Unlike last time I got this one done in one shoot but I put a lot of planning into it, so that probably helped a lot. I experimented with the lighting a fair bit- starting with tungsten and going onto flash, I’d thankfully got everything set up before the food was plated then it was just minor tweaks with composition and framing. However, I did that classic thing of noticing things I could have done or changed after I’d sent them off… little things like turning the bottle around just a little bit so you can see the fairtrade logo… annoying, but I’m hoping that’s signs of improvement

Update wise, I’ve been going through my old blogs and articles I used to write for The Focus Project (I’ve yet to have a stint through my hard drive, not particularly looking forward to that…) and I’m thinking about moving them here onto this website under their own “focus” tab; mainly because I want everything in one place as I’m planning a website overhall and I want to be able to direct people to my written work, this may also mean publishing my dissertation on my website too along with my full CV. I’m also going to go through my old personal blog on blogspot and pick what I want to keep from that before I shut it down as I don’t use it and I think I can just write everything on here, really. Other than that I’m also planning a flickr update once I’ve got a few more shots for the co-op under my belt along with an etsy and tumblr update- yes it’s got to that point. I kind of figured that with the CV update I should also update my online presence as everything links to everything else if that makes sense…

Craft wise, I’m looking into doing some of my own lampwork if I can keep the cost down, I also want to make my own paper for my business cards but we’ll see! Currently making a few bits for the summer markets:

I actually got out in the sun this week as well we took a bike ride to whisby nature park (it was only a 13 mile round trip, wasn’t dying the next day or anything..) and had a picnic at the wild flower preserve I’d happily do that every Monday.

 So as well as hunting down old blogs to publish here, I’ve also been thinking about writing up more about my photography projects; as in sort-of artists statements as well as my usual research and idea generation.. I’m just a bit annoyed I haven’t come as far with my tableau pieces as I’d hoped I guess, so I want to write it all up with illustrations. It’s not much progress but it’ll help me get it all straight in my head, and if I have any models or anyone interested I can send them directly here to read about it.. I dunno- I’m still unsure.

Finally, Keep an eye out for my newly published article in PVB Magazine as there will be more to come

I’ve been getting back on track this week after my last couple of hectic weeks traveling around, which means the to-do list has grown considerably but I’m looking forward to getting through it I’ve even been good and organised my workspaces

Sooo! Here’s what I’ve done recently:

prototype

Future projects include the beaded beard and an array of bracelets and stuff to sell at a couple of markets over the summer I decided to make handmade business cards as well with homemade paper, it seems only fitting! The stop motion is on it’s way soon too

I’m also writing a couple of blogs to be published and featured on a couple of websites and I’ve been given the opportunity to write articles again for a magazine! very excited- I’ll write more about it once I’ve started properly.

Next blogs include the next installment of the food photography I’ve been doing and ideas for the summer recipes!

So first off, I went back home to Liverpool last week for The Light Night Festival which I’d been planning to go to since April, and it didn’t let me down, however there was so much to squeeze into one evening! Damn time restraints. Anyway, I met up with mum after she finished work and went for coffee, naturally, then we were met by the Brouhaha International Carnival making it’s way down Church street with a gathering of on lookers:

It was a fun sight- the colours, the smiles, the dancing and the drums; it was a bit mesmerizing against the grey sky and it was great to see people on the streets joining in and getting their photo taken with those involved in the parade.

Next, we made our way down to the central library as it was holding it’s grand reopening. It’s beautiful! I hope the people dressed up as Alice in Wonderland characters stay all year round, especially the flamingoes. I used to go there quite a lot when I was revising for my GCSE’s and A Levels; I’m a bit jealous now that it’s all changed and improved and I can’t spend all of my time there now, though mum said she will be there everyday on her lunch break

Personally, I thought it looked like a cross between a new modern university library and a newly polished, glossy grandeur traditional library, but given the fact that there were several levels and rooms that opened up into the library out of Beauty and the Beast, that’s pretty much what it was. I’ll shut up now and show you the images:

i would happily do my dissertation all over again if i could do it here

view from the top

Apologies for the low quality of the images, it’s just for the blog- I’ll be uploading them full size onto flickr soon.

