Jo belfield photography

Exciting News!

2010-09-01T15:01:00.005+01:00

Jo Belfield Photography is delighted to be showing a video alongside local fashion icon Hoopers of Wilmslow within the ultra cool Revolution Bar in Wilmslow, Cheshire. You will now be able to see my images and some information about my stylish photography for businesses, musicans and models - indeed anywhere where your image is important - on their TV screens, including the massive 8ft one in the evenings!

I am very excited about this campaign which I hope will show people what the fashion styling and photography at Jo Belfield Photography can do for their business, portfolio or indeed their personal portraiture.

For more information please contact Jo on jo@jobelfield.com or 07908816147.

Commercial Photography - I Focus on the Details.

2010-08-29T17:14:00.008+01:00

At Jo Belfield Photography I am committed to producing commercial photography that enhances your business. I take your products and I create images from them that make YOUR clients notice YOU. At it's simplest it's my job to create an image so eyecatching that potential customers are drawn in and want to read on and find out more about you and your product.

As a business owner myself I know how hard it is to grab attention in this age of relentless multimedia. You have to make an impact to stand out among your competitors. Bigger. better. sharper, clearer.

However, consumers today are educated about their needs and the items they want to purchase. The economic downturn and a weariness of mass-manufactureed products has led many consumers to favour products where the manufacturer has cared about the quality, has taken the time to work on the details. They are looking for quality and longevity, workmanship and even heritage over disposable items.

This fits in my philosophy about commercial photography as a whole. I will present a client with photographs of your product as a whole. However, after discussion with you, I will also present you with a series of photographs showing the details that make you and your product or business stand out from the crowd.

I aim to give you the "wow factor" to make people take notice, and then when you have caught their attention you are visually showing them the details - the reasons why they should chose you over your competitors.

I focus on the details because your business does too.

For more information on how focussing on the details with my product photography can help your business please telephone on 07908816147 or email jo@jobelfield.com

Helsby Family Photoshoot

2010-08-17T15:51:00.005+01:00

One of my highlights of my recent trip to Helsby was an impromtu family photoshoot featuring R, aged 2, and his new baby brother - 10 week old baby B.

It was actually the first baby shoot i'd done and with reduced kit (natural light only, no studio lights / flash or even a reflector!) but I was pleased with the outcome. R and B's mummy is very happy with the images and so am I!

Helsby Arms Photoshoot

2010-08-16T10:59:00.005+01:00

I have to admit the Helsby Arms www.helsbyarms.co.uk in Helsby, near Chester, effortlessly sails into my "top pubs" list. The pub is efficiently run by the landlord and landlady, Steve and Carole, and sumptious, beautiful food is cooked and presented by their head chef Lee Fish and his team with infinite care.

I am not writing this lightly - my parents and grandparents were both in the pub trade and my dad trained me wo his standards for waitressing and barwork during University holidays the same as he trained the other staff. So when I go into a pub I can generally spot a Brake Bros chocolate fudge cake from 20 paces and if there is something out of place I notice it.

When I first photographed the Helsby Arms, approximately 12 months ago, my brief was wide:to take publicity shots of the bar area, outside, food and kitchens. I was there from 9.30am until around 6pm as I also attended one of their infamous Cheshire Tweet Ups! in that time I found absolutely nothing I could criticise. I was, in all honesty, gobsmacked.

When I returned to the Helsby Arms yesterday I was visiting purely for pleasure and to attend another Cheshire Tweet Up (#cheshiretweetup on Twitter), however I had my camera with me and I just couldn't resist taking more photos.

You see, to my mind one of the things that makes the Helsby Arms so special is Carole's attention to detail. In every corner and on every windowsill is a perfect little still-life set-up just begging to be appreciated by their customers and off course, begging to be photographed.

