SW Photography

12/12/2016

31/05/2016

A few iPhone photos from Indonesia, Cambodia, & Thailand. X

24/04/2016

Earth Day Beach & Reef Clean Up. Honoured to help make this event happen and to photograph the day (unfortunately I can't access all photos until my camera is reunited with my computer). Amazing turn out in support of Sea Gardeners, Peduli Alam, & Trash Hero Amed. Huge thanks to the local dive shops for providing tanks and gear and to local artists for their amazing Eco-brick sculpture!

13/04/2016

Daily Offerings: In Bali there are little handcrafted baskets filled with rice and flowers or snacks on the street and in temples. Many with burning incense. These are small offering baskets called ‘ ' that Balinese offer to their Gods three times a day.

It is basically a ritual of giving back what has been given to you by the Gods. It is a sharing that is not based upon fear, but on gratitude to the richness of life. Offering appeases the spirits and brings prosperity and good health to the family. It is a duty and an honour at the same time, and in Balinese perspective a very natural and almost logical thing to maintain a good relationship between people and spirits.

As many Balinese believe, the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu are all manifestations of one and the same supreme spirit Sanghyang Widhi. It is a common misconception that Balinese Hinduism subscribes to a multitude of Gods, that all have to be worshipped and offered upon. In reality, Balinese Hinduism is strongly influenced by animism and naturalism, where the power of spirits houses in all objects and elements of life. All elements of nature are manifestations of the supreme spirit, in the same way that sun, moon and stars are all different manifestations of planets.

All basic principles in Balinese Hinduism revolve around obtaining balance and harmony between the different elements in life and afterlife, the dasar asasi. The key to balance in life is obtained through a harmonious relationship between the spirits other human beings, and the nature that surrounds us.

This sense of seeking harmony is ultimately what drives Balinese life, and can be seen in all aspects of life. It begins with the design of the home, where a Balinese version of Feng Shui ascribes different rooms and places to different people and functions. The kitchen's place is South, the temple North East, bedrooms for adults in the North and for younger people in the West and ceremonies are to be held in the centre.

09/04/2016

After the rain in Les Village, Bali, Indonesia. Thank you to all who view and like my page. It may be a slow journey with posting new photos as I am travelling without my laptop until June. X

15/03/2016

Day #6 of the 7 day NATURE inspired POST CHALLENGE.

Waldeinsamkeit (German): The feeling of solitude, being alone in the woods, and a connectedness to nature. Definitely the feeling I carried through the hike to this waterfall and as I sat with soft mist on face.

The intention of this challenge is to balance our collective FB feed by illuminating the beauty of nature. I was nominated by Nina Taylor.
I leave the remainder of my nominations open to anyone who sees these posts and, as Bruno so beautiful wrote: "is themselves inspired to share the beauty of nature; an essential balm to the current state of madness in world. If you decide to take this on for yourself, please mention me so I can follow along. Beauty through the eyes of others is always a gift." x

SW Photography

10/03/2016

Day #5 of the 7 day NATURE inspired POST CHALLENGE.

“Finding beauty in a broken world is creating beauty in the world we find.” Terry Tempest Williams

The intention of this challenge is to balance our collective FB feed by illuminating the beauty of nature. I was nominated by Nina Taylor.

I leave the remainder of my nominations open to anyone who sees these posts and, as Bruno so beautiful wrote: "is themselves inspired to share the beauty of nature; an essential balm to the current state of madness in world. If you decide to take this on for yourself, please mention me so I can follow along. Beauty through the eyes of others is always a gift." x

SW Photography

08/03/2016

Day #3 of the 7 day NATURE inspired POST CHALLENGE. I took this photo after watching the sun set while staying at Shambhala Retreat & Guest House in Golden Bay, New Zealand. I went for a day in October and stayed for many.

The morning meditations, the lush gardens, the sparrow that would sit on my knee while I read, the warmth of spring sun on skin, the whales off the shore, the amazingly vocal tui birds getting drunk on Harakeke (flax) flower nectar, the new families of pukeko and spur-winged plover, a curious possum, the discovery of glow worms!, and the deep and resonating conversations with others... all give a memory of stillness and warmth.

The intention of this challenge is to balance our collective FB feed by illuminating the beauty of nature. I was nominated by the beautiful, Nina Taylor (yay you get a compliment a day!!), and each day I will nominate someone else to carry on the challenge. Today I nominate Joanne MacLeod Haverkort. I remember many moons ago discussing our love for photography and hope that this challenge can bring forth some images of the east-cost landscape I miss so very much (or whatever you feel ;) xx)

SW Photography

07/03/2016

Day #2 of the 7 day NATURE inspired POST CHALLENGE. I took this photo while doing the The Tongariro Alpine Crossing in Tongariro National Park in New Zealand in December. Such an amazingly beautiful area. 19.4kms of steaming vents and hot springs, old lava flows, beautiful water-filled explosion craters and stunning views.

A big solo hike brings about any of many feelings, but ultimately I was beyond happy to be on the trail, honoured to be on this amazing land, and really able to fully take in every moment. What resonated with me deeply was that I was able to really take note of the many different sounds of the wind. It really humbled me, to be able to have that experience, that connection, of really hearing the changes in the wind as the landscape changed... Amazing.

The intention of this challenge is to balance our collective FB feed by illuminating the beauty of nature. I was nominated by the lovely, Nina Taylor, and each day I will nominate someone else to carry on the challenge. Today I nominate Josh Lewis - no idea if you'd be game to do this, but I would really love to see more of your amazing photography if you'd be willing to share! (Also, huge kudos for the travel tips! I have had so many amazing NZ adventures as a result. x)

SW Photography

05/03/2016

Day #1 of the 7 day NATURE inspired POST CHALLENGE. I took this pic of the majestic Tāne Mahuta ("Lord of the Forest") some 22 weeks ago in Waipoua Forest, New Zealand. This was my first visit to Tāne Mahuta, and the experience I had when walking into the forest and up to this giant Kauri tree remains with me still. Tāne Mahuta is estimated to be 1,250 and 2,500 years old,51.2m total height, and with a trunk girth or approximately 13.77 m. If you look very closely you can just see the head and arms of a man taking a photo.

According to Māori creation myth, Tāne is the son of Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother. Tāne separated Ranginui and Papatūānuku and remains holding the sky aloft, bringing light into the world. The widespread felling of forests in New Zealand in the 19th and 20th centuries was calamitous to the traditional world view of tribes that lived in the forest – it was like the sky rejoining the earth, and the world returning to darkness.

The intention of this challengeis to balance our collective FB feed by illuminating the beauty of nature. I was nominated by the amazingly beautiful Nina Taylor, and each day I will nominate someone else to carry on the challenge. Today I nominate Jody Bauche because I know how much beauty you see in the world and I love seeing your pictures!

Tihē mauriora
Ki te whaiao, ki Te Ao Mārama

The breath, the energy of life
To the dawnlight, to the world of light