The first illustration I did on my Mac with my wonderful Bamboo Creative Tablet. What can I say? It’s as geeky as it gets, but it’s always been my favourite show, it always will be my favourite show and I will always rant on and on about it to any poor person who is willing to listen. I drew this simply because one of the DVD’s was on when I first plugged the tablet into my Mac and hey presto, this is what you get. A roughly drawn, without much detail, version of Mulder & Scully. I should really finish it – but then, it was only a bit of fun practice. I’m thinking it’d make a nice print though, no?

Even though Mulder & Scully are copyright of Chris Carter, if you are wanting to use the illustration elsewhere then get in touch with me first for permission. For other reasons I prefer to keep tabs on all my work, sorry to be a grouch. Thanks.

I got Moses a year ago this month. He was only four months old and I could pick him up in the palm of my hand. He’s much bigger now but, amazingly, still has the face of a kitten. He also is still as playful, yet such a good cat. Everyone who meets him agrees they’ve never quite met a cat like him, he’s such a little character. He’s the cat who thinks he’s a dog who thinks he’s a human. At the risk of sounding like crazy cat lady, he’s my little buddy and makes everyday that little bit more fun and loveable.

FIRSTLY….Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments both here and around the web with regards to my video post. Looks like most of you ‘got’ the accent ok (although I think there was a comment refrencing Nadine Coyle from Girls Aloud. We Belfast folk will often launch into the Derry (Nadine’s home city) vs. Belfast debate – we’re the ‘big city’). I have a few more video blogs to come and we’re not just talking webcam, I’ve even got a nice hi-def digital video camera sitting beside me. So, I’m prepared to bring it on…

Despite visuals being my priority, I’ve always liked (actually, make that ‘loved’) the critical thinking and studying side of it. What would, say, art photography, be if we didn’t discuss it, analyse it or even write a little blurb of an explanation to accompany it. I know, it’d still be a visual which ’speaks for itself’, I get it, but really – why not use words to accompany visuals? Done right it will enhance and unfold your visual in a way that we, quite simply as people with developed brains, have the distinct privilege and ability to do.

This week I’m starting to write my third major critical essay which will be available online once it has been completed and shipped about (depending if any of the critical journals decide to run it). I’m a thinker, I think a lot. I know we all do, but I’m the kind of girl who latches onto subjects, thinks about them a lot. Then, before you know it my head is muddled with thoughts, ideas and angry opinions that never get shared but cause me to revert to my teenage self (all that pent up angst). So, really, being analytical, writing and sharing is not only an expansion to my portfolio, but it’s a good kind of self-therapy. So the big topic I plan to write on? Well, it’s a tad controversial, but it’s the one subject within the world of photography that I feel so strongly about that I’m going to bite the bullet and write…

I’m a feminist and I’m a photographer. I also live in the city of Belfast. Anyone who knows me, even remotely well, knows how expressive I can be on the combination of these things. Belfast. Female/Feminist. Photographer. That’s all I have to say. To be honest, I don’t see this being a review, a critical study, a dissertation or thesis. I think this will be a piece of personal writing on my struggles as a female photographer emerging from Belfast. I’ve lived and worked in London and the USA, so I have a lot of contrasting to do, yet again, it won’t just be a critical contrast, we’re talking more like an autobiographical short story. I’ll do my research and be very PC in my methods, but, I have a feeling personal experience and opinion will be my main drive.
Why not? Why not indeed? I’m bored of shying away from truly saying what I have to say. I’m also tired of living by silly rules of how to take photos, how to share photos, how to write, how to communicate, exhibit, respond, evolve as an artist.

Once again, I said I’d do it and I will – I’m opening the box, getting out, dabbling in every form of self expression and art there is and making it about a lifestyle. Any opinions and views, send them my way, thank you.

On an unrelated side note, one of my best friends, Claire, and I are embarking on a joint project and it is going to be so much fun for everyone. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear from you or collaborate with even more people. Speaking of Claire, last night she baked my family a batch of her ‘Marshmallow Cupcakes’ and I can now throw my hands up and admit, I’ve tasted something that is more seductive than Johnny Depp holding a glass of merlot. When you’re on her blog, be sure to check out the recipe, she kindly put up.