This time I had a 50mm f1.8 lens so light was no issue and the wood floors and carpentry kept it's burnished tone. This time I concentrated on the details and creating modern images with a fine-art flavour. They can be used commercially or printed onto canvas or in a frame to produce art-works in their own right. It was an enjoyable exercise and a good indication of how I intend to approach capturing the little details that matter when on location at a wedding.

You can follow Carole on www.twitter.com/helsbyarms to find out all the latest news and offers at The Helsby Arms and of course, details of the next #Cheshiretweetup!

To discuss the photographic requirements for your business or family please contact Jo E. jo@jobelfield.com M. 07908816147

Jo Belfield

Today's Mini-Shoot at Canalside Radio

2010-06-16T14:22:00.004+01:00

Today I had the pleasure of photographing the lovely Liz Stringer at Canalside Radio in Bollington as well as a little chat on air during her Your News feature. We had come up with an idea to make some documentary shots of Liz at work when I was interviewed on her Women's Show a couple of weeks ago. As usual I got a warm welcome at Canalside and also was introduced to two of the other presenters, Nick and Brian. I hope to appear on Brian's breakfast show in the near future.

As I promised on air today, below are the photographs of Liz hot off the print..well, disk!

If you would like me to photograph your business or function don't hesitate to contact my Macclesfield studio on 01625 429 162.

World Cup Offer!

2010-06-12T18:40:00.002+01:00

Spend over £300 on framed products + albums during the World Cup at Jo Belfield Photography + get £5 cashback for each goal England scores!

So the better England does, the better you do too! :D

To book an appointment please telephone the studio on 01625 429 162 or email jo@jobelfield.com.

Jo Belfield Photography featured in PC Plus!

2010-06-06T20:37:00.005+01:00

Jo Belfield Photography is delighted to have been featured in the latest issue of PC Plus Magazine (issue 296, July 2010) in a feature by Jon Thompson on how photographers and other creatives use the internet to boost their businesses.

http://pcplus.techradar.com/latestissue/

If you arte a photographer or other creative and you want to know how to use the internet to boost sales and to make managing your business easier watch this space as I am hoping to put together some workshops focussed on helping you to harness the power of the internet!

Jo

Listen to me on Canalside Radio on Friday 4th June!

2010-06-01T13:48:00.005+01:00

I am really excited to be on the Women's Show on Canalside Community Radio on Friday 4th June from 10am-2pm with Liz Stringer and Michelle Kay! I am looking forward to discussing a wealth of topics to do with women and business. If you are based in North East Cheshire you can tune in to Canalside on 102.8 fm - outside of this area you can listen online at http://www.ccr-fm.co.uk.

Capturing Moments

2010-05-31T11:10:00.004+01:00

I did a lovely photoshoot last week with lovely, spirited L from Southport and her parents. It was a lovely photoshoot with moments of complete introspection and thoughtfulness appearing occasionally in a very energetic and bouncy shoot. She is a real firecracker with a strong idea of how she wants to pose and I really had to let her work through it to capture those precious moments of calm where she was relaxed and truly herself!

To book your own photosession with photographer Jo Belfield, in the studio or on location at your home or other location special to your family, please call the studio on 01625 429162.

A guest post by Danielle Raine on why everyone needs photographs in their home....

2010-05-30T15:27:00.007+01:00

I am aware that in this time of recession / getting over recession we can dismiss good photographs as a luxury item and something we don't need. True, if it's a difference between a portrait and eating then it's obvious which one is the most important. However, photographs have an intrisic benefit towards our emotional well-being. They make us smile and remember a joyful experience.

At Jo Belfield Photography we aim to give you the best of both worlds - you can come and have a photoshoot for £35 with no obligation at all to buy. Under out "Archive for Life" policy we will store your digital images for life. We believe your photographs are your heritage, and if you want prints or framing next week, next month, in 5 years, 10 years or 50 years your images will be there to purchase. So even if money is tight and you can't afford the photographs now, at least don't put of capturing the precious moments which will otherwise fly by.

