Mushrooms, Plettenberg Bay

My Diana Mini...

So whilst in Milano I was seriously inspired by all that was going on over there. Maybe it was because I was staying with Paul and surrounded by all the creativity of him and his design friends, but Milano opened my eyes to a cosmopolitan lifestyle which I can't say I've seen anywhere else in Italy on my travels so far. That city buzzes!

I've always wanted one of these cameras, and after visiting the official Lomography shop in Milano I was sold. Diana cameras used to be popular back in the day, and what became a social underground movement in the early 90's has now exploded into a worldwide craze. It takes a regular 35mm film, but it shoots square photos. So once developed on regular jumbo size photos, the blank edges are cut of and you have a square photograph. Pretty old school! It can also shoot half frames, so you can basically sneak in 72 photos on a 36 roll film. I love that film photography is making a come back. Digital has it's blessings, but film gives you such an authentic feel. So what if you mess up, or you can't review the photo you just took? Isn't half the fun waiting to see what you end up with at the end? I've already taken my first couple of shots, and I'm planning on shooting away whilst over here for the rest of the year and only developing the spools when I get home in December...

MiPhoto, Milano, Italy

This was a very cool photography store that Paul took me to in Milano. They had amazing literature on different types of photography here.

The "Normalization" of Czech

Whilst in Prague I visited an exhibition of a Czech photographer. This woman started taking photos when she was 18 years old, and therefore most of her photos were captured during the Cold War period. Thus there is a massive influence of the communist era throughout her exhibition. The "Normalization" of Czech was a period stretching from 1969 to 1987, and referred to the firm establishment of the communist regime in the then Czechoslovakia, and the subsequent assertion of the communist ideals and values. All of the photos were in black and white, and were mostly of Czech men, women and children at work or play. The photos were a stark and grave reminder of the communist years experienced by the Czech population, and the black and white gave them such a dark and honest feel. I feel so privileged to have seen this exhibition, especially because of my love for history and photography.

The photo on the far left was one of my favourites. It was taken at the time of the Soviet withdrawal form Czechoslovakia. It shows Soviet soldiers packing up equipment, and the text reads:

"We are leaving, but friendship remains."

Something about it grabbed my attention. I find the politics and history of the Cold War absolutely fascinating.

Kids fishing at San Vincenzo, Livorno

Thankfully we got Wednesday off this week, as all the guests were out the villa and hopping around the Tuscan region seeing different parts of the countryside. The lads and I took a drive south to a beach at San Vincenzo near Livorno and spent the day in the ocean with a couple of beers. These two young boys were fishing on the rocks with their father there.

Tuscan countryside, Firenze



I literally blacked out with my camera in my hand for about half an hour the afternoon I took these photos. I took so many of this field just outside of Firenze with the light setting on it. I couldn't choose only one or two to put on the blog so I just did a whole bunch.

Lovers' Locks, Firenze

Along the bank of the River Arno, close to Ponte Vecchio, are a whole bunch of locks attached to chains with the names of couples written on them.

The Italian Alpine Club

Wind vane in the Dolomiti...

Row boats in the Dolomiti...

Sandro, my father's friend, took for a trip into the montains on Monday. I've practically known this man my entire life, as he flew out from Italy especially for my baptism back in 1988. He's a great man, and even though our conversation remains broken and involves a lot of hand movements, we get on incredibly well. Monday was a day that I will never forget. This is a small lake that we came across up in the mountains.

Another osteria

Flowers at Borough Market.

Belts and buckles

St Georges-Motel, France

Our little house in St Georges-Motel.

After our brief stint in Paris we went out to the French countryside to a place called St Georges-Motel, where we were hosted by Peter and Betsy, two of the most hospitable people I have ever met. We stayed in a 13th century farmhouse, adjacent to the old town church. The old cemetary is now the property's garden and its littered with tulips and rosemary. A very special place!

The door to the wine cellar.

The tulips in the garden that once used to be the church cemetary.

Bicycle on Portobello Road, London

I just thought this woman looked so cool. She came cycling past me on Portobello Road.

London Hipsters

Welcome to London

I cannot tell you how excited I am to be back in London! Probably one of the most amazing places I've ever been to...

Farm Stall, Western Cape, South Africa

This was a photo I took at a small farm stall in the Western Cape, just outside of Robertson. I thought the little saying on the chalk board was such a nice touch...

The Day of The Diana



Miss Paula Grout

Paula shares my immense passion for photography, and we went to go hunt down a very cool camera called the Diana. It is old school photography reinvented, and it is making such a huge comeback, especially in the big cities like London and New York. It is all on film, and so initially the first two or three spools are likely to be duds. I think this is part of the fun that the Diana imparts on the user though. That initially there is a lot of trial and error involved, but once you have mastered it, the photos you end up developing are incredible. Needless to say, I am very jealous of Paula's purchase!

The Inspiration

Two of my most valued items in my wardrobe... My All Star high tops, and my Harris Tweed jacket.