London Fashion Week SS19

Last Saturday I found myself back at London Fashion Fashion Week. It was always one of my favourite jobs of the year when I was staff at The Press Association. When I was asked to cover a shift, I jumped at the chance to be there shooting again.

To some photographers, London Fashion Week is hell. It’s extremely hectic, lots of jostling for positions and dashing across London from show to show. I however have always loved it - the bright lights, loud music, intricate or occasionally plain crazy designs - I just love it!

Julien Macdonald SS19

There’s no doubt London Fashion Week has changed a lot. It’s no longer at Somerset House which is a real shame, there is no longer sponsorship by Canon (and the chance to get your cameras cleaned) and there are no longer free bottles of Peroni in the fridge in the editing room (yes, this used to be the case!)

When not shooting the catwalk shows that day, I was mingling and photographing some of unusual and bizarre outfits on display outside the venue. I met some lovely people who simply enjoy dressing up and expressing themselves through fashion.

All in all it was a brilliant day.

Julien Macdonald SS19

Julien Macdonald SS19

Julien Macdonald SS19

Alan Carr, Julien Macdonald and Kelly Hoppen

Julien Macdonald SS19

Julien Macdonald SS19

Julien Macdonald SS19

Molly Goddard SS19

Sadie Williams SS19

Book Review - The Forgotten Forest

There's something pretty magical about personalised picture books. And there's nothing like a personalised story to capture the attention and imagination of a 4-year-old.

As we tucked into bed, ready for some bedtime reading this week, I produced a surprise new story to read to my eldest daughter for the first time.

What my daughter did not know was that she was the star of 'The Forgotten Forest' . She couldn't believe it when she heard her own name mentioned along with where she lives, her favourite colour, her cousin's name and birthday.

'The Forgotten Forest' is a personalised book and also a Kickstarter project.

It's the brainchild of Katharine & Matt Harbord. Together they set up the brand Oh Zoe to create personalised picture books focused on high quality writing and illustration. 

 

So what makes The Forgotten Forest so special? It's not just the story that's personal to your child but the illustration too. For the main character you can choose from 8 skin tones, 6 eye colours, 25 hair colours and there are options to include a wheelchair, ear defenders, hearing aids and glasses.

‘Sas and Yosh’ (Sarah Bellisario and Yoshie Allan) are the artists behind the design and illustration. What I particularly love about this book is the beautiful use of colour and nod to Japanese art.

 

The story is written by Victoria Richards who won the Oh Zoe Rising Talent Award in January 2017 to find new picture book talent. It follows the main character (in our case our daughter Alice) who is challenged to help save the forest from the frost spirit who has stolen the key to Spring.

The book has really captured our daughter's imagination. It is definitely encouraging her love of reading, particularly as the book is so individual to her.

The Forgotten Forest will be available on kickstarter.com until Friday 28th of September -  kickstart.ohzoe.com

The team at Oh Zoe kindly sent me an advance copy of The Forgotten Forest in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and views are my own personal opinion.

Short break in Guernsey

Rainy days, beach days, blackberry picking, storytelling, colouring, ice-cream eating, fish and chips on the beach, car sickness (not so good!), playdates, catching up with old friends, lots of laughing, 'goodnight feasts' and sandcastles.

Seven happy days and nights in Guernsey.

Family Photo Session - Surrey

An annual family picnic beside the lake at Windsor Great Park was the perfect setting for one of my most recent family photo sessions.

It was at the start of the very hot spell we have been having so beside the lake, in the shade of the trees we stopped to take some relaxed family photographs.

The six grandchildren gravitated towards a clearing in the trees to play. The harsh midday sun was diffused through the branches creating a soft and warm glow - perfect for more portraits.

It was a relaxed, fun few hours of photos in between stopping for lunch, drinks and of course ice-creams.

Norwegian adventures

This was our third visit to the breathtaking Norwegian Fjords. Some people may find revisiting the same place again a little boring but there’s so much to like about Norway. For me personally it’s the beautiful landscapes, clean air, friendly people and relaxed pace of life. It’s always a welcome break from London.

