But when a fellow photographer suggests a detour to make the most of the gorgeous evening light, I’m unpacking the camera bag right away. As we pulled into Finn Slough (pronounced Finn Slew) close to where my friend Sabrina lives near Vancouver I was slightly baffled by what we had come to see.

Depending on who you speak to, Finn Slough is either a squatters commune , historical fishing village, artistic or alternative living community. Truth lies somewhere among all of those definitions thrown in with a touch of enchanting magic, or maybe that was just the light.

Nestling into the landscape of the Fraser River, the residents of Finn Slew have built on the legacies of the first Finnish settlers in 1880s. They live in houses on stilts or in former net lofts above the river in tune with nature of this coastal environment. They are also fighting to gain their rights to a Crown lease who owns the land to make their residency bona-fide and beat away property developers hungry to turn Finn Slough into a modernised version of this riverside idyll complete with condos and other conveniences of modern life.

Finn Slough is one of the most photographic landscapes I’ve visited in a while. It’s tumble-down style belies a thoughtful ironic sense of humour that playfully makes fun of mainstream living.  See this house and doorway below, it’s not what it seems.

The evening light waits for no-one so we made the most of seeing as much as we can in the golden hour. It’s not hard to see how this would be a haven for local photographers to visit often. It felt good to have a camera in my hands again so here’s a few of the photographs I made. It was the perfect spot to end a perfect day in the company of a wonderful friend.

A promise I made to myself this trip was to treat myself to a few foodie excursions. I had plans to squeeze in trips to two of London’s markets – Borough market and Maltby Street Market but as it turned out I only made it to the South Bank and the ubiquitous Borough Market. and just as I was just warming to the place my visit was suddenly cut short for a family emergency.

The thing about food markets is that you can rarely capture its full glory in one go. First you conduct a full reconnaissance to scope out the scale of the place and mentally take notes of the most intriguing and most interesting products and stalls to explore. No point in getting all excited about the first cheese stall or bread seller you come across because there is likely to be more than one that you then need to compare.

Before you get down to the serious business of exploring the food in-depth I find it’s always best to seek some light refreshment. That way you don’t start to behave like a ravenous hog chowing down excessive tasting portions. This break also gives you thinking time to plan your route, which produce you most want to revisit, and you can start to mentally drawing up your shopping list.

Like viewing houses, the second round of a market is all about the head, not the heart. Yes those jams, pickles and oils all look delicious but do you really need to add more condiments to your already overflowing pantry. Best to keep a cool head and don’t succumb to the overwhelming feeling that you should buy just a little something from every stall holder who catches your eye or holds you in conversation about the intricacies of producing their artisanal goods.

If you don’t want to behave like any other camera toting food tourist and want to indulge in some serious food photography and food writing research, I think you should offload all your parcels to your already long-suffering shopping partner. Unless you have an equally foodist companion this might be the part of the market visit you conduct by yourself as you can never capture the true spirit of the place nor find the most interesting perspectives to write about when you are under the pressure of a watchful eye or earshot of those exasperated sighs.

I was seriously impressed with what I saw at Borough Market, the range and quality of the produce I tasted was pretty amazing. Going on a weekday saved us from the worst of the tourist crushes that flood to the market on a weekend. The only complaint I have about my whole trip is that somehow I missed out on eating some of what we bought. It’s a long story but the chap in the last photography below sold us some impressive charcuterie including goat salami that I shall have to just dream about until I can get back next time and buy some more.  Seems my nephews, sister and brother-in-law enjoyed it though which is scant constellation.

Next time I am in the UK I aim to be back at the market to do a full food blogging assignment as I have since found out that a former colleague of mine is a volunteer trustee so I am counting on the inside track and fully exploiting the rule in life that it’s not what you know, but……..!  In the meantime, here’s a few photos from my tourist toting mode.

Last weekend my closest friend Naomi agreed to be my portrait model for the final workshop of my photography course.  This is remarkable given she subjected herself to a similar experience a couple of years ago.   After the first portrait shoot a couple of weeks ago, the photography tutor wanted us to experiment more even though we were working in the same location, Wellington railway station.

Despite the weather making conditions pretty gloomy we did at least get a break from the rain and wind before it finally brightened up with even the sun shining momentarily.  My brief to Naomi was to come dressed for whether with some suitable accessories and something red to wear.  When I saw her stroll across the railway concourse I realised once again what a true friend she was and how she could be a modern day Mary Poppins.  At that moment the brief was sealed.  Here are a few portraits I made that morning.

