Going Solo: My first proper shoot!

I have just got back from two days of photography training in the Cotswolds with Damien Lovegrove and his picture editor Marko. Not only was this an amazing experience but it was also quite a big challenge going away on my own. Samuel and I have been together for nearly five years and for the last three of those years we have not spent a single night apart except the night before our wedding. However, Samuel and I decided that as soon as I got to the hotel we would go on Skype and spend the evening together cyber style! So as soon as I settled into my room and my room service arrived, Samuel and I sat down and had dinner together over Skype. If you're interested, I had the most delightful lamb shank with pea and potato mash and lovely thick gravy. Following this we watched the Masterchef Semi Final together tucked up in bed with our laptops.

This may sound a bit silly but I suppose over time I have grown very used to always having someone there with me when I get home from uni and it was most strange sleeping alone in bed and not waking up to someone. I realized while I was away how much I depend on my husband to look after me and keep things in order for me....he even texted me during the afternoon I was leaving to remind me to change trains and what time each train was, even though I knew all of this already!

The first day of the course was a camera skills workshop combined with a shoot with teenage models. We started off at Matara (a wedding venue); it was such a stunning place for a shoot with lots of open fields and gorgeous light. One of the main focuses of the shoot was learning how to find the best light for portraits. It's amazing what beautiful light does for a picture! The second day was a 1:1 with Marko to take me through the ins and outs of how to edit and archive my photos. I learned so much and I've included different variations of pictures which I edited so you can see different ways of processing them. 

It was definitely a challenge shooting models with other people around you; the model doesn't know where to look! But I am quite pleased with how they came out and feel that I am armed with new skills for future shoots! One things for sure, I LOVE LOVE taking pictures, and when I get everything right in camera, I feel very proud. 

All of the following photos were taken by me and you can click on them to enlarge, you get a much better view!!. 

I also learned on my course how the profile settings of your photo file effect the way the photos look on different computers. If you don't have a universal colour profile then different browsers degrade the colour. So I have now made the colours universal. Thus I have also re-uploaded the photos in my last three posts so they should look better if you have been viewing in a non-Mac internet broswer. You can have a peek if you fancy. If there's no difference, I did try!

There were two models, this is Emily. I loved her reflection in the glass doors and the light coming from behind her was so lovely. I also learned how to make my own black and whites starting from a simple conversion and then tweaking and hand crafting to get it right so I was quite proud to do this one all on my own! 

Damien opened these doors and showed us how to capture the light that was coming through them and lighting up the model's face. This is Henry and she has the most gorgeous lips!

I saw the wind catching in Henry's hair and was so glad I caught it! This is one of my favourites that I took on the day.

I love her expression in this one. 

Here is a black and white I made of one of the photos above.

Giving us that fierce look!

Henry stood between these two big trees and it made for some interesting pictures!

I love her expression in this one especially through the two trees. Another favourite.

The shapes and lines of the trees was fun for pictures!

Here it is in a moody black and white!

Feel free to leave a comment and I hope you like them. I'm hoping to do another course with Damien Lovegrove soon, one that involves shooting all day long! I thought I'd keep this post about the photos so a recipe will follow in my next post!

xxx

A Model Husband

One of the perks of being married is your other half is obligated to support your hobbies and in my case I take full advantage. I wouldn't say that Samuel likes posing for me but being the loving and supporting husband he is, he does so without complaining. Yesterday afternoon we went into the garden so I could practice some portrait photos. I happen to think my husband looks rather snazzy. Samuel has asked me to inform my readers that all of the poses below were directed by me and he takes no responsibility....I take it as a good sign in our relationship that I still like eyeing up my husband! Random fact: these are my Dad's sunglasses...

I don't think Samuel was intentionally channelling The Terminator here...I blame my Dad's glasses.

Samuel says he looks a bit odd here but I have to say this is one of my favourites. 

Yes Samuel does happen to sit like this everyday...

So I must say a big thank you to my gorgeous husband who supports me in every way imaginable and encourages me to pursue my dreams. I couldn't ask for anything more in a partner and I feel lucky to share my life with him.

As I'm at home with my parents, here is my Mum's recipe for potato salad. We make it with light mayonnaise to maintain the waistline, but of course it would be that much better with the full fat stuff. We also cook the bacon in the oven to crisp it up, as opposed to frying it in oil.

Mum's Potato Salad

Serves 6

1kg peeled potatoes (maris piper would be a good choice) cut into big chunks

5 rashers of smoky bacon

3 big pickled cucumbers from a jar (if your using little ones I would probably triple) finely chopped

1 medium red onion or 2 small ones finely chopped

125ml or 1/4 cup of light Hellman's mayonnaise (you could use more or less according to taste)

Sea salt 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius

1. Boil your chunks of potatoes in boiling salted water until cooked but with a bit of bite- approximately 5-7 minutes, but keep an eye on them so they don't turn to mush.

2. Lay the bacon on a baking sheet and cook in the oven at 200 degrees celsius until crispy.

3. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool. Then add the chopped bacon, chopped pickles, chopped onion and mayo. Mix together and add sea salt too taste. Adjust mayo as necessary.

