Day 29 - Launch Party

I picked up the invites for my launch party today. My friend Mark put this together for me at the weekend and we were trying to work out how to get them printed. I then thought that it'd be great to get them printed as 7x5 photos..pretty apt as I'm a photographer! (also cheaper than buying print paper and cartridges!). We now have invites to hand out to people and hopefully this will mean there will be a real mix of friends and business contacts to get a taste of Sesame and Serendipity. I'm getting quite excited about it all and am looking forward to seeing some of my photos enlarged and up on the walls around the bar.

My sister has also designed a flyer for me which I have just sent off to get printed so it feels like it's all coming together.

2008 - The year of Serendipity!

Day 28 - Bike Tricks

I've spent the day trying to sort out flyers and photos to have printed for the launch party I am having for my new business in a couple of weeks time. I love this new stage in my life but there are times when it's quite hard doing all the decision making on your own, especially when you're used to working with a team of others. My sister is being a star and giving me advice with her "event manager's" hat on! She's planned out a flyer for me given me some pointers so I feel that that's sorted...I just need to choose about 10 photos to have enlarged to go on the wall for my launch and I'm finding that really hard!

Anyway, to have a break I took a walk down to Millhouses Park for some fresh air and also to see if I could get my shot of the day. In my mind I was thinking of the skate park and there were a couple of lads down there who were quite happy to do some tricks for me when I said I was a photographer! One of the lads took one look at my camera and said, "I used to have one of them"..my thought was "don't think so love...this costs a fortune!!" He then went off and was quite happy to flick, flip and contort his bike for some "action" shots! I really liked this one as you get the idea of speed with the background all blurred. This was just the break I needed to get my head sorted and back home to do more work.

Day 27 - Woodseats

I had quite a busy day today so was trying to think what to take for my photo of the day. I went out to Ringinglow to meet a couple who have asked me to take the photos at their wedding in May. I met them at the Norfolk Arm's Hotel where they are getting married so it was good to get an idea of the place and have a drink with the couple so they feel relaxed with me.

On my way home I was driving up Woodseats Road, which I do all the time and thought this would be a great shot..typical northern street. I love the lines of the chimneys and the cars. Not a particuarly spectacular photo but I guess with taking a photo a day there are going to be many more days like this!

Day 26 - Castleton

Today was a really blustery, overcast day but it wasn't raining so I got all wrapped up and went out to join the walking group for a walk/social in Castelton. We all met at the visitors' centre and then went for a walk up behind Peveril Castle and round along the ridge to Mam Tor and back down into Castleton. The majority of the group went round the base of Mam Tor but about 8 of us went up and over the top...I have never known it to be so windy. I was struggling to stay on my feet as the wind was pushing us sideways. At the top people were holding onto the trig point to get photos because you couldn't stand on your own! I later heard that a 10 year old kid had been knocked unconcious as the wind had knocked him from the top of Mam Tor on Sunday and he had fallen 30 ft! He has a broken elbow but is OK.
When we got back to Castleton we went to the pub and then had a visit to one of the Caverns...the Devil's Arse! This photo is taken as we walked into the entrance of the cave, quite impressive.

Day 25 - Sheffield Life

Today has been great! I have been out and about doing what I love and I couldn't ask for more! I had an appointment this morning in Sheffield and so I decided to take my camera with me and spend the afternoon wandering around capturing life. I took so many photos that I actually had difficulty choosing my shot for the day! I had some really lovely coversations with loads of people and got to take some good photos which I hope I can use for my Serendipity launch party which is in a couple of weeks.

The Barber's Shop photo was a real Serendipity moment for me. I had got on a bus to come home but there was something wrong with the traffic and we were stuck in a queue going no where so I decided to get off and walk. As I was wandering up London Road this little shop caught my eye; the red chairs, sweeny todd character and the hair on the floor - I loved it! I walked past and then doubled back to ask the owners if they would mind if I took a photo! I think they were quite shocked that I had asked and wanted to tidy up first but I asked them to leave it as I loved the feel this had of a busy shop but without the people. I think I'll get a copy of this photo done and go and give to them as a thank you!

