I’ve been given a Nikon V1 (and it came with a 10-30mm lens) to review for Girl Guides this week (I only have it for a week), so this week I’ll be making an effort to take photos every single day to test this little baby properly. It’s SUCH a funky camera, and I’m quite enjoying the fun I’m having with it so far… once I got over my built-in need to set the camera to manual and just accepted that it’s better to play with the auto settings.

So far I’ve learnt the following:

1. It’s easier to keep the V1 in auto setting, and let it do it’s thing.  I love how it knows that you’re trying to take a macro photo vs a portrait… very very clever

2. The colour profile on the V1 is very different to my Canon, so my editing has had to change

3. Speaking of which, you need to upgrade your Lightroom software (to LR 3.6 RC) to deal with the newer NEF file format on the V1 (thanks to all the guys on Twitter that helped with this issue).

4. Because of the awesome wide angle lens you can do self-portraits with ease

… let the fun continue

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you would know that I started it as a photo-a-day blog in 2007. I’ve completed 2 years of a photo-a-day, and I’ve done 2 half-years of the same type of project, and at the moment I’m trying (not very successfully) to do a i365 which I’m posting on a Tumblr blog via Instagram.

I found this video today after watching Jonathan Harris’ TED video from 2008 where he talks about collecting stories (LOVED the stories at the end with the wishing balloons).  This video from 2011 is all about his project called Today, where he took a photograph every day in the year that he turned 30.

It really resonated with me for a number of reasons, the main one is that I would dearly love to do this… make a video of all my daily images that I took over that time. I have them all archived, it’s not like I can’t do it… it would just take a bit of time to get them all together.

But towards the end of the video he talks about what the project meant to him, and I agree with everything he says.  It took over my life towards the end, and although I was relieved to be finished with it, I do miss it too.  Even though my family got really annoyed with me and my camera in the end… I love that I have so many photographic memories from those days.

If you have 10 minutes… watch his amazing images and listen to his story…

The very first South African iPhoneography exhibition is being held in Sandton from 1 September 2011, and 5 of my images are being displayed.  How ultra cool is that?!

The rules for the exhibit were that all images had to be taken on the iPhone and edited on the iPhone too.  And you know how much I love using my phone, and how addicted I am to Instagram?! So I was thrilled when so many of my images were chosen for the exhibition.

I would be ultra thrilled if you could join us iPhoneographers at the event too … so clear your diary and RSVP via the site or via the Facebook Event page. You will also be able to follow the evening by following the hashtag #iPhoneographySA  on both Twitter & instagram.  Oh and you’ll be able to buy some of the images too.

It’s my very first photographic exhibition!! And how awesome that that’s one of the things on my bucket list for the year… so I get to tick off one more thing

I’m just waiting for my canvases to be delivered by Printwild, but here are 3 of them that will be on display.

I held my second Moms with Cameras Workshop today in Johannesburg.  It was held at Amakoekoe Guest Lodge in Honeydew (which was just the most perfect venue for me), and 14 people attended (and not all were moms).  I think the revised format without the kids worked much better, and the moms could concentrate on the concepts.

It was a jam packed afternoon, with Epson arriving at 3pm to talk about photo printing for 5 minutes.  They sponsored the most awesome prize for the best photo of the afternoon… an Epson Stylus Photo PX720WD Printer (SUCH an awesome photo printer). The quality of the images that were produced by everyone was so amazing, and it was very difficult to choose a winner.

Henti (who’s already written a blog post about today) and Bronwen arrived at 3pm as well, with their kids, Vicky and Juliette, and they were our models for the practice session.   They were the perfect models too… Vicky was always on the move and running everywhere… just perfect to explain why shutter speed has to be as fast as possible

At the end of the day, Linda won the printer with her image of Vicky (and that is unedited… just printed SOOC)

It was so much better than the first workshop I ran… and thanks have to go to Amakoekoe for being such an amazing venue, and to Epson for sponsoring printing and the fabulous printer.  It made such a difference actually printing the photos out… they always looks different to what is on the LCD on your camera.

As you know, I’m running the Moms with Cameras workshop on Saturday 2 July 2011.

For part of the workshop, the moms are going to be doing a practical exercise with kids in the gardens of the venue.

I need a mom (or 2 moms) to come through to the venue in Honeydew, Johannesburg with 2 kids to be our models at about 3pm for 2 hours.

What’s in it for you?  My best 5 photos of your kids (and you) edited in high resolution.

Oh and drumroll….

I have a sponsor for the workshop now, and Epson will be coming during the workshop to give a small talk on printing photos and will be printing out a few images from all attendees. In addition, the best image for the day wins a prize!  Cool hey?!

It’s going to be an awesome afternoon!

Please email me jeanette@jeanetteverster.com if you’re interested

***UPDATE**** spots have been taken!!