How did I get started in photography?
Like many people I played with cameras when I was a child but as I grew older my enthusiasm waned. Then in my late twenties, my love of photography, and especially food photography, was rekindled when I started taking photographs to illustrate the menus and brochures for my catering business. And, in the ensuing 10 years, photography has become an increasingly important part of my life and now one of the main focuses of my career.
Where do I get my inspiration?
Whilst often inspiration undoubtedly comes from the natural beauty of food, it’s the creativity involved in making a photograph that I particularly enjoy. Using a combination of colour, texture and/or pattern to make the food look as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Garnishing to create enticing dishes. And finding beautiful receptacles to display the food in.
Then of course there is my kitchen garden. After illness forced me to end my catering business, I needed time to recover and being used to working ridiculous hours, I suddenly had a large void to fill. One of the most rewarding things I did at that time was to create a kitchen garden. Now, as well as continuing to provide me with an amazing array of fruits and vegetables it’s also a fantastic source of inspiration for my photography. I love capturing the whole cycle of growth. From the seeds first emerging from the soil and throwing off their outer husks to the developing baby vegetables, right through to the bountiful (hopefully) harvest and the delectable dishes subsequently created in the kitchen.
About the recipes
You’ll notice that many of the recipes are free from gluten and dairy and to a lesser extent, eggs. And, for the moment at least, that’s the way it has to be! I can’t pretend that it’s something I’m particularly thrilled about. However, it is giving me an opportunity to experiment with a wide variety of new ingredients and cooking techniques. Allergy friendly cooking certainly isn’t without it’s challenges. But, much to my relief, by working out how to create delicious allergen free recipes, not being able to eat certain foods isn't so bad after all.
And a few things that you might not know about me
I live in Nottinghamshire, UK. A county famed for it's connections with Lord Byron, DH Lawrence, Robin Hood, Boots the chemist, lace, the Pilgrim Fathers, rhubarb conservation, the Goose Fair, Torvill and Dean, pork pies, stilton cheese and the Raleigh chopper. Amongst other things.
I love ...
dark chocolate, especially if it contains toasted hazelnuts
spaniels, setters & german shorthaired pointers
tulips, ranunculus & zinnias
plums, lychees & cherries
the fragrance of sandalwood, geranium and bergamot
log fires, candlelight & barbecues
vanilla, nutmeg & cumin
books by Joanne Harris & Cecelia Ahern
& by Nigel Slater, Tessa Kiros & David Everitt Matthias
& also by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Twyla Tharp & Brenda Ueland
in fact my house is full of books ...
