Saturday, 30 September 2017

A Photo a Day #274

Green-eyed Monster


This is a shot that I took while messing around and trying some different 'self-portrait' shots. I liked the blurring in this particular shot because the bokeh effect appeared as blue and yellow circles. Not a pretty representation of green eyes, but an interesting one.

Friday, 29 September 2017

A Photo a Day #273

Hands up for Rock 'n Roll


Maisie grooming herself in the garden. She is definitely a badass cat, hence the title of this photo. Yesterday she was chased up a ridiculously tall tree with really sparse branches by the cat next door. Both cats appeared to be stuck and Maisie was being hissed at by the other cat. It was a stand off. Like the adventurer she is, Maisie managed to shimmy down the tree like a bear, past the other cat and back to us and the Dreamies that we had in our hands. The other cat was left looking sheepish and miaowing for help. It's ok, she did get down eventually, after hissing at my partner when he tried to climb up and get her! 

"Don't mess with Maisie," is the moral of the story.

Thursday, 28 September 2017

A Photo a Day #272

Tiny


Maisie caught a tiny mouse in the garden so I rescued it. Considering my phobia of mice (following traumatic encounters in student housing), I felt really sad for this little baby who was limping about trying to hide from our cat. I'm not sure whether it survived after the shock. Nature is cruel.

Tuesday, 26 September 2017

Monday, 25 September 2017

A Photo a Day #269

Cooling Down


I often edit my photos to be black and white, but this was actually taken in the B&W mode in high contrast. This was taken in the garden of our rented house, so this isn't something we purchased, but it reminds me of something you could find in The Secret Garden. I liked the contrast between the fence and the light above in the background.

Saturday, 23 September 2017

Nars X Christopher Kane 2017 Chrome Collection: Review and Swatches

Scottish fashion designer, Christopher Kane, has collaborated with Nars for the second time and the two-piece collection caught my eye instantly. In fact, I haven't seen anything quite this exciting from Nars for some time. The collection features a high-shimmer, limited edition eyeshadow palette and holographic lipstick in a very wearable light pink. It arrived today and I've been testing it out, feeling like a kid at Christmas.

Kane's Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2018 show featured make-up looks focused on nude iridescence. The palette, on first glance, looks so glitzy and fun on the Nars website with its duo-chrome rose/ teal and bright yellow shades jumping out at you; despite being wowed by it, I did wonder whether it was really for me, considering I am no longer a night-clubber and work in a conservative environment. Then I saw the Christopher Kane runway images and saw how these eyeshadows could be worn in a very pared-down way, particularly with the pale pink lipstick which adds an ethereal glow to the lips. Here are my thoughts after testing today:

A Photo a Day #267

Constructed


Studio Ben Allen, The Clearing, commissioned by the Creative Foundation for Folkestone Triennial 2017-
I wanted to capture people's reaction to this installation; the sense of calm in the room, and the size of the gothic wooden construct, resembling a canopy overhead.

Thursday, 21 September 2017

A Photo a Day #265

Lady with Bag


People milling around looking at art are good subjects for portraits. I'm not sure whether I'm 100% happy with the outcome of my editing, but I had to do something with the background as even with a wide aperture shot, the T shirt logo was detracting from the woman's skirt design.

Wednesday, 20 September 2017

A Photo a Day #264

Town Crier


This chap was stood over-looking the beach for quite some time and he didn't seem happy with all of the humans taking over his beach.

Tuesday, 19 September 2017

A Photo a Day #263

The Bell that was Banished


Still remaining on the seafront from Folkestone's 2011 Triennial, A K Dolven's 'Out of Tune' installation features a 16th-century tenor bell from Scraptoft Church in Leicestershire, which had been removed for not being able to keep in tune with the others. I converted this photo to black and white because I felt it was quite a solemn piece whilst being very simple. I wanted the image to reflect this as best as possible.

Sunday, 17 September 2017

A Photo a Day #261

Regret


I liked these interesting shapes and textures. 

3 Lush Products for the Stressed and Sleep Deprived


Having problems sleeping or relaxing in the evening? I am at the moment, but that's the start of term for you. I could send you to sleep by elaborating, but instead I'll share with you three Lush products that could help you relax, unwind and hopefully reach the Land of Nod a bit quicker... 

Saturday, 16 September 2017

A Photo a Day #260

Refuse


I'm interested in geometry in photography. This was taken on a hill which makes this shot not quite as perfectly composed as I would like, but the near symmetry of the bins and windows works well enough for me. I've come to enjoy looking out for these kind of 'flat' shots using walls with items just in front of them or quirks and shapes on them. I have two more for you over the next few days!
 

Thursday, 14 September 2017

A Photo a Day #258

Sugar


Lubaina Himid's 'Jelly Mould Pavilion' is situated on Folkestone seafront where the Rotunda once stood with its fairground attractions. This is part of the 2017 Folkestone Triennial arts event which sees many modern art installations appear throughout the town. I've posted quite a few photos of this over the last week or so having visited Folkestone on the day of its official opening at the start of September. It is well worth a visit if you like this type of art, and walking! To read more about the thoughts behind her work, click here.