The 2nd photo was taken in Cafe Nero near the Peace Gardens. I decided to stop for a drink and was playing around with my camera. I didn't want to be too obvious taking photos but I loved the line these chairs made with the people in them. Normally I would hate the way the light made the back ground over exposed but here I love it and was really chuffed with the shot!

For some of the other shots I took of an artist I got talking to and 4 friends visiting Sheffield you can check them out on my flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/katysnaps

Day 24 - My Penthouse

Today was a really busy day that I only just caught the sunset as it was disappearing! We finally had a sunshine day after what has seemed weeks of rain so it was lovely to be up on my balcony and watch the sun set. It was really cold but I love it when it's cold and it feels like we're heading towards spring and soon I'll be able to enjoy my balcony again! It's one of the places I feel most peaceful and when the sun is shining it feels like I am on holiday because all I can see is trees and hills....perfect penthouse apartment.

Part of the reason I have been busy today is that I have been finishing the album for my client who came to pick it up this evening. She loved it and it was so lovely to see her reaction when she looked through the album. I feel like this is really happening for me and can't wait to do more photography for people.

Life is good...I live in a gorgeous penthouse apartment, have wonderful family and friends and am doing a job I am really passionate about! All I need to do now is have Robbie Williams. Keither Sutherland or Craig Doyle to come into my life and it'll be perfect! ; )

Day 23 - My first Serendipity Album

Tomorrow one of my Serendipity Clients is coming to collect an album of photos which I took at her parents' Golden Wedding Anniversary. This will be the first official album I have completed and I am really pleased with it, I hope they are!

When I started my business I wanted to use local suppliers as much as possible because I really believe in supporting local people. I found this lady who is a book binder and based in Sheffield, she was recommended by a friend so I have used her for this album. The great thing about these albums is that they are all customised for each client. This album is for a Golden Wedding Anniversary so I chose the gold paper and ribbon which I hope will set the photos off really well and be something they can cherish for a long time to come.

Today I also met with a potential client about her wedding in May, we met over lunch so I could show her some of my work and talk about what she is wanting for her wedding. It was a really lovely meeting and if this is the sign of things to come then I'm really excited about 2008!

Day 22 - Time Out

I didn't have any appointments today for my photography and didn't get an early morning "supply" phone call so I decided to get up and go to the gym to get out and start my day. I signed up for the aerobics class and got there ready and pumped to work out. I've never seen the gym so packed...don't people work?!! My eyes have certainly been opened to the world outside of the classroom where people aren't tied to a school building for hours on end, never seeing what goes on everywhere else!

The aerobics class was full of....now this is just my assumption..."housewives" who'd taken the kids to school and popped along to the gym for a workout and a coffee. It certainly seemed as though they did this regularly as they knew what equipment to get out and where to stand. I quickly followed suit and got geared up for what would be an hour of absolute agony where I'm sure I came near to death! The instructor came in; a stunning, slim and ridiculously energetic lady who started off by shouting into her mike.."morning ladies...lets get started, you're here to work and I am going to make sure no one slacks and push you so hard." It was at that moment that I knew she wasn't joking and I was too far away from the door to make a quick getawayand go for a gentle swim and relax in the sauna instead!

The first 35 mins of the workout were hell! Our instructor told us that she was pushing us more than normal and was doing a "body attack" workout rather than just aerobics...something was definitly attacking me! After an hour I looked very attractive with my beetroot red face. When I got home I had to have a soak in the bath just to ease up my aching muscles so this became my photo of the day. Even though I felt like I'd gone to the brink of death I have to say that I will probably be back again next week....I can definitly feel it and hopefully will start to feel the benefits. Maybe next time I won't feel so exhausted! I'm defintely enjoying this life outside the perameters of the school environment..I feel free!

Day 21 - Iconic Sheffield

Today I had an appointment at Meadowhall Apple store, as part of the package I got with my new i-mac pro I got a year's worth of 1 hr weekly one to one sessions so that I can make sure I know everything there is to know about how to use my mac properly! They will be tired of seeing me by the end of the year but it's great to get some training and see how I can use my computer as efficiently as possible for my business.

