I think this might be my favourite spot in the house; the windowsill in the dining room. The light is just perfect, always slanting in sideways giving a gentle glow rather than a fierce glare. The view, admittedly is a little on the 'bricky' side, but they're very nice, old and interesting bricks.
And here's a bit more matryoshka-love, I think this might be their new home, they seem to approve...
All the little girls I was friends with at school seemed to have a set of matryoshka dolls in their home. Because I never did I've always hankered after them and now, at the tender age of 40 I finally have some! On trips to John Lewis I could often be found stacking and unstacking the lovely collection they had there, so when I saw then in the sale for half price I could resist no longer, not least because they are perfect little models for photographing and for demonstrating depth of field. Meet the girls...
Oh, and this weeks Photo Friday challenge was 'Big and Small' - almost like they knew!
A bit late for five sense friday, but here's mine for a super sunny saturday...
tasting:
strawberries - so many strawberries.
seeing:
the intense glittering of a gentle sea in bright, bright sunshine.
hearing:
bands at glastonbury (via the marginally more civilised, non-muddy comfort of my own home). my faves so far are florence + the machine.
touching:
ice cold cans of diet coke against my hot skin.
smelling:
bbq's. everyone seems to be having one tonight (apart from me).
taken with lubiel 2
It's 10.30 at night and just about dark, although there's still a glow in the west. I love midsummer and the long, long days and the dusk is so beautiful - I'm trying to remember each and every one because the world will insist on rotating around the sun at a jaunty angle (or something like that - science was never a strong suit with me)...
I love shiny, new cutting-edge deign, I also love old, vintage things (just ask the hubby... hahahahaaahhhaaa!). In the same way that I love my digital SLR (Canon 40D) I also love my pre-loved and really old Polaroid SX-70. I'm not sure it should make such a big clunky, shuddering nose when it takes a photo but it seems to work ok!
I got three of these lovely Meakin teacups for my birthday. I may pop some flowers in them (as if I've gone to the trouble of making tea/coffee I want a BIG mug full)...
I also took possession of this 1940s clothes airer - the plasic one I had was driving me nuts and was always collapsing at inopportune moments...
...Jen Jafarzadeh. Congrats Jen!
It's been wonderful receiving a stream of such lovely comments, thank you so much everybody, you're all fabulous! I'll definitely be doing more giveaways soon, so keep tuned...
Feeling lethargic so not many words today. Don't forget there's a few hours left to enter my birthday draw - $80 of free stuff could be yours and all you need to do is leave a comment on the aforementioned post!
Everybody responds to a face. You can't not look at a face when it's put before you in photographic form, they draw you in and make you look. Here are just a few amazing portraits I've found on flickr, just try and look away!
1. drop dead georgus, 2. 38, 3. Strawberry Mouth 2,
4. Untitled, 5. cedar ~ six months, 6. Untitled
I need to take more photos of faces. Of people. I mustn't be intimidated my all the talent out there and get on with it. With this in mind I corralled my friends children and their pony to model for me, it was great fun, I took HUNDREDS of photos and I let the kids have a go with the camera too. Sometimes you can't beat digital photography...
Some more pictures from the weekend to keep me going for the week (as I am back at work on Monday). These were the last two shots of the REALLY old film in my Polaroid SX-70. Have reloaded with fresher newer stuff and also cleaned the rollers so hopefully the next lot will look even superer...
I drank quite a few glasses of white last night. I'm realy not a drinker at all these days (making up for my mis-spent youth) and whilst I don't think I made a fool of myself at the time I was feeling rather fragile this morning. I'm more than happy with soft drinks and plenty of good coffee to keep me hydrated these days - they don't interfere with my plans half as much.
I did manage to grab a few snaps whilst I was out and about today though - my camera of choice from my ever growing collection was my FujiFilm Instax 200. I've found so far that this camera needs lots and lots of natural light in order for things to look good. The flash goes off automatically every time so when the light is low you get the nasty flashgun look, but today was bright and so, so sunny so it didn't make a dent.
Ok, so yesterday I hit the mother of all milestones, my 40th birthday!
I actually had a really great day. The original plan was to spend the day in London, but tube strikes and talk of chaos and endless queues made me think this wouldn't be conducive to a relaxing day in the metropolis. Instead we had a chilled out day in the country...
...and paid a pilgrimage to Jane Austen's house in Chawton...
...then tea and cakes. Very suitable for someone of my advancing years. Very Miss Marple.
Now it's actually happened I am feeling much calmer about being 40. It's probably wrong but I have a mental list of people who I still consider young and cool who are actually OLDER than I am (Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Aniston, Brooke Shields, Jennifer Lopez, Helena Christensen, Cate Blanchett). I'm going to stop banging on about the whole 40 thing now though - I've read this back and the self-pity is painfully cloying.
Apart from to say, we all know that birthdays all all about the presents and the cakes. The cake is all gone though so instead I offer you over $80 (£50) of goodies galore from my store! (I am happy to send them anywhere in the world).
