3.31.2012

Copy Cat Friday #4



(^this was the best of many failed attempts :P)





For this month's CopyCat Friday series, I thought I'd attempt to copy this picture of Meredith


{via}

Her blog was one of the first I ever read and one of the main reasons I started blogging :) She does this awesome 'Picture of the Week' series and a while back she posted three photos of her day in stages and I just loved the second picture! Ever since, I have been set on finding something in that colour combination and this was the closest I could get. Ok, so my jeans aren't brown, more of a terracotta red, but you get the idea :P I was going to attempt to put on lipstick as well but a) I am awful at it so I would have looked like the joker and b) I don't have a coordinating colour like Meredith!

And just a heads up to let you guys know that today was the last day of college and I am so pumped for the holidays! Hopefully I'll be able to post more frequently :D

See ya,

Say :)

Frills for Thrills CopyCats

3.29.2012

Vlog 1?





So today I thought I'd link up with Andi and Ashley's 'girl behind the blog' vlog series!

I have never done this kind of thing before and I sort of maybe sound like a reporter, but it was a lot of fun- you should totally see the out-takes!

Oh and I thought I should just explain one thing for those of you who actually watch the video. My boyfriend's middle name is Oliver, and on this blog I refer to him by the name Oliver, but his first name is actually Nathan so by accident I referred to him in my vlog as Nathan :P In real life I use the two names interchangeably (if that is even a word!)

I really hope you like it, I felt like a total idiot sitting in the park behind Oliver's house whilst all the dog walkers tried to keep their dogs away from the camera! Luckily all those 'cool kids' playing basketball were too far away to watch- that would have been too much!

Cheers,

Say :)

5ohwifey

3.26.2012

Country girl




The best thing about living in the middle of nowhere is that this field is practically my garden. If you go to the end of my actually garden, it's just sitting there, all green and grassy. Oliver and I found it on the very first day of our village lives and it is by far my favourite of all the fields we have found. Unlike the old rail line or the main footpath trails, it is mostly deserted, bar the odd friendly dog walker! Here we shot this couple shoot and on Saturday I decided to explore it on my own. It was absolutely beautiful weather and I just set up my camera on the floor, stuck it on timer and took photo after photo.


Sometimes I honestly think that this field is worth only having four shops for. Sometimes.

Say :)

3.24.2012

Drama students, eh?

So I started off taking beautiful portraits such as this,


But apparently that's way too mundane. Cue random melodramatic and odd photos.


 Reading love poetry, for example.


Or getting emotional over Antony and Cleopatra.


Or maybe even taking over the top couple photos.


(you can tell who the drama student is!)



Oh, and they aren't a couple. Just thought I'd point that out :P

Pretty standard shoot tbh.

Happy Saturday!

Say :)

3.22.2012

HUNGER GAMES!!

Just a quick post as it's nearly midnight over here :)

Oliver and I have just been on a date to see the awesome Hunger Games and I was so impressed. One word for it: beautiful. Those close up shots with the bokeh= so perfect.

More tomorrow,

Say :)

3.16.2012

Shooting a princess :)





Despite the grey, grey weather we have had today, the sun was perfect for the photo shoot I did yesterday with a beautiful girl that I've known for the last 7 years, Lilly. We haven't always seen completely eye-to-eye, but I admire her for being such a strong daughter of God. In fact she very bravely fought against our German class in a debate as to whether the bible is relevant today :) She got the class to translate the message of salvation from German to English, it was amazing to hear them speak the words of the gospel :) They were kind of brutal, but I hope and pray that they heard something of the message.

Oh and don't worry, one of these days I will stop bombarding you with photo shoots!

Say :)

3.12.2012

Eats, shoots and leaves.




Portrait session with my beautiful friend, Bee :)







Music inspired couples shoot with Lena and George





And finally an impromptu shoot at the rugby club with The Band!

This week has been cray-cray (I don't know if I can say that, it seems kind of an American phrase!) as Oliver and I are trying to cram in as much practice for the Wedding as is humanly possible! I have learnt so much and even started to listen to Oliver (it turns out it really is better to shoot in RAW!), shock horror! But we are having so much fun with it :) I really liked shooting The Band actually, as I was expecting awful lighting, but I was pleasantly surprised by the floodlights! They are all unbelievably grainy as I shot most on ridiculously high ISO's, but I am pretty happy.