Each time we have visited, it’s been on a cruise. Norway is expensive so hopping on and off the ship to discover a different town each day is a great way of exploring such a beautiful country without paying a fortune. Travelling on the water through the Fjords is just magical. I’d go back again tomorrow.

100 days of Summer

This week I started a 100 days of Summer project.

The idea is to capture everyday, family photographs - everything from the picnics in the park and ice creams on the beach to tantrums and meltdowns - real family life over 100 days.

A 365 photography project has been on my radar for a while but it felt a bit daunting to create and post an image each day. 100 days of Summer will be a great way of dipping my toe in the water and seeing how I find it.

I’ve joined up with other photographers around the world for the 100 days challenge - sharing and discussing our work in a Facebook group.

I’m a big believer in personal projects - doing a project just for yourself and I can’t wait to put together an album at the end of the Summer.

Here’s some of the pictures so far:

This place, my home

Ok, so you're probably looking at this image above and thinking what the...?!

I've been out with my camera shooting my surroundings for the past 4 weeks after signing up to an online documentary photography class through Click in Moms (a US based photography website).

The class called The Full Frame: Life on Scene has hands down reminded me why I love photography so much.

Photographer Lauren Mitchell who ran the class has really taught me to open my eyes to what's around me. She's encouraged me to take notice, to get out there with my camera and shoot for myself - to not get so caught up with Instagram.

What I love about Lauren's own images and what drew me to take the class is that they are honest and real. One of my favourite pictures is of her young daughter eating McDonalds with a picture of Neil Armstrong above. Lauren is based in Florida near to the Kennedy Space Center and the Center plays a big part in her body of work.

The class had a few rules. You must shoot at F8 and above for the four weeks of the class, you must use a wide lens and you must share your camera settings with the class. Lauren also suggested not sharing our work for the class on Instagram until after we finished.

Each week we were urged to go out shooting and submit our homework by the Sunday night. Our assignments ranged from shooting the mundane and everyday, to thinking like a tourist and looking at our hometown through fresh eyes.

High Path Estate, South Wimbledon - proposed for demolition - Canon 5d Mark III, 35mm, F8, 1/1250

Public tour of the All England Tennis Club, Wimbledon - Canon 5 d Mark III, 35mm, F13, 1/1250

South Wimbledon Industrial Estate - Fuji X100, 23mm, F11, 1/250

Caravan on an Industrial estate, South Wimbledon - Fuji X100, 23mm, F11, 1/1250

Pylon at Colliers Wood, Canon 5d Mark III, 35mm, F10, 1/1600

We were encouraged to think of long term projects and delve deeper into the work of photographers like Luigi Ghirri, William Eggleston, Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb. The most important take home from the class was to fill the frame, adding layers - everything in the shot must matter.

This is honestly one of the best online courses I have taken. It’s probably the most money I have spent on an online class ($200) but to have one-on-one critique was invaluable for going forward.

Most of all I learnt to switch off from Instagram a little bit and just get out shooting for the fun of it. It was a great reminder why I fell in love with photography in the first place.

I see the pictures in this blog post as a springboard to a bigger project about where I live. It's a world away from the surroundings I grew up with and our home is an area that continues to fascinate me.

Royal Wedding Street Party - Fuji X100, 23mm, F8, 1/210

Royal Wedding Street Party, Fuji X100, 23mm, F8, 1/1900

Royal Wedding Street Party, Fuji X100, 23mm, F8, 1/200

Review - Butler & Grace Medical ID bracelet

Just over three years ago I got a definitive Type 1 diabetes diagnosis.

Summer was approaching, the weather was getting warmer and pushing my baby daughter’s buggy around in the heat was giving me constant hypos (low blood sugar). 

The worst case scenario that kept running through my sleep-deprived head was getting a bad hypo whilst out and about. 

The idea of a sudden hypo coming on, passing out whilst in charge and nobody knowing my medical history or who to call was a really scary thought. 

There are two things I did for peace of mind. The first was to fill out my Medical ID in the Health app of my iPhone (there's a good set-up guide here).

The second was to get a medical ID bracelet. 

The first I tried was a pretty beaded bracelet but it had an awkward clasp that took me ages to take on and off each day. Next I bought a silicone band - perfectly functional for day to day but more practical than pretty.