Wednesday, 13 September 2017

A Photo a Day #257

Kindness


Walking along by the market at Folkestone harbour, I came across two of these. 'The Kindness Rocks Project' was a really sweet idea: if you need some kindness in your life you pick up a rock; to spread kindness you can leave a painted rock with a message for a stranger. It's the quirky things like this that makes modern Folkestone a really artsy and interesting place to walk around.

Tuesday, 12 September 2017

A Photo a Day #256

Equipment


Following on from yesterday's shot of Folkestone harbour, the light on the water here was particularly pleasing.

Saturday, 9 September 2017

A Photo a Day #253

Gormley


Anthony Gormley has loaned two of his one hundred sculptures as part of the Triennial. The sculpture we saw is situated under one of the arches of the 1930s-built Coronation Parade chambers and involved a precarious climb along stunning (but slippery!) rocks coated with green algae to see this particular piece. Having read up on the sculptures and Gormley's intentions I can see how this location is a good fit for the concept. The sculptures themselves are oxidised, giving them a vibrant orange rusty hue with unique markings. Gormley himself says 'until they're sighted and viewed, they're not really art at all' which is a humble point of view. Many of us, even art appreciating folk, may find some of the Triennial (and indeed modern art in general) quite hit or miss. But of course that's the point- it's all about personal response and taste. That gut response is the joy of it all. Seeing the sculpture in this environment elevated it in the sense of it being more of a spectacle with the experience of negotiating the rocks and hearing the sea lap the shore close by. And that's why I recommend the Triennial: you are physically interacting with, hunting out and exploring the installations unlike a trip around the clinical environment of an art gallery.

For more reading about the installation, click here and come back tomorrow to see a photo I've worked on of those aforementioned rocks!

Friday, 8 September 2017

A Photo a Day #252

Mouthpiece


I took quite a few photos of this art installation entitled 'Siren' by Marc Schmitz and Dolgor Ser-Od, but this was my favourite. It overlooks the sea at Folkestone as part of the Triennial Arts Project. To see what this piece actually looks like and the ideas behind it, click here. The steward blew through the mouthpiece end and it makes an amusing sound- good fun!

Thursday, 7 September 2017

A Photo a Day #251

Places by the Sea


These two houses are part of an installation by artist, Richard Woods as part of the Folkestone Triennial- see my previous two 'Photo a Days' to see some other images I took of this installation. I like the reflection here and the colours of the sky, water reflection and house in the water make for quite a desolate and sombre tone which is fitting for this conceptual piece.

Wednesday, 6 September 2017

A Photo a Day #250

Fancy Pad


Day 2 of my trilogy of Richard Woods 'Holiday Home' photos, taken at the opening day of the Folkestone Triennial. I went into a little detail yesterday about these installations, but to learn more click here. I played up the colours a bit here and although a little grainy (shooting on manual in bright daylight is a challenge still for me), I quite like the slightly 'yesteryear' tones on this image. 

Tuesday, 5 September 2017

A Photo a Day #249

New Home


So this is part of the Folkestone Triennial arts project in which artists are commissioned to produce some conceptual pieces for the town. These pieces often remain as permanent fixtures for years to come and add so much interest and culture to a place that was seen by many to be a bit of a decaying seaside resort in the past.

Richard Woods is the artist behind a set of installations called 'Holiday Home' which look quirky and colourful in their various positions around the town, but also explore a darker issue; in a country where people struggle to get on the property ladder or worse still are homeless, conversely we have many empty homes where the wealthier of society may have two or more properties. I liked the contrast of the old Edwardian seaside buildings in the background here- probably holiday retreats for the rich in their day. To read more about 'Holiday Home' click here. More photos to come over the next few days as they made for interesting images.

Monday, 4 September 2017

A Photo a Day #248

Passing By


Back in Folkestone after 3 years, I took another photo of the old undertakers on Dover Road. I love this building for photography, especially as it acts as a good canvas for passers by. This lady added some interest with her colourful hair and white dog. 

Click here to see the original photo a took in 2014 which I used for day 3 of this project back in January.

Sunday, 3 September 2017

The Drugstore Mascara Everyone is Raving About: Is it Really That Good? L'oreal Paradise Extatic

I've been testing out the (fairly) new L'oreal Paradise Extatic mascara that a lot of people in the beauty community have been raving about recently. Is it really that amazing and a cheaper alternative to the likes of Too Faced's Better Than Sex (reviewed here)? 

A Photo a Day #247

The Puddle


This was taken as I caught the reflections of passers by in this puddle. I took lots of photos here in Folkestone, Kent at the weekend as their Triennial arts project began- photos to come of some of the artists' work over the coming week...

Friday, 1 September 2017