CLIENT: FRED Eatery

Really, no words needed. Just look at these pics. This place is very, very, very awesome. An easy drive through the beautiful Adelaide Hills.

FRED Eatery

Destination photos 'on spec'

On a recent photo tour, I did photos for Goyder Council 'on spec'. We developed a shot list, the client organised talent, then we photographed. Nothing fancy - all natural light and realistic. It's the way photos should be when trying to sell a destination. 

I really enjoyed the shoot, which was over two days - six hours on the first day and one hour on the second. I got to wander around, exploring different areas, popping my head into shops, taking photos of all the great things I saw. I loved the fact that people knew what I was doing so I didn't have to explain all the time or feel weird that people would be looking at me going 'what is she doing?'

This kind of shoot benefits everyone involved - I get some awesome stock photography, my client gets beautiful photos with minimal effort and the people we photograph get the opportunity to have some professional photos too. 

If you are interested in having your business/area photographed, email me. I am always going places and will let you know when I'm next in your area - or we can organise a tour around your dates!

A wander through Glenelg

Before the weather turned sour, I wandered Glenelg for the day, getting piccies for a client. A little project I am helping them with, which I'll tell you more about soon.

I REALLY want to live close to the beach - but my dream is to live by a surf beach. That way, I can walk down with board under arm. BUT, Glenelg has the vibe. I love the cafe culture that is popping up. There is good coffee. There is alternative 'healthy' food. There are activities for young and old. It is no wonder it's a tourist hotspot. 

Taking that vibe and plonking it next to a surf beach would make my dream come true. I could then open up a gallery for locals AND tourists, go surf every day (when there is surf) and, at it's most basic, feed my soul. I'd be one happy chappy. 

Anyway, here are a few pics from my wander. Thanks so much to all the businesses I visited - you make awesome subjects. :)

The Moseley

Pure Coffee

Zest

Goodlife Pizza

Zucca

The Oyster Bar

Esca

Chick n Chip

The Beachouse

The Organik Cafe

Way out west. A slice of WA.

Perth has been on my travel radar for a while now. Lots of people have come back raving how great it is. But to get there - it's an effort. The cost of flights, the travel time, and then, hate to admit it, the unknown of whether I would like it. After all, it is a city. And cities don't normally leave me 'wow, I love this city'. 

Ok, so I admit. I still don't know what Perth is like as a destination - unless you consider going to a Convention at the Crown complex with an outing to a bar one night, an experience. But I did stay in Fremantle. And there is so much to do there, that four days just wasn't enough. Talk about the conference revealed Fremantle was on the down slope - shops closing, not much happening, lacking atmosphere. So, driving down the main road on a Wednesday night, cafes buzzing, people wandering - I was lost. Is this the same Fremantle? 

For the following couple of days, I did a cafe tour. Ootong and Lincoln and The Raw Kitchen for healthy yet delicious treats. Little Creatures (downing about a schooner of beer tastings before realising it wouldn't be gluten free) for some culture and Saturday afternoon vibe. Ruocco's Italian for the best calamari I've eaten. Indian and some very yummy Lebanese. And let's not forget Third Wheel at South Beach Cycles in South Freo - a trendy little spot for coffee mid-morning while the pug gets watered after her short stroll. My taste buds are alive.

There are some honest people in Fremantle. On ordering my coconut milk short latte and offering to buy my cousins, I reach for my money in my pocket. No money to be felt. And I did put it in there. Damn. I must have dropped it along the way when I took my phone out. I ran back along the esplanade, not hopeful but having to give it a try, and found the colourful $20 note sitting near the footpath. People must have passed, as there were people everywhere - good karma was with me that day. Thank you, Fremantle peeps.

Freo would be a great place to live - casual vibe, artists, beach (and surf beach nearby), and of course, the choice of eateries. My place. Just need to find that in Adelaide. Hmm.

Looking Differently Photography Tip

We are taught to walk forward, watching where we go, eyes up, and standing confident. But some times, the best photos can not be found this way. A photographer needs to be curious. Here are a few tips to consider when you pick up the camera (or iPhone) next.

Look around you.

Get down on the ground - like a childs view.

Turn around when walking, and see what it looks like. You will be surprised at how different the view can look.

Look up.

Look at the details - go up close and get the bubbles, the signage, the food, the beautiful colour of the flower.

You don't always need a face in the photo to tell the story. Hands, feet, even a whole body with head cropped. 

Reflections can be interesting.

