Thumbs Up | Thumbs Down

I'm a list-maker and always have been. There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of being able to TICK - a task accomplished! Fellow list-makers (of whom I know there to be many) will appreciate this. I think, when also teamed with my love of stationery, these lists of mine can get a bit out of control. Do I really need another new notepad? Do I really really need a new pen, even if it is purple?... But then I'd be able to start a whole new list in a new pad with a new pen!

With that in mind, I've decided to blog a new kind of list - I welcome you to what I hope to be a regular set of lists of a few of my favourite and less-favourite things.

Thumbs Up List

- London. Heading from one capital city to another is always fun, especially when there's friends and new sights to greet you at the other end. I have never (ever) had a bad experience in London and I can't wait for my upcoming trip at the start of March.

- Muji. We don't have one in Edinburgh. When I was a teenager I remember regularly visiting one in Manchester, but I've heard rumours it might now be gone...? Yet another reason to visit London! If you buy but one item from Muji, make it their 0.38 fine pens. They're only 99p!

- Fujifilm Instax. I know this is possibly the third time I've included this beauty in my blog in the past couple of weeks, but I'm still on a high from it arriving... sorry.

Thumbs Down

- The Postman. If I get one more red card through the door saying 'the package was too big for your letterbox', when in fact it WOULD HAVE FIT, I will, well... be annoyed!

- Winter. I love winter and I love snow, but even I've had enough of these cold, dark, windy days now. Spring hurry up please!

- Noisy neighbours. Please stop thumping!! Surely you can walk around without doing an impression of an elephant on a trampoline?

On an amusing note to finish up: Two images came to mind when I starting thinking about Thumbs Up | Thumbs Down... It was a scorching hot September day in 2008. Mr O and I were on our way up the east coast of Australia, a few towns south of Cairns and our trusty Greyhound bus pulled over to allow us travellers a quick bathroom break. We couldn't help resist taking quick pics of the shop-keeper's special way to let us know which gender should use which door...

Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down (and yes, that is my tan...or lack of)

Jen x

www.jenowensimages.com

Moving round this crazy town...

It's become something of a joke over the past few years that Mr O and I can't stay still.

Since we moved to Edinburgh in 2005 from Stirling, we've lived in no less than FIVE different flats. That's five flats in just over six years (and that's not including the various moves we had between us whilst at Uni. So in total, between us, in 10 years we've lived in TWELVE different places).

It's not like we love to move flat, it's just always been the case that each year, when we've come to renew our lease(s), something has come up and we've had to find somewhere new.

Our first flat was on the Royal Mile. Yep, that's right - only the most famous street in Edinburgh! It was a horrible, horrible place to live. Grimy, noisy, sometimes scary, strange little flat. To be fair, at the time of signing we were fresh from the streets of Stirling and having had little notice, we needed to find somewhere to live and quick. On the up side it was great fun being smack bang in the middle of the city, especially at Festival time, with street theatre literally on your doorstep and I think looking back it was the perfect place to find our feet. But the cons crept in and after a year of learning the ropes of this fab city, we knew there was somewhere else out there that would better suit us.

Cue a move down to the lovely Stockbridge. Closer to work and a village feel ticked all the boxes for us, as did our lovely flat with its own courtyard and friendly neighbours. We still look back so fondly on it, especially as we got married whilst living there. But our travel plans took form and in 2008 we packed our bags and set off on our dream trip for 6 months, and so giving up the flat.

Since our return, our range of reasons for leaving the various accommodations has ranged from one landlord not paying his mortgage (nothing quite like receiving someone else's court order hand delivered through your door!) to another deciding to sell up from under us...

Where am I going with this (and where are we going next?!)? Well yesterday we took a trip out east, a nice drive on a rainy day to see the sea at Portobello, Joppa and Musselburgh. A trip with intention, as we can see ourselves finally finding somewhere to stay for longer than 12 months in that part of East Lothian (at least, that's the idea...) and I thought my new fun-filled camera would like an outing :)

Mr O enjoying the calm sea view at Musselburgh harbour.

To the family and friends whose Christmas cards chase us across this fine city, I do apologise... it can't be easy trying to find us and I'm sure there are at least five people cursing our names as they see even more post for us fall on to their doormats, our failure to change address information with no doubt numerous people. Let's hope that someday soon we can give you a more permanent address.

Jen x

www.jenowensimages.com

A new addition to my camera family...

I've spent a lot of time recently (and I mean A LOT of time) researching camera equipment. Not just because I'm such a camera geek, but because I want to make sure I keep on bringing some fun into the shoots I've got planned.

A quick glance over the coming months in my diary I don't have a weekend free. Yep, I've packed them all full of photography-related wonderfulness. Be it weddings, engagement shoots, trips to see friends or something altogether different from the norm, I'm looking forward to bringing out my new addition - a fun-filled Fujifilm Instax Mini camera. (It's pretty much like good old Polaroid, but with smaller film.)

I was so excited when it arrived last week and so far I've been very good at not taking pictures of everything I see... which is a good thing seeing as the film ain't cheap! Sure, I've got my 'real' camera, which I love and always will, but I'm looking forward to this one making a regular appearance to add a bit of fun!

Here's a couple of quick attempts...more effort needed I reckon! But a fun start :)

Mr O concentrating on something amusing on TV (I think it was Austin Powers...)

