Photographing Science Week at a Monmouthshire school
Future astronauts, rocket scientists, engineers and bio-chemists were busy performing death defying, life saving and heart racing experiments across this Welsh language primary school in Monmouthshire, South Wales. For taking part in British Science Week last month.
The energy and enthusiasm around the school was infectious, as I joined in to photograph the children running their different experiments. From exploding Coke bottles that had been detonated with Mentos sweets, through to erupting volcanoes and finding out how our immune systems work.
"I reckon this is exactly what real life astronauts have to learn when they go to school!"
There were intelligent, from-the-heart debates as groups of badgers, hedgehogs, children and construction workers each gave their valid views as to why a main road should or shouldn't be built alongside their village - a truly wonderful roleplaying exercise from a representative of the Gwent Wildlife Trust. The school also experienced extreme weather systems and climate change from a meteorology expert.
It was a week full to the brim, of learning science in the most exciting and dynamic way. But what really touched me, was how these budding astronauts and bio-chemists pulled together and guided their peers through the many activities on offer.
The amazing teachers of this school and the equally amazing scientific volunteers, helped to empower the older children by letting them demonstrate many of the experiments to the younger years. Adorning protective eyewear, clothing and gloves, these kids gave their younger peers a "there's no room for error" and "please stand back for your own safety" drill before each eruption and explosion... I must say that I'd feel in safe hands heading up into Space with these lot!
If grandad was an animal he'd be a buffalo - a photo story
There is no doubt in my mind, how incredibly special a bond between a grandparent and child can be. So when JUNO, a magazine with a natural approach to family life, asked me to explore through photographs what this might look like, it was pure joy, if a little emotional at times, to watch some of these relationships unfold for me.
"Having Grandchildren is the best present your own children could ever give you. They are miniature versions of your children, and though they are like them in many ways, they are wonderfully unique"
I asked each of the children and their grandparents the same questions before the photoshoots began. These ranged from wanting to know what kind of animal they might be, how they make them laugh, to the types of inventions they would invent if they could, to make that other person's life more easy or even happier. Their responses were hilarious, intelligent and sometimes reduced me to tears.
"I'd love to invent a flying carpet so that she could see more of the world in the most magical way"
If you scroll through this post, you may notice one of the children featured is my own daughter, Jeanie. I photographed her with her grandparents, my parents. This gave the project an even stronger connection as I rarely photograph my own family in this kind of situation. I found it fascinating to stand back and observe how they responded to the same questions, scene-setting and guidance I give to other families that I photograph. How are they are seeing me right now? As a photographer, mother or daughter... which role was most present? It was unusual and quite moving for me to shoot.
"If I was a famous inventor, I'd invent a saddle so that I could ride about on grandpa's back"
It is true that grandparents' roles and the relationships our children have with them are different to when we were children, as well as our parents before us. More households than ever have both parents working outside the family home so grandparents are an integral source of childcare to them. But I find it quite amazing how they balance the must-do's and structure of the day given out by the parents (their own children). To still being able to have fun, step back and enjoy sharing so much with their grandchildren. We should, without question, celebrate them and this special relationship far more than we do.
"My grandad would be a buffalo if he was an animal. He's big and strong and doesn't let anything stand in his way"
So to Miles, Ollie and Jeanie... thank you for sharing your grandparents with me, each in your own special and unique way...
Finding a Home in Maindee - Jhons and Francy
Empanadas, a Monkey-face orchid and our exotic childhoods were just three of the many topics I got to talk about with Jhons and his wife, Francy on my second visit to their home in Maindee. This is a personal project, a documentary photographic project funded through the Maindee New Paths initiative. It’s a journey I’m on to find out why some people have chosen to make their home there.
“This house gave us a solution, it was our safe haven. Maindee has given us back our health and happiness”
Jhons and Francy chose a home in Maindee some 10 years ago, for a very different reason to why they choose to live there now. What started out as a house move for life-changing health reasons, now shows a home that reflects new life and their strong connections among the colourful communities that they are part of. From local festival collaborating to running the South Wales Hispano Latino community, along with all their other artistic and community-supporting endeavours in between.