Enjoy! This goes well with hot or cold meat dishes or as part of a salad selection.

Feel free to leave a comment and I hope you enjoy the pictures! I am off on my photography courses next week so wish me luck!

xxx

Our Boy: A Series of Tickly Tales

To say we are a family of dog lovers would be the understatement of the century. In fact if I were to sum my Dad up in any two words, it would be "dog lover". Toffee joined our family on 11th July, 2009 and he has brought us nothing but joy. Well that would be a lie; he has brought us joy and craziness and hard work and drool and many other things, but he has most definitely brought us joy and love, lots of love. This was the first photo I ever saw of him (courtesy of Nissa Bella Farm); the breeder sent it to us before we met Toffee and I just knew he was for us. I think it may have been his cone head or the fact that his ears were sunshine yellow.

These following two photos are courtesy of the breeder.

Toffee has the most beautiful face in the world. So much so that I have "squeeze to death" urges that have to be repressed every time I look at him. His nose is like that of a teddy bear or a dark chocolate button, except his is a much more unique version; it's charcoal black around the edges with a sweet little splash of pink in the middle. His coat is a delicious shade of sunshine and toffee (hence the name of course) and he has a splendid tufty patch of hair on his chest; it's a lovely cross between a beard and a lion's mane. All other photos are by me of course and you can click on them to enlarge!

Here you can see the splash of pink on his nose!

Our handsome boy has the most lovely floppy ears. When he's calm and looking for cuddles, they flop back and when he suddenly hears a sound they perk up in a most assertive manner, followed by a swift tilt of his head and a puzzled look on his face, as if to say 'huh'?

Huh?

I love his paws!

Oh and did I mention he has the longest doggie tongue known to man. It's so long you could probably use it as a leash when walking him. 

Samuel grabbed this shot!

Samuel got this one too!

He has lots of flabby skin around his mouth which tends to collect his ever mounting supply of drool. Often his drool will dangle from the side of his mouth like chewing gum; as he prances around, it tends to sway about in a most amusing fashion. Random fact: Samuel has found that if you push all the loose skin forwards on his face, he resembles a shar pei. 

Toffee likes to smile, especially when you give him a back rub. However, his smile tends to leave him looking somewhat hyena like, see below.

When Toffee first joined the family he had a bit of a doggie poo obsession (refrain from reading if you're squeamish). I remember one day I was inside sitting on the sofa when Toffee charges in from outside to sit next to me for a cuddle. He goes in to kiss me when all of a sudden I am repulsed by a most disgusting waft of doggie poo smell emanating from Toffee's mouth. I realized then and there what he had just been snacking on...suffice to say he got no kisses!

Samuel and Toffee are very close, this picture makes me think of a "Wish You Were Here" postcard.

Toffee once ate a dead bird, whole. We were worried he would be ill until the next day he pooped out the bird, feathers and all (yes really)...

Toffee burps ALL of the time. He drinks then burps, eats then burps, oh and burps for no reason. 

He loves the beach!

My Mum is currently training Toffee with a professional trainer and I have to say, what a genius dog we have. I actually think he could be a Mensa candidate. He knows hand signals and verbal commands for sit, lay down, jump up high, paw, roll over, through your legs, jump on the box, leave, stay, and many more. Did I mention he could be a Mensa candidate? 

Toffee likes to watch TV, but not just any TV, he likes the Dog Whisperer. Yes that's right. (This photo is courtesy of my Mum, thanks!)

This photo is courtesy of my Dad!

Toffee really is the light of our lives; I don't think it's possible to put into words how much we love him. But I can't mention Toffee without remembering our lovely two doggies Brandy and Patch who we lost last year. We loved them dearly. 

As I always leave a recipe at the end of my posts, here is one for dogs! This is a Doggy Cake recipe courtesy of our trainer. It's also suitable for cats. In this case, please don't taste for seasoning...

Yummy Cake for Dogs and Cats

Recipe from Victoria our trainer

450g of Bacon/Tuna/Chicken (make sure there are no bones)

2 eggs

1 whole garlic clove

340g self raising flour

280ml water

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and using a food processor or blender mix the meat, garlic, and eggs together.

2. Next mix in the flour and then mix in the water.

3. Line a baking tin with butter and grease proof paper and fill the tin with the mixture.

4. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked (I doubt your dog or cat will notice if it's overcooked). Leave cake to cool.

5. Once cooled, slice the cake into cubes and use as treats for training or whenever you want to give your dog a treat.

You can freeze the cake if you have left overs!

