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. 

Lake Isabella ...

I think we all have a place where we can find peace, a place that we can sit & watch & dream. I have a few of those spots but one of them is on the shores of Lake Isabella. Up in the Sierra Nevadas of California it's a huge man made lake, a damn protecting Isabella & Bakersfield from it. The Kern River flows into it, & it's rounded by dirt & mountains & rocks & everything England isn't. I first met the Lake in 2007 when my then boyfriend took me to see it, since then I have been back to see it 3 times & have simple grown to love it more. This time we were in for a shock as the drought that has hit the area means the Lake is drying up, all those trees you see in this pictures sticking out the water weren't there in 2011 when i saw it last. My favorite spot to go & stand is now dirt, the water hundreds of meters from it's edge. It makes me sad to see it disappear. But i set out to photography it, something i have never managed to do justice too, & i have to admit it took me about 4 tries before i got the images you see here. The problem (& yes it was a problem) were the blue blue skies, too much contrast. It's January, mid winter & barely a sign of a cloud in the sky (the opposite of winter in England) but finally the week before we left we had some hazy days, i jumped on this & found the peace I feel there in person in my work. 

Don't forget to check out the rest of the sisterhood stories ... follow the blog circle from start to finish beginning with the words & pictures of Karrie Drake. 

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

the Isle of Seil ...

After a loooong night ... day two was spent on the Isle of Seil. Part of the Slate Islands, southwest of Oban it is linked to the "mainland" by the Clachen Bridge otherwise known as the "Bridge over the Atlantic" ... & boy did it have a hump! We explored the tiny little town of Ellenabeich (used in the filming of Ring of Bright Water) & had lunch at a lovely pub called the Tigh an Truish otherwise known as the House of Trouser. So today less words & more photos ... enjoy! xx

day one of Scotland ...

Day one in Scotland ... we were lazy! I must add we had a very tired cranky little boy (little did we know just how bad that would get) & the weather wasn't great. It was grey & blaaaaaah ... cold i can handle, rain i can handle ... blah (that's a weather term by the way) i can't handle. It's had to be inspired by blah! 

So we started off by checking out Oban ... it's got a harbor & a main road & not much more to it. & here you can see the very beginning of the boat pictures ... there will be a lot of them. I think they became my "bicycle" of Scotland! 

                                Lensbaby Composer Pro & Edge 80

With nothing else planned for the afternoon we took the Munchkin & headed to The Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary which was a whole 10 minutes from our cottage & a ticket lasted a week (perfect for the munchkin). It was a little slice of Jacob heaven ... & i liked the jelly fishes! 

                                Lensbaby Composer Pro & Sweet 35

                                Lensbaby Composer Pro & Double Glas

So having explored the aquarium with a gradually increasingly grumpy Jacob we found a little haven of tranquility ... the sanctuary was on the shores of Loch Creran & oh my was it beautiful. The kind of beautiful that takes your breath away. It seemed i had officially arrived in Scotland (well the Scotland i pictured in my head). Unfortunately up to this point i had only taken my lensbaby with me but i knew i would be returning!

                 Lensbaby Composer Pro & Double Glass

                                Lensbaby Composer Pro & Edge 80

So after dinner (keeping mind this is Scotland so basically my bed time) i headed out to work on some long exposures, making a return to the shoreline of Loch Creran (i couldn't help myself) with my 24-70mm for company ...

                                Nikon 24-70mm

... & then across the bridge at Connel down to the edge of Loch Etive. Well the skies weren't that pretty (it was overcast) but i have to admit it wasn't colour i was looking for, just practice & learning a new skill. & i am all kinds of happy with the results. 

                                Nikon 24-70mm

                                Lensbaby Composer Pro & Edge 80

I loved being out there, enjoying the peace & quiet ... it sounds stupid but taking a moment for yourself makes all the difference. You focus better, you see clearer & you can simply enjoy being.

Have a wonderful night.

xx