The Riseley Lending Library

I love the idea of using old phone boxes as lending libraries. I saw this one appear in Riseley recently, opposite the pub. Check it out next time you are passing!

Lee

This is Lee, a Big Issue vendor. His patch is on Broad Street, opposite Boots. He's been selling the newspaper for 12 years now.

The day I photographed Lee it was raining lightly but persistently and the pedestrians were few in number. Years of working the streets had given Lee a cheery demeanour, I was impressed by his optimism and his proactive style. Ignored by the vast majority of pedestrians, he carries on regardless, starting at 7am and finishing late. Say hi to him next time you are in Broad Street :)

"Can you take a photograph that will make my wife love me forever?"

One thing I love about being a photographer is the variety the work brings. I am primarily a portrait photographer, I love photographing families together to produce images that will be so precious in the years to come. I spend most of my time with couples on their wedding day or with families who have chosen to spend some time together and celebrating that time with portrait photography. Each event  genuinely is different due of course to the locations, the lighting and of course the lovely families who have decided to trust me with their photographs.

Occasionally over the years I've been asked to photograph something out of the ordinary (and had some pretty weird requests from time to time as you might imagine!)

Last month I received an email from Peter who wanted to commission me to photograph a tree that his wife passed every day on the drive home. Lindsay had always loved that tree since she was brought up in the neighbouring village, not far from Silchester and had made her home there after getting married.

For her birthday this summer, Peter wanted to commission an original image to give to his wife and after finding me online sent me an email which said "Can you do something with this tree that will make my wife love me forever?"

I checked the location out on Google Streetview and at first glance I was tempted to decline - the dead tree with it's long spindly limbs was almost completely overwhelmed by a huge oak tree a couple of meters away. I could see how it would make a striking image if it was on it's own on a desolate hillside for example. To make it more difficult it was right by the road and bordered on the other side by a high hedge and surrounded by nettles.

I visited the site during the daytime and from a photographic point of view was a bit underwhelmed by the scene. With this kind of photograph, the time of day is really important and I realised immediately I would have to return later that evening.

At dusk, the light was a lot lower and the colour in the sky had started to come out. In order to make the image visually effective, I had to make the dead tree prominent in the scene and somehow separate it from it's lofty neighbour. I decided to light the tree with portable flash equipment and it took a while to get exactly the correct angle to make as much of the tree as possible stand out.

At that moment, as sometimes happens on a shoot, everything came together. The light levels in the sky matched the flash illumination, the colours of the fading sunset appeared and then a bird flashed into frame, on it's way back to it's nest. "I'm stunned, said Peter, "you've completely exceeded my expectations…"

Ellie

This is Ellie from Arborfield. She is a talented violinist, singer and pianist and has just finished at Queen Anne's School in Caversham.

For this portrait, I wanted something different from the normal studio style photograph of a musician so we elected to shoot on location in Bramshill Forest in Hampshire. We scheduled the portrait session at dusk so the lighting was perfect.

I think Ellie’s dress contrasts beautifully with the sky and the happy accident of the swan is a nice touch.


If you are interested in commissioning a similar portrait for your teenager, please get in touch.

The Village Shop in Beech Hill

Recently I've been aware of a few ideas in rural and semi-rural areas to make use Church buildings that otherwise would remain quiet and empty during the week.

The cafe at St. Michael's in Spencers Wood is an example of this and in neighbouring Beech Hill they've done a terrific job creating a small local  shop and cafe inside St. Mary's church in the middle of the village. It's a wonderful idea for otherwise under-used buildings to become a meeting place and a focal point for small villages.

Sam and her team run the shop and it was a pleasure to be shown around. In a time where local businesses and community based enterprises are on the decline, it's a pleasure to see this kind of business take off. The shop stocks all kinds of fresh produce and it's lovely, peaceful environment for a cup of tea or coffee.

The shop is open six days a week and you can find out more information at their website here. As you can see, Sam was kind enough to pose for a couple of photographs around the church. You are sure of a warm welcome if you are in the area.

CakeyPigg

Meet the lovely ladies from CakeyPigg, specialist cake and biscuit makers based in Stratfield Saye. Jen and Angela own the boutique bakery located in a converted farm building in Granary Court.

They make all sorts of delicious things in very interesting and arty forms - cakes in the shape of well, anything you like really. Check their website where you can see some of the lovely things they've made.

During my visit, Jen was making some tiny iced pieces for a bespoke cake, but sadly there was no major project on at the time for me to photograph.


Fortunately though there was a large demonstration cake available and Jen and Angela were great sports - happy to take it outside the offices to add a bit of colour to the photographs.

