Blue Eyes

Bluer than blue...

Two sweet, charming little children who were a complete pleasure to photograph. :)

Now, I do secretly like quotes and would happily over use them at every turn but I refrain from doing so but I just had to add one here. One of the most striking things I find about photographs, particularly of children is their eyes, the windows to the soul. Anyway I found this quotation and I just love it.

'“Child, as I look in your eyes
You know my life seems like a minute
There I find living proof
Of all the wonder life hold in it
In the past I thought I had to learn
Any good that comes from this life we’re living
Here and now, let us realize
That this life’s gift and it’s already been given.”

Winter Sunlight

What a beautiful day it turned out to be yesterday! I really enjoyed this session. Gorgeous little children, a lovely family and the winter sunlight was just stunning.

Cold fingers and toes!

I did a photo session with this lovely family on Sunday. They were super-cute and really patient with the frrrrrreeeeeezing cold weather. A gorgeous little brother and sister who were completely natural in front of the camera.

2 for 1 Blog posts

Just because everything looks amazing when the weather is like this, even though toes can feel frozen. Brrrrr...




and these ones, well, just messin' around.

New Beginnings...

There is no point in me trying to sum up how I feel about this place. No doubt it would come across as over the top or at the very least sugary. I love it. We love it.

There is a lot to be done here, such a lot, so much that it's daunting but the journey should be fun and so rewarding. There are millions of treasures here, billions of nettles and endless possibilities...

P.S - the outside space is going to be the UK's most beautiful and magical outdoor photographic studio... how's that for thinking big?

Just because...

"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country."

No, I am not running away to another country with a 'new love'! I just really like the quote and I had forgotten about this picture taken in early summer.

Inspiration

I had an hour to spare whilst in London today, so decided that as it was sort of on my way, I would visit the Photographers Gallery as there is a Sally Mann exhibition running there at the moment. I had already read quite a bit about Sally Mann and know that she has been at times a fairly controversial figure in the world of photography.

I was expecting good things as the images I have seen I have liked immensely what I was not expecting was for it to change the way I see my own photography. The exhibition was incredible, to actually see the images there, framed and large (not in a book) was breath-taking and whilst, yes, some are controversial all are intriguing and thought provoking but most of all, honest.

I have come away from there today eager to re-address how I see my images and how I eliminate ones that I feel aren't 'just right'.

I went back though some images taken only recently of my niece and my two childresn playing in a cornfield and near a river. When I was initially processing these images I was looking for some sort of mis-guided perfection and it is only now I realise this from seeing the absolute honest and frank portrayal by Sally Mann of her own children.

I had discounted some of the following for stupid reasons, Tom's sunglasses hiding his eyes, Eliza looking a bit grumpy in one image (but now the contrast of a little, cheeky smile adds something more), a railing partly obscuring Eliza's face. Ella looking grumpy too, Henry crying, strange plants at the bottom of the river that look like cabbage (!) and of course that nerdy little grey-man photographer voice that sits on my shoulder and shouts "no! you have over-exposed it there! The eyes aren't in focus! THE RULE OF THIRDS! YOU FORGOT THE RULE OF THIRDS!

OK, so I have prattled on enough... here are the photos... I feel really inspired.

Holiday

Just a few snippets from Greece. One of my favourite places on earth.

Eliza

Most of the time I do prefer to produce bright, colourful images but there is just something about the texture of the wood and all that long grass that it simply had to be in black and white.

This is my little niece having fun with her mummy and daddy and her cousins, of course.

Mr. Sleepyhead

Sometimes it is fabulous to stage a big photo shoot, to roam the countryside looking for the perfect spot but sometimes the very smallest moments can be the best. Henry woke up this morning at 8.30. That really is a long lie-in, believe me! He came downstairs in his PJ's (no top as he 'wants to be like daddy). His hair was like a dandelion clock and he just looked so super-cute. A lovely impromptu photo session.

I WON!!!!!!!

I am so delighted to announce that I have won the 2010 Annabel Williams Bespoke Course Competition!!

I can't explain just how much this means to me and what a HUGE deal it is.

I was first made aware of the Annabel Williams Contemporary Photography Training a couple of years ago when I went to see a seminar by Catherine Connor. Catherine's passion, drive and expertise completely won me over and I have been a huge fan of everything they do since that time.

A few months ago I received an email from the training centre regarding a competition to win a place on the incredible Bespoke Programme. I spent a long time considering the entry and choosing images. Anyway, the deadline was a couple of weeks ago and a few days later I received a call (whilst out shopping) to say that I was one of the final six people. This completely blew me away and for a few minutes I was in emotional melt-down and just so stunned to get that far.

Yesterday I attended the interview at this stunning location in the Lake District. I was really, really nervous on entering the building but the minute I started chatting to the lovely Jane Breakell and Catherine Connor all those fears melted away and I quite honestly enjoyed every second of the interview... which is a first for me!

Anyway, to cut an already long story short, I just had a call from Mel at the studio and I have only gone and won the blooming thing!

No doubt I will re-blog this at some point as I really am in a state of shock. The implications this will have for my future career are utterly mind-blowing and I can't really take it all in at the moment, truly I can't. So I am going to go and have a cup of tea and stare out of the window in a really happy, over-awed, proud, teary-eyed daydream.

The blue sky photo is to remind myself that daydreams are so important and they really can come true.
L x

:)

Cute as a button!

Sometimes I do photo sessions on-location with huge meadows or rolling hills. Sometimes I am asked to do garden sessions (which I love equally) and whilst the end result is often very different it is also really lovely to see children happy and playing in one of their very favourite places in the world. This lovely garden has a little bit of magic in it, I'm sure (OK, that's the soft side of me coming out) but the grass is greener than green, there are little hidden corners here there and everywhere...oh and just to top it off they have their own fluffy white rabbit hopping around the place freely.

Three adorable little sisters.

Poppy Field

"There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.” - Elizabeth Lawrence.

Katie

Oh to be 19 and this pretty.......

Izzy & Amelia

This was an impromptu mini photo session but well worth carrying the chair in to this beautiful meadow for. Such sweet little sisters in a heavenly setting on a beautiful evening...