running at the speed of life through morning's thoughts and fantasies

Hello! As you've probably noticed I've started working more with photography lately. It's always something I've practiced, but I realised that I can learn more and experiment more when I actually create work for something, instead of just documenting my daily life. I did a test shoot with some friends in the Easter Break, then on Sunday, after a relaxing catch up over coffee and sunday lunch at a friend's house, met Milly in Notting Hill to shoot for Sukeban. Being 18 years old like myself, she was an absolute dream to work with - all of the fun and frivolity she gives out whilst performing as Girli she has in real life. I chose Notting Hill and Portobello road as the location simply because I love it there and wanted to photograph it; I later realised that it held some level of significance, being a place where both of us either worked or still work. I was super happy with the way the photos turned out - a selection are up on Sukeban, and I thought I would share the rest here as they are quite happy and summery and have made me want to take photos way more often!

Strolling the streets of Portobello, we stopped off whenever we found a colourful house or interesting background, talking about work, music, art and pretty much anything and everything that came to mind. It's a really nice way to work with someone as not only do you capture them visually in the photos you take, but you also learn more about them and get to talk and get an idea of the personality that affects the outcome of the images. Milly was probably the most enthusiastic person I've ever worked with - any idea I had, she was up for trying out, and any time I took a photo she naturally played around in front of the camera, creating fun and exciting compositions that I think really reflect the youthful, comedic side of her music and personality.

Whilst remaining fun and frivolous, there is no doubt she is incredibly talented and intelligent. I asked her about her music and she explained how she liked to be free when it came to what she wrote, how she wrote it, and how she presented herself as an artist - to Milly, it's not real music unless you write it, feel it and live it somewhat. Her songs may be catchy, but they all mean something - she distinctly represents the concept that you can be a girl, but still be funny, strong and want to change things for the better, all while dancing and having a sweet time.

I'm obsessed with colour at the moment, hence the choice to shoot in Notting Hill as there are huge painted houses around almost every corner. It really changes your perspective of a place when you walk through looking for photo compositions; you see colours and shapes more, pay more attention to detail, and generally see more of an area than you do just strolling around leisurely.

At one point we found ourselves in a tiny corner shop, and the assistant seemed fascinated by Milly's pink hair. He repeatedly asked us "where are you from?" to which Milly replied with a laugh, "another planet."

The full set (there are still a few more) will be up on my portfolio soon, but in the meantime I would love you to check out the feature on Sukeban as it was so lovely having my work included! Sukeban means delinquent or boss girl in Japanese and is a platform for aspiring female creatives, made real by Erika Bowes and Yuki Haze. I totally recommend keeping an eye on it as so far they have consistently featured immense talent and beautiful work, and I am certain it is going to grow into the most amazing community and showcase for real talent.
Hope you have a lovely week!

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