I was joining them for my first taste of Francy’s homemade empanadas and guacamole – we’d previously talked about their street’s multi-culturalness by the many enticing culinary scents coming from the neighbours houses. Tempting the passerby as they walked the street around mealtimes, to at least guess the country’s cuisine as they walked through. But I’d struck gold, I was invited in for lunch, I was in heaven!
It was fascinating to listen to Jhons talk about his childhood in Columbia. Explaining that as children, they would head up into the mountains for two days at a time, building dens, fires, learning to fish. His parents didn’t exactly know where he was but that it was ok, like a right of passage, a chance to learn and explore.
This made me think about my own childhood spent overseas and my freedom there, my own right of passage. We talked about how very different it is today for children, growing up in this community outside their front door.
“I smile as I think of my childhood. There are so many rules around children now, it’s so important that they get the chance to be children – they don’t have the chance to explore. I’m thankful and grateful for my upbringing”
We also talked a lot about trust. This journey has not only been about me gaining people’s trust, but about the people I meet gaining my trust too. I’m finding I’m sharing as much of my own life’s story, opinions and aspirations as those I connect with, a balanced exchange of information, essentially between strangers at first. I’m getting myself invited into different homes and we end up sharing, at times, some pretty intimate stories. I’m also getting the chance to look at my own memories of living in Maindee, even further back into my own childhood. Things I’d forgotten about. The comparisons of our lives at times during these conversations, can be strikingly similar and uncannily connected in ways that I could never of predicted.
As artists and general human beings, we’re forever looking at our process of how and why we do what we do. For me it’s a reflection back to how I connected with the last people or objects I photographed. Each time it’s different and I take a little piece of that connection into the next one and hope that it works as magically as it can. Mainly I know from experience, that it’s about trusting them first, by offering an honest tale or two about me. But with Jhons and Francy, they held their door wide open from the start, and the exchange of honest, heartfelt and inspiring tales began almost immediately.
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A photoshoot in the connective and colourful world of babywearing
It was a perfect autumnal day at the Bristol docklands where we'd arranged to meet Katie and her completely gorgeous baby, Juliette. The team at JUNO, a natural parenting magazine, had commissioned me to photograph a feature for their Autumn Extra, which is all about the creative and connective world of babywearing.
I look back and remember placing my now-not-so little baby into a pre-tied sling to go and hang the washing out, breastfeed on the go, even edit the odd photoshoot while she slept contentedly next to me. But the term 'babywearing' as ancient an art form as it is, and the most natural and beautiful way of carrying your child, has become a whole big, colourful world of fabric designs and tying techniques.
I started our day in Bristol faced with wraps in many beautiful fabric prints, surely these can't be turned into safe baby-carrying devices?
Katie of Carry Me Slings offers valuable support to parents new to wearing these wraps and those wanting to try out new sling designs of the already vast choice of options out there. Seeing her in action, twisting and tying these wraps into shape, checking all was safe and secure, it was easy to see why JUNO wanted her as a feature in this particular edition. Watching her apply the different techniques to each wrap ready for the photo essay was mesmerising - we were quiet and still watching her at work. Baby Juliette took it all in her stride as her mother gathered her up in exquisite folds of fabric and settled her into position. Carefree, full of smiles and quite the guru baby-wearing baby.
Watching Katie effortlessly twist and shape these wraps while Juliette sits in them is mesmerising to watch
Not only a sling specialist but more importantly a mother confidently 'wearing' her baby. Listening to Katie explaining the benefits of each sling and watching how Juliette responds to each one is incredible to be part of. So it was no surprise, that when it came to nap time, the right sling for the job came out for demonstrating...
Her little thumb went into her mouth and her eyes became half-closed... "She know's the next wrap I'm going to show you, it's the one she sleeps in"
Classroom photography raises funds for school's PTA
I went back into school last term to photograph more children at the heart of classroom learning. It's an amazing feeling to watch and be able to experience first-hand, the magic of learning through their eyes...happening right before my eyes. What also feels amazing is to be able to gift that same school's PTA with some well-needed funds raised from the sales of these photographic prints. As a documentary children (and their families) photographer, I'm forever learning through their play - it is always a privilege to be invited into their world, and this was no exception.
