Inspiration

I have to admit that i'm not asked often but when I am occasionally asked what inspires me, it's quite long winded.

I could say all the usual things like music, films, other peoples work, personal feelings and blahblahblah and although to an extent they definitely influence the actual shoot, my motive to be a photographer comes from a completely different place.


I've met a lot of people over the last few years since somehow finding myself walking down this career path that have become really good friends but have personal issues. Obviously everyone has personal problems to an extent, but I somehow attract friends that have really been through shit.
A lot of my shoots are based around the people I know and human mentality and i've probably always believed that I can help people through my work. A lot of the horse shoots I do, because they're with ordinary girls, it's just the ability to make them feel good about themselves for once even if it's just for a few hours and then recorded in a few photos.

Portfolio works tend to be shot after long conversations about self harm, eating disorders, social/panic disorders, depression etc that draw on the strength that I see in my friends, because honestly I think they're amazing as some of the kindest and most selfless people I know even when dealing with such crap.

Whilst I strive to get a beautiful photo for my personal benefit, it's never been about me or whether i'm successful or not, if I can change atleast one persons opinion of themselves then i'm achieving and succeeding in my own mind.

Lazyness

Ok, I knew I wasn't good at this whole blogging thing, I can't be bothered to spend all day DOING the activities I then have to come home and TELL you about when i'm completely knackered from doing it all.

So, here's whats happened....


A lot.



Photos will be up once they're edited, which may take a while.

Day 2

Another +1000 photos later.

I had my main photoshoot yesterday, the one that me and Becky had been planning and organising since september. It was so so cool to see Shadow perform in real life, she's such a beautiful horse. I don't want to give away too much until I get home and edit some of the photos so I can post them. Rachel (B's little sister) modeled the shoot and did a great job with it. I gave her some modelling one on one time with a tree ;)

I'm having a dress made for me by Becky's mum which she started working on yesterday, it's looking amazing already i'm so excited to see it finished and I may possibly do photos in it with Shadow for next months self portrait but we'll see how that works out.


Behind the scenes:
(Thank you Charlotte for the photos)

Yorkshire: Day 1

I would've had this up yesterday but I didn't have internet on my laptop till right now, so we'll have two blog posts this evening ;)
Provided I can be bothered to type up for today.


what an exhausting day!! After about a 4 and a half hours drive I arrived at my friends house, the weather was
incredibley hot up here, being inland they don't get the coastal breeze i'm used to.

I hadn't stopped long to eat lunch and drag my stuff inside that we were off out to bath Shadow (the horse i'll be using in the photoshoot) She is so incredibley pretty and I can't wait to use her. Whilst my friends were washing her I was snapping away and Shadow is working it for me already ;) So so beautiful. I also tried using flash, i've wanted to use try it out on a horse for so long and she wasn't scared of it so I have a good few dramatic shots of her.

We also went to see Charlottes horse Holly, a very pretty and sweet 16.1hh Clydesdale. I much prefer big horses to small nippy ponies, they tend to be so much calmer and have a better temperament....usually! Holly was so adorable though, i'm doing a shoot with her and Charlotte on friday for them, although I already have a lot of photos of the two of them cantering and galloping round. When we turned her out for the night I got to ride her back to her field tackless. I haven't done that in so many years when I brought Chester in from his field when I had him on loan. Although mildly uncomfortable in jeans I loved it so much, Charlotte took some photos of me on her hopefully I can ask her for some and i'll put one up. I've only been back on a horse once in March this year for 2 years and that was with someone leading me round, it felt really natural and normal to be back up there.

Becky has another horse of hers at the same farm as Charlotte so we'd popped over to much her out and see her too. Kara, who is Shadow's daughter, is such a cute little thing. I think she's just over one years old. Such a sweetie and had so much character, she does make me laugh.


The dress we're using in the shoot was made by Beckys mum. I saw it for the first time today and it's incredibley beautiful and fits perfectly with the shoot theme. It's a lovely blue colour and floaty (I love my floaty dresses!!!) Beckys little sister will be modelling it in the shoot and she looks really really good in it.
We're heading down to the fabric store tomorrow to pick up some material to start on my dress! It was very kindly offered to have a dress made for me as i've come all this way and shooting for free. I'm so excited!

A levels

I have my final exams coming up within the next 2 weeks. Thankfully I only have 2 BUT still largely disappointing.



I hope you enjoy the child like drawings of my feelings toward said exams ;)

June

Every month I change do a new self portrait and keep it as my profile photo for everything, so without further delay, here's June 2010: