The best compliment ever!

I had a client place an order this week, for one of my limited edition fine art prints, which she is going to have framed for her new baby’s nursery. She told me that the entire colour scheme for the nursery is based around my image! How special is that? For me it’s not just about selling the work, it’s about touching people’s lives, be that in a domestic or a commercial situation.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

And here is the image selected for the nursery, entitled Dulcit Tones:

Simple fine art images require excellent execution

Is it acceptable for a fine art photograph to be simple in its form? Yes it is, indeed simplicity can itself be really effective - but it has to be executed well.

Choose your point of focus with care. Decide if you want every detail to be in focus or if you you would like to combine a shallow point of focus with softness elsewhere, as can be achieved, for instance, with a LensBaby. Either way, make sure your focus area is 100% crisp. This is evermore important in a simple image as there are no distractions behind which to hide!  

Blog posts will henceforth arrive tri-monthly - if you wish to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

Celebrate your progress today, be critical tomorrow

Our creativity is a great thing but it often comes with the burden of our own self criticism - which we need in order to advance, but sometimes that criticism can prevent us from enjoying our present creations and recognising our progress. 

I am so self critical that, as I’ve told you before, my best photo is the one I’ll take tomorrow! However there is occasionally an image which passes my critique - until I take tomorrow’s shot  of course! Anyway, this is one such photo which makes  me  smile and I am happy to share it with you.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

Don't take a photo, MAKE a photo.

Sometimes I have the impression it’s thought that photographers just click that camera shutter and hey, there’s the photo! 

Although I am often in denial of how much time I myself am poised next to my tripod, I would say that any one sitting is about one hour in duration and on average, I have one subject only and come away with one true keeper. 

Only one photo - after an hour?? Why? Good question! 

No doubt you have heard the expression - “don’t take a photo, make a photo.” And there you have the answer. 

For each floral macro shot I take my time and I am very particular!

First of all, I examine the subject to choose its best side. That doesn’t always mean it’s prettiest side, it could mean its most interesting side. Then I decide how to position the flower and how best to get it to stay in that position! I often use something called a ‘Helping Hand’. They are available on Amazon, are seriously inexpensive and are incredibly useful. See below for a photo.

Sometimes I place my subject, supported by the Helping Hand in a black box - something I have covered on a previous blog. I assess the  light - should it be set back far away from the light or should I move it forwards?

All the time I am making decisions about the depth of field, the quality and quantity of light and usually I am using a tripod - in which case my ISO is set at 100. An alternative to my tripod is my Platypod Pro - a great gadget!

And after each photo I am checking my histogram, adjusting the exposure accordingly. I am also checking my focus - I focus manually. I don’t have a super expensive camera and I am not happy with its focusing ability - at least not for fine macro photography, so I use manual focus to get the image tack sharp. When my budget stretches to my next camera I will tether when taking photos - there have been odd occasions when I haven’t realised, until downloading the shots onto my computer, that I missed the edge of a leaf or I didn’t quite like the angle I’d chosen. Tethering would avoid these disappointments.

And then there’s the post processing which I enjoy immensely - I find it so therapeutic! But that’s a subject for another day. What I will say though, is that no matter what you do in post, you need a good clean image to work with.

So take your time. Make decisions before you click and enjoy the entire process. Your reward will be images you are proud of.

Today’s photo, fresh off my camera, is below for you to see.

Take care, wherever you are.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

How did my passion for macro fine art photography begin?

For many years I had enjoyed travel photography, most notably the people of the world, as opposed to the landscapes of the world. Then I had the good fortune to live in Dubai for a while and I had great fun taking my camera to places off the beaten track - discovering the lesser known areas of Dubai. 

Sometimes, after dropping my son off at school, I would drive out to the desert to the camel race track to see the camel trainers. I was always given the warmest of welcomes where I was known as that ‘hat lady’ as I always wore a hat with a big floppy brim to protect me from the sun and the sand. I also had great fun in Satwa, a market area where traders sell just about everything. If I needed glass cut that was where I’d go, if I wanted a dress made I could find a tailor down one of the alleys. 

