Mindfulness and photography

For me, an unexpected benefit of my photography is mindfulness. Whilst I hadn’t initially recognised it as this, I found that whenever I was photographing I became absorbed in it - my thoughts and focus were solely on what was happening around and in front of me in that moment of time.

As a freelance photographer, much of my work is for a set purpose/brief. Having recently had a discussion about the importance of setting aside time for development, training and creativity I decided to be, well, creative about how to do that and took myself off into the outdoors, with my camera. I had no set brief, no expectations and the chance to explore and photograph anything I wanted. It was also one of the hottest days so I had the added luxury of good weather. It was brilliant! I went into the parkland at Lyme Park and headed for the woods where the midday light was a mix of shadows and pockets of light dispersed into patterns and more irregular shapes. I pretty much followed the light and how it fell onto different objects, largely plants and foliage. It was quite free’ing being able to photograph anything I was drawn to and an opportunity to be completely mindful. I was fully aware of everything around me, not thinking about the past or the future (or what I was having for my tea). I had chance to think about and test out different techniques and styles in constantly changing light.

In the past I’ve often thought I needed to be sitting somewhere, with my eyes closed, to be truly ‘mindful’ which of course isn’t true. You can be mindful in the most seemingly mindless tasks like brushing your teeth, or turning on the tap, or moving about. Anything where you are completely present in what you’re doing and paying attention to/noting what you’re doing without getting lost in anything other than that moment in time.

I’ve realised how important it is for my creativity to get out with my camera and just photograph what interests me without any restrictions, whilst also benefiting from being mindful. I’m hopefully going to start running some mindfulness in photography sessions, outdoors, towards the end of summer into early autumn. Let me know if this is something you’d be interested in joining.

What to expect on a headshot photography session

Your headshots need updating and you want to get them done but you feel nervous about having your picture taken. I know exactly how that feels! As somebody that isn’t a big fan of having my photo taken, I completely understand the levels of anxiety and awkwardness it can create. That means I’m very conscious of making a photo session not feel like a photo session. Before we get together we’ll have a brief chat, or share messages about where we’ll meet - I can come to your home/office, we can meet outdoors at a park or a cafe, anywhere that you’d feel most comfortable. I can also give suggestions about anything to avoid wearing - no black for your top half to avoid looking like a floating head, or anything too heavily patterned so you don’t become like a magic eye picture where you have to focus in a certain way to see the image you want.

When we meet, I won’t start contorting you into all sorts of positions, with my camera about an inch from your face. We’ll spend a bit of time chatting, no doubt talking about the weather at some point (I’m British after all), grab a quick drink if we’ve met at a cafe, or have a little walk round the place we’ve met to see where would be good to sit, make sure the sunshine (hopefully it’ll be out) won’t be right in your eyes. This will give you some time to relax and hopefully feel a bit more comfortable. We’ll have a quick chat about the types of photos we’ll do and anything you particularly want to avoid and then I’ll start to take some pictures, whilst we’re chatting. You might not even notice! We’ll move around a little bit, try a few different locations in the space we’re in so there’s a selection of pictures for you to choose from. I might make a few suggestions about where to look, or what to do with your hands - I always feel a bit awkward when I don’t have something to do with my own hands or have pockets to put them in! We might have a few photos where you’re sitting down or stood up - there’s something about leaning against things that makes you feel less ‘exposed when standing’. You might even start to enjoy having your photo taken!

Get in touch for a chat or to find out more, or maybe you’re even ready to book your headshot session now!

Meet the creative - Tanica Powell, Arts, Culture & Charity Marketer

Bubbly, creative, passionate, friendly - just a few of the words that describe Tanica, who I met a few weeks ago for my latest ‘meet the creatives’ blog.

In the early stages of her career, but already very clear that the vision and mission of the company she works for is what drives her most, I admired this ‘compass’ she has for guiding her career path.

Beginning work at the Contact Theatre in a sales role, during the peak of Covid, Tanica stayed 3 years progressing into a digital content and then digital marketing role. It’s clear her time at the theatre was an influential one and she was full of praise for what she described as an “inspirational organisation”. She explained how young people have a voice in Contact Theatre, are encouraged to influence the processes and make up half the board of trustees. I could see how important an organisation’s ethos is to Tanica and this example of an organisation actively ‘living’ its values made a lasting impression on her.   

