MY FRIENDS

As some of you may know I travelled home recently to visit my family and see my friends. I was obviously taking my camera with me for this trip, and when I asked Valeria if they were up for a some photos, she immediately said yes)) I love these guys, and I miss them like family when I'm away. I've known Valeria for what feels like all my life (well, since we were 6 years old, so kinda yes, for all my life!). We went to dancing classes together when we were kids, we went through 10 years of school together, we lived across the road from each other, and were maids of honour and witnesses at each others weddings... You know when you don't see someone for a long long time, and it can be awkward when you meet again, and you don't know what to say? Not with her... Things are never awkward! We meet after a year or so of not seeing each other, and we talk for hours! I know I can talk to her about things I would never talk about to anyone else. She married a great guy, and it was the first wedding I ever photographed! They've been together for 8 years, and I'm so happy for them. I didn't have any good photos of them together apart from their wedding images, so I knew I had to take some when I visited home! Here they are, and I love them so much:

Valeria also loves photography! She got her first camera a couple of months ago. We went on a sort of a photowalk, and I showed her a few tricks. While taking photos of each other she noticed that I look through the viewfinder with my left eye, and she with her right eye. I've never actually thought about this, it just feels natural to me! We tried and 'switched' for a bit, but it only made us laugh! As you can see from the photos, she is taking things very seriously :). I haven't seen pics of myself YET (wink, wink!):

THE BIG MOVE

Today sees me blogging from the internet cafe. The last time I used one was probably in 2009 when we were travelling Australia. We moved into a new place last Saturday and I'm currently relying on a veeeery slow 3G, which is pretty much a nay for any kind of blogging or image uploading)) We are very excited about our new place though! We are thinking about little things that will make it feel homey, and enjoying settling in. Little pleasures like sitting in my kitchen on a sunny day, drinking tea and reading a favourite magazine make me happy. I can't wait to get everything sorted and get all the bits and pieces I want, like for example an old globe :) and just enjoy being in our space together.

A couple of pics of what I've got so far :)

GROWING YOUR OWN

Personal blog today)) Some of you have probably read THIS POST about how I try to make my business as eco-friendly as possible. It's not only about business for me though. My husband and I also try to be environmentally friendly in our everyday lives. For the last year or so we had been thinking about growing our own food and eventually we got our own little allotment in January. So far we've been enjoying the experience. We planted a few veggies and herbs, and we have fruit trees and bushes as well. It's fun to visit it every other day to see how fast everything grows and changes. With changing climate food is becoming a precious resource in some countries, so it's very important to learn about food, where it comes from and how you can make what you eat a lot healthier. Not sure if people who think that cucumbers grow already wrapped in plastic really exist, but you get the point. You will never get anything healthier and tastier than something you've grown yourself. It's packed with vitamins and there are no chemicals or pesticides in it. It's so easy to grow things as well! Especially herbs. You can buy everything prepared for you in garden centers or stores like Homebase, all you need to do is put seeds in a pot and water regularly. Result - green windowsill, kitchen filled with delicious smell of thyme, rosemary, basil, coriander and what not, and aromatic herbs for your dinner)) It's possible to do it even you don't have a garden, all you need is a windowsill ;-)

So, below are a few pics of what's growing in our allotment/garden:

Marygolds

Chilly plant (I'm not a big fan of spicy food, but Michael is, so I think one plant is just enough, hehe)

These are supposed to grow into carrots:

This is strawberry:

 

Dill (mix it with sour cream for delicious dips and sauces) 

Crunchy radishes for salads:

Gooseberries:

These will become rasberries:

Blackcurrant (delicious in milkshakes and jams):

Potato plant:

Beetroots:

Peas (out of 15 I planted, only this one came out, oooopsss...):

Coriander:

These will grow into juicy plums:

I will keep you updated if we are able to actually pick anything in a few months, hehe))

ABOUT PARENTS

I was on the train on my way to the shoot the other day. It was very early in the morning and I was listening to my favourite tunes to stay awake. I like times like train journeys like that, it's quiet, most of the people on a carriage are asleep, and I have time to think about things that normally would not come to my mind. So that day I started thinking about my parents. I was thinking about myself and my character, how my parents influenced me and brought me up to be the person I am today. 