Recently I had the chance to try the Tangle ID bracelet by Butler & Grace, a company specialising in stylish medical ID ware.

What I love about this bracelet is that on first inspection it’s a fashionable chunky bracelet and doesn’t scream medical ID from a distance. 

Attached to the bracelet is a small disc with the Star of Life symbol of emergency medicine. On the back it can be customised with your own personal information - mine includes the wording ‘Type 1 diabetic - Insulin Pump - ICE (in case of emergency) and my husband’s mobile number).

It's made of polished stainless steel and has a big clasp, so is easy to take on and off without asking for help.

I’m a big fan of chunky jewellery, so this is actually the type of bracelet I would buy to accessorise an outfit. The fact it’s also potentially lifesaving is an added bonus.

Next on my list is to teach my daughters about the bracelet so they can make people aware of it if mummy isn’t feeling well.

If medical ID bracelets have never appealed to you, I’d highly recommend taking another look. For the full range of Butler & Grace products, take a look here.

Butler & Grace kindly sent me the Tangle bracelet in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and views are my own personal opinion.

11th London Photo Festival - 17-19th May

The depths of a church in Borough plays host to a collection of incredible street photographs this weekend - entries into this year’s London Photo Festival.

Founders Emma Mapp & Kit Shah decided to set up the festival 11 years ago to showcase emerging talent and provide photographers with an opportunity to have their work appraised and sold to the public.

I’ve long since been interested in street photography immersing myself in the work of photographers like Matt Stuart, Trent Parke and Joel Meyerowitz.

I took a class last year with photographer Paul Russell and quickly realised it is so much harder than it looks. It takes incredible patience, observation and perseverance.

The London Photo Festival covers a complete range of styles from colourful portraits on the street to the use of techniques like layering, mirroring and great use of light and composition.

This year’s winner is Daniel Bradley with this image ( below) titled ‘Lost in the City’ taken at Canary Wharf. It's described as an image which reminds us we can all feel alone even in vastly populated area surrounded by people.

If you are in London and near Borough market over the next few days, this exhibition is well worth a visit. If you are interested in or new to street photography this will certainly inspire and give you ideas.

The London Photo Festival runs from Thursday 17th May until Saturday 19th from 11am- 6pm (late opening until 8pm on Friday) in the Crypt at St George the Martyr Church, Borough. Entry is free.

Lessons from my daughters

I keep looking at Alice, my eldest and thinking ‘How can you be 4 already?’ School starts in September and soon we’ll be shopping for uniform, shiny new shoes and a backpack that looks way too big on her tiny shoulders.

I didn’t return to work after having my two girls. Instead I have become self-employed - I look after my girls during the week and work as a photographer and on client photo sessions at weekends, editing in the evenings. 

Not going back to a 9-5 has meant I can really enjoy these early years with them. They continue to teach me so much. Probably the biggest thing I’ve learnt since having the girls is to slow down and appreciate the everyday. 

When they notice the heavy rain lashing at the patio doors - so do I. When they point to the blossom that’s fallen from the trees - so do I. When they spot bugs scampering on the patio and it’s the highlight of their day - I investigate too. These are things I never paid attention to before, I was always rushing.

Noticing the little things - as they do - has definitely had an impact on my photography too and given me ideas for new projects. It’s re-energised me and made me keen to read and learn more about other photographers, listen to podcasts and take many online classes.

I absolutely have my ‘tear my hair out’ days with my girls but being with and photographing my little family who continue to teach me so much feels very special indeed.

Cherry Blossom in Wimbledon

I really started to notice the Spring Blossom in London 4 years ago. 

It was just after my eldest was born.

She's a March baby. I was taking those first tentative steps out of the house, bruised after a C-section, giddy on little sleep and powered by coffee when I noticed our street lined with pretty white blossom.

I don't know why I never really noticed it before - I guess I was always rushing to and from work.

After a few weeks it was falling like confetti and it felt like summer was on the way. 

Instagram is awash with cherry blossom pictures at this time of year.

Like many, I had plans to take my camera out and capture it in all its glory.  I'd heard and seen wonderful pictures from Greenwich, Battersea and Regent's Parks from over the years.

