Summer nostalgia - toddler portrait session, Shotover

When the Bee was just 22 months, and the sun was high and hot in the sky (photographic proof makes up for memory fail), we hit Shotover for a day lazing on a blanket under a solitary and well-climbed Oak.  In the company of our trusty and over-heated hound and our good friend Keith, we shared a picnic, picked the occasional berry, and listened to the calls of the Red Kites and buzzing of little planes overhead. 

Keith is one of the Bee's favourite people; they have a really lovely relationship, which I put partly down to his ability to be very much in the present moment with her whenever they meet, interested in everything she shows him, exploring the world with her as if for the first time.  I wanted to capture something of this relationship in photographs, as well as being keenly aware of my little daughter's fast-paced toddle towards two years. 

Below are some favourites, taken again with my lovely Nikon 50mm f/1.8 and D7000.  They already make me feel nostalgic, both for the cloudless deep blue sky and long afternoons, and for my little one-year-old (now my great big two-year-old).  They are also a good example of the type and range of different shots I like to offer portrait clients from a one-hour shoot, including the couple of surroundings atmosphere shots at the end.

Enjoy and happy half-term* :)


*if you're wondering what to do with your kids/parents over the half-term break, why not book a family shoot?  They're great fun, and like all my clients, you'll love the results.  Book now by emailing me to make sure you get a half-term slot.

Thoughtful under the tree

Evidence of enthusiastic berry consumption

The photographer's daughter

Hair clip adjustment (a favourite of mine)

Cuddle!

My brown-eyed girl

In search of berries

Sharing a snack

Banana in the sun

Banana in the sand

Hope

Hot dog

Split down the middle

Summer love

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Eilish - baby portrait photography session

Back in the 'summer' I spent a lovely morning working with beautiful little Eilish and her parents at their home.  She is so perfect, she made me broody (yikes) and I love some of the shots we got together.  Eilish was feeling a little grumpy when we met, and the shoot was a real team effort, with mum and dad responsible for distracting noises and putting her through her paces with a baby triathlon - seemed to work a treat, and very London 2012, Eilish.

Below are a few favourites. Thank you for humouring us, little Eilish, and my, doesn't your dad do a fantastic dolphin impression?

Sorry Eilish, am I interrupting your nap Missy?

Favourite feet shot

Lunchtime - a very gentle mum and baby shot, I love it

Whole world in his hands

Feet! (essential baby shot)

Fixing my gaze

Perfect hold (another baby essential shot)

Daddy's love

Triathlon!

Beautiful family - congrats guys!

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Goursac at night - tribute to Magritte

In early June, I spent a week photographing (and staying in!) the beautiful 18th century chateau that is Goursac.  Living in a converted barn across a beautiful Lime-tree-lined lawn is Betrand Davezac, whose family bought the chateau when he was a boy.  An art historian, he abandoned his own painting at 16, and his adult life was spent almost entirely in the US, where he was curator to a number of collections, including Houston's Menil Collection.  Within the Collection, there are a number of paintings by Rene Magritte, and I'm a fan.  A number of paintings by the artist which I find particularly intriguing are of a large house at night, with yellow lamp-lit windows, including 'Fin du Monde'.  'L'Empire des Lumieres' (1954) depicts what appears to be a nighttime scene of a house, but with a daytime blue sky above.  Wondering around the delicious cricket-chirp-filled Goursac gardens at night, when I tore my gaze from the millions of stars, I noticed that the chateau had a similar feel to the Magritte images, and I wanted to create a Magritte- and Betrand-inspired image of the place.  Below are a couple of my favourites, as well as a portrait of the amazing Betrand Davezac on his drive.  Many more pictures of Goursac to come, but in the meantime these will have to do!  I am really happy with the way the night images turned out, and they have not been manipulated to improve in post-processing - what you see is what I saw on that summer night.

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Ghostly!

Betrand Davezac - a wonderful and fascinating host

Kismet - group photography session

Way back in February, I spent a wintery afternoon working with folk quartet Kismet at Iffley Church.  The remit was to create images which spoke of abundance, and we spent a lovely time creating a stunning mandala using cross sections of fruit, on the church floor.  The images which have been subsequently used by Kismet in their publicity material, and in The Oxford Times, don't feature any fruit as it happens, but I'm sure you'll be glad to know it was very tasty - if only all my sessions culminated in a fruit binge on a cold church floor, with the sound of laughter and friendship echoing around the room.  A great gang to spend time with.

Kismet make beautiful music.  'Tender songs and passionate uplifting tunes. An exciting ensemble weaving delicate vocal harmonies with a rich variety of instruments.'  They are playing as part of Oxford's upcoming 'Kicking the Bucket' festival (www.kickingthebucket.co.uk), which began with an open morning at Helen & Douglas House, and runs into November; much anticipated highlights include a Mexican Mariachi Band and dancers at the Four Pillars on October 26th.  See the website for details and tickets.

The festival organiser is Liz Rothschild, who runs Westmill Woodland Burial Site (www.woodlandburialwestmill.co.uk).  I did a shoot with Liz over the summer at the burial ground and her beautiful farm, to create images for the festival publicity, so look out for my work on the site - blog post to follow soon.  In the meantime, here are a couple from my shoot with the lovely Kismet.

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Arun - informal portrait photography session

Hailing from the Old Smoke, Arun journeyed to join me for a one-hour session split in two between the Ashmolean and University Parks.  We managed to pick a sunny day, not quite sure how!  Below are a couple of my favourites from the shoot.  Thanks for a fun hour Arun :)

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