Introducing an exciting new beer brand; Green & Pleasant
Last year I started working more closely with my filmmaker/photographer boyfriend, Christian Banfield of schmick tv. When an old friend of his approached him to make the film for their new beer brand he put me forward for the photography, which was to take place at the same time. After looking at my portfolio and particularly like the work I did at Seymour Oysters in Jersey and asked me to do their brand photography for use across a range of media. Fast forward quite quickly and a week so later we were setting off in the dark for the Green and Pleasant micro brewery near Burton-on-Trent in the midlands, the heartland of British brewing, with a small film crew. Founders Fleur Emery and Jamie Anley arrived, along with Mr Beebe the office pug to talk with enthusiasm about the development of their new product and the importance of the lands on which the brewery sit; for providing the right climate, natural conditions of good barley growing soil and immediately available natural spring waters. To learn more about the beer take a look at the short film here and follow their progress on Facebook.
Fleur and Jamie are offering the chance for investors of anything from £10 upwards to get involved with the brand through Crowdcube and to own a part of this brand which promises to be heading in a very exciting direction! I shall report back from the launch event featuring Rob da Bank in March...
Salon Live at The National Theatre
Back in May whilst on yoga retreat in Formentera I met, over supper, a lovely woman called Helen Bagnall who told me about an event she had been running with friend Juliet Russell since 2008; Salon London. This has now become London's best cultural monthly showcase of specialists from the worlds of scent, the arts and psychology. The salon was an Italian invention of the 16th century and was a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, both to amuse and to refine one's tastes and increase knowledge, often consciously following Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to please or to educate"
Helen and Juliet have effectively reprised this format to create a series of fascinating events that never fail to surprise and delight. My first outing at private members club Adam Street featured the writer of Rainy Brain, Sunny Brain, Professor Elaine Fox explaining why you are a glass half-full or a glass half empty sort of person. An awesome session by Rough Trade's Lucy Tesco offering samples of the soundtrack of the summer, and then mind reader Philip Escoffey who kept us guessing for days after.
The last session was featured as part of the Inside Out Festival at the National Theatre to investigate more about Marianne Elliot's production (now sold out) of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on Mark Haddon's novel adapted by Simon Stephens.
The speakers included Marcus Chown, known to many as the Cosmology Editor for the New Scientist, will be explaining the secrets of life, the universe and everything and for one brilliant transcendent moment you will understand the quantum world Staff Director Katy Rudd explored the workings of the theatre using lots of interactive audience participation and mathematician David Speigelhalter OBE Professor of Public Understanding and Risk talked the real numbers behind uncertainty, leaving you able to interpret statistics like a pro.
See here for details of the next event. See you there... x
Mudrunner at Eastnor Castle
For all those people who think my life is all glamour, travel and beautiful models I wanted to blog about a recent job which I did with a good friend and colleague Colin Baldwin. Colin and I worked together years ago at a marketing company and set a precedent for crazy trips and adventures back then when we drove together in a 7.5tonne truck to Paris to put on an event for Umbro to launch their photographic book celebrating football; One Love by photographer Levon Biss. Since we've both become photographers I've been to Monacco and Camp Bestival with him and most recently was for his event photography company 'Peachy Snaps' to cover the Mudrunner event at Eastnor Castle. We attempted this job a few months ago but it was cancelled at the last minute due to very extreme weather. Quite a relief since we'd experienced the extreme weather all night in our teepees up on the hillside and had virtually no sleep between us. But the repeat event which was held over two days earlier this month was perfect conditions. 3,000 competitors turned up for the adult (10k cross country) and children (5k) races, many repeating the course on both the Saturday and Sunday.
My position was to capture as much of the action as possible at the start and finish point which were perched up on the hillside with a fabulous view over the estate. Spirits were high and everyone had a smile on their faces. From nervous excitement at the start to exhausted exhilaration as they staggered over the finishing line. Kids as young as 5 (one little girl had been waiting for 2 years to be old enough to compete!) completing the race alone or with a parent or friend. I was itching to be running myself and it's definitely on my 'to do' list.
