CUCUMBER LANE

I photographed the beautiful gardens and house, Bedwell Lodge, on Cucumber Lane in 2008. As I arrived, I knew it belonged to Stephen Daldry, but wasn't expecting to be greeted by Jamie Bell and his beautiful girlfriend, Alexa Davalos.

Welcomed in to a home filled with higgledy piggledy character and warmth, dining with lovely people and waking the next day to capture dawn, was a wonderful way to spend 24 hours in June. When I showed Stephen the contacts he immediately invited me back... I want more and I want them all in a book!

So, I went back in August and then was subsequently invited back as a friend. On one of these visits, Jamie and Alexa had arrived from New York that morning. Another friend prepared the evening meal and just awoken from a snooze, Alexa came down to join us for dinner.

After food, wine and conversation I photographed Alexa with my SX70. Resting the camera on the table as I knew the dim light would force a long exposure, I warned her that this may take some time.

She was still for at least 10 seconds and looks like the most beautiful woman in the world.

May 2009

THE SWAN

Below is my contribution to the Naked Muse calendar, in response to the poem, Swan, by Polly Clark...

Swan

I thought that it was you

turning to me for an instant

from the blindness of the water,

a pure white question

with its underwater dream in tow

softening the stones at my feet.

I thought that it was you

and if not you, then love itself

tacking perfectly towards me,

rocking in its own beauty,

the circles backing out

like people not quite believing.

Wild Women Press, a poetry and literature organisation in Cumbria, asked female photographers to help raise money and awareness of Diabetes in children. Each photographer collaborated with a male poet to create an image for exhibition and calendar. 

Preview of the calendar HERE

And buy it HERE

Poem by Polly Clark

Male poet (muse) Segun Lee-French

Vik and Adam Clark, who have produced the calendar, organised two exhibitions and a silent auction, are inspired by their young son, Django, who has Diabetes Type One.

The exhibition will be moving to London in February. I will keep you informed.

Everyone who has helped with this project has done so for free so it really would be wonderful if you would support the cause by buying a calendar or donating. Thank you! x

Wild Women Press on Twitter

Wild Women Press on Facebook

Naked Muse on Twitter

Swan by Polly Clark

from Take Me With You (Bloodaxe Books, 2005)

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Wishing you a wonderfully Happy Christmas time!

Roll on 2012 and all the joy it will bring

Laura
xxx

THE WATER AND THE WIND

Here is a stop motion test I made a little while ago...

Looking forward to filming some more in the new year.

JUNE NEWS

May saw The Letting Go being shown at one of the wonderful slideshows curated by ASA Collective on the 5th and then at Roof Unit during their event with Contact Editions on the 24th. A selection was also shown during the relaunch of Four Corners on the 26th. Thanks to all those who came along.

On June 14th ASA Collective are hosting an event in Newcastle, showcasing work by ten photographers, so am excited to be showing there too. I will be joining them and the other photographers there for the event. 

7pm at The Black Swan Bar and Theatre, 67 Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 1SG. Come along for photography and drinks...!

APRIL NEWS

Am thrilled to be the featured photographer on Firecracker this month. Fiona Rogers is a marvel and immensely supportive. She also asked me to take part in Firecracker's first event at the Applestore, 4th April. Leonie Hampton talked and showed her work In The Shadow of Things and Tessa Bunney showed her series made in Vietnam, Home Work. It was a real inspiration to see how they work and to hear their deeply personal stories. I talked about my work in progress, The Letting Go.

Anne Bourgeois-Vignon wrote about the event in her blog, Beanshoot.

From the series, The Letting Go


© Laura Hynd

MARCH NEWS, THE LETTING GO

Very excited to be part of a group show at Oblong Gallery in London this month.

Invitation photo credit, JH Engström


1000 Words Magazine featured the exhibition on their blog, HERE

Also, Diane Smyth has written about The Letting Go in The British Journal of Photography, March issue...

Thanks to all of have helped and supported the exhibition. It is a beautiful, sumptuous show of subjective photography.

Here is an introduction to The Letting Go...

The Letting Go is a personal and confessional series of photographs, portraits and self-portraits. The series explores my need to reveal something personal as part of, not only a healing process, but a need to move on and push forward.
I am dealing with my own and others' perceptions of me. Insecurities and preconceptions are laid bare. Through working with many different people during the project so far I have had some extraordinary experiences. Each photograph has a very personal and - for me - fascinating story behind it. Moving me through a passage of unearthing lost joys and clarities long since hemmed in by life, social pressure and personal experiences. My photographic ideas and private notions have been challenged and developed. Becoming the submissive during a photo shoot, trusting others and allowing self-portraiture to tell the story of a critical shift. A vulnerable yet empowering moment. My lack of control through many of the situations created with others has allowed me to let go and open up to a new dawn of life and photography.

© Laura Hynd