about me
Without a doubt, my inspiration to become a photographer came from my Dad who, although an engineer by profession, was also a wonderful, accomplished landscape photographer.
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I was born whilst snow was falling during one very cold January.
By the age of two I was already staring with fascination into Dad’s camera, one of my earliest memories!
At eighteen Dad accompanied me to Jessop’s in Leicester and we bought my first SLR camera, a magnificent Nikon FE!
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I was insistent about the lens, buying a 135mm portrait lens rather than starting with the basic 50mm, already knowing I wished to concentrate on portraits of children.
Following the deeply joyful experience of giving birth to my two beautiful daughters, I was given the surprising opportunity of working alongside Mike Woolley, a well-respected photographer based in the town where I grew up.
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It was with Mike that I discovered the magic of the dark room and worked with a colour printer. We also produced slides in those days and did pack shots in the studio for Golden Wonder Crisps!
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This experience gave me the confidence to eventually open my own studio in Brighton, offering only black & white photography, visiting clients in their own environment with the aim to gain the best natural photographs.
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I offered an initial consultation where we discussed clothing and I looked at the best area to do the shoot. In effect I developed my own unique style.
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My guiding maxim being that I
took natural photographs in
natural surroundings in natural light ~
image of nature/landscape
Eventually, some 17 years ago, the new challenge of living in Italy presented itself.
The journey in fact proved incredibly tough, a mountain had to almost be moved to create what exists today.
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Utter desperation, unimaginable stress, and tears were shed.
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However, with every negative is a positive, this difficult path has revealed so many good things along the way and has been a learning curve about life.
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Mountain views, breathtaking natural scenery, an abundance
of wild flowers and butterflies,
ever changing light and colour sustains me beyond my wildest dreams!
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That combined with the warm generous spirited Italians encouraging me when I first attempted to speak Italian, those passionate people whose embrace touched my soul.
And of course the food…if the Italians aren’t eating they are talking about eating, every meal a celebration with ‘the family’, from new born babies to bisnonna, everyone eating, talking laughing…together!
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This is La Dolce Vita!