The Family Hat….

Posted on 31/03/2017 • Posted in Life Behind The Lens, Lifestyle Portraits

(The above image is courtesy of my lovely friend Stu of Cooper Photography 2015…yup..we need an updated one!)

Hello 2017! Goodness, haven’t I been a naughty little monkey, not writing blog at all this year? I can’t believe it’s nearing the end of March! This has turned out to be a long blog….you might want to grab a cuppa…

If you’re wondering where I’ve been, well, I’ve been spending the last few months focussing – almost solely – on my family. The end of 2016 and beginning of 2017 was a bit of a rollercoaster if I’m honest….some of it seems a total blur…but the moment the Consultant entered the cubicle and told us that they had found, what looked like, a tumour in my fella’s lung is still crystal clear. The look on her face, my clammy hands, the edge of the bed digging into my leg; I think I let out an uneasy sort of a laugh, I was thinking ‘don’t be daft, look at him, he’s a picture of health!’….but their faces said it all. So, whilst he endured multiple hospital visits, tests and scans, I waited; stared at pages of magazines, read waiting-room statistics and Googled ‘Lung Tumours’…which I regretted immediately. In just a few weeks, with Christmas sandwiched in the middle, he was back in Hospital for his operation. It was all new to me, sitting and waiting whilst someone you love is operated on….it’s awful. Even with a lovely friend texting to keep me company whilst I waited for my Mum to join my puzzle-book marathon, the minutes dragged horribly. Fortunately, he was home soon enough and aside from a scary re-admittance with an infection, he has been recovering amazingly and I swear that 2 months on from the Op, you’d not have a clue what he’d been through….unless you happen to challenge him to some kind of cardio workout…it turns out that Lungs take a while to repair. I still can’t decide if I’m ridiculously proud or utterly mortified that with a good chunk of lung missing, he’s still fitter than I am.

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, partly because it bothers me that there’s been a huge lapse in my blog but also because it’s kind of cathartic….after all, I’ve learnt a lot these past months! I’ve learnt a lot about Cancer and a lot about Hospitals. I learnt that new friendships are just as amazing as old ones and that support comes from the most unexpected places and from further and wider than you can imagine. I learnt a new kind of patience and I discovered a whole lot about myself. Deep huh? BUT, most importantly for me, I learnt the importance of being present, both in my own life and in the lives of the ones I love. As far as I was aware, running my own business meant constantly working crazy hours, constantly thinking about work and constantly feeling guilty….I loved what I was doing but when I was with my family, I felt guilty that I was thinking about work and when I was at work, I felt guilty that I wasn’t with my family! Sometimes months would slide by without talking to friends….I felt like a full on friendship failure.

In those few weeks when my fella and the children really needed me, I dropped everything and put them first; and, in spite of the rough time we were going through, I realised, with absolute clarity, that I never wanted to feel guilty for giving them my attention ever again. Now I see that running my own business means being able to CHOOSE when I work crazy hours and when I say ‘I’m having the weekend off.’ Yes, sometimes I am going to choose to work late into the night and at the weekend because I LOVE my job and I LOVE my clients but I’m also going to remember that I can choose to stop and enjoy time with my loved ones. In short, there’s no denying that owning and running a business alongside having a family means wearing a LOT of different hats but never again am I going to forget to wear the most important one – The Family Hat.

And, on the subject of family, here’s a little of what I’ve been up to! Photographing families, being a goon, making people giggle for great pictures, running backwards and squeaking with excitement when I catch a moment that fills me with joy.

Hampshire and Sussex Wedding Photographer: Brighton Town Hall Wedding Photography – Lisa & Dave

Posted on 24/11/2016 • Posted in Wedding Photography

I had SO hoped to stay up to date with my blogs this year!! I have a little backlog that I’m going to start working through but I know there are a few people waiting on this one…so….

There’s nothing quite like seeing the affect of love on a friend? The change in Lisa after meeting, and falling in love with, Dave was profound. Now don’t get me wrong, Lisa is one of those people who has always seemed bubbly and enthusiastic but there was a new spark in her, some kind of light that shone out! I know that my sound werid, but it seems that she actually glows with happiness now.

When Dave and Lisa asked me to document their special day in Brighton, a place very special to them, I was so incredibly touched and knew that there was no way I wanted to miss out on documenting their love. They planned an intimate and informal wedding ceremony at Brighton Town Hall followed by a meal and celebrations with their very nearest and dearest at a local Italian Restaurant, Al Duomo. I loved that the focus of the day was entirely centred on their marriage and on uniting their two families and as a result, the feeling of love that encompassed the day was incredible. Being totally honest though, I was just stunned at how laid back they were! Nothing seemed to phase them, from sorting the flower girls dress out the evening before to losing a button off her dress, Lisa was the epitome of cool, calm and collected… which was incredible once you factor in that only a week or so later they were uprooting their lives and moving to Spain!!

Without babbling on at length (which I could do, believe me!) I feel it only fair to add that this may have been one of the most emotional weddings that I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing. Dave’s face when Lisa walked into the room was just so full of emotion…though, I’ll admit, it was hard to document as I was rather welled up myself!

They are truly wonderful couple and I wish them a very long and happy life together, along with their gorgeous family, in Spain.

