Decisions

(deep breath...)

So, I've decided I'm just going to stop worrying. About pretty much everything. It doesn't help me or anybody around me and very rarely does it help the actual situation at hand. I'm just going to roll with the good times and even roll with the bad times and change what is within my power to change, and anything that is out of my control - I will leave for fate to decide. I'm blessed to have incredibly supportive, caring and generous friends who I don't actually think I could be without, and I am lucky to have good things in my life (both material and not), and those are the kinds of things I need to hold onto, not angst and woe.

So, onto my promised update of Great Escape Festival! (even if it is a little late!)

I'm not going to do a full on, in-depth cover of the festival as to be honest 1. it happened over a week ago and 2. you probably all won't care as it's old news now, but know that I had a fantastic time and I've definitely caught the festival bug (if such a thing exists!) I got to see some fantastic bands and I got the best of both worlds - the festival atmosphere of great music, good friends both old and new and (expensive!) drinking, whilst avoiding the horrors of camping (call me a Prince but camping is something that really does not appeal to me. If I wanted to wallow around in my own sweat and piss for three days, I could do that in my own home). My highlights were Niki & The Dove, Grimes, Lianne Le Havas (watch out for this lady!), Nordic Giants, Vondelpark and Jonquil, I'll be sure to upload some photos (myself and George took hundreds, no exaggeration, so I need to filter through them all!) and share them all with you when I'm not feeling tired and tipsy from too much cava consumption with Veronika.

So the past two weeks in general have been absolutely awful. I've lost sleep, cried, had panic attacks and seriously considered dropping everything and fleeing the city over money, Uni work and Topshop (which I may have to unfortunately quit). Fortunately thanks to the aforementioned help of friends both near and far and my ever faithful mum, I'm nearly back on track and determined to face this week with a fresh face.

On Saturday night I headed up into the forest near my house with Matt, we lit a small bonfire and burnt some personal memorabilia belonging to him and his ex-girlfriend. I hope he feels better from it all now. I managed to snap a couple of photos I'm pleased with:

Then today Veronika, a good friend who I met whilst living in halls, contacted me to ask if I wanted to take a walk as she as recently broken up with her ex-boyfriend (I should be paid for my therapy services!) so once again, we headed up into the forest near my house and up onto the hills, where we jumped the fence and sat on this mount which was covered in reeds and wild flowers, it was so pretty. We sat and talked and drank cheap, sparkling wine and put the world to rights for nearly an hour, before running down the hill screaming, being homophobically abused, getting more wine and ordered a Papa John's whilst smoking far too many cigarettes. The soundtrack to our pizza consumption was this album, with this song being mine and Veronika's favourite:

And to leave you, here are the photos I took of Veronika whilst we were up on the hills, with a sneaky one she took of me. The next post will be photos of Great Escape Festival, where the subject will then be laid to rest!

What did you get up to this weekend?

Sweet Things

So it's 10.02pm, I'm a little giddy from the two red bull's that I've consumed and I'm sat staring at my laptop over a presentation that is due tomorrow, and - you guessed it - I haven't even started. I've gone as far as opening Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, but nothing has been entering into their blank white domains. The subject I've been asked to present on (relational art and aesthetics) means nothing to me - I don't like it, I don't properly understand it and how I'm meant to put together a half an hour presentation on something I don't even have adequate knowledge on is beyond me.

So I'll update you all with what's been happening in my life to make the pain of Uni work go away!

As you saw a couple of posts down, I had a lovely photoshoot last week with my new friend Loni (apologies for the broken link in my last post!). The photos that she took of me came back only a couple of days afterwards and I'm extremely pleased with the results. Here are my favourites:

A very talented photographer I'm sure you'll agree!

Apart from doing arty farty things on the beach and pulling my hair out over money and Uni work, I've also been working what seemingly feels like all the hours of the day in Topshop. I am yet to find a balance between Uni and Topshop, for it seems if I do too much of one, the other suffers, and this for all parties involved, is not a good thing. However, work are currently hosting a competition called "Fashion Role Models" where ten employees of Topshop and ten employees of Topman, who are deemed: 1. fashionably dressed and reflecting the store's latest trends 2. to have "outstanding" customer service, have their photo taken and put on the wall downstairs in the corridor by the Manager's office. These ten "entrants" are then whittled down to three, and the winner receives a £50 gift voucher, along with something else which I've forgotten right now. As a broke art student, I am downright determined to win this contest! I had my photo taken on Monday by the VM so I am now in the running to potentially win, so I'm going all out for the next two weeks to ensure that that £50 giftcard is mine! The Store Manager has also been handing out pre-loaded gift cards for good customer service that she has seen or heard about, and I was lucky enough to be presented with one on Saturday!

This week spells (apart from the looming presentation which I have to give in 25 hours) more overtime, dissertation proposal reading and GREAT ESCAPE FESTIVAL! Which I am extremely excited for as this is my first ever festival, and I have been lucky enough to obtain a delegate pass so I can report on it for the Uni's student newspaper! I will also upload a review of the festival on here so keep your eyes peeled. Are you going to the festival too? Let me know if so!

Just Say 'Yes'

So to set the scene for today...