Next was the Walker Art Gallery for a look in at the Look/13 international photography festival and the exhibitions; Alive: in the Face of Death and Every Man and Woman is a Star. We continued the photography festival tour the next day at the Bluecoat gallery, another one of my old haunts, for exhibitions I Exist (In Some Way) and the Sander/Weegee Collection. As this festival continues until June I’m hoping to go back and produce a more in depth article To be honest, it’s been a few months since I’ve written an analysis and I’m feeling a bit rusty; it’s definitely time to throw myself back into it!

I hoped to see more over the one-night arts and culture festival, like the Do You Remember Me exhibition at the Pier, Fragments at the Cathedral and many, many other exhibitions, but time caught up with us and before I knew it, after hours of walking, we were at La Vina so next year I think I’m going to have to plan a route!

So my next trip this week was to London for a photo shoot. If you’ve been reading recently you’ll know I’ve been taking photos for the Lincolnshire Co-Op’s Recipe of the Month which appears in the Lincolnshire Echo, and I was given the opportunity to see a shoot done by an experienced food photographer for the Co-op’s Members Magazine (you can read more about my shoots here). It was a great day- I haven’t been to London for years; my last visit was for a school trip and we stuck to the art galleries so it was great to see a new side to the city. The shoot itself was a valuable learning experience- I haven’t seen many professionals work in the studio so it was great to see it all done in front of me and to see how to match colour palates. I won’t say too much about it or the food, but it really helped me see where I can go the next recipe is all done and you’ll see that soon! The next couple of months consist of meatballs and ribs so I’ve had a lot of inspiration and idea for what I can try out with them.

Other than that and spring cleaning the house and an interview this morning, I’ve made a Dr.Who bag charm and completed my HP bead piece ttfn!

Another shot craft update as I’ve got a lot to be getting on with here’s my most recent project;

I still debating what to actually make it into- I want it as a wall hanging but I need to make it more sturdy so I think canvas and MDF and chain/ wire is the way to go!

I’m making a Harry Potter related one at the moment- a quidditch related one to be exact. I  was thinking about making the house crests but they’ve kind of been done.. a lot, so I’ve done a few designs incorporating quotes instead.

Here’s some pics of my old favourites that I made last year that I’ve recently repaired- not 100% sure what to do with them- sell or wear?

Thinking about treasury themes as well… colour? geekery? bead weaving? It’s a lot to take in! I miss being able to print images off or cutting them out of magazines and making mood boards.

Other than that I’ve been out on my bike trying to actually get a summer body this year.. progression is slow haha

A new up and coming project- stop motion videos about making my bracelets one idea is to do a short, basic video of actually making the bracelet from design to completion- following the beads, using the loom and attaching the clasp- it’s a bit of promotion for me and a bit of video work just to mix it up a bit

So! That’s all for today, the to-do list is kind of taking over- I need to link my Behance profile and such on my contact page and finish the quidditch bracelet.. and I haven’t forgotten about inspiration blogs I think I need to start making timetables again for each day…

This last week or so has been a bit slow though- working more than usual and I’ve got one design on the loom at the moment which is taking longer than I thought to get through! It’ll be worth it though here’s a peek at what I’m working from;

Currently experimenting with bead sizes as well and here’s custom bracelet which was unfortunately lost in the post I’m still heartbroken over it.

Poor Luigi

Sigh..

Ok, moving on. I finally got around to sewing pacman onto a camera strap: 

Can’t wait to crack it out over summer! still looking at holidays other than that we’ve been gardening and I’ve been updating my skill pages such as Behance etc. I’m hoping to start a couple of treasuries in etsy just need to get a bit more organised with everything on my to do list!

I’ll get there eventually.

