Week 31 - Dexter
This is Dexter and he really is as gorgeous as he looks!
This week I finally got back to the photography I love most – a baby photoshoot. And I couldn’t have wished for a lovelier model.
At 4 months old Dexter arrived at the studio wide awake, alert, happy and calm. His skin is beautiful, his eyes are bright and blue and he has the cutest smile.
Dexter was perfectly content for me to pick him up and move him around. And he didn’t even bat an eye when mum and dad left the room for a minute.
The lights didn’t bother him and each time I called his name or made a silly noise he diligently obliged by looking straight at the camera.
And by the end of the shoot there was still no moans or grizzles, just a rub of the eyes and a beautiful tired look into the camera.
So this was the easiest job I could wish for and with so little editing required.
I’ll be delighted if you like the photos but I really can’t take too much of the credit this week. Most of it belongs to Dexter!
Week 32 - Goddess Fire Engines
I came across these 3 old ladies near St Austell on a recent trip to Cornwall and they made a lovely contrast to the sea, beach, boat and harbour images I had captured there.
The Green Goddess was manufactured by Bedford between 1953 and 1956 for the Auxiliary Fire Service. The design was based on the Bedford RL British Military trucks and they were intended to be used not to fight fires but to pump clean water in the event of a nuclear attack.
When the Auxiliary Fire Service was disbanded in 1968 the Home Office kept these old engines in reserve until 2004. I’m sure some of you, like me, remember they were used during Fire Service strikes in 1977 and 2002 and manned by the military.
During the Northern Ireland riots some were converted to riot vehicles with protection over the windows and lights. And so as not to be mistaken for Army vehicles their colour was changed from green to yellow.
When or how these three found their way into this field is anyone’s guess and I can only assume from the aged and now inadequate covering, they have been there sometime. Perhaps the original intention was to restore them to their former glory at some point.
But sadly that never happened and this is how they stand today. Badly rusted and falling to pieces. The middle machine has lost its roof completely.
Perhaps a job for the Mathewsons of “Bangers and Cash” fame. Love that programme!
Background image by Maxim Tajer on Unsplash
Week 33 - The Britannia, Guildford
Recently life has been a bit hectic and so we decided to treat ourselves to a mid-week pub lunch, for no particular reason other than we have missed having this little luxury in our life.
The weather was quite pleasant so we headed down to the River Wey in the centre of Guildford to a pub we hadn’t visited in a long time.
Being vegan it is often difficult to find much choice on the menu but I was pleasantly surprised and very much enjoyed a lunch of beetroot falafels with sweet chilli jam and a shared bowl of chips, crispy and hot!
We opted to eat inside as most of the outside tables at the front (overlooking the river) were taken.
Whilst waiting for our food a few delightfully quirky details caught my eye and as I explored the courtyard at the back there were even more interesting photo-worthy design features.
We very much liked the atmosphere of the pub and will definitely be calling in again.
Week 34 - Cotswold Country (Cotswold Stone & Cotswold Churches
This week we decided last minute to award ourselves a few days away from it all, so we headed to a lovely hotel just outside Cirencester for 3 nights. We hadn’t been before nor had time to research the highlights of the area in advance so weren’t sure what to expect.
But we weren’t disappointed. The weather was very kind so we were out all the time. And the most noticeable thing is that almost every building is built with beautiful Cotswold stone – buttery creamy yellow to every shade of grey as it ages.
We walked miles through beautiful scenic countryside and picturesque villages and explored very old stone built churches. Besides Cirencester we went to Stow-in-the-Wold, Burford and Cheltenham. Bourton-on-the-water was recommended but time ran out. So that one is on the list for next time.
We stopped for tea and cake at pretty little teashops, ate at some lovely restaurants, and enjoyed local company at the village pub. It was a smashing break and I would highly recommend the Cotswolds Country.
(I couldn’t resist catching this little Jack Russell as he glared at me from the van window in Burford!)
Week 35 - Sunflowers at Rogate Farm
I think I’ve mentioned before that I love colour so you will see what enticed me to Rogate Farm this week.
The sunflower fields are full and ready for “pick your own” sunflower visitors.
They are really good value and you can spend as much time as you like working your way through the jungle selecting the stems you like best.
The bright yellow of the flowers is so uplifting and……well, “Sunny”!
Most stems have more than one flower so you come away with a mass of glorious sunshine to take home!
And the kids had fun on the tractor, the haystacks, the tube slides and having their faces painted.