My Heart melted :-) x

Heartfelt Thanks!

So last week just before I had a few days away and a quick break to recharge my batteries and joie de vie, I met with several of my lovely clients and tied up loose ends before I set off to disconnect from technology and hang out with very special friends and do things I haven't done in a while (drawing, running, exploring).

The day before I set off on my adventure I received three amazing 'Thank You's' from my recent beautiful brides and I was and am still truly touched by their messages, beautiful thoughtful gifts and the time they took to say 'Thank You'. I'm struggling to really do justice to the enormous delight and pride I felt when reading their words and huge smile I wore for the rest of the week!

I'd like to share their kindness here, not to embarrass them but to continue the gratitude + blessings :-) xx Have a lovely afternoon everyone xx

Remembering Mary Ellen Mark

Yesterday power house photographer Mary Ellen Mark passed away, she was hugely inspirational and I just want to share a few images from one of her books in case ure not familiar with her work :-)

I was lucky to take a workshop with her in Maine way back in 2001 after being introduced to her work whilst I was working on a feature film + the professional photographer I met told me it would "change my life". I researched Mary Ellen Mark diligently + was in awe - she'd won an award every year since I'd been born and her work blew my mind. 

The week spent in Maine was tough + challenging + one of the most amazing, it did change my life, had I not have taken the class I wouldn't have ended up in Maine changing my career path + becomming a photographer, I wouldn't have had any idea about what goes in to being a photographer or met such a force of nature in Mary Ellen Mark. 

Her spirit was strong, decisive, determined, her stature + dress - tall with jet black hair and black clothes slightly intimidating and the last night of our course we all had dinner together + went to the movies to watch a film she raved about ('Amores Perros' - 'Loves a Bitch' with Gael Garcia Bernal) it was the coolest film I'd ever seen at that time + the beers and wines we drank made our tutor sparkle. 

Mary Ellen Mark was and always will be a photo hero and a profound inspiration + it's a sad day she is no longer here to capture life in her immutable way, love + light go to her + her family xx

Cheeky Family Fun!!!

Samuel has stollen my heart <3 he is my best friends little boy, who has the best chuckle I have ever heard - it's a mix between woody wood pecker and road runner, it's super sonically infectious + we became great friends when I stayed recently and so it was my complete delight and pleasure to photograph him with mum & dad and by himself lol I think his smiles say it all!! + just to prod the memory this (below) was just last October :-) xx 

xx

Little Delilah came for a studio visit :-)

Delilah was just 13 days young when she came to the studio for a little visit and to be my little model extraordinaire!

Here are just a few snippets of the lovely images we captured with my new studio backgrounds and a few fun props and colour tones, it's always so great to experiment with new ways of photographing and new props to see how they look in real life and this was so much fun! Thank You Delilah & Juliet xx

A beautiful morning in the Bluebell Woods

One - 2 - One Photo Workshop

Have I mentioned HOW much I LOVE working outside?? Wearing a pair of wellies and exploring?? Well, it makes my heart sing when I get the chance to teach outside, especially first thing in the morning, with beautiful soft light, with students who have a passion for wild flowers :-) The images above are ones I captured whilst my student set about her photo challenges x

Brooklyn, NYC 1st Wedding Anniversary <3 xx

Heidi & Naoise 2015

I love love love these guys!!! + This was such a blast! Spending the whole weekend wandering around Brooklyn NYC is why I LOVE my profession :-) Hanging out with fabulous couples, sipping a cocktail to keep warm (really freezing this weekend, was totally medicinal) and getting the chance to explore new places and capture fun & love is my idea of heaven! 

We totally took in Brooklyn and Dumbo with bravely cuddling through a bitter wind as we looked across at Manhatten and almost skipped around Prospect Park - I was introduced to the ice skating rink and a really cute pond and verander area with beautiful old lights, super elegant and with the pond still frozen and snow on the ground it was wintery pretty - I'd love to see it in Spring or Summer too lol 

Happy Paper Anniversary H&N xx

STOP PRESS***********

Weeeehheeeeeee :-) 
Tres excited to share this beautiful feature - 'Your London Wedding Magazine' have featured Ben & Alice's gorgeous wedding at Brockwell Lido last year and NOT ONLY THAT, they used a fab photograph on the cover :-) xx

http://www.countyweddingmagazines.com//image_upload/flippingbook/YLW41/index.cfm#

Mr & Mrs Barry & Meaghan Gadbois

March in Massachusettes.....snow on the ground, a little nip in the air...bubbles flowing, laughter sprinkling about The Publik House and the gorgeously adorable Mr & Mrs Gadbois celebrating their wedding day x

It was my absolute pleasure to capture Barry & Meaghans special day x

What an adventure!!! Barry & Meaghan's wedding day was so much fun, it was chock full of love + laughter, beautiful colours and such sensitive personal touches, it was a complete joy to be part of their special occasion and create beautiful memories for them for years to come.