When I was little, I didn't like a lot of things mum and dad made me do. I didn't like that I was forced to learn English since I was 7. All the other kids were outside running wild and free, while I had to sit with a book for an hour to learn new words and phrases, before I could go out. I hated it. English is my second native language now. It helped me travel the world and meet a lot of people, who in one way or another influenced my life experiences. It helped me travel to the USA and meet my husband there (we've recently celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary). When I was little, I didn't realise these things could happen to me. But my parents did. I'm pretty sure that it must have been hard for them when I was rebelling, because I didn't understand. They stuck by it, and I am so grateful for that! 

My father always said: "If you are asked a question and you don't know the answer, never say 'I don't know'. Say I don't know/I'm not sure, but I will look into that for you.". At first I just didn't get it. For me it was like black and white, you either knew the answer to the question, or you didn't. For years that advice has been in my memory, and I realise now, that it has taught me to be inquisitive, and made me learn about a lot of things, as well as develop common sense. That encouraged me to have my own opinion on things (my husband says I'm too opinionated, but that's a different story ;-) ), which helped me in life a loooot. 

My parents brought me up to be a strong, but sensitive and kind person, and I'm so so grateful for everything they'd done for me, even though I didn't like it or understand it at first. I can see how little things work together as a puzzle now and make me a person I am today.

And that's my family together with my husband and your truly on New Year's night in 2008. I miss them))

THIS POST IS ABOUT A CAT

I had been dreaming about having a cat or a dog ever since I was little. We lived in a flat and didn't really have space for neither of them. Instead we had little fishes and a hamster. Which was great, but not quite the same as having a cat. Or a dog. Fishes did not really show any affection, and the hamster was either stuffing his cheeks, sleeping or spinning his wheel. They were not greeting us when we were coming back home from school, not playing with us, not purring, not barking, not wagging tails. So, when my husband told me there was a cat in the house we were renting (when I moved to London at the beginning of last year) - I was so happy. A real cat that does all the cat things! She was too old (15) to move her to another home, so we kind of started to look after her. She was sitting on the stairs every morning when I was going downstairs for breakfast. If I wasn't coming down for too long, she would start winging at our bedroom door and scratch the carpet (as I said - she was doing all the cat things). She was sitting beside me in the kitchen when I was cooking, or just outside if the oven was on - she didn't like the noise it was making. She followed me around the house and myawing until I picked her up and held her like a baby. She was sitting between Michael and me when we were on the sofa watching tv. There was a rule that we had to ask each other to do stuff if Kat was on our laps, because obviously we couldn't disturb her by getting up)). Last week she was sitting beside the table while we had dinner, and patiently waiting for a piece of something delicious to fall her way. Yesterday she was quietly sitting on her cat-chair watching us eating dinner. Today we are having dinner without her... She is asleep... Kat, you will be missed...

SPRING AND WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING

I love spring... I was born in May, so spring is my favourite season of all. I love everything about it - the smell of thawing earth, birds singing (tweeting?) loudly and the sunshine. We live near the woods and I go for a walk every day. The last couple of days it's been warm and sunny, so when I went for a walk I closed my eyes sometimes and faced the sun, and tried not to think about anything, but just enjoy the sounds of awakening nature. I felt so light, peaceful and happy. Spring makes us smile for no reason and fills our hearts with love :-)

Spring is quite busy for me this year. All the projects that have been in the planning for the last couple of months will finally happen and the wedding season kicks in. My first big shoot on wedding inspiration is taking place next week. I'm very excited and looking forward to it! Check my blog next Thursday for a little sneak peek! I'm not going to say much just yet ;-)

Happy Friday!

x

HAPPY VALENTINES AND WEBSITE REVAMP

On this sunny and glorious day (I hope it is indeed sunny and glorious where you are) I want to wish all my couples and all my readers Happy Valentines day! To be honest, I was never really into celebrating it. Yeah, all the hearts and all that is very cute, but I think one doesn't need a specific day in the calendar to express and show love. Do it every day! Say 'I Love You' every day, or whenever this wonderful feeling overwhelms you. Let people close to you know as often as possible that you cherish them and care about them. There is nothing better in this whole world than knowing that you are loved. So, here... I better stop, or I'll make myself cry)) Happy Valentines, and I hope you are spending it with your loved ones!

