Well, Hello February!
This time last year, I was full of the joys of spring and celebrating that wonderful warm spell with my sunglasses, book and time in the garden.
Fast forward a year and, Wow – a lot has happened in the space of a few months, and I must confess that it has all occasionally seemed a tad much to cope with. Juggling my business, with all the not-so-fun stuff that one has to do, coupled with moving the family into my fathers-in-law’s (FIL) home, has sometimes taken its toll. I am one for warmer weather, sunsets and birdsong, which have all made an appearance over the last couple of days. While we are still getting a few cold mornings, the sunshine has definitely done its bit in lifting my mood.
One advantage I have taken from this winter was the warmth and comfort of a real fire. Evenings with my FIL, combined with some great tv and a vino, have bought me real pleasure and helped soothe my mind after a busy day. Looking forwards, I cannot wait for the warmer weather – the arrival of the bluebells and the opportunities to get out into nature.
This month’s blog is a meander along the path to Spring, so grab a cuppa and join me as I wax lyrical about the joys of this season, my plans and who, what and where I have been shooting recently…
Half-term equals Holiday time!
Firstly, and only because I’ve had other things to write (more on that later!) this blog will be reaching you a tad later, so I get to bypass the joys of Valentines and fast-forward to the middle of the month. This means that I am another week closer to half-term and a week in France at our pad with my family.
We load the car, well it’s more of a van than a car, but that means we all get in and head out onto the open road, or the packed motorway depending on our luck.
Once on the other side, it is a couple more hours before we reach our destination. Then, the only thing I have todo is lift my book, and of course my camera for those family moments.
My family like nothing better than eating, drinking and socialising outside. I will, of course, share some of the things we got up to, and the books I read, in my next blog.
Crocuses, daffodils & Irises
It’s almost as if you can hear the world waking up after the snooze of winter.
I had a wander round the garden yesterday and was captivated to see a host of green shoots poking their way out of the soil. The snowdrops are out and under the trees the purple and yellow pop of colour that are the crocuses carpet the soil.
We are big believers in not ‘tidying’ the garden up too much in the Autumn and leaving well alone as we head into Spring.
This month I have mostly been photographing…
Lots and lots of people.
In fact, I am struggling to remember a busier month and NO, this is not me moaning – I am overjoyed and have blumin well loved it!
There have been Boudoir shoots, also called confidence sessions, which always go really well. It is a great feeling of satisfaction to watch anxious, awkward and generally uncomfortable women relax and start to smile.
Bringing women to the fore of their lives, even for an hour or two, strengthens something within them which they take out into their world. I never would have believed the effect on them, and indeed, me.
Then there have been some branding and family sessions, plus the usual headshots, which I have to confess I love doing. Well, I love it all, but getting headshots right and not falling into the ‘same old drab sort’ that lots of company websites feature, really fires my imagination.
The Handy Family Company
I’ve had the utter privilege of working with James Reader from Front Row Productions at my studio, as he photographed and filmed a CEO, plus I accompanied him to a shoot for the National Trust at Canons Ashby. I cannot wait to share some of those images - The Book Room was magnificent and it was definitely a book room and not a library! A library is where you take books away and this room was designed to be used as a place to study the books - I could see myself curled up in front of the fire place in an armchair reading.
On top of all this, I even snuck in a road trip to Hampshire where I photographed a set of refurbished classrooms for a school’s new brochure.
I also have the honour of photographing the launch of Reed and Baum Estate Agents in Quorn. I will show you some pics next month and they will be on my socials too but here is a sneak peek.
Mother’s Day is…
The 19th of March, so please do make a note of that somewhere. I have lots of bookings for family shoots already this year and always get requests from folk for vouchers for their mums. Head to the website for yours or more information. Remember, sessions are available at my studio or outside, weather dependent, obviously.
In other news…
I have been approached and asked to write a piece about myself for a magazine – I can’t tell you about it yet, but as soon as I have the green light, be assured I shall be jumping up and down and telling you all about it.
Look out for an update in the next blog.
To conclude my ramblings…
When I get back, I have a fully loaded month that includes headshots, families and branding sessions, plus some wonderful sessions for Mother’s Day.
Phew, exhausted reading that back. I definitely need a break!
May I end this blog with warm wishes to you all - Keep looking forwards and up, dear reader – for Spring is most definitely round the corner.
Next month’s blog: March Mindfulness