I recently won a copy of Housework Blues by Danielle Raine in a competition. Having avidly read the book from cover to cover I was pleased to note a section on photographs around the home. Read ahead to find out why Danielle values being surrounded by photographs as your loved ones as a tool to emotional well-being.

Danielle writes:

"A picture is worth
a thousand words.
Proverb

I recently embarked upon a full-day of housework.
This is not something I do very often. Not because I don't enjoy a
clean and tidy home - I do, I love it. However, I find that Great Big
Cleaning Efforts mess with my head. There's a very real danger that
all the mindless domestic activity will result in a head-space of
frustration, despair or low-level fury. (Or on a bad day, all three.)
Admittedly there are far worse ordeals to be facing, but I don't think
I'm alone in occasionally feeling the strain of home and family
maintenance.
No, I am not the domestic type. Though I love being at home, (I
include pottering on my list of hobbies) and I cherish being around my
family, I am not a natural-born homemaker. For me, extended bouts of
cleaning and tidying can lead to serious housework blues.
So unsurprisingly, on the day in question, my mood was slipping as I
picked up the umpteenth abandoned sock. (For some reason, in my house
there will be, at all times, a lone sock at large, quite often where
you'd least expect it (on top of the TV, the fridge door handle...)
and virtually never where you would hope (the vicinity of a laundry
basket.) Resigned to my fate, I scooped up the offending footwear with
a weary sigh, mumbling darkly about it's owner. That's when I caught
sight of my laptop. The lid was open and had gone into screen-saving
mode, which displays my family photos at random. I was greeted by the
happy, smiling face of Sock Owner.
My bad mood vanished in an instant. I smiled and actually felt my
shoulders drop as I relaxed. This photographic reality check reminded
of what was truly important in my life: my family, the people I love -
not the work that comes with them. I immediately softened and forgave
the reckless sock-slinging, feeling far less aggrieved with my lot.
That single picture was a perfectly-timed reminder of why I have such
stuff to deal with - because I am blessed with a family. And even
though the endless laundry, cooking, cleaning, tidying etc... does
sometimes get me down, I wouldn't have it any other way. (Though I do
look forward to bare-feet weather...)

So, after experiencing the powerful role images can play in the
domestic trenches, I offer you the following chapter on the subject,
taken from my book; Housework Blues - A Survival Guide.

Catch the highlights
Pictures and photographs are powerful tools in obliterating feelings
of pointlessness.
The photographs we take and treasure tend to be of our life's
highlights. These are usually the good times; holidays, birthdays,
weddings, travels, achievements, etc. Making the effort to frame these
and display them all over your home can work wonders on your
emotional state and overall sense of well-being. On the days when
you feel your life is nothing but housework, catching a glimpse of a
photograph can lift your spirits and change your mood.
Being visual, photographs work instantly. They are
a fast-track connection to those happy moments,
express reminders of what life really is all about. But
in addition to being an effective antidote to feelings
of futility, they also serve to remind you who you are
making all this effort for and why. It's hard to dwell on
'what's the point...?' when faced with a fond memory
of your loved ones.
So fill your home with images of the times you've enjoyed and
the people you love. Place some in prominent positions, for regular
quick fixes, but also have some in more subtle places - coming across
a forgotten photograph during your domestic efforts can provoke a
much-needed smile.
Swap and change
To make the most of these effects, you'll need to move or update
your photos or pictures fairly regularly. The brain quickly gets used to
familiar sights and, in time, learns to ignore them. So the more often
you see an image, the less impact it has. It loses its charm. Simply
changing the positions of your photos will encourage you to notice
them again, so swap them around as you see fit.
Also, keep updating old pictures with new ones. People, particularly
children, change over time and though a little nostalgia is nice, avoid
living too much in the past. Try to keep a balance of old and new.
Living in, and appreciating, the present is undoubtedly the healthiest
of mental attitudes - so as wonderful new experiences occur in your
life, surround yourself with the photographic evidence.
Images of the future
You needn't limit yourself to images from the past or present. Why
not put up pictures of any places you'd like to go or things you'd like
to do? These can be cheering, inspiring and motivating. They can help
to lift your thoughts from the drudgery of everyday chores to fun
ideas of what life could have in store...beyond housework.
A common claim within success psychology is that images train the
subconscious mind, which is so powerful, it can actually guide you
towards whatever images it regularly receives! So, if you fancy a trip
to Paris - stick a picture of the Eiffel Tower on your fridge! Theories
abound about how this works, but even without scientific proof, if
picturing your dreams for the future makes you feel better about your
present situation, just enjoy the magic.
Worth the dusting
Perhaps you're thinking: more photographs equals more items to
dust. Technically you're right. However I believe that the benefits
vastly outweigh this fact. Would you rather dust ten items miserably,
or a dozen items with a smile? Whilst minimalism may be the easiest
decor to keep clean, a house should feel like a home, not just an
efficient shell. It is the personal items that make your home unique. In
fact - they are what make it home.

