The beginning of whatever’s next.

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Me by the cliffs at Seaford, East Sussex

(Photo taken by Becky, at: 1/200, f/5.6 ISO 200)

Two weeks ago I did something scary… either very brave, or very stupid.

I handed in my notice at work.

The only job I’ve ever had; where I’ve spent over four and a half years of my life. A perfectly good job most would say, and they wouldn’t be wrong.

The problem is, it’s no longer me. I have loved my job (and have hated it at times) more than I could ever explain. I adore the friends I’ve made, people I will always be grateful to have worked with. This job has helped me grow into a stronger, wiser person than I would have been without the opportunities I was given. But, well, that’s the problem, I have grown. I’ve grown out of retail. It paid the rent while I was at uni, and helped me get out of my overdraft once I graduated. Now.. now I want to change the world a little bit, and being in the same job I was in as a student is sapping my energy.

So, as an “I believe in you” act for myself, I’m leaving.

I plan to spend a lot more time on my photography; I miss taking photos for the joy of it, rather than only when someone asks me to as it has been for the past 6 months or so. I will be playing, practicing, learning, becoming the best I can be.

I may be enough of a dreamer to quit my job, but my head’s not totally in the clouds. I don’t have enough photography jobs to pay the bills (yet!), so I’m looking for new work. Something that will feed my soul and not just my bank account. What’s calling to me at the moment is care-work. It’s not easy by any standards, but I think it’s something that I would be good at. I would be dealing with people all day (which has always been my favourite part of my job), and in small ways I can help make their lives that little bit easier. I’m very much up for the challenge.

I have two weeks left before I leave work, two weeks of non-stop research and job applications for the start of a whole new career.

I’m terrified, and incredibly, insanely excited and eager to start my new life.

Spring in St Albans

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Verulam Park, St Albans, on a sunny spring day

(Photo taken at: 1/250, f/7.1, ISO 200)

This weekend the rain has taken a break! After several weeks of almost nonstop greyness, the sky is a brilliant blue.. and I’m slightly sunburnt.

I’m so grateful that it’s in time for my first weekend entirely off for quite a while. To celebrate, I went for a walk in Verulam Park in St Albans, to see what spring has brought with it this year.

One of the first things I found was this tree, looking quite forlorn. It must have come down in one of the storms we’ve been having.

Lightning struck tree, Verulam Park

(Photo taken at: 1/640, f/5.6, ISO 200)

There was a lot of lightning about two weeks ago, maybe it was struck then, it seems too strong to be split in half by wind alone. I may be wrong, but there were a few black patches on the bark to fuel my speculation.

Lightning struck tree, St Albans, Verulam Park

(Photo taken at: 1/2500, f/1.4, ISO 200)

Further in, I found the first batch of goslings I’ve seen this year.

canada geese and goslings

(Photo taken at: 1/640, f/5.0, ISO 100)

Look at their little yellow cuteness!

Canada goose and goslings swimming

(Photo taken at: 1/200, f/5.6, ISO100)

And pair of beautiful huge dogs also off wandering.

Giant dog going for a walk

(Photo taken at: 1/250, f/4.0, ISO 100)

Does anyone know what kind of dog this is?

Along the river there were several nesting coots, too far away for me to get any good photos, and then I came across this pretty little mother. She has a baby already brave and exploring the world around it.

Nesting coot and exploring baby in St Albans

(Photo taken at: 1/320, f/3.5, ISO 400)

That branch came from this tree:

Tree broken, possibly lightning struck, St Albans, Hertfordshire

(Photo taken at: 1/1000, f/5.0, ISO 400)

Another huge branch down with no damage to anything around it. Is this what lightning does? Or maybe there was more wind here than near my home.

Back to the coot family!

The daddy coot came home to help with the childminding duties, and a second baby emerged from the nest, hoping to be fed.

two baby coots waiting to be fed

(Photo taken at: 1/250, f/5.0, ISO 400)

two baby coots being fed by their daddy coot

(Photo taken at: 1/640, f/5.6, ISO 400)

Mmmm, soggy bread.