1. Vendors - Michelle Bernard, Flowers
2. Gorgeous Customised wedding dress, Brides Aunt
3. Reception venue - The Publik House in Sturbridge http://www.publickhouse.com

I just loved Barry & Meaghans colour scheme of cranberry and yellow. It was so unusual and super striking and worked beautifully against the snowy afternoon light and in pictures against the Publik House. The groom and his groomsmen all looked very daper in their brown suits which complemented the colour scheme perfectly with their orchid button holes whilst the bridesmaids, maid of honour and flower girl looked completely stunning in cranberry dresses with  nude shoes and gorgeous bouquets of yellow tones containing the most incredible orchids which really popped against the snowy March day.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Gadbois xx

3 Super Gorgeous Weddings, 2 countries, 2 Flights, Family Sessions, Anniversary session....and ....

It's been a whirlwind few weeks with lots of laughter, many means of travel - plane, train, automobile......and bundles of love <3 <3 <3 Here is just a snippet of each session before I post longer lovely edits, photos and musings :-) xx Happy Friday everyone xx

Back Up & Running

Oh my goodness....the last couple weeks have been a bit of a techie jungle and my website and email system have been down, my apologies if you have been trying to contact me!!! We just had a few gremlins to iron out and I'm delighted (as you can imagine) that everything is back up and running x

Venue Visit with James & Sophie on a chilly Friday!! x

This weekend has been such fun, I've caught up with 3 of my bride & grooms 'to be'. I met James & Sophie at their venue Friday lunchtime to have our venue visit and chat through our image list and ideas for their big day. It was mighty chilly outside and they were such sports to enable us to capture these great shots!

I'm so excited to see their venue in Spring when we return to capture their wedding, hopefully it should be warmer!!! lol xx

New Samples (YAY)

Super thrilled that my new samples for this year have started arriving :-) Above is one of my proof books and a small signing book...delighted! x

Gorgeous, Adoraaable New Born Sessions xx

Planning Your New Born Session

Congratulations on your new arrival! :-) or your little bump, 'soon to be here' baby xx What an exciting time and I'm delighted you're checking out my work and thinking about capturing those precious moments with your newborn.

There is 14 days after your baby is born that is preferable for capturing those 'new born' images but please don't worry if you're slightly over this. This time period is recommended because our little bundles are instinctively wanting to curl up and those images are super cute, they are more likely to sleep peacefully and we are able to position them in lovely little poses without disturbing them too much :-)

I offer a range of 'looks' for my newborn sessions, from backgrounds with props to very natural and casual and I chat this through with all my clients ahead of our sessions. This is also where we plan our images and if there are props and certain things you'd like to include, (gifts from friends and family) then we note those down and ensure we capture them all on the day.

This post has just a little gathering of images and if you would like to chat things through and have questions, please call me on 07754 757716 xx

The Stitching Lounge

The Stitching Lounge, Church Road, Crystal Palace, London

Yesterday was a super start to the week and to February!! A crisp Monday spent toasty inside photographing for 'The Stitching Lounge' a sewing emporium which offers beginner and advanced sewing courses. We were photographing it for promotional use on social media and for it's new website to be launched soon. This is just a snippet of the images we captured but it is a truly inspiring and cosy environment. Larna Smith the owner is a great teacher and offers a very warm welcome. She is also running a 'Naughty Knickers' workshop on Valentines day to make your own little piece of underwear and I am very tempted to sign up for it! :-) 

Once the website is live I will share the link too xx

Photography Workshops, Teaching and One 2 One's

I do love this time of year, that nip in the air of inspiration and hope for the year ahead and a list of considered aspirations and achievements that are firmly on the 'To - Do' list.

My list has all sorts of things on it and as the end of January approaches I feel a small panic that if I don't complete my list then well, it's not set in the stone and the other things on that list won't happen - silly I know! But it's almost like it's become a little superstitious....and as I don't want to hamper my year ahead and the things I'd like to smile about in 12 months time, I am putting it out there through my blog

1. Take a Paddle board lesson
2. Buy a wet suit and USE IT! Preferably in Open Water!! (I know, bit mental considering the water temp in the UK)
3. Do more yoga
4. Take an Alt Pro class - IMPORTANT **MUST do!!
5. Run a long weekend workshop in Devon 
6. .....

So the list goes on, a wonderful mix of photography and fun and life and incorporated in to all of this is teaching, my students range from wanting to 'get to grips with their cameras' through to 'Adobe Lightroom' and 'Mentoring' and I'm super delighted to have started this year with students who were given workshop or One2One vouchers as Christmas presents. 

