2011 has been a very hectic year. Here is my attempt at gathering up images that have had the most impact on me.
Between the drudgery involved in keeping the wheels of ecommerce turning, I got to go to some very glam conferences - which were great settings for practicing my portrait skills.
The summer took me to Devon - where my mum and I hiked (to a degree) over North Dartmoor and to her delight found the Duke of York pub, where War Horse was written in a back room. We looked for the portrait of THE horse in the village hall, but apparently Stephen Spielberg 'borrowed' it while he made the film.
In the autumn I went to New Orleans (for work, plus a few free days) and really loved mooching around the city, drinking rum cocktails and tapping my feet 'till the early hours in the incredible jazz clubs. The swamps were swampy, smelly and alligator-full and quite beautifully eerie. After that I hopped up to New York (for my birthday), staying with a good friend and chilling out in the Lower East Side.
Then at last I got back to India.
Here I spent a lot of time with many rescued child labourers - who are all now a year taller! Personal highlights were working with the boys with the art materials I'd taken over - inspiring them with art and design lessons (or rather just showing them a few tricks which they flew with themselves, producing some amazing work!) Other great moments were their confused, happy faces as we blew up the Space Hopper, followed out by working out how to 'travel' on it! I even took a lesson on the history of the internet and www.
I was invited to a Hindi wedding - 2 sisters married 2 brothers - an extraordinary, chaotic, loud and gastronomic experience and I still don't know the names of the brides or grooms!
The only vaguely touristy thing I did was spend a few days camping in Ranthambhore National Park at the end of my trip and on my 11th attempt I finally saw 2 wild Bengal Tigers!
Between the drudgery involved in keeping the wheels of ecommerce turning, I got to go to some very glam conferences - which were great settings for practicing my portrait skills.
The summer took me to Devon - where my mum and I hiked (to a degree) over North Dartmoor and to her delight found the Duke of York pub, where War Horse was written in a back room. We looked for the portrait of THE horse in the village hall, but apparently Stephen Spielberg 'borrowed' it while he made the film.
In the autumn I went to New Orleans (for work, plus a few free days) and really loved mooching around the city, drinking rum cocktails and tapping my feet 'till the early hours in the incredible jazz clubs. The swamps were swampy, smelly and alligator-full and quite beautifully eerie. After that I hopped up to New York (for my birthday), staying with a good friend and chilling out in the Lower East Side.
Then at last I got back to India.
Here I spent a lot of time with many rescued child labourers - who are all now a year taller! Personal highlights were working with the boys with the art materials I'd taken over - inspiring them with art and design lessons (or rather just showing them a few tricks which they flew with themselves, producing some amazing work!) Other great moments were their confused, happy faces as we blew up the Space Hopper, followed out by working out how to 'travel' on it! I even took a lesson on the history of the internet and www.
I was invited to a Hindi wedding - 2 sisters married 2 brothers - an extraordinary, chaotic, loud and gastronomic experience and I still don't know the names of the brides or grooms!
The only vaguely touristy thing I did was spend a few days camping in Ranthambhore National Park at the end of my trip and on my 11th attempt I finally saw 2 wild Bengal Tigers!
I like your photos very much, and never really take the time to say so. They're invariably well-composed and engaging, and always seem to tell a story.
ReplyDeleteNaomi .. You are building a portfolio of great and graceful pleasure.. How lovely that your left AND right brains seem compatible. I look forward to the book of your footprint on the world..
ReplyDeleteit's the first time I've visited your blog and i give thanks to Richard for that. What wonderful photographs - well done!
ReplyDeleteI don't really know what to say. Brilliant? Amazing? Don't say quite enough, do they?
ReplyDeleteThank you for such encouraging comments! xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely collection 2011 was!
ReplyDelete