Generally I have shied away from taking portraits of people.  I get flustered and my brain seizes up.  This course has taught me to slow down and think more clearly and not to let your frustrations show even if things are not working the way you want.  It’s a shame really because just as we’re starting to really get going making portraits the course is over.

So no excuses now, its time to go it alone and get on with my portrait project even if the I am terrified by the thought of working with people other than my friends or enthusiastic models.

Outwardly I’m delighted that the rainwater is replenishing the water tanks but inwardly I’m gutted that the days of it being warmer outside than inside are over. I am resigned to the curtain closing, fire lighting, casserole cooking routines making a return.

Thankfully even when the view out the window is grim.  I can turn on my electronic photograph frame and watch the sunshine scroll through bringing happy memories of fun times and warmer days.  These photographs were taken a few weeks ago on a trip to one of New Zealand’s sunniest spots, Hawkes Bay.  We were visiting Cape Kidnappers, a place of natural beauty with a colony of Gannets and incredible coastline that shows how the earth evolves when nature plays it’s geological high jinks.

I’ll save more on that for a future post but for now here’s a glimpse of the glorious day of late summer at the coast. I’ll leave you to enjoy whilst I go wrestle with the bassets for a warm spot in front of the fire.

I buy time with my response.  “Great question!”  Even now I struggle to answer that question directly, openly and honestly.  It feels like someone is asking me to justify my choice of underwear.

A young woman, who responded to a casting call for models, had a much clearer answer why she might turn up at Wellington Railway Station on a Saturday morning being photographed by stranger.  “Oh I love to model, it’s fun.  And, I need some new head shots for my portfolio”.   So there was my brief.  Head shots for a fun loving, budding theatrical star with her sights on the bright lights of London’s West End theatres.

With the pleasantries out of the way Charli and I spent the next hour together with me desperately trying not to make an idiot of myself.  I took rather too many photographs to make sure that I could repay my model with the head shots that she was hoping for.  The clock ticked away rather too quickly and by the time our session time was up I was just warming up and ready to get more adventurous.  That said, you know that your model has had enough when between shots they are having to massage their face as their smile muscles are aching.

This photographic shoot was pretty spontaneous.  The hard yards start next weekend when another shoot has to be preplanned and our photographs be judged on how well we met our shoot goals and shot list.  I’ve recruited a good friend for that shoot which may or may not give me greater photographic performance anxiety. We’ll see, and I’ll report back.

Although autumn is upon us this summer has broad shoulders and is still warming body and soul.  Whilst I’ve been gone on my blogging sabbatical there has been plenty of adventures and all round hard work spending time with my in-laws.

Most people might roll back their eyes at the prospect of spending prolonged periods of time with their in-laws. Not for me. No honest, I mean it, my repertoire of in-law jokes is miniscule as I’m lucky to have the kind of in-laws that are not just good company but they are grafters and supporters without whom this summer’s land management project teetered on the unachievable.

We wined and dined.  Bonded over the crossword and other cultural pursuits.  We had fun and now they are gone the house is empty and quiet.  But we have the technology to stay in touch.  And for me, it is only a matter of weeks before we’ll catch-up again back in the UK.

I’m also back studying photography.  Building my confidence for a portrait project I really want to leap into but got cold feet over at the last-minute.  It’s been a fascinating excursion into what makes a great portrait.  For now, here’s a couple of my to celebrate family time.

Whatever the weather and season there are some habits a basset doesn’t change, like burying their noses in long grasses.  Give a basset a large field of grass and it will likely put their nostrils into overdrive until they are convinced there is nothing new to investigate.  Then it will be time for play.  Running and attempting to outsmart your brother.  Or better still finding something disgusting to roll in.

As best I can tell, the compact nature of the city and its culturally positive attitude makes Wellington almost jump for joy when events and festivals come to town.  Wellingtonians need little encouragement to get dressed up, go out and party, especially when there is an opportunity to indulge their bellies and cosmopolitan sensibilities.  If you love to eat well Wellington on a Plate is the place you can indulge your inner gourmand.

My picks from the Wellington on a Plate menu were rather more intellectually than gustatory stimulating; partly because I hate crowds but mostly because I needed a rest from gluttonous eating after our holiday.  That said, it turns out a workshop on food photography and styling involved eating everything that we worked with, something I had stupidly not anticipated. To kick-start my food photography again I attended the Food In Sharp Focus workshop hosted by Ruth Pretty, one of Wellington’s most respected caterers and Murray Lloyd, a local food photographer who has collaborated with Ruth on her cook books for more than a decade.

