At the beginning of 2012 I was keen to take lots of projects and as the year went on more and more projects came along that I could hardly come up for breathe. Looking back it seems I’ve taken photographs of all sorts of things:- nail varnish, smoothies, kitchens, new-borns, toddlers, landscapes, children’s parties, anniversaries, friends, family, dogs, cats, myself and models.

Taking on so many projects has helped me find out what I’m good at, what I prefer and what’s genuinely viable! My little boy turns 2 in March, and I don’t have to tell any mother’s out there how difficult it is to juggle work and family life, I’m very lucky to have a wonderful husband who supports everything I do, but Daddy’s need time off too.

So 2013 my New Years Resolution is to refocus and relax.  I will continue to take on new private projects but this year will be very self-indulgent, I want to collaborate with more models, continue self portrait taking, try out new ideas and hunt out new locations.

With my husband’s support I hope to return to London and meet up with some of the amazing photographers I met in 2011 and continue to learn and be inspired.

And my final, final goal is to be able to the computer tablet I bought over a year ago and use it, with confidence.

But mainly to take my time, enjoy my family, my day job and my life!

Here are some of my favorite shoots from the last year:-

From the baby collection

Galaxia Parties – I love!

My first self portrait of 2012

One of many photos I took with Manni on our tour of Andalucia.

The Gorgeous Georgia

Elegant Elise.

A photo of the devestating damage caused after the fires in the Malaga province.

An amazing kitchen by Kitchen Design Solutions.

And my last photo of the year, taken at the Boxing Day Meet at Chiddingstone Castle.

Do you know what you want from 2013? If you don’t make wishes, you won’t know if they’ve come true.

Happy 2013

I wanted to share some other pictures from the day, I really love this second batch of choices. I hope you do too.

On the forecourt as the sun began its day.

Another viewpoint.

Looking out to see.

Melilla Port Life.

Port Abstracts

Castle Abstracts

If you want to see the other photos I took (from my mobile), take a look at my Facebook page.

Take care and have a great week.

Mimi

Being pregnant seems so long a go.

If you know anyone who is expecting, or your a mum-to-be in Marbella?  And would like to capture the moment in images, please give me a call on 673 296 412.

A couple of people have asked me how I do this. So if you want to know, this is what I do:

Put the music on, get the camera on a tripod, and jump around, jump around, jump up, jump up and get down….  holding a remote in one hand…and I jump, jump, jump.

Then I stop, take a break,

and voila:-

I layered the photos in photoshop, copying one from another, messed around with the colours a bit. And that’s it.

May the weekend be upon us.

I headed down to Mistral at 7 (ish) and started clicking.  As always the best images appeared at the end of the session when the sun came low into the horizon and really stretched out the shadows and turned up the orange haze.

Thank you to Andrea and Alison for choosing MimiVP Photography. And I hope they take a good holiday when the season’s over!

If you’re interested in booking Padma Therapies Massage at Mistral Beach or for mobile appointments, check out their Facebook page.

Sally was so good in front of the camera, really relaxed and comfortable, and I think it really shows in the final images. I hope you like them too.

This image is of Ainhoa, who was 10 days old when we took her photograph.  Of course we are lead to believe that all babies have the most amazing skin and are probably really easy to get in camera.

Poor little mights have just been through the most traumatic journey of their lives and are often bumped and bruised on the way out.  Their little blemishes are beautiful in themselves so I don’t like to edit them too much.

But I hope you agree that a little touch here and there does make for a more pleasing image.

Happy Thursday

When Sally invited me back a year later to take photos of the boys and their Granny I was overjoyed! Alex and Max are now 18 months old now and how much they’ve changed! And Sue really is the trendiest, most stunning lady that she really doesn’t look like a granny at all!

Meet Alex:

And this is Max:

And how stunning is Sue!

Thank you Sally for inviting me up to meet the boys and I hope Sue liked her little photo package when she came back to Spain for a return visit!  Looking forward to our next day out!

If you’re interested in having a professional portrait session, please get in touch for the latest offers on 673 296 412.

Interesting I said, wondering how I could convince her that I needed a taster.