As I’m not much of a cook and my baking skills are equal to that to an over-excited child’s,  I was eager to give this a try properly- paying extra attention to the instructions and thinking ahead to the shoot. That was my favourite part- planning what plates, table clothes and general surroundings to experiment with; I always enjoyed the set design aspects of any shoot and this time I pretty much free reign! The brief talked of spring time and baking over the easter break; so that’s what I did but as it was my first product shoot involving food I did some extra research:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/01/food-photography-tricks-of-trade?CMP=twt_gu

http://lincolnshire.coop/your-membership/member-benefits/member-magazine.aspx

http://lincolnshire.coop/your-society/about-us/local-sourcing/it’s-easy-to-love-local.aspx

My first shoot (below) was quite enjoyable; it was one of the first sunny days I’d been able to enjoy out of work and in my garden (currently in the process of re-potting everything). I’d chosen the plate straight away- my thoughts behind it being that it would clash mildly with the red jam and warm colour palate of the biscuits themselves making them standout in the sunshine. But perhaps this on top of the orange table cloth made it all a bit too bright… The table cloth was chosen to make it look a bit more rustic but seeing as it’s the lightest, brightest aspects of the frame your eyes are lead there instead of the dodgers. Time for take two.

This didn’t go to plan at all- I was in a rush to shoot whilst the biscuits still looked fresh but the weather wasn’t holding it’s end of the deal. Overcast and rainy, I couldn’t use the garden to portray the spring time atmosphere, which called for (as well as a new table cloth) studio lighting instead of natural light. At this point I was experimenting with the drinks; it was juice vs tea and I had started to question a lot more like which mug to use, are the plums too much, should I get a vase of flowers, flash or modelling light? I’d also decided to experiment next time with the size and shape of the dodgers themselves and as I wasn’t pleased with the outcome of the second shoot, I knew I was going to be baking again soon.

Shoot three! I’d gotten the baking techniques down and the kitchen was no longer a bomb sight afterwards. This time I went all out with experimenting with the background which meant moving the garden bench around a lot an waiting for the best light. After a chat with the person who had offered the shoot to me in the first place, we agreed tea was the way to go and that we should have the actual product somewhere in frame- plum jam! Nom. Some of the shots look a bit overcrowded though. However, after looking back on the second shoot to find something that I liked about it, I decided to focus more on colour matching; the plums matching the shade of the actual jam in the jar and in the bsucuits which went with the black currant juice, which here contrasts well with the dark green background:

The final shoot was basically a tidy up of the third- we’d picked the best background, angle and composition, then added the extra touches like the tea spoon. As it was my forth batch of biscuits I took them into work to share like I did with the first- two batches for just myself and Graham was just a bit much they were very much enjoyed, as were the images.

So fingers crossed one of them will be in the paper in May!

Edit 4/4/13

Check out this weeks echo

I’ve not got a great deal done over the weekend craft wise- I started three pieces and then unravelled them because I either didn’t like them or there was a mistake I couldn’t ignore. They were only prototypes but with experimenting or practicing with designs it’s a case of make it, photograph it then take it apart to reuse the beads. At the moment anyway- I can’t keep everything I make as I need the beads! Here’s what I made:

making miniatures for ear rings and hair clips

I sent off my first order to America this weekend though very happy! I seem to have a fair few people interested but no more orders yet. I think I’m going to make a stack of orders and variations of the designs… hoping to find a craft fair over the summer

Anyway, today I thought I’d write about my resources and earlier work and put up a few pics I initially started using this book and when I started bead weaving;

It helped a lot with the initial set up and first few practices; I found it a lot more helpful than looking at tutorials online and there’s a lot more in there than using a loom. Though it did make me want to read more books are too expensive atm so I buy magazines every now and then for inspiration, tips, seeing what’s in and what people are producing. Here are the two I’m going through now;

Soo much in there.. it can be a bit off-putting sometimes to see creations of a higher level than your own and wondering if you’ll ever get there! Or even if what you’re doing will be successful (even if it is a hobby!). All that uncertainty, but I suppose it’s still early days and everyone started at the bottom anyway. The thing that worries me most is the competition, it’s the same with my photography as well but there’s ways around it.