If you've been given a new camera or treated yourself and the accompanying guide book feels like it's in Russian, or if you've hit a 'plateau' - (it happens to all of us!) then have a think about shifting out of that pickle and booking yourself in to a workshop or course with me. Fun is guaranteed!!! :-) + if you come down to Devon, wine is definitely included!! :-) xx

The Blue Poet Dreams

Ok so I’m biased, many people are biased….ok correction, many people love this work and love the man behind it, the two marry up incredibly well together and you can’t help (I don’t think) but become transfixed, drawn in to world of vernaculars woven with mystique and intrigue. 

Each time I visit these pieces, or new works, I feel impish and excitable. I know I won’t be disappointed, and that I will see layers of story, and feel delicately challenged (rare in some cases of photography now and uplifting when it happens). I will feel like I am sneaking a look at a world just within my grasp or finger tips, and my imagination will run away with me. 

I ponder that connection you feel with photography, when you ‘get it’ and the difference of when you just don't engage. I’ve been careful to ask myself if it is more so when you know the creator, and yes, to a certain degree that helps, but the endurance of an image can sometimes be through recognising certain elements within the frame, certainly with this work your mind and eyes dance looking, questioning the elements within it. 

The use of cyanotpyes in this way is exquisite. I know personally how long each of these took to create, I know and understand the process which was involved, the long exposures in sunlight, our photo magician using his lunch breaks** to return to his studio or table and turn and move the pictures and elements within it. Each of these images took many hours, if not days and it is a joy to see them collated all together in this book.

                                        The Blue Poet Dreams, Brenton Hamilton.

Full of texture and hand crafted pieces, I am drawn at first to '1.The Aquatic’. I love the whole book but maybe it’s the painterly qualities I am drawn back to, or the construct of white and blue, or the hidden, just detectable body, with the touch of geometry…? In ’54.Shadow of a Woman’ it is no accident the top left corner has been carefully cut away and then returned to a position which fits, not exactly but closely to it’s original lines, each element of these constructs so carefully placed and the circular images..well, it’s no secret I am a fan of this modern usage (I have been known to dance with it myself).

Whether you are crazy about alternative processes or not, captivated by photography (because lets not pretend it’s letting you go anywhere) or a lover or appreciator of art, this joyous ensemble is delicious…(oh and I really love ’11.All the Mornings of the World’..the composition, colours..peachy tones and blue..).

Brenton has a phenomenal knack, his is the most succinct and honest raw talent for seeing - for creating and for teaching. He is brilliant at sharing his wealth of knowledge about a process and processes which are finding their way back in to our lives and should you wish to peruse a body of work which will challenge you to look a little harder, to untangle the figures, decipher the fruits, the layerings and the hearts and inspire you: this is it. Am I biased? Yes. Am I a romantic captivated by a photographic process as old as can be? Yes, yes! Would I like to see more? …completely and my favourite recent images is ‘Devoured’ (see below). x

Brenton has a solo show opening at the TILT Gallery in AZ February 5th 2015, from what I’ve seen, it's a mix of Ambrotypes (sigh) and Cyanotypes.

**Brenton Hamilton was my Photography Professor.

The Blue Poet Dreams by Brenton Hamilton is published by Obscura Press. For further information and ordering details visit their website.

Cuteness Alert!!

What a super cutie!!! A snippet from our studio session in Crystal Palace, South London before Christmas ensure these made adorable Christmas presents xx

Gorgeous Family Session in Surrey

What to do when it's raining outside and you're on location??? A bit of quick thinking and reorganising your lovely clients home and hey presto! A super Fun indoor session with a completely lovely, wonderful and gorgeous family who were such a joy to capture and so much fun. I've photographed 'Myla' the youngest family member about three times now and I love seeing how she's growing and the fabulous faces she makes especially when her aunty is near by :-) (See below)

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Fun Friends Session

Winter in the Surrey Hills

This was a super fun session, fresh air, rain dodging, chuckles, laughter and wide smiles and a perfect Saturday morning to celebrate friendship and the fact one of them was moving away and this was a great moment to capture all these lovely ladies together.

We met just outside Guildford and the mist and fog really added great diffusion to the light and colours the girls were wearing and really made them 'pop'. (the coloured umbrellas).

The textures were really great too and it was fun to photograph in the open fields and then within the clambering woods xx

Happy New Year x

Happy New Year Everyone

I'm so excited to start 2015 and would like to wish everyone a super year ahead full of love, laughter and happiness x I'd like to say a special "CONGRATULATIONS" to everyone who got engaged over the Christmas holidays - including lovely Ben & Vicky who were featured here in December and for everyone planning their special day and all my bride & grooms to be this coming year xx Have a fabulous 2015!!!

I'm so thrilled to share this engagement session from December in London with Lutz & Melitha my fabulous bride and groom to be who are getting married in early April. We had such a fun afternoon visiting all their locations and venues for their BIG day and capturing these beautiful images was a joy. These guys are such fun and completely adorable and I am really looking forward to capturing their wedding day!!

Happy New Year! xx