Once upon a time, but not so long ago, Monday was my ‘washing day’. I’d do a week’s worth of washing in one day, about three loads (whites, colours, dark) – maybe with an extra load for woolens every now and then.

These days, every day is washing day, with more loads than I can count. Sometimes I might skip a day if I’m out and about. That’s never a good thing for the days that follow.

Having baby clothes amongst the laundry is delightful though, there is no denying it.

xx

1…
…wisteria abloom all over sydney.

2…
…stop.close your eyes. and breath.

3…
…my rope collection.

4….
…props on the table, ready for action.

5….
…spot the baby hidden among the props.

xx

So here is the first post in the series “My Heart Wanders: photographs from the book & design discussions”, as mentioned in my last post to celebrate the opening of my online bookshop.

This particular photograph is one of my favourites. It is the chapter opener for Chapter One, Reflection: Leaving Home. For each chapter opener, I wanted to create an image that visually described the story that follows. Each image represents how I was feeling at that point in my life, and what I was doing in my life.

To create this image, I had the idea to create some sort of reflection in a shop glass window. I spent days looking for the perfect window – something with pretty reflections, but also one that I could access from inside with the camera and tripod. As I was living in Amsterdam at the time, I rode my bike around and gazed a thoughtful eye around at all the windows. I lay in bed at night, flicking through all the shop windows catalogued in my mind’s eye each day, and wondered  which would be best. Then it dawned on me – one of my favourite windows and window displays in Amsterdam had always been that of Hilde Tempelman, whose beautiful work and atelier I featured in Amsterdam: Made by Hand. It was perfect! So I called Hilde and asked if she would mind if I come play in her window one morning and as lovely as always, she said “Ja, come on down!”.

So with my little antique rattan suitcase full of props, camera bag slung over my shoulder and tripod attached at the rear of my bicycle, I headed down to Hilde’s studio shop.

I picked a corner of the window and set up my camera and tripod inside the shop. I decorated the window with various props, set my camera on a timer and dashed outside to place myself in frame. It was a bit tricky but after a number of takes, I started to get the right feel and look I was after.

It was a lot of fun to photograph this chapter opener using Hilde’s gorgeous creations as inspiration and props, and it was just as much fun developing the image further in postproduction. I wanted to create a sense of flight so I overlayed the original image with a wing illustration I made using a photograph of bird wings I took some months earlier, making them transparent and then adding a warm colour tone and splashes of ink.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this first look at some of the design elements of My Heart Wanders. The next post will look at how I created the numbers for each chapter opener and what they represent.

+to purchase My Heart Wanders, click here.

A while ago I mentioned in this post about our houseboat in Amsterdam that I’d show you my new flower wall installation. Well, here it is. It’s been established for a while now, and evolves with newly deceased blooms, ferns, and whatever catches my eye when I wander…

It’s also become a bit of a sweet memories collection from friends – the peonies are from Kylie who sent a lovely bunch when I was ill last year, the gum nut branches and ferns are from dear Tracey Deep,  and in the first photo at the very top right you can see a bloom made from paper by Natalie.  Although these photos were taken for a shoot many months ago, the wall hasn’t changed much since then, but the books have been moved to a less precarious ‘baby safe’ place. Here’s another corner of my new home…

There are some great flower walls being created out there, I particularly love this one from rubi-jones , found on instagram. Have you tried creating one in your home? If so I’d love to see.

xx

…rainy winter days mean I can wear my rain boots and splash in puddles…

…my little ray of sunshine…

…an abandoned book found on the sidewalk…

…a little corner of my home…

…our shadow, between weather…

Have a bon weekend mes amis!

xx