Sandy Herd - Self Indulged Online Travel Magazine

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February5th

El Chalten Enchantment

Posted in: Blog update, Travel & Landscapes

Well…it has been A LONG time between posts and for those of you following the mag and FB page you’ll know we’re just about settled back at home. I’ve been waiting for something big to spark the blog again and here it is. I am thrilled to announce that I have been shortlisted in the Landscape category of the 2013 Sony World Photo Awards along with 6 other Aussies in the competition. The series ‘El Chalten Enchantment’ was taken in Argentine Patagonia earlier this year. We camped on the trail and awoke to a blanket of snow on the trail up to the wonderful but illusive Mt Fitzroy and passed these striking trees on the way. This series and will make up just some of the images that will form part of an exhibition I will be holding at the end of this year. Big changes are afoot, including a new website, new travel photography workshop and plenty of new images!

Good luck to all of the finalists.
October5th

Been WANGLED!

Posted in: Blog update, Travel & Landscapes

Self Indulged was featured on Wangle today. It’s a great site and really flies the flag for all things West Australian.

Thanks Wangle!

Check it out HERE
July21st

Colours of Glenelg

Posted in: Travel & Landscapes

A few months ago I was in Glenelg in South Australia on a very stormy evening…I got SATURATED but waited around just in time to catch that light that seems to appear out of nowhere. The sky was almost purple with the dark storm clouds breaking just long enough for some sun to peek through before it finally set. And then…I got saturated AGAIN! I think I need to buy a shamwow for my kit bag
June3rd

Prompted by Merv!

Posted in: Blog update

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGXWO1-PHq0]

Merv, this post is for you! In a very lazy move I have rehashed this old slideshow which is kind of fitting as another world trip has been at the fore front of my mind for a while.

The trip I have in mind is a while away as yet but will be an EPIC photographic expedition if we can pull it off. Mt Killi and Patagonia are calling….as is the rest of the world. There’s lots of ‘research’ going on behind the scenes to try and fund this project and as such the website is being rehashed to incorporate more ‘travel’ ideas as well as photography.

Gotta start putting the thoughts out there to make it happen but you never know what’s around the corner in this life. I’m also learning the joys of timelapse so hope to post some results in the near future.

Can I use the excuse “I’ve been thinking” as a reason for not updating my blog? Of course I can….it’s my blog!

By the way Merv….love your B&W shot of the boulders!
April14th

EDITORIAL…Happy Birthday Pom!

Posted in: Stuff

A few people have recently emailed to ask about the magazine that I freelance for. It’s called the Whingeing Pom and has just celebrated it’s 2nd birthday. I usually do the covers and shoot & write the travel feature….spreading the joys of travelling this fabulous country to anyone who’ll listen. See some examples HERE & HERE.

The mag is a great read for anyone and everyone, very tongue in cheek and lots of fun and is sold in newagents all across Australia.

Happy Birthday Pom….here’s hoping you get to a grand old age (cos there’s plenty of things left to see and do!)
April14th

Drifters

Posted in: Travel & Landscapes

Well who would have thought that Canberra would be fun? I was there for the magazine doing a feature on the balloon festival which runs for 9 days. On the first day of the festival we could see that the weather wasn’t looking too great so we ducked off to Jindabyne for a few days and came back to Canberra later in the week. This shot was taken on the Saturday morning when all of the balloons managed to get up (ahem..you’d think with so much ‘hot air’ in Canberra it wouldn’t be a problem!) We were following them on the road when the sunlight started to shine through the dark clouds, giving off that magical light that sometimes happens on a wet day. Dave pulled the campervan over onto the verge and I legged it over to the lake (Lake Burley Griffin for those playing along at home) and captured the balloons as they flew (VERY low) overhead. A couple of them actually touched the water and kind of hung in suspended animation. I was especially pleased to have captured the golliwog – he’s my favourite

Big thanks to the team at Balloons Aloft for their patience and professionalism and also for the brekky on the day we stood around a field for 2 hours waiting for the weather to come good.
February20th

Morte Bay Rocks…North Devon

Posted in: Travel & Landscapes

This is a shot that I took the last time I was in the UK at a beautiful location by the sea in the lovely seaside town of Woolacombe in North Devon. It has everything you could wish for at a British seaside town. Fish ‘n’ chips, pubs a plenty, mini golf and stunning scenery and it’s great place for the locals to catch some waves….a bit too cold for me though.

I’ve been spending some time doing a clear out and cataloging everything properly and thoroughly (it was part of my new year’s resolution doh!) which is why I’m pulling out some old favourites.

I’ll be heading to Canberra and Mt Kosciusko in a few weeks to shoot some new stuff…..if anyone knows of some great locations out that way I’d love to hear about them….bearing in mind that I won’t have any 4WD access.

Cheers

Sandy
February19th

Nik & Buddha

Posted in: Travel & Landscapes

I’ve been having a play with Silver Efex Pro and am loving the features. I tend to steer away from black and white but I’ve had this shot for a while now and have been wanting to give it a try in B&W. The Nik Software has made it very easy to get a half decent effect with minimal effort and anything that means I spend less time in this chair is a good thing!
February8th

…more BDO

Posted in: Concert Photography

…more shots from 2010 BDO taken for Virtual Festivals in the UK.

www.virtualfestivals.com

BTW…..Big THANKS to Team Digital for the Nik Software trial….I am loving it. I used Dfine to help reduce some of the noise in the darker shots as the ISO was pumped up a fair bit and it was very easy to use with a nice result. Think I might be investing in the whole suite!
February8th

Festival Season

Posted in: Concert Photography

Every year I’m lucky enough to shoot the Perth leg of the Big Day Out. And every year as I’m dripping in sweat, fighting gangs of sweaty youths (who all want their photo taken – to which I reply I have the wrong lens on…even if I have the right lens on!), and generally burning to a crisp in the shade-less pit known as Claremont showground, I ask myself if I am getting too old to shoot this gig.

But once we get going and we’re in the pit and the bands are ‘going off’ and the lights are flashing I realise why I do it. I love the challenge of getting a well composed shot in such diverse conditions. From glaring sun during the day to next to no light for the headliners, it’s a constant battle to grab a sharp shot with whatever light the strobes are shooting out at any given minute…add in the smoke machine and the challenge is on!

Will I go back next year? Hell yeah.