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Rosie and Brad's Somerset Wedding
Rosie and I have been friends from when we were about 13 and I arrived at her school in the middle of the second year. Everyone else had already found their friends and I was all gangly and shy and awkward. She took me under her wing and became my best friend. We both ended up going to university in York; she to study philosophy, politics and economics and me to study english and history of art. In the first year we lived together, partied together and rowed together - getting up at the crack of dawn to hit the river. We've always stayed in touch but our lives took very different directions as we got older. Whilst I headed for London for a somewhat frivolous career in marketing and events, travelling around the world putting on parties and encouraging people to drink more of my client's brands, she took a more serious direction into the RAF and our meetings became less.
But she has always been a true friend and it made me so happy to be able to photograph her wedding to Brad (whom she met in the RAF eight years ago) as they were married in Somerset at St Peter's Church, between their new home in Pylle and her family home in Barton. The sword party as they exited the church was pretty exciting - I've not photographed one before - the men were super handsome in their uniforms.
The reception was back at their home - a newly extended farm cottage with a field for her horse, and chickens in the garden. The marquee was beautifully decked out and the surprise show was Morris Dancers (very west country!) who entertained the guests who had to huddle in the marquee away from the rather extreme winds and then torrential rain than let loose after the ceremony.
I was rather lucky to have my partner Christian second shooting with me for part of the day - we've recently started doing more work together and it's really quite exciting to see how complementary our styles are....
[slideshow]
Flowers by Mundy's Florist
See the full link to the gallery here. Password is Brad's surname.
Kate + Alex's outdoor island wedding on Arran
Having holidayed on Arran for many years with her parents owning a holiday cottage there, getting married on the island was an obvious choice for Kate. Bravely they made the decision to do the ceremony outside and whilst England was enjoying the jubilee in torrential rain and wind, Arran awoke to calm seas (thankfully as I was on the first morning ferry - the ferry takes 30 minutes from Ardrossan) and sunshine breaking through. I was blown away when I saw the location for the ceremony - the walled garden sits at the foot of Brodick Castle which is perched on the hillside overlooking the sea. steeply sloped a pathway ran from the castle down through the garden to the foot of the hill where a stone circle with rambling roses surrounded a sundial.
Kate arrived and was led by her father for the long walk through the gardens watched all the way by Alex (secretly praying she wouldn't trip on the steep path!) It was a stunning site and by far the most dramatic entrance I've seen at a wedding. The ceremony took place within the circle with the guests standing in a tight circle which made the whole ceremony feel incredibly intimate.
After the ceremony they had afternoon tea and champagne on the lawn then headed back to Auchrannie House Hotel for the reception.
Kate and her bridesmaids got ready at Orwin Cottage and Alex got ready at Rowanbank Cottage. I stayed at The Glenartney guesthouse on Arran and Burnfoot House in Ardrossan the night before.
You can view the whole gallery here. Password is Guinan.
Nick + Pip's West Country Wedding
It gets a little difficult to take pictures when you are wiping an emotional tear or two away but that's what I've undertaken the past few weekends when a couple of dear friends have finally tied the knot (although not to each other...). I met Nick about 6 years ago and have many happy memories that this blog doesn't have room (or licence) for. I was so excited that he asked me to photograph the wedding - I hadn't even met his fiancé at this point as it had all been a rather whirlwind affair starting on the dance floors of the London Scottish reeling clubs. I was utterly charmed when I met Pip - she lights up the room with a smile that seems unending. And that smile, along with Nick's stayed firmly put from the moment I arrived at her mother's house in Tisbury to the final twirls on the dance floor back at Nick's beautiful family home at Milton on Stour.
The ceremony took place at the spectacular Palladian style New Wardour Castle which discretely houses a rather grand and cavernous Roman Catholic chapel.
After the ceremony the guests went on ahead Nick and Pip had some time together with me for photos and then a leisurely drive back to the house, after a quick champagne stop, where the guests were waiting for the car to pull in and shower them with confetti. With the sun out everyone was able to mingle on the lawn over champagne and canapés for a couple of hours before heading into the marquee as the sun dropped. The speeches were, and I know I am biased but, nothing short of excellent. Heartfelt, honest, funny and utterly endearing. Cue more tears...
The full album of images with all the guest pictures are here. The password is Mason.
I can't wait to see the new Mr and Mrs Mason back in London very soon xxx
Yoga at Formentera Yoga
Danny + Suzanne's Engagement Shoot at Wisley Gardens, Surrey
I first met up with Danny and Suzanne on a cold December evening back in 2010. They had found me online and decided to book me. Since I last met them I have done well over 40 weddings and happily they have been following my blog and have seen how my work has developed since they originally booked me. But I love that they saw something in my work even back then when I was just really starting out, and in fact still at college when we met up (I may not have mentioned that at the time!) So, we met up on Wednesday morning, early so that I could rush to Bristol airport for my flight to Marseille, and spent a lovely couple of hours at Wisley Gardens, chatting about their plans for their wedding in Croydon, and then photographing in the blooming grounds before the bank holiday families started arriving. The morning really confirmed how important it is for me that I genuinely like my clients; it hardly feels like work when I get to spend time with interesting and warm people who I would choose as friends.
Help me to photograph David Beckham!
I don't usually enter competitions, although I should, but I was tempted by this one currently being run by Adidas. They are looking for someone to photograph David Beckham - what's not to like? I prefer shooting women to be honest but I guess I could handle having Mr Beckham in front of my lens. I've only been able to enter one picture and I chose one that I took of Jax on the recce shoot we did in Formentera recently. The theme of the competition is 'Take the Stage' and I love the sense of freedom in this picture as Jax is taking the stage in a very intimate, expressive way. If you like the picture please help me have a chance in the competition by voting for me here before the competition closes on 27th May - you don't need to register, just enter your email address and dob.
Thanks!
Lee Renee Jewellery Shoot
I couldn't resist posting a few pictures of yesterday's jewellery shoot for Lee Renee's new jewellery range at Studio 25 in London Fields. Lee's new website is going to be up and running soon and I'll do a full blog posting with a link in a few weeks but here is a taster... My favourite piece was the stags head necklace in the first pictures.
Mad Hatter Easter Party at Eclipse London
Spending the evening of Easter Sunday in a club wasn't really my plan at the start of the week but a last minute call came in from Ignite Group who look after Bumpkin (one of my favourite places to eat), Boujis and Wyld to cover their Mad Hatter themed party at Eclipse in Kensington. So I took my leave of a very delicious easter lunch with friends and headed South. The event was sponsored by French gin brand G'Vine and Boutique Brands. Eclipse is a great bar and I spent the first hour shooting the bar dressing, all cupcakes and teapots to match the theme and the fantastic and totally enthusiastic staff in full fancy dress, making cocktails before the guests started arriving. By 11pm it was packed, a drummer was sat on the bar, and the cocktails were flowing. And I headed home to bed; because I'm not 19, or single anymore (but my foot was tapping just a little...)
Just sit still
I really questioned whether I should write about something as private as a meditation retreat in such a public forum, particularly one billed as a photography blog. After all, it's not called 'What Helen did next...' However, after pondering, I realised that I am not some corporation. My business is me, that's all I have to offer and the more I develop who I am; through travel, literature, art, film, people and spiritually, the more I bring to my photography and those who experience it. So here goes...
In my second year of university my best friend Emma and I signed up for a one day meditation course on the outskirts of York. We hated it. Hard as we tried to absorb and understand we were bored and felt out of place. Fast forward ten years and the appeal of meditation still clung. I knew there had to be something in it. A few friends of mine had been on Vipassana courses and come back enthused about it, but for two years I sat back and made excuses why I didn't have the time or the money to attend. Through a friend I attended a wonderful yoga retreat in Morocco in January and we practiced some meditation as part of the course and so finally I committed to attend one of the courses run by meditation teacher Burgs (a disrobed Western monk), at a course run by the Art of Meditation.