It’s now nearly 3 years since she made the move to Walk the Plank starting as a Marketing and Communications Officer and progressing to Senior Marketing and Communications Officer.

Sounding like a brilliant place to work - a bit like a home for imagination, Walk the Plank produces spectacular outdoor community art events, often in partnership with others like Rochdale Council and Manchester City Council. They’re the charity behind such well known events as Manchester Day Parade and the ‘giant baby’ in Rochdale that drew international attention. Even their offices are designed to have the feel of a boat as a nod to their nautical past. As she spoke about working at Walk the Plank I could see, as with her previous role, that she is passionate about the work she’s doing and the organisation’s mission. She spoke about the importance of championing work she believes in and having a positive impact on both the local community and environment. It was encouraging to hear how much Walk the Plank collaborates with communities to ensure their productions are representative and can later be integrated into the community where it’s feasible to do so (I’m not too sure the giant baby was able to stay as a permanent fixture in Rochdale).

With a degree in fine art, I was initially, wrongly, assuming Tanica would have taken on a role in something directly related to her course. I’ve always thought of fine art as being quite niche and chatting about this challenged my assumptions about what a fine art degree actually covers - marketing and communications were a big part of her course, with students encouraged to set up websites and social media as part of their learning. This made a role in marketing and communications a very natural step. I think it’s often easy to forget just how interlinked different areas of the arts actually are in reality and it makes sense that they are. Whilst creativity is very important to her, a more important driver is mission and purpose. Tanica explained that, for her, creativity can be found in many different ways and as long as she believes the ethos of where she’s working her opportunities for creativity can then always be found.

A really interesting and engaging person to chat with we covered a lot of different topics including visiting Japan, life in Chorlton, a shared inability to properly gauge size and heights and making use of the word ‘fettling’. Whilst very happy with where she is now I don’t doubt that when the time comes to move to the next organisation it will be somewhere that makes a difference.

Meet the Creative - Louise Thompson, Arts & Museum Consultant, Health & Wellbeing

An originally planned 20(ish) minute talk turned into an easy hour long chat that could have kept going if it wasn’t for noticing the time. Louise is passionate, warm, inspiring and fun! We chatted about everything from the mental load, to accents, imposter syndrome and the sometimes rollercoaster nature of freelancing (and more).

In what would be my dream role if I wasn’t a photographer, Louise is an Arts & Museum Consultant for Health and Wellbeing. Working primarily with Museums and Galleries, but not exclusively, her work champions the positive impact of the arts on mental health and wellbeing. Having worked for the Manchester Art Gallery for 18 years, Louise made the decision to go freelance in October. 

Clearly determined, her first role at the Art Gallery wasn’t her perfect job but she knew she wanted to work for the organisation and was prepared to work her way up. It struck me how creative Louise has been in seeking out opportunities and taking time to recognise what interests her. She knew she wanted to work in the arts and whilst she wasn’t entirely clear what role she wanted, she was guided by the experiences she enjoyed. She spent 2 years in her first role in visitor services and realised she wanted to work more with people. This prompted her to volunteer a day a week with the Gallery’s Learning & Engagement dept to build experience. During that time an opportunity arose to temporarily cover a Learning Officer role, which Louise was seconded into for a year. The position later became permanent and Louise spent 4 years in the position building her understanding about education and art engagement and also the different needs of each audience. Each role became a stepping stone to the next. 