Dubai creek where the traders arrive with their cargo is another superb location for photo opportunities, and just across the road is the spice souk. For me, Dubai is a magical place to explore, and to encounter friendly faces with whom I often don’t even share a common language. I love Dubai, can you tell?!

I remember on one occasion it was a hot and stiflingly humid evening. I was at the fruit and vegetable market. The guys there were always super excited to have their photo taken and my camera would cause quite a furore! This particular hot evening, I could hear someone behind me shouting “Madam, Madam”. I turned and there was a young man with a slice of water melon for me! It was the perfect thirst quenching treat. After my visits to the market I would have the photos printed and would return to distribute them to those who had had their picture taken. I once took my son with me and let him distribute the photos. He couldn’t believe the excitement that the photos generated. Such events will remain in my heart forever. And interestingly, the people who were the nicest to me were those who had the least. 

It was really during my time in Dubai that my photography passion (some would say obsession) really grew and I started to take photos every day. When we left and returned to France I felt a huge loss at leaving these people behind. Some even messaged me and asked in broken English when i would be returning!

Having used my camera every single day in Dubai, on returning to France my camera went untouched. Home is in the Pyrénées - it’s is very beautiful, the air is clear, the sky is blue and we look out onto the snow-topped Mount Canigou. But there aren’t many people here and it was the characterful people of Dubai that I longed for. I don’t know why, but I have never been attracted by landscape photography - a shame as I live in a beautiful area.

One day, whilst walking my dog through the forest I picked some flowers and on returning home I took my camera out. The results weren’t great but they weren’t bad either. So I had another go with more flowers and I enjoyed the challenge of improving. Slowly I made progress and I found that flowers were at least encouraging me to use my camera daily. If you visit my Instagram page you will see that my interest in flora grew somewhat and rest assured - there’s more to come!

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

Transcending different genres of photography trains the reflexes!

Today I’m straying far away from talking about macro photography. Instead the topic is photographing competitive swimming, something I have done a lot in my time including as the official photographer for the ‘Coupe de France’ a few years back when the venue was in my home town of Céret. 

So what are the secrets to successful swimming shots? For a start, you need a fast shutter speed with speeds of approximately 1/1000 of a second. For me, always shooting at outdoor competitions, I am generally able to maintain an ISO of 200. I love how I can ‘freeze’ the water and even the droplets on the swimmers’ faces. Keep checking your camera though, as the light changes due to cloud etc and you need to ensure that you are maintaining that fast shutter speed. I choose to shoot in aperture priority and maintain a high aperture of f4 - f6. This effectively keeps the focus on the swimmer and eliminates a messy background.

As for focus - use a single focus point, working with back button focus (there are plenty of tutorials online if you aren’t familiar with this) and I utilise servo focus to track the athlete. When I do this I feel like I’m a predator tracking an animal - the adrenaline certainly flows and I find it is as much a sport for me taking the shots as it is for the swimmers - although the swimmers might not agree with me!

Your position needs to be considered too. Be aware of the sun - you need the sun behind you so that the swimmer’s face is without shadow - to face towards the sun would have the swimmer in shade and you’re not going to get great shots. For the butterfly stroke (my favourite!) you will want to be right in front of the approaching swimmer, at the end of the lane, to get great front-on shots. This is also a good position for breast stroke. For freestyle though, you’re better to the side, again with the sun behind you and be aware of the breathing pattern of the swimmer - to which side do they take air? And how often? The more competent the swimmer the less frequently they will take air so you have to be ready for the moments that their head is clear above water. 

The lens I generally use is a zoom - giving me scope up to 300mm. Sometimes I will have two cameras with me so that I have a wide angle to hand for a group diving shot or for podium presentations. It’s sometimes a better option rather than risk missing a shot whilst fiddling with lens changes.