Well someone was listening to my plea because a month later Alison called me as she needed photos for her website, and we agreed to do a photo/massage swop.

I decided to give my first massage to my hubby as he’d been complaining of aches and pains do to all the hard office work he’s been doing!!!  Ahhhhhh!

Alison came to the house on Sunday and gave Greg an hours massage.  He must have enjoyed it because he was snoring like a bear within minutes.

My turn soon!

Alison’s massage company is called Big Calm and she’ll be launching the website very soon.

In the meantime if you’d like to book a massage with Alison, please call 677 812 667.

Have a very relaxing week!

Desparate for a bit of urban culture the domestic god and I went back to his family home in East Sussex (home to none other than Winnie the Poo), dropped off to baby Hugo and headed to the heart of London for a little artistic indulgence…namely the Damien Hirst exhibition at the Tate Modern.

Most of our morning was spent queuing for something or other, either the tube, the train, the tickets, the cloakroom and the main show itself!

In the end, we ended up doing more people watching and discussing the popular “is this art” and “are they douche-bags” debate.

Anyway, whether its art or not, we had a good time and surely that’s what its all about.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mimi

xx

Then all at once it came to me…..

We have a lovely Dutch photographer friend who takes beautiful images, she too has recently had a baby and I thought I bet they haven’t got any pictures of themselves either.

I suggested getting the dads, the babies and us together, and taking it in turns to take some family pictures….immediately we started talking about locations, shots, ideas….we were so excited.

We were up and out as the cock crowed and had all the images in the bag by 10am….not bad for a Sunday morning!

Here are a few pictures of Ilse, Alex and their beautiful baby Kaiyan!  I hope you like them:

Thank you Alex, Ilse and Kai for such a lovely day. xxx

In amongst various portrait shoots I had the opportunity to return to one of my photographic passions, exploring the great outdoors.  To be honest it was the reason I picked up a camera in the first place, I needed a good excuse to get out more.

Lucky for me, Manni from Toma Tours called me up and asked if he could show me “his” Andalucia.  Naturally I was entrigued, but he refused to tell me anymore, I was simply advised me to pack a wetsuit if possible, and an open mind!!!

I was scared as hell and very excited, finally someone who loved exploring as much as I did.

The photos are for Manni’s Toma Tours blog….click here for the first blog, words by Mannie, photos by Mi!

They had a fantastic day, climbing, sliding, eating, shouting….here are some of the pics from the day:

This is Princess, our birthday girl!

The party starts and the first guest bounds into the room!

Everyone loves Galaxia’s climbing wall!

Some of the little one’s need a helping hand from pappi

The pink food is proving to be very popular!

Outside for more running around!

We are literally, going through the roof!

Inside for a spot of bowling…

And a bash about!

Then back indoors for the best bit of all….the cake!!

Make a wish!  ….and in seconds I’m back on the sofa where I belong!

I had so much fun, but my god did I work!

Happy Birthday Princess!

I have to thank so many mummy friends who gave us invaluable advise and some fantastic presents.

I thought I’d share 5 of our favorite baby buys that we loved:

The Contented Little Baby Book by Gina Ford

This book is the marmite for mummies, you either love it or hate it.

The Sleepy Wrap

Soooo good for carrying baby and getting baby to sleep.

Baby Bjorn

Awesome for when Hugo got a bit bigger.  He hated the buggy and preferred to see the world from adult height.

Awesome for keeping Hugo asleep, he wasn’t a brilliant sleeper, unlike his daddy!

Trumpette Socks

Last but not least, for the well dressed baby.

Happy Mothers Day (for the 17th!) xx

Then:

and now:

What will the next year bring!

I spent so long looking for the remote in amongst the grass that I decided to take a self portrait instead…  Not as exciting as levitation I’m afraid! Perhaps next week.

How its done:  I put my camera on something, a tripod if possible, set the timer, run into position and take several pictures doing whatever. Then cut them out and drop them place in photoshop. Its a bit too easy really.  I feel ashamed.

I hope everyone had a lovely first part of the week, let’s get on with the week ahead!

