A weekend in the country

 I was lucky enough to spend a wonderful weekend away with my daughter in Camber Sands in the south of England. It was a perfect escape an hour and a half out of London. Our days were spent with an early morning walk along the beach followed by yoga and a trip into the nearby town of Rye which is full of lovely antique shops and gift shops. Our afternoons were again spent on the beach followed by a delicious dinner and an early night. Getting away is so good in so many ways and I have come back enthused and full of ideas and projects.

Cobbled streets and ice cream shops in Rye
Early morning walks on the beach at Camber Sands



Shingle beach at Dungeness


Another cobbled street in rye


Comfort zones

 Do you ever get out of your comfort zone? Being in England has made me rethink my photography and my comfort zones. I am so used to grabbing my camera for my photo a day, walking along the beach, photographing the sea, surfers, swimmers etc etc, a whole plethora of choices but here in London it's not quite the same. I have swapped my photography equipment, sold a camera and lens for a beautiful second hand option and I am loving it. The new camera is small and I can walk around London with it without being noticed. I am enjoying taking pictures of London life but no theme is emerging. 

I watched a really interesting zoom the other day where they interviewed the very talented Greta Rybus who was so open and honest about her work and struggles with inspiration, and everything to do with photography. It is so nice and refreshing to meet someone who is so happy to talk to others instead of those nameless photographers who give nothing away and only boast! anyway, I digress...what she said was, she took a portrait of a stranger once a week and I decided to do the same and yesterday I went to the Portobello markets and plucked up the courage to ask a random stranger if I could take their portrait.

Jamal was so lovely and friendly and happily stood whilst I snapped away and panicked and forgot to ask questions etc etc but it was a start and I want to push myself out of my comfort zone and do the same thing each week. How are you pushing yourself in your photography? I would love to know. 



The year of the dragon

Chinese new year was celebrated over the weekend in London, the year of the dragon. I took a trip to Chinatown to see if I could get some photos. It was absolutely packed but I hung around at the end of the parade and manage to get some pictures of the participants. We used to live in Hong Kong twenty years ago and it still gives me such a thrill to see the lion dances and the red envelopes and lanterns. I miss those days in Hong Kong, it's all so different there now and I know we were so lucky to experience the life and times we had then. To all those born in the year of the dragon I wish you a happy and prosperous year. 














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