Southwest End Girls head East

Just over a week ago, my older daughter and I made a day trip to East London.  Now this is a remarkable experience as we embark on the District Line from Kew and get off at at Whitechapel.  Remarkable because Shoreditch is just teaming with life - and with colours, sounds and smells you don't see in the Richmond area. We took a look inside the Whitechapel Gallery (what a space!), poked around Petticoat Lane, then headed off to Spitalfields Market.  I wasn't expecting such a fantastic place - this market is packed with extremely high quality clothes, food and crafts.  It's more fun than Covent Garden.  We then made our way to Brick Lane as I was on a mission to photograph some of its famous murals.

We rounded off the day by catching the tube at the Monument.  One of the best days out ever.

Kate & Henry's Wedding in Richmond

A few weeks ago I had the distinct privilege to be second shooter at Kate & Henry’s wedding in Isleworth and reception at the Ham Polo Club.  It was really such a contemporary, stylish and above all fun event. 

The colour scheme was multi and vibrant: all the bridesmaid wore different coloured shoes including the bride whose pumps were cobalt blue.  The ceremony was beautiful and quite traditional, but it also shone with the colourful flowers and wedding party outfits.

The Ham Polo Club is a brilliant place for a wedding reception.  With a lovely terrace overlooking the polo field and exercise track, the feel was both stylish and funky, particularly in the way that the dining room was decorated: all twinkly lights, colourful place settings and a sweetie buffet.

  

It was such a pleasure to have been able to second shoot for the Kew-based photographer Vicki Sharp; am so grateful that she asked me.

SME Growth Accelerator Clinic

This past Friday I had the privilege of photographing the SME Growth Accelerator Clinic in the offices of PayPal in Richmond.  Rarely have I attended a workshop as enjoyable and worthwhile: its aim to help the vital SME sector address the challenges that hinder their growth.  The importance of this segment of the supply side of the economy was underscored by the presence and speeches by Vince Cable and Zac Goldsmith.  Our local mayor, Meena Bond showed her support as well.  I found particularly vital and interesting the talk about the importance and opportunity of sustainable business practices and the unintended consequences of changes in planning regulations to increase the housing stock.  Many congratulations to Helen Roberts of CGP for a great event.

Bouquet Tied for the Model Bride

Last week the highly talented hair and makeup stylist, Caroline St. Clare Grondona worked her magic on model (and art student) Lauren Childs.  You realise just how much time and effort is required to prepare a bride-to-be for her wedding and photos: a great deal!  I’m so privileged to have been able to take pictures, both studio-style and out in the garden.  I’m also very grateful to the Petal Pusher on Sandycombe Road in Kew for putting together such a lovely bouquet at such short notice!

  

London at Low Light

A few weeks ago, our photography instructor, the very talented Zig Mroz treated us to a viewing of his MA project which featured a series of shots he took of the exterior of his lovely apartment complex in Teddington at dusk.  Explaining that he used shutter speeds of up to and sometimes exceeding ten minutes, the results were stunning.  By choosing this particular method he was able to capture not only the incredible subtlety and richness of colour and texture of the environment, but the psychological - almost stage-like - quality of a community who rarely connect.

His photos were tremendously inspiring to me.  Three days after seeing them I was up before the larks to see what I could achieve in low light along the Thames near the City of London.  And if you're ever interested, there's a car park near London Bridge open all night for £16/hr.  And if you go when I did on the weekend, there's no congestion charge.  And here's something funny: I've lived in the UK for 24 years and in all that time had never been to Tower Bridge.

Southbank: the Liveliest Place in London

Twenty years ago Royal Festival Hall and its environs were pretty dreary - definitely not a destination for the family.  There was no Eye and the area between the Thames and Waterloo was quite frankly dodgy.  Fast forward to last Sunday and it's practically unrecognisable: so vibrant and completely brimming full of events, including street performers, restaurants, market food, a carousel, music, second-hand books and Londoners & visitors that come in their droves to enjoy a sunny afternoon.  It gave me the opportunity to snap some environmental portraits of some of the more colourful characters.