The Fresh Food Cafe, is located next to the Mercadona in Nueva Andalucia, in the Los Naranjos Urbanisation.  But you don’t need to be getting in a food shop to take advantage of this beautifully sunny and bright café. Choose from a range of high quality dishes, all made with fresh ingredients and served with a smile.

Zoe Browning has always been involved in hospitality and loves her food, so it seemed the natural thing to open a café that offered the type of food she wanted to eat.

And although there are a few places on the coast proclaiming to offer a similar style, I’d be surprised if you found fresher, healthier food than at the Fresh Food cafe.

I popped in over the weekend to slurp a strawberry and banana smoothie :

and scoff my favorite  wrap:

Seriously check it out next time you’re in the area!

Carrot cake sounds healthy, but why does it taste so good!

If you fancy making it yourself, here’s the ingredients:

Self-raising flour 300g
Cinnamon 2 tsp
Baking powder 1/2/ tsp
Dark muscovado sugar 100g
Light muscovado sugar 100g
Eggs 4
Oil 250ml (choose an oil with as little flavour as possible)
Orange 1 zested
Carrots 200g finely grated
Walnuts 150g broken pieces
Golden Sultanas 150g
Butter 75g

And this is what you’re supposed to do:

Heat the oven to 130c-150c.
Line a 22cm deep cake tin with parchment.
Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking powder and stir in the sugars and butter getting rid of any lumps with your fingers.
Beat the eggs with the oil and orange zest.
Stir in the carrots then fold this and the rest of the ingredients into the flour mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the surface.
Bake for 1 hour 25mins. Cool in the tin.

Perfect to share with friends over a cup of tea.

No guilt for the “Domestic Goddess in Training” today!
☺

When I first became pregnant with baby Hugo a friend pointed me in the direction of My Baby Spain, at the time a new group for mum’s to meet and share their hope and concerns about being a mum.

I went to the very first meet up, and met some lovely soon to be mum’s. We have all stayed in touch, and it was amazing to have other people local to me to share the journey toward parenthood. And saving my other non-baby friends from severe baby boredom.

My first interview is with Alana Burton, who along with Kate Barber Perez set up My Baby Spain, and asked her to share the who’s, what’s and why’s of how MBS came about.

Here’s Alana:

Alana, you set up MBS before you were even pregnant, what inspired you to start up the MBS group?

When my boyfriend and I started to talk about starting a family over here it occurred to me that I didn’t know how things happened over here – what were the hospitals like? Were there any seemingly outdated practices still active in Spain? Does the pre-natal care differ?

I set about doing some research to answer a few of my own questions and to hopefully find out much more. I came across a few websites that I felt didn’t fully answer all of my questions and left me wanting to know more.

I do a lot of online work including internet marketing and website builds so I thought it may be easier to set up a new website that would be the ideal way of finding out everything I needed to know. And that’s what I did. I try and add to it as I come across new information.

So, where do you hang out?

Wow, it’s been so long I’m almost unfamiliar with this concept! Can mother and baby groups be considered hang-outs?!

If so, that’d be me! There are some great baby swimming groups as well as local baby fun parks, such as Galaxia and Kidz Kingdom which are toward San Pedro, Bouncers in Nueva Andalucia and the Arch which is in Fuengirola.

What is your best baby buy of 2012?

Ooh, this would be a hard one…. I have enjoyed having items such as the Baby Bjorn sling, the Beaba Babycook for effective steaming, blending, cooking and defrosting of baby food, and not forgetting the the Fisher Price Rainforest swing which was invaluable for the first few months when baby won’t sleep.

Where can people find you?

I can always be reached via the My Baby Spain Facebook page

What is your new year’s resolution for 2012?

Successfully move James on to a bottle. Have a happy and healthy 12 months with him. Attempt more regular blogging on the website!

Thanks to Alana for contributed to mimiexplores. For more advice or top baby tips, head to the website or check out the MBS facebook page.

Here are a couple of the results:

I love this room, the colours are fantastic and there are loads of props lying around. Sammy was great, I love her dominance and cool disposition.

