Its funny you know. A single question from a writer that I was asked a month ago hasn’t stopped bothering me. I keep going back to it. Its lead me to stop and think loads about all sorts of things and allow myself a little dwell on some of the amazing stuff I have done over the last couple of years. Now, I have always been a sort of ‘what will be will be’ kinda girl. I still am. I think. I still think that we are meant to be where we are doing what we are supposed to be doing even if its sometimes seems that we are not and that everything is a bit pointless. I still believe that. Some days I believe that a bit more than other days, but still……
Now there is no denying that I have had a few turbulent years. I have had things happen that have quite literally knocked me from pillar to post. I have had time when I have just stopped and stared at my navel for hours, having planned to do something, write something, be somewhere, then just not managed to leave the sofa/bed/house. These times have then been followed by a mass amount of guilt poured on myself by myself like petrol – with the fact I have ‘wasted time’ being the wick my thoughts then ignited. … Read the rest
To all those that have been loyal and stayed with me – I promise I have a hundred updates on the way – however, work, PhD, health and a few other life things have been getting the way of regular blog updates. I haven’t stopped however, Im just taking a breathe from a few things just for a little while including this site for a couple of weeks. Ill be back soon as, but in the meantime take a moment to re- appreciate one of my favourites tunes – Im off to see ELO at Wembley tomorrow and to say Im excited is an understatement. Brummies are best, truly madly deeply x
LWL xx… Read the rest
I don’t do events. I do do events which involve me flying or being invited (generally) though – and I damned sure was going to do THIS event as it involved both. I’ve never been to Glasgow either so there were a lot of boxes that I got ticked by travelling up to the Yardworks Event arranged by a local writer Gaz Mac a few weeks ago. I’m not sure why, but I was convinced that Glasgow was going to be wet – mostly because in previous (not many to be fair) visits to Scotland it has always rained but I was still excited to be going up and when I got there to be greeted with glorious sunshine, a huge welcome from people I already knew and from people I didn’t it was a really lovely weekend. The following are a few shots I haven’t shared anywhere else, a few I have but also a few of the beautiful City itself. Big ups to Glasgow, twas lovely….
Little Wing Lost, Glasgow, May 2017
With massive love and thanks to Gaz Mac, The Easy Riders, Akme, Tizer, Sokem, Cheo, Bonzai, Rask, Mac1, Astek, Musa and all the other amazing people who I had never met before but made me so very welcome x… Read the rest
A very few of the thousands of shots I took when visiting Alicante and Benidorm. I had a few technical issues with my kit and so Im not really very happy with these shots from here but heres a few non the less.
LittleWing, Alicante/Benidorm, November 2016
Ive been reading a lot of stuff about ego and validation recently. And Ive also been spending less time on uploading and looking at my Instagram accounts. I also recently got accused of ‘showing off’ about something (which horrified me as I haven’t/didn’t intentionally). And all this has led me to start thinking about how the world has changed and for me to take a really honest look at what I actually think/perceive/project.
Its tricky isn’t it.
You can’t really win in this world. If you work hard you get the opportunity to do things out of the ordinary and then they become the ordinary to you. If you share that then you can be seen as being cocky, showing off, getting ‘too big for your boots’. If you share things – why do you? Personal gratification? Showing off? Pride? Over indulgent ego?
But if you do these things and you don’t share them why did you do them? Personal gratification? fear of showing off? shame for your skill/culture? or to smother your over indulgent ego?
For me its really simple. I genuinely do the things I do because I love taking photographs and I love a challenge. I get a HUGE personal satisfaction from my photography and from the adventures I have or have had.… Read the rest
One the very best things I do, and have done for a couple of years is go searching for original old skool graffiti. Im privileged that I get the opportunity to do that with some of the original people who either did it or were there at the time. This makes the adventure a damn sight more interesting and special because its like they are showing me one of their oldest friends.
I recently went on a such a trek with a writer, who gave up his time to take me to several spots in the Midlands and this is a selection of just a few of them.
Whats really interesting to me particularly on the one above is the full date. May 22nd 1991. Thats the first time I have seen an actual full date on any piece anywhere.
What might seem like some nice red bricks to a general passerby holds treasures for my eyes.
And this is where the old and the new collide. Thanks to the internet I am not only able to have these connections with people but then I can share the finds back with the original writers. And thats a bit mind blowing. The debate about what the internet has done – be it a good or a bad thing – to the graffiti culture – is one which takes place pretty much every day.… Read the rest
Graffiti has given me a whole lot of experiences both good and bad. Its given me the opportunity to look at the world in a very different way. Ive made many amazing friends and I have been welcomed in every country Ive travelled to to shoot their graffiti. But its the really secret stuff Ive done when Ive travelled, that has only been made possible by, in most cases, complete strangers who have trusted me and me conversely trusted them – where my real adventures have come from.
In Milan I was really made to feel at home. Im always amazed that when I travel that local contacts take time out of their lives to take me all over their hometowns to share many of their secrets. This particular adventure involved a bit of climbing, a watchman, a whole lot of nettles and the results are below. I said it back then but I will say it again – Milan (and in particular my very lovely hosts) – you are truly amazing – thankyou xx
Day of the Dead Trams……
Little Wing Lost, Milan, 2016
I firmly believe that Birmingham is the greatest of Cities. Of course the bias is completely there as I am from here, however, even though I have always felt that way, the travelling I have done over the last few years (which stepped up majorly over the last two years) has only confirmed that to me. We have a soul here. There is just something about Brummies that makes us really humble but really gobby at the same time. We don’t bang on about how great we are – but we are a City which has produced legends. And then (and I will come back to my thoughts on legends from this City in future blogs – as I have much to say about that hahaha) we have our beloved canals.
Now as a very happy little Brummie – I can remember long long ago when the canals – or the cut as I prefer to call them – weren’t anywhere near as ‘trendy’ as they have become now. Its all very delightful seeing these new paths – all smooth and lovely for cyclists – but I remember when you used to have hack your way through brambles..dodge empty Corona bottles and pretty much accept that your legs were going to be covered to nettles (and I COULD NEVER FIND A HOCK LEAF) if you dared to venture along the sides of any path by the cut.… Read the rest