To roll out or not roll out!

Hi everyone,
As I have mentioned to you before I have been working on my new website design and I am finished with the design but not with all the content which is, you guessed it pictures!
I have planned to incorporate a PayPal account into my online store gallery where you would be able to buy my images straight from the website.
I have the last two weeks been very busy with event work so have not been able to work on the website at all. I am now thinking of maybe to roll out the website as it is now without the web gallery and have that added at a later stage. What do you guys think? or should I just wait and roll it all out together as one? That is the question. I did however wake up this morning almost like out of a nightmare thinking that I had deleted my website images! I have the last couple of days had problems with too little memory on my computer and I have therefore been deleting a lot of images as well as moving some to external hard drives etc. and I did look at the web images the other day thinking they do not need to be here lets delete them! So when I woke up I was certain that I had. So I rushed to the computer to check and thankfully I had not. If I had I am not sure I would have had the energy to redo it. But luckily I do not have to think about that anymore.

With the event that I have been photographing the last couple of days a lot of Swedish people were participating and one of the guys had packed a Swedish Care package for me! Yey! I just love it. I now have plenty of Swedish Kalles Caviar, Ginger bread cookies, hard bread (knäckebröd), Marabou dark Chocolate, Ahlgrens bilar (candy) and Gevalia Coffee. I think Christmas came early to me in Egypt this year!
Thank you Morgan so much for bringing it over for me!
If anyone else wants to bring me treats I love dark chocolates hint, hint.

Also a big thank you to one of the English participants for bringing over some KP Spicy Chili Nuts I just love them! Thanks Darren.
I have searched for something similar in Sweden but have not come close. The only chili nuts they seem to sell in Sweden are coated with dough and it always seem like they have forgotten to add the chillies they are not spicy at all. KP on the other hand definitively have a winner going for them I don't seem to be able to get enough of them shame they don't sell them in Egypt.

Gearing up for a busy week ahead

Hi there,
I am at the minute multitasking with both trying to figure out how to get my photo gallery incorporated into my new website design, I think I have managed to figure out how, now I just need time to get it all done. As well as I have a busy week of photo shooting coming up, in the meantime I also need to clean my censor I saw on the last interior shoot I did that I had some dust specs visible and they are very irritating to have when you know you don't have to. So better get them out of the way before I start shooting. 
I will let you know once my new website is up and running my web address will of course be the same www.shippeyphotography.com
Today when I was walking for lunch I saw the eagle sitting on the driving range just 5 meters away from me. I so wished I had my camera with me to get some nice close ups of it. It looked absolutely magnificent. I saw it at the same spot yesterday as well so maybe tomorrow I will bring my camera with me and try to capture a few frames of it. I think tomorrow might be my last chance to capture it because as of tuesday there will be a lot more people around on the driving range trying to get ready for this years International Taba Heights Pro-Am golf tournament and I am guessing the eagle will then choose to sit someplace else while he is waiting for everyone to leave again. 
If you are interested in purchasing any of my images for Christmas or any other occasion you can take advantage of this promotion that lasts till the 14th of November 2010, 15% Discount when using this:
Discount Code: hshippey_is_on_sale_2887
You can buy my art work as postcards, on canvas or framed or as large posters.
Take a look at this website to choose your image that you like. http://www.redbubble.com/people/hshippey/portfolio/art
Below are images that I took while visiting a nearby bedouin camp here in the Taba region. Let me know if you would like to join me on my next Photography Excursion here in Egypt.

Relaxing in the sun!

Hello!
Well I am not really relaxing but I do live in the sun so its part true :-)

I woke up this morning feeling that I really need to get started or should I say finish my new website design soon for some reason I am just fed up with the way it looks right now. I have been on the task of changing it for a while now but am working very slowly on it and never really finish it always a photo shoot or something else coming in the way.
www.shippeyphotography.com
I shot this image the other afternoon while the sun was setting behind me. My model Nicci was great she did loads of different Yoga positions like the Warrior among others I do not know the names of on this rock it looked a bit dangerous at times to see her stand on one leg on the rock but she was definitively in the zone or had the proper Yoga concentration going on. It was brilliant to photograph.  Thank you Nicci for the help. I would love to do it again next to a pool in the morning sun I think that would give a very relaxing feel to the image. Or another afternoon it is always easier to persuade a model to work afternoon than really early mornings ha, ha ;-)

Well I just thought I should say hello to let you know that I am still around. I better get back to my website now and see if I can finish it soon. I will keep you posted.

My images have been in a few sports and travel magazines this month which is always fun to see. I have also sent images to a Garden and Home Magazine that requested some of my images so we will see how many they will choose to use. Lets hope its many ;-)

Yesterday I did an interior shoot at a hotel so I also need to get them edited and delivered to the client. I have another one scheduled for tomorrow. I saw last night that I had some dust specs on my censor so better schedule a cleaning of it today before the shoot tomorrow. No need to take extra time in photoshop for silly things like that.
Over and out for now.
Helen

One of the more relaxing images the model is looking out at the Red Sea.

Photography Excursions anyone?