Thanks for reading, feel free to share any comments or stories about your pets.

xx

Spring Cleaning

Here in France, spring is gloriously peering around winter's corner even though in England spring remains lurking in a dreary disguise. With the dawn of spring's arrival comes new changes and new directions for me. It has been a busy and stressful few weeks finding the courage to take this new direction towards something I love, but I'm happy to say that I'm excited and ready to embark on a new adventure. I'm throwing myself into the world of photography and fortunately I have been given a wonderful opportunity, an opportunity which has truly made me feel that life has handed me a piece of gold, a door leading to my dream. I have a long way to go but these are those first steps and perhaps life has some great things in store. Indeed I hope so. But I do believe that to a large extent you make your own luck and so in pursuit of my dreams, I am determined to work hard and give it my all, and hopefully, fingers crossed, success will be given in return.

I have come home to France to spend some time with Samuel and my family. It's a long needed break and within the 24 hours I have been here, I feel a huge weight has been lifted; a weight of stress, worry and a mountainous workload. Perhaps an escape every once in a while is what is needed to gain some clarity, clarity that things are not always as confusing and stressful as they seem and that I need not be afraid.

When Samuel and I touched down in France we were greeted by my Mum and Dad and of course our boy Toffee (I have decided to dedicate a later post to Toffee as I truly feel that a dog so unbelievably gorgeous, odd and nutty deserves a literary dedication, even if only in blog form). Within minutes of arriving at our house I just felt a warm, cozy blanket of comfort wrap around me and I was happy to be home. Later on in the day, my family and I took our boy for a walk along the sea front and thus the inspiration for my post was born. It was an afternoon enjoying the small things; walking our dog, spending time as a family, taking photos and noticing those little things, although small, still worthy of a look in, and perhaps a quick snap with my camera.

Following our lovely afternoon stroll came the most amazing home cooked dinner courtesy of my Mum. We had roast turkey (we are probably the only family who eat this after Christmas day), Mum's famous roast potatoes (recipe is in an earlier post), roasted parsnips with honey (recipe included today), roasted cauliflower and broccoli cheese, and brussel sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts. It was amazing, nothing beats a home cooked meal, so much so I ate far too fast and left myself feeling like a heffalump. However, I am a firm believer that sometimes it is simply wonderful to just enjoy a meal to the point when all you can physically do is lie on a sofa and ask your other half to rub your belly.

So here are some photos from our lovely day. You can click on all photos to enlarge them! On an exciting note (well an exciting note for me!), all of these photos were taken on my new 85mm lens. This lens makes me so happy, the colour rendition and sharpness is just lovely!

I know it sounds somewhat corny but I really encourage you to go out with a camera, any camera, and you will be amazed at how different the world looks. You will start to see things you wouldn't normally notice, colours will pop out at you, shapes will grab you, and you will look for the most beautiful and interesting angle in everything you see. I may not be a photographer yet, but I can appreciate the wonders that come along with taking photos and seeing the world through a lens.

I knew spring had arrived when I saw these in our garden, the colour is amazing.

These kids were out playing on the rocks; I love how all of them are in motion and in a straight line!

While having our stroll we noticed lots of older couples sitting together looking out at the sea. It was nice to see people taking the time to sit together and enjoy each other's company and perhaps the smaller things in life.

I hope these two still have something to say to each other!

This just made me relish in the anticipation of summer's arrival.

Samuel noticed this love heart sand castle.

Samuel may have felt like a plonker while I took this photo, but I love it. Summer in your hands!

Our beautiful boy! I have lots of photos of him for a later post but I couldn't resist this one.

The love of my life!

Probably one of my favourites from the afternoon.

I felt a bit sad that this man was sitting all alone. I'm one of those people who will become overwhelmed with sadness when I see an old man or woman alone somewhere, without a partner. I always hope there is someone at home waiting for them...

I liked the shapes on this wall.

I wonder what he was sketching? I like to take pictures of people while they are unawares.

So I encourage you all to have some time with your family and enjoy those days when you have time to notice those little things which become lost in the midst of our hectic lives, and of course, preferably with a camera!

Here is the recipe for the honey roasted parsnips I mentioned earlier. I am a firm believer that vegetables are boring and will remain boring unless you know how to bring them to life with your culinary charm. Vegetables are a bit rough around the edges and need your love and care; in turn your taste buds will be overwhelmed with surprise and you will love them! Roasting vegetables is always much better than boiling. As parsnips are naturally sweet, adding honey or even maple syrup really brings out that sweetness and it works so well. This recipe would also work with carrots or half carrots, half parsnips. You could throw in some sprigs of thyme if you fancied.

Honey Roast Parsnips

Serves 4-6

1kg of parsnips or carrots or both

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

1-2 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt an black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200 celsius

2. Peel your parsnips and chop off the rooty tops and ends

3. If your parsnips are small, slice them in half. If somewhat bigger slice in half then half again. You want thickish fingers or chunky strips of parsnip!

4. Parboil in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes so they have lost some hardness but are still firm.

5. Place them in your roasting tray and pour over the olive oil and honey or maple syrup and season with sea salt and pepper. Then place in the oven.

6. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden and browned. Turn them every so often. Just keep cooking until they look yummy! Towards the end you could turn the oven up to 220 if you want to colour them faster.

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading and wish me luck on my new adventures. I promise to keep you posted! Feel free to leave a comment, I love comments!

xxx