Making me want to be a better person

Six months ago this week I flew out to Indonesia with UNICEF to see for myself the amazing immunisation campaign they carry out there with Pampers.
I've blogged about it extensively here.

We were in no man's land. Deep in the jungles of Papua where no one travels and I was seeing things and meeting people very very few others have ever had the privilege of doing.
It quite literally felt like the edge of the world. Here was real poverty. Real hardship. Dirt and death.
Me. Out there. Me.

I'll never forget the reactions of the locals as we arrived at their villages by boat.
A sea of huge, muscular arms reaching down to help us off the boat. Helping with our bags, smiling, curious, intrigued, staring.
They welcomed us strangers in. Strange faces, strange clothes, strange camera things around our necks.

I didn't come away from Papua feeling sorry for the people out there.
I came home feeling sorry for us.
As I landed in the UK, the riots were in full swing and I was seeing words like 'poverty' and 'hardship' being bandied around as one of the reasons for the behaviour.
These people know nothing of poverty or hardship. Or community or worth or having to work bloody hard just to survive.

I think back to those 10 days in Indonesia with huge warmth and gratitude that I was trusted with telling their story and that I got to see these amazing things.
And I have passed what I learned and felt and saw on to my children.
It felt like that was part of my mission too; to teach their generation that they can help bring some genuine compassion and feeling back into our lives.
Because children see, children do, right?

Have you ever had an experience like that? Something that made you want to change, to do good, to be a better person; a better parent?

By the way, the photo here isn't one of mine.
Even though I took like a gazillion wonderful pictures, I thought this one perfectly captured what we saw when we arrived at the villages. It's by professional photographer Josh Estey who travelled with us on the trip.
.

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The Photo Gallery: Week 89

Hello and welcome to week 89 of The Gallery.

This week I was tagged in a great hashtag on the photographic site Instagram.
The premise was really simple. Take a photograph of yourself at that moment and post it.
(You can find me on there as TaraLara).
So I'm paying homage to it. Or celebrating it. Ok, I'm pinching it. Whatever.

So this week's theme is: Me Right Now.

Literally take a photo of whatever you're doing when you read this prompt.
I know, I know there will be some people reading this all wide-eyed and yelling BUT I DON'T POST PHOTOS OF MYSELF. What are you doing to me Tara? What, what?
Well, it doesn't have to be your face. If you're watching the TV, take a picture of your outstretched legs or your hand clutching a cuppa/beer/cocktail.
Get creative - I think it's going to be really interesting to see what everyone is up to when they're browsing the internet!

So, if you want to join in with The Gallery and showcase your photos, come back on Wednesday and when my Gallery post goes up, add a link to your post on the Linky below mine.
The link stays open until the following Tuesday so you have plenty of time to join in.
Remember, The Gallery isn't about technically brilliant photos. It's about rediscovering photos; both old and new.
It's about sparking your imagination, being inspiring - and inspiring others.
And absolutely ANYONE can join in.

Also, if you're linking up to The Gallery then try to visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with. Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

You will get out of this what you put into it.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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The Photo Gallery: My Photography Resolution

I've made it my New Year resolution to make sure there are more photos of me in our family's pictorial history.
I take all of them so am very very rarely in any.
Of course like many, I hate hate hate being in photos but I think about my kids in years to come asking why mummy didn't come on holiday with us that year or why was mummy never around at Christmas and, well, I've determined to change all that.

So I thought I'd start with the big change in our lives right now - certainly my life - the dog.
The dog whom I walk every single morning after dropping the kids at school, come rain or shine.
Take a nice picture of me and the dog I thought. Just use the phone camera; nice and easy.
Jeeeeez.

Taking photos of me and this dog is nigh on impossible. Even when I rope the kids in.
The big softie just wants to sit on your lap and lick your face all the time.
But I tried. And I've started. My resolution starts here . . .

This post is for for week 88 of The Gallery: My Photography Resolution.

If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too.
Now go forth and show some big blog love. Visit other posters, comment, get inspired. This virtual gallery of photographs is about enjoying each other's work, so go make someone's day.
The link stays open until Tuesday so you have plenty of time to join in.
And absolutely ANYONE can join in.

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False advertising

I found this in the kid's playroom at the weekend and confess I CHEERED.
Woop woop, we are going to 'Disny Land', according to my 6 year old.

On her list Mia has clearly worked out what we need to take (worcing shoos?), a cap (sensible girl), 'sandwij'.
Now if she's put this much thought into the travel arrangements and how we'll pay for the trip, then yay!
Otherwise, no, we're not going to Disney Land.
.

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The Photo Gallery: Week 88

Hello and welcome to week 88 of The Gallery.

I spoke last week about setting photographic New Year's resolutions.
You know the ones, like get in more pictures with my kids (instead of TAKING them all the time).
I am so guilty of taking all the family photos that there will probably little documented proof I ever existed when the family looks back on our lives!

