Today has been by far the busiest workshop I have ever delivered! It even appeared to have broken Tetley records, as we logged over 342 visitors during the four hours we were active.
The tile embossing seemed to be a hit with the children, and the sharpie pens were great for colouring over the aluminium foil (something that was discovered by one of the visitors!). Also the paper weaving was fun, the colours matching sunrises, trees and oceans, some even embellished by adding their own designs on top. We ran out of tiles as we were so busy, so we had improvise and found card worked just as well. Some of the parents I spoke with liked the ideas we were using and I explained how they can do the activities at home with their children, and how they can make their own versions.

Below is some photographs I managed to take during the workshop (my usual document taker was unavailable).

Helmsley is located in North Yorkshire, and is the gateway to the Yorkshire Moors. The pretty market town, hosts many delightful independent shops, delicious cafes, pubs and fish and chips, and of course the ruin of a Norman Castle. We stopped for a cup of tea and a bacon bap, before embarking on our walk. This proved to be good timing as the ever changeable British weather decided to gush down from the heavens.

We decided to walk along the Cleveland Way, if we had more time (maybe in the summer, when the days are a little longer) we would have reached Rievaulx Abbey. The weather at this point proved to be in our favour, with a warm autumn sun guiding us on our path. The beautiful autumn colours, the freshly watered grass, and the cloud spattered blue skies, made for some quintessential Yorkshire countryside walking.

Almost all our images are ready to be printed! And it’s not long now until the exhibition opens at Oxford Place.

Love Arts Festival launches on 7th October at The Light in Leeds city centre. Our exhibition is part of the Arts Trail, No. 17 on the map of which you can see below:

You can see the full programme here.

The last session we had at Studio 12, we explored expression and how unique our faces are. We took hundreds of photos, first using the shutter release cable, so we could choose when we wanted to pose, and then later acting out emotions to scenarios we shouted out to each other.
It was a fun session, and even a reluctant member, who was adamant that she wasn’t going to get in front of the camera, surprised herself with how much enjoyment she was having.
Being confident in ones body doesn’t have to stop at the perfect smile and retouched images, being confident is owning your face, letting go, and living. We all have little flaws, but aren’t they the very things that make us unique and special? I have an odd face, but it is an expressive face, one with warm caring eyes.

I started the Self Portrait project back in July, working with Together Women Leeds. It has been a slow process, for a variety of reasons, my own ill health being just one of them.  But there is one thing I am learning from this project, and that is developing my own self confidence.

The workshop has covered topics such as positive body image, improving self worth, looking at perspective, positive affirmations; autobiographical writing, using timelines, ten memories for significant moments in life, and 3 line life story. The purpose for all these workshops was to encourage self worth, to encourage the idea that all the hardship and bad mistakes we may make in life, only build us up to be the people we become. Finding the good in ourselves, seeing life from others eyes as well as our present eyes, giving ourselves positive affirmations everyday. And take all those negative occurrences and beliefs, and treat them as a story, a memory, from the past, that belongs in the past.

We also looked at different ways we could create our self portraits. Maybe a memory from the past, seen in a different perspective. Recreating childhood photographs. Decorating the image to mirror uniqueness.

The workshop visited Studio 12 at Leeds Central Library, where we took studio shots, with the students directing themselves and how they wanted to portray themselves. The students really seemed to get a lot out of being in front of the camera and from using the camera and lights. One of the comments I received was how before the workshop started, she didn’t think she’d feel so at ease in front of the camera, and feels a lot more confident.

The emphasis has been on being ourselves, and creating something personal that will represent us. I have been against retouching images (removing scars, lines, wrinkles, folds, etc), because the study is producing work that celebrates who we are, as we are.

The workshop is continuing for a few more weeks, before being displayed as part of Love Arts Leeds 2015

Below are links to some of the resources I have used.

• 9 Facts that Disprove Stereotypes about Fat People
• Let Fat People be Happy
• Taking Action on Body Image – government paper
• What is Body Image
• The Underpants Rule
• Happiness Action Pack – includes Acts of Kindness
• Positive Affirmations
• Perspectives
• Writing as Therapy
• Healthy Place – visual quotes (Pinterest Board)

A slideshow of the images I used to illustrate self portraiture opened up much discussion as to what constitutes a self portrait. It is open to much interpretation as the self portrait is uniquely self driven.

Positive Affirmations

Leeds Photography Excursions took itself to Richmond in North Yorkshire at the beginning of August. What was a splendid day, we stopped for lunch in a quaint, quirky, very independently run cafe, before walking up to the castle. Later we walked down to the River Swale, where we witnessed a tourist hub, with many young families and couples playing by the river.
It does seem weird to take such picturesque images, when our last trip was to Bridlington in the pouring rain. If anything, the British weather may be unpredictable, but I wouldn’t have it any other way as a photographer.

Richmond Castle stands dominating the market town high above the River Swale. The castle was constructed in 1071. It is one of only three remaining stone castles built of that age.  It was originally called Riche Mount, ‘the strong hill’.

The market town, seen below from the Keep at Richmond Castle.

Views over the stone walls, across the valley. Richmond is the a gateway to the Yorkshire Dales.

The River Swale, really popular with tourists, especially in the summer sunshine.

Stone dogs stand guard outside one of the houses in Richmond. Richmond is the first of all Richmonds in the UK and is the most duplicated British place name, with 57 occurrences across the world.