In the end I popped on the bus and headed to Wimbledon Village on a bright Spring day.  There at the top of the hill I was greeted by a spectacular blossom tree, its branches stretched out, proudly boasting its sea of pink blooms.

Just as I started to photograph, I noticed riders from the local village stables setting out onto the common, padding through the muddy puddles left after a damp Easter break.

I was so taken with the tree I went back a week later, planning to take some more pictures (you can tell I like blossom)! but as I once again stepped off the bus, the tree stood before me was bare, the blossom dry and the pink flowers gone.

That's the thing with blossom season -you blink and its gone but it’s always special while it lasts.

Currently... tuning into, reading & watching

I've read, listened to and watched some brilliant things over the past few weeks and I wanted to share them with you.

1. The podcast Don't Keep Your Day Job is a new discovery for me and its really inspiring, particularly this episode with the photographer Elisabeth Caren.

2. I'm a huge fan of Austin Kleon who talks a lot about creativity and productivity. This talk is called 'How to Keep Going' and is packed full of great advice.

3. I finished the book Endurance by Scott Kelly a week ago  - it charts the astronaut's year in space and is completely fascinating. I'm now reading The Lido by Libby Page - it's hooked me from the start and a bonus is that it has short chapters (don't judge me). It's out in just over a week.

4. My standout film so far this year is Call Me By Your Name. It's a moving, sizzling, romantic drama with a beautiful soundtrack and superb acting. Not to be missed. 

5. The impressive exhibition by the photographer Andreas Gurksy at the Southbank Centre is in its last few weeks. You can read more about it here.

6.  For a website that will make your heart melt, check out Folded Wisdom. Artist and father Bob Guest would wake up early before his young children and write and draw them little notes that would be tucked in their lunchboxes. Many of them were kept and can be seen on this website.

7. The Oscar winning UK-made short film The Silent Child is currently on BBC iPlayer. It's an incredible 20 minute movie with an important message about the importance of sign language being taught in schools. Don't miss it.

8. If ever there was an excuse to unplug and get outside, this 3 minute movie is it. A perfect reminder to look up in the world (literally).

I'm always on the lookout for new podcasts, movies to watch and books to read. I'd love to hear any of your suggestions!

The importance of 'me-time'

“‘Taking time out for yourself is not indulgent. It’s essential’”

I came across these words from Marina Fogle, founder of ‘The Bump Class’ and the wife of TV presenter Ben Fogle, when skimming through the Sunday papers and I literally couldn’t agree more.

Just a few days beforehand, after a hectic day with our two young girls, I cornered my husband and told him I desperately needed some ‘me-time’. 

I wanted to either check into a hotel for the night or find a spa with a pool I could sink into for the afternoon.

I personally believe taking time out to recharge is absolutely essential. 

I’m a bit of a slave to my phone at the moment and to social media - I’m falling behind with reading and watching films.

I'm easily distracted by technology, my mind is distracted and foggy.

Sharmadean Read who founded WAH Nails and beautystack.com offers some great advice in her column in The Guardian’s Weekend magazine :

“‘You don’t need to move 100 miles to get headspace: simply scheduling a long Saturday afternoon walk in empty fields will do. Go on your own though. It’s remarkable what your brain comes up with when you aren’t preoccupied with other people.’”

So my headspace came in the form of a spa afternoon. I found an offer at a favourite London hotel of mine -  One Aldwych and booked myself in for a Sip and Spa treatment - a signature Glow Oskia facial which included a cocktail in the bar afterwards and also access to the indoor pool.

The facial was 75 minutes of luxury pampering and deep cleaning. The luxury treatments on my skin included warm candle wax painted on my face which was just blissful.

I had the pool (which plays music underwater) to myself and got some laps in before sinking into one of the lounger chairs in my fluffy robe and reading a magazine.

© One Aldwych Hotel

 

A Rose de Mai cocktail was served up in the hotel’s Lobby Bar afterwards. I remember first visiting this bar a few years back, enjoying afternoon tea as the sunlight snuck in and filled the room and its high ceilings with light. 

It's so easy to put off ‘me-time’ - make excuses, feel guilty for leaving the kids, or maybe for spending the money.

