Spread the word...free the chow mein

I would love to say that this story doesn’t end in chicken chow mein but unfortunately it does. When will I learn?! Not only is it pretty unhealthy, it is also a massive distraction (whilst consuming) and will make you lose your bearings/bus stop so you walk around Soho like a lost chow mein fart, confused, tired, unable to find the correct bus number and do nothing else but cry. Before you say anything, my phone was dead! I obviously didn’t cope before I had an iphone and I probably just cried a lot more. I don’t know what I cried more for though…the lack of number 14 buses or the fact that I ate the whole tub. Either way, it was a pretty rubbish Bridget Jones end to a very enjoyable gig.

Adam (Albatross) asked me to pop along and get some shots as he had bagged himself an excellent support slot for Chris Thile, Grammy Award-Winning mandolin playing genius.

The gig was at Borderline, a small Soho music venue…very cool, very strict *sigh*.

Seeing Adam again was great. I love his voice and music and the words always strike a chord in my heart. I especially like his self-deprecating audience chat. The place was pretty busy with an older and of course, more discerning crowd, but they were all on his side and attentive from the start. I can imagine this is no easy feat, but Adam pulled it off excellently and I think his music compliments Mr Thile’s performance perfectly.  

It was lovely to see fellow ex-Brightonian Dan again, and meet Jamie.

An excellent evening sadly dampened by my ‘new’ nemesis, Chinese food (formally, the Burger), a dead battery and a total lack of direction and a couple of girl tears.  

Must try harder.

A very elegant affair…

Last Saturday at Hampton Court Palace, camera in tow and a very lovely and helpful Jo Jenners by my side doing the invaluable service of bag carrying even though she is head of events at HCP (my back cannot thank her enough), I followed the first steps of newbie husband and wife, Andrew and Lucy as they wandered through the exquisite grounds of the late, late, very late Henry VIII’s pretty swish pad.

Lucy and Andy have great taste. Fact! I loved the black and white theme (girl after my own heart there) and everything from the venue to the table settings, the flowers, the canapés, to a stunning Vera Wang dress, everything screamed, ‘We know how to throw a very elegant affair!’

There wasn’t a drop of rain and it was one of those lovely warm, balmy days with big smiles, lots laughter and a few tears to boot. Lucy and Andy are fairly camera shy so I found myself directing a bit more than usual and me (being me), I felt a little intrusive at times, but I hope they don’t mind when they see the images. I also hope they didn't mind my inappropriate pervy(ish) joke…Why? Oh why? Oh why do I do it?! Luckily for me, they both have a pretty good sense of humour and hopefully not great hearing so.... 'I think I got away with it!'....(Basil Faulty/The Germans style).

Lucy and Andy are a gorgeous, friendly couple who are totally in love, but also have their own aspirations and goals and what is so wonderful to see is that they appear to support each others completely. Someone once said (it may have been a Priest or Kahlil Gibran or my Mother or the wise dude who props up bar at my local...I don’t recall)
‘It is not two people coming together as one, but two people with their own paths running side by side’. I honestly believe this is how marriage should be and I think Lucy and Andy are a perfect example of this.

I wish them all the very best for their future together. I hope it is full of those lovely smiles, Lucy’s giggling laughter; their continued good taste and of course lots of health, wealth, Yoga and happiness ;) xx

Love a good Moynihan wedding!

Well, well...someone upstairs loves the Moynihans and they showed it by defying those Met Check & BBC weather folk, and providing us with what can only be described as perfect wedding weather;  blue skies, a warm breeze (good for flowing veils), not too hot, not too bright and the ultimate sunset to end with. One lucky lot I’d say (myself included of course).

As families go they are a pretty amazing bunch so they certainly deserve it, not only because they keep hiring me to shoot their weddings, but because they are an incredibly close family who love deeply and know how to throw a damn good party.

I shot Michael & Adele’s last year, Rob and Lucy’s last Saturday, Katie’s is next year and mentioned she would be in contact and there’s still plenty of time for Nicky…He has to conquer the Jack Daniels game first.

The getting ready shots were really very relaxed and I was made to feel instantly welcome by Lucy’s family and friends and it was definitely made funnier by Lucy’s Granddad asking me if it was my first time as a bridesmaid. I must mention at this point I was draped in 2 cameras, a flash and a camera bag and lying on the floor shooting pretty shoes.  I took it as a compliment that he thought I looked so smart.

There are so many things I want to say about this wedding. The emotion for one….A very choked up groom who had to take a few moments, quite a few times.  There was a big old frog sitting firmly in my throat at one point and I had to remind myself that I had been hired in a professional capacity, ‘For God’s sake woman, be professional!’… I was in good company though as there was not one dry eye on that top table. 