Windows and mirrors - use them. So many stories to be told - infront of you and behind you in the one image.

I love to sit and watch the world go by. In the image above, I was at a cafe in Mount Gambier SA, working on the laptop, but needing an 'eye strain' break. I can't last, even for an hour, on the computer without breaks. I'd been watching people come and go, conversations through the window, laughter, waitresses keeping everyone happy - and wanted to capture the hive of activity. Cafes can be a hive of activity.

I entered this photography in the AIPP Awards (Australian Institue of Professional Photography) and gained a Silver at State level. I love that you can see me (normally a pro no-no) and the outside world, but also have the dialogue of legs sitting at the window.

I wonder what they were talking about? Did they indulge in a pastry? Who knows.

We can make our own ending.

BSKT cafe yummies, Mermaid Beach QLD

I spot a number of cafes on the way in, and make a mental note that coffee is not far away. Thank goodness. I see a place called BSKT on the corner, two doors down from our apartment. It looks full and bustling with energy. Another mental note, 'I must go there'. A social media comment from a friend in Adelaide cements my thoughts, I need to go there. A coffee buff, he says I need to go there after my run one morning.

So I do. We go for coffee, and sit out the back. To my gleeful surprise, there is a kids play area. Hallelujah. We have been entertaining the kids on holiday with no toys, and finally, they are away from us. Happily. I eye the food coming out, and wish I had not just eaten breakfast at the apartment. The menu has me wanting to eat again, but I resist. Just. I tell Ben we are coming back for food tomorrow.

Pancakes with raw cacao, blueberries and other yummy super-food crunch. Awesome! Sweet potato and quinoa fritters. Yum! This is my kind of food. Delicious AND healthy. The menu is laden with super-foods, coconut and protein, I don't need to feel ultra guilty indulging at this place.

We sip on lattes in peace, looking out to the whitewash of waves (while not salivating over the menu). That rarely happens. Ahh. Double whammy - great coffee and time out from kids.

Breakfast… breaking the fast with something yummy.

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Coffee Saviour...

Geelong grind. The smoke haze lingers low. It's warm, but looks cold and wintery. Time to re-jig with a coffee. I see a sign leading up an office block staircase. I pitter patter off. And am kicked into place with a caffeine hit that goes down way too quickly.

Flemington hang-out I'm an hour too early for a job. I turn the corner in search of a cafe. The sun peeks through the clouds and shines my attention on Mama Bear. Ah, I love this place; thank you.

I love finding cool places via wandering while on my travels.

A girly weekend out... with just the iPhone.

'I love it here. I just love it here.' I hear myself repeating my words, as the warm night breeze blows my hair. I could be on a beach, in a little ranty shack in Brazil. Or anywhere that oozes eclectic, eccentric, ramshackle. But no, I'm in Adelaide. Grenfell Street, Adelaide. Little Miss Mexico.

I'd heard about it for ages, and have never been. Mainly because I haven't been out in town for ages. Having two small children does that. And it wasn't til I asked a mate about where to go, and he says 'come here, no age bias, chilled tunes and great atmosphere' I get there. The description is not wrong. There's turtles in a tank. Fairy light tangled crates as lighting. Rickety makeshift bars. Old lounges. Uneven concrete. Galvanised island. Painted murals.

Having walked the breadth of Adelaide CBD from Benjamin on Franklin, I feel worlds apart. I've come from old world charm - muskiness stained in the sagging leather seating of the Library dining room, slick coffee cocktails and mirrored walls, to having margaritas in recycled jars and sangria by the bottle in an alley.

I feel like I'm on holiday. Gingers Cafe on Goodwood Road for lunch, surrounded by all the cool people. Checking into a two bedroom apartment at Mantra on Frome Road. Swirling wine in Benjamin on Franklin charm, and now chilling out with good vibes and relaxed crowd at Little Miss Mexico.

Do I have to go home tomorrow? Not before breakky at Colins and Co on King William Road.

Cash Store Cafe, Gilles Street ADL

This cute cafe at 269 Gilles Street in Adelaide is a tiny treasure. The Lemonade sign is enough to get me in. And the old wooden doors that lead in. Then there are the salads. I order a chicken salad, and get all the trimmings. Yummo. $11 for a salad and drink,  yes please.

I am introduced to this character by a friend who works nearby. And it seems all who work nearby know about this place. Lunch trade is rockin'. As I bite into my fork full of sundried tomato, avocado, and chicken - I realise why.

Same time next week?