Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Personal. Show all posts

Monday, 7 March 2011

Spring Flowers


It really feels like spring at the moment. I nearly crash the car the whole time as I am leering enviously at all the floods of freesias in everyones gardens but my own - how do you get freesias in your garden anyway? And then I did a shoot of a darling family yesterday in their own fresia patch (of course!) and it was just so glorious that I thought I would repost some images I shot of the children last year in all the flowers, be it the freesias, the nasturtiums or the wild flowers that seem to appear in all the farmer's fields. Perhaps a few of you may get inspired as it is a short window...




This one below is probably one of my fave images I have ever taken of Indigo. I had it blown up on canvas for Ben for Christmas and we are going to hang it in the stairwell where we can pass it a thousand times a day. It turned out she descended into a fever of 105 that night, but the moments before she took ill, she had this dreamy glazed over look in her eyes which I am ashamed to admit but I adore!




These were in my parents garden, but sadly they have moved from this house so now on the hunt for a similar patch - if anyone has one and is willing for my children to trample your beautiful blooms for an afternoon, please let me know!!



I shot these for our May Day party invite last year. The party never ended up happening as we moved that weekend instead, but love that I do it every year anyway as a document of the children - sometimes need a fire under me to get out there capturing them in all their adorableness - are they not the most edible little squidge muffins you have ever seen?




And of course dandylions are year round and never cease to bore me... how can making wishes on pretty floaty spinnie seed-petal thingies ever get dull?


And the burst of colour from a nasturtium patch is just breathtaking. And they grow so wild and anywhere - always easy to find a spot to roll around in.



So have a happy spring - enjoy the bursting blossoms and drop me a note if you want to capture some spring magic! xxx
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Tuesday, 15 February 2011

Kids on holiday


And as you may have guessed, their holiday sort of means mine too. Which means I am not really working - I keep trying to give them little projects so I can catch up on work but invariably I sit down for less than a minute before they need my help on whatever it is they are working on. So as you can imagine, lots of work is getting done, but it is work that involves sewing a skirt for indigo, or melting crayons on wax paper and making a Bermuda kite (will blog about that - so excited!). Our lovely nanny is still away so falling ever more behind and with the kids off school this week, pretty impossible to get anything done - hence the infrequent blog posts. So to tide you over, here are some pics I took of the kids a few weeks back - Indigo was given this DARLING dress for Christmas by her Godparents and it is in indigo coloured velvet - a real heirloom so either she or Oslo better have daughters too! Enjoy these pics while I try to sneak a moment here and there to process my regular work load. And those with kids off this week too, enjoy this time together! xxx


I bought this start fruit to use in my workshop and then forgot to use it so the children had fun with it but were more keen on eating it than letting me take photos.


And the flower crown was made by the mum of one of the workshop models but we were so excited by her gypsy outfit that never even had a chance to dress her in the dreamy white one so now it is in my props box for future shoots.




Oslo loved what Mia from the workshop did to improve my top hat - he is usually reluctant to wear it but with the feathers, he was convinced that was just the touch it needed.







I love it when the kids have something they like as a prop - both of them love to play with Ben's wooden chess pieces so Oslo is holding a knight and Indigo is holding a bit of the chandelier that fell off!




So happy half term for you mamas and kiddie winks out there and see you next week, if not before for some more client shoots! xx
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Thursday, 20 January 2011

Farewell for now...


Last night, as we stood in the door crying, we watched Tin Tin pull out in the driving rain and thunder to head to the airport. The kids were sobbing because they are going to miss Tin Tin so much, and I was crying because I was so happy for her. She has gone home to the Philippines for two months. So yes, I also should have been crying about the fact that my work/life will officially fall to pieces with out her, but I was so happy that she is going to be able to see her husband, to celebrate two years of marriage, and really live her life where she is meant to be living it, that I was able to get over my selfishness about how much we rely on her in order to allow me the luxury of working as much as I do. At this moment, she is probably only half way there, but she will be there soon, in the arms of her beloved, and surrounded by her family in a home that she owns.


Tin Tin - we miss you so much already - not just your organisation and sense of calm that surrounds you, but actually you. We love you so much and are thankful every day that you are a part of our lives. Have a wonderful time, relax, have fun, and can't wait to hear all about it when you return. xxxx
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Saturday, 1 January 2011

Out of beauty comes chaos... and out of chaos, Beauty


This New Year's Eve, we had a few of our dearest friends in the world over for an intimate dinner. There were just 9 of us and it was a magical evening. The house was like a shrine there were so many candles and the fragrance of scented candles and paperwhites wafted through the house and added to the giddiness from all the champagne.


The table was beautiful - elegant and festive and Ben made the most amazing fish pie and I made an apple crumble - it was the perfect meal as it was all done before hand so we were both able to really just enjoy the party rather than running around too much.


I reworked the gorgeous arrangements my sister had brought on Christmas Day, and then my friend and colleague, Nikki Begg, gave me the most delightful bouquet of white tulips and hyacinths. Petals does such an amazing job at all the weddings I shoot and I was so flattered that she honoured us with such a splendid arrangement for our table.


I found these pretty paper poppers at the eleventh hour. They were great as not too detrimental to the environment (given what the other options were) and added to the festivities.




After dinner, we went upstairs to ring in the new year. We woke the children who were dazed at first, but as soon as all the streamers were flung, they were so excited and chased the other kids around the house. Like Christmas, their excitement really brought up the energy of the event and made it all the more festive. We put Oslo and Indigo back to bed at about 1ish and then we went outside and lit a fire. One friend brought her guitar and we sang into the early hours. It really was one of the most beautiful, magical New Year's Eve's we have had, and full of beautiful friends and beautiful visuals. And the next morning, we awoke to the chaos of the day after. It was grey outside and the remnants of the good time were everywhere.


The grass had all burned from overflowing embers and the smell of smoke was strong as soon as we opened the door. It was a rather smokey fire as we were attempting to burn the casurinas that had fallen on the house in during Hurricane Igor so they were still pretty green and not ideal wood at all.


Walking into the living room was hilarious - the streamers were everywhere.





And amidst all this chaos, it was such a heart warming reminder of the wonderful way we had began the new year. So much so, I decided to leave it all as it was for a bit longer. And outside, the clouds lifted to reveal bright blue skies. It was the most magical day, and all the more appreciated given the weather we have been having. It was still, sunny and full of hope. I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring. I have so many hopes and dreams for the year. I long to spend more time with my family, grow as a photographer, do more yoga, grow as a person and most of all, share much love and joy with all those around me. Happy New Year. xxx
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Thursday, 30 December 2010

Christmas Self Portrait


I know it is so important as a photographer to do self portraits. I have to say, not only do I rarely do any of myself, but I also rarely let anyone else get me on the other side of a camera long enough to take a photo. Not sure why. I always tell my clients how important it is to capture real life and not put it off until tomorrow as sadly, I have a few too many stories of those who did not get a tomorrow. And even if they don't like the photos of themselves when they first get them back, I tell them to put the images away for five years and promise them they will love how they look when they take them out again a few years down the road. So why do I never give myself that lecture or listen to my own advice? So as a baby step in the self portrait direction, I tried to take a few of myself in the Christmas balls this year. I have seen this done so well so often, and no idea how people do it or what lenses they use, but these are fun, even if they are not works of art of technical masterpieces. And of course I don't like them now, but I am sure I will love them to pieces in five years time.




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