Jen and Angela were great to photograph and graciously didn't complain when I dragged them outside for some photographs by the side of the road :)

Do give them a call if you're looking for wedding cakes, party cakes or something tasty and impressive for your celebration. They run classes too, which I have always thought is a great gift idea for a friend or relative.

Silver Hound

A photograph of Fred, our daft dog, looking particularly handsome on an evening walk last night behind Ryeish Green between Shinfield and Spencers Wood.

For photographers, (for what it's worth) this image was made with a Fuji X-E1 and a 90mm Elmarit f2.8 lens via a Leica adaptor, giving an effective focal length of 135mm. This setup is so much smaller than an SLR equivalent and makes all the difference when you are walking with your camera gear.

The Old Milking Machine Laboratories Part 3

 It was back to High Copse Farm today to meet Tom Cartmill, an abstract artist who paints in his studio to the rear of the building. I like Tom's paintings, they have a physical presence created by the texture that he creates. Tom builds up the layers on the paintings using a mixture of home made paint, inks and other materials.

The works evolve over a period of time which gives them a really interesting feel. His work has been exhibited all over the country and acquired by Oxford University and Reading Museum amongst others.

The dilapidated surroundings of the farm workshops seem to be an appropriate location for producing work like this. Tom tells me that one winter morning he came in to the workshop to find some half completed paintings had frozen solid overnight creating an interesting visual effect in the paintwork.

Much like his neighbour, the ceramicist Sue Mundy with her gas fired kiln, such serendipity can lead to unique, unrepeatable pieces which I think is really nice.

Here are some portraits of Tom in and around his workshop. He exhibits regularly and is well worth a visit. His website is here and he also has a blog you can visit here.

A studio portrait with some of Tom's work.

A portrait of Tom, outside the studio at the back of the old farm buildings.

Thanks again to Tom for allowing me to visit and be sure to give him a call if you're looking for a unique piece of art for an empty wall.

A Sunset

An iPhone snap of the sun setting tonight over the fields north east of Hyde End Road near Shinfield. We've walked our dog over this area for years and it's a shame to think it will all be covered in houses very soon.

I love photographing with my phone and I enjoy the limitations of the simple camera in it. I always have it with me so it's great when I'm not carrying a proper camera as these days the quality of phone cameras is pretty good. I have an iPhone blog of snaps made over the last couple of years and it's fun to look back over a visual record of travel, family and things that catch my eye when I'm out and about.

The Old Milking Machine Laboratories Part 2

I had the pleasure of meeting Cathy Newell Price at her workshop at the Old Milking Machine Laboraties at High Copse Farm. Cathy designs and makes beautiful, painstakingly crafted jewellery pieces. I don't pretend to know much about jewellery but I can see how these contemporary pendants, rings and other pieces are really unusual and special. Much like the work that Sue Mundy produces, it's wonderful to see these unique products coming out of a small workshop on a farm near Reading. 

Cathy also runs jewellery making workshops at her place at the farm and also at other locations.

Together with fellow artists Sue Mundy and Tom Cartmill Cathy is exhibiting at the Open Studios 2013 event on the 10th-12th and 17th-19th of May at the High Copse Farm workshops. This event will be a great opportunity to view some unique and unusual work - well worth a visit.

Thanks go to Cathy for the opportunity to photograph her and her work!

Reverend Marion Pyke

Marion is the vicar at St. Peter's in Caversham but grew up in Spencers Wood, south of Reading.

She is also Chaplain of Westminster Abbey and Christchurch Cathedral Oxford.

I was asked to photograph Marion for the Spencers Wood Local History Group website last week.

We recorded a little of Marion's
memories of growing up in the village and set it to a background of images from the local history group. Click here to have a look.

All that was left was to make a portrait of Marion to accompany the article. I often use studio style lighting to create a portrait but sometimes, as here, nice soft windowlight works really nicely.

The Old Milking Machine Laboratories Part 1

It was a pleasure the other day to meet Sue Mundy, one of the artists who has a workshop at the old milking machine laboratories at High Copse Farm in Hyde End Road between Spencers Wood and Shinfield

Sue is a ceramicist and produces beautiful work inspired by natural themes. Her pieces are all hand made and I was there in time to see a fresh batch of work emerge from the gas fired kiln. It was interesting to learn that the process isn't 100% predictable - there's an element of chance with a gas fired kiln and Sue told me that sometimes, because of the variables involved, pieces can turn out slightly differently than expected. 

This reminds me of when I used to develop and print film, occasionally if the temperature wasn't absolutely perfect, variations would creep in that could change the quality of the final print. In this digital world I think that this handmade quality is lovely and that's one of the nice things about Sue's products, it's a chance to own a one-off, a unique piece.

This is Billy, Sue's faithful hound. He joined us outside for a portrait photograph.

