun little street sign. This is a place I wanna live...
Here is a fun little street sign. This is a place I wanna live...

25. December 2014 08:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas 2014

25. December 2014 08:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

This year we celebrated Christmas eve with the boys.5 days before Christmas I still hadn't taken our
This year we celebrated Christmas eve with the boys.

5 days before Christmas I still hadn't taken our annual family photo even though I had the concepts loosely worked out in my head.

I knew that I wanted to do one in the kitchen and one evening when Kim decided she wanted to experiment with cooking brownies I decided to set it up and talked her through the concept and what I wanted her and the kids to do.
It worked out better than expected.



Kim also wanted one of us unpacking gifts.

This one was a lot harder to set up as the light was critical.




The last family photo we did was a simple one taken in the morning at Maroubra beach.


24. December 2014 09:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Inspirational notes for 2015

24. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

In one of the shops at Eastgardens I found a wall full of these inspirational notes for 2015.
In one of the shops at Eastgardens I found a wall full of these inspirational notes for 2015.


















23. December 2014 09:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Playing a storm

23. December 2014 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

A couple of days ago the kids were playing in the park at Kims dads place while a big storm was appr
A couple of days ago the kids were playing in the park at Kims dads place while a big storm was approaching.

The light was beautiful so I couldn't resist snapping a couple of photos with my phone.











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9. December 2011 08:06
by Rene Pallesen
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Cure Our Kids

9. December 2011 08:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

cure the kids


Every year we are allowed to spend a certain number of working days on charity events. Last year I did some with a group from work, but this year I was offered to join Cisco on their charity for "Cure our Kids".

This is an even that mainly focuses on providing a support framework for parents whose kids have Cancer with the thinking that if there is a good support for the parents then they will be able to support their children better.



The work we did consisted of going through pallets of boxes with parent folders and then from these remove unwanted items and inserting new leaflets. A team was also going through other boxes to sort through what could be used for xmas and what needed to be ebay'ed off.





4. December 2011 03:47
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Mothersgroup 2011 Christmas meet

4. December 2011 03:47 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

mothersgroup 2011 christmas meet


This weekend Kim and I met met up with the mothers group for a christmas meet.

Because the weather was nice we decided to meet at the local playground and at the same time I could take some photos of the kids.

The playground has a plastic boat which makes it nice and easy to keep them contained in one area.









27. November 2011 07:48
by Rene Pallesen
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Playing with Leaves in the Garden

27. November 2011 07:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

playing with leaves in the garden


On the weekend I was cutting down some of the bushes in our garden. Very quickly Aiden discovered that it was fun to play in the pile of leaves that I'd left behind.



27. November 2011 07:48
by Rene Pallesen
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Centenial Bridge

27. November 2011 07:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

centenial bridge


On the weekend we went for a walk in Centennial Park. We stopped at this old stone bridge to take a couple of photos, but Aiden was more interested in taking mum for a walk and a swim.







27. November 2011 07:48
by Rene Pallesen
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Eastgarden Christmas Decorations

27. November 2011 07:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

eastgarden christmas decorations


They have now set up the christmas tree in East Gardens. I was trying to find a goot spot to take a photo from without use of a tripod and without being chased away by security.



This was the best I could come up with.

27. November 2011 07:47
by Rene Pallesen
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Playing with Lego

27. November 2011 07:47 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

playing with lego


The other day we were at Eastgardens shopping centre.

Lego had an area set aside where the kids could play with Lego (obviously to get the parents to buy them Lego for Christmas).


Obviously Aiden (and Dad) had to play for a while.







And Aiden also did some drawing (or at least he was playing with the colour pens)



27. November 2011 07:47
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Parade Darling Harbour

27. November 2011 07:47 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas parade darling harbour


Last weekend we went with Lachlan and Na to Darling Harbour for dinner.

This also happened to be the night of the Christmas parade in Darling Harbour.



So there was a lot of entertainment such as the Three Wise Men.





And lots of people dressed as Santa.



And Elves.

22. November 2011 02:17
by Rene Pallesen
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Building Sandcastles

22. November 2011 02:17 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

building sandcastles


On the weekend we went tot he beach. Initially Aiden was a bit scared of the waves (although he loves the sand and the water)...but after a while he didn't mind the waves splashing around his little legs (I found the water cold but he didn't mind).




As usual he threw a tandrum when we pulled him out of the water.



Afterwards we spend some time in the sand and I was teaching him how to build really cool sand castles and he was teaching me how to demolish them.



22. November 2011 02:13
by Rene Pallesen
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Swimming Pool

22. November 2011 02:13 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

swimming pool


The other weekend we took Aiden to the swimming pool.

He is really happy with water now and loves splashing around. He is no longer afraid of it and doesn't mind getting his head under water.



Only problem now is that he throws a tandrum every time we have to leave the pool.

22. November 2011 02:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Sculpture by the Sea 2011

22. November 2011 02:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

sculpture by the sea 2011


This year I didn't get a chance to go to Sculpture by the sea during the daytime, but I did have some time to go there one evening after we had put Aiden to bed.

I had seen some daylight photos from the exhibition from Tamarama beach where they had these 'Easter Island' type statues. I thought I could do some really cool night time Off-Camera-Flash photos using just ordinary flashes.

When I got there it was almost pitch black darkness...perfect.

I got my gear set up and managed to take the following shot which was exactly what I envisioned in my head.



While there I had a look at a couple of the other sculptures in the area...I did shoot the following photo of this 2 meter tall red chinaman sculpture.