learning to focus..

...literally! It's taken me a little while to get the hang of my Pentax lens. Be patient and don't rush seems to be the key. Not always so easy in the moment but practice makes perfect.

reunited

Today my other half arrives in the country, ready for the holidays. I can't wait to spend some time together again!

to the falls

A memory from a wonderful group holiday earlier this year, on the hunt for Welsh waterfalls. These people are some of the best.

wintertime

frosty mornings ... hot water bottles ... pink skies ... christmas lights ... warm, spiced drinks ... anticipation ...

the big disco

Back at the start of summer (I did have to double check it was summer as it looks cold in these photos!) the world's biggest disco ball arrived in Leeds so a group of us went to check it out. The Big Disco was lots of fun..stalls, street food, a carnival and, of course, dancing. There's always something different going on in Leeds..one of the many reasons I love living here!

happy thanksgiving

Red rock, LV. This is for my other half. Thank you for sticking by me and making me smile, even across the miles.

just like that

Well after all my good intentions to pay this blog a little more regular attention, life suddenly got super busy and the last few weeks have flown by! It turned freezing cold, it even snowed briefly, then it got mild again. November is half way through and everyone is preparing for the Christmas season. Before we know it that shall be upon us to. So here's to at least attempting to slow down, focus on the moment you're in and appreciate each day with all it brings.

sunshine flowers

retreating

Taking some time out from your daily routine is such a wonderful thing to do. I just spent twenty four hours in the country with some dear friends and have come back feeling refreshed and refocused on God. To have a full day to listen to him and read his word was such a blessing to me. Whatever your focus, having time to rest and relax away from the demands of life is truly good for the soul.

Be still, and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10

hello autumn

It's definitely feeling colder now. Autumn is in full swing. I am thoroughly enjoying watching the leaves change colour, cosying up under blankets and drinking lots of tea. I didn't expect to be around for this season but a delay in moving abroad means I get to see another English Autumn and so I intend to make the most of it!

scarborough

a cow's life

I met these guys on a retreat to the country earlier this year and couldn't get enough!

camera dreams

When making my commitment to shooting only film last year, I motivated myself with the promise of a new camera. I had long coveted a pentax k1000 but decided I needed to be using film more regularly if I was going to get yet another camera! So after the best part of a year without my digital slr I received a pentax for my birthday. At first I was so unsure about using it. The k1000 is fully manual and I had put off getting my head around all the seemingly daunting specifics of aperture, shutter speed, f-stops, fractions, exposure in my photography thus far, mainly because shooting in automatic is so simple. This camera meant taking my loyalty to analogue photography up a level. After lots of research it turns out the best way to learn is to practice. I threw myself in the deep end and shot two rolls before getting any prints (granted this did take me several months). Going to pick the prints up from being developed I had no idea whether the photos would resemble anything like the images I had intended. Amazingly, I was thrilled with the results. It felt like some kind of magic, looking at the way the light had been captured by the camera. Super cheesy but there you have it. And so, after a nervous start, I am head over heels for my lovely pentax. Here are a few of the first photos I took..with the promise of many more to come.