The photos have been bought by the parents and families of these same children, and I'm over the moon that they now own a frozen nano-second of what their child looks and feels like, through their 'wonder-tinted' glasses of their own school's learning and playing environment.
I found myself putting the camera down at certain points during classroom sessions and saying to myself "I never knew that" - it just goes to prove that you're never too old to learn new facts!
I'm absolutely delighted to be able to donate to this group of parents and teachers, who work tirelessly with passion and enthusiasm, to give our children the best of experiences during their school years. I've seen the incredible energy that these amazing people bring to a school, through my own child's school PTA. So if you're reading this, and think that your school might like to adopt this style of classroom photographic project, then please do get in touch. These are unique documentary photo stories which require time spent over a duration of a few months. This enables me to photograph children as naturally as possible, with minimum disturbance to lessons.
A Breastfeeding Support Group in Photographs
Being able to breastfeed my baby was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. It is still, without doubt, one of my greatest achievements. Not an easy journey, there were lots of tears from me, painful moments, emotionally and physically.
But had I had the emotional and physical support of this particular group in my own breastfeeding journey? I’m certain it would have eased my self-doubt, closed that stupid ‘rule book’ and got me creative with my feeding experience.
This is not a story intending to spark debate, of what's right or wrong in the baby-feeding arena. Nor is it meant to fuel the guilt-measuring machine of how we chose to or couldn’t, for whatever reason manage to breastfeed our children. Hey, we have enough of that big jar of guilt neatly handed to us around the same time our newborns arrive don’t we? I write here merely as little celebration and reminder of my own personal journey, nothing more.
We discussed the #brelfie – the breastfeeding equivalent to the selfie!
This here is a small window right now, looking inwards to a special group of mums and their babies with their own feeding journeys. It is here we spent time discussing the #brelfie – the breastfeeding equivalent to the selfie! We shared warrior mum ‘street feeding’ moments - the disapproving look of a cafe customer, or the well-meaning superstore worker informing you "there is a designated feeding cubicle for you in the ladies toilet.”
It's a special place where I’ve seen new mums walk through the doors over the weeks, some distraught and in tears. These same mums have left laughing, armed with new friendships and a whole list of positions to try feeding their baby in. Tips and techniques often shared by other mums themselves as well as the trained advisors. It is quite simply amazing, simple human-to-human support.
I’ve also made new friendships of my own during my time photographing this Bristol group. In fact a few of us will be meeting up again to find their favourite places to feed in – ranging from the sanctuary of the bedroom to the vibrant market place. A whole new photographic project for me, and a whole new bucket list of feeding locations for the mummas.
To call this simply a breastfeeding support group doesn't do it justice. I’ve watched mums overcome their feelings of guilt and worry to reach those vital feelings of connection and self worth around feeding their babies. It’s some of the toughest terrain you can tread as a new mother. So however you chose to feed your baby, it’s surely about the bond between you and how you grow together during those quiet connective times that counts the most.
A Dancing Maternity Photoshoot
There is a term 'like a child in a sweet shop' and this would best describe how I felt last week when I got to photograph Emma at eight months pregnant. In the magnificent grounds of Wyndcliffe Court Sculpture Gardens nestling in a hillside, just outside Chepstow, South Wales with views of the Severn Estuary.
I first spotted Emma and her baby bump performing ballet and jazz routines during a dress rehearsal for dance shows that took place last month. These were organised by a local dance school and it was at that point I met her backstage (my daughter was part of this spectacular show, along with over 200 dancers aged from 7 years upwards). So after I hurridly explained to her who I was, between the speedy costume changes, a photographer who'd love to do a maternity photo shoot with her, it was six weeks later we got to meet again.
"So, what exactly are you doing here?"
She arrived complete with her wheelie case not even unpacked from the dance show, full of the amazing outfits she had worn on stage and I might add, were only now just fitting her and her growing bump. There was plenty of laughter between us and one of the tradesmen working in the main house that day. He got quite a shock as Emma tiptoed passed him, wearing a vibrant array of dance wear on a quiet Monday morning "So, what exactly are you doing here?" he asked. To which she replied "that is a really good question!"
