Mollie Makes Magazine
Nice coverage for Mollie Makes of Shevie Moyles work down in Cornwall...
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17 04 13
Wow, its all gone mad now! off to Cornwall for a hotel shoot tomorrow, back to Bath for a hotel shoot on tuesday, then to East Sussex for two days shoots for magazines, then back to Bristol to prepare for four days in Italy... see you on the other side...20 03 13
Ongoing work with Chateau Impney in Worcestershire see here... and many other jobs too.. Homes and Gardens shoot last week in Devon, and some rather smart new architectural clients based in London this coming week... watch this space!17 01 13
Well, the year's turned and I'm mooching around in the office trying to reorganise/springclean and generally do nothing! It was a good year (2012) and you can read a review here... At the moment its snowing here in Bristol, so any excuse to discuss 'not snowing' weather would be gratefully received!15 7 12
Well its 'here we go again' time!... off to Cornwall again shooting for 25BH magazine, then straight back and up the M4 to shoot for a day with Esti Barnes of 'Top Floor Rugs' in London on wednesday. Then another shoot for Route One in the next couple of weeks, and a final shoot for the wonderful National Trust at Powis Castle Gardens ... Blimey...Twitter Feed
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Tag Archives: tuscany
Lovely Lucca….
Lovely Lucca, Italian masterpiece…
Autumn in The Garfagnana, Tuscany
Anyone whose visions of Tuscan countryside revolve solely around the undeniably romantic idea of hilltop villas with cypress lined driveways snaking up through the vines, poppies or sunflowers has probably not made it up north to the Garfagnana. The region proper starts about half an hour north of Lucca, its main centre being Castelnuovo di Garfagana with the Apennines and the Apuan Alps rising dramatically to either side and it’s absolutely worth a trip if you have a few days spare.
I’ve just got back from one of my frequent visits – a photographer’s treat to go in autumn when the chestnut and oak trees that blanket the hillsides are are starting to turn, the whiff of woodsmoke is everywhere while each morning, low, single clouds hang over the valley. I wish I was an expert in fungi as there were mushrooms everywhere – our friend Giovanna told me that her children are already experts having learnt from their grandfather but I ended up buying my porcini from a roadside stall. One highlight this time was visiting the tiny village of Sillico where a lovely man insisted we go and see his museum – a crazy mix of scenes from yesteryear complete with spooky models and a dazzling display of – alarm clocks! I should have taken some pics but really, you had to be there….
Photography in the Garfagnana, Tuscany, Italy
Hotel Photography in Tuscany, Italy
I Shoot Horses Don’t I?
I’ve just returned from a few days hotel photography at ‘Il Borro‘, near Arezzo in Tuscany owned by the Ferragamo family – designers of very beautiful footwear and bags worn by proper Hollywood royalty over the years – Marilyn, Audrey and Angelina amongst others. The estate is vast with its own medieval ‘borgo’ where we stayed, a spa, stables and huge winery. They’ve managed to pull off the trick of respecting their traditional Tuscan roots while introducing super slick, up-to-the-minute design elements particularly around the spa with its infinity pool and Vincafé. I spent my time racing around photographing interiors, charming staff, atmospheric vistas and even the horses!
The next day we drove into Chianti where classic Tuscan views of ancient hilltop estates flanked by cypress trees and surrounded by dusty olive groves forced me to leap out of the car, camera in hand around virtually every bend. Volpaia is a tiny village which sits high above Radda in Chianti where the restaurant La Bottega and bar are both owned by the same friendly family – there can’t be too many better places in the world to have lunch.
All this bucolic bliss can get a bit much so it was time to head into the hubbub of Florence – 92 degrees, many shops and restaurants closed for holidays, swarms of tourists (like me), coffees at 5 euros – but still utterly amazing. Best bits were midnight photography of Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria and an early morning trip to the food market at Sant’ Ambrogio to stock up on pecorino and tasty tomatoes.
Hotel Photography in Italy is a tough job, but someone has to do it…. so, if you have a hotel, Bed and Breakfast, Spa or restaurant , and you need some marketing images, please do get in touch…. I’m photographing a ‘Gourmet’ ski chalet in the French Alps next month, and back to do more at the slightly bonkers Hoar Cross Hall in Staffordshire after that… come on, catch me while you can… 
Hotel Photography at Il Borro in Tuscany, Italy
Best Coffee for ages…
Difficult, because I had some many good ones on a recent trip to shoot an hotel in Italy, but this one was nearly unbeatable (have to leave room for others to get there!)… fantastic restaurant in Volpaia, near Radda In Chianti, called ‘La Bottega‘. Run by a local family, it serves ‘Cucina Contadina’ (food for the working man basicly)… amazingly good macchiato…thanks for a great lunch!
Coffee at La Bottega, Volpaia in Chianti, Tuscany
Castiglione Di Garfagnana, Tuscany, Italy
Oh my, what a beautiful little Tuscan town, shot last year when the roses were out… with a plastic Holga camera… £15 on Ebay…I come from Lomo-land! am printing this LARGE through Photobox… never tried them before and will let you know what it looks like! Castiglione is little town I know well and is perched at the top of a hill and has a fortified wall around it… Porcini and chestnut country, wonderful in the autumn when the wood smoke fills the air and the restaurants are all serving Zuppa di Farro…. buono…
Castiglione di Garfagnana
Beautiful Barga, Tuscan hill top town in Italy
Evening walk with the family in Tuscany. An ancient Italian tradition, in one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. The evening sunlight and the dramatic location make travel photography delightfully easy…
Barga, Tuscany, Italy
Shop Signs in Lucca
I have just returned from Lucca in Tuscany (part work, mostly play!) and, as ever, loved it. It’s an elegant and sophisticated city (one of the guidebooks calls it the ‘Switzerland of the South’!)… it has a fascinating history and the medieval walls are still standing, encircling the walls and providing an excellent bike-ride all the way round. The streets are a maze of expensive jewellers, busy cafes and well-stocked grocers. No signs of Starbucks or Aldi; just good local shops and a lot of bikes! Mary Portas would thoroughly admire the high streets (!) of Lucca…. One of the noticable features about the streets are the signs above many of the shops… they have kept the old signs and the affect is fantastic… The citizens also seem to have a real pride for the street.. as in most of Italy, they seem to spend a lot of time washing down the pavement directly outside their shops… a lesson to be learned!
The shop signs of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy
San Gimignano panoramic
san gimignano panoramic
This image, shot on an iPhone with ‘Pano‘ app has been chosen to be exhibited in the prestigious Royal West of England Academy 2011 photography show…. not bad for a mobile phone pic? just goes to show that the best camera is ‘the one you have with you’… this is my daughter standing and (not) appreciating the beauty of old Tuscany…!
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