A new year and a new challenge…

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Although it seems like 2013 has been here for a while already, I think it’s still acceptable to say ‘Happy New Year’ while it’s still January. So ‘Happy New Year’.

January is always one of the quietest months for me as a photographer which is good because it means that I can catch up on admin, plan for the year ahead, visit photography trade fairs and sort out all those things that for the rest of the year I move from to-do list to to-do list (I’m not just talking about my tax return). Anyway, I wanted to share something a little bit different. I think I’ve mentioned in the past (many times) that I love taking photos. This is more than just a job for me. So when I heard about Project Life 365, an interactive photo-a-day challenge, I decided to take part. Photographers from all over the world have signed up to it – the project’s Facebook page already has over 8,000 likes and we’re just halfway through January https://www.facebook.com/projectlife365 Each week Project Life 365 posts a list of daily inspirations and then each day you take a photo inspired by the relevant theme and share it on Facebook or Instagram. The ‘inspirations’ range from #in_a_drawer to #simplicity and are a great way of thinking creatively. So I’m hoping that it will keep me on my toes for the portrait sessions I have booked in for 2013…

Anyway, the reason I am mentioning this is because each day Project Life 365 chooses their four favourite photos from the day’s challenge and I was lucky enough to be one of the featured four yesterday for the topic #confusing. My photo (which you can see above) was of the colourful tree which is brightening up the Southbank, confusing because at the time I didn’t know what it was or why it was there. I have since discovered that it’s a baobab tree designed and built by the MA textile design students at Chelsea College of Art and Design http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/chelsea/2012/06/07/ma-textile-design-students-install-colourful-baobab-tree-outside-southbank-centre/  I am particularly delighted to be chosen as one of the top 4 by Project Life 365 because the other three photos are amazing. I will get back to blogging some of the many sessions from last year that I haven’t shared yet, but for now I wanted to share the funny tree photo that brightened up my day yesterday…

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

With Christmas nearly here and just a few more days of 2012 left, I wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. Thanks to all those who have booked me to take photos this year. I have loved each and every shoot. Hope to see you all again in 2013 - I will be announcing spring mini sessions and other exciting projects in the new year, but until then here are just a few of the smiley faces I’ve had the pleasure of photographing this year. A very happy New Year to you all…

baby, child and family photography kingston upon thames

Happy Christmas to all…

With the 25th fast approaching (to my consternation since I’ve still got a fair bit of shopping to cram in before school breaks up tomorrow), I thought I would share some of the Christmas sessions I did last month. There were trees, decorations, fake furry snowballs (which were a very big hit), Christmas music and chocolate coins. And I think you can see from the photos below that everyone (including me) had lots of fun.

I am just finishing off a roundup of some images from the many shoots I have been lucky enough to be asked to do this year. But until then, Merry Christmas!

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A Christmas photo shoot in Richmond Park

I have been lucky enough to be snowed under with photo shoots over the last few months so once again my blogging has taken a back seat while I work on shoots, photos and orders. Things are starting to calm down slightly now so I thought that I’d play blog catch-up this week and share some of the lovely portrait sessions from the past few months.

I’m starting with the most recent which took place first thing yesterday morning in Richmond Park which was bathed in beautiful winter sunshine. We had the place to ourselves apart from the deer and a few dedicated Sunday morning joggers and cyclers… If you follow my blog, you will probably recognise the very gorgeous Viola. I am fortunate to have photographed her from when she was a bump up to now. I know it’s something that I’ve said and written about often, but I love being asked back by families to photograph their babies and children because it means that they are happy with the photos I take and also because it means that I get to know them and to see their children grow up. Viola’s mum sent a lovely email earlier today when she saw the gallery: ‘The photos are so beautiful – you capture her essence in a way that I can’t,’ which I was delighted to hear. Anyway, I will stop rambling and show the photos.

toddler photo shoot in Richmond Park

And here is a little collage of photos with Viola’s very proud dad. It has become a bit of a tradition on their family portrait sessions that we recreate this pose and it’s a lovely way to show how much Viola is changing…

 

Family portrait shoot in Wimbledon

For nearly a year now I have been fortunate enough to work with the team at Gooseberry Bush Cafe in Wimbledon (www.gooseberrybushcentres.com). As well as using their beautiful natural light studio which is above the cafe, I have met the other therapists who use the venue and have been involved in the fantastic fundraising work they have been doing in aid of First Touch, a charity dedicated to raising funds to support sick and premature babies at the neonatal unit at St George’s Hospital in Tooting ( www.first-touch.org.uk). In July they held an open day which featured a silent auction and I offered a mini session as one of the lots. I was very pleased that a lovely family from Wimbledon bit for it, their bid contributing towards the amazing total of £2,400 that the Gooseberry Bush have raised since July to buy a twin cot for the neonatal unit.

The session took place in their home in Wimbledon on a beautiful sunny day in September when the first autumn colours were starting to appear and it was such a bright day that I just used natural light. The family wanted a studio-style session for their gorgeous baby boy since they had had a similar session for his beautiful sister when she was a baby. Here are the results of the session… If you’re looking for a studio-style shoot like this, I have just two slots left for this Saturday 17 November in the Gooseberry Bush Studio at 12noon and 2.40pm so please get in touch.

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