Studies in Red

PLAY

Photography isn't about being serious all the time or using the best equipment - it's about play too. This morning I grabbed my Instax instant camera as I headed out to early morning yoga and in my mind I simply wanted to take a 'shot of the day' if I was lucky or one picture with my instant camera which would inject some fun in to my morning and make me smile.

As I drove to yoga I considered the mist rising off the fields and a tree lined road but nothing grabbed me long enough. Then as I left yoga I suddenly thought - what about a colour, as much of one colour as possible or just look out for the colour 'RED". As I made my way out of the car park, there, right in front of me was a bright red facial so out of my (red) car i popped and incorporated the car into the image. 

It's not ground breaking or award winning BUT it is play, it's loosening me up, it's getting me to connect and to see in the moment knowing I have one shot, knowing that I will wait a few moments with eager anticipation as to what will emerge slowly as the image clears + that, at 8am on a Tuesday morning is kinda fun, playful and made me smile.

It's all a process.

Spring time and reasons to be grateful....

Amongst the busyness of life and work, it's so lovely to stop and enjoy Spring, blossom, fresh air + sunshine. Yesterday was such a day when I appreciated open space and nature after a fun photo session and jam packed day it was wonderful + slightly necessary to step outside and smile at nature carrying on and doing her thing :-) Three things I'm grateful for: my magnolia, sunshine, fresh air :-) xx

For working on those frosty, sunny, gorgeous days

 DJ ALEX CUDEYO

DJ Alex Cudeyo has been my fav DJ for a while now and there are some of his sessions on YouTube I play over + over + over and today I have this one on (link above) + it's totally making me smile whilst I catch up, get ready for next week (+ do a few chores) so I suddenly thought it would be fun to share! 
Crank it up HIGH + boogie about :-)  ** Have a FAB Saturday xx

On BBC The One Show

Well, my image, not me personally :-) 

The BBC One Show

Super fun to get a call yesterday for a request for one of my images to be used on last night's BBC The One Show. A couple of months ago I covered an awards ceremony and last night's show was celebrating people and their achievements!

Congratulations David!! have a brilliant 2017 x

In session with......

Last weekend I had the complete pleasure to hang out...I mean work...in a studio in North West London photographing my cousin's recording their new album...they're AAAAMAZING!!

They are also playing in Islington, East London Sunday December 11th, 2016 at the 'Old Queen's Head' at lunchtime...perfect accompaniment to your roast!

Check them out on Facebook with the link below :-) 

https://www.facebook.com/heavyonthestrawberries/

Fighting off some bugs.....

This past few weeks I seem to just be a germ magnet, I love the crisp days with blue skies and a chill in the air + we've been blessed with warmth during the days too, for some reason maybe the bugs are stronger and more resilient this year - who knows! Staying hydrated has been a challenge so I have been on the hunt for less caffeine + more adventure lol I found this recipe in a new cook book, purchased in lovely Bath last weekend!! I got a little addicted :-) 

Not as bad as it sounds!!!

1 litre boiling water
2 cm ginger
2cm turmeric OR 1 tsp
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cardamon pods
1 heaped TBSP YEP tea (YEP = Blend of Yarrow, Elderflower, peppermint) If unavailable use peppermint or green tea
1/2 lemon sliced
1 tsp Manuka honey

Place all ingredients in a teapot and steep for 15 minutes
OR place in a covered pan + Simmer for 15 mins

I've been drinking this all week!! At first I was like 'God this sounds like pond water' BUT I was pleasantly surprised and I also created my own variations with YEP tea or coriander and I have felt really warmed by it, more alert and hydrated which is perfect with this crazy weather!!

Let me know if you try it, what you think xx

A Sunday country walk....so divine!

A rare Sunday off and my whole being was screaming to get out in the fresh air and soak in the last of the AMAZING Autumn colours we've been blessed with this year!