As I headed towards the Kapiti coast and the sun came up over the hillside, I knew we were in for a glorious day.  From the moment you turn into Ruth’s Te Horo Headquarters it is clear how much prettiness exists in the Ruth Pretty empire.  Guided from the road along a neatly manicured driveway you come to a halt in a picturesque scene of country, colonial cottages and old English style conservatory.  It is hard to not be enthralled by this romantic country retreat although like a magpie I was quickly drawn into the Cook Shop to feast my eyes on the culinary gadgetry resisting all urges to expand my already stuffed kitchen cabinets and shelves of cook books.

Ensconced in the garden room workshop participants bonded over morning tea with talk of cameras and dreams of taking better photographs and the rest of the day pretty much followed the same pattern.  Food, talk and photographs.  Ruth and Murray were wonderful hosts, teachers and sparring partners offering advice and setting us up with photo assignments of increasing difficulty.  Ruth’s team provided an endless stream of things to eat and drink and we ransacked the mountain of food styling props to find the perfect colour match, plate shape or background colours to bring the food to life.

I’m the first to admit that when it comes to food styling I am out of my depth and panic set in the moment we started our first assignment to photograph three entrees of Palace Court Prawn Cocktail, Black Olive Rugelach and Saffron Crepes with Roast Pumpkin and Cumin. The food was of course impeccably created, all I had to do was plate it and make it look pretty.  Often I’m taking photographs of food I cook with @m_treanor perched on my shoulder waiting to tuck in so I know being under pressure to act quickly rarely generates the best photographs and I felt that time pressure all day.

Between each photography session our images were presented and critiqued whilst we tucked into the food and drinks beautifully served by Ruth’s staff.  Participants shared their own photographic insecurities and it was a relief to know that others were feeling the pressure in different ways so we shared ideas and offered advice to calm our nerves.  I swopped tips about apertures and shutter speeds with background and plate colour combinations.  It was fascinating to see how everyone presented and photographed their food so differently and the feedback from Murray and Ruth was always supportive and constructive.

Lunch was photographed and then eaten followed by the photograph critique.  It was hard to concentrate with such delicious food being served.  Honey and Lemon Marinated Home Smoked Salmon Fillet with Red Pickle Onion and Salad of Greens, Flowers and Herbs; Coq Au Vin with Gratin Mash, Flower Sprouts with Honey Mustard Dressing and Orange Cakes with Whittakers Dark Cacoa Olive Oil Mousse and Vanilla  Bean ice Cream.

At the end of the afternoon Murray picked his ten favourite photographs with prizes awarded for the top three.  I would be lying if I said I was a little disappointed not to have at least one of the photographs I took picked out as I was pretty pleased with the what I managed in the rush and tumble of the day.  No doubt that I could have improved them, made better use of light, props and styling and looking at other people’s photographs helped me learn ways of doing this .

The workshop was a brilliant way to indulge your belly and your camera and I’m keen to continue to pretty up my food photography.  I am full of admiration of food bloggers who really perfect their food photography, it takes culinary skills, design know how and photographic dexterity and a lot of trial and error.  Even the most well planned food photography shoots can end up differently when the photographer and stylist works together to find the most appealing props, angles and light.  There is of course the added reward of being able to eat your photographic subject at the end.

I travelled camera light this holiday with our tiny Olympus Pen that packs a massive punch photographically and beats the embarrassment of justifying why your camera bag is almost as heavy as your checked luggage.  The only think I don’t like about this camera is the lack of viewfinder and instead you use the digital display on the back.  Luckily for traditionalists like me they make a digital viewfinder you mount on the top and we bought one secondhand, instantly I felt like a proper photographer again.

Strolling along the beach close to sunset in Tokoriki was at its finest.  One evening I met one of the monster crabs scuttling along, a cousin I think of the one that liked to frequent the outside shower in the bure (little cottage) we stayed in. We named him Brutus, meant affectionately, although we were particular to be sure this crustacean guest stayed outside where he rightfully belonged lurking around the rocks.

It was tough having to endure such beautiful views at the end of the day but as the dark still descents early like a light switched off I can look at these photographs and remember the warmth and beauty of the pacific isles.

Since we’ve been enjoying the mildest winter since we made New Zealand our home it was an enormous treat and luxurious indulgence but when your airports are due to expire it is best to not to quibble too much and just enjoy a new shade of blue.  Riding the ferry from Denarau on Fiji’s largest Island of Viti Levu to our destination for the week on Tokoriki Island there was nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the view and adjust to Island time. Thoughts of appointment schedules, to-do lists and winter woolies soon melted away as we turned our attention to our beachside future.