PhotoMania App - My Opinion

I found this app on facebook called PhotoMania and it's absolutely great. It's simple to use with it's variety of applications, all you've got to do is pick your favourite photos and select what look you want for the picture. My daughter even had a play around with it and loved it so much that she later on made a memory disc with the new photos she had created, it was that simple to use and create even more beautiful photos.

I've always had a love for bright and vibrant colours. The paint applications were exactly that through and through. It brought life and even appeared life like, definately paintings I would have printed onto a canvas and on my wall. Try it out today, you will be blown away with what you can create and how your photos should look...which is Amazing!!

Traditional Cook Island Tivaevae handcraft embroidary

Traditional Cook Island Tivaevae embroidary - sewen by Mr Rahui Tepapa Mairi David for his grand-daughters' wedding gift - 2012

It is Manihikian custom to handcraft such beautiful and vibrant quilts which we call Tivaevae. A variety of stitches are used to  enhance the pattern being designed. Most patterns used are floral and fruits. When my husband and I married my father also added animal designs which is out of the ordinary but the results were absolutely gorgeous, my favourite is the white swan on a dark navy blue back sheet.

Once a year old tradition would have the women of Manihiki display their tivaevae within their homes for everyone in the Villages of Tukao and Tauhunu to view. The Villagers would go from house to house to admire and appreciate each Mama's handy work. After doing so everyone would gather afterwards and share a hearty meal and converse about the effort gone into each piece.

My father was blessed to have this skill passed down to him from his grandmother, as a young boy she would teach him the art of tivaevae along with other skills such as weaving of fine mats, hats etc. My father was never taught the skills of fishing, climbing coconut trees etc but instead was coaxed into staying with the elderly where he was also repeatedly told stories of old, historical occurrences along with genealogical recitements. It's no wonder why he's able to upload and lock in, so much into that brain of his.

Tivaevae hand stitching takes a lot of patience and carefulness especially when it comes to detail of the design. People who create tivaevaes for a living can take them up to a week to complete, I guess the more familiar you are with any skill, it becomes easier along the way and you become more efficient. My father along with the help of my mother made a total of 25 tivaevaes for my husband and I and gifted me with both my Great grandmothers tivaevaes which were gifted to them on their wedding day.

Tivaevae's are created and made for the purpose of gifting them to your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, these are family heirlooms. They can be gifted to a person on their birthday, haircutting, wedding and any other special occasion. I myself will one day pass onto our daughter her grandfathers handcrafted Tivaevae's.

Mr & Mrs Castledine's Wedding Day

Mark awaiting his Bride

Tears of Joy

Congratulations to my baby Louisa and husband Mark who married on 13th October 2012. Louisa is my eldest brothers daughter and it was an emotional day for everyone who witnessed this beautiful and special occassion. This day has been a long time coming. I wish you both all the best and a properous marriage. All my love....Aunty Hina xxx

Our visit back to New Zealand - Friday 5th October 2012

The Katoa-Mairi David grandchildren

We arrived at the Auckland Airport early Friday morning and it was cold and windy. My sister Eli and my parents were at the arrivals to greet us. I've flown over with my daughter Mereani and my two nieces Jitahli and Kolaiah and they are so excited to be back. We've all been excited for the past 6 months on coming here for the girls older cousin Louisa's wedding to her finace Mark this coming Saturday, hence the trip. Already their Aunty Eli has taken them to Cornwall Park, One Tree Hill and the Auckland Museum. They've also spent quality time with their male cousins Elijah and Tuhe over the weekend and were saddened when my brother picked up his boys this evening.

I've enjoyed catching up with my parents just over the weekend, I've missed them terribly even though it was only 8 weeks ago when I was last here. I know we're going to have an awesome time while we're here. And most of all, I can't wait for my big baygirl Louisa's wedding day. Happy days ahead.

Baby Taylor's Photo Shoot

Baby Taylor on her Mothers shoulder, always a nice and content place to be.

Baby Taylor on her Fathers arm of traditional Samoan Family tattoo and a Pacific Island touch of frangipani flower.

In the weekend I had the pleasure of photographing 5 week old baby Taylor. She was so adorable. As usual babies don not work around us, we work around them and their schedule. So after a nap, a feed and a burp we were ready to shoot. I was quite amazed that she could hold her head up, a very strong little girl. She would give the cutest quirky looks that made me laugh, then realising that I should've captured that...darn it!. But I just couldn't stop looking at her, it almost made me think of having another baby myself. I love taking photos of children, you've really got to have the patience in waiting for that right moment, because they could give you a smile that only lasts a second. Thank you Taylor for being so patient with me and everyone else that was around you on the day. xxx

Trial and Error

What can I say! Adobe Lightroom 4 and HDR Efex Pro are AMAZING! These programs have brought new meaning to my photographs. Just the vibrance and life is shows is incredible. Pictures are enhanced in a way as you see it with your own eyes out there in the real world. The colours so more life like and the reflection off water is great, like I said in how you would see it with your own eyes. It definately takes away the dull look. Its something I wish I got earlier.

Video Clip for Johnny & Emma Wedding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG_EwLt5tO4&feature=g-upl

It's been a busy couple of days, editing and making video clips. I love doing things like this, I love the expression and emotions when people see something so beautiful put together. Like I've always said repeatedly, photos are a stand still in time moment. You look at photos and for a instance time has frozen to capture the image. If I could I would be taking photos of the people I love every 5 seconds. And so anyways I put this video clip together of my dear friends. Everyone deserves to have great photos.

Currumbin Beach Sculpture Display

WOW! I waited patiently for the sun to set to get this art piece at its best.

A couple hugging and people walking past in my shot but how awesome is that view of the Gold Coast CBD in the distance.

 

We had two choices of destinations today and we opted to check out the Currumbin Beach Sculpture displays. It was AMAZING!. The hard work thought out and then created by each artist was very mind blowing. Thumbs up to each individual. These photo's taken were my favourites of the vast pieces displayed. There were so many people there, I found myself waiting ever so patiently to try and get photos without people in the background and I think I did well. It was halerious at times having children wanting to jump in front of my camera and then hearing their parents abruptly telling them to move out of my way. I would just say "It's okay" and smile.

 

It was such a great Family day out!