Looking at the moon

May 31, 2020

‘I’ll find you in the morning sun and when the night is new, I’ll be looking at the moon, but I’ll be seeing you’ - Jimmy Durante

It is with a heavy heart that I dedicate this photograph to one of the world’s greatest stargazers and storytellers, the man that I was lucky enough to call my Granda. From late night chats about his family life growing up as the baby of a big family, to the endless hours talking about favourite old school Hollywood movies. From the takeaways shared (and our love of vinegar) where he would always complain about eating too much, to looking up his favourite songs on youtube from the 1940s onwards as well as wanting to know the exact location of that International Space Station…. A man of many words and talents who knew exactly how to light up the room! You leave behind such a legacy and a hole in our hearts that will never replaced.

Until that next full moon when I’ll be looking up and thinking of you! xx

1927 - 2020

A Sense Of Wanderlust

May 2, 2020

‘She wasn’t bored, just restless between adventures’ - Atticus

Goodbye April, Hello May! What a strange and very surreal April it has been, a month of glorious sunshine and absolutely nowhere to go to take full advantage of it. Instead of ticking off the road trips that I have had planned on my Northern Ireland/Ireland bucket list I have been using this lockdown time to go back through my older travel photographs to create a series of wanderlust prints.

It’s an unusual feeling knowing that as of right now there are no plans for future trips, but I have found comfort in going through my travel photos and taking the time to appreciate each and every detail. It has been a fun process to go back in time and work on the photographs that I feel might appeal to people right now to add a touch of that much needed wanderlust to their home decor.

Below are just some of my new wanderlust prints available for purchase, you might recognise them as some of your favourite holiday locations or a place that is on your bucket list….

From the tranquil scenes of Australia to the historic sights of Rome. The colourful streets of London to the calming tones of Northern Ireland. There is a little something for everyone to help with this unusual lockdown life in which we find ourselves.

Find your sense of wanderlust here.

To Dream

April 30, 2020

‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams’ - Eleanor Roosevelt

For this week’s #LavenderSharingSunday I wanted to gift a typography print entitled ‘To Dream’ as a way in which to help encourage us to follow our dreams in these difficult and uncertain times. Some days it might feel somewhat impossible to do so, but I believe that it is important to keep chasing, to write out a list of future hopes and dreams as a way to remind ourselves of what it is that we want from this life, even during this unexpected pause. It might seem impossible now, but there is no limit or set time when it comes to chasing our dreams and this print is a way in which to help visualise that.

I couldn’t decide whether I preferred the colour of black and white version, so I thought I would share both and leave the hard decision up to you!

Keep dreaming, my dreamers!

Colours Borrowed From The Sea

April 20, 2020

‘And I am finally colouring, inside the lines that I live between’ - Ben Howard

*‘We dream in colours borrowed from the sea’*

It was this line from Ben Howard’s song ‘Time Is Dancing’ that gave me the idea to put my own little spin on a Lavender Line Photography colouring print. A little something to help pass an hour or two each day during lockdown as well as adding a touch of vitamin sea to the day, something that a lot of us are missing right now.

I am excited to introduce the first in this fun colouring print series : ‘Whitepark Bay Blues’. Just save the print below to your device (or from my Facebook post), print off and colour in a medium of your choice! I would love to see your interpretation of this print, the more creative the better as there are no colour rules in place and there might even be a ‘Whitepark Bay Blues’ print prize to win for the best one! If you would like to take part in #LavenderLineColour then simply hashtag your finished colouring print on Instagram or post a picture in the comment section of my Facebook post.

Why not add a touch of your colour interpretation to ‘Whitepark Bay Blues’ today! #LavenderLineColour

It’s time to colour!

And I Pause...

April 6, 2020

‘And I pause for a while’ - Pink Floyd

Goodbye March, hello April! Well, what can I say about March other than it is a month we will always remember and not in a good way! The month that most of our day to day lives came to a sudden stop and the world in which we knew changed before us. A month that has brought forward a lot of stress and uncertainty as a small business owner and a month that I can safely say I don’t want to repeat!

I’m still finding it hard to wrap my head around everything that is happening to us on a global scale, how one virus has been able to put a stop to the world, but I do take comfort in knowing that we are all in this together and that when we get to the other side of this we will learn to appreciate the finer things in life again.

Lavender Line Photography Home Edition HQ #StayHome

I know that I for one cant wait for the day that I can return to my beautiful studio, to create new and exciting photography series in the creative space that I have worked hard to make happen, and to finally launch my studio photo shoot sessions, something that was just about to takeoff before lockdown happened. I also cant wait for the first day to step back into my car and drive to my favourite coastal hotspots. I’ve always been a beach girl at heart and am really missing those weekly hits of vitamin sea. I long for that fresh sea air, the sound of the waves rolling in and feeling the sand between my toes. It's little things like this that I will appreciate even more when life gets back to normal, sooner rather than later I hope!

The calming waves of Ballycastle Beach and one of my first North Coast locations to visit after lockdown!

My Portview studio view, a view that I can’t wait to get back to with cup of tea in hand!

Until that time comes I am currently working on two new photography series: my digital download series ‘Home From Home’ which will allow customers to purchase limited edition digital photography prints that can be printed off in the comfort of their home and help adapt to our new rules by adding favourite locations or wish-list destinations to brighten up that home decor. These digital downloads can also be added to all device home-screens as another way to display your digital purchases as new wallpapers.

