Nesheli and Jabulani enjoying their new colouring books.

Colouring books for the two of them are probably a once or twice yearly treat - a luxury. At their age I enjoyed some colouring books although I preferred drawing over colouring. I took pens, pencils and paper for granted. Looking at this photo makes me wonder what I take for granted as an adult.

We spent our summer 2010 vacation on Jeju island, the number one holiday destination for Koreans; especially newly weds. We made it just in time for gale force winds and storm that kept us inside for several days. I really like the photo but am not sure about the shadow to the side of Jess head. I can't decide whether it detracts from the photo.

A birthday and goodbye all rolled into one evening. Amy, at centre, left Mungyeong the next day. Much makeoli, though not my favourite type was consumed, by everyone. It's a rice based drink, looks kinda milky, and packs a punch although the alcohol content is deceptively low. There's a bottle in the photo. I asked Amy to remain still, but she still came out a bit blurred. The light in the background cast a horrible horrible tinge in the original photo. I kinda like the ash tray in the front, not sure why.

Buyeo park

I took this photo at about this time last year. We were in a park on a Sunday afternoon, the blossoms were out, as were the Korean kids. This girl and her brother were chasing each other in between the trees. It was likely one of their first spring outings for the year. I like the sense of motion that this photo conveys, to me it has bit a of a fairy tale feel to it.

Child on a bus departing for Seoul

Jess in our apartment in Korea

81mm, f/5.6, 1/100, ISO 1250

On a warm spring evening Jess and I rode out along one of the Nakdong river tributaries to collect wild flowers.

The Nakdong flows just west of Sangju, a town that we used to live in in Gyeongsangbuk province - South Korea. It marks North Korea's furthest point of advance during the 1950 - 1953 Korean War. Given Sangju's proximity to the river it was likely a point of strategic importance in supplying the Nakdong line of defence. With the United Nations, and especially United States, involvement in the war foreign soldiers would have passed through the town and may even have spent periods based in it.

Even though I was aware of this there were times when wondering the streets, and being stared at, that I felt like a pioneering explorer having stumbled upon a previously unknown -sometimes even uncivilized - society.

I vividly remember our first week in South Korea; Jessica and I were convinced we were the only western - and crucially English speaking - people in the town, and perhaps in the wider area. This belief, together with the intense culture shock, made for a heady mix of emotions and more than just a little apprehension.

Buddha figurine - Gumosan, Korea

93mm, f/5.6, 1/125, ISO 320

Lupatana - in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

50mm, f/9.0. 1/1600 ISO 800

Butterfly at Lupatana

85mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, ISO 500

Socks

55mm, f/5.0, 1/320, ISO 100

85mm, f5.6, 1/320, ISO100

85mm, f5.6, 1/250, ISO 100

A warm summer day, beautiful lawn, obliging cat and camera . I tweaked the exposure, increased the blacks, luminosity of the yellows and increased the vibrant and saturation of the colours. The last photo is my favourite. The dark colours of the background contrast nicely with the colours of the lawn.

Socks tail sticking out the third photo detracts from it.

Capturing a bee

85mm, f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 320

Trying to capture a bee in flight proved to be a difficult. Tracking bees takes patience as they often fly in unpredictable patterns which makes it difficult to frame a photograph. What's more flowers and foliage make for 'busy' photographs and can distract from the main subject of a photo.

The colour version of this photo proved dull and unexciting. By converting it to black and white, and then playing with the colours I was able to give the flower a glow which I find appealing. The bee is a bit dark and there's a large dark patch in the background which is distracting.