Discovering old gems

That twilight time, reorganising work or boxes or offices when there's no real rush and you can enjoy finding pictures you took 20 years ago…..in film…..printed in a darkroom…on photo paper…..lol utter bliss creating and curating this project…I mean it was stressful at the time lol BUT I had that feeling in my abdomen that it was just so Or just right and kept being hit by fizzes of inspiration on how the images could sit together - or not - + doing every single part of this process was magical and it enabled meticulous crafting of the materials.

Loading the film, actually choosing which camera aesthetic would suit, which film to load, all the locations, all the elements of the ‘story’ or narrative. The decisions on processing times, paper to print on, chemicals used in printing, size and scale. Mounting, cutting the windows in the board, carefully attaching archival tape to secure them, sequencing the set, framing and displaying….photography is always a series of decisions. It’s always a process and that’s where the magic lies…..

A pre Xmas treat

I've had my eye on this place for ages and finally after my last photo session before Xmas this morning (+a last minute grab of festive gifts)…I landed here.

I'm in heaven. Not quite ready to reflect upon the year but ready to hibernate for family time, peace + fresh air.

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a beautiful Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Friday Night Confessionals.....it's been a while...

Soooo, I did a thing,

Writing this from a hotel in Brighton, the night before a wedding I’m photographing, I’m on catch up and wanted to share the week, I’ve missed doing this and I hope it continues, fingers x’d!

So, the masters, it’s been going on for a while and aged me more than anything else I’ve ever done!

For the last 2 years I’ve been working on a MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Photography, it’s a qualification I have wanted to work towards since I completed formal photography training on the certificate programme in America and as we came out of lockdowns in 2021 I became a little more serious about achieving it. Fast forward 2 years and here we are, my foiled certificate arrived this week and it became ‘real’.

Around a month before we finished I FINALLY felt I was drawing all my threads of research together and so the plan now, after the summer, is to dig in, continue the project and fine tune the prototypes and iterations I have started!!

Photograph certificate

Wednesday evening

Highgate Pergola - Emily & Stuart rocked their engagement pictures!!!

I’ve been missing my morning walks and Tuesday showered me with a gift of a walk - it was so joyful, out the door by 7am, 2 hours of bird song and fresh air was THE BEST start to the day!!

Here we are in Brighton, urban art everywhere + I’m snapping like crazy the ever changing landscape of the graphic art in the Lanes!!!

Sunday morning confessionals

I can’t believe this time last week I was a bag of nerves preparing to hang my photo show at The Allen Gallery.

I’d been to a hot yoga class to help find some calm/grounding/balance + it worked but I was also a mixture of excitement to be displaying images in a different way (tacked to the walls) + nervous as to how it would look and be received.

A week on and its been pretty intense. The volunteers at the gallery, Mick and Josie were soooo helpful and encouraging and Tony gave the seal of approval when it was all in place and between them they were such a tonic :-).

International Women’s Day 2023

Celebrating International Women’s Day, 2023

 What’s your ‘Wish or Hope’ for the future? 

This photography project began with Ivy, then 5, in 2021. I was curious at that time to understand what people were thinking and I loved the idea of using audio and visual references to record each sitter's response. The project lay dormant until last year when I picked it up again as part of my masters programme and began asking girls and women in our community if they’d like to participate. 

Photographing in the garden at The Allen Gallery (which is beautiful) and around Alton, it was my vision to create a variety of images, at differing distances from each sitter with a mixture of quiet moments, reflections and laughter in order to begin building a collective visual.

 

I am incredibly grateful to all the sitters who shared their time and stories with me, it has highlighted just how much of a rich tapestry of inspiring, creative, generous and kind women we are surrounded by here in Alton.



Friday night confessionals…..

So happy to share this cute surprise proposal! Soft tones of beach time in late August/early September in Dorset

There were SO many special, thoughtful touches in the lead up to this moment - I've known Danni and Mark for a couple years, and so when March asked me to photograph this moment I was smiling from ear to ear and so excited! Although keeping it a secret from our friendship group was tough!!!

Danni has special childhood memories of Dorset and her favourite place to be is right here on Portland so it was Marks first choice when deciding where to pop the question and get down on one knee.

The weather was perfect, it was also Dannis birthday and I was hiding behind rocks to avoid being seen!

Tuesday morning reflections

The joy in the morning walk, time spent in nature and new magical discoveries

Gosh what a few sunny autumn days it’s been, back at luscious long morning walks, research visits to Wisley + 3 exhibitions at The Victoria & Albert Museum!!