Jax (my yoga teacher) and I arrived flustered after a long journey taking much longer than expected and finishing in the dark, reversing into a hedge and stumbling in the darkness into the house where the other attendees were serenely supping their evening soup. I looked every inch a blonde city girl in need of spiritual salvation.
The house itself, Poulstone Court, is tucked away in the Herefordshire hills. A beautiful part of the country only 15 miles from Wales. The red brick mansion house is home to numerous spiritually based retreats from Shamanic Healing to writers retreats - clearly catering for a range of tastes.
After an introduction on the evening of arrival, allocation of bedrooms (I was sharing with three other women) we took our vow of 'noble silence' which would hold (other than to ask questions during teaching discourses) for the next 6 days. I found it wonderfully liberating to be able to truly meet myself away from the usual day to day distractions. We ate our food (some recipes here) in a contemplative silence, enjoying and savouring each mouthful. The days were gently regulated with the tinkling of a bell which woke us at 6am and sounded for the final discourse after supper each day.
I was surprised to find that at least half of the 32 attendees were returning for their second, fifth, twelfth time. Having been expecting to walk away from my first time retreat 'fixed' I soon realised that I had taken what is in fact a very small step on a journey that will last a lifetime. Initially I found the sessions daunting. We started with sitting for 20 minutes, cross legged on our cushions, at a time and worked up to 45 minute 'sits'. The discomfit my body gradually lessened and the deeper I fell into the rhythm of my body the less I felt in pain. The twice daily practice of Chi gung helped to realign the body after the sessions, with it's combination of rhythmic breathing and mindful movements.
A blog entry is in no way sufficient (without outstaying my welcome) to convey the experiences I went through or the fascinating teachings that I had the privilege to have the opportunity to learn from Burgs. He is a teacher of great skill, presence, depth and humour. A rare combination and an inspiring one. We literally hung on his every word, drinking up the simple suggestions for a more peaceful and happy life. I look forward to the next retreat in six months.
“If you can quieten the mind enough to begin to listen to the heart, you will find that you already have the answers you seek.”
A Brighton Love Story
A few of my favourite pictures from a pre wedding shoot with Matt and Meredith down on the Brighton front. It was a gorgeously crisp day with a blue sky and we had the use of very fancy 1934 Rolls Royce for an hour. They were great fun to work with as you can see from the smiles.
These boots were made for walking
I was recently introduced to the lovely Louise at her fabulous boutique The Jackson's on All Saints Road (also on Ledbury Road) and helped them out with a little picture of their latest delightful offering, these AMAZING suede boots (these are blue they also have black). Being 5'11'' I'm not often found in heels but these felt like I was floating on air. Incredibly comfortable and super flattering they made my legs go on for miles. They stock the most gorgeous range of clothes, shoes and jewellery and I'm heading back there on Thursday to photograph some more of their stock. It's cruel really as I know I'll want to take it all home with me. Take a look at more of their stuff at The Jacksons - they have a fantastic sale on at the moment. Love, love, love.
Nights at the theatre... (a Valentine's treat)
A little treat on Valentines day - some cute girls in their smalls.... I had a wonderful afternoon in Brighton last week at The Proud Ballroom shooting some very gorgeous and very talented burlesque dancers on a shoot organised by Melissa Love Design and Tigz Rice in conjunction with Joanne Fleming Design and She Said Boutique. Hair and make-up by Miss Honey Bear.
Oscar
I had a lovely email from an old client and friend yesterday; Nathalie. I photographed Nathalie twice at the end of 2010. Once when she was 4 months pregnant and then again when her gorgeously little boy Oscar was born and he was only 2 weeks old. Nathalie's email reminded me that Oscar was already one now and ready for his next portrait shoot which I am so delighted to be doing. It's a lovely aspect of my job that I get to meet and know families - and watch them grow. Similarly I am fortunate to be shooting the weddings of two sisters of two different brides whose weddings I have photographed over the last couple of years. It's always wonderful to follow and be part of the lives of my brides as their own families grow. A couple of pictures of Nathalie pregnant followed by Oscar aged 2 weeks... I'll have the updated versions by the end of March after our next session....