Not far from home I stopped to enjoy this little picturesque setting, the colours of the tress and the little dock teamed with the lili pads, the reflections and the small tress in the foreground had me smiling and then I saw a duck merrily schwooshing around and had to capture this moment + then share it :-) 

Have a great week everyone! xx

London is POPPING right now with Photo inspiration!

Friday turned out to be a whirl of visual inspiration and delight. Amongst the rain drops I whizzed between Bethnal Green, Tottenham Court Road, South Bank and finally over to the V&A for an "In Conversation with...." Saturday morning and I'm sitting here aglow, head slightly spinning and feeling like a sponge that just got dipped in a crazy colourful watercolour rainbow..........

First STOP......

4th - 21st November 2016

I popped in to this exhibition on the South Bank en route last night to the V&A + whilst there are tough subjects to look at I was intensely moved by the diversity and inspired by the stories which visually unfolded in front of me. These are stories which are in all of our subconsciousness's (I may have just made a new word up! I apologies).

Farming and deforestation in Borneo is having a HUGE impact on our fragile eco system and the Orangutan's who live there - these images big and bold accompanied by the text was really humbling and the whole wildlife section was really beautiful but tinged with an edge of sadness yet after viewing all the other incredible, humbling and moving stories I returned to this area to soak in the colours of the amphibians and peacefulness of the whale swimming with it's cub.

All of the stories are harrowing, don't get me wrong I don't live in a bubble oblivious to suffering or what's happening in the world but there are times when it feels like we are only seeing bad situations and awful acts of human brutality but this is a relatively small, concise exhibit (it's split in two + spaced either side of the auditorium). The winners stories here depict our every day lives over the course of the last 365 days. It's current and beautifully, beautifully put together. The size of some of the pieces - bold and large stop you in your tracks, whilst the smaller pieces encourage that intimate connection with the photograph. As you would expect, the consistency in layout and descriptions ensure maximum information delivered quickly.

There were two projects in the area displaying the refuge crisis projects which have stayed with me too. I found the images really powerful and stood shaking my head to myself thinking.."what year are we in - we're not in the dark ages yet sadly it feels in many ways we are".

*****Go see this exhibit!! It's FREE

Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall

Belvedere Road, London, United Kingdom

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/

~In Conversation with Cathleen Naundorf at the V&A Image©CathleenNaundorf

Breathtaking and mesmerising.........firstly I'd never been to the V&A Lecture theatre before and was in awe of the design and space, secondly it was fantastic to listen to Cathleen's life story and how her work evolved and unfolded. From travelling to Mongolia and capturing tribal portraits to Brazil and then to Paris and the Haute Couture scene.....obviously my description is extremely brief!!! Using only Polaroid since 2003 Cathleen has created exquisite works of art and I loved hearing of her persistence and connections and workings of a fellow photographer. It was really enjoyable, refreshing and stunning to look at the slides projected behind her. (my camera phone doesn't do it justice + for me they are reference but I'm sharing here :-)).

This Friday Photofrenzy was just what I needed..I've been asked a lot recently what personal work I'm working on and in truth...just ideas...I'm searching, I have a list of projects I'd like to do, a book idea which I'd LOVE to bring to fruition but I just need to focus. The dust is settling on a whirlwind of a year and with winter approaching it would be great to have a hibernation project to work on! :-) I'm off to get a fresh sketch book and begin....the hardest part is starting...I'm off to do just that!

Have a great weekend everyone xx

still life's whilst waiting for a shoot to start

So I'm just hanging out, early Tuesday morning waiting for my shoot to start upstairs and I notice how pretty the light looks and how in this usually busy pub, it's silent save for me and the barman ...my camera meets my eye and I record what I see, pretty stillness....I feel like Karen Harvey should be with me (of shutter hub and blog fame) wherever she goes she fills her instagram feed with obscure wonderful finds which are a delight to see and very inspiring - maybe she's been rubbing off :-) 

Pretty pink ceiling shades, tea cups, wood, grey paint...I mean, how divine! what more could I ask for x