Night Photography: Hoarding and Signage in West Ealing

We do love the variety that our work provides!

We were recently asked to do some night photography of some illuminated hoarding and signage in West Ealing for our friends at Lavastar.

Night photography comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. Among the best features of this kind of work is playing with lights and long exposure for blurred and streaked effects, and the timing is crucial. It is also an unfortunate fact that the right kinds of vehicle never come along when you need them to provide the light and movement, and so patience is essential!

Nevertheless, the outcome was worth it. Here is a selection of our shots from the West Ealing night shoot.

Too cool for school?

We were delighted to be asked to photograph this amazing creation - a new pre-prep school in Chelsea, South West London, which opens in September this year. 

The building, which formerly housed the Chelsea Conservative Club,  has a grand Victorian facade which has largely remained untouched and looks ideally suited to house a school - not too cool thus far.... However, it's the transformation inside that is something to see!

The creation is the vision of Stuart Bamford, who is Head of nearby Chelsea Pre Prep. It takes inspiration from "the magical world of children's literature and artistic film makers" in an effort to challenge "the culture of 'box-ticking' education". 

The school has 6 large classrooms, a performance studio, an enchanted garden and an Imaginarium - a space which transforms once the automatic blinds come down and the numerous projectors switch on. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by swimming fishes in an underwater aquarium, the next minute surfing alongside a beach in a tropical paradise!  

We have no doubt it will be a delight for the children (aged 2-5 years) who will attend, but from a photographer's point of view it was a dream to shoot. 

Project: Draper House, New Cross

We recently had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot at Draper House in New Cross, currently on the market for sale with Winkworth New Cross. Draper House is one of a row of new build homes constructed less than a decade ago, and yet they've been so sympathetically constructed that they fit in really well with the surrounding Victorian architecture.

Draper House has been furnished so beautifully it was hard for us to stop taking photos! Here's a collection of shots of this lovely home, starting with the well-designed external.

Ahhhh! This kitchen-reception is the definition of serenity.

And these bedrooms are so clean and comfortable:

This is a proper family home, and the owners have really made that work with a dedicated playroom and a super cute kid's bedroom:

We love the simplicity and cool colours of the bathrooms...

One of the nicest features of the house is its wide hallways and landings, making the property feel spacious:

And the garden is incredibly spacious with plenty of room for outdoor furniture...

One final fantastic feature: an accessible roof with amazing views! As the owner put it: Imagine being up there on New Year's Eve with a glass of champagne watching the fireworks over the city. Perfect!

Flower Power!

Whether you prefer neatly decorated spaces or more haphazard environments, plants are unparalleled for bringing both exuberance and relaxation to your home. Not only is green the most relaxing of colours (according to science! So who are we to doubt), plants also purify the air during the day and decorate the dwelling with baroque swirling shadows at night. This is why you should incorporate their sinuous curves into every square inch of your home.

Luckily for us, many of our clients have fully grasped the manner in which plants add to their lives (and sales!), and we get to photograph some lovely plant-filled spaces.

With the following property, the flower pots and garden vases aren't prominant or a focal point. However, they beautifully accompany the space by characterising the minimalist open plan kitchen and garden that would otherwise lack colour and vivacity. A bit of yellow, orange and green is good for the soul. 

With this very different property, neatness goes together with wabi-sabi, the Japanese approach which stems from keeping materials raw through reclaiming, recycling and improving what one already has. Here, plants adorn every corner of bathroom and living room. The atmosphere is smooth and serene and encourages you to spend more time in your home. 

And if you can't make live plants work in your home, but truly can't bear to live without indoor greenery, how about making use of wallpapers, prints and patterns like in this beautifully decorated home?