Danielle Raine
---
Author of Housework Blues - A Survival Guide
http://www.houseworkblues.com

Make Peace with Housework Blog
http://www.makepeacewithhousework.com

You can find me on Twitter & Facebook:
http://twitter.com/danraine73
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Housework-Blues-A-Survival-Guide/110339545668482?ref=nf&v=wall "

For more details on "Archive for Life" and artistic photography at Jo Belfield Photography, please contact jo@jobelfield.com or telephone Jo on 01625 429162.

Buy My Wardrobe

2010-05-21T11:16:00.003+01:00

On 8th May 2010 Jo Belfield Photography were delighted to be the official photographers for the designer recycling event "Buy My Wardrobe". The event was attended by hundreds of London's most fashion-conscious residents who had the opportunity to buy gorgeous designer clothes from some of London's most famous fashionistas. All the photos from the event can now be viewed at http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/jobelfield/albums/events/82765

Digital images and prints can also be purchased at reasonable rates.

New Awards for Jo Belfield Photography

2010-05-13T16:25:00.007+01:00

Jo Belfield Photography is pleased to announce a further two awards from the Society of Wedding and portrait Photographers. In the April 2010 competition, we were awarded bronze in both the Glamour and Beauty and the Digital Art categories. Both images featured talented Manchester model DamiLola and were taken during a photoshoot at our studio earlier in the month.

Official portrait photographer for Chilli Kids

2010-04-28T13:08:00.001+01:00

Jo Belfield Photography is pleased to announce that they are now one of the official portrait photographers for Chilli Kids in the North West. Chilli Kids is an exciting and dynamic Nationwide Children's Modelling & Casting Agency, representing not only Child Models, but also a wide range of Child Actors & Extra's throughout the UK for opportunities in photographic work, film, TV, Theatre and more!

Offical Photographer for the Buy My Wardrobe Event - 8th May 2010

2010-04-26T14:02:00.000+01:00

Jo Belfield Photography is very excited to announce that we have been selected to be the official photographer for the next exclusive Buy My Wardrobe event on the 8th May 2010 at the Supper Club in London.

The Buy My Wardrobe events see a number of selected fashionistas gathering for a one day event to sell the contents of their designer wardrobes to the members of the public. They are tick only events are the current 5 are already sold out. Previous wardrobe mistresses have included Gucci Group executive Mimma Viglezio, Ex-Elle publishing director Elain Foran and TV personality Giselle Morley.

And Jo Belfield Photography will be there to record it all from the VIP champagne preview for ticket holders, through the melee of buying their favourite pieces to the clear up at the end.

With the event holders permission we hope to give you a sneaky peak at our images as soon after the event as we can.

Family Portrait promotion this Sunday

2010-04-23T12:54:00.008+01:00

This Sunday Jo Belfield Photography will be at the Craft and Gift Fair in the Masonic Guildhall in Stockport, 169 Wellington Road South, SK1 3UA, from 11am to 4pm. You will have the opportunity to receive a flyer just like the one above. This gives you a free Family Portrait session, worth £75, and you just pay for the prints.