So this week's theme is: My Photography Resolution.

Because once it's in writing, you HAVE to do it, right?!

Stuck for ideas? Here are a few:
1. Get in front of the camera.
Step out from behind it and get into the record of your life.
It doesn't matter if the photo isn't perfect or 'how I would take it' (I have thought that so so many times!), or that you're not the weight you want to be or your hair isn't done. The important thing is YOU are in it.
In years to come your kids won't care that you didn't have your make up done or you hadn't shaved (the men, obviously); they will care that you are there in the shots and part of the memories.

2. Improve your photography skills
It could be as simple as improving your composition to switching from auto to manual.
Look around at other photos and see what you like and see if you can mimic that. And then take it another step and see if you can improve on it or give it your own slant.
Of course the best way to improve your photography, no matter what challenge you set yourself, is to practice practice practice.

3. Photograph the details
We all take pictures of the 'big' things; birthdays, births, first this, first that.
But what about the little things that go to make your life what it is? The books you read, the curls on your child's head, the garden you spend all your time in, your favourite shoes, your favourite spot in the house, muddy shoes because you walk a lot, the dog's lead curled up on the work surface. Get right into the details of what makes you you.

So, if you want to join in with The Gallery and showcase your photos, come back on Wednesday and when my Gallery post goes up, add a link to your post on the Linky below mine.
The link stays open until the following Tuesday so you have plenty of time to join in.
Remember, The Gallery isn't about technically brilliant photos. It's about rediscovering photos; both old and new.
It's about sparking your imagination, being inspiring - and inspiring others.
And absolutely ANYONE can join in.

Also, if you're linking up to The Gallery then try to visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with. Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

You will get out of this what you put into it.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

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Dog walker

Yes yes we have a new dog and he's totally taken over our lives and my husband is totally besotted with him which pretty much means I've lost my 'spot' on the sofa.
But he's utterly gorgeous so I'll let him off (the dog, not the husband, he's in deep do do).

And obviously, because he's in the Sticky Fingers household, he has to get used to having his photograph taken.
A lot.
So, I took advantage of the fact that I was sent a Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray phone to test the camera out on, and started taking it on our walks. Just popped it right there in my pocket next to the poo bags and the doggy treats.

Ah yes the walks. I am totally hooked.
Granted I haven't had to endure the rain yet, but at the moment here in the UK the mornings are just gorgeous - cold and crisp - and I get to see things I would never ordinarily see from my office chair or the treadmill in a gym.
Plus it means we get outdoors more as a family and you really can't put a price on that.

So here are a few photos from our walks over the passed two weeks.
Welcome to your new home Ronin. We think you're bloody ace.

(Note: These photos are all straight out of phone, unedited pictures so judge for yourself how good the camera phone is. I was really rather impressed)

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The Photo Gallery: Eyes

You see that there glint in those big, brown eyes?
Right there, just underneath those unfeasible long eyelashes for a boy.
That's love that is. And he's looking right at me.

This photo for for week 87 of The Gallery: Eyes.

If you're new and want to know what The Gallery is, go and read here, and then come right back and join in!
You can also pick up The Gallery code if you want too.
Now go forth and show some big blog love. Visit other posters, comment, get inspired. This virtual gallery of photographs is about enjoying each other's work, so go make someone's day.
The link stays open until Tuesday so you have plenty of time to join in.
And absolutely ANYONE can join in.

Read more...

The Photo Gallery: Week 87

Hello and welcome to week 87 of The Gallery.

Have you set your New Year resolutions yet? If not, why not make one of them to take more photos? Or to get more creative? Or even to finally make that switch from automatic to manual?
And then drive every single person you come into contact with MAD as you point 'that bloody thing' at them even more. Or is that just me?!

So anyway, on to this week's Gallery theme. Which is simply: Eyes

It's time to get down to the detail and focus. See what I did there?

So, if you want to join in with The Gallery and showcase your photos, come back on Wednesday and when my Gallery post goes up, add a link to your post on the Linky below mine.
The link stays open until the following Tuesday so you have plenty of time to join in.
Remember, The Gallery isn't about technically brilliant photos. It's about rediscovering photos; both old and new.
It's about sparking your imagination, being inspiring - and inspiring others.
And absolutely ANYONE can join in.

Also, if you're linking up to The Gallery then try to visit as many of the other entries as you can to see what they've come up with. Say hi, discover new people, welcome them in when they discover you.

You will get out of this what you put into it.

NEW HERE? NOT SURE HOW TO ENTER?
If you're new here and want to find out what The Gallery is all about and how to enter visit here.
And if you want to make sure you don't miss any prompts or entries in future, make sure you subscribe to my RSS or email feed.

Go on, clicky click away, you know you want to ...

Read more...