Back inside the studio. 

A collage of some of Sue's work - plus an image of her potter's wheel from above. I thought the colours toned in nicely.

Thanks go to Sue for her time. Please check out her website. She's exhibiting at a range of different venues starting at the end of the month in Reading.

Roger - A Spencers Wood builder

This is a photograph I made of Roger Walker, a Spencers Wood builder.

Roger did a fantastic job converting a bedroom at our house a few months ago. Our 12 year old had started to outgrow her small room.

It was great until a couple of years ago, plenty of room, but she soon ran out of wardrobe space and with teenagerhood beckoning it was only going to get worse:)

Fortunately the adjoining bathroom was generously proportioned so we came up with the idea of 'borrowing' some space from the bathroom and enlarging the bedrooom.

My daughter was delighted, not only because she gained a bigger bedroom but also a shiny,  new bathroom right next door. As a teenager I fully expect her to be spending most of her time there. :)

The idea worked well and Roger did a terrific job of knocking down walls, rebuilding the rooms and fitting a new bathroom.

I should add that this image was taken on a separate project - that's not my bathroom in bits!

The Thrive Charity at Beech Hill

Kathryn Rossiter,
Chief Executive of Thrive.

Thrive is a small charity with base in Beech Hill. I've had the pleasure of photographing there for many years now. Like a lot of charities, funding is a constant problem and it's a case of continually getting your name out there and increasing the visibility of the the charity.

Naturally as a photographer by profession, I believe in the power of images to get information across quickly and effectively and I've always enjoyed helping Thrive out with portraits and other photographic work from time to time.

They have a great team working there headed up by Kathryn Rossiter who took over the reins at the end of last year. The location, right next door to Trunkwell House is a peaceful oasis of calm and it's a pleasure to stroll around it's well ordered gardens and outbuildings.

The charity provides help and therapy for disabled people by the use of gardening and garden projects. Being able to give structure and meaning to the lives of many people struck down by mental or physical disability is a wonderful thing. I always find it incredible how working in a natural environment, literally getting your hands dirty, can aid rehabilitation as it does.

Thrive has a busy programme of events that you can read about here and the centre in Beech Hill is well worth a visit if you've not been before.

Here are a few favourite portraits of some of the clients at Beech Hill.

Caf'Active, St. Michael's Church, Spencers Wood.

St. Michael's Church in Spencers Wood has been on the site since 1908. Personally I have photographed a few weddings there and, as it's not far from where I live, it's a pleasure to visit Caf'Active, a small church café that was set up a few years ago. It's proving to be a really popular community meeting place. Drop by if you are passing and meet the lovely Debbie who runs the café. It's particularly great for young parents as children and babies are more than welcome. They have a busy programme of events that you can read about here.

Debbie and her team work hard to make everyone feel welcome so do drop by and support the local community if you can.

Debbie, manageress of Caf'Active in Spencers Wood.

Beau Events in Swallowfield

Fiona and Mark run Beau Events - a specialist chair cover and table dressing business. They are located in the Brookside Business Centre in Swallowfield and stock a dazzling array of products designed to transform even the most mundane of rooms.

Amongst other things I was surprised to learn there are about 8 different ways to tie a bow :) and that you can choose from over 200 stock colours of fabric.

Mark and Fiona have an almost obsessive attention to detail. I was interested to see how they  cut and hem the fabric in their workshop to ensure everything is lined up correctly and how the fabrics are assembled to sit correctly on the furniture at the wedding reception. On the wedding day, the Beau Events team will swing into action with military precision and transport your finished covers and accessories to avoid creasing and crumpling.

Everything is installed in good time for the wedding meal (definitely no last minute panics) and throughout the whole process they liaise with you to make sure you are happy with your choices and the way everything is set up.

Mark and Margaret, hard at work.

Fiona in the stockroom at Beau Events

St. Michael's Church, Spencers Wood

The last rays of sun illuminate St. Michael's Church in Spencers Wood.

Spencers Wood Local History Group

The Spencers Wood Local History Group are a study and research group. The aim of the group is to record and retain as much history as there is so much housing development going on in the locality.

The group consists of (left to right) Lesley Rolph, Patricia Green, Margaret Bampton, Mary Wheway, Jackie Blow, Jeannie Brice and Sheila Davis (not present).

The group has published three successful books about the area and have more planned. You can learn more about them via their website at www.swlhg.co.uk

Flooded fields on the Arborfield Road

I remember reading somewhere that the name of the neighbouring Shinfield village was a corruption of 'Shine Field' and it's easy to see why. This is a common sight along the roads of the area in the wetter months of the year. They tell us Spring is on the way and I hope they're right :)