Having always been interested in mental health and wellbeing and how art positively impacts mental health, Louise saw there was an opportunity to shadow the Art Gallery’s newly created post of Health and Wellbeing Manager and so spent a day a week shadowing them. Realising she wanted to find out more about the impact of the arts on people with severe mental health issues she took a volunteer position at Stepping Hill hospital, on her day off from work. The hospital commissioned a health and arts organisation called ‘Arc’ to run weekly workshops for patients on mental health secure wards. This was an invaluable experience in learning how to facilitate groups of people with severe mental health conditions, how to de-escalate situations and ensure everyone was included. Taking the time to further her knowledge and skills beyond that of her current role meant that when the Health and Wellbeing role was next advertised, she was ready for the position and got the role she had been working towards. Then followed 12 fulfilling years and in October she decided it was time to explore possible opportunities as a freelance Arts & Museum Consultant for Health & Wellbeing. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly given her commitment to build experience and insight, Louise has been preparing herself for this change in role and started freelancing a few years back, alongside working at the Art Gallery. Freelancing has seen her work with galleries and museums across the UK and also health organisations, providing training for professionals in understanding why the arts, creativity and culture are so good for health. A lot of places are already putting programmes in place but don’t fully understand why they’re so important for mental health, so her training gives this insight and education. We spoke about underfunding in the arts and how the tide is slowly starting to turn. In a mini history lesson, Louise shared that there is a long arts and health history in Manchester. Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) had the first arts and health department in the UK and more recently the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has formed a Creative Health department, which is the first time that’s ever happened. They also have an ambition to be the first creative health city region in the world, which should mean more funding available to invest in creative health work, which is really encouraging. I think something we both recognise is that there are alternative ways to help people and there’s a role for the arts and health sectors to partner in prevention. 

Now back to the world of freelancing and we had very honest discussions about the liberating highs and thankfully fleeting panics about working for yourself which, when they appear, seem to oscillate between finances and being exposed as in imposter/self doubt. There’s also something necessarily motivating about freelancing - you have to push yourself outside your comfort zone in ways you never would have done when safely cocooned within an organisation - nothing will happen if you don’t go out and get it. You have to be proactive and for Louise this is currently around making sure she meets up with others for social interaction. 

I found there were a lot of parallels between us, which is no doubt why we nattered for so long. Both of us have an arts background - Louise did a degree in History of Art & Design, mine is in English & Philosophy. We both initially ‘fell’ into roles after university with Louise briefly working for a private company in telecommunications, and me in local healthcare. We’ve both spent a number of years working at the same organisation in roles focused on healthcare and now we’re freelancing at a similar point, having spent time ‘nurturing’ the roles we wanted to freelance in. We’re both passionate about mental health and how the arts can help support/improve good mental health. I left our conversation on a high, enjoying the opportunity to find out more about working in a role that combines 2 of my interests - mental health and the arts. Our conversation reminded me of the importance in recognising and acknowledging what interests you and building a path from there, rather than focusing on a specific job role and moulding yourself around that. I’m excited to see what Louise does next and know that it will be a success. Follow her work on instagram and linked in.

Meet the Creative - Holly Gleave, Graphic Designer

Current role: Design Director, Studio North

Career path: Post graphics degree - 12 years in graphic design, working across a range of companies including 5plus architects, Rare Breed, HTA Design LLP, Black & Ginger. Progressing from Graphic Designer, to Senior Designer, to Lead Designer and now Design Director.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the whole concept of a career for life, particularly since moving to full time freelance photography in July. There are so many creative career paths and I wanted to find out more about the different routes people have taken to get to where they are now. Are they traditionally linear routes or a bit more chequered like my own and does that matter? I caught up with Holly to find out more about her career in graphic design, her advice for anyone looking to get into the same field and whether there’s anything she’d do differently if she could go back.

Warm and open to talk to, Holly and I met for a much needed hot drink at Ducie Street (if you’re a coffee shunner like me, the hot chocolate is well worth the trip!) With a fleeting thought about pursuing a career in prosthetics, Holly’s always known she wanted to do graphic design. Starting with a GCSE (which I didn’t know was even an option), then A Level graphics, an Art Foundation at Leeds College which gave valuable exposure to other areas of design and onto Liverpool John Moores. It seems like a number of earlier influences have given Holly clarity about what she wanted to do and I loved hearing about the day return ticket from her dad for a solo trip to London, aged 16. It was during that trip she decided she wanted to live in London and after university she did, for 9 years! Whilst there she built experience working across different agencies and progressed from a Junior to Senior Designer.

It’s just over 3 years now since Holly made the move back up North to be closer to family. Heading back to Liverpool for a brief stop at a smaller creative agency, Holly has been at Studio North for 3 years, becoming Design Director in September. With 12 years industry experience (including an early stint working on HS2!) to look back on, I asked Holly for her top 3 tips for anyone just starting off:

1. Get as much experience as you can through different placements before taking a job. After uni it can be difficult to get straight into an agency but using the time to gain varied experience through placements will give you a better insight into the industry.

