Down on the farm #Countrykids
Another day going AWOL from nursery last week saw us going to a strawberry farm to pick/eat some strawberries. The way it seemed to work was that i picked the strawberries and the girls ate them! Hmmmm. They were a little bit put off in the strawberry patches as there were a lot of prickles.
But the redcurrant bushes in their long military style lines were a much better hit. Easy to reach and pick, pretty and luminesence in the lovely sunshine and tons of space to run up and down before a quick trip on the tractors in the greenhouse which GOOD LORD…was stifling. I mean i can take a bit of heat but wowsers..i was begging the girls to finish up and saying in a manic voice ‘shall we go and get an ice-cream!!”
Was really fun watching my two little girls just be buddies together. We are going to miss her in september when she heads off to school!
A baby for christmas #motivationalmonday #themondayclub
The day before, the day before came and went with nothing,
presents wrapped
the day after too, passed by in silence.
Candles lit, carols at midnight
The day itself dawned and crawled by, slowly, with festivities and anxiety.
Not today, no..not today. Let this not be the day.
It wasn’t.
I sighed.
Sighed that it wasn’t that day.
Sighed that it wasn’t a day.
Come on that day.
Come on!
pudding and cream eaten, washed with cups of tea.
More days came and went, a whole seven days…
24 hours of waiting..
seven more night times wondering, waiting, niggling…anticipating!
Slowly giving up and settling in for a long haul but then….
surprised….
tossing and turning…
becoming breathing and leaning..
phone calls, decisions, excitement rising…
Twinkling lights.
little ones sleeping…still
Kisses dropped on heads, bags by the door.
Ready to go.
The journey.
little donkey plays, then silent night
short and painful journey.
cursing.
speed bumps.
jingle bells all the way
Breathing
heavily.
rocking.
sitting.
standing.
pain.
rocking around the christmas tree.
momentum disappearing
Heart rate drifting.
People running.
Alarms blaring.
We wish you a merry christmas.
Panic starting to flood my veins. Fear.
My hand held, strong words spoken.
Time to get to work.
Fast.
Game face on.
She arrived. Screaming, full of life.
Indignant.
Here.
Safe.
Our beautiful Christmas baby who arrived on New years Eve.
This post is inspired by one of my favourite writers who I have mentioned before. The fabulous Oldermum.
Also by a happy accident earlier today when i was walking out of the maternity hospital in which i work and i noticed in the corridor a heavily pregnant woman leaning on the wall. She was gently and quietly rocking backwards and forwards while her partner, next to her was on the phone to what was clearly their young son at home. “are you going to go to bed like a good boy now?’ I heard him say. Made me smile a warm, hearty smile and remember my own babies being born.
This little girl of mine was the only one out of five who was late..properly late….and i found it so hard to cope with…we had been expecting her before christmas but she had other plans. She knew what she wanted and when she would show up. A little bit what she is like now really! 😉
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Growing and learning #photography101 #mamarazzi
Firstly I wanted to say in this weeks mamarazzi how stoked i am to be included in the TOTS100 top 20 photography blogs. I have that wee little badge displayed over to the left and you can click there to see some of the other wonderful photographers that are included in the list. Thank you again Madame Tot.
So onwards…
This post is going to be a little bit different to others than i have done in the past as it is a little self indulgent and a lot about me and what i have learned recently. Which may not be something you are interested in or it may be, so please bear with me. At least enjoy the images.
As a bit of background…about 3 years ago when i was very heavily pregnant with my last baby I was flicking through a photography magazine when i noticed a small advert for photographers to go on workshops for editorial purposes. I sent them a quick email and 5 minutes later the phone rang and a journalist was asking me if i could be in manchester in 7 days time.
It took a HUGE amount of bravery because I was pretty new to it and was paranoid that everyone there would have vastly more knowledge than me. Which being honest they did but i learnt SO much on that day  (and got some of my photos published!) that it was the one of the best learning experiences of my photography journey. Stuff that i learnt on that day changed the way i shoot and i told myself there and then that i wanted to come back and do this sort of workshop.
It took a while for me to get round to deciding what it was that i wanted to do a workshop on. I have always been inspired by the use of light in a photograph…and the use of creative flash. Thats not horrible on camera red eye but off camera stunning light art images.
My goal for 2013 was to understand flash and Brett Harkness is pretty much a grand master at creative flash, both producing it and teaching it. So that was where i went. With three other photographers. A day with Brett, to critique our work (scary) and learn the art of creative flash.
It was such a fabulous day, opening up a huge range of possiblities. You know those amazing shots where the sky is a beautiful deep dark colour and yet the bride and groom are fabulously lit? This is how its done.
After lunch we got to have a go with high speed sync flash and off camera flash, using some real HUGE power packs that give out a huge amount of zap!
