gosh, can't believe nearly a month ago it was christmas…and now we are back into the swings of things! and i haven't even written one blog post to welcome in the new year.
although I have kind of given up on new year resolutions years ago….i do try and set myself some goals and improvements for the new year..and blogging more was one of them…something i obviously need to work more at! :)
having a holiday over the festive season was amazing and one of the things I hoped I would be able to achieve over this time, as well as just relaxing, was to spark more inspiration for the creative. i definitely got to accomplish that and I thought I would list some of things that 'wowed' me and gave me another perspective :)
My Parents: I know it might sound like the cheesiest thing ever, but having my parents around me for 2 weeks over the festive time was great. obviously, living in another country from my family I still have lots of contact with them…but its completely different when I am actually with them. over this time they managed to make me laugh so hard (especially my Dad), made me look on the brighter side of life and encourage me to the nth degree within things I am pursuing at the moment. As my Mum always says, "Give it a go, because otherwise you will never know" :) I feel so blessed to have an amazing family and it made me realize that I constantly would like positive, fun-loving, encouraging people around me in my life….always :)
if you don't know Madame Zingara's, it is a dinner/show in the expression of only what I can describe as a 1940's circus. The minute you walk in the entrance it is like you are transported to another world and wrapped up in another way of life. The staff, the actors, the performers and the decor were phenomenal. I had heard how good this place was from friends, but really wasn't expecting quite as much of a show as it was! The whole time I was there I was thinking how great it would be to do a photo shoot there!
Seeing Phantom of The Opera for the first time in Cape Town was brilliant. I also loved the way it transported you back to a time of a 1910 french opera house and the emotions the play invoked. All the actors performing were outstanding at their art….singing, acting and dancing. and it inspired me to push myself in my art to try and be the best I can be.
Both, Madame Zingara's and Phantom of The Opera gave me some ideas for new photo shoots. One thing I would like to challenge myself on this year would be to do a styled shoot in one of these themes :) If you haven't been to either of these shows I soooo recommend them! Phantom of The Opera is now playing in Jo'burg and Madame Zingara's will also be there in March.
Anything French: i have a soft spot for anything french…music, movies, photos, paintings, food etc etc. over the holiday i listened to quite a bit of french music….Caracol is still my favorite French speaking singer and then any kind of french movie gets me every time. I watched "A Very Long Engagement" again over the past few days. Love it! The French just seem to know how to do things well and with a certain level of class :) now I just need to learn to speak french a little more fluently!
Nature: I am not usually a person who will go out and spend lots of time in nature and be inspried by it…however Nick is great at spotting certain birds and animals where ever we are and getting me to look, and most likely take a photo. while in our garden, he caught a glimpse of a butterfly just chilling on a leaf. most of the time I see butterflies, they are either flying frantically around or if sitting, fly off the minute you start walking closer to them.. for some reason, this particular butterfly didn't. so Nick told me to grab my camera and i instantly started snapping away at it. i couldn't believe how incredibly close I could get and the great detail my camera picked up after looking at the shots :)