Have a lovely day.

Mimi

Have a great weekend!

M x

What you’ll need:

600grams Chicken Breast

400grams of button mushrooms

150 ml cream

2 heaped tbls Flour

1 Chicken stock cube

100 grams Butter

1 onion

Egg wash for the top

Salt and pepper

Fresh Thyme

Bought puff pastry (naughty I know)

What you need to do:

Chop the chicken into 1 inch cubes and the brown chicken off in the pan in batches, then put to one side.

Dice your onion, add the chopped leaks and fry until the onion is soft and golden.

Add 100 grams of butter, halved button mushrooms and the flour.

Stir, in the cream and chicken.

Finally add the chicken stock

Simmer for 45 minutes and allow to cool.

Pre heat the over to 180 degrees

Add mix into the bowl, cover with the puff pastry.

Use egg wash to brush to top of the pastry.

Pop in the oven for 40mins or until golden.

Ya esta!!

Enjoy!!

A quick photo before I sit down to a sumptuous meal with the hubby.  I put the camera on a slow shutter speed, lit a sparkler and voila! Happy Saint Valentine’s! The hubby was well impressed!  Well more like surprised. Oh well.

Have a sparkling evening.

Mimi x

Here are the results:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Looking back at them now, it really shows how my week changed as each day went by.

I hope you liked my little project!

Mimi

Let’s create some vintage glamour shots together! With Valentine’s round the corner, there’s no better time!

Take care

Mimi x

And I´m so pleased I did.

This is Chrystaline Lukman:-

I love Chrystaline´s face and super shiny hair…..

not to mention having the coolest name ever!

She is truly stunning! I´m well jeal!

Happy Wednesday!

Mimi x

As I can´t go out too much nowadays (Motheritus) I´ve decided to bake something really scrumcious every Sunday and serve up afternoon tea. Here´s my first try at all butter biscuits:

I got to use my heart shaped cutter which I´m using for everything at the moment.

….So I thought I should throw in a few other shapes to even it out

They came out really well, which rather surprised me.

If you want to try them, this is what you´ll need:

250g of unsalted butter

140g of sugar

300 g of plain flour

1 egg yolk

2 tps of Vanilla extract

Choc chips, jam, and icing sugar and a lemon for the lemony ones

What to do:

Mix up the sugar and butter – with hands

Add sieved flour and egg yolk – first with a wooden spoon, then your hands.

Roll it into a massive ball, cover with cling film and throw in the fridge for 30mins

NEXT

For plain ones: Roll out and make shapes and pop in a pre heated over at 180!

After 15 mins, take out, cool, eat.

For the icing sugar variation: mix 140g of Icing sugar with 4 tlsp of lemon and add zest. Dip the cooled biscuits, dry and eat!

For the choc chip version: Add choc chip bits to the outside and roll out.

Delicious with tea, which happens to be my favorite drink!

M x

After all who doesn’t like breakfast in bed!

At around 3pm as I drive over the river bed also see Juan and his herd of bulls grazing in and around the Rio Verde.

Back in 2008 I went on a little walk to take photos just near here, hunting out streams in the river bed after a large rain fall. I was deep in the undergrowth, jumping on natural stepping stones in amongst the marshes. I kept finding more and more photographic opportunities, having a great time.

The sound of rustling and the snapping of twigs stopped me instantly. I looked round to get my bearings, and realised my worst fear what looked like at the time to be hundreds of young bulls heading toward me…. so far oblivious to my presence.

I think I am allowed to say that I was absolutely petrified, my skinny legs were shaking, death was coming my way.

I frantically considered my options, I had none!  I was trapped!

Contemplating chucking the camera and swimming for it, I hovered about not knowing what the f to do.

When out of nowhere appeared my local hero!!  Juan the Bullman, or Bullman as he was known to me then who pulled me to safety with his rather handy pole.

Hooray! Saved! Thank you Juan!

Now none of that would have happened if I lived in London would it!

Juan the Bullman with his horse!

And the great thing about the butterfly park is that you´re right in amongst the butterflies, they are everywhere, flying round you, landing on you and each one completely different from the next!