A few weeks ago I was contacted via my Tumblr by someone to ask if I would be interested in participating in a photoshoot to help with a photography project this person was working on. At first I was a little alarmed because the message was sent anonymously, but the culprit soon unmasked herself and turned out to be my now very latest friend Loni, who also writes poetry and posts photography and such on her Tumblr too (as I'm sure you'll see if you'd be so kind as to click the link) and once we got discussing ideas and so forth I was very excited as I haven't posed for photos that are going further than the internet for a good two years.
So after her having to re-schedule twice and me being an hour late, I met Loni at Brighton station and we headed to the beach, amongst other locations, where she patiently and professionally directed me and took what I'm sure will be some fantastic photographs. I also bought along my DSLR, and managed to persuade Loni inbetween breaks of snapping me, to take photographs of her (which was an opportunity that I rinsed and did near enough all day). Here is the cream of the crop!

The basic idea of her project/exhibition is to look at how ordinary people carry beauty, and she is photographing 100 people who could have the potential to be models but aren't - so I'm very very flattered! I'm also very excited to see the outcome once the rolls are developed.
So Loni, I wish you every bit of luck with your exhibition!

Full Of Wonders

Today I took another University related trip to the capital with Nathan to check out the Damien Hirst exhibition. Although it was raining, windy and very cold it did nothing to dampen our spirits as we ate croissants on the train and caught up.
Being back in London almost felt like returning home in a strange way. As previously posted I fall in love with London more and more each time I visit and although the place is still kinda strange and daunting, it's definitely where I see myself in the very near future.
Unfortunately I only have one photograph of the Hirst exhibition (which I was strictly told off for taking, although I saw no signs prohibiting photography) so I think it's probably best that I don't upload it on here just in case the Tate come and kidnap me and force me to work underground making missiles for World War III or something. I can however tell you that the exhibition is a feast for all five senses (you'll see what I mean when you see it) and although parts of it are ugly and perhaps an oddity to the collection on display, most of it is carefully thought out and incredibly beautiful in a unique way. The use of colour and sentiment comes across strongly throughout the exhibition. This is a photograph of my favourite item, titled "The Inescapable Truth":

After Hirst & the Tate, myself, Nathan, lovely fellow coursemate Jade and our tutor Fenella took the Tube to Whitechapel, where we went to see an exhibition by Birmingham born artist Gillian Wearing. This was a combination of film and photography based on the idea of people "hiding" their true selves in public, and looking at the difference between how people act when out in public, and how they act when in private and/or comfortable spaces. This included several short films (most of which were incredibly disturbing) a selection of photographs of Wearing dressed up as family members and idols, wearing wigs, prosthetic masks and even painted on abs and scars to achieve a realistic look (she makes a very convincing man!) and a booth which Wearing set up, inviting members of the public to come in, don a mask and wig and confess their deepest, darkest secrets. These ranged from sexual abuse to domestic violence to a man who likes to drink women's period blood. I think I'm going to leave this degree mentally scarred.
The four of us then went for lunch in a really cute family run pizzeria three doors down from the gallery, which Fenella kindly treated us to. Fenella then went home so we then headed back to Victoria via a stop in Brick Lane at Rough Trade Records' store, where we had a browse and took some photobooth pictures (as you do). Brie and bacon panini's and very large coffee's were also purchased. Unfortunately we missed our train and the tickets myself and Jade had meant we had to stay in London until after 7.15pm because we couldn't travel at peak times. So we said goodbye to Nathan (who could travel home) and went window shopping down Oxford Street, where I took several silly photos in Pull&Bear's photobooth in the guys section. Here are the fruits of my labour:

We then caught the train back to Brighton, where I had to walk home in the rain because my card got declined at the station's cash machine - uh oh! I now plan on doing absolutely nothing for the rest of the evening.

How was your Wednesday?

I promised you photos...

And photos you shall receive!
The below images were taken by me on a long walk on Easter Sunday with one of my best friends Liam. It was nice to meet up with him and have some quality catch-up time which didn't involve video games, alcohol or the cinema. Liam thinks we walked around ten miles, which for a lazy art student, is a mission! I'm proud of some of these photos and it shows my photography is improving, but I also have a lot to work on, but I now know how to go about this :)

I've also been asked to take photos for my friend Adam's tattoo studio, my friend Mel's tarot and alternative living website, and for my very close friend Joe's wedding next year - I'm not the official wedding photographer (thankfully! I think I'd buckle under the pressure) but to take photos of people smiling, dancing and just generally having fun will be a fantastic reminder for both him and his fiancee of what a beautiful day I'm sure they will have.

Tomorrow I go back to Brighton after two weeks of being back at my parents house. It's going to be strange going back as I've just gotten comfortable here again, but I only have two months at University before the long Summer begins and second year finishes. Just where is the time going? I had a lovely send-off lunch this afternoon with Joe, his fiancee Lyc, Duncan and Jemma at the Hollybush (check it out @ http://www.hollybushwitney.co.uk/) and it was so nice to get the little group together for some chilled out food and lots of laughter before I go back to Brighton. Although I'm growing apart from several people, I'm very lucky to have the friends that I do.

How are you spending your weekend? & Please feel free to leave any feedback on the photos!