I was inspired..so inspired…wanting to go out and buy a tonne of stuff (none of which i can right now) and drag my kids onto the hills and shoot some amazing skies and skylines. So i will get practicing with what i have right now. What i was inspired the most by was that we were in a studio in the middle of a mill, a wood mill, with a fairly grotty carpark and STILL you can use the background to get some amazing images. Even our battered old car came to life as part of an sophisticated, grown up image. Transformed by the master of the light.
As i always say, its all about the light. When there isnt natural light available or that natural light is far too bright and harsh. Step in the most awesome and creative use of flash and you don’t have to worry any more.
Before you check out some of the shots from the day let me just really really recommend doing a workshop, not one of those £19.00 photography days that you get on groupon. A real, proper workshop with a photographer whose work you admire and aspire to. I cannot tell you just how much you learn. Just do it!!
so here are some of the shots from the day. Not my usual subject, the very lovely model Liz, who was incredibly patient and gracious with a baby photographer who faced with a professional model went somewhat quiet!!
Not just for christmas… #motivationalmonday #mondayclub #magicmoments
I was struggling with what to write for this week, especially something about christmas, not being the best planned for the festive season. I generally don’t think about christmas until much closer to the season. So thinking about it that little catchphrase that has been used by the RSPCA Â ‘a dog is for life and not just for christmas’
A little over a year ago we were embarking tentatively on our first steps towards purchasing a little doggy companion for our family. My eldest daughter had been banging the ‘can we have a dog’ drum for a long time. She told us that she used to dream about having a dog. She was pretty relentless. Her enthusiasm wasn’t the entire reason for us considering it. Although i did say after having a rabbit that was begged and begged for and then largely ignored by all except me and the OH, there was no way we were having another animal that I, personally, didn’t want. Seeing as I ended up doing most of the looking after!
So we started thinking about it…we had dogs in my family from when i was about 10 so it was a pretty easy decision for me, the OH took a bit more persuading. 😉
When i was growing up we always had golden retrievers, which are fabulous family pets but they are big and hairy and our requirements were small and not hairy at all. One of our kids has a slight allergy to animal hair and so it was really important to get a dog that might reduce the possibility of this happening.
So our criteria for what we wanted in a dog was:
1. small – we have a 7 seater car, so there are no ‘seats’ available for a dog, its the foot well or nothing so the dog has got to be small
2.no hair – well obviously hair, as in not a naked, no hair dog, but a dog that doesn’t moult
3. a very very calm and tolerant
We did some research and we came up with this little guy:
He is a miniature schnauzer, a breed that is well known for its calm, even character and laid back approach. I wanted a dog that didnt NEED tons of exercise. Sure we wanted a dog that would run with the kids for miles and miles if needed but i also wanted a dog that would be happy with a walk round the block to ahem ‘make himself comfortable’ and that would be enough without its excess energy frying its head and tearing up our floorboards in its boredom. This isnt because we aren’t active every day but sometimes we just cannot fit in a long walk.
There was much agony over what we were going to name our dog. We got him from a breeder in Lancashire and on the way back there was much discussion. Names flying about ranged from sublime to ridiculous but it was an impass. Wondering if we were ever going to get to a point of agreement as we were driving past a truck i noticed the name O”Reilly on the side and i said ‘ooh what about Riley?’ and in a moment of harmony everyone agreed and that was it. We weren’t going back. So he was named before we got him home.
Initially having a puppy, I did wonder on a couple of occasions if i have completely taken leave of my senses. I had a baby of 18 months, a 3 year old with very sketchy success in the number 2 department and an incontinent dog….
It felt like i bought a LOT of cleaning products!
Not to mention the fact that my youngest took great delight in trying to get in the dogs bed, food, water..anything to do with him really…and puppies are snappy as you probably know and we had a few little nipping incidents and i sent Riley scolded to his bed with a bewildered look on his face..
She still does lie on him, drag him about and if she can get hold of the lead she ‘walks’ him around the house for hours and hours and he incredibly puts up with it with such good nature. He knows no different, he was a tiny 7 weeks when we got him. His life is a merry band of brothers and sisters that may just have 2 less legs than him but eat much more interesting food than he does!
Despite my initial panic about our decision, having a dog has really bought a lovely dimension to the family. The kids play with him a lot, he plays endlessly with them, happy to just follow them, waiting for them to throw a ball. He loves each of them and is always thrilled to see him. When we are out he is always wanted to be near whoever is in the front of the group. He is, like ive said, super tolerant and sweet natured whilst being rolled on and pulled around by any of the kids.
Best thing though is that thrilled, enthusiastic reception you get from a dog when you come home. With fail. He is the first at the door and the first to make a fuss of someone coming home. Way to make you feel wanted pup!! 🙂
All growed up!