See y'all later,

Say :)

3.10.2012

Letters + Love: introducing Chasing Kite Tails







Guys, I would like to introduce to my dear friend, Rae, who blogs over at Chasing Kite Tails. She runs this beautiful and inspirational project called Letters + Love where she sends letters of encouragement to those who want or need it. As those who read my blog regularly know, my life is a bit cra-zy at the moment, and when I saw her project, I knew that I should get in contact. So I emailed her the situation, and my address- ok, I know I shouldn't give my address to strangers, but she seemed genuinely lovely- and a week or so later, this letter popped through my door. She has an amazing gift for writing and I was so moved by what she wrote. Everything she wrote was both relevant and true. She sent me a beautiful passage from the bible as well as encouragement and support. Thank you so much, Rae :)

Sometimes God speaks to you in extraordinary ways! If you had told me a year ago that support would come from an American woman who I had never met in my life, I would have laughed. But God is so much bigger than just my country, just my church, just my immediate support network. And he has given me a friend just when I needed one.

So guys, check out her awesome site and if you or anyone you know would benefit from a letter from Rae, I'm sure she would love to get to know you too :)

Love,

Say :)

Ps. Rae, I'll send you your letter back some time this week :)

3.07.2012

Escape to the country...






Told you I would be in a field. Now, isn't my new home gorgeous? I always wanted a field, in fact, I believe I even wrote a poem about wanting a field- but that's just plain embarrassing.

Sometimes I don't understand why people love England so much, it's kind of grey and rainy and everyone is grumpy. But then I walk into a field like this one, my wellies squelching in the mud, the golden sun streaming over lush green grass. Then I know. Oliver is much more of a mountain person, so he doesn't really see my massive obsession with fields, but I love it. I am so happy to live next door to such beautiful countryside. I hope you guys love fields, too, as I have a feeling they are going to feature A LOT in my future photos! And who can blame me!

See y'all later,

Say :)

3.06.2012

Living the right life... for me.

      

Today I'm linking up with the wonderful Megan and Ashley for their series on living the right life, hence the above title :P

It really struck a chord with my life at the moment, as the situation I am facing currently means that I haven't really had time for doing what is right for me, and I have found myself focusing solely on others. Now, that makes me sound all good and selfless, and believe me I don't mean it in that way. I just haven't really been thinking about what I personally need, but rather focusing on everyone else. And now I am completely drained. Drained of energy and hope and direction. As one of my mentors said, if I continue this way I will fall to pieces.

I didn't want to be deep on my blog, I didn't want to bog you guys down with the mess that is my life right now, but I just thought it was a really important message.

Sometimes you can't do everything.
Sometimes you can't help everyone.
Sometimes people who you love don't and won't listen to you.
Sometimes you need to say enough is enough.
Sometimes you need some time for yourself.

Talking to my mentor, she asked me what I had done this weekend. Then she asked me what I wanted to do that weekend. My answers were very different.

I have just moved to the countryside, where deer come into our garden and our next door neighbours have chickens. All I wanted to do was go out with my camera and explore my new home. All I wanted to do was tramp through muddy fields in wellies with a big grin on my face.

But yet I didn't.

Sometimes I get caught up in what I should be doing and what will happen if I don't do what I am supposed to be doing. I get worried that I am not doing enough, that what I am doing is wrong and I hate that no matter how much I try and please everyone, I always fall short. In this case, stupidly, I have let my college work slide. And yes, my teachers understand why. But that doesn't make me feel any better.

I am completely worn through. So I think it's about time that I started listening to Megan and trade in the 'shoulds' for a few of my 'wants'. So if you need me, I'll be in a field with my camera.



Love,

Say :)

3.04.2012

I guess I'd better practice...








Sorry about my lack of posting/commenting/blogging in any way, shape or form but I have had a hectic week! Moving house has meant that I have had no internet access :( And Oliver's dad took my camera to Nepal! But don't panic- I will be back in the blogging sphere ASAP.

On a much more exciting note, Oliver and I have been asked to shoot a wedding! Now, whilst this is very cool, it is also kind of scary. Hence the title of this post: we must practice!! Every Thursday at college I am going to shoot different people to try and get better at portraits :) The photos above are a few shots from my very first practice session with two of my beautiful friends, Trudy and Emily. They aren't amazing, but they are a start!

Watch this space!

Say :)