Talmont , France

London Street Photography – Part 1

People are intriguing , our postures, facial expressions, our ability to go into a trance even in the most hectic of places. We are full of habits and emotions . Sometimes busy in our own lives we forget to take a minute to just observe, to study the going-ons around us. I am always surprised when doing street photography by the amount of ‘ walking-by stories’ going on, everyone has their own unique story. I have seen people dancing in the streets! people arguing, throwing stuff at each other in an uncontrolled fit. I am always amused by people falling asleep on the trains in London, particularly people at lunchtime! have they missed their stop? People make me laugh with their loudly spoken ” secret” phone calls , cryptic name-drops and put downs. Whenever I go out their always seems to be an old man or a small group of old men, chilling out watching the world go by, always happy to speak to me and find out what I am up to. The pigeons weave their way around the people, their lives seems so much more simple then ours.

Bexhill Old Station- Eras of Style – Part 1

Lake District – Money growing on trees ?

So while on a walking trip to the Lake District there was one thing that puzzled and fascinated me, money growing on trees !….. Ok, so not really growing off the trees as such but there were coins embedded all over the branches of felled trees. I had my suspicions that these money trees were some kind of local tradition to bring luck or help romance, a bit like tossing a coin in a fountain for good luck or maybe like the phase ‘ touch wood ‘ for luck. However it turns out that people have been leaving coins in trees for years, since the 1700’s. It seems the coins are embedded into the trees to bring luck or to help a sick person, however I did read that if the coin is taken out ( not sure this is possible anyway ) the person will become ill or lose their luck…. think I will just keep that 5p and put it towards a nice chocolate bar … well it is needed after my long walk 😉

Eras of Style

Last week I visited Eras of Style Antiques in Bexhill to take some photographs of their fabulous interior space. The shop was previously an old train station, which is commemorated with a special ‘ Waiting Room’ vintaged themed coffee lounge, serving teas, coffee and yummy homemade cakes. There is a ‘platform’ food hall, that sells locally sourced fine foods, I spotted some amazing looking cheesecakes! The rest of the old station is a labyrinth of walkways filled with quirky finds, connecting to more rooms filled with unusual antiques.

Each room has a different feel to it, from 1950’s american memorabilia to victorian oddities.

The only problem with this place is that you end up walking in and spending ages here because there is so much to look at !

Fantastic Mr Fox ! The ‘ Cook’ store which was busy when I was there with people buying their curries, cheesecakes and cheeses. My favourite pieces were two bell jars filled with collectable hair pins, which made striking one-off pieces of art.

Vintage maps can be found here. These would look great displayed in a box frames.

If you like the look of this place, you can visit @

The Old Station Stores, Bexhill West Station, Terminus Road, Bexhill, East Sussex, TN39 3LR

http://www.erasofstyle.com

January

So its January and I am ready to start a new year ! whoop whoop. I have about 100 new year resolutions ( none of them as elaborate as Mark Zuckerberg’s ) stuff like; make time to do my hair nicely and paint my nails before they start to chip and look like a 2 year old painted them! I have also promised myself to start a yoga class, I have promised self this every January for about 6 years , but i will do it….tomorrow 😉 . Also I have put more time aside to do more social stuff, like going to the cinema and swimming ect, basically its all about doing fun stuff i like and trying to be more positive, I can be a little stressed out and busy ( hence the yoga ) .

Also the results for my Christmas card designs are in ! ….. The card that sold the most in shops is …… Hastings Fishing Huts !. I thought it might be popular, so next year I will be adding Brighton and London scenes to my list of designs. Any other ideas let me know 🙂 .

me after lots of hair spray , my hair looked good for about half an hour, then returned to normal!

Hastings fishing huts , with lots of snow 🙂

Self Portrait

After spending too much time in London museums lately I find myself making this strange comparison, locating a photograph in all my files on my computer is a bit like trying to find a particular specimen at the Natural History Museum, totally time consuming and you always find something else that distracts you. Cant remember what I went looking for on my computer but ended up finding these self portraits, um not sure what I was thinking when I took these? but i think i had watched Inception and was feeling a little inspired by ” dream within a dream ‘ thing ! . Think they were taken a couple of years ago , looking at the colour of my hair, which is now a darker shade of chocolate brown.

Positive thought – Because January can be a little bit depressing at times !

POSITIVE THOUGHT – Because January can be a little bit depressing at times !

Fresh thought for 2015 – All of those difficult experiences, will nearly always add-up to something positive, even though when they are happening it never feels like any positive will come of it.

This is an exercise I have seen in several self-help books and I have found it works for me, so give it a try. Think of something in the last year that has been tough to experience, then think what you have learnt from it and the positive that has come of the learning process.

My example – I had a small operation that had complications, it was scary at the time and now requires check-ups , which still scares me… but I have learnt that I am more compassionate because of it and the positive is that I am now challenging myself more and finding the time for others when once i was too ‘ busy’ .

Photography by me of course x

Scotland – Northern Lights, Middle of Nowhere and not much rain!

I visited Scotland last October, It was how I hoped it would be but with less rain then I imagined! I must just be lucky when I visit Scotland as the weather is always pretty good! However my luck was not so good when it came to the Northern Lights, one night we were there the Northern Lights were meant to be at their strongest for ages. I will admit I was not completely devoted to ‘ keeping an eye out’ I did kinda fall asleep and to be fair it was very cloudy where we were ! but in the morning the sky became the brightest orange ( second image ).

Stormy sea

So apparently we are going to have some kinda of ‘ weather bomb’ in the next fews hours ? what that is exactly, I dont know! But the waves down the beach the last few days have been kinda interesting and attracted a few surfers.

Unexplained Halo Photograph? – My images of the landscapes of WW1

I spent the beginning of last year visiting the Somme area of France, the area of France most ravaged by the First World War. This is where the fierce fighting happened, and its not difficult to understand that the landscape is still scarred from the conflict 100 years on. I feel passionate about revealing the consequences and lasting effects of wars, through my photography I hope to explore this, in a contemporary yet sympathetic manner.

I spent the first day of my documentary project in a place called High Woods . It was here that I took many photographs on an 1970’s Nikon camera. The problem was that the back of the camera sprang open while I was photographing! Meaning all my photographs would be ruined by the sunlight. I had come all that way and decided to just carry on. When I got back to England and developed the film I was surprised to see that all the photographs were perfect apart from one. The camera back had opened in full sunlight and in theory the whole film or most of it should be ruined! … but it was not.

However this is not the only unexplained thing to happen. I took a photograph of a farmers field ( near where my camera back stung open ) and when I came to print it a halo was over the field. Who knows what it is or why its there, but for me it reminds me that landscapes have a past. Technical fault or the past trying to reach the present? I know what I believe.

Photograph of Halo over a field near High Woods, France.

Unexplained Photograph? -My photographs of the battlefields of WW1 .

Farmers Field near High Woods.

Negatives from 1970’s Nikon camera.

Christmas Owls

Another day and another design, Thought I would share this owl design that I have created for my range of christmas cards. I normally have a little story behind each design but for this one I just created it because …well I just like owls 🙂 .

For some reason all the widgets on my blog are playing up ! naughty widgets … but to look at more of my card designs they can be found on my facebook page , which is https://www.facebook.com/RaaKelArthouse .

Sneak Peek at my Christmas Cards and How I designed them

Here’s a peek at my Christmas cards that I designed for shops and to be sold on my new ( as of yesterday ) Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RaaKelArthouse .

I created my cards by first hand drawing my little Christmassy characters, then scanning them, then finally photoshoping.

Eccentric Red Squirrel of course !

Just like me his slightly unconventional and slightly strange! for more of my illustration and photography I now have a Facebook page ( as of today ) whoop ! http://www.facebook.com/RaakelArthouse

Hastings Pier

September

I have gone photograph crazy ! I love this time of year and so every evening I am out with my camera, a photography friend and some take-away food 😉

: ra8chelstone

The old apple tree field

Leafy Pattern

Little bit addicted to making patterns out of my photos !

Out and about

I really need to get out and about more , I seem to be glued to my computer screen, my eyes are starting to take on a square look . Staying indoors is fine in winter months , when its too cold, wet, dark and generally miserable but at the moment there might still be the chance of a little glimpse of sunlight … so i am taking full advantage of it ! I decided to take a look at Bewl water last night , the sun was out ! and a nice little sunset appeared… it was even kinda warm 🙂 . Spending the evening out in the countryside away from my computer made me realise I have to do it more and next time im going to take some mates and insist we make a camp fire and cook marsh mellows over it, its what we do 🙂 … heres to getting out more 😉

instagram pics – ra8chelstone 🙂

Peony

A simple peony design with a shallow depth of field .

Lilly composition

Purple Flower

Box of Appletiser

Chocfull of Appletiser !

Cocktails

Appletiser cocktails One of my favourite projects to do … obviously!

Hot weather !

Trips to France, weddings, hen do’s, picnics,beaches, taking photos of wild flowers and eating cockles on Hastings seafront! thats what summers are made of.

img_blog 3

Hot Air

Royan

This Image was taken in the harbour of Royan, West coast of France. I loved how the tide went out really far in the mornings, exposing the sandy banks that made mini islands and left small pools of sea water filled with small fish.

D Day 70 years on, photography by Rachel Stonestreet

Six Normandy locations photographed in remembrance of the Normandy landings codenamed Operation Neptune. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 at 06.30am. The allied invasion took place along a 50 mile stretch of Normandy coastline, divided into five sectors: from east to west, Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah. These days the Normandy beaches are mainly seaside resorts; the long sandy beaches are a haven for families and holidaymakers. But while some beaches are filled with sandcastles and sea shells, other beaches in Normandy are littered with concrete slabs and barded wire, maintaining their post-war state, an existing reminder of their turbulent past.

Juno Beach Sword Beach Gold Beach Utah Beach Omaha Beach . All photographs were by me , taken on my trip to Normandy last year .

Untitled 2014 – A look around the gallery

Some of my photographs hanging in the menier gallery . The title that greets our viewers . Photography by Tracy Dudley Photography by Tasha Nichols Photography by Zuzana Orgovanova Photography by Justyna Baranska-Pring Photography by Rachel Stonestreet

14 exhibiting photographers brought together for one inspiring show! 20-24th May , The Menier Gallery, London bridge

Untitled 2014 – Exhibition at the Menier gallery

One of my images from the project Somme. This image remains one of my favourites, but did not make the final cut as its alittle different in tone and style to the others. This is a 35mm film image that I processed and printed myself in the darkroom.

Untitled 2014 Exhibition opens today until saturday . http://www.facebook.com/pages/untitled-2014

Untitled 2014 opens today at the Menier Gallery in London

Today the gallery is open from 1.00am until 6.00pm. The exhibition is on until saturday , for late nights we are open until 8.00pm on the friday.

Delville Wood , Somme. I will be displaying my Somme images that look into the effects of poisonous gas used in the First World War.

Untitled 2014 opens today

Untitled 2014 opens today at the Menier gallery nr London Bridge. Details provided for anyone that is interested in coming along. My work is situated on the first floor , titled Somme. Here are a few photographs from the exhibition.

14 exhibiting photographers brought together for one inspiring show!

20th -24th May 2014

The Menier Gallery, London Bridge

Tuesday – Thursday 11.00am – 6.00pm

Private view -Thursday 24th 6.00pm -9.00pm

Friday- 11.00am – 8.00pm

Saturday – 11.00am – 6.00pm

Find us on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/untitled -2014

Tracy Dudley, 2014

Rachel Stonestreet, 2014

Artists for next weeks Untitled 2014 photography exhibition

Its getting nearer to the Untitled 2014 exhibition! So I thought I would show-off some of the other photographers that will be exhibiting with me at the gallery. Justyna Baranska will be exhibiting her Margate and Dungeness seascapes during untitled 2014. Justyna is inspired by Turners awe-inspiring large scale paintings. she works with her own emotions and the temperamental conditions of the sea to create beautiful sweeping( and at times abstract )images that capture the essence of their location.

Justyna Baranska, 2014 .

Zuzana Orgovanova brings her travel documentary photographs of Bangkok to the gallery. Recently back from travelling Asia, Zuzana illustrates the uncertain future for the children of Bangkok. Following fresh twists in the country’s protracted political crisis, Zuzana uses street photography to capture the mood of the city and the perspective of the children.

Zuzana Orgovanova, 2014

14 photographers are exhibiting together at the Menier Gallery, London Bridge 20th-24th May. Tuesday -Thursday 11.00am – 6.00pm , Friday 11.00am-8.00pm and Saturday 11.00am – 6.00pm .

Its getting nearer to the untitled 2014 exhibition! So I thought I would show-off some of the other photographers that will be exhibiting with me at the gallery. Justyna Baranska will be exhibiting her Margate and Dungeness seascapes during untitled 2014. Justyna is inspired by Turners awe-inspiring large scale paintings. She works with her own emotions and the temperamental conditions of the sea to create beautiful sweeping ( and at times abstract ) images that capture the essence of their location.

Justyna Baranska, 2014

Zuzana Orgovanova Brings her travel documentary photographs of Bangkok to the gallery. Recently back from travelling Asia, Zuzana illustrates the uncertain future for the children of Bangkok. Following fresh twists in the country’s protracted political crisis, Zuzana uses street photography to capture the mood of the city and the perspective of the children.

Zuzana Orgovanova,2014

Tasha Nichols takes a behind-the-scenes look at the main distribution warehouses of Waitrose. Her fine art documentary style of photography explores consumerism through the use of colour medium format film photography.

Tasha Nichols

Untitled 2014

From 20th – 24th May I will be taking part in the Untitled 2014 exhibition at the Menier Gallery, London bridge. I will be exhibiting my Somme photographs, a series of landscape photographs taken during a recent trip to the Somme area in France. Each photograph depicts an area that has been effected by the First World War.

Untitled 2014

Today I will be sharing some of my own photographs that will be display at the Menier gallery next week, I also plan to show some work from other photographs taking part in the ‘Untitled 2014’ exhibition.

For more details find us on facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/untitled-2014.

Untitled 2014- Menier Gallery, London bridge, 20th -24th May 2014

The exhibition is free to visit but will only be open to the public for 5 days .

Untitled 2014

Today I am posting some of my work that is being exhibited at the Menier gallery , London Bridge. The exhibition is from 20th-24th May , with a late night opening on the thursday until 9pm. I am presenting a project titled Somme, which explores the trench lines of WW1. I also looked into the after-affects of poisonous gas, creating this piece of work titled Mustard fields.

Untitled 2014 Exhibition

I will be exhibiting along with 13 other contemporary art photographers at The Menier Gallery, London Bridge. The exhibition runs from 20th – 24th May 2014. The gallery is open 11am -6pm tues,wed, thurs and saturday. Friday 11.00am -8.00pm . On a Thursday there is a private view from 6pm til 9pm. For more information find us on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/untitled-2014 . Look forward to seeing people there

Rachel x

Untitled 2014 Exhibition

I am pleased to be part of a group exhibition at the Menier Gallery, London Bridge, 20th -24th May.

The gallery is open 11.00am-6.00pm tuesday-thursday, 11.00am-8.00pm friday and 11.00am-6.00pm on the saturday. To find us on Facebook and to find out more about the photographers in the exhibition http://www.facebook.com/pages/untitled-2014

Thiepval

Mustard Field

Mustard Field, 2014

This image implores the viewer to imagine the conditions of World War 1. To contemplate the horrendous effects of poisonous gas and to consider the perspective of the soldiers as the toxic vapours approached them.

Omaha Beach

One of my favourite documentary photographs that I took while walking along Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. Its difficult to imagine the lose of life that this beach has witnessed.

Authuille

A photograph taken on my travels, while passing through the beautiful village of Authuille in northern France.

Delville wood

Somme

These images are part of my latest collection of work depicting landscapes effected by war. I have created maybe 30 images of this one particular river that divided the German, French and British trenches during WW1.

Busy spider !

Inky Spider

Ghost ?

I took this photograph while on a stroll along Bexhill beach. It was ( as you can tell ) a very misty day , sea fog had suddenly appeared from nowhere. I was walking along a stretch of beach near Cooden , when I decided to take some photographs of the sea defence groynes . I have to admit I did feel a little uneasy while I was walking in this part of the beach, I felt vulnerable for some reason. I pushed all thoughts to the back of my mind and carried on photographing the beach. Its now two weeks later and today I decided to edit some of the images I had taken that day . However this photograph reveals an unexplainable dark shadow in the middle of the image. I cant explain what the patch is , but it is not photoshopped or something on the lens.