As I was there I thought I'd take a bit of time to photograph the water towers which are quite iconic for Sheffield. There has been a lot of talk that they are going to be brought down soon so I wanted to get some shots of the towers before they disappeared. The amazing thing was that as I parked my car the sun came out and shone like a spotlight on the towers which lit them perfectly against the sky...I counldn't have asked for better lighting! A really urban shot but this is Sheffield.




I also took a photo of my drink for the "cold" theme which a few photography groups are having this month. I couldn't decide which photo to use today so I've uploaded them both! This one is a little more artistic.

Day20 - My website

I've not been feeling 100% the last few days so trying to be creative with a photo has been a bit of a struggle! Anyway I have been spending some time updating my website by adding an area for Serendipity clients to view their photos with a private login which should hopefully make the website even better! I phoned Ben, who made the website, this afternoon to ask a few questions about what I was doing and he pointed out that if you typed "Serendipity Photography" into a Google search my website came up 2nd in the list which is great and very exciting!! So I decided to take a photo of the webpage and then my website to go beside it. Not that creative but an exciting time for me as my business starts to slowly lift off the ground!

Thank you Ben for designing this website and working so hard on it for me.
(Leanne, you'll see I'm now up to date with my blog!)

Day 19 - Pink Swirls

I've not been feeling 100% these last few days so I've had a quiet day at home which has been great. I thought I'd try out a photo which I've been meaning to take for the last few months. Ben, my cousin, had a go at this shot after seeing it in a photography magazine and it inspired me to have a go! So I set up the tripod in the kitchen, put a bottle of wine on the cooker and played with the torch. I've now opened the bottle of wine and am going to enjoy my Saturday night.

Day 18 - Jelly Bean Jazz

Tonight I went along to The Moon pub in Sheffield to watch my friends play in their band Jelly Bean. The pub was packed and there was loads of support for them which was great. I wasn't taking many photos tonight because I was shattered from this last week but knew I had to get a photo for my Project 365+1 so I took a photo of Kevin and his saxaphone.

I'll do a little plug for Jelly Bean because they are brilliant so if you live around Sheffield you will have to look out for them and if you want a jazz band to come and play at an event for you I can highly recommed them. In fact with me as the photographer, Jelly Bean for the music and my friend Kim's Sesame catering company for food what more could you want!?

Day 17 - Blading!

Tonight I went to the local "roller disco" with a friend. It was a social for the walking group that we've just joined and we were both looking forward to it, having a laugh and seeing how many of us would fall over! It was a bit of an odd night because not many people turned up and the majority of people there were 16 or under! Anyway it was an interesting evening and I surprised myself at how well I could blade!

My main worry was that there might be kids from school there but I was convinced that it was the wrong side of Sheffield for any of them to turn up! I thought I'd got away with it until I went into school on Friday to do a day's supply and had kids coming up to me saying "miss, you were blading last night weren't you!" Not sure if that earnt me brownie points or not, I didn't stay around long enough to find out!

Day 16 - I'm a business woman!

Today was a big day for me, it was all about seeing myself as a business woman and being recognised by other professionals as a photographer. I joined my local BNI group which is a business networking group where professionals come together to support each other's businesses. As I am new to all this and am working for myself it is great to know that I can meet with other, more experienced business people every week. My friend Kim, who I've known since Uni, also joined the group a couple of week's ago with her vegetarian & vegan catering company (Sesame) so it's great to be doing this with someone else. The group does not have two of the same businesses represented so the aim of the organisation is to refer work for each other and see each other's businesses grow. There are several professionals who I know I will be able to work closely with but then there are others who I wouldn't normally come across through my work so it's been great to meet them and learn a bit more about business. This year is going to be a big learning curve for me and I see joining BNI as being a great place to be mentored and supported with Serendipity Photography, (plus you get a good cooked breakfast courtesy of Bramall Lane once a week!). The only downside to these weekly meetings is they start at 7am, but at least it's only a 5 min drive and only once a week which is so much better than the leaving the house everyday at 7:30am which I was doing when I was teaching! My photo today had to represent BNI so I took a photo of my card file which I will be carrying lots of business cards around in and also my name badge which I had to make a label for this afternoon...not bad, even if I do say so myself!