Obligatory mirror shot...kinda like how the flash has gone black. Check out the photo-booth pics - a very fond souvenir from our trip to NYC in 2006 :)

Mr O getting in on the Instax fun and turning the camera on me!

Jen x

The end of the night...

My new portfolio arrived this week, hurray! I'm thrilled with how it looks, especially when looking through the pages at full size (my wee Mac can't quite view it at 100%!!) at all the details and the photos I've chosen to put in it.

For the first time, I've also included a double-page spread with engagement shots as more and more I'm discovering those sessions as not only being incredibly good fun, but also an excellent way to get to know a couple better. So I thought it would be nice to have a few pictures available to show at meetings and the like.

Having shown the portfolio to a few people the past few days, I've been amazed how many have pointed out the final picture to be one they really like, which is the night-time view across Edinburgh through a window high up in Edinburgh Castle...

At the time I think I was trying to capture the glow of the day, the candle-light and of course that amazing sight from such a privileged position - after hours access to some of the best views in Edinburgh, from its most famous landmark.

Looking back now, I notice things I didn't see at the time, like a single light still on in the building opposite or the window wedged open slightly to allow a little fresh air to seep into the warm room. What I also realise is this is one of the final shots I took of the wedding, rounding off a fantastic day. Behind me as I took it, there was ceilidh dancing in full swing. A few people were sat chatting at tables, bottles of Grolsch or a glass of champagne in hand. There was an atmosphere of celebration and merriment.

I like that this picture conjures up a lot of happy memories in my head, the end of the night after a lovely wedding day :)

Jen x

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www.jenowensimages.com

Hands... 2011

Mr O and I have a badly kept ritual (badly kept as Sundays often turn out to be too busy to stick to it religiously...). Every Sunday we get the paper and together we sit and read, with our breakfast and coffee, through each supplement and section. Sometimes we draw each other's attention to a particular article, or perhaps a snippet or quote, but more often than not, it's a photograph.

Towards the end of last year, The Observer printed 'The 10 Best Photographic Portraits'. It was one of these ritual Sunday's that we discovered the article. Amongst the images of iconic sportsmen, musicians etc., it was the Anton Corbijn photo of John Lee Hooker's hand (which I've since discovered is the main image on Corbijn's homepage) that jumped out at us as being special amongst a pretty striking bunch of photos.

It came up in conversation a week or so later, and again at Christmas. With the welcoming in of 2011, we thought it could be a fun and interesting project to take a photo once a year, every year of Mr O's hands so that in decades to come we can place them all side by side and see how his hands have changed over the years.

So, inspired by Corbijn's photo, here's our first effort. Can I just point out that I in no way think these even come close to Corbijn's incredible work (I'm not trying to be modest, I'm just realistic), but instead, here's a personal blogpost of photos of my Mr O...

And the man himself. Couldn't resist a few portrait shots on this chilly January day...

{Rachel & Neil} Engagement

What a wonderful start to the New Year! Despite Tuesday being windy, chilly and down right grey, it was brightened up by the lovely Rachel and Neil as we took an engagement shoot wander through Edinburgh's Meadows.

Following a warm-up brew in the fab Victor Hugo Deli on Edinburgh's Melville Terrace (my first time venturing into the bright red building - I will be back) we braved the cold and had a good giggle competing with the wind for control over my umbrella! Not a good day to forget my scarf and almost lose my gloves, but at least the mood was warm and full of laughter.

I can't wait to shoot Rachel and Neil's wedding next month, not just because there's a very special element of the day I'm looking forward to seeing (more on that after the wedding!), but because I have no doubt it's going to be one of those fantastic days that will be remembered for a very long time.

Jen x

www.jenowensimages.com

Farewell 2010, hello 2011!

First off, sorry for the silence. The past month has been one of those blink-and-it's-gone ones whereby I woke up this morning (following a very relaxing, yet ill-spent Hogmanay) realising it was not just January, but 2011! Where did December go?! And while we're at it, where did November go as well?! While my updates have been quiet, it's been quite the opposite at Jen Owens Images towers where I've been busy-ing away behind the scenes trying to get my head around all this business and paperwork stuff.

When I set out on my wedding photography quest I had an inkling that I would find my calling... all these taking photos for years and years, drumming up experience, spending time with professionals, watching them act out their trade, learning, learning, learning, thrown in with my (let's face it) pure love of all things wedding-related... when my first wedding came round in 2010 I just knew it was going to be the best day ever. And it was.

Looking back over the past 6 months or so at all the preparations, subsequent editing and general wedding photography wonderfulness I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams just how amazing it all turned out to be. Being part of these weddings, being welcomed in as part of the team and having the most intimate view of the most special day in a couple's life is quite an overwhelming experience.

The response I've received has been simply amazing and I'd like to thank with HUGE MASSIVE BLOG THANKS all those people who have helped me this year, from advice, to feedback and beyond. The support I've had from my family and friends while I stressed over the smallest worries has been incredible. Mr O has witnessed me head off to the day job Monday to Friday, fill any spare evening and weekend with wedding photography related activities and still kept me fed and watered (read: wined) and done the cleaning while I've felt ready to drop! Best. Husband. Ever. Thank you xx

Here's to 2011! Words can't describe how excited I am! Looking at my diary for the next 12 months, none of these wonderful days I have ahead of me would have happened if it weren't for the fantanstic weddings that took place in 2010. Happy New Year to my brides and grooms and thank you for letting me be part of your special days.

Jen x