We planned our escape into the gardens between the downpours
The natural light that poured into the Ballroom of Wyndcliffe Court was perfect. We cleared an area to be able to use the magnificent 1920's window as one of our backdrops. And as it was a typical showery spring day, we planned our escape outside between the downpours. It was there that we discovered all sorts of secret gardens, the naturally wild and the elegantly landscaped. We found a couple of rope swings which sit in a tiny dell, framed by the bluebells growing there, and sets of elegant gates which separate one garden space from the next.
It was during the morning that Emma poignantly told me how this pregnancy has been quite a whirlwind for her and her partner (they already have a one-year-old son). So for her this morning became an important and unique experience that she will able to share with her unborn baby when s/he grows up.
But for me?... I'm just happy that Emma turned sideways on stage when she did during her dance performance, showing her and dancing baby bump in all their glory.
A forest family photoshoot: the next chapter
I want to hold my hand up and tell you here and now, that I was emotionally unprepared for this photoshoot. I'll explain why... Bethan's mum contacted me last-minute and asked if I had any free time on a particular Saturday. It was because her eldest baby was about to start university life and this day would be their final morning together as they are right now. All seven of them (not forgetting Rosie and Maggie, the family dogs) taking a walk in the woods, before they drive off to the uni campus to begin a brand new chapter of her life.
Bethan's mum had been thinking for sometime about how to get them all together for a family portrait, then with overwhelming clarity - without telling the rest of her family when she booked, I might add! - she decided "why not make it on the day we take her?"
As a parent myself, I felt this bittersweet point after B's family had supported and guided her into this next adventure of her life. Her ambition and excitement that morning was keeping up the stronger wall, with just a little keyhole of the unknown shining through.
The 'flying of the nest' thing, it's huge one and I can't help but let my mumma-time machine fly 10 years ahead and see us, on that same morning, doing exactly the same thing.
They are an extremely close family, with the usual sibling pranks and outrageous teasing that takes place in most families. This morning was no exception. With younger sister, Carys and brother, Ioan teasing about how much more space there'd be at home, and the potential bedroom swaps, as they used fallen branches, tree trunks and woodland paths to act out their fictitious rivalry.
There was plenty of laughter, quite honestly it was the most perfect way to start any day. And I'd been doing so well at keeping my emotions in check...after all it was just another family 'shoot in the woods, right?
When they got back to the luggage-ladened car, reality hit as Carys saw she was in with a real chance of her big sister's bedroom. Tears flowed all around as the enormity of what was happening, happened. Not wanting to end this story as a 'farewell to Bethan' story because it isn't. I should finish by saying that she's nearly at the end of her first year in University, has made loads of life-long friends and her family enjoy many city breaks while visiting her. She'll be home soon for a long summer, so I must find out if Carys got her bedroom after all!
To mum, I love you because...
As a mum to a daughter, and a daughter to a mum there is nothing more deep rooted in me than this kind of relationship. I put a call-out for two people to come and spend a morning with me to practise some new connective techniques I've been learning about. So I was absolutely over the moon to hear from 10-year-old Maisie and her mum, Bev.
We went to one of my favourite places only down the road from where I live, Magor Marsh, which is one of the natural homes managed by The Gwent Wildlife Trust. A truly magical place with overhead height hay meadows, waterways and an abundance of wildlife. It's a place where I breathe deeply, reflect and feel totally alive in the great outdoors. I'm so happy to know that it's also become one of Bev and Maisie's special places too.
It was there I learned about a few of Maisie's hidden talents - did you know that she is the perfect impersonator able to mimic any member of her family with hilarious perfection? And that the best feeling in the world for her is when her mum wraps her up in a blanket when she's feeling unwell, or when she's feeling sad...they talk about everything together.
Earlier that week, I'd asked Maisie and Bev to each write a love letter to the other to read out on the day. I wasn't prepared for the emotional words that flowed from these pages as they spoke to one another. The complete honesty and sharing of a very real deep bond reduced us all to tears. I cannot thank you enough for letting me be part of this moment with you both.