So, I promised new things on this blog and here you have it. First go. Video blogging. As I say in the video, I have a funny little accent (well, funny to most of you non Northern Irish people) and who knows, maybe I’ll do one of those “How to speak Belfast” videos in the future. Or not. Either way, let me try this.
It’s taken using photobooth on the MacBook Pro (technology the dreams are made of, eh?). However, if this cinematic urge keeps its grip on me then I’m busting out my hi-definition video camera complete with Leica lenses and compactness to make a nerd melt. It’s my Dad’s, but he gave it too me – or did I take it from him? So here’s to new, exciting, fun things that I’m going to stick up on this old, tired blog.

By the way, if I look and sound tired, it’s because I am tired in a way beyond human comprehension. So stick with it.

Oldies (Part i) : The beginnings of the ‘Identity’ project. Started in 2006, these shots were never actually used in the exhibition. The project focused on my personal identity in relation to physical appearance and the struggles that come along with it from the point of view that one can manipulate themselves.

There are a few more on my flickr page.

So, as I try to make a go of making this blog much more ‘daily’ with my head brimming with wonderful projects and fresh ideas, I’m now going to unleash a load of photos which are old. Since I got my new MacBook Pro (oh, how I love thee), I have been clearing out all my old hard-drives and finding a lot of my photography from years gone by. So I thought it would be fun to do daily (or almost) posts with a selection of said photos. Most photos were taken during my three years at the University of the Arts London, where I studied (yes, of course, what else?) Photography.
I do promise new and exciting things to come though. I’ve been having a pretty crazy life right now, but why is it when life gets a little bit upside down the ideas start to flow and all you want to do it create? Artists, eh?

A very, very, very quick sketch. A self portrait. I’m a bit rusty, but then again I’m also sick with fever at the moment. More to come.

Found this photograph I took in August 2008 of my Grandmother. I don’t know why I overlooked it because I really love it and I think I’ll have a nice sized print made of it. I don’t photograph those close to me enough – mainly because they’re all camera shy – but I am going to try and change that (a late new year’s resolution of sorts). It’s lovely to see so much life in one photograph when you know the person.

I’m very busy these days (life caught up with me on so many levels), but, I am so ready to make this blog something. I think the only way to do that is by making it a place I update almost daily. I don’t want it to be a half-assed photoblog when it could be a very full lifestyle blog. Photography is my job and I love it, it’s also what I do in my spare time, but there is so much more I love. Art is my life. I love fashion, I love illustration, I love design, I love poetry, I love writing, I love painting. I want to make this blog about all of those things. I’ve always felt that if I got back into illustration that I’d be ‘cheating’ on photography, which is ridiculous. I will always be a photographer, first and foremost, but I want to get back into art on so many other levels.

I went out and, along with my new MacBook Pro (which I love so much), I bought a Bamboo Creative tablet to kick start me into illustrating again. It’s really good because I can illustrate on my computer, which is helpful since I don’t have a lot of room in these parts. My Dad, who is a much more talented artist than I ever will be and a fellow art-schooler, has asked if he can join in on the world of blogging. So I told him that he and I could do a joint project of illustration and I would put his work up here. We’ve decided to do a series of illustrations based on ‘Hollywood’, predominantly ‘Old Hollywood’. We’ve done some leg work and will start the work this week, so watch out. The prints will also be available to purchase!

So expect to see plenty of illustration among other things like fashion (I’m trying to build up and entire new wardrobe of clothes lately). I’m going to make this blog my hub! Bookmark me, add me to your reader, tell a friend, send me your blog links. Time to be internet savvy!

So, let me get nerdy for a bit.

Yesterday I bought my very first Mac Book. A Mac Book Pro.
It’s shocking really that I’ve managed to go so long without one as a photographer and photo-editor. I’ve only had the computer for 24 hours and already my entire catalogue of photos look 100% better and I don’t know how I coped before. Granted I did use the Mac’s in the digital suite when I was at University for all my printing, photo editing and general work for projects and exhibitions. I suddenly remember why, even though I’ll always have a soft spot for Windows and the trusty old PC, it’s Apple and the Mac that win in the visual sweepstakes. No doubt about it.

Proof that I will try just about anything – once. That’s me riding a mechanical bull at the Humble Rodeo Cook Off in Texas. I stayed on for about half a minute which I was really proud of, even if the guy controlling it gave me a break because of my slightly different accent. It took a few free (and pretty good) Margarita’s to get me on it, but ‘When in Texas….’.