After my BNI meeting I had to pop into town and took a photo of the trams in Sheffield so have included one of these in my "Project 365+1" which means I have two photos for Day 16, I couldn't decide between the two because one is documenting my business and the other is playing with photography..having fun with it which I love.

Day 15 - Reflections

In between Christmas and New Year a few of us went to The Ivory bar in Sheffield for my friend Mark's birthday. It's a very chilled wine bar and they had a pianist playing in the corner which really added to the atmosphere. It was a fairly quiet evening and when I was at the bar I got chatting to the bar manager about whether they let out the bar for events because I'm thinking of having a launch party for Serendipity Photography in the next few months. It looks like a possibility but I need to look into it a little more. The manager was then talking about ideas he had to improve the bar in the new year and one of things he mentioned was to get a local jazz pianist to have a regular slot every week so I introduced him to Mark who is a brilliant pianist and tonight was his first official gig! It looks like Mark will have a regular slot on a Tuesday evening which is exciting! It was a really relaxing evening, not many in the bar but January is never the best month for people to be out so hopefully it will pick up. It was just really nice to sit in a bar (rather than be at home on the sofa) and chill out with a drink, great company and atmosphere. This could be a regular thing for me on a Tuesday!
I decided that my photo for the day had to be a shot of Mark playing the piano. I have lots of ideas of how to take this shot and will need to take my tripod next time but I'm really pleased with this shot because I love the classic look of the black and white but also love the reflection of Mark's hands in the piano.

Day 14 - Post & Paperwork

I decided that today was going to be the day when I got on top of all the paperwork which has been piling up. I sat down at the dining room table with all the paperwork piled in front of me and after several cups of tea I had waded through it all and filed a lot of it away. There were several letters to get into the post so I wandered up to the postbox and thought that this would be a great shot because of the bright red against the white of the letters. I did get a few odd looks from people as I photographed my hand posting the letters but I think that may happen a lot this year as I try to get different photos!

Day 13 - Indulgence

Today was a wet and miserable day so I decided it was a day to potter around the house and sort things out. Earlier in the week I came across a recipe for some peanut butter cookies from a friend on my flickr site and decided that baking these would be a great way to spend the afternoon! I made them just in time to have them with a cup of tea and it felt like pure indulgence to be curled up on the sofa eating a freshly backed cookie and a big mug of tea! Bliss! The great thing about these cookies is that they are quite rich so you can only have one at a time which means they'll last longer and have to be good for the waistline if you're only eating one at a time! Surely!? Well that's what I'll keep telling myself!
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/communityfriend/2182713869/)

I'll put a link up here in a few days to the Community Friend website where the recipe will be if anyone feels like having a go...I can recommend it!

Day 12 - My Cinderella

Today was a really special day....I took my goddaughter Amy to see the Cinderella pantomime at the Lyceum in Sheffield. I have always loved going to a panto as a kid so have been waiting for Amy to be old enough to take her and have an excuse to go! Amy is now 4 and this was my Christmas present to her...a girly day out with Aunty Katy and Cinderella! We had decided before Christmas that sparkly outfits were the way forward but she outdid me her pink tiara and sparkly pink shoes! She looked gorgeous and was so excited that we must have looked a right pair as we skipped our way up the road to catch the bus into town!

This was the first time Amy had been to a pantomime so it was truly magical to watch it with her, she was mesmerised from the start and I think we were both transported to another world. When Cinderella changed into her ballgown Amy could be heard to whisper under her breath, "she's soooo beautiful" to no-one in particular! The first half ended with Cinderella going to the ball in her own sparkly coach driven by a coachman and two white shetland ponies...I felt quite emotional as the curtain came down on the first act! You can't go to the theatre and not have ice-cream at the interval so we had fun eating ice-cream and dreaming of being Cinderella.