Hampshire Wedding Photographer: New Forest Engagement Photography – Anna & Matt

Posted on 22/11/2016 • Posted in Pre-Wedding Photography

Anna and Matt got engaged in Bergen, in Norway and when we started discussing their pre-wedding session this stunning spot in the New Forest seemed like the perfect spot to combine the Autumn colours with a little Narnia-esque drama and just a little Scandinavian reminiscence.

Whilst they studied together at college, it wasn’t until they met through their Church that Anna and Matt’s relationship turned from friendship into something more serious. Several years on and Matt decided to propose to Anna by taking her on a surprise trip away…well, anyone who knows me will know I love an engagement story. So, in Matt’s own words…

“I booked flights to Bergen in Norway as a surprise and picked out a ring I thought Anna would love. I told Anna we were going away somewhere for a long weekend and then gradually texted little clues to her each evening, until two days before when I revealed the location.’ Anyone else already thinking that he’s a bit of a keeper?!

“We had a lovely few days in Bergen, exploring the town and taking in the sights. We also went on a cruise around the fjords which was amazing. On the Sunday, we got the cable car up Mount Fløyen, which had great views over Bergen and I had seen some amazing photos online taken from the woods on the top of the mountain. I knew this would be the ideal setting for the big question but it was a bit daunting trying to find the right spot without rousing too much suspicion. In the end, it turned out perfectly and Anna was pretty surprised (I think!). We found a beautiful mossy clearing in the woods where the sun shone through and that was where I got down on one knee and popped the question. I think it was fairly magical!’

I really felt like we managed to capture that magic again at their session last week…the weather was so changeable but we managed to get sunshine and rain at just at the same time which just added such an atmosphere amongst the incredible scenery of the New Forest.

These guys are marrying in October next year and I’m SO excited to be a part of their day.

Here are a selection of their pictures – Anna and Matt, I hope you like them!!

If you think you might like your own Engagement Photography session or are looking for a Wedding Photographer in Hampshie or the surrounding area, I would love to hear about your day and see if I might be the girl for you….photographically speaking of course!

Winchester Engagement Photography: Carly & Danny

Posted on 11/11/2016 • Posted in Pre-Wedding Photography

In just a couple of days, this gorgeous couple are going to marry in Newbury after planning their big day in just five weeks, yes, you read that correctly…FIVE WEEKS!!

I’m utterly astonished at how laid back they are considering that they are also planning a move to Chicago in the very near future. As if they don’t have enough of their plates just now, Danny had an interview just after the session and Winchester was absolutely against us! In preparation for the Christmas market, the Cathedral grounds are chaotic and there appears to be building work at every turn! With our plans for a laid back stroll and natural pictures obliterated, we adapted to a more ‘oooh, there’s a nice spot!’ approach and just used what we could around the construction workers, scaffolding and hoarding! I was so impressed at how they went with the flow, I really am blessed with the best couples! Danny even braved a kiss or two with his wife-to-be which was really quite something considering she had woken with a rather grim cold. I hope neither of you are suffering for the big day!

So, I’ll stop babbling on because a) I have lots to prep for this weekend but also b) I know that they would really like to see these images before their big day!!

Enjoy
x

Half Term Family Photography Hampshire

Posted on 26/09/2016 • Posted in Lifestyle Portraits

The year is whipping by at an alarming rate and Christmas (yup – I just said it!) is right around the corner. Family photographs are often put to the bottom of the to-do list and before you know it, your children are all grown up and you can’t recreate those magical early years.

I adore capturing honest, heartfelt, images and believe that photographs should fill the walls of our homes and take up lots of room in albums on shelves; these are the tangible reminders of our love and life that we will turn to year on year for generations to come.

Whether it’s to fill your home or the homes of those you love, my clients love the wall art, image boxes and albums that I create from their sessions…why not get in touch today for a family session you can treasure forever.

To see more images from my Family gallery and to find out more about what my sessions include, take a look here!

See you soon!

Southampton Newborn Photography Hampshire: Anayah Zahra

Posted on 23/09/2016 • Posted in Lifestyle Portraits

What I love, looking back on this session, is that I was meant to be photographing Fatima’s bump! It’s funny now to think that we had scheduled a maternity session only to find that Anayah had other ideas!

Instead, a week or so later, I got to cuddle this young lady! I was made so very welcome by Fatima and Hassan and we chatted easily whilst drinking tea and cooing over the little lady. Admittedly, she was much more keen on the idea of feeding all day but that’s OK because I always make sure to allow plenty of time for that too!

Newborn sessions are always special to me…I think it’s because I’m always so touched by the love of parents for their new baby; I remember it so well myself. Every little noise and movement your baby makes just seem incredible and you can spend hours just staring at their little tiny fingernails and eyelashes. I find myself looking at them and thinking of the incredible journeys they have ahead of them, it’s incredibly life-affirming and inspiring.

So, back to Anayah…well…she was a treasure. There were no tears or uncertainty, she was warm and relaxed in the safety of home and the session went without a hitch. I carry out all my newborn sessions at their home as my clients love that they don’t have to leave the house and worry about what to pack or how the baby might behave. I bring everything with me and encourage the Mummys and Daddys to sit back and relax and leave everything to me and that’s just what these guys did. My sessions aren’t about endlessly posing the baby, it’s about documenting the connection between parent and child.

I have been lucky to catch up with Fatima and Hassan twice since their session and both times lucked out by snuggling up with Anayah Zahra for cuddles. They are such a beautiful, kind, family and I feel so lucky to have spent such a special time with them.

I’ve popped a small selection of the images below…enjoy!