Promoting my Photography… it’s all go again!

After a two year break due to the pandemic and crippling anxiety I’m finally getting back out into the world to promote my photography!

Earlier this month, I took part in a craft fair, which was the first one I’d done since 2019. I had a lovely pitch outside Bridge Cottage in Uckfield, where I had a selection of mounted prints and cards for sale. I also had several prints from my online Folksy shop for sale as well. In fact promoting my online shop was one of the reasons for doing the craft fair. Back in the new year (after months of neglect) I gave my shop a new name (Nature Inspired) and a bit of a make-over, and thought this craft fair would be an ideal opportunity to promote it in person.

The other reason for doing the craft fair was that I was using it as a warm up for an event that I’m exhibiting in next month. After two plus years of not taking part in exhibitions I feel a little out of practice and felt I needed to ease myself back in gently (especially as my anxiety is still challenging).

It felt really good getting back out and talking to people about my photography and my love of nature. I told several people that I was a dendrophile (a person who loves trees), and explained to people that I found it incredibly therapeutic photographing places like the Ashdown Forest and the rugged coast of Cornwall. I had some lovely feedback from people who were very impressed with my photographs and amazed that some of them (the six inch prints that I sell online), were taken using my iPhone.

Although I had been really nervous about doing the craft fair because of my anxiety issues, I really enjoyed it and was glad that I took part. It gave me the chance to share and promote my photography in a way that wasn’t too overwhelming and I made some sales, which is always encouraging!

Since then I’ve been busy preparing for the Uckfield Art Fair, which is taking place on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd July. I will be one of forty artists exhibiting art and craft next week at the Civic Centre in Uckfield. As well as other photographers, there’s painters, sculptors, printmakers, ceramicists, and other craftspeople.

It’s been ages since I took part in an exhibition like this so it’s a bit daunting, but I’m looking forward to showing my photography again and getting together with other local Sussex artists who are super talented (some of which I haven’t seen in years)!

I’m using the exhibition as an opportunity to show prints that I previously displayed at the 2018 solo exhibition, which included images taken in the Ashdown Forest, the New Forest and Cornwall. Here’s a sneak peek of some of the framed images I’ll be displaying at the exhibition (along with a variety of mounted prints and cards)…

If you’re free Friday 1st – Saturday 2nd July, then come have a look. There will be a Grand Opening between 7-9pm on the Friday evening, which you’re welcome to attend. See below for more details!

Orchids at Kew

At the end of February I had the pleasure of visiting Kew Gardens in London to see their exhibition of orchids.

It was a glorious day, the sky was a rich blue and it was ridiculously warm (thanks to that unexpected heatwave). As it had been a while since I visited Kew Gardens, I took my time, and enjoyed a gentle stroll on my way to the glasshouse which contained the orchids. I stopped to look at the recently restored Great Pagoda which I remember from my childhood visits to the Gardens. Back then it used to be bright red, but since its restoration it boasts a more tasteful colour palette. I also stopped to admire a stunning pine tree – I can’t seem to get enough of them at the moment!

The recently refurbished Great Pagoda

Looking up at pine trees

Let’s move on to the exhibition of orchids…

This year the inspiration for the exhibition was Columbia. Apparently, 1,500+ species of orchid can be found there. It was an amazing sight – I have never seen so many orchids before. There were also other beautiful exotic looking plants native to Columbia and some adorable sculptures of South American animals. For several hours I enjoyed indulging in what I like to call ‘flower porn’. There were so many different colours and shapes of flowers. It was a wonderful celebration of flowers and plants. Nature really is amazing to create such beauty!

Apologies for over sharing, but there were so many lovely flowers! As you can see I don’t know the names of  all the flowers/plants. If you can put a name to any of them, I’d love to hear from you. 

Flowers and plants from floor to roof

A beautiful pink bromeliad flower

An arch comprised of orchids

A display containing a jaguar sculpture

A bizarre looking slipper orchid

Real or not? Reptile basking in the warmth of the glasshouse

A couple of South American bird sculptures

A sculpture of an adorable looking sloth

Another stunning archway of flowers and greenery

More South American themed sculptures

Additional note for fellow photographers…

While taking these photos I had an experience which reminded me about the importance of following good photography practices. I was happily walking around taking photos when my camera had a funny few minutes and subsequently warned me that my SD card might be no good –  UH OH!