The second act was as special as the first and Amy seemed to be a little more vocal, shouting out at anyone who dared try to press the button which Buttons had asked us all to watch! Lucy & Kevin (Amy's parents) had told her all about the "it's behind you" and "oh yes it is..." lines so when that came up she was loving it and giggling when Baron Hardup blew raspberries in Old MacDonald. She talked about it all the way home and couldn't eat her tea becase she was so busy telling Kevin and Lucy all about it! It was a really special day and something I will treasure always.

Day 11 - That Friday Feeling!

I feel like I've been chasing my tail all week and don't feel like I'd had the chance to stop and make sense of the whole "setting up my business" thing! Today was no different and I knew I had to get a photo for today so I was trying to decide whether to take my camera to the pub and try and get a photo then or take a photo of my chocolate liquers which I got for Christmas! I decided that photographing the chocolate could be a little less messy and more composed! I did end up taking some photos at the pub but this is a more classic photo than any I got later in the evening!

Day 10 - Stunning Sunset

Today was a supply teaching day so I was tired and drained from convincing students that they really did want to sit in their seats and learn! As I was driving home I was trying to think how I could make the lasagne I was planning to cook look exciting in a photo because I didn't think I had the energy to be creative for today's photo! Then I saw this sunset and knew that this would be my photo of the day! I stopped off in Graves Park, which is just up the road from where I live, and trapsed through the mud in my heels (an attractive sight!) so that I could capture the silhoutte of the trees with the sun setting behind. It took my breath away and I was stood there for quite a long time, transfixed by the beauty of nature! I'm not one for normally taking landscape photos but the bare winter trees have been something which have captured my imagination this year. I took quite a few photos and really wasn't sure which one to choose for my photo for the day so if you want to see the other shots then you can see them here: www.flickr.com/photos/katysnaps

Sunsets are one of my favourite things so it was so good to be able to finish my day with this beauty, everyone is unique and never fails to make an impact on me.

Day 9 - Self -Portrait

Today I was feeling brave! If you are a member of my family or close friend you will know how much I hate having my photo taken and much prefer to be behind the lens! I was trying to think of what to take today and decided that seeing as I am a portrait photographer I should really experiment with taking a photo of myself! It was an opportunity to be a little creative and focus on my hair and eyes. The black and white photo was taken this morning when I got back from my BNI networking breakfast meeting. The sun was streaming through the car windscreen so I thought I'd take this photo whilst I was wrapped up warm in my coat but also basking in the sunshine! I think I could either pass for an MI-6 agent or the latest celebrity wannabe!

The 2nd photo was taken this afternoon when I was working in the dining room. The sun was setting and the light through the window was so soft that I had another go at taking some photos but without the sunglasses or coat to hide behind!

This third one is a little more artistic, I played with the contrast on the photo to really make my eyes and hair stand out.

Day 8 - Bubbles

I did my first day of "supply" teaching at my old school, Aston, today. It was a pretty odd feeling, going back into work only 1 day after the start of term, (2 weeks after I'd been given leaving gifts and cards!) greeting everyone, asking how their holiday was etc.. but not having a classroom to go to, a pigeon hole to check, emails to follow up, lessons to plan, marking to do. It was the most freeing feeling I've had in a long time and it felt GREAT! I think doing supply in a school which I know and where a lot of the students haven't worked out that I've officially left made all the difference. The grumbles of "oh no, we've got Miss Thomson, she was really strict last time she came into our lesson" was music to my ears as I prepared their cover lesson! I was covering one of my colleagues who's on paternity leave so I'm still teaching RE in the same Faculty but without the responsibilities!
The best feeling for me was at 3pm when I could gather up my things, throw on my coat, sign out and return my visitors badge and head out to the car without any marking or work to take home! I was in the car and heading out by 3:15 so I thought I'd get down to the gym and go for a swim whilst I have the time and before I go out tonight. It was great to get back in the pool although it was a little crowded with kids and their swimming lessons and everyone else attempting to keep up their new year's resolutions! It was so lovely to get to the pool and do a decent swim without feeling shattered and then be able to get home and have some time to sort things out before going out. I think I'm going to really love my new lifestyle and do not regret for one minute my decision to leave teaching!