I would also like to share my updated and revamped website, have a peek if you fancy. In the next two months there will be the whole new section added to it - "Wedding Inspiration", so keep an eye on it ;-) As always, you can view it right here in the blog (just click on it), or go to http://www.exhibitemotions.com

Flash Required to view this area.

2011, TRENDS AND STAYING TRUE TO YOURSELF

This post has slowly been putting itself together in my head for quite a while now. It sort of sums up my experiences, views and opinions formed throughout my journey in photography and the world of weddings. First and foremost - I am very excited about 2011! Excited about the people I'm going to meet, weddings I'm going to photograph, collaborations I'm working on. I can see Exhibit Emotions Photography taking shape and getting solidly up on it's feet. It's one of the best feelings when you put so much time and effort into something  - to see it all coming together into one piece and your effort paying off! The 11 days since the new year has come have already been amazing (just realized that today is 11.01.11!). More of the same, please! I made a wish on a New Year's night, something I do for many years now, so I'll be looking forward to seeing whether it comes true.

In the light of the above, I've been thinking a lot about who I am and what my business is and what direction I want it to go in 2011. I must say, it's one of the hardest things on earth to really understand yourself and stay true to yourself, without been affected by trends, fashion or other people. Any of us is not an island, we all exist in society, we interact, we are on the move, we are online, always connected. It's very easy to loose yourself and your 'voice' in the crowd. When I just started getting into photography, almost every article or blog I read screamed at me - get your own style. I was terrified. I was thinking " How on earth can I get my own style and be different from EVERYTHING that already exists?!" I was overwhelmed by the talent I found on the web. I thought "I can never shoot like that" and I was getting myself down desperately trying to figure out how I could be 'unique'. It took me two years to realise (call me slow or whatever, but that's how long it took me) that I just need to do my own thing. At the beginning I was influenced by trends and I was comparing myself to other people and other photographers. Oh, it was so wrong! I know now what I want my photography to be. I want to produce natural, emotive and elegant images for my couples. I want my photographs to look natural and real. 'Vintage' inspired look is very popular in wedding photography these days. But I can tell you, when I look at the photographs of my grandparents, or even my husband's great grandparents - they don't look 'vintage' to me. I see my family and I see emotions - that's what's important. I want my couples to open their wedding album in 40 or 50 years time after their wedding and see happiness and love, without saying "Look at these, mad that it was a trend at the time, in'it?!". That's the kind of work I want to produce. As much as I like shabby chic, old books, history, interiors and clothes of the end of 19th/beginning of the 20th century, I believe photographs should be timeless. There are, obviously, lots of couples who are after the 'modern vintage' look. If that's who you really are, if that's what you really like despite trends and fashion - then it's totally fine, go for it! It's just not me, I've figured it out. STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF. In 2011 I will listen to my own inner voice more and hope we all do that, then there'll be less fake and more beautiful and real!

Yours truly,

x

P.S. Photo taken by my wonderful husband )) x

GRATEFUL

2010 in a way has been a crazy year for me. My husband and I moved to London from Ireland at the beginning of the year. Michael went to school in London, but for me it was a totally unknown place. I had to learn my way around and I didn't know anyone... I mean I didn't know a single soul in the city apart from my hubby. I made a sort of 'London resolution', I decided to do things that were out of my comfort zone, and I went out there. I put myself out there and started to share my life with the online world. I am so thankful for the existence of Twitter. Honestly, whoever invented it - is a genius! I met so many like-minded people online, who I also met in real life. It's been amazing! I've met people who live near me, people who I have common interests with, people from the wonderful world of weddings, people who just get me. Thank you to everyone for your support and friendship. I am so so grateful. 

I am grateful for my clients who I met this year and whose weddings I've photographed and will photograph in 2011. Thank you guys for believing in me and trusting me to capture your beautiful special days. I've truly been blessed with my couples.

Big massive huge thank you to my wonderful husband. He is my rock and he supports me in every way. I don't know if I'd be where I am now without him. He is my best friend, my business advisor - my everything! I love it when he gives me constructive criticism which I don't accept at first (I have to stand my ground, obviously!), but then I take a step back and realise that he is actually right, he-he. :-)

Yeah, 2010 has been a great year, and I'm looking forward to what 2011 brings. I have so many great ideas and plans, so stayed tuned! ;-)

Here is a selection of photos from some of the weddings I've photographed and of people I've met, enjoy ))

 

Happy Thursday!

x