Crovie

On our trip to Scotland during Easter, we travelled through the Cairngorms up to the seaside villages of Moray. My favourite of them all was the picturesque and tiny village of Crovie, which is lying on a narrow ledge between the cliffs and the sea. Due to its location, you have to leave your car up on the cliff and take some steep steps down (and back!) to the village. Which is absolutely beautiful and so very peaceful. You definitely hear no cars only the waves and the occasional seagulls. If you’re ever in the area, do not miss this tiny, tranquil place.

Chatsworth - Early Spring

After a very wet first visit to Chatsworth last Autumn and on my way to a very exciting photo shoot in Yorkshire, I decided to stop at Chatsworth again to see the gardens in early Spring. I just love how behind the fancy house, there’s this most beautiful working garden with my favourite shed in the world. Look ..

The work I love

This year started at 200mph and I haven’t yet had the chance to write about what I’ve been up to over the last year or so. So instead of writing such a post, I thought it would be nice to give you an overview of my work as a photographer.

Gardens

I feel extremely lucky to be regularly commissioned by House & Garden magazine to photograph some stunning gardens in the UK and abroad.

One of these gardens was Torrecchia Vecchia in Italy, which Dan Pearson worked on for several years. This was published in May 2018 and later that year I photographed Dan in his private garden in Somerset. One of these images, from this visit, will be used at Chatsworth on an interpretation board explaining Dan’s role in replanting the Trout Stream at Chatsworth.

In the March 2019 issue of House & Garden you can see this garden of another great garden designer Arne Maynard. When I look at these images, I get so excited again, as photographing in the first morning light is something most magical and impossible to explain. You definitely must experience it.

I also photograph gardens for private commissions, this was one of those. If you’d like me to photograph your own garden, do get in touch. I have some exciting garden shoots for this year too, private and not so private ones, I can’t reveal much about these just now.

All things flowers

I often work with Green and Gorgeous flower farm and photograph some of their courses.

Like the one with the most charming Shane Connolly

or the ever so talented Debbie George. I visited Debbie in Yorkshire too and photographed her in her beautiful home. You’ll all be able to see it later this year, I’ll let you know when and where.

I also often shoot with Botanikafloral, and a 4 part series of our collaboration appeared in Country Living UK in 2018-19.

I often work with Claire at Honeysuckle and Hilda. She teaches floral styling classes and these are always very informative and fun. Pictured here is Sarah at Simply by Arrangement from one of those hot Summer’s day classes held in Hambleden, Oxfordshire.

I love when people contact me and ask me to photograph their projects that are so dear to their heart. This is how Sarah from Growthfully contacted me and trusted me with images for her brand new website.

We had several shoot days but one of them was really special, Sarah had the idea to set up a class in a beautiful glasshouse and garden in Berkshire.

All things beautiful and creative

I’m very much an introvert and photographing gardens and flowers has always suited me, hiding behind the camera, being on my own in a garden was something I always felt most comfortable with. But then photography opened up this brand new, very exciting world to me that I absolutely love! I get to meet so many talented people, I love working with those who love what they do. This of course includes all those I’ve mentioned above too.

Some of these inspiring people are Natasha from Hill View Farm and my favourite potter, Joanna Oliver. I photographed them for a local independent magazine, Chiltern Food Magazine.

Events

Another place that definitely brought me out of my introvert shell is Soho House. I can’t publish images from all the shoots there due to their privacy policy but I’m sure Santa and Sophie Ellis-Bextor won’t mind their photos here from the Snow-Ho event this Winter. At Soho (usually at the Farmhouse in Oxfordshire) I shoot bigger events but sometimes private birthday parties, as well.

Lucky me, I got to shoot the soft opening of the brand new and classy Mollie’s Diner. It was a super important and very hectic night for them, I was whizzing around busy waiters and hungry guests. Thanks to the images I took here, I was asked by Kirsty Young to photograph at one of their private family dinners. I was so excited, like probably never before.

And this brings me to this story. Years ago, when I was busy putting together my garden photography portfolio, on my way to a garden, I was listening to Desert Island Discs on the radio, the one where Kirsty was talking with Dan Pearson. Who would have thought that not so later on, I’d meet both of them ..

I also shoot weddings. And I’m lucky that weddings that are very close to my own style find me so I enjoy these thoroughly. Long grass and a wildflower meadow by the Thames, yes please!

Or other private parties like birthdays or anniversaries. Again, country house, garden party and super hosts, yes please.

This year, there will be more gardens, some of them abroad, there will be dream commissions (I absolutely cannot wait to share these with you) and I’ll be teaching a lot. I’ll be teaching 1:1 classes for some of Britain’s most talented florists, I’ll be teaching classes at Daylesford Farm and I often teach at home too. I love teaching, as I’m actually a teacher by profession and I also love to give so that’s only natural to share the knowledge and love for photography.

So voilà, I hope the above gives you a very good idea of what I do and what my style is. If you’d like to work with me, please do get in touch. If you’d like to follow my journey as a photographer, you can always find me here or on Instagram.

Swyncombe

Swyncombe to me is the most peaceful place around us. Whenever I want to be somewhere quiet, I take a short drive to Swyncombe. But I also go there every early Spring when the snowdrops appear and cover the churchyard with their tiny white bells. The snowdrops are returning soon so if you’re planning a visit, keep an eye on the church’s website for the best times to go. Here’s what you’ll find ..

Boxing Day Walk in the Cotswolds

I do love the Cotswolds. It’s not too far from us and we’re lucky with the traffic around Oxford, we can get there within almost half an hour. Although I love a walk when we don’t have to use the car, I really fancied a walk somewhere else. So off we went. to the tiny village of Swinbrook in the Cotswolds. We parked at the churchyard and took a walk along the river Windrush. One of the most beautiful part of our walk was the tiny St Oswald’s Church in Widford. In 1904 it was found to have been built on the base of a Roman house or temple. It’s mainly from the 13th century but it has remnants of an 11th century Saxon or Norman building. Wonderful church to visit especially at Christmas time.

Christmas Day Walk

And after our champagne breakfast, it was time for a walk. We didn’t go too far, only our neighbouring village. The park, of the big house, has lots of beautiful Lebanon cedars and its lake has swans and if you’re lucky you can see a kingfisher too. And if you’re even luckier, you’ll find snowdrops in the churchyards on Christmas Day. Happy Christmas!

Gingerbread

Last year I created a gingerbread recipe book. I updated it with some new images this year.
Click on the image to download your Gingerbread recipe book. Happy baking!

Pishill Birthday walk

I think this December walk in Pishill might become one of my favourite traditions. We went last year as well, it was much colder then and Christmas was nearer too. This year it was really mild but it was still festive and just the loveliest Birthday gift I could get. So here’s some pictures from our walk today in the most beautiful countryside around Pishill and then tea and cake at the church. Thank you so-so much Justine and Stanley!