Amanda's Photography Blog Page

Packages in the mail

Amanda — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 06:26:15 +0000

A few weeks ago I thought I would make use of the strong Aust dollar and buy a few things online . I’m onto my last roll of film in my Diana Mini so I thought I’d pick up a few rolls. Scrolling through the selection I decided on some different ones as my first rolls have all been the same – Fuji ISO 100. So I ended up with some ISO 400, more all purpose I hope & on a whim I decided to pick up some B&W films too , to see how they go. My friend had some ISO 200 so I swapped her one of my B&Ws for one of those… we’ll see how they all go over the next few months (as my film shooting is rather variable……..)

Visitors & a spot of salad

Amanda — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:52:05 +0000

Had a few friends over for dinner so decided just to keep thinks simple and cook some chicken and throw together a salad. Have recently observed a nice salad with either pumpkin or sweet potato mixed in so decided to give it a go. I made the sweet potato version for a BBQ last weekend, but forgot to take a photo! So you’ll have to make do with a pic of the pumpkin version I think taste-wise, I prefer the sweet potato version. The sweet potato holds its shape a little better and was a nice contrasting orange – the pumpkin was a little soft & more yellow-hued …. but regardless, my dinner-mates enjoyed the salads (on both occasions) .

More and more baking!

Amanda — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:14:34 +0000

It was one of the new girl’s birthdays so we thought we would make her feel welcome by throwing a bit of a surprise bday party… nothing elaborate, just a few people, some bday cake and a drink or two…

I decided to try a new recipe … Rocky Road Cupcakes .. .here are the results

The picture in the cookbook looks a little different. I had thought, when looking at the recipe.. how do all the marshmallows and nuts stick together? But there is melted chocolate that you mix with the rocky road ingredients so I’m not entirely sure how theirs turned out so non-chocolatey … oh wells, the cupcakes were a hit anyway …

Sunday Mornings

Amanda — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 06:53:13 +0000

My housemate and I decided to have a relaxing Sunday morning & head out for a spot of breakfast at one of the local cafes that we’ve often coffee-ed or lunched at. A nice way to spend the morning I think…

I decided to have soy cappuccino & the french toast (herbed french ciabatta toast, bacon, fried egg & maple syrup). My housemate had a latte & the bacon & eggs (2 fried eggs, bacon, slow roasted tomato, hash brown & ciabatta toast)

More More Baking

Amanda — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:23:57 +0000

TROHPIQ (the rural health club) is having a fundraising bake sale, to raise money for flood relief… so they’ve asked people to donate some baked goods… something that I am happy to oblige

More baking

Amanda — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 07:08:12 +0000

My housemate & I decided to throw a communal BBQ to welcome the newcomers & welcome back the previous students… I thought I would make some dessert ….. something easy to share and with no need to serve!

Lomography & a spot of baking

Amanda — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 11:47:56 +0000

I’ve been having fun “shooting from the hip” with my Diana Mini F+… but I must admit I don’t use it enough & as freely as I would hope… maybe something to achieve this year….

Anyway, here are a few shots from my last roll of film.

On the other hand, I did a spot of last minute-middle of the night baking, in time for my friend’s birthday dinner. Last minute thoughts on something different but appropriate yielded this cake for my South Park-loving friend …

Lack of posting

Amanda — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:03:06 +0000

Sorry for my current lack of posts… have been working a little & then have been caught up in all this flooding in South East Queensland. I normally live in Toowoomba, a town now made famous for being hit by an inland tsunami. Luckily I had work scheduled in Brisbane, and left Toowoomba a few days before the destruction began. Leaving Toowoomba was looking a bit dicey as there was torrential rain, but it did ease up when I left.

But leaving Toowoomba hasn’t meant that it’s free from danger. Brisbane is now at risk / is currently flooding in low lying areas. Road closures are significant, workplaces have been disrupted, people are being displaced from their homes… Places I regularly visit for food & shopping are underwater, the university is underwater!

Hopefully the clean up effort will be swift and our beautiful country will return to its usual photographic self soon…

A selection of photos from Brisbane Times

Rainbow Beach Daytrip

Amanda — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 10:00:05 +0000

On Tuesday, I was supposed to meet a family friend for a lunch catch up… instead we went on a road trip to Rainbow Beach, a little township east of Gympie where the barges for Fraser Island leave from.

The weather has been a bit patchy lately (that might be an understatement) so luckily we had some beautiful sunshine when we reached the main beach in the township.

A few days in Armidale, NSW

Amanda — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:36:17 +0000

After leaving Sydney, I headed home via the New England Highway – an inland route that passes through Tamworth, Armidale, Stanthorpe & Warwick. I did have a reason to go a different way home… firstly to visit an old friend in Armidale & also to pass by Toowoomba to see some friends also.

Stayed in Armidale for a few days catching up with my friend & her family and hit a few of the “touristy” and scenic spots in this little rural town.

Stained glass version of Booloominbah (historic building at UNE)

Actual building…

Dumaresq Dam

Overlooking the township

We went for a bushwalk at Oxley Wild Rivers National Park:

Spotted a wild echidna! Forgot to bring my zoom lens so I had to make do with a crop from a shot taken with my wide angle…

And to finish off, a shot of my friend’s family pet!