I love taking candid shots too. This could be a moment of joy when the swim went well, it could be a pre-swim moment of anxiety or it could be a group celebratory shot. It’s always fun to find some none obvious shots too: a reflection in a swimmer’s goggles, a cropped shot of the athlete’s feet still wet from the water. Additionally I like shooting during the training sessions. I don't, at these times, have to exercise as much respect and caution with the swimmers as I would during a race. They also tend to lift their faces more during the training sessions and there are certainly many more relaxed smiles!

My final tip would be to take something with you to kneel on! Those hard pool sides can be tough on the knees, especially when it is a long day!

Not only do I absolutely love the challenge of catching the swimmers at speed but I love making the photos available to them and their families. The photos are particularly important for the youngsters, coming up through the ranks, and serve to foster pride in their achievements.

The challenge of photographing fast moving subjects is a great exercise to get you ever more familiar with your camera and to have you responding to your subject and the light instinctively. These skills come in useful no matter what genre you are shooting and no matter your skill level.

I have enjoyed many happy days at the side of a swimming pool - now it’s your turn!

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

Experimenting is fun!

I love it when people say that they recognised my work before they even knew it was my work! I don’t consciously follow a particular style and I certainly don’t emulate others’ work. Over time we all develop a style unique to ourselves and I applaud this because it effectively means the work is true to one’s soul. 

However - I do like to break the mould now and again! So today, I decided to try something different. The. first change was that I broke away from my usual 105mm macro lens. Instead I used a 35mm prime lens with a x10 macro lens attached. The 35mm is great for large apertures which create a gorgeous soft look. You will see that I chose my focus point to be the centre of the anemone. For such a shot to work, the chosen focus point needs to be sharp - then you can allow the peripheral details to fall off softly, as is the case here. Normally I place my subject in a black box, something I have written about before, but today I left the black box on the shelf and placed my subject exposed to light on my desk. Shooting at 100 ISO I had a slow shutter speed of 1/3 of a second so in the background I moved backwards and forwards, relatively rapidly, a multi coloured tea towel to create a soft backdrop! And here is the result. It was so satisfying to create a very different result to that which I normally create. 

Try taking yourself out of your comfort zone, because each time you do, you will learn something new and will push yourselves to the next level. In truth it doesn’t even matter whether you like the finished result, what matters is that you experimented and in doing so you will have learnt more about light, colour and texture - all the while learning how your camera responds to the different lights and how best to adapt with different settings. 

Above all, have fun with your macro photography!

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

Do what I say and not what I do!

In recent blog posts I have talked about how we need to select perfect floral specimens when photographing flowers, how we need to be attentive to the flower’s position and pose - just as we would with a human portrait. Well, whilst I am telling you all this, I go and make a silly mistake this week! It had been a long busy day, the light was fading and I hadn’t taken a photograph for the day’s instagram post - yes, most of my posts are taken that very day. So, I pulled out my black box, and looked around for something to photograph. I noticed this hellebore pushing up through the dense dark green leaves of my hellebore plant - perfect. So I picked it from the plant so that it could be photographed in my box. By now, the light was even poorer, but despite this, I did my best to manually focus and to take my shot. The focus was great BUT - I missed off the lower part of the leaf! Do what I say, not what I do! Pay attention!

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

What makes ideal subject matter for macro art photography?

What are ideal subjects for my macro photography? Basically I am attracted to two very different types of subject matter: perfect specimens of nature and specimens in the later stages of their life. 

For my perfect specimen - if I have, for instance, a bunch of flowers, I will examine them all and find the one without any blemishes, without yellowed petals or leaves. And then - from my crop of perfect specimens, I will see if I have one that has a quirky feature such as a cute curly petal or a sensuous sinewy stem and then I have my ideal subject with which to create a photo of beauty, with added interest.

At the other end of the scale, we have gifts of nature which are past their best, but they still offer beauty. Hibiscus flowers, for instance, enthral me when they become all crinkly (see below)! Tulips too, develop interesting textures in later life and sometimes. a fallen petal exposes an inner beauty previously concealed. 