Come and find us to get your hands on this special offer!

Revised price list now available

2010-04-19T09:53:00.000+01:00

As it is the beginning of the new financial year we have now released our new price list for our studio sessions, prints and products for 2010.

Please note that if you have a particular size or product in mind that is not listed, just ask!

Contact Jo Belfield Photography on 01625 429162 or email jo@jobelfield.com to get your copy.

Jo Belfield - now an award winning photographer!

2010-04-15T13:47:00.001+01:00

The above image won Jo Belfield Photography the Bronze Award in the Beauty & Glamour category of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers competition for March 2010.

This follows on from our previous success in January 2010 when we won Bronze in the Fashion category with the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers too.

Jo Belfield Makes Mumclubs Top 40!

2010-01-10T18:27:00.000Z

Jo Belfield is pleased that she has made the Mumsclub Top 40 of Mumpreneurs who Tweet. The list, compiled by Mumsclub, a networking site for mums involved in business, can be viewed at http://www.mumsclub.co.uk/html/twittermums.html and includes lots of mum-owned businesses from babyslings to maternitywear and fancy dress to PR. There's surely something to interest anyone currently in business or thinking of setting one up - or simply if you are looking for original gifts or a service for your business.

If you want to floow Mumsclub on www.twitter.com just tweet @Mumsclub and if you want to follow me on Twitter you can find me @jobelfield

Product Photography Questionnaire

2009-12-28T13:16:00.000Z

Please take the time topost to my product photography questionnaire.
Click here to take survey

Rainow Punk Photoshoot

2009-12-14T11:55:00.000Z

Jo Belfield Photography had a great time in the Cheshire village of Rainow photographing the gorgeous model Alix Dillon for a punk styled photoshoot. We were ably assisted by the amazing make-up talents of the lovely Vicki Oulton and ended up with some of my favourite images to date.

Photographing Michelle Kay for TV!

2009-12-14T11:40:00.000Z

Jo Belfield Photography had the pleasure of photographing Michelle Kay who runs the web development company Your Webstar . The original use for the photographs were as corporate portraits, but when Michelle decided to apply to go on ITV's Tonight programme it was one of those photographs she chose to send them.

Michelle duly appeared on the programme talking indepth about women over 35, their self-image and their careers. The photograph was apparently well-received by the TV Company and appeared in a number of scenes too.

Congratulations Michelle! We always knew you were a Web star but now you're a TV star too!

Jo

Fashion Shoot in Macclesfield

2009-11-09T20:26:00.000Z

I took models Katy Tyrell and Steven Mathers into Macclesfield to meet make-up artist Louise Kennedy. We did a photoshoot based around a very familiar part of the town and I was very pleased with the results. I love shooting on location and being inspired by not only the models and the clothes but also the architecture and surrounding landscape and how these four elements interact together.

A catch up

2009-11-09T20:11:00.000Z

Okay, so whilst you can catch up with me at @JoBelfield on Twitter, it would not seem I am a habitual blogger. So the next few entries are a little catch up of some of what I have been up to over the last few months....

I was lucky enough to photograph the fabulous Manchester band Twilightrobin at the Mind Body and Boogie festival 2009 in Bollington. I have been following this band for a number of years now and their music just gets better and better. Photos here are top: Alex on Bass guitar, Middle: Phil on lead guitar and bottom: Ben on vocals.

Driveway

2009-08-07T08:50:00.000+01:00

I have passed this driveway on many occasions but never photographed it..... I love the interplay between the different patterns in the stonework, cobbles and the lines of the drive itself.

I am hoping to get accredited in architectural photography so you should see more landscape and buildings from me soon!

Jo

Down the Garden Path

2009-08-04T21:26:00.001+01:00

Down the Garden Path
Originally uploaded by Jo Belfield

I took this shot from the road the other day whilst going on an evening photowalk. I am really happy with the tones of this image. I am working towards BIPP accreditation in architectural photography so there may be plenty more buildings to come!

Jo

Pretty House

2009-07-23T15:13:00.000+01:00

I took this photograph as I knew the owner was interested in seeing any photos I came up with, but I hadn't been happy with previous attempts. I like this faux watercolour version. I am also going to do a black and white version on another one of the photos - I just haven't quite got round to it yet! I hope the owner likes it!

Jo

Cutie Pie

2009-07-13T20:04:00.001+01:00

Just a quick snippit of this lovely bundle of cuddles I photographed today as he peered over his mum's shoulder! What a poppet and what gorgeous eyes!

Make the Most of Great Light!

2009-07-13T14:16:00.000+01:00

Any photographer will tell you that the key to a good photograph is good light and natural light is probably the best there is. So make the most of the long summer days by organising an outdoor portrait - either in your garden or at the location of your choice. Make the most of the light evenings and the summer holidays to preserve the memories of those golden summer days with a family or child portrait surrounded by flowers, grass, fields or fountains - it's all up to you! If you are interested in organising a photoshoot, please contact me by email at jo@jobelfield.com

School Photographs with a Difference.....

2009-07-09T13:51:00.000+01:00

I will admit I am not fond of the "norm" when it comes to school photography. Sitting in front of a camera and lights is not the most comfortable or natural experience for anyone and since it is a natural and relaxed pose is what makes the best photos, the typical studio set up is something I shy away from. There are times it has it's place - for achieving a certain look or lighting effect, especially for commercial work or when using models, but for most of the time, especially when photographing children I prefer a much more familiar environment.

In an attempt not to get the strained smiles of typical school photographs and create pictures that you will be proud off I prefer to capture the children being themselves. So the best things to do are to let them play and act like they usually do whilst the photographer either blends into the background whilst photographing or alternatively I become familiar to them and they are happy to interact with the camera.

When I go to a nursery, playgroup, or toddler group to do a photoshoot I take the individual photographs hand held so there is no tripod to get in the way. I DO use a tripod for whole class pictures but otherwise I like the flexibility of angle and movement that handheld photography provides. It is much easier for me to interact with the children, get down to their level and engage them in the process and it makes for better pictures in my opinion.

If you would like to discuss a photoshoot at your nursery, preschool, playgroup, mums and tots group, or class please contact me by emailing jo@jobelfield.com. I work in the Macclesfield / South Manchester area mostly but will consider going further afield.

Jo Belfield

Capture Those Precious Moments

2009-06-29T16:27:00.000+01:00

As a mum I know that the moments that are the most precious are sometimes not the most obvious. They are not always the high days and holidays, the birthdays, parties, or the family get togethers. Those are all important times to capture and preserve photographically. But equally important are those quiet, close moments when you and your family can just be yourselves and celebrate that special bond between you. That's why I want to preserve those moments before you - so in years ahead, in times of hurried growing, learning and exploring you can remember a time when there was you and your small child enjoying a moment of peace and tranquility.

Beautiful Things for a Beautiful Home

2009-06-29T10:49:00.000+01:00

One of my favourite shoots was for The Little Apple Tree in Bollington. The owners are helpful and friendly and the gifts and interiors items on display are gorgeous! Perfect for gifts or to give you or your home a little touch of luxury for the Summer! Items by Jan Constantine, Emma Bridgewater and Cath Kidston are all stocked.

Maternity Shoot

2009-06-18T10:29:00.001+01:00

I was honoured to be asked to do a maternity shoot for my friend Jacqui. I went on Tuesday to do a consultation on it, but she looked so good that I took some shots there and then.

She really was blooming and I got some beautiful head and shoulder shots as well as pregnancy ones. We are doing a further shoot next week with different clothes and a bit more bump on show!

Both she and her husband love the shots - I am overjoyed and and I can't wait to meet their new baby!

Breaking the Silence

2009-06-15T19:04:00.000+01:00

Sorry, I have suddenly gone very quiet! This is due to a number of factors but mainly due to the hard disk on my laptop packing up - it has takn me a couple of weeks to get it fixed. Also I have been doing a commissioned portrait job - my first paid job - which has taken up most of the last fortnight. It has given me the idea of setting up a photography business so watch this space. I have also been doing some freelancing and have at least made favourable contact with a couple of magazines.

Tomorrow I am doing a consult for a maternity shoot for a friend. We will be doing the actual session on Friday. I am so looking forward to it - in the meantime I have been doing my research and I have stumbled upon the amazing Jennifer Loomis - the creator of outstandingly beautiful fine art maternity photography. Inspiring!

Jo

Taking awesome photos when you don't have an awesomely expensive camera...

2009-05-24T08:21:00.001+01:00

Canal Steps BW (contrast adjusted)
Originally uploaded by Jo Belfield

Great article on Gadling.com by Karen Walrond about taking great photos without an expensive camera....

By far my most popular photo on Flickr (seen here) was taken on my first-ever trip out with my point-and-shoot.....

Jo

"Spy" Lens for Candid and Street Photography

2009-05-23T15:12:00.000+01:00

I love candid photography. Far more than any that is posed. I love street photography for this reason. just catching those gorgeous moments an people in their natural environment being, well, themselves. As soon as you stop to ask people if you can take their photo or they spot a camera pointing at them then that naturalness is completely lost and the photo unobtainable. That is why I love this nifty gadget though I have yet to get one and try it out. I do think calling it a "spy" lens is really misleading. I have no intention of spying on people with it. It just makes you less obvious and the arty, beautifully composed, carefree shot / candid slightly less likely to be ruined by being observed!

Jo Belfield

20 Photographs & 20 Stories

2009-05-23T10:54:00.001+01:00

20 Photographs & 20 Stories
Originally uploaded by eastofnorth

Katherine Elizabeth Lewis and Nik Perring have been collaborating on a compilation of 20 photographs and stories they'e inspired. The book is being sold to raise money for the Alzheimer's society and is to be launched at the Waterside Cafe, Bollington on Sunday May 24th, 7 pm, with authors doing readings, signed framed images for sale, and, of course, the book! The Alzheimer's Society will have a representative there with information about their activities. Canalside Radio is recording the readings, etc., to brobe adcast later. All profits from book and image sales are going to the Alzheimer's Society. More information at www.eastofnorth.com.

Share: Threading the Needle

2009-05-23T09:16:00.000+01:00

Added to the Shutter Sisters One Word project: Share. This was a sharing experience - it is rare we have a ceilidh in the village (I think the last one was 4 years ago at the last festival!) It was an event tremendously enjoyed by the people that attended, we shared dancing, music, laughs and most of all a sense of Community which is what it's creator, the late Dr John Coope, wanted the Festival (and his other arts organisations in our little village) to foster.

Dancers In Light and Dark / Dancers

2009-05-22T17:09:00.001+01:00

Tom Hardwidge's blog has got me thinking - how do you know when a photo is good or not? There are some that I think "yes that's exactly it!" but others where I wonder if I have pushed the bounderies a little too hard, gone a bit loopy with the post-processing and I truly have no idea if it's any good or not. These are 2 photos that I feel that way about. They remind me of pen and ink drawings (I was a huge fan of Mervyn Peake's pen and ink drawings when growing up) but I wasn't sure whether I had just gone completly over the top! People liked them when I put them on Flickr - what do you think?

Jo Belfield.

Oh oh OH!

2009-05-22T10:18:00.000+01:00

Ok. So I'm a girl. I like pretty things. And shopping. And photography. So what if I could find them all in one place? Would I be in heaven? Yes I certainly think so......