2. Build your own community through networking. The mutual support and collaboration is invaluable.

3. Work in a few different companies to get a feel for which is the best fit for you. You might prefer a smaller company, or something larger scale. Each has its pros and cons.

It was particularly encouraging to hear about the shift Holly has seen in approaches to work/life balance from more junior staff which have in turn influenced her. People give their all during the working day but appreciate that there is life and other commitments outside of the 9-5. The team strikes just the right balance between a playful work environment and getting the job done. Whilst COVID has opened up greater opportunities for working remotely, which is great when you have something that needs complete focus, in Holly’s view you can’t underestimate the value of face to face working. Many of the impromptu and casual office conversations are where a lot of ideas are shared or tested out. You can’t underestimate the importance of these discussions and experiences, even more so when you’re just starting out.

It’s clear how much Holly enjoys the team she works with and the enthusiasm she has for her industry. She comes across as a pragmatic person, generous with her time and happy to share her knowledge with those just starting out, as evident from her mentoring junior graphic designs and arranging their industry placements. Her career path to date follows a more direct route and I was almost expecting Holly to say she had a clear route all the way into the future so it was interesting and, in a way, reassuring to hear she doesn’t have her future completely mapped out and seems open to other possibilities, whatever they may be.

Follow Holly on LinkedIn to find out more about the work she’s doing including her ladies wine and dine events.

More ‘Meet the creatives’ coming soon…

Fun and free places to visit in Jan that might be new to you...

Feeling like one of the longest months ever (though I always like January as I’m still a birthday fiend) I thought it’d be useful to blog about places you can visit for free that you might not have been to before, or even heard about! Quite a few of these I’ve not yet had the chance to visit, so they’re on my list too. Most are in and around Manchester, with one exception. Given how chilly it is at the moment I think anything indoors is probably quite welcome, though there’s still the chance to escape outside at a few.

This is the only one that’s time limited so I’ll mention it first. A must for Wallace & Gromit fans!

One day only event: 11th January 2025 from 10am to 5pm

‘A Grand Day out’ National Science and Media Museum, Bradford

Celebrating their re-opening you can catch screenings of Aardman films, model making workshops and much more. I would definitely be going if we had time this weekend. With showings of A Matter of Loaf and Death, The Wrong Trousers, A Grand Day Out and also the latest Wallace and Gromit film Vengeance Most Fowl on the big screen.

Address: The National Science and Media Museum, Bradford, BD1 1NQ

Open year round

In Manchester city centre:

Greater Manchester Police Museum

This is more of a mid week wonder. Open every Tuesday and for special days in school holidays. You get to stand in the dock, visit the cells and hopefully go home at the end of it!

Address: 57a Newton Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 1ET -

People’s History Museum

Known as the national museum of democracy, this is a family friendly museum award winner with lots of interactive exhibitions and installations including the ‘pank-a-squith’ board game, the back in time co-op shop and a vintage jukebox! There’s also a sustainable and ethical cafe to stave off any ‘hangriness’!

Address: Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER -

In Stockport:

Hat Works Museum

Find out all about Stockport’s hat trade at the UK’s only hat museum. Visit the gallery of hats, see how a 19th century hat maker lived in a walk through terraced house and see the recreation of a hat block maker’s workshop.

Address: Wellington Road South, Stockport, Greater Manchester, SK3 0EU

In Salford:

Ordsall Hall

A little gem nestled in between the busy sights of Salford, who knew! A Tudor mansion and museum with resident ghost and huge lawns to explore.

Address: 322 Ordsall Lane, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 3AN

Salford Museum and Art Gallery

I discovered this last summer. It’s a brilliant museum with a toy exhibition, a street installation that lets you take a step back in time and there’s often free events on around school holidays. You can also have an explore of Peel Park which sits directly behind the museum with lovely manicured gardens and a fantastic playground. If you’re looking for lunch/a snack stop there’s The Old Fire Station cafe over the road with a great selection of pastries, cakes and hot drinks. It also houses a brewery!