There are cocoons ready to hatch newbies to the butterfly scene, and when you thought it couldn´t get any better you stumble across an enormous iguana.

Honestly, I would highly recommend a visit….and its nice and compact so you´re not there all day!

It´s such a lovely calming place, right next to the Buddhist temple, really easy to find.

Model is Janelle Mc Pherson

Costume by Joanne Flemming Design

Hat by Vesna Pesic

As cheesecake recipes go this has got to be the ultimate! Its sooo easy to make, and tastes amazing!  Surely that 2012 diet is over by now!

Thick, rich orangey chocolate with a biscuit base, served with a large dollop of vanilla ice-cream.  If  you like chocolate, you won’t find anything better.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients for the biscuit base:

75g digestive biscuits, crushed

75g gingernut biscuits, crushed

75g butter, melted

Ingredients for the filling:

500g of Chocolate Orange bashed into bits

65g butter

1/2 vanilla pod

500g cream cheese

50g caster sugar

1 clementine

a big scoop of vanilla ice-cream

What to do:

First: Mix the crushed digestives and the ginger biscuits in with the melted butter and press the mixture into the base of 23cm cake tin, one that has a removable outter ring.

Second: Put the orange chocolate, t he butter and the vanilla pod into a heatproof bowl and set over a  pan of “simmering” water until the chocolate and butter have melted.

WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MELT THE CHOCOLATE ANY OTHER WAY

Finally: Scoop the mixture on the top of the biscuit base and chill in the frisge overnight.  When you are ready to serve, remove it carefully from the tin.  Peel your clemintine and place sections around the edge.

Serve with ice-cream or eat as is!

Here I am undertaking one of my favorite pastimes, a spot of trespassing.

My husband is dead against it, but as a very good journalist friend advised me, “Act first, Ask later…because if you ask first the easiest answer is always, no”!

Any fellow trespassers out there?  I hope I’m not the only one.

This is such a lovely meal, because its filling, really really tasty, and healthy.

Need I say more

Thanks to Mr VP for giving us the recipe. Thank you darling. x

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 Large Butternut Squash

1 Large Onion

Vegetable Stock (stock cube)

Salt and Pepper

Cinnamon

Pouring Cream

Fresh parsley

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:

Peel and chop the butternut squash, cut into cubes.

Pop onto a roasting tray, season with olive oil, salt and pepper and cinnamon.

Place in the oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft.

Chop the onion, add to a large saucepan, cook on a medium heat until the onions are soft.

Add the butternut squash, more salt and pepper, and add the stock.

Bring to the boil, and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve on a cold, dark night, add a drizzle of cream and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

You´re never fully dressed without well groomed nails agrees my domestic goddess advisor.

Jo at Marbella Mobile Beauty tells me that Shellac is the solution for great looking, long lasting nail perfection. Ideal for a budding Domestic Goddess like myself who needs to be ready for guests at any time.

Naturally I said ¨Tell me more!¨

First, choose a colour, any colour.

Then, One Coat, a quick dip under the UV light, and voila, amazing looking nails that last for up to ten days, with no damage to the nail and no more chips.

As easy as that!

The domestic goddess in me loves a spot of pampering in between cake making and dusting.  For Shellac nails at great value (only 28euros) call Jo at Marbella Mobile Beauty on 637 444 136.

Go On, Treat yourself!

Happy New Year, Mums and Dads! This one’s for you!

Places are limited so please, please book early to avoid disappointment!

Have a Happy Three Kings Days this Friday! Felices Reyes

Mimi x

New Year, New Beginnings, New Blog!

2012 is about creating new order, making lots of juicy resolutions and enjoying making them come true.

2011 was pretty austere for most, and for me becoming a mother was mind-tiringly crazy to boot.  I had no idea.  No regrets, I love the little man to bits.

So this year as well as getting creative with photography, my new goal is to get on top of parenthood and become a domestic goddess!  And believe you me I´ve a VERY long way to go.

Luckily I have an amazing cook for a husband, and a friend who would beat Monica hands down in an ¨Under-the-Bed-Dust-Test¨.

With their help, I can´t fail!

I hope you enjoy this blog.

Share the love. Happy 2012!

Mimi

Happy Christmas everyone!

Masha’s mum was over from Russia and they wanted to mark the occasion by having some photographs of Zach and of course with Grandma.

And here are the results, lucky for me Masha and her mum are amazingly photogenic, lucky Zach for having such beautiful genes in the family!!!!

On hand are models, stylists, costume designers, make-up artists,  photography assistants in a stunning venue filled to the brim with props.  We were then paired up with suitable photography partners and given some wise and inspiring words from “Miss Aniela” and off we go!

Here are a couple of images from the day of the model Rachel Williams:

Model: Rachel Williams

Stylist: Pash at Style Creative

Make-Up: Monica Storrs

Hair: Mika Furukawa

I had a lot of fun taking photos with my very good friend Sarah Segal, we started of with a Helmut Newton theme, strong women, power dressing, body confidence, that was the initial thought any way, a starting point.

We got so many lovely shots it was difficult to choose which ones to edit…this one stood out for both of us and I particularly love the colour of her eyes and make-up! Although in the end probably not Helmut Newton-esque at all!

Make-up by the lovely Elina Daiquiri

For more images of Sarah from this shoot, please take a look at my mimivp flickr gallery.

Thanks to babies: James, Erin, Joshua, and mummies Alana, Michelle and Karen.

It was a fun day!

Russian Wedding

So very Ruski!!

Each station is as grand as a palace, and every one is in a different style to the last….hanging chandeliers, images encrusted in gold depicting Russia’s successful history…. each one is as stunning as the last and of course operating a highly punctilious train service.

Nothing runs late in Russia!

Station activity!

Underground palace

The fast train - a self portrait

A stone’s throw away from the impressive and much photographed Kremlin buildings was this stunning Orthodox cathedral, and behind it typically imagined Russian solders handling a large wad of cash.

Massive!

"Boris, take this, I think we have been spotted!"

Now, with so many Russians choosing southern Spain as their fav holiday destination it made sense that you can fly pretty easily and cheaply to Russia too.

If you know me, you’ll know that I love any opportunity to travel, so when a friend got a job as a television presenter on an English speaking channel over there I’d purchased my ticket before you could say Dmitry Medvedev and within three hours I was in Moscow!

I only managed to visit Moscow and St Petersburg, but given the chance I’d definitely explore more of its 6,592,800 square miles (Russia is the largest country in the world!).

This week I’m sharing a handful of images from my Moscow leg of the trip.

I hope you like them

These two images are of the Stalin’s skyscrapers, known as the Seven Sisters as there are seven such buildings around the city!

Ruski's walking by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Exhibit no 3 – Painterly skies

It does seem however, that the majority do seem to ignore the bad press as we still see thousands of people head PB bound every single Summer and buy into the glitterati lifestyle. Personally I choose to avoid the nighttime scene unless I can head straight to Terra Blues (probably the smallest dancing hole in town), and mainly go for long strolls with the baby buggy (complete with baby) while the sun is still shinning and everything looks picturesque and bright.

This picture I took a couple of years ago, so you may notice some differences.  I love the colours of this scene, and the calming reminder of what Puerto Banus is… a beautiful port for those rich enough to moor their boats here!

Exhibit No 2: the beauty of Puerto Banus as the sun sets

“Here you have everything, museums, swimming pools, bars, why go any where else??!!”….and undoubtedly the same thing will occur in any part of Spain when you tell a Spaniard you are going else where…..

This was one of the many reasons I fell in love with the Spanish culture.  It was such a breath of fresh air in comparison to us Brits, who feel the need to moan about everything, our jobs, our homes, our culture, our roads. Which thanks to the Daily Mail is activily encouraged.

As a result of these thoughts I went through the archives to find photos of reasons why I love Marbella.

Exhibit no 1: La Concha

When we first started parking our car on the streets of San Pedro I was instantly baffled by the sign seen in this picture.  I only learnt after having my car towed away that this signified the dates of the month that you can park your car on that side of the road!!!