I can honestly say, a few hours out, even for a spa, dinner or a coffee alone, really can make the world of difference physically and mentally.

Entertaining kids at home at Easter

With a few weeks off nursery on the horizon, I'm getting my thinking cap on as to how I can keep my 4 and 2 year-olds entertained.

Whilst we're hoping for some crisp Spring days in the park, I'm also prepared for rain and some time at home. To stop the girls from going mad and bickering with each other, I've come up with a few crafty ideas to keep them amused:

Mrs Mactivity

Mrs Mactivity is a website I've only just discovered and it's fab. It's packed full of mostly free designs you can print off and make/colour at home. There are regular themed designs - in the past week we have been having great fun making the Easter cards (see above). It's a website set up by a collective of ex and current teachers and designers with the aim to make learning fun. Many designs are currently free, there's also a subscription option offering unlimited downloads and some extra content.

Collage

Get a stack of old magazines and cut up faces, bodies, objects -anything really.

I tend to cut things out in advance and put them on the table with a piece of white card and glue. Both girls will happily sit for maybe 20 minutes sticking the cuttings all over the page. I find it quite fascinating to see what they come up with!

Shortly after we did the first collage together, our eldest was asked to bring a picture in to nursery school for Show and Tell to illustrate 'Autumn Arriving'. I cut out anything remotely Autumnal from the weekend's newspapers and recent magazines and she had some artwork ready to take to school.

Gingerbread decorating

Some supermarkets - Sainsbury's and Morrisons are two - sell Gingerbread decorating sets.

For under £2 you get at least 5 gingerbread men, coloured icing and sprinkles. 

I lay out the gingerbread and accessories and leave my eldest to decorate. She usually spends a good 10 minutes decorating before getting round to eating it.

I tried making gingerbread myself but it was a disaster! This keeps things simple and the children love it!

Window Colouring

A good, no mess activity that works well for getting great pictures of your children.

We use Crayola washables which wipe off easily and let the girls colour on our glass kitchen doors.

You can then get some photographs of them in action by photographing them from outside.

Head to my blog post here to see more examples.

Flower Pressing

I have fond memories of having a flower press as a child - carefully collecting flowers from the garden and placing them in the press - using the results on birthday cards or homemade art.

It's quite an old school idea but there's something quite nice about introducing the little ones to nature and making a game out of collecting flowers and leaves from the garden or on the walk home from school/nursery.

We bought this one from Amazon and it's a good size with plenty of space for holding your flowers.

 

I'd love to hear your ideas for what to do with the kids on a day at home, let me know in the comments below.

 

Just For Tots at Butlin's - the highs and lows

To be frank Butlin's had never been on my radar for a mini-break.

In my mind I had ideas of an old fashioned, jaded resort and quite honestly, there were other places in the UK I’d rather visit.

Then my husband found himself at Butlin's Bognor Regis, staying at one of their hotels when his workplace took over the resort for a conference. He FaceTimed, giving me a tour of his hotel room and sent pictures of the set-up. It looked better than I expected and there was a Spa - this was getting tempting.

A few months later Butlin's was mentioned again. There was a Just for Tots break coming up. Aimed at Under 5s, it featured Mr Bloom as the headline event. My husband was keen so we decided to give it a try - on condition I could book a massage at the spa. 

So on a Friday afternoon we caught the train to Butlin's Bognor Regis and by 4pm we were settled into our hotel room. We spent 3 nights at the resort with our two girls aged 4 and 2. Here are our highs and lows:

HIGHS

The campus style set-up - everything is in easy reach. The hotels and self catering are a short walk from the restaurants, bars and entertainment. The resort is a 10-15 minute walk from Bognor Regis train station.

Room set-up - the hotel rooms have a separate den area for children to sleep. At the Ocean Hotel this featured two single beds with a TV (other hotels have bunk beds). A separate double bed lies in the main part of the room for adults. Having the two separate areas works brilliantly (no more hiding out in the bathroom while the kids try to get to sleep).

 

Mr Bloom - Mr Bloom was the headline event for this break. He took us on a musical adventure with classic songs remastered to have a vegetable theme. He’s a great entertainer and does not disappoint live on stage. Having seen Justin Fletcher on stage in Wimbledon, I’m sure his Butlin’s set would be brilliant - our girls loved it.