Address: Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WU

In Rochdale:

Rochdale Pioneers Museum

Once a shop, this is where was where the ‘Pioneers’, 28 working people opened a co-operative store on the 21st December, 1844. The shop sold fairly priced, good quality food during very hard times. See the historic first food counter, cashier point and become Mini Pioneers on an interactive trail.

Address: 31 Toad Lane, Rochdale, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, OL12 0NU

Why headshots matter.

Did you know that first impressions from a photo can be made almost instantly. In fact, the human brain responds to images incredibly quickly, and people make an impression from an image in less than a second. Professional headshots are an incredibly valuable investment to make and help you:

• Make a good first impression
  Professional headshots are often the first impression you make on potential employers and clients online. They show you take your work seriously, setting a positive tone for potential connections or employers. The right image communicates professionalism, approachability and trust. 

• Stand out in a competitive market
  A professional headshot helps support your brand identity and set you apart from competitors. This is even more important for small businesses where you are the face behind the business. Knowing who you are buying from can build trust, likability and give you the edge over competitors.

• Build a consistent brand
  Headshots can be used across multiple online platforms, like LinkedIn, social media, and your website. This helps build a consistent and recognisable brand.

• Enhance your CV and portfolio
  A professional headshot adds a personal touch to your CV and portfolio and helps set you apart from others.

• Supplement your brand or product
  A professional headshot helps communicate the right tone and style to attract your target audience. 

It’s worth investing in a professional image for all these reasons. Find out more about my approach to headshots or get in touch to book a session today.

Branding photo session - Manchester

Two locations, plenty of props and a few outfit changes on this branding photo session with Emma, Sally & Emma. It’s been one of my most enjoyable photo sessions to date! Creative, warm and collaborative ladies with a brave choice in sandwiches - cheese & marmite, which I am a big fan of!

With a very helpful brief shared beforehand, Emma, Sally & Emma were looking for reportage style, candid and natural images, that showed both their friendly, yet professional approach and could be used across their websites and social media. A bit like meeting up with a friend for a cuppa, they soon forgot the camera was there. I remain in awe of Emma’s commitment to styling and imagine she has a very impressive selection of stationary, mugs and design books at home that I would want to own.

If you ever need branding and marketing expertise then look no further than - Emma & Sally from ‘The stories we tell’ and Emma at ‘Emma Cartledge Marketing’. Here are just a few images from the day.

Didsbury house hotel spring wedding

I first met Lorna and Trey when I photographed their little girl at a bediddy event in Chorlton (before they sadly closed their shop - I still miss their cafe and the wall of colourful, vintage clothes and knick knacks that called to me every time I went in). I took a photo of Lorna and Trey’s daughter with her little best friend and remember spotting and appreciating a cheeky little look in both their eyes. This was inbetween covid lockdowns, that never seemed to end and Lorna was pregnant with her second little girl. I saw Lorna and Trey again the following summer. This time in a bit of newborn bubble. I remember how warm and relaxed they both were - the kind of people you could chat away to like you’ve known them for years. A little later, Lorna got in touch and said they were hoping to get married the following April, at a small intimate ceremony at Didsbury House hotel. They’d had to switch the date a number of times due to covid and unexpected events and were hoping that this time they’d have their big day. Lorna had bought her wedding dress some time ago and was still waiting to wear it, alongside a very glamorous pair of wedding shoes from Sophia Webster.

I’m not sure they quite believed their wedding would happen this time, but it did! It was a day of colour, love, laughs, fabulous Scottish kilts, fancy shoes, sunshine, fizz, tasty food and warmth. I loved being part of the wedding and getting the chance to document an important moment in their lives. Here’s a few snaps from their day.

Top 5 locations for family photo sessions

I’m often asked where I would recommend as a good location for family photo sessions. I think it’s quite a personal choice about where you’d like to have your photos taken. With all my family sessions I want to capture you & your family as you are, no forced poses, nothing awkward, just documenting genuine moments that remind you of a happy time together and which you will keep coming back to again and again. With that in mind, these are my top 5 suggested locations:

1. Your choice - One of the first and most important things I always suggest is to have your photographs taken somewhere you feel comfortable and completely at ease. This will be different for each person, but if there’s somewhere you’d particularly like to be or regularly enjoy visiting as a family then choose that.