This summer…….

September has rolled around and autumn is nipping slightly at the days beginnings and ends, whilst the glow of August lingers a little.

I gleefully always seem to be on catch up, on the back foot when it comes to sharing and posting photo work and jobs and berating myself for not posting in a timely manner or at all.

Its not that i dont want to, often i am caught between waiting for clients to post first then i share OR another reality which happened last night. I got home from a fabulous full days shoot, downloaded my images, checked them over, imported them to Lightroom and fell into bed. Knowing I had to drive 3 hours to a glorious destination today for a photo session tomorrow.

I'd love to pretend I have all these people, all these teams doing all the things that ensure smooth sailing of a small business but it's not, it's all me and if I'm knackered and dribbling then it's best I step away from a screen, put myself to bed and gear up for the next day. I'm certain you understand and it really helps saying it out loud.

So a snippet, shared from the gram of a recent epic 2.5 hour session in London with wonderful Lisa Berkovitz. Finding the light, the joy and the moments, laughter, positivity and connection….more on the gram, or here or both. Here's to a happy September x

Still....here!!! :-)

I finally discovered that my Mac operating system isn’t supporting square space anymore and that’s the reason I haven’t been able to see my images and so post anything…..I have circumnavigated the problem and things will change!! More images incoming :-)

When film processing…..

goes wrong, get’s caught BUT produces some interesting effects.

As an interim measure I’m sharing this fail of film photography which I actually feel is quite beautiful despite being chewed up through the processing machine!!

So as I leave you with this………know they’ll be more posts and updates coming sooN! HURRAH

Happy Summer Solstice everyone xx

October.......whizzed through....

Blinked…missed it lol October that is, nothing else!!

Thrilled to share here a few snippets from client work this month!!

WOW Tuesday ev/// Thursday afternoon confessionals...

Ahh that cheeky, sneaky Bank Holiday + cheeky little 4 day week……

1.png
2.png

all the summer vibes last Thursday capturing this very beautiful and special event and a little haze of Bank Holiday pouff as the days since disappear into a blur…

I sit here writing FULL of gratitude for the delights and sunshine the Bank Holiday weekend brought, gorgeous moments creating images of amazing events, sunshine, sunshine, sunshine and to be back photographing events over the weekend continues to be the best feeling and such a blessing :-) Here’s to many more as Summer continues xx

Have a fab rest of your week!

YES!! Friday afternoon confessions.......has anyone seen summer?

If so, could you just politely direct it over here please :-) Thanks so much!!

Well, hello Friday!! How’s everyone doing?

This past week has been a super fab, crazy, zesty mix of editing, photography and client meetings with a slithering of yoga in person as a student and gym workouts to get my fitness + stamina back up as weddings approach!! The challenge of sitting to edit photo sessions is real now and I’m having to take a break and step away from my screen every 45minutes - to think pre pandemic I used to sit locked in for hours at a time now seems impossible!!

BUT I am super excited not only to be back right in the mix of photographing an amazing array of FOOD, PORTRAITS, LIFESTYLE and LITTLE PEOPLE + I am stoked to share a few images from this weeks sessions and commercial shoots!

TheGreyFriarsAlton1.png

Images above taken at The Greyfriar Pub in Chawton ahead of their opening May 17th and capturing their new menu and staff pictures!!

Whooooo it’s an amazing feeling to be photographing, being creative and mixing safely with clients and friends again :-)

Stay safe everyone and have a great weekend! x

Friday Night Confessionals.....getting green fingers......

And selling posters of my peony love series 💕❤️💕

IMG_3366.jpeg

Amongst my many endeavours over here I am attempting to grow chillis, courgettes and tomatoes this year along with some squash I hope to plant shortly. In the non edible section of the garden things are starting to take shape, the peonies old and new are emerging and the many I planted last year are making progress (keeping fingers xd it continues even despite the current nightly frosts!)

My pansie display looks like an homage to the suffragette movement, all greens, whites and purples and I’m totally ok with that!!

Adjustments.jpeg

It’s also been an exciting week as three posters went out the door to their new home in Whitstable!!

IMG_3347.jpeg

They are part of the ‘Peony Love’ series captured and created last year during lockdown and I’m beyond thrilled their new owner is in love and delighted with their arrival. These images shown above were full frame printed on 16x20 inch paper! So a big gorgeous luscious impact on a wall and this trio sit so well together I’m excited to see them in situ when they’re room redecoration is finished :-)

so happy weekend everyone! Have a great one and enjoy the sunshine xx