Pottery Painting- a studio had just opened when we arrived (you can book slots on the day). You pay £5 per item and there’s all sorts to choose from to paint - Unicorns, Castles, Robots, mugs etc. The paint is quick drying so you can take it with you when you leave after your session. The kids really enjoyed this activity. Just bring a bag to carry your painted craft back to the hotel (the studio were not able to provide any.)

Little Tikes Town - a mini freestyle racetrack filled with Little Tikes cars, taxis, scooters and bicycles. Little Tikes castles and playhouses are dotted around the sides too. Great fun for the Under 5s.

Ocean Spa - I went for my promised massage at the spa located in the Ocean Hotel. I was really impressed with the massage itself which ran to time and was incredibly relaxing. The treatment room was modern, comfortable and clean and the staff friendly. You can use the steam room, sauna, snow cave, jacuzzi and plunge pool for a separate charge.

LOWS

Air Con - it was snowing in Bognor Regis and that meant the heating was on full blast in the hotel. Our room was like a sauna when we arrived. We quickly went to turn on the air con but we were told that there’s no air con at this time of year. Actually this isn’t quite the case. We complained at 4am when all four of us were wide awake and the reception staff switched it on. Apparently it works on a floor by floor basis so I imagine tricky to keep everyone happy. It is an option though if you ask for it.

Busy mealtimes - the breakfast buffet was quite chaotic. Not so bad if you eat at 7.30 but around 9.00 it was very hectic. They completely ran out of yoghurts one morning (even in their store room) and some of the pastries (stored in a refrigerated section) were absolutely rock hard. 

Splash Waterworld pool. A few people had said it was quite cold and my husband (who took our eldest daughter swimming) agreed. It also gets really busy but around 11am seemed like a slightly better time to go. The changing room was still rammed though.

Showtimes- our tickets for the headline shows on both days were for 2pm. I thought this was an odd time to hold the main headline event for Under 5s as many nap around this time. I would definitely say morning or late afternoon would make more sense. Some of the shows run at 7pm too so this might be an option if you can get your ticket changed.

WiFi - if this is important to you or you expect/need to be online throughout your stay, you may need to pay extra. The ‘basic’ free package includes 300mb free data per day. This lasted me about 10 minutes per day (briefly checking emails, Instagram and Twitter) before I was locked out and told I had used up my daily allowance. WiFi is provided by another provider and problems can’t be handled by Butlin’s staff directly, I was told.

TOP TIPS

 

Book the restaurants in advance for dinner. If you have a meal package which includes dinner, you can book some of the other restaurants onsite some of which are table service if you don’t fancy the buffet. You can book on the day with the Butler at the hotel.

 

There’s a well stocked supermarket with all the essentials on site. In Bognor Regis itself there’s a Morrison’s just off the high street if you need more specific bits. There's also a few pharmacies and about 10 charity shops in the town centre.

 

If there’s a sunny and dry day, make the most of the outside fairground activities (Carousel/Helter Skelter) If it’s raining or snowing some of them close and won’t run.

I’d say our first trip to Butlin’s was a mixed bag. The girls loved parts of it but we all found it a bit busy and overwhelming at times. As with any holiday, it’s what you make of it and our highlights were definitely Mr Bloom, Pottery painting and some of the inside rides. There’s plenty going on at Just for Tots - just be prepared for it to be busy.

Andreas Gursky Exhibition (with my 4-year-old)

"The Gursky Exhibition is brilliant, you MUST see it!" a good photographer friend reported back to me after visiting with her baby soon after it opened. 

Her advice was to book tickets in advance and aim to go at the opening time - 11am. This was great advice and I would say the same - plan in advance - it gets busy.

I was a little unsure about taking my 4-year-old but figured it would be great mother-daughter bonding time - afterwards there was the promise of a new sticker book and pizza.

So we headed off together to see the work of Andreas Gursky at the newly renovated Hayward Gallery at the Southbank Centre.

Amazon
2016 

This exhibition explores the work of the photographer over the past four decades and is the first major retrospective of his work in the UK.