Back over at the lake, geese were getting territorial:

Goose in St Albans, Hertfordshire, surrounded by sparkly camera flare

(Photo taken at: 1/250, f/22, ISO 400)

And swans were swimming serenely through glistening waters:

swans swimming in St Albans, Hertfordshire, surrounded by sparkly camera flare

(Photo taken at: 1/250, f/22, ISO 400)

swan swimming in St Albans, Hertfordshire, surrounded by sparkly camera flare

(Photo taken at: 1/250, f/22, ISO 400)

Sunshine brings out all that is pretty.

And it’s sunny again today!

Fields of Gold

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Every couple of years the field near my house turns a wonderful, shining yellow. It’s currently at the height of its glory, so I took a 5 minute walk after work today.

bumble bee on yellow rape flowers

(Photo taken at 1/1000, f/1.8, ISO 200)

bumble bee on yellow rape flowers

(Photo taken at 1/1000, f/1.8, ISO 200)

It was late in the day, so the sun wasn’t lighting the field as it often does.. I’ll go back and catch it like that if I can!

yellow rape field in watford, hertfordshire.

(Photo taken at 1/640, f/5.6, ISO 200)

But the softer light just meant I could appreciate each flower all the more.

yellow rape flowers against the sky

(Photo taken at 1/4000, f/1.4, ISO 100)

Update

I went back. It was cloudy, cloudy, rainy, cloudy, aaall day long. However, as soon as I left work there was a brief burst of sunshine. I ran to the field, and took a few more photos before the sun went away for the night.

(Photo taken at 1/4000, f/1.6, ISO 100)

I was so pleased, the sun was exactly where I hoped it would be, and just bright enough to make the flowers shine, with just enough cloud to make the sky interesting. The photo gods were smiling on me that evening.

yellow rape field in watford, hertfordshire.

(Photo taken at: 1/2500, f/2.8, ISO 100)

A little sun makes all the difference.

yellow rape field in watford, hertfordshire.

(Photo taken at: 1/2500, f/2.8, ISO 100)

New Website Launch (and giveaway)

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screenshot of http://vrindawebb.com

After months of hand-drawing doodles, swirls, frames and funny little boxes, writing, rewriting, deleting it all and starting again, I am super excited to be able to introduce to the great big land of the all that is internet…. my new website.

From now on you can find me at:

http://vrindawebb.com

(No www. Don’t ask me why… I have no idea, it just doesn’t work.)

Please let me know what you think! And also let me know if you come across any bugs or weird typos (I’m also not sure how it acts on ipad/iphone, not having either to test it on). I may count this as my beta launch.

The Fun Part

I’m so thrilled it’s all finished and running that I want to give something away to celebrate. I don’t have a lot to give at the moment except for my time, so I would like to offer everyone who comments on this post, the chance to win free photo enhancement and retouching on any two of their own photos they choose.

I will randomly select a winner from the comments below 10 days from today, on Saturday, 12th of May.

If you would like to double your chances to win, feel free to stop by and Like my photography page on facebook. Leave another comment here once you’ve done that and I’ll enter you twice. If you already Like my page, just let me know in your comment and I’ll enter you twice straightaway.

Please pass on word about this little giveaway, I’d be so very grateful and will return the favour as soon as opportunity arises!

Stop Motion

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Last week I began playing with the idea of stop motion videos.

I’m a photographer by passion, but my BA degree is in filmmaking and I miss making things that move, and I’ve decided it’s time to begin blending the two arts. My hope is that if I take regular stop motion videos, I’ll begin to ease myself back into using video as second nature.

Here’s a very rough test clip I took while I was having tea with Becky in Alfriston one afternoon.

After tea we wandered down to the sea and Becky took a couple clips of me – testing for a project we’re planning.