Why is it ok to accept imperfections in an ageing flower but not to do so in a newly flourished beauty? Because, when photographing a flower newly opened, we are documenting nature’s work at its best. With the ageing flower or crinkled leaf we are accepting and even applauding its ability to display a unique beauty at the end of its time.

In the work of great portrait photographers, we see portraits of young models showing us their fine beauty but we also see, often in somewhat harsh light, supremely characterful portraits of men and women whose ageing skin and tired eyes speak of their long and eventful lives.

As Diane Von Furstenberg once said, “My face carries all my memories. Why would I erase them?”

We have a lot to learn from nature.

See below an example of nature’s beauty in its later stages of life.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.

Experiment with light and see how creative you can be with your macro art

Your floral photography work will benefit if you experiment with light sources. A few weeks ago I mentioned how I often use a black box into which I place my floral subjects, affording me control over where the light hits. But if I always used this system I wouldn’t be challenging myself so, from time to time, I will do something completely different. Below are two photographs taken of an anemone: one taken on my Lightbox and the other in my black box. The contrasting results clearly demonstrate how we are the masters of our art and by experimenting we learn the processes and skills required to create the images we have in our hearts and minds.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.  

Fine art photography: black and white or colour?

Whether I am creating macro images or out with my Fuji X100F chasing street photography I always decide, ahead of the game, if I am going to take colour shots or black and white. It is far better to shoot with intent and to make artistic decisions ‘in camera’ accordingly. 

Now, if you were to ask me my preference - that would be tricky! For fine art photography, in the main, I embrace colour. Nature offers such a broad spectrum of luscious colour that it is hard for me not to embrace them. The exception to the rule tends to be when I have a subject which is very texturous. For street photography I definitely prefer black and white. I find that colour distracts from the story I want to tell. However, here too there are exceptions!  An example would be if colour was part of the story - you might have someone wearing a red beret close to a red post box and the red would therefore connect the 2 subjects. But in the main, for street photography I do prefer black and white. I find it emphasises not only the subject matter but also the light (so important) and the textures.

In summary, it is all a question of personal preference but as I said above - go out with a clear intention of what you want to capture and make those all important creative decisions in camera, not in post production. Below is a rare example of my macro fine art work in black and. white.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.    

We are evolving and so is our art

Expanding on my blog of last week - what are we looking for in our fine art photography? Why am I even using my home made black box?! My box helps me to create contrasting light - the shadows are as important as the highlights and the resulting contrast creates interest. This is true of all genres of photography - look online at the work of the great master photographers - analyse why you like their work and start experimenting yourself. Instead of achieving the perfect ‘bell’ histogram in the centre, tuck your histogram to the left and see how it impacts on you photos.  

For me, experimenting, challenging my current processes and style is all part of the art, part of the fun of photography and is an essential process to ensure my creativity doesn’t stagnate. We are evolving - and so is our art.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.    

Using a black box for macro photography

A great way to achieve an uncluttered background and to control the lighting with macro photography is to create a ‘black box’. I made mine with a cardboard delivery box which I lined with black card, on all inner sides. Another option is to line it with short pile black velvet. I place the subject on a stand in the box and, depending upon the light, I position it either to the front or to the rear of the box. If the light is strong I use a diffuser to tone down the light and to create interesting shadows on the subject. In terms of the box’ position, I always use natural light and will either have the light source alongside the box, or to the the rear. The beauty of this method is that light is never constant so it is a fun challenge to become super sensitive to the effects of the light and to experiment as to how best to position the box. And be aware that every minute the light is changing, particularly on cloudy days. It is a great idea to tether your camera to an IPad or a computer enabling you to see the images on a larger screen and to study the effect of the light, making adjustments as necessary. 

An image I took recently using the above method is the red rose shown below.

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Working the angle

It is such a thrill to go down to Céret early Saturday morning to see what the flower stall at the market has to tempt me ! 