The day brought with it a very funny best man’s speech excellently executed by Matt and…um…Matt, who’s opening gag was putting blue gloves on to ‘keep it clean’ so of course the inevitable ‘It’s not the stag do!’ reverberated around the room; An incredibly beautiful and tearful bride who kept jumping up and down saying ‘I’m Mrs Moynihan, I’m Mrs Moynihan’ whilst doing the excitable seal clap; A comedic heckling Mother of the Bride who’s cake making skills are simply amazing; A well oiled master of ceremonies (Lucy's brother Tim) toasting with wine in one hand and champagne in the other; A little nephew who’s trousers kept falling down (I had to pull them back up during one of the speeches to save him the shame of public nappy exposure); An insanely chaotic throwing of the bouquet moment; A scuba mask/hood thingy from a very long time ago; An incredible sunset; A really posh car; A Spurs garter and a couple of thrones thrown in for good measure.

To end, I would like to say many congratulations to the newest member of the ‘Mrs Moynihan clan’ and to her namesake, Mr Moynihan.  Their journey started from a very young age and with a little persistence from a very patient Rob, it is now official, just call them Mr. and Mrs. Meant to Be!

    

Seven Dead at Monto

Seven Dead. Monto Water Rats. A Thursday evening. The obligatory, bad habit, burger en-route and lots of very loud music. When Joe (lead singer) asked me to pop along to take some pictures, I asked, ‘Will my ears bleed?’ His response was an unequivocal, ‘Yes’ followed by, ‘I will bring you Daisy’s (Joe’s little girls) headphones to prevent ear bleed’. I must say either Joe overplayed the ’bleed’ effect or my ears have become far too accustomed to ‘bleeding’. I think the later sadly. No need for Daisy’s headphones (my ear plugs are currently in use by my 2yr old nephew…Love all the rock and roll kiddies out there!) and my ears are still intact. The last time I saw Joe was on drums. The time before that he was on bass, and this time he is lead singer and guitarist. Is there no end to this man’s talents?!

It was great to see Kerim again and meet Seven Dead drummer, Merlin. Apt name as Joe was previously in the band Merlins. Let’s hope there isn’t the same freakiness with the current name ‘ey?!

Their set was great and it was good being back at Water Rats again. The burger was bad though. Very, very bad!  

I want to be a skinny machine

Well, I don't want to be in their band http://www.skinnymachines.com/ I just want to be a skinny machine and not a midnight eating monster. After a very, very, very flipping (I won’t swear on my little blog space) good show by Skinny Machines at the Half Moon, (and a few shandies) I was of course hungry so ate 1 x whole tub of chicken chow mein (large, to go) from some place in Putney that I probably wouldn't frequent in daylight hours..

I think I ate it all, although it wouldn't surprise me if Putney Bridge was littered with it this morning. I envisage commuters dodging remnants of said feast in the rain this morning…How very depressing.

Enough of my misdemeanours… 

If the crowd were anything to go by, I'd say that was a pretty good show last night. My ears were ringing, my heart was pounding, my memory card was full, and my personal body space was totally invaded by sweaty fans jumping like loons. I purposely packed one 2G memory card (approx. 100 raw images) certainly not enough when you are having as much fun as I was. Frantically deleting the bad in order to capture the good doesn't quite cut the mustard.

The gig was being filmed and at one point I got told off...My big head was blocking the camera. Sorry boys.

Off to the Water Rats tonight to shoot new band Seven Dead www.sevendead.co.uk  - minus shandies, minus Chow Mein. Doubtful minus sweat….

'Oh ok, I'll live there..if I have to..'

Yesterday I had the pleasure of poodling off to Knightsbridge to shoot some interiors for Lawson Robb, Chelsea based Interior Design Agency. My brief was 'moody' and 'the little things' so of course, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The wide angle room shots aren't really my thing, but the little details most certainly are! I love the minutiae of life/a scene (and of a course when it comes to weddings this is most definitely the case). I take pleasure in seeking out the little compositions that the normal eye glazes over so today it was an absolute treat for me especially going back to my property roots.


In short (no amount of superlatives will do it justice) I was in the most stunning and contemporary 4 storey house in the heart of the most desirable area of London. The design and layout is second to none and nothing has been left to chance, everything is beautifully composed in an immaculate 'made for magazine, do people actually live here? Wow! I will take one please immediately! Oh, £10m, um..ok...'


I have seen some beautiful houses in my time, but this was pretty extraordinary...a gentlemen's palace with gadgets for everything. Lawson Rob have done an incredible job. I hope they think I haven't done too badly either portraying their work, but its the 'little details' so these images will not do it justice...