Either way, I had a few other books and mags like this when I began making jewellery last year- I’ll have to dig them out, along with some old pics and blogs! In fact, I’ve got a bag full of bracelets to take apart or repair or remake so I’ll be making a blog about that:

I have a couple of craft boxes I should probably go through as well- so many unmade things it’s the same with folders on my hard drive and desktop full of tutorials and images. I’ll get through it all eventually like getting around to making these;

I remember having a set of a matching necklace and bracelet when I was younger a big trip down memory lane when I came across this pic! I think I’ve got some old jewellery from when I was little! My favourites are the one’s we got from a shop in Abersoch in North Wales- we used to go there every summer for a beach and walking holiday one of those crafty, tourist, little independent boutiques dad would deem “tat shop” I love tat shops, I will have my own one day haha

Anyway! Getting back on track. Actually, I don’t think this blog had a track. So yeah.. Resources! Of the online type- here are my current favouries and I’ll have an inspiration blog coming soon that will involve a couple of these:

http://pinterest.com/carolina655/bead-patterns/

http://pinterest.com/carolina655/beadweaving/

http://pinterest.com/mommafert/neat-bead-ideas-beadweaving-patterns/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Studio183

I’ll leave it there for today; I feel I have waffled too much oh well. Finally, some insights of my  er, “workspace” and tools I’ll be moving from the couch to a table any day now hehe!

This has continued on from the beaded jewellery I started making last summer and sold at craft fairs, but I’m hoping to improve and take it to the next level as I’m enjoying it all the whole process from design to the finishing touches on a piece- I’m finding the actual bead weaving itself quite therapeutic. I’ve got lists and lists of designs and accessories to get through! Which now consist mainly of crash bandicoot, zelda, something harry potter, the tardis, space invaders and several ambitious painting remakes and film scenes along with patterned designs and once I’ve drawn up myself and yes it’s going to take me to the end of summer to get through it all

I’ve discussed before how I often had creative crafty outlets when I’m not in work or on photography jobs, I think it’s because I’ve always been painting etc whilst in school and I always need to be doing something. I initially was going to get my hands on a soldering iron and do some metal work until I got the bead loom for Christmas- now I’m hooked.

Here’s what I’ve done so far: I started off simple to get the technique down;

Simple Patterns!

Then I started thinking more elaborately and had one of those “the possibilities are endless!” moments when thinking about designs and that I didn’t had to stick to jewellery.

So then I started trying shapes, more so to see if I could do it:

Experimented with beads too- types, colour and sizes, then I had to move onto how I would finish off each piece. Especially when the gifts began;

I want to do some more scenic one’s- beach scenes, forests and the like but quite proud of the peacock feather bag charm- it was tricky and probably took the longest, but all the more to be happy about when it was finally finished. Here’s were I got thinking about making more than jewellery, I’m aiming to be able to create purses and phone cases as well as the current creations which consist of sew-on patches, bookmarks, badges and coasters. I’d love to do more, but right now I need to perfect what I’m already doing.

As I’ve mentioned previously on a blog update, I want to also create a lot of photography themed items and products for photographers. It’s going to take a lot of work, research and moulah so right now I’m focusing on the designs. Ideally, I’d love to get to the point of being able to make elaborate bead embodied items- but that’s a long way off, and I don’t want my photography to suffer. At the moment I’m involved in an animation collaboration project and have been commissioned to do some food photography whoop! The first batch of Jammy Dodgers were awesome

Finding a balance has been a bit tricky with working at a restaurant as well, but I’ve enjoyed bead weaving! And so, you can find these for sale in my Etsy shop “Lets Make Tracks”

This one’s going to be a camera strap!

I want to be able to use this blog category to document each design or piece- I’m going to start doing more research and I’ll do write ups about what I find interesting or helpful

Here’s a bit more about it from my first blog about it:

“So since I’ve recently moved house and city I wanted to talk about an ongoing project that I started a couple of years ago documenting my surroundings as I moved each year whilst at university, I was interested to see where everything would go in each house, what possessions came with me, where they were placed and what I felt was important to have in my immediate surrounds, not tucked away in a box.”

I mentioned at the end of it that I was coming to the end of the project and would release it soon, but afterwards I realised that I probably won’t finish this project for years. So I have some of the images from the past few years for now here’s a bit more about how I figured out were my urge to photograph my surroundings came from:

“This all stemmed from a documentary project I started about my Grandmother and her move from her home to a nursing home. Again, I looked at what initially went with her, where it was placed, what was left behind, what her house looked like when she left and her new bedroom in comparison.”

