By today's standards, we have a pretty large back yard. While I'm not a very keen gardener, and often find it difficult to motivate myself to do the gardening. However, the kids love the large back yard, and are often out there, kicking a ball around on the lawn, on the swings, in the sandpit, or in the cubby house.

Earlier today, I followed the kids around in the back yard with my camera, as kids playing can often provide great opportunities for candid shots.
Here's some of the photos of my youngest daughter, Samantha (17 months old), enjoying the back yard.

Click each image for a larger version.

My youngest daughter is fascinated with my camera. This makes it difficult to get photos of her, as she immediately heads towards the camera when she sees it in my hands.
She particularly likes to see the results on the rear screen after I've taken a photo. Maybe she's an aspiring photographer who can't wait to take her own photos ;-)

reach

home, Western Australia
Canon EOS 350D, 50mm f/1.8 @50mm, 1/60 sec, f/3.2, ISO200

However, on rare occasions, she'll pose for the camera. This typically occurs when she's found something that's more interesting than the camera - often something she's not supposed to be touching. In this particular case, she was experimenting with my wife's sudoku book and pen that was on the coffee table.

smile!

home, Western Australia
Canon EOS 350D, 50mm f/1.8 @50mm, 1/80 sec, f/1.8, ISO200

Being somewhat captive subjects, my children are often asked to be models when I'm practicing my portraiture photography.
This shot of my oldest daughter is from April 2007.

big eyes!

Western Australia
Canon EOS 350D, 17-85mm IS @66mm, 1/60 sec, f/5.6, ISO100

Another photographer, silhouetted against the early morning sun on the Swan River in South Perth. This photo was taken on an early morning photo-shoot with a few other amateur photographers.

photographer silhouette

South Perth, Western Australia
Canon EOS 350D, 70-200mm f/4L @70mm, 1/1000 sec, f/4, ISO100

My youngest daughter suffered from jaundice soon after birth, and had to endure some phototherapy during her first week.

Samantha undergoing phototherapy

Armadale, Western Australia
Canon EOS 350D, 17-85mm IS @70mm, 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO400