Frequently Asked Questions
Soho, London
What camera do you use?
There was always a camera about documenting the memories of my childhood, and as I grew old enough to use one, I would always excitedly shuffle through the disposable snaps when we received the envelope back from the chemist. The summer before I started university I spent 3 weeks on The Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall working on a farm. Wanting to document my trip I was determind to get a proper camera and purchased a Kodak Compact Camera. I still look back at these photos to this day of the beaches, houses and flowers I found on those idyllic islands.
At university the camera captured many a night out, new experiences including an Erasmus exchange to Norway. Finally, in 2013 I bought a smartphone and immediately downloaded the Instagram app. Having a camera in my back pocket meant photography became a lot more accessible and I began capturing whatever caught my eye. With a little encouragement I became the proud owner of an iPhone 6 in 2015 and have never looked back! You can still find me taking pictures on my iPhone 7 and Sony RX100 IV.
How do you edit your photos?
One of my favourite things to do is editing photos! No matter how you see something with your eyes, a camera captures it differently. Whilst sitting on the tube or bus waiting to get to my next destination, I always quickly flick through and delete the ones that are blurred, been taken accidentally of the ground or my pocket. My favourites get imported into VSCOcam and I begin editing; this however has led to many missed tube stops! I use the app to brighten, add clarity, sharpen and apply my chosen filter. My favourite VSCOcm filter is A6. I love the control the buttons allow me as I like to ensure my photos look as natural as possible.
These images then get imported into Instagram where I use the Instagram tools such as lux and structure to add the final touches before uploading. To help me plan my feed I use the Instagram draft feature to save photos I am working on before posting them.
Belgravia, London
Notting Hill, London
How do you find your quotes?
As part of her gallery wall where she exhibited her paintings my Granny would display quotes from artists she admired, about colour, light and life. Growing up I was always reminded by little phrases and sayings - 'a watched pot never boils' Mum used to say when we helped her in the kitchen to 'all power to your elbow' from Dad when we talked about life plans.
As a nurse I am privileged to witness the ups and downs of life but this takes an its emotional and physical toll on me. Never knowing what I might face that day my Pinterest habit always meant I looked up inspirational quotes to get me through the day. Owing to the delicate nature of my work I always struggled to come up with a caption for my Instagram that day and before too long it became easier to find a quote instead.
When choosing a quote I generally look for something that depicts the picture or how I am feeling and I have developed quite a collection. I save these on my Pinterest board for future use, I also have a growing pile of quote books and when all else fails, I consult Google!