This week they had as good a selection as ever which included gladioli. I have never photographed gladioli before so at just 1 Euro she was a bargain! 

It’s fun exploring the flowers, turning them every which way, before deciding which profile pleases me most. I also pay close attention to the light and can create different looks depending upon which time of the day I set up my camera by the window. A strong striking line always draws me in - or a hidden gem often missed by the naked eye. 

My aim is to create contemporary macro art, all the while offering my personal twist. We should all stay true to our creative soul :)

My Home Town - CÉRET, Pyrénées-Orientales,

Céret, my home town in the Pyrénées-Orientales, France, has a population of just 8,000 but in summer the numbers swell as we experience a huge influx of tourists all eager to enjoy this picturesque, historical town. An added attraction is the Musée d'Art Moderne de Céret, created by Pierre Brune and Frank Haviland in 1950, with the personal support of their friends Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. 

The museum has a fabulous permanent exhibition but also has a ‘summer exhibition’ each year. Currently the museum is undergoing a significant expansion and I eagerly await the day that it is re-opened for visitors. Watch this space!

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, click send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.    

Sunflowers in Occitanie

Ahhhh sunflowers, known to the French as tournesol. What memories they conjure up for me. Until 2 years ago when my son left for Uni, for many, many years I spent all my summer weekends driving him to swimming competitions in far flung towns in Occitanie, France. This involved very early starts - not ideal, as I am definitely not a morning person but, armed with my flask of tea, I would drive to the given destination, often with my son asleep next to me! But the bonus was undoubtedly the glorious and varied French countryside we would pass though - which of course my sleepy companion missed! Without doubt, were it not for the swimming competitions, I would not have visited these small towns scattered throughout the region, often 2-3 hours from home, and what a joy they were to behold, especially in the early morning light. 

One of our destinations was a small village not far from Carcassonne called Montreal which normally we visited late July/early August. In this area there is field after field of sunflowers on slightly undulating hills alongside roads lined with statuesque plane trees - such a glorious golden sight. 

My role in terms of the swimming was a) to deliver the swimmer (!!), b) to cheer the swimmer on but also c) to perform my duties as the club photographer, so wandering through sunflower fields during the competition was not an option for me, but………this is France, which meant we had at least a 2 hour lunch break! Generous camping tables were erected, carafes of chilled wine were strategically placed amidst healthy salads to be enjoyed by all. Well, normally by all, but when In Montreal I would escape to the sunflower fields. And in the midst of these fields I could just as easily have been in heaven. Their beauty is known by all but what is perhaps not appreciated is how vast some of these flowers are. To stand in a field dwarfed by these golden yellow forces of nature, who turn in adoration to the sun, is quite an experience, especially when the fields stretch as far as the distant horizon. To allow me to stand next to them felt quite humbling and to some extent, slightly intimidating given their stature! 

Skipping lunch to capture these beauties in the name of contemporary art was far from a hardship but was instead the most wonderful perk to compensate for the early morning starts!

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.  

Céret - an artist's haven

As many of you know, I have been away from my garden for a while due to Covid 19 travel complications. It is so great to be back! Unfortunately I missed the dahlia and lily seasons but there is plenty going on right now to compensate and to feed my appetite for macro floral photography!

Céret, the old fortified town where I live, is in a beautiful part of the world in the Pyrenees. We are tucked at the Mediterranean end where the light is so good that many famous artists have lived here over the years - in fact our fabulous Museum of Modern Art was started with ceramics donated to the town by Picasso and they form part of the permanent exhibition. It is a town rich in culture and reflects the influences of the Catalan region which stretches from Spain up to the most southern area of France. The Catalan language is still taught in local schools and, if taken as part of the Baccalaureate exams, extra credits can be earned as a means of encouraging students to keep the language alive.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section, press ‘send’ and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.    

You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future, Isak Dinesen

I’m home! I left France early March for what, I thought, was going to be a brief absence to visit my son at Uni. Of course the world then turned upside down - as a result of which, I was stuck overseas for some months. But fast forward - I’m home! 

