peter belanger

Peter Belanger is a San Francisco-based photographer who specialises in photography of people and products for big companies like Apple and Sony. He is also known for his excellent photographs of doughnuts (yes, doughnuts!). I think what appeals to me most is his love of colour and texture, the 'everyday', and the variety of his work. I especially love these four shots of mothers at home with their children: Peter's made it look like he just walked in, took a photo of everyday home life, and walked out again. What do you think?

Photos: Peter Belanger

summer fruit

My friends and I recently enjoyed a trip to New York City. As you'd expect, it was fabulous and we had a great time. This delicious fruit was for sale at the Union Square Greenmarket. Have you been to the market? The produce looked fresh and delicious. I look forward to sharing some more pictures of the city with you over the next few weeks!

Photo: Heidi Adnum

kikkerland

My friend has this Kikkerland photo growth chart (centre) for her daughter's room - a photo to match her height at the time - what a nice idea! I've bought myself their clip photo mobile (left). The photo/card holder with magnets (right) is also a great idea, don't you think? They have some fun mobile phone camera accessories, too.

To buy: growth chart UK or US; photo mobile clip UK or US; cable with magnets UK or US.

pictaculous

I've just got around to trying Pictaculous, a site recommended by swissmiss and designed to create a colour palette based on an image of your choice. All you have to do is upload your image to their site and click a button to see eleven different matching colour palettes. 

Photo: Heidi Adnum

photography tips, part 2

Once again, I'm absolutely delighted to be guest blogging on Etsy's blog today. Photography Tips, Part 2 covers product photography-related questions that many Etsy sellers say they have had trouble with. It includes tips and suggestions for selecting backgrounds, props and showing scale. You can read my article here. Also, thank you so much to everyone who read and commented on Part 1!

One Dark Heart Necklace and its photo: Local Library

growing on my window sill

Sweet little strawberries. Are you growing any summer fruit or veg this year?

 

Photo: Heidi Adnum

the gallery: motherhood

The pictures that I cherish of my mother with me and my siblings are tucked away in storage in Australia but one of things I love about my job is seeing some of the joys that mothers experience almost every day. As a result, I have so many more favourite pictures of motherhood, and this is one. These two gorgeous girls are my client Stephanie and her daughter Allegra. This photo was taken at our recent shoot together and shortly after, when I read that Tara's topic for this week was motherhood, I thought that it would be a lovely one to share. Stephanie and Allegra were playing peek-a-boo and Allegra decided that the game would be more fun if her Mummy moved her hands for her - how sweet! What are your favourite pictures of motherhood?

Photobox has sponsored this week's Gallery, and, while I don't expect to win any of the nice prizes, for the record I'll pass on any prize on to Stephanie and her husband.

Photo: Heidi Adnum

peonies in full bloom

I met these peonies last week. Aren't they beautiful!

Photo: Heidi Adnum

more good will bunting

That's right! This time it's more florals and stripes, including two pretty pure cotton Turkish floral fabrics, and they're now available in my Etsy shop.

Photo: Heidi Adnum

carnations and pyrex ice cream bowls

From the fete on Saturday. Hooray!

Photos: Heidi Adnum

alfabeto

I needed to pick up a bag of De Cecco mini stars pasta from the deli to go with my friend Ann's delicious beef stir fry but they were out. So, I bought the 'Alfabeto' instead. I just love that someone, somewhere makes these beautiful little things. Aren't they just so cute! 

Photos: Heidi Adnum

dswt at green days

Londoners can call in to Acton Green Common this weekend to visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust stall at Green Days Fete and Craft Fair. It's a great opportunity to learn more about the DSWT's work, buy things that are normally only available in their Nairobi gift shop, or even to sponsor an elephant! Find more information on the Fair here. 

This is a photograph of Kamboyo, an orphaned baby elephant that Will and I met in Nairobi in 2007. You can read Kamboyo's rescue story here. I make a donation to the DSWT for every sale of my Kenya for Charity prints, which helps to fund more vital conservation work and elephant rescue missions. 

vintage postcards

I recently bought these two gorgeous vintage postcards and had them framed as part of Mel's birthday present. Both cards are from early 1900s New York City and I found them on Etsy at The Postcard Depot. I also found a few for myself at Vintage Plum. A tip for framing two (or more) photos of a different size or layout is to keep the outer dimensions and colour of the frames the same. So, here, one postcard is portrait and the other is landscape, but they sit well together in identical square frames.

Top two photos: The Postcard Depot. Bottom two photos: Heidi Adnum

a child from everywhere

London-based photographer Caroline Irby spent one year photographing and interviewing 185 children. Each child was born in a different country and was now living in the UK. The children told Caroline their stories of leaving their birth country and also their hopes for the future. We can enjoy the exhibition until 30 August at the Museum of Childhood.

Photo: Caroline Irby

photography tips, part 1

I'm absolutely delighted to be guest blogging on Etsy today, in The Storque, UK Edition. Photography Tips, Part 1 covers product photography-related questions that many Etsy sellers seem to have had trouble with: colour, light, reflection and translucence. Part 2 will follow soon! You can read my article here.

Simplicity Turquoise Ring by Society Hill Designs

rose turkish delight

Is it morning tea time yet? These beautiful powdery cubes are from the same sweet shop in Istanbul as these ones.

Photo: Heidi Adnum

nspcc at the bupa 10k

It was a pleasure to photograph the NSPCC's runners in the Bupa 10km run on Monday. Such a great cause and a really cheerful atmosphere, despite the clouds. It was good preparation for the Race for Life in July, too (well, mental preparation, at least!). You can view all the photos here.

Photos: Heidi Adnum

chelsea flower show at the london transport museum

The London Transport Museum has brought out this lovely range of RHS Chelsea FLower Show inspired items inspired by the 1938 and 1939 show advertising on The Underground. The LTM online shop is excellent. I particularly love their excellent range of historical posters (I have a few tucked away to frame; this is one of my favourites) and they ship internationally. Great for gifts, don't you think?

Photos: LTM

dogs blog

Have you seen National Geographic's dogs blog? Jodi Kendall, a travel blogger from the USA, is a contributor there. How cute is this...

Video: YouTube via Dogs Blog

a collection a day

You have by now probably heard of Lisa Congdon's A Collection a Day, 2010, blog. I think I heard about Lisa over at swissmiss. Every day during 2010, Lisa will draw, photograph or possibly paint a collection of things. On Saturday (Day 149) her collection was Vintage Birds of Australia trading cards. I think Day 35 is my favourite. What's yours, so far?

Photo: Lisa Congdon