Seriously, you should see the parking mayhem on the changeover day when technicaly you can park on either side of this very narrow street!

Ludicrous or logical? – You tell me!

Keep to the left

I came away with one photograph of the event as I enjoyed myself far too much, in my one photo is Khalifa Saber from Pretasol Energy (a self professed “retweeter), and Andres Chann who informed us both that he didn’t Tweet at all!  Excellent start to the evening!!!

Chann, explained that he had two VERY major things happening,  the imminent birth of his baby girl, and preparing for the opening  of “China White” at Dreamers this Friday night. As assistant to Marbella’s own Johnnie B Gomez the pair have many exciting things planned for this Summer’s “China White” activities!

Well worth Tweeting about I thought!

So, overall the Tweetup was a great success, I certainly enjoyed myself and met some lovely people both new and known…..

Any business gained? Not yet!  But here’s hoping

Big Tweeters?

and good night:

[slideshow]

Took some patience especially with babe…but here’s the final result!!

Happy Easter Everyone!

One of my favourite sociologists is a man named “Foucault”, and one area that he gave a lot of thought to was the control and freedom of behaviour…. he once stated-

“Knowledge linked to power, not only assumes the authority of ‘the truth’ but has the power to make itself true.”

At university this was generally coupled with the imperative – Discuss!

Perhaps its worthy of a thought at least, especially in our world of Zeitgeist theories, social network forums and the intensity of how are individual activities are monitored.

Who has the power, or perhaps more importantly, who will have the power?

So, when you wake up one week day morning, expecting a sink full of dishes and a house full of dust and find instead that not only has hubby, cleaned the dishes, washed the clothes and dusted the furniture which would already have merited him with 5 stars, he goes one further and leaves a symbol of his love right where he knows you´ll find it…..

Love is having a husband like mine! XX  Thank you Boo!

Wondering around San Pedro cemetery taking in the emaculate splendor of its organisation and overwhelming connotations of death…. the wreaths of carnations, the numbered tombs and hundreds of crosses. As well as buckets neatly hung up around the place. in order that the caretaker could replenish all these vases of dying flowers.

And it occurred to me that the buckets also held associations of death, such as “kicking the bucket” and the “bucket list”.

So I thought I´d look it up, I should have thought about it really, it wasn´t very difficult to work out, wikipedia says that the bucket was a useful item to stand on in attempting to commit suicide, and hence kicking the bucket was the way to go…..so to speak.

A useful bit of morbid knowledge for a grey afternoon…

The image above was taken at my local gym.  The title relating to the fact that, yes this is a locker, but moreover because of the way modern society persuades us to conform into habits that are not individual to us.  I.e. the gym membership, which hacks into your bank account on a monthly basis and snaps up your hard earned cash whether you´ve been to the gym or not.  You can join when you want, but try and cancel, and there are a thousand restrictions, I wanted to pause my membership as I´m about to have a baby, but missed the deadline by a day, and even had to provide a Doctor´s note.  I mean who are these people!?

Anyway, I chose this picture as it symbolises conformity, the lockers are ordered and regimented as we have to be, and we become a number, even though the receptionists do well persuading us otherwise giving us first name treatment, not because they have a clue who we are, but because the computer provides it and their training demands it…..

Lovely gym though, highly recommend it!

On the street where I live, which is actually a square, is the most beautiful Spanish church…around the church the old people gather, about 5pm, after a big lunch and a long deserving siesta.  Above them, hanging around the roof tops and windows, sit the birds, observing together, playing together and eating together, very much a part of the church square vista  as anyone.

I spotted the bobbing silhouettes of the pigeons  and  instinctively grabbed my camera to capture them in flight as they headed across the square and found new points of view.

Poor pigeon´s get a hard time, I´ve heard them compared to flying rats, they´re natural dispensation towards breeding all year round makes them vermin, and that they eat anything makes vultures…but what would a square be without the beloved pigeon?

Being in a pre-mummy state is not quite what´s cracked up to be.  Sleepless nights, aching back, aching everything and losing your breath just making a cup of tea are some of things people just don´t tell you about until they´ve got you in the club….then it all comes out, cheeky buggers!