Family or baby portrait sessions are from £250 and include a couple of hours shooting time at c. 30 images on a disc for you to keep and print from.
Starting 2012 the yoga way
To ensure that I was fully in mind and body to start the wedding season of 2012 I kicked off the year with a friend at a yoga retreat on the coast in Morocco. This was the first retreat I had ever been on and so I arrived with an open mind and willingness to embrace whatever was on offer. Needless to say the excesses of the holiday season had taken it's toll and I was happy to cut out alcohol, caffeine and meat. Our group of 10 were effectively guinea pigs for the soft opening of the resort and so we had the run of the place. The resort itself, Paradis Plage, sits just along the coast from Tagazhout, a surfing town 40 minutes outside of Agadir, the nearest airport and has billed itself as a 'surf, yoga and spa' retreat . The tiny fishing village sits along side hills that ripple softly like fabric and the earthy coloured buildings squat low to the ground.
The rooms are all spacious apartments, simply decorated and with stunning views of the sea. The yoga sala was perfectly set upon the edge of the sea with 240 degree views of the coastline. Jax May Lysycia the instructor is the most beautifully honed woman whose body is an inspiration! She led us through 4 hours of yoga and meditation each day; two hours in the morning after a silent beach walk during sunrise as the long shadows reached across the textured sands of the empty beach, and two hours in the evening as the sun dropped into the sea in front of us. Under her reassuring guidance I found myself able to discover a flexibility in my body that I never knew I had, leaving me feel strong, supple and graceful before the end of the week and with a craving to do yoga daily.
We were particularly lucky to have had a group of 10 who bonded immediately and we spent a blissful week relaxing in the gorgeous winter sun, surfing, trekking in the dusty but aptly named Paradise Valley, paddle boarding on lake and enjoying a hammam in the spa.
And then the drive back to Marrakesh for two days of city (and excessive eating!) with new and old friends and staying at the spectacular Villa Filali with it's eclectic mix of traditional Moroccan style with flashes of kitsch.
The retreat was organised by Formentera Yoga who are based in Ibiza and run retreats throughout the year. I can't wait to book onto the next one and it will be without doubt and ongoing pilgrimage.
An unusual birthday present
It was my birthday on Sunday and I had the most wonderful present from a good friend in the shape of the opportunity to shoot an absolutely gorgeous model. When we were at the National Portrait Gallery to see the BP Portrait Prize
exhibition earlier this year we were drawn to a beautiful nude which we were surprised to see that his uncle had collaborated on with the artist Louis Smith. Fast forward six months and I receive a birthday message from Holly, the model, who has been booked by my friend for a half day shoot.
It's put a smile on my face and goes down as the most creative and thoughtful present of this year. I can't wait to start planning an extra special shoot with her in the New Year.
A few hours in Luxor
I haven't blogged at all this week and that's mainly because I have spent the bulk of my time, since Monday, on an aeroplane on a crazy route that has shown me (or at least seen me touch down in) Jordan, Ethiopia, Israel, Portugal, America and finally I am on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. I didn't get much time for photography but I did steal a few hours in Luxor, Egypt and made a visit to the temple ruins at Karnak, on the edge of the Nile.
Whilst I love the architecture, for me the people give these places character and provide a context for a story, a history and point of interest. After I left the temple I walked slowly back to the hotel, enjoying the street. It's pretty quiet in Luxor at the moment, the hotel was virtually empty, because of the recent troubles in Egypt. I found the people very friendly and warm and overall receptive to my camera.
Loving oysters
I was having supper at my favourite place in London to have oysters the other night, Tom Conran's Irish Pub, The Cow on Westbourne Park Road and it reminded me of a set of images I took earlier in the year at The Jersey Oyster Company which I hadn't got around to posting yet. My family are from Jersey and my uncle is involved in growing oysters. He took me down to the oyster beds where the oysters are placed in metal bags and held to the beach in order to be subjected to the tides. They are later taken to the grading shed and packhouse behind my grandparent's house in St Martin with the larger oysters retrieved and the maturing oysters returned to the bags for further growth. It's a fascinating process and quite labour intensive.