Introducing my new digital download series ‘Home From Home’, an easy way to change your home decor wall art during lockdown.

The second is a print set series called ‘Take Two’ a series of print sets that will have an exciting compare and contrast theme. I am looking forward to the challenge this series will bring me as a photographer as it means stepping outside of my comfort zone and working with the limited lockdown spaces I have to photograph each day. Who knows where it will take my work!

Introducing the first of my ‘Take Two’ print set series: Honey and The Star — Introducing the first of my ‘Take Two’ print set series: *Honey and The Star*

Although I do have these two new photography series to keep busy with (as well as catching up on a lot of editing), I will admit that it is a scary and uncertain time as a self-employed photographer, a time where there is no financial guarantees or big future plans. I just hope that during these next few months I can keep my photography dream alive and encourage people to #StandWithSmall more than ever. If you can help your favourite small businesses in any way right now then please do as each and every sale really does mean the world and is the difference between staying open or having to close down.

Image found on Google ‘small business’ search

Please stay home and stay safe xx

Chasing Dreams

March 10, 2020

‘If it excites and scares you at the same time, it probably means you should do it’ - Gurubogsa

Yesterday marked two months since picking up the keys to my dream studio and what an exciting two months it has been! Although it was a little intimating at first to step completely out of my comfort zone, I have loved every second of this new chapter and putting together my dream space, as well as the opportunities it has brought me and my little business so far! There is no better feeling than waking up each morning to do what you love and in an environment that completely inspires and motivates!

Here’s to pushing ourselves outside of those comfort zones and chasing those dreams!

(Studio tour post coming very soon!)

*Where the Lavender Line Photography magic happens*

Teepee Tuesday

March 4, 2020

Tuesday 25th February marked a very special day for Lavender Line Photography…. the first official photoshoot day in my brand new studio! As if that wasn’t exciting enough, it was made even more special as it was capturing my best friend’s (22 years and still going strong) beautiful baby girl who was on her first time visit to the Emerald Isle at just 9 months old! I honestly cant think of a better way to have kicked off the first official shoot and what I hope will be the first of many to come in my own space!

*Seeing Stars at Lavender Line Photography HQ*

An important aspect for me in this photography journey is to capture those all important and special moments in a completely natural and candid way, to create a safe and engaging environment that feels homely to the client. That’s when #TeepeeTuesday came to mind! I’ve always enjoyed capturing those playful small children moments but struggled somewhat with what props to use as I am a firm believer in the less is more approach and also think that it is important to use props that wont date over time. It was a tent Instagram post from @SostreneGrene that inspired me and brought forward this exciting new theme for my small children shoots….. Teepee Tuesday : a fun and vibrant play area that can be easily personalised to suit each baby.

*Introducing the very beautiful Miss Ela, just 9 months old and 10,000 miles travelled already!*

*A very special Tuesday afternoon with a very special little girl*

*Tiny toes : It’s all about those little details!*

I feel that my first #TeepeeTuesday was a total success. Miss Ela was right at home in her new afternoon play area with a mix of her own toys as well as some bright and shiny new props which captured her attention almost straight away. This Teepee set-up also allows for mummy and daddy to get in on the fun which makes for an afternoon and shoot to remember, an aspect that I really love!

BTS moments captured by my very talented best friend

Winter Wandering

February 17, 2020

‘The colour of springtime is in the flowers; the colour of winter is in the imagination’ - Terri Guillemts

Tuesday saw the return of the white stuff and that magical winter wonderland that I had been so badly craving this winter finally hit the Emerald Isle! It’s the first time in a long time that I felt the snow might skip us completely this year and left me feeling a little disappointed as winter is my all-time favourite season! There is no better feeling than waking up to a winter wonderland and setting out into a winter wander to capture the beauty of the transformed landscape!

Naturally the Cavehill was calling out to me, the snow day tradition that I started back in December 2017! For years I had always wondered what it would be like to walk to the top and look out to a frozen world below and in 2017 I decided to just go for it… one of the best decisions I have ever made! There is something magical up there, the change in atmosphere, the quietness its remoteness brings and the way in which you become one with its surroundings! It’s a walk I love in general as no two days are the same weather wise, but there is something really special about it in snow which gives it an advantage to any other season!

‘Climbed a mountain and I turned around, and I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills, until the landslide brought me down’ - Fleetwood Mac — *‘Climbed a mountain and I turned around, and I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills, until the landslide brought me down’* - Fleetwood Mac

Although the walking conditions can be a little hazard depending on the weather conditions, it is a winter wonderland adventure that I definitely recommend, just make sure to take care and wrap up warm as temperatures really plummet up there with those winter winds.

Winter Wanders : My reliable Converse pull through after a forgetful change in footwear! — *Winter Wanders* : My reliable Converse pull through after a forgetful change in footwear!

Into The Blue : A winter wonderland wander to the top of the Cavehill — *Into The Blue* : A winter wonderland wander to the top of the Cavehill

Winter Wishes : There is something about this view and tree that make me stop each Cavehill walk to appreciate the view — *Winter Wishes* : There is something about this view and tree that make me stop each Cavehill walk to appreciate the view

Cavehill Winter Wonderland 2020, done!

Another World : A Cavehill winter wonderland visit is a must when the white stuff comes to play! — *Another World* : A Cavehill winter wonderland visit is a must when the white stuff comes to play!