It’s curious how we see things with fresh eyes when we’ve been absent for a while. I’m loving the calm of the mountains, the clean air and the flowers in my garden, as well as hidden flowers which pop up in the hedgerows. It’s almost as if I’m seeing everything for the first time!

It’s also interesting how strong the light is here, compared, for instance, to further north in Europe. I’m having to adapt the hours when I shoot my photos because, too early in the day, the light is so strong!

We’re living through strange times and now that I’m back I feel so blessed that the worst impact of Covid 19, for me, was the uncertainty of when I could return home. So many have gone though harrowing times and, still are. 

As we move on, let us heed the words of Isak Dinesen: You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future. Let’s be grateful for all that we have, for family and for friends. I hope that we can pull together to forge a strong future ahead - for one and all.

Take care, as each and every one of you is important.

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section and send, and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.    

Going home after an unexpected absence

After several months of being unexpectedly absent from France, due to Covid 19, I’m going home today! As I type, I am travelling from Paris to Perpignan on the TGV. Being in Paris was inspiring, the mix of cultures and styles is a photographer’s dream! But being my first time in a city since Covid 19 befell the world, it was also strange. To see everyone wearing masks was admirable but alien. People kept their distance, lamentably acknowledging that their neighbour just could be the carrier of the invisible enemy. 

Now, we leave Paris behind and I look out of the train window - it feels so good to see the French countryside. And at my feet, is the most adorable, docile golden retriever - a companion of the passenger in front of me, who has hung his straw hat on the coat hook. The ticket collector steps over the large blonde canine with the utmost care. It all feels so French and so much like home!

Don’t forget that if you want to be notified of new blog posts, all you need to do is go to my contact page and write BLOG in the message section and I will add you to my circulation list. Thank you for your interest and let’s see what we can learn together.    

Paris Metro - masks are compulsory

Print, don't provaricate!

I received a visitor to my home about 18 months ago, who was surprised that my photographs weren’t hanging on the walls. It wasn’t something which I had thought about until that moment and I found myself reflecting inwardly as to why it was that my work wasn’t hanging proudly? If I printed and framed my photos, which would I choose? Obviously I would choose to print my best photos so which did I feel were my best photos? Well, they would be my next photos! And there I had the answer as to why none of my photos were in evidence!

This inner conversation with myself led me to starting to print my work. I found that having my photos printed at a scale at which they were designed to be seen, on quality paper ‘in my daily world’ proved impactful on my subsequent progress. I subconsciously analysed the work as I went about my daily routine. Furthermore the images generated a very positive response from visitors to my home who so appreciated seeing my printed work as opposed to seeing merely a mini image on Instagram. And their positivity translated into added belief, on my part, of my work.

All of the above positive interaction with my photographs would have been lost had I continued to hold off for that next, perfect image - never to be realised as, in truth, I am hugely critical of all that I produce. I am learning now that beauty isn’t found in perfection - beauty is found in soulful work and all of my photographs certainly come from my heart!

What a tragedy it would be if we didn’t embrace our work, our progress and more importantly: our passion. And without seeing tangible images how can we evaluate our progress? In the 21st century we find ourselves living in a world of social media perfection to the point that reality, and even the soul, is all but erased. 

I was fortunate, at the point of choosing to print my work, that a fellow photographer guided me in the direction of an International printing company who served me well.  However, I have since moved to a smaller company, also recommended to me by a fellow artist, because for me the personal connection is important. I am able to have conversations regarding the quality of paper, the resolution and equally important -they hold my hand when I have moments of uncertainty! That personal touch for me, is ever important - and when it is combined with quality work it is a win win situation. My photographs, if you are curious, are printed by Blueprint Imaging - I have no incentive to tell you this other than I am hugely grateful for the personal service they offer me. Their website is: www.blueprintimaging.com. The prints arrive impeccably wrapped within days of the order being placed.

So the motto is: print, don’t provaricate!