July ...

July has been a nice quiet month for me ... i've been reading every chance i get & trying to slow down a title. This means I haven't really been out shooting much but honestly i've kind of liked it. I did manage a day trip out to Wells-Next-The-Sea on the Norfolk coast a few weeks back. I went mid week thinking it would be nice & quiet ... boy was i wrong, that place was packed. But I adore the beach huts so i spent a couple of hours shooting & trying to avoid people as best i can before heading home. So i hope you enjoy the beach huts & the pretty English seaside as much as I do & then head off around the rest of the Sisterhood Stories for more pretties & inspiration, starting with Karrie. 

april in pictures ...

So i have been in a little bit of a funk in recent weeks ... a combination of running injury & just some photographic "issues" ... it happens to the best of us. & in 3 days me & the little man are heading stateside for 4 weeks of hanging with the family & hopefully for me a chance to find my photographic "mojo" again! I have to admit there are a few new toys waiting for me in cali, & i'm super excited to try out some new skills & take some much needed me time. So for this weeks sisterhood stories I just wanted to share a few photos from april ... it hasn't been hugely exciting in our world but I've taken the camera out in Cambridge a couple of times & i took a landscape workshop at the beginning of the month. Anyways enjoy a little spring, a little color & a little learning! & don't forget to make your way around the rest of the sisterhood circle starting with Jessica. 

long exposures ...

I wish i could take workshops every week ... i love love love them! It's true ... i mean ...

1. i love learning 

2. i love being inspired 

3. any excuse to take photos

So in the depths of my August when i was feeling uninspired & stuck in the rut i signed myself up for a couple of very different workshops once of which was totally new to me. I have always admired landscape photographers & long exposures specifically but as hard as i try i can't get them right so this was my chance to learn ... & it was awesome. I spent a beautiful fall afternoon shooting on the Norfolk coast & understanding filters & getting the look I had been dreaming on (resulting in me buying said filters & waiting rather impatiently for everything to arrive so i can go practice what i have learnt). So here is something very new & a little different to keep you occupied. & don't forget to head on round the circle of Sisterhood Stories starting with something else very different on the blog of Karrie Drake. & have a wonderful wednesday! 

this is me blogging ... sisterhood stories

Hello ... surprise ... happy hump day ... yep i'm actually blogging ... please now take a minute ... sit down ... breath ... & see what i have to say. I have become a member of a blogging circle (i believe that's what it's called) ... the Sisterhood Stories ... hopefully this will get me back into the swing of things because you know i like to blog. 

So last thursday i set out on a little photographic road trip ... just me & the camera ... it was a screw the weather kind of day I just needed to get out shooting & escape this rut i had found myself in. & it was a wonderful adventure ... no munchkin (not that i don't love my adventures with the munchkin) ... & what turned out to be some beautiful weather. I headed out to the coast via a little random trip around the fens, 30 miles took me about 2 hours but it was all worth it, even the dreaded sand that naturally made it's way into everything. But more importantly for me at least i found myself inspired once again, so much beauty around me screaming to be photographed. There are certain things i need to do ... spend time alone, read books, run & take pretty pictures ... without the above i feel as if something is missing, the same way i feel as if something is missing when my son isn't around ... things that are all part of the person i am. & wow did it feel amazing!! 

So enough talk ... sit back ... relax ... take a load of your feet ... & check out some pretty pictures. & When you're done be sure to head on over to the beautiful blog of Karrie Drake & see what words of wisdom this has to offer & of course check out some beautiful photos. 

& a little bit of fun ... have a wonderful day everyone. xx

a little old skool ...

So one of my favourite things to do right now is to shoot film ... I love that i have the chance to experiment with my mountain of film cameras (i have getting up towards 100 of them), I love the anticipation of waiting for them to get developed. Right now it's a little hit & miss & since most of my cameras are vintage there are some "individualities" to them. But it's so much fun & i will improve! 

So in taking a break from Scotland here are the results of the 3 rolls i picked up today ... happy viewing. 

camera: Zenit ET

format: 35mm

film: Lomo color 100

camera: LC-A

format: 35mm

film: Kodak Portra 160 

camera: Diana

format: 120

film: Kodak Portra 100

Anyways i hope you enjoyed my experiements ... no editing was done to these images & one day i hope to be able to print myself. I am though added some to my etsy shop "ooh pretty shiny" for purchase. 

Have a great night.

xx