a day well spent

Broomhill hotel and sculpture garden is about passion and determination.  It is a beautiful place tucked just outside of my Dad’s guesthouse in Braunton; a mere bike ride away and well, many know I have a weak spot for bike riding. This lovely place tickled my inner Alice in Wonderland no end as I admired the stunningly inspiring sculpture garden and 'done for love' hotel complete with hanging art and curious pieces on display. Its a place of passion for collecting paintings and sculpture. A great spot for tea and an organic ploughman's while wondering in its gardens in awe with my first love, Dad.

The line that accompanies Broomhill is ‘the art of a well-spent day’. That is precisely how I felt after a day trip day with my Dad as I commented ‘this one’s going in the memory bank Pops’ and it has so much that I am writing about it.

With an exhibition in the gallery, numerous sculptures in the garden, a band performing for weekly jazz nights, Broomhill is a wonderfully inspiring project from the two owners that decided to bring their dreams and passions to life. As a place to visit in British Summertime; it made me happy. Artistic explorations in the woods accompanied by yummy outdoor gastronomic smiles, a bike ride and one of my favourite men's company. Ticked all the boxes. If you ever grace North Devon in the UK with your presence allow Broomhill to grace you too.

This place illuminates some of the cheesey catch-phrases I have found myself saying as I play around The Brookfield Guesthouse (which my very British Dad loves to tease me about); 'teamworks dreamwork', 'live to give' and 'sharing's caring'; 

"What would you say if those words didn't rhyme Jessica?" the old man says with more of a preference to acronyms such as "JFDI" for "Just F*cking Do It".

He's speaking to a lady who worked in advertising.

"You can't kid a kidder" I quoted back to him. That one's his.

learning from the masters

One day I hope all my dabbles will converge or at least make a little more sense to me. I doubt I'll have a Bill Gates moment where my calligraphy course will lead to creating differentiation in a market leading product that will subsequently make me billions (but here's to hoping). Anyway, amongst screen writing courses, mountain climbing, documentary making, visiting Shamans, a law degree, resin jewellery course and a black belt Vipassana meditation retreat; I've always maintained and pursued an interest in photography. I think this is mainly due to my being a closet creative without a canvas or perhaps looking for a story to tell... with limited barriers to entry.

Following my second photography course last night I have delved further in to the theory and practice of good photo composition and understanding the symbiotic relationship between aperture, shutter speed and depth of field (the 'Exposure Triangle'). I'll spare the details.

What I love about photography is the planned spontaneity involved and the longevity of a beautiful moment captured. It can tell so many stories and hold meaning in so many different ways. A person who did this very well was Henri Cartier-Bresson. Here is some of his inspiring work (to classical music no less).

My Holga and I.

The Holga.

Hong Kong 1982. The manufacturing and production hub of the world is burning at a full flame. As with their neighbors in Japan and China, photography is an intense national hobby and obsession. New camera designs and productions are churned out daily, feeding the huge domestic and import markets. From within this world of manic creation and innovation comes the Holga, a distinctly un-modern and somewhat prehistoric throwback to the early days of camera mechanics.

The concept is simple - a minimal and inexpensive camera using medium format 120 film. It would contain only the bare necessities for photo mechanisms, and provide a cheap and accessible alternative for students and enthusiasts to dip their toes into the otherwise very expensive world of medium format photography. Reflecting the shining landscape around them, this new camera is named after the term "ho gwong," meaning "very bright." After throwing a European spin onto this phrase, the moniker "HOLGA" is minted. This dead simple camera is met with a warm welcome, establishing a strong yet small base of Holga aficionados. Birth, death, celebration, ritual, and everything in-between is caught on lo-fi medium-format emulsions - amplified and focused through the plastic lens of this bare bones, oversized camera.

The Holga Cult Following.

Over the next 10 years, Holga enjoys a popularity explosion. A global community of photographers, students, creative types, and generally fabulous individuals see the simplicity and ability of Holga, and fully embrace it. This cult following organises around the Holga, praising its insane characteristics, unpredictable effects, and stunning results. Teachers and professors actively employ the Holga as a training tool - simultaneously teaching their students the fundamentals of photography while opening their minds to new and unexpected techniques. The very features that many would consider to be fatal defects in a "normal" camera have become the most treasured assets of the Holga new school.

Today, the Holga movement is expanding every single minute, with new devotees, organisations, and online sites spreading like wildfire. Photographic exhibitions are held in some of the most prestigious galleries on the planet; showcasing the work of one of the most unlikely artistic tools ever employed. Competitions, interactions, and communication are tossed around the online & offline communities, encouraging and amplifying the excellent work of the Holga obsessed. Ironically, as camera design becomes more technical, automatic, and sophisticated, Holga's low-tech appeal grows stronger and stronger for us; those who relish its quirky and unpredictable nature. While designers around the world are racking their brains to create increasingly more advanced and complex cameras; the Holga will continue to grow as a steadfast counterculture item, taking away the complications of technology and simplifying the equation to four critical elements - your eye, the lens, the film, and your subject.

And so, here I am, riding around Sydney on my push bike taking random snapshots of the city whilst fulfilling a few things I enjoy in life; exercise, creation and a dabble in to counterculture.

Today I picked up my photo's from my first batch.

(Note: My first! This means that things can only get better.)

Enjoy.