Of course, want people we want to see is serenity, being at one with nature, and the beginning of that special bond….well those things are true too, but being a Brit I love a good moan.

Now where is that hot water bottle! xx

If you like this image please let me know, it can be lonely here in blogland.

Little Joshua above was a little cranky, he´d had a bad night´s sleep although he was tired he certainly didn´t feel like sleeping soundly for the camera.

But, what a beautiful little baby boy he is.

With 8 weeks of pregnancy left, I thought it best to make the most of my child free status and run for the border for a final fling of guilt free photography.

Never again will I be able to spend hours in front of the computer or behind the camera without a nagging guilt that I have told will never leave me once parenthood arrives.

After reading a testimonial about the Studio Time workshop from Miss Aniela (I´m a big fan – check her out on flickr) I decided I had nothing to fear except my husband.

It was definitely worth it, we got the chance to practice high key and low key lighting and the type of effects they produce, the above picture uses low key lighting to get that moody, bedroom look. The best bit was meeting some lovely fellow photographers and getting the chance to exchange ideas and experiences.

I don´t know when I´ll get the chance to do this again, or if I´ll remember it all but it was good while it lasted.

Here are the other images from the shoot!

Hubby´s parents go to Barbados every year, lucky them!  And March last year the entire VP family were lucky enough to be invited at different points during the month. How can you not have a wonderful time in Barbados, the people are soooo relaxed the beaches are all stunning and virginal and life is simple.

This image, seems a distant memory, during our trip it was stroll from the bar to home, the furthest tree was the point we attempted to focus on after an unquantifiable number of rum punches, and we´d stagger slowly towards it, flip flops in hand, talking important nonsense.

If you do like this image please share!

Thanks for reading!

X

I decided to revisit a location that is close to my heart, and close to my house,  it´s The Marbella Club Pier which is attached to the very exclusive Marbella Club Hotel.

Getting up before sunrise is never fun, especially for my husband who I occasional bully to come with and protect, which he does admirably.

So off we headed, with a few fervent crys from hubby that a pregnant women (that´s me) shouldn´t be getting up so early, and perhaps we should skulk off to bed.  One peak through the curtains at the cloud filled sky persuaded me that I´d kick myself if we didn´t head out.  So off we went into the darkness.

This pier is also the very place said husband got down on one knee and produced the ring I now wear on my finger.  I was very nervous at the time, mainly because the ring wasn´t in a box when he produced it and I cupped my hand underneath it as he was proposing, fearful that it would slip between his fingers and into the waves.

I´m pleased to say we got it on my finger quick smart and two years on, and one baby on the way, and things are still as rosy as ever.

If you like this image,  please hit the share button, and any comments are always grateful.

Thanks

Mimi xxx

Alta Moda is a high end, fashion retail outlet based in Puerto Banus.  I was privileged to be asked to take photographs of their new online range of clothing lines, including: Valentino, Iceberg, D&G, Philipp Plein, Goldschmeid and Cavalli to name a few!

If I could I´d buy everything, Alta Moda´s clothes are absolutely gorgeous!

Take a look for yourself!

http://altamodamarbella.com/catalog/clothing/dresses

http://altamodamarbella.com/catalog/clothing/jeans

http://altamodamarbella.com/catalog/clothing/knitwear

…..and here are the results.

As I say, I would have preferred a more stunning sky, but you get what your given.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Thanks Anna for being such a perfect model!

The sun was shinning and the sea was twinkling, a perfect October day, and my timing couldn´t have been more perfect, lunchtime, served on the terraza!!!

After a healthy helping of food and baby advice (I´m nearly five months into my first pregnancy!) we got to work setting up Anna´s photographic studio.  A basket, with plenty of padding and a lot of pink.  I wanted to highlight Anna´s size, and the rustic-ness of her idyllic farmhouse surroundings.   As with any little one, she was keen to stop for a milk feed, but once that was out of the way she was keep to show off her gums and pull some perfect poses, a little gem……….photos coming soon!!!