Day 7 - Storm Clouds

Yesterday was a gorgeous, sunny, winter's day....today was the other sort of winter's day we get! I woke up to the sound of rain lashing against the window and was more than happy to snuggle up under the duvet for a little bit longer thinking about all my old colleagues who had to get up to start a new term at school! It's such an amazing feeling knowing that I'm now doing a job I am passionate about and love, the added bonus is that I don't have to get up at 6:25am every morning!

When I did finally open the curtains this was the view which greeted me. There was a rainbow trying to sneek out but there were too many heavy clouds to block it! I thought the contrast of the yellow of my apartment block against the storm clouds were stunning so this became my Day 7 photo!

Day 6 - Which way?

About a year ago when I first moved back up to Sheffield I had great intentions of joining new groups so as to meet new people. One of the things I had every intention of doing was joining a walking group so that I could get out into the peaks and make the most of the stunning countryside which is a stone's throw from where I live. Last February I went on one walk with my friend Leanne who was visiting but it was disasterous! Snow, boggy marshes, falling in "vicar of dibley" style puddles and a mix of "interesting" people made me think twice before going along for another walk! Before I knew it nearly a year has passed and so I decided that with a new year came a 2nd chance!
I was among 30 people and sunshine this time round and it was great to get out and spend the day walking, meeting new people, taking photos and enjoying a well deserved pint at the pub at the end of the walk! Hopefully Project 365+1 will have more photos of the beautiful peak district as I get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

Day 5 - The fun of the fair!

I had to head into town today to order a couple of photo albums for two of my clients! My first orders for Serendipity Photo Albums..very exciting! Anyway I decided that I should take my camera with me to try and capture my 5th photo of Project 365+1. I wasn't feeling too inspired until I saw this ferris wheel which looked a little lonely; the lights were flashing and it was playing out the latest Kylie hits but no-one wanted to play.

Day 4- Yummy

I left my camera tripod at mum and dad's over Christmas which was very annoying particularly as I'm now needing it regularly with my new job.  We had many discussions as to the best and quickest way to get it back to me and decided that meeting half way in a lovely little pub for lunch was the best bet!  We consulted the Good Pub Guide and found a great pub just south of Leicester which did the most delicious food which these gorgeous deserts!  This was Dad's pudding, I had a lemon tart both were artistically stunning and scrummy!  Good job we photographed them first because they didn't last very long! You can see the photo of my desert on here: www.flickr.com/photos/katysnaps 

The start of Project 365+1

THE FIRST 3 DAYS OF 365+1

3 days in and I have taken 3 photos so I will post them here, explain the story behind each one.

January 1st - Day 1 of 365+1

This photo was taken shortly after midnight on 1st January 2008.  I was at a murder mystery party with friends and this was the remains of someone's costume.  You could either say it is a symbolic photo, shaking off the costumes of 2007 ready to start a fresh in 2008. Or it's simply the only photo I took on 1st January and I needed something to upload for my 365+1 project.

January 2nd - Day 2             

                   

At 1am this morningthe fire alarm went off in my block of apartments.  I was instantly transported to my uni days when the alarm would go off and everyone would trundle outside, standing around in the cold whilst someone tried to shut the thing off!  This wasn't that far off except this time if was me and the others in the apartment trying to switch off the alarm which had the most annoying high pitched ring.  It took over an hour, several phone calls and lots of sellotape to get the alarm to stop.  This is the remains of the alarm which had been smashed by someone who either thought it'd be really funny or was wanting some sort of revenge!  Either way it woke all of us up!  The good side of all of this is that I got to meet my neighbours for the first time...it's taken a year!  Whilst we were waiting for the alarm to be shut off we ended up going round looking at each other's apartments and I (rather smuggly) was showing off my penthouse! A rude awakening but hopefully a start to get to know the neighbours!

January 3rd - Day 3

Today we had SNOW! Not as much as some other places but as I looked out of my window this morning there was a light dusting of snow everywhere, it was gorgeous!  As the snow was starting to melt I decided to go out for a walk this afternoon up to Graves Park to see if I could find some snow for some photos.  It was freezing and very grey but I love the effect the silhouette of the bare trees has against the bleak sky..winter beauty.