Hi,
I am very excited about a new photo excursion that I am planning into the Egyptian Desert. It will most likely happen in the next two weeks, fingers crossed. If we can get all the planning done with Jeeps and guides. You don't want to get lost in the desert!
I am also very keen to start some photo courses for beginners to intermediate enthusiasts as well as do more Photo Excursions. But not sure we have enough clientele base here in the Taba area of Egypt. If anyone are interested please let me know I am also happy to set up one on one photo sessions to fit your skill level.
I have this morning been working on images that I took while trekking in the Lake District in England. Looking at them now makes me want to go back and take images now when the leaves on the trees are changing colour as well as taking some images once the frost arrives and the first snow. I guess I will have to plan that for next time not sure I will have time next year though... we'll see. I did fall in love with the area though I must admit with it's beautiful landscapes at every turn.
I am right now reading a book by Bear Grylls, Facing Up he is telling his story about his trek up to the Summit of Mount Everest. (It's a great book) I know that my trekking is nothing in comparison but the lakes did test your fitness at times some of the hills were pretty steep and very high but once up there it was all worth it. The views that lay in front of you were amazing. Similar in the way of how Bear describes what he sees on his trek up towards the summit...
I had reacently on my trip to Dubai bought a new camera bag and I was very grateful for it I used to have the Lowepro Sling Shot bag but have now exchagned it to a Lowepro Mini Trekker and it was very comfortable to use in comparason, the sling shot is not comfy for long walks.
I think I only used one lens the whole time, at least my favorite was my Canon 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM.
As I mentioned earlier I am still working on getting my images from the lakes ready but here are a few that are ready so far for you to view.
If you would like to buy any of them for editorial purposes or website use please contact me and we can discuss the options that are available.
Hope you all have a great weekend! Why not take your camera out for a spin? and let me know how you get along I would love to see your creations.
I will this afternoon take a model down to the beach and take some sunset images. I'll show you later how it turns out so stay tuned.
Ps. If you or someone you know are interested to do some photo excursions or photo courses with me please do not hesitate to contact me and we can set it up.
Cheers,
Helen

Portrait photo shoots

On my recent trip to England I brought back a soft-box for flash, I have since then tried to get hold of a light stand and that is not as easy as it sounds when you live so remotely as I do. But I managed against all odds at least that is what it felt like :-)
I am so happy with my new setup, I asked one of my friends the other day if she could model for me so that I could try out my new gear. I did not only buy a soft-box I also got a new lens 50mm f1.4 and a reflector and some other bits and bobs to fill out my camera bag with.
We planed the shoot to be straight after her work so that we could get the photo shoot under way and then afterwards meet up with some other friends for dinner.
I had in my head a photo shoot plan of what kinds of shots I wanted to do. I needed a chair as a prop and since I don't have one (I know it sounds silly but I do not have a chair in my house, I have bar stools but not a normal chair) anyway my model does so I thought, great I will come to your house then. In hind sight it probably would have been better if she would have brought the chair to my house. I have more plain walls than she did...as well as her ceiling is not white! I had planned to bounce one of my flashes against the ceiling and I think it got drowned due to that the ceiling was not white but peach.... ha ha but in the end we managed to get some great shots. The chair did not play a large role in our photo shoot as I had originally planned. I wanted to make very bright portraits so that the face is almost washed away only leaving some contours. That is not what I did not in camera at least I did more of that in Photoshop afterwards. I learned a lot by looking at the images afterwards of what I would like to do different next time with the light set up. So I would like to make another photo shoot and make some changes. My model is soon going away on holiday unfortunately so either I hurry up and get this next photo shoot underway or I will have to change model. I luckily have another model coming in a few weeks time. That I can use as well. I'll keep you guys posted :-)

I have for a few weeks now been waiting for a sunset with no wind you know when the water reflects everything like a mirror. I have another shoot planned in my head that I would like to do and it would be ideal to do during those circumstances but I am thinking I might be waiting in wain it being winter soon and all and more wind in the afternoon to come. Should have done this shoot during the summer! The greatness of  hindsight again. So I might just have to try and do the shoot now and see how it goes with wind. I will let you know how I get along.

Family Portraits

Yesterday morning I was busy editing a family portrait photo shoot I had done earlier. The couple had a lovely baby girl of 4 months she was a darling to photograph. She was such a sweetheart so happy to go along with what I wanted. All in all it was a lovely afternoon shoot in the couples home which was amazing to see. 

Their decorating was great it was like walking into a interior decorator shop every detail was just so spot on. The husband had even made a mould out of his wife's stomach while she was pregnant from breast down to where the belly ends and made a lamp out of it! I unfortunately did not take a picture of it I should have it was such a great idea, the mum told me she loved it since it made her remember her pregnancy and how wonderful it was. 

They had loads off I don't want to say odd things just different things that you do not find in most homes that complemented each other so well. If they ever want to change career they can definitively be an Interior Design Duo traveling the world to find the ultimate pieces for their clients homes. 

I got some wedding images to finish today so I guess I better get on it.

Hope that you have a lovely day. 

Helen