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I just cobbled these together, animating them using Lightroom’s slideshow function. Doing it simply like this makes it fun and easy, and I learn as I play. Eventually I’ll go back to using my actual film-editing software, but for now I’m just enjoying watching my pictures move.

Dreams…

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spring blossom in Kew Gardens, London
(Photo taken at 1/800, f/2.2, ISO 200)

I have a simple little dream:

I want to change the world.

An idealistic statement, perhaps, like wishing for World Peace. But does that mean I shouldn’t try? Well, no.. I don’t believe so.

The reason I take photographs, and the reason I write, is because otherwise I think I may explode with trying to express everything I see around me. The incredible beauty of spring bursting into life, a touching gesture of kindness from a stranger, or some terrible sadness I see playing out before me.

With my camera I can capture those moments that would otherwise be lost or forgotten, I can attempt to show the world the way I see it, with its sparkling array of life, unexpected happenings, and the myriad unique personalities that I’m fortunate enough to encounter from day to day. And with my pen I can begin to decipher, digest and understand what I see.

Sometimes stress gets the better of me and I forget what I’m telling you now; that we are blessed with a beautiful planet to live on, and endless wonderful people to share it with. But when I realise I’ve lost my direction a little, all I have to do is look at work of photographers and writers I admire, and be reminded of how lucky I truly am, and of what is important to me.

It is my hope, my wish, my dream… that I can do this for others. The world will be a far better place when people stop walking around with their heads down, staring at their feet, and start to take notice of what is going on around them. When they revel in the goodness, and take action against the bad instead of turning a blind eye and hoping it will go away.

The only way any of us can change the world is by working on our little corners of it, and encouraging others to do the same.

I’m happy to do my bit… join me?

Valentine’s Flowers

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Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Sometimes being surrounded by cards and red, pink and black fake lovey-dovey tackiness, as happens in my store, can become tiresome. This year however I had a lovely surprise!

I was at the till when, through the hub-bub of last minute sales, I caught my name being said. When I glanced up I saw my manager being handed a big bundle of printed brown paper. For me! I believe I may have squeaked in excitement.

I knew at once it was a Valentines surprise from my beautiful best friend, because she’s the kind of wonderful person who brightens my day on a regular basis. On closer inspection I discovered that it was a heart-shaped basket filled with growing pink hyacinths, and covered over with moss, like a tiny carry-around garden. I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that spring is my favourite season, and this is like being given a little piece of spring to put in my living room. The one spire of flowers that is partially open already smells divine.

(Photo taken at: 1/320, f/1.4, ISO 100)

This is how they were delivered. See? Carry-around garden!

(Photo taken at: 1/320, f/1.4, ISO 100)

And the little tin and basket they live in.

(Photo taken at: 1/160, f/1.4, ISO 100)

Heart-shaped!

(Photo taken at: 1/80, f/1.4, ISO 400)

And here they are in their new home on my window sill.

Then, this afternoon, I went for an unplanned walk around the local garden centre.

There I found some new little friends who were too adorable to resist:

(Photo taken at: 1/160, f/1.4, ISO 400)

How perfect are they?!

Behind the little snail-rider you can almost make out my two tiny seedling Christmas trees. I planted them a little before Christmas, and at the rate they’re growing I’ll probably have trees that are a whole 3 inches tall by the time next Christmas is here. (note to self: re-pot tree seedlings tonight..)

I can’t help but grin to myself every time I walk through the living room and see this whole set-up. If you don’t have a friend like mine, go out and find one, I highly recommend it.

Photo Restoration – old photos looking like new

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I miss writing Photoshop tutorials, so I thought I’d ease myself back into it with a quick overview of restoring old photos. The tutorial isn’t quite done yet, so here’s a sneak preview.

Tomorrow I’ll show you the super quick steps to make this:

(Photo from Flickr Commons)

Look like this:

This is more of a photo refresher than a restoration project, which means quick and easy gratification with little work.

How’s it done?

Tune in and find out!