I have just discovered - courtesy of the wonderful Shutter Sisters - that bright, fashionable and girly camera accessories are now available from Etsy.com and (the so fab it's even named after me lol) The Photojojo Store.

So there you go - Camera straps - the smart girl's alternative to shoes....Or that might be pushing it!

Edit: Found the gorgeous camera straps at etsy.com at last so the link has now been edited to go directly to them!

Freedom on the Street

2009-05-22T09:38:00.000+01:00

I have been following with interest, and a fair amount of alarm, the case of Greek photographer Periklis Antoniou, who was arrested after taking a photo on the London Tube. The photograph, albeit of the inside of the carriage with a wide lens, included a 17 year old girl whose father complained about the photograph to the police, despite Antoniou deleting the photographs when confronted by the girl's mother. The photographer was charged with breaching Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, for causing 'public harassment, alarm or distress' to the father arising out of the picture taking. On Monday he was cleared in a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, following due to lack of evidence that the photographer had breached the Act.

Further details can be found on the Amateur Photographer site here.

Love Thursday / Love Becky Waite

2009-05-21T18:41:00.000+01:00

I was trying to think of an image for Love Thursday , so I was thinking of things that I have loved recently. One thing that thought of was the amazing sculptures by Becky Waite. They are beautiful colourful concoctions made from discarded plastic bottles and bright, stunning embroidery. I stumbled across them at the truly magical Secret Garden at The White Gallery and grinned with pleasure as my youngest interacted with the shimmering dingle dangles. So I suppose this Thursday's "Love" for me is two-fold....love making art out of what would otherwise be rubbish and love the interaction between kids and art!

The End of the Fair

2009-05-21T16:15:00.000+01:00

The recent fair at the Bollington Festival provided me with an unexpected treasure trove of photos. But perhaps the most valuable treasures were the subjects themselves. As it happened I was there as the fair was quietening down, the queues pretty much gone and the stalls starting to pack up. Suddenly I found myself with a handful of willing models who moonlighted as fairground staff.

The images this impromptu photoshoot produced - candid, down to earth, unexpected, slightly skewed by the transformation of gaudy colours to grainy black and white - are some of my recent favourites and I hope to revisit theme sometime in the future to explore it further.

From the ordinary to the extraordinary......

2009-05-20T15:51:00.000+01:00

It took me 33 years to discover that I was a photographer. A happy accident that arose out of a chance encounter with some awesome amateur photography on www.flickr.com and the rescuing of my used-for-holidays-only point and shoot from under 2 years worth of clutter in the dresser drawer. I went outside to have a play and take a few creative photos and started on a journey that has absorbed me for the last 10 months. I haven't travelled alone by any means. I have met many fantastic photographers allong the way - some virtually and some in person - some in my village and the surrounding area and some on completely different continents. I am grateful for how talented, supportive, enthusiatic, nurturing and generous with their advice, praise and criticism these people are. I am also grateful for the support of my hubby and kids - who only occasionally get crabby that I take twice as long to walk anywhere now that I am constantly stopping to take a photo or complain about their portraits being taken every five minutes.

I am continually gobsmacked by how the lens can transform the mundane in our world - the buildings we ignore because we're not going there we're going HERE and the flowers, weeds, debris and tiny details that we'd miss if we weren't looking for them. At the minute I am generally quite limited in the geographical area I shoot in. I don't drive and I have to be back home for nursery andd school runs so there isn't a wide area for me to shoot in. So my Canon D450 has become my constant companion. My everyday haunts are then photographed and then photographed some more, and finally when the obvious angles have been done and dusted there is the looking for something else, the looking for the tiny too-easily-missed details, the looking for something extraordinary in the ordinary. I am surprised the little things I find, the things that I would never have noticed if I hadn't been looking for something beyond the bricks and mortar and tarmacadam we pass everyday. Constantly amazed, constantly challenged, sometimes thrilled, sometimes disappointed and certainly always learning.

Jo Belfield http://www.flickr.com/photos/29171103@N05/