There are over 60 of the artist’s photographs, from the 1980s through to his most recent work. The images are packed full of detail, an Amazon warehouse, 99 cent store and huge, impressive landscapes. There's also the fascinating Paris, Montparnasse (1993), showing all 750 flats in the city’s largest apartment block, created using multiple shots taken from two different vantage points. It's one of Gursky's early examples of digital manipulation which he started experimenting with in 1992.

Review
2015 

SH- 1 Iron Man (2013) one of Gursky's more recent works

Pyongyang VI
2017 (2007) 

Tokyo
2017 

Though I originally planned to sneak out and see this exhibition on my own (leaving my young girls at home)  I loved having my 4-year-old for company. 

Although losing patience towards the end, she was really well behaved while we looked round and I loved watching her taking it all in. It was wonderful sitting and chatting on her bed later that evening, deciding which was her favourite photograph (the one with the cows, in case you're interested).

If you get the chance to see this exhibition, it's well worth it. The images (many of which are large in scale) are beautifully exhibited over several floors of the Hayward. I enjoyed it so much and plan to go back.

Andreas Gursky runs until 22 April 2018

A month of birthdays

February kick-starts a month of birthdays with my two girls celebrating 4 weeks apart.

Fancy dress was a big theme this year with Anna from Frozen, a Mermaid, Fairy, Witch and Tinkerbell costumes all being unwrapped and making it into the dressing-up box!  

Moana also featured heavily with her face appearing on party plates, cups, tablecloth and party bags - the online store Party Bags and Supplies have great themed sets like this.

It's hard to believe my eldest is now 4. I know people say time goes quickly but it does only feel like yesterday when we walked into the door for the first time as a family of 3 (now 4).

The girls are just getting to the stage of (kind of) playing together nicely and really looking out for each other, which is wonderful to see. Don't get me wrong, we still have the most horrendous tantrums too!

Moana party supplies by Party Bags & Supplies

I decided last minute to make a card to (hopefully) be read on CBeebies. I was frantically cutting, pasting and dashing to the Post Office one Saturday morning to try and get the card there on time. We managed to feature last year so kept our fingers crossed for another mention. 

I slightly cheated this year by doing a joint card (even though the girls don't actually share the exact same birthday) and they were thrilled to be featured!

As we gathered round to watch the birthday section, seeing the card appearing rounded off a great few weeks of celebrating with family and friends.

You can find out more about CBeebies birthdays here.

Baby photo session in Greater London

Photographing little ones at this time of year takes me right back to having a newborn baby myself.

Both of my girls were born in Winter. The weather is bitterly cold, there's threatening snow and cold winds. It's the perfect time to cosy up indoors, safe in the knowledge that the glorious walks through Spring blossom are just around the corner.

The Saturday morning of this particular photo session was freezing cold with lashing rain. I was welcomed into my client's home with a hot cup of tea and introduced to baby Eva, who at just over two months old was so contented, relaxed and full of smiles.

When I arrive at a client's home for a photo session I always scout out the best locations for pictures with good natural night.

In this case an upstairs bedroom and conservatory were the perfect spots, the conservatory in particular welcoming in the daylight from all angles.

I always think around 2 months is a great age to for a family photo session. The hectic first month is behind you and babies are producing their first smiles.

From my own experience, I was a little bit less emotional two months along than in the first 8 weeks of having a baby. I was also in more of a rhythm with feeding.

I look back on photos I took myself of my girls around Eva's age and also images taken by a good photographer friend. I'm so glad we took pictures of this special time as the days whizz by so fast!

Here are a selection of images taken from my latest photo session. 

Cloud mobile (above) by Velveteen Babies

And you can click here for more information on baby photography sessions at your home.

Why start a Blog?

My eldest was 6 months old when I had the idea to start a blog.

The crazy early months of non-stop feeding and little sleep had calmed down. Our daughter liked to nap and sometimes for up to 3 hours each afternoon. I suddenly found myself with 'me' time!

I'd always been fascinated with starting a blog but what the hell would I write about? And surely that's what other people did, not me? What could I bring to the table?

It was an online blogging class that got things started for me. I signed up to a course on Creative Live called How to Build a Successful Creative Blog by April Bowles Olin. It was a real game-changer for me.