Despite this warning I decided to continue taking photos on the off chance that everything was ok. Obviously from the images you’ve seen, it was. However, the reason I continued to use the SD card was that I had no spare, so the first thing to remember is always carry a spare SD card (in case you have a problem with the one you’re using), and the second thing to remember is try to get in the habit of formatting your SD cards regularly so it reduces the likelihood that they’ll corrupt.

Ashdown Forest Project

Back in September while I was preparing photography to include in my solo exhibition, ‘Inspired by Nature’, I realised that I had a vast selection of images from the New Forest and Cornwall and a surprisingly small selection from the Ashdown Forest. This is daft bearing in mind that the Ashdown Forest is just up the road from me. It’s possible that I have some photographs I’ve clean forgotten about, or photographs I’ve banished to the scrap heap cos they aren’t ‘good enough’. Alternatively, I’ve fallen into the trap of not making the most of what’s on my doorstep. No matter the reason for the lack of Ashdown Forest photographs in my collection, back in the autumn, following my exhibition, I decided to make up for it by starting a photography project.

‘Woodland Pines’

Since September, I have headed out on the forest every month to capture/document the area as it changes through the seasons (regardless of the cold). I’m hoping that by the end of the summer I shall have a decent collection of photographs that can make up a book, calendar or exhibition; as well as an improved appreciation for the natural landscape that I have within convenient reach of my home.

‘Autumn Pine’

I’m not particularly fast at editing at the moment, so I’m still working through the images I took between September and now. I’m looking forward to sharing them, so will get them edited and posted as soon as I can. In the mean time, I’ve included some of my iPhoneography taken while out on the forest.

‘Long Shadows’

Nature photography as therapy…

Luckily spring is on its way and winter is soon to become a distant memory – phew! Before that happens, I wanted to talk about how beneficial I found my nature photography this winter, especially as for me winter was particularly stressful…

In November, life got turned upside down for a bit, when my Mum (who is one of my biggest fans) ended up in hospital with a small brain haemorrhage. It was a very scary, stressful time for me and my family, and understandably life got put on hold until I knew she was going to be ok. Luckily she recovered fully and was discharged at the end of November, for which I am very grateful. However, the stress of the whole experience (and the emotional baggage that got dredged up with it), along with the stress of dealing with a problematic neighbour while my Mum was recuperating at home, took its toll and left me feeling pretty low.

After the stress of November I didn’t have much energy or enthusiasm during December, and wasn’t really that bothered about anything (including Christmas). The only exception was my photography. While my Mum had been in hospital I hadn’t given my photography much thought, but once she was home, I knew I needed to try and do something for myself, to improve my emotional wellbeing. For me, heading outside to take photographs seemed to be the best idea.

I had started a photography project in September (more about that in a later post), which involved documenting the Ashdown Forest on a monthly basis, and so despite not feeling that keen, I forced myself to get out on to the forest one morning to take some more photographs. I was very tempted to stay in bed, but was glad that I decided to go out. It was the first time in weeks that I had been out with my camera and I really did find it very therapeutic. I wrapped up warm and drove to King Standing Clump, and walked through the forest with my camera until I couldn’t feel my fingers. It was good to be able to get away and forget my troubles for a while, and was much needed ‘me’ time.

Heading out onto the forest with my camera was just want I needed. I find my nature photography fantastic therapy when things get stressful and it gives me a reason to head outside, even on those days when I don’t always feel like it. I highly recommend finding a reason to get out into nature as part of your self-care routine.

 

Inspired by Nature

So last month I was insanely busy preparing for my first solo exhibition, which I can report was amazing!

It featured photographs of the Ashdown Forest, the New Forest and Cornwall, along with other natured inspired photography and examples of my iPhoneography. If you want to have a look round you can watch my exhibition walk-through here (see pinned post). As I said to people you can start in the Ashdown Forest, move westwards through the New Forest and end up at the Cornish Coast!

My exhibition at Bridge Cottage

I have always wanted to have a solo exhibition so it was a fantastic experience (and a good learning curve), and gave me the opportunity to promote my nature inspired photography, and my online art shop ‘Natalicious Art‘.

Just as importantly, it gave me a chance to promote the therapeutic qualities of Nature, which not only improve our mental health, but help promote conservation efforts. I enjoyed having several lovely conversations with people about both wellbeing and nature conversation.

Article in the Sussex Express

I did make some sales (yay!) but there are still framed and mounted photographs available to buy. Just drop me a line via email or social media if you are interested in making a purchase, or have any questions about my work.