My main source of research came from Mari Mahr:

http://www.iniva.org/dare/themes/space/mahr.html

I then tied in a few images from a short documentary experiment I tried out when I was packing to move out from home a second time; images of my memory boxes from school, streets I walked everyday and how they’d changed, all that jazz: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeaninemarteau/sets/72157629089415623/ 

I’ll probably post up the rest of the images from the surroundings projects up soon on flickr, these are the favourites (mostly 35mm):

“At the time, I was a little obsessed with documenting everything- my thoughts, my room and everything in it, my walks, old haunts, and I think this was due to the fact that I knew I was leaving home so I wanted to get it all down. It didn’t help that my room now had all of my old books and toys in it. Staying up to capture perfectly the refections the windows made on the wall and the pattern the rain drops made, I just wanted everything to be recorded, all the little details. I can safely say I’m not that bad anymore but I still understand this urge to reserve the past, to record everything as it was and as it is now.”

http://www.jeaninemariemarteau.co.uk/?p=148

I didn’t really know what to expect- I’d seen urban exploration images in books and online and a lot of them involved having people in shot on rooftops or in abandoned tumbling down schools with walls graffitied and filthy, debris everywhere. My favourite types of images in this genre are probably anything shot in an old church (whilst anything involving tunnels makes me feel claustrophobic), you see the original structure, bare and now useless. Colour- or lack there of- plays a big part in these images- it lashes out; cutting through all of the muck. We get a sense of what was once there and remember what this place used to be to people when it was inhabited. Large scenes of grand halls are always beautiful- in colour or black and white, these images serve as a documentation of a structure even if it isn’t in use any more, at least it’s not being ignored.

So anyway, my expectations. I didn’t know a great deal about the place, in fact I was a bit scared. Excited but nervous- what if it was unsafe? Everything was fine, of course, once I got there the camera took over:

I took a few more, but these are my favourites:

I loved the colour in the place- you could see the layers of paint coming away to reveal more underneath. It was the same with the building itself- there was something new around every corner. As something I hadn’t done before it was a great experience; it broke the mold of my usual days out my usual photo walks consisted of landscapes and street scenes!

Afterwards- I’m not sure how long- I found the book “Beauty in Decay”. I loved a lot of the work in there and the spaces they were in, how they composed their images and used the lighting, but I was a bit disappointed that a lot of the work had been digitally manipulated. Don’t get me wrong- they all looked great and I appreciate the amount of work that went into them but for me it kind of took away from the beauty in decay- it wasn’t so much about the space but instead what they could do with it, I would have liked to see the original image as well as the edited, then it would have been great to see what inspiration they took from the place and what aspects they wanted to enhance. But hey that’s just me.

So anyway, photo walks and exploring are great outlets and practice for photographers

Seeing as the sun’s out and I’m looking forward to summer especially going away to new places

One theme that has ran through my last couple of photo blogs- and it’s probably been discussed before that- is photo walks; going out specifically to take photographs or taking your camera with you wherever you go, just in case. It’s even better when you’re going somewhere new- I’ve always taken this as an opportunity to document, and it’s exciting different culture, unknown streets, new food.

My last holiday was to Berlin in 2011. But as well as the holiday pics there was a lot of historic aspects of the city to capture, all on 35mm film. It turned out to be a photo holiday with the amount of photo walks this year I’m hoping to have a mixture of galleries, hills and beaches

One of my favourite days of this holiday was when we went to the Bauhaus museum researching this movement back at GCSE stage was one of the main things that inspired my photography and made me want to continue creating, so going to visit a museum dedicated to it inspired me all over again. I often find that when going somewhere new- everything gets refreshed with a change of scenery: that’s partly why I’m looking into mini-breaks this year; more new places

That’s also what I love about photo walks- you don’t know what’s going to influence you. Even the place; there’s nothing stopping you from going back at various times- at sunset, in autumn or in the rain.

Two more photo blogs lined up- themed this time; urban exploration and surroundings.