All you need to do is leave a comment below. You've got until next Friday (19 June) and I'll pick a comment at random to win all the summery-inspired stuff listed below:
Good luck!
I'm getting more used to my Polaroid SX-70 now.
I'm glad I started out on my Polaroid journey with a 'normal' point-and-shoot model because I'm really appreciating the newfound awesomeness that I have at my disposal. I do need to clean my rollers and I haven't made things easy by using very expired film, but nonetheless what pops out each time is wonderful, especially when you're close up to something and can manipulate the depth of field. Ooh I love new toys!
::UPDATE:: the gloves photo is now available in my shop...
Camera confession #2 (see yesterdays post for #1)... I also purchased a Polaroid SX70 this week!
I know, I know.
I made my own filter so it can take the more easily obtainable 600 film and rushed out (again) to try a couple of shots. It's amazing! I love the focussing and the depth of field - it's going to be so much fun using this camera, it has so much soul!
green apples + black cherries...
I think it's time to admit that I have an addiction... to cameras! Not just shiny new digital SLRs, in fact quite the opposite (although I like them too). My tastes are now positively retrospective and (some would say) archaic. Film and negatives are once more part of my life (although the contact dermatitis I got from years of swishing around ungloved in fixer and stop-bath never went away).
Imagine then my reaction when I spy in the window of a local charity shop a big felt-tipped sign declaring "Camera Sale". I wasn't driving so I grabbed the steering wheel and directed the car and a startled husband to the nearest parking spot so I could investigate further. After lots of rummaging and remarkable self-control I decided to buy justone andafter hamding over a couple of pounds I was the proud owner of a colossal beast.
It's a FujiFilm Instax 200. As you may have guessed it's an instant camera from Fuji (who, unlike Polaroid, are still producing film). The internet finally delivered my film today - a refreshingly cheap buy compared to the ever-incresing price of Polaroid film. I couldn't wait, I had to run out to the garden and take a shot - this is hot off the press...
The colours look great (considering the failing light and looming storm clouds) and I love the wide-screen shape compared to a regular Polaroid. There's some great examples of what can be created with it on Flickr, including these...
1 NoseHill 2 Untitled 3 Day 282: Relaxation 4 Temps de chien
I love, love, love my new Elle Moss prints! She creates such creative portraits and self-portraits - I've admired her work for ages and it was really hard deciding which ones to get. These ones are destined for the bathroom...
I'm a sucker for a nice looking pair of shoes. If they're shiny and glittery like these then all the better!
I've been hunting around for a nice wall mirror recently and it's a good job I'm a bit strapped for cash because I could easily spend a fortune and cover the whole house with them!
There are lots of reasons why I love my Lubitel 2 camera...
My lustful gaze has fallen upon some wonderful stuff in its time, but at the top of my list currently is this fab necklace from brevity - I'm really into hexagons at the moment and I don't like my jewellery to by too girlie or feminine so this would be perfect for me (hint, hint)...
Also causing me to drool and slather over my computer monitor is this fabulous sea urchin lamp from my #1 fave interiors company Graham and Green...
I was flicking through a magazine in Borders and found a great article on photographer Sarah Pickering. I love these photos she's done of fire in the home. We're so predisposed to have a strong physical reaction to fire, expecially in confined areas like this that the photos become intensley powerful and intreiging and impossible to ignore. There's lots more in this series on her official website along with lots of other great collections of her work...
One of my local haunts (excuse the pun) is the Old Cemetery in Southampton.
It's Victorian, very gothic and just down the road from my house so I often go there to wander quielty amonst the gravestone with whichever camera is flavour of the month with me (usually more than one - Polaroid this time).
I'm never 100% comfortable doing this but it is a truly interesting place and I don't remember anything specifically from Sunday School that precluded me from doing this.
This week I have begun unravelling. I am hoping to find ways of expressing a more personal story to the world; through my photos and my words.
If I ever appear guarded it's because I am. Lord knows why though, it's not through shyness or lack of confidence. It's not through arrogance either (I know it can sometimes appear this way). My birthday parties as a child were spent hiding up in the lilac tree and watching everyone else have fun. That was how I liked it. I think I'm old enough to come out and play properly now though.
One of the loveliest things about living where I do is that there is a National Park, The New Forest, just 10 minutes away and you get to bump into ponies, donkeys, pigs and...
for 'roid week 2009
...cows. They wander freely, wondering what all the silly humans are gawping at. Goodness knows what they thought about me and my Polaroid!
I love to shop, I can normally snuffle out where the shops are with a blindfold on but signs are always appreciated...
for 'roid week 2009
Today marks the beginning of 'Roid week '09.
Thankfull it's nothing to do with hemroids (I think I've watched too many Carry On films), rather it's all to do with fabulous Polaroid photography!
I have a mini stash of film that got a bit of an airing today, plus I have a few snaps that I haven't shared yet to fill in any gaps.
The camelias are fading, fading, but remembered in an instant...
A causal lunch in the park when the sun is shining - especially after a long, cold winter is the only way to dine!