The class gave me the confidence to dive right in to the blogging world and start a blog page on my already up and running website. I instantly warmed to April's teaching style. It was clear she had put SO much work into the course. Most of all she asked the question 'Well, why shouldn't you blog?' 

Learning online was the perfect fit for me. I could watch a segment from the class at lunchtimes, learning slowly as the days went by.

There were a few things that I hadn't really appreciated about blogging at this stage - mainly the planning. There's firstly the brainstorming of ideas, then writing posts, planning when they go live, sourcing or taking pictures yourself and, in order to get people reading your blog, a social media plan.

For me personally, starting a blog was the creative outlet I needed. I also wanted to keep my website current while I was on maternity leave.

A few posts in and I started to view it as more of a journal - a place to share hobbies, photography, life with my husband and girls, books I love etc.

I often turn to other blogs myself.

A few months back I was considering signing up to an online photography class. It wasn't cheap and I really wanted to hear first hand if it was worth the money. Luckily someone who had taken the course had written a blog post about it. I then got in touch with them over Instagram and quizzed her before I did ultimately sign up.

I know some people take the view that blogging is perhaps self-indulgent; they don't really get the point of it and the word 'blogger' instantly makes some people cringe.

For me it’s all about sharing - sharing thoughts, ideas, making connections and showing your creations. The title of a book by writer Austin Kleon sums it up - 'Show Your Work' (read this, it's wonderful)

A few other great resources I have found along the way are two blogging magazines - Blogosphere (British) and Artful Blogging (American). They are packed full of inspiring stories about bloggers, why they started and what it has led to for them. I always reach for these if I am feeling like I need a little boost.

The Blogtacular podcast is also chock full of great advice and interviews. You can find it here.

If you're thinking about starting a blog - my advice? Just go for it. Don't care what others might think. Set up a Wordpress account. Start a free Squarespace trial. Decide how often you want to blog and plan your next 2 months’ worth of posts. You don't have to write them all upfront - just have ideas in mind.

70+ posts down the line and I still feel very much like a newbie - I am learning all the time. Most of all though, I really enjoy it; it makes me happy. 

Blogging has led to wonderful connections and made me push myself into being braver, achieving more and appreciating the everyday. I'm glad I made the move.

Getting started with Hand Lettering

Fonts and Hand Lettering are a constant fascination to me.

I can be put right off a TV programme if the titles or credits are an odd font. And don't get me started on Comic Sans, it's just the worst!

One of my plans for 2017 was to learn Modern Calligraphy. Actually I couldn't decide between Modern Calligraphy or Brush Lettering so I took an evening class in both.

Modern Calligraphy requires patience and precision. If this is something you want to try, I'd do a class - Quill London is great and Lucy, the founder, has written an excellent book called 'Modern Calligraphy'. From there, armed with your supplies, it's all about practice. 

I found the same with Brush Lettering - whether you are using a paintbrush or brush pens, it's practice, practice, practice, mastering each letter in the alphabet and then learning to form words and sentences. 

Following on from those classes, I'm now trying Hand Lettering.

This is totally new to me but I am loving scouring Pinterest for ideas to try. I also started following Mye De Leon on Instagram. She's an illustrator based in Singapore who creates beautiful work. Her book 'Mastering Hand Lettering' is my favourite on the subject so far. It's beautifully presented and easy to follow.

What I love most about Hand Lettering is getting lost in a little project. I look at my eldest (who is almost 4) and when she does her sticker projects you can see that she is completely engaged in her own little world. 

Getting involved in a new hobby, whether it's painting, calligraphy, hand lettering, collage or something else is a great way of switching off, getting away from the iPhone or computer and taking some time out.

Who knows whether this current project will last a few weeks or years but I figure it's never too late to try something new and have a bit of fun with it!

These are some of the supplies I am using to get started with Hand Lettering:

• Rhodia Dot Pad

• Zig Calligraphy II pen by Kuretake

• Kuretake Bimoji pens

• Tombow Brush pens

• HB pencil, an eraser and sharpener

I decided to put myself out there and start a separate Instagram account just for Hand lettering - it's called @letsgolettering

If you have any tips on pens to use for Hand Lettering or books to read on the subject, let me know in the comments below.