2. At home - It might seem like the most obvious choice, but often families who contact me assume that they need to ‘go somewhere’ to have their photo taken. You don’t. There’s nothing better than being in your own comfortable surroundings at home. It might not be ideal for everyone and for some there’s a level of anxiety about making things ‘perfect’ before inviting in any guests . You definitely don’t need to worry about that. Just be yourselves and think of me as a welcome family member who is happy to come and spend time with you as you are.

3. Outdoors - I’m a huge fan of being outdoors. You can get your steps in too - two birds with one stone and all. Any location is good - local parks, local walking routes. Anywhere you feel happy to roam.

4. National trust venues - Another outdoor venue of course, but with a number of locations to choose from round and about Manchester - Lyme Park, Tatton Park, Quarry Bank Mill, Dunham Massey to name a few, it seems wrong not to give them their own unique mention. There’s also the added bonus of seasonal events, a good national trust shop, cafe & facilities, to make it into more of a day out, if you’d like to. I think Lyme Park deserves a special mention for being the location of the ‘Mr Darcey lake scene’.

5. Around Chorlton, Didsbury & Sale - Incase you need some more food for thought, and as they’re local to me, here are a few of the locations where I’ve photographed families: Chorlton: Chorlton Ees, Chorlton Water Park, Longford Park, Alexandra Park (technically more Whalley Range I guess) Sale: Walkden Gardens, Sale Water Park Didsbury: Fletcher Moss Gardens, Didsbury Park

If you’d like to find out more about my family sessions, get yourself a copy of my family brochure.

Didsbury family photo session

When Amy phoned me to say that she wanted to do a family photo session before their round the world adventure, but there was only one date that she could do, I wasn’t sure it was going to happen. I’m glad it did though and we managed to squeeze in a morning photo session at Amy’s home before they had to pack up their belongings to head off travelling. 

Not just a photo session to capture the family together before travels began, it was also the littlest lady’s first birthday. Amy’s sister and nephew had already travelled up from London, with Grandparents arriving not long after me armed with a bagful of pastries from the very tasty la Choquette. I just about managed to resist the urge to snaffle the entire contents of the bag.

I love how uninhibited children are and after some initial curiosity over what I was doing, they all carried on playing and seemed to forget I was there. The bubble machine came out, there was whizzing down the slide and a lot of fun running about. The girls ‘big brother’ the bulldog even seemed happy to get in on a few family snaps and struck up quite a charming and regal pose, as you can see from the photos.

It was a great way to capture memories of time together before a big life change. 

If you’d like me to capture your family memories, get in touch for a copy of my family brochure.

Outdoor adventures with children

You might have heard me say this before, but… one of my favourite things is spending time outdoors, in nature. Just a little bit of time in a green space keeps my mood positive and gives me a boost when I need it. Not quite at the level of tree hugging yet, though a good friend of mine did try it and said it was surprisingly comforting.

It’s great to see how much my little girl also enjoys being outside - exploring, climbing and generally tiring herself out (another big plus).

As she gets older, we’re able to cover greater distances and I’m often on the look out for new places to visit. Here’s a little selection of those I’ve found so far which are worth a visit:

In and around Manchester

Walkden Gardens, Sale

I only recently found out about this little gem. Complete with a Japanese style garden, tree lined walkway, wooden carvings and plenty of hideaways. Well worth a trip.

Lyme Park, National Trust

One of my favourite places to visit, with great circular walks, highland cows to spot, dens to hide in and a fantastic children’s playground complete with giant slide and tunnels. The very strategically positioned cafe at the entrance to the car park is also useful bribery for covering the final steps.

Fairy Trail, Carrwood

You could while away a few hours here looking at all the little fairy homes, with plenty of charming details for small hands to enjoy. I think the hedgehog sylvanian family were my favourite addition the last time I visited with my daughter. It’s a little while since we visited so hopefully everything is still there.

The Carrs park, Wilmslow

Oodles of park land, sandy river banks to paddle and dabble your toes in, hills to roll down, a park to play in and plenty of local shops a stones throw away to stock up on picnic supplies (there’s a food theme here)

Healey Dell, near Rochdale

With both a waterfall to see and a tea room in what used to be an old station. Not sure which bit is my favourite.

Clifton country park

Loop round the lake and spot the wooden sculptures as you go. Keep your eyes peeled for the gruffalo with purple prickles all over his back!

Reddish vale country park

Bug hotel, woodland to wander in, butterfly garden a stream to dip your fishing net into and a great place for cycling/scooting.

Stockport air raid shelters

I had no clue these were even here until recently. A trip full of history.

Macclesfield Forest

A sea of forest to explore, you could lose yourself for a while here making dens, having a picnic or hot chocolate pit stop. There are also good circular walks out to Shutlingsloe and up to the Macclesfield Matterhorn, depending on how far you want to roam.

Nationwide

Walking with Kids | Facebook

- A community sharing details of good, little leg friendly, routes across the UK.

Branding photoshoot - Department, Chorlton

Department has been a much welcome addition to Chorlton, turning a once empty and forgotten space into a modern vintage lifestyle store. A few weeks back I met Heather, the creative behind department, and Simion of @relovedupholstery for a photoshoot. The images will be part of an upcoming Christmas feature on department for @reclaimmag, coming out in December. For those of you who haven’t yet visited Department, here’s a little more info about the store and the welcoming lady behind it, along with a few of the images from the day.

How would you describe your business?

I would describe it as a modern vintage lifestyle store which sells an eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary furniture, art, decorative accessories, contemporary pre worn but selectively picked clothing and vinyl records.

How long have you been open?

We've been open for 5 months.

What made you decide to open department?

I've always thought that Chorlton and Manchester generally lacked a good vintage furniture store. I've been interested in mid century inspired interiors for the past 25 years and I trained as an upholsterer in the year 2000 and for many years I enjoyed transforming vintage chairs from fusty to funky. However I'm interested in the whole picture when it comes to interior design so not just reupholstering chairs.

I was offered the opportunity to open a shop in the shop premises on Barlow Moor Rd in Chorlton and I snapped it up. I had secretly been eyeballing interesting sellers on Instagram and has met a couple of people who deal in vinyl, vintage film posters and contemporary women's clothing and I invited a hand picked selection of cool vintage dealers but also a couple of contemporary clothing and homeware sellers.

What do you enjoy most about department?

What I enjoy about Department is making it look as good as possible day in day out. I love the environment that I have created which includes playing great music to sooth, excite and inspire people. And a lot of people say that they love the atmosphere of the shop which is a delight to hear.

What might people not know about department?

People might not know that Department is made up of some 30 different sellers and dealers. This helps to provide an ever changing variety of furniture, art, clothing and decorative accessories. I am an experienced upholsterer of 20 years and reupholstered vintage furniture is a speciality of Department.

Who makes up the team at department?

My main shop team are 2 of my associate sellers who are Lianne uber cool art dealer @rhoko.gallery and Angie of @landothepretty who curates an amazing collection of womens clothing including labels such as Marni, Margaret Howell and Agnes B to name but a few.

What are your top 3 tips about running your own business?

• Be warm and welcoming to all of your customers, show great interest in their homes and lives.

• Interact on social media and keep posting quality photos because social media has replaced the website and is so much more dynamic and interactive. Websites feel impersonal and staid, whereas on Instagram for example your customer feels connected to you.

• I guess my last tip would be to make time for yourself to relax and switch off when possible because running your own business can be 24/7.

How do you like to unwind?

I unwind by walking my Lakeland terrier Wilbur, going for a nice Sunday roast after the shop closes, listening to relaxing music, I'm a big fan of Didsbury born modern jazz musician Matthew Halsall and catching a new film at Home or an old film on the TV.

Hello baby! Newborn family photo session

Watch out! Womb warming images ahead…

You forget how quickly the newborn days pass. They’re literally here and gone in moments (not so, unfortunately, for those weary nights)…

But of course, you wouldn’t change it. All those tiny fingers, toes, little jerky movements, warm snuggles, teeny tiny clothes, that baby smell!

Unsurprisingly, I loved spending time with Elora and her family, capturing life with their newest addition, just over 2 weeks since he arrived. A morning of happiness, joy and exuberance. Here are just a few images from the morning…

P.S. Tap on the images to view!

What's on in school holidays

Nearly a week in and a mere 5 to go! I’ve been keeping a watchful eye on anything summer holiday related that’s passed my way. Asides from the eye watering prices of holidays abroad, here’s a good mix of ideas for events in Manchester that are either free or won’t leave you stunned by the price.

Enjoy!

Outdoor fun & adventure

• Art of play at the Whitworth

  Indoor and outdoor fun, craft, sandpits

  Free

  Runs until 31st August, from 11 to 3pm

• Conker crew

  Summer socials! Outdoor fun with stories, crafts and adventure

  £9.50

  5th, 8th & 22nd August

• Midweek magic at Dunham Massey

  A mixture of outdoor fun, story telling, fairy trails and an invitation to fancy dress Friday (you don’t need to ask me twice).

  Free if you’re a member

  Runs until 2nd September.

• The great garden adventure, RHS Bridgewater

  Lots of adventure and exploring in the gardens, including storytelling, welly walks and visits from birds of prey!

  Free if you’re a member

  Runs until 4th September

• Visit a garden in the skies!

  Temporary National Trust urban garden, at castle field viaduct.

  Free

Keeping active

• Free swimming sessions for children

  At a number of leisure centres across Manchester

• Simply cycling, Longford Park Track

  Try out every shape, size and style of cycle you can think of!

  £3 per person

  Mondays & Fridays 9 to 12, Sundays - 1 to 4

• Wythenshawe Games Mini Festival, Wythenshawe Park

  A weekend of games fun, including climbing, archery, British cycling and many more! Also activities for under 5s

  Free

  12th to 14th August

Wonderful world of stories

• Summer reading challenge at Manchester libraries

  Runs until 17th September

• Fairy tales, z arts

  Interactive, fairy tale town with caves, shops, a market place, the 3 bears and dressing up a plenty!

  £8 per child

  Runs until Feb 2023

Curious minds

• Musical Science at Chorlton Library

  Free

  15th August

• Museum of Science & Industry

  Science museum

  Free

  Open daily

• People’s history museum

  Described as the “national museum of democracy that takes you through the past, present & future of ideas worth fighting for”

  Free

  Open daily through school holidays
  

Keep your eyes peeled…

• Tipi cafe, Chorlton

  Keep a watchful eye on their instagram page for news of upcoming summer holiday events

And last but not least… these 2 dedicated websites, bursting with ideas of things to do across Manchester:

• Loads to do

• Visit Manchester

Conker crew and Our Kids Social outdoor fun!

Perhaps something to do with being a child of the 80’s, and spending a lot of time outdoors, but I am always drawn to nature and green spaces. I think one of the earliest photos of me is in a massive pram, tucked up tightly in blankets, out in the back garden. I used to spend hours with my sisters out in the garden, making mud pies, playing with toys, shuffling about in our ‘Wendy house’ handmade by our dad, or out in ‘the road’ (not the actual road, worry not, but the turning circle in front of our house) with our neighbours and friends, playing blocky, ‘tennis’ and tag, or riding our bikes along the pavements. I don’t think my dad was too impressed the time I came home having unearthed some actual dog poo with the remnants on my hands, but still…

Lots of happy memories of childhood that centred around the outdoors and that’s something that’s continued into my ‘adult’ life and is of big importance to me in my own little girls upbringing. So discovering conker crew was like being served a tasty dish of homemade, 80’s flavoured, fresh air, mud sprinkled (but without the dog poo) fun! With the heartiest, joy sprinkling, Geordie - Chantel, whose ease, warmth and friendliness has some kind of pied piper effect on children (without the grizzly end).

Real outdoor fun at its best, with something for all the gang - crafting, mud kitchens, sand pits, painting, willow crown making, snack sharing, music making - my little girl still sings the opening ‘camp’ song - “shout, shout, let it all out, here’s some hello’s we can’t (though she sang it as ‘CAN’ for quite some time) do without…”

So it felt like becoming one of THE crew when Chantel asked if I’d like to join her at an our kids social event in Manchester to photograph conker crew ‘on the road’. A whirlwind of colour, craft, pine cones, glitter, pom poms, music, flowers, laughter and nature! Most recently I joined the crew at the jubilee themed our kids social and got to bring my little girl and other half with me for the ride. Here are a few of the images from the day. I highly recommend giving both conker crew and our kids social a try if you haven’t already, you’ll be very glad that you did!