Life: A Few Things to Know About Me.

I’ve had a lovely glut of new subscribers on The Humblings and I’m so glad to welcome you all to The Humble Home. I thought it might be a wonderful time to do a little more about me post. I sometimes forget that I am as much part of this blog as the things I write about and like many folk, it doesn't come naturally to me to think that people might find me interesting. So I’m leaning into the uncomfortable and sharing some things you perhaps don’t know about me!

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I’m an interiors photographer by trade.

I’ve been self employed as a photographer for nearly 15 years. Within this time I’ve done all sorts of photography - music, weddings, commercial, fashion - but I’ve always come back to a wholesome portfolio that incorporates interiors, lifestyle and food as well as portraits of creatives. My job can take me to the 41st floor of a London building site one day to the set of a cookbook the next. I love how varied my job is and I work in numerous location houses where I love to see what people have done to their homes. Ultimately I just love collaborating creative with others.

My background is in magazines.

I try not to use the word luck in my work life because I really believe that you make your own luck with work ethic and doing a good job but I was fortunate by circumstance to cut my teeth as a picture editor in magazines. My first title was an internet shopping magazine when internet shopping was first a thing but then worked across multiple titles including a film magazine and various lifestyle magazines. I used to produce and attend shoots but it wasn't until I had been made redundant in my late 20’s that I picked up a camera myself.

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I am an ex hedonist.

I found raves in my teenage years and right into my 30’s my life was a rollercoaster of raves, clubs, festivals and holding down jobs among it all! I’ve photographed gigs at Koko and been there with my camera among foam parties at huge raves. I lost entire weekends at house parties and was out most nights. I LOVE music and my trigger finger but I hung my raving shoes up some years ago after a particularly paranoid spell. I’ve found a quieter way of life and take pleasure in minimal music, the joys of nature and being creative with my home but I’m still partial to a drum’n’bass shack out.

I’m no stranger to chronic pain.

Perhaps one of the biggest events of my life - a bad car accident in my late 20’s changed my life forever. The accident was bad and I was very lucky to have woken up. I was left with a lot of pain, emotional turmoil and very limited mobility. 6 years later I had an ankle fusion operation and it has improved my life drastically. I can’t wear heels, run or do anything like skiing and I’ve been left with a slight limp but I can still be very active and take full advantage of that! I’ve also suffered a badly herniated couple of discs in my spine recently - I’m still recovering emotionally and physically but the experience is what made me move halfway across the country - I realised I needed a different kind of life and that I had to close a door to find a new way forward. I am incredibly grateful to have autonomy over my body back and am truly determined to never take that for granted.

I’m now incredibly interested in the mind body connection and the power of speaking our truth in relation to our bodys response to holding things in.

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I have adhd.

So while everything on this blog seems tranquil and calm, my life is a lot faster.. I have trouble relaxing and always need to be on the move - I can go entire weekends without sitting down. I truly believe this is why I need my home to be calm and with not too many stimulating colours - my brain is a very fast and messy place and a calm tranquil home and garden soothes it. My ADHD is also a massive driver to DIY - DIY allows me to be at home, taking a social rest but gives me something to do as I struggle to be still.

In April 2020, after a turbulent relationship with alcohol, I decided I was going to try sobriety for more than my usual intermittent month. Here I am 4 years later and I’m still tee total. It’s been an interesting and at times, difficult, ride getting to know the parts of me I’ve numbed for years and it ain’t been easy but I definitely made the right decision.

I’m fully trained in nutrition

I have 3 years of degree level nutritional therapy training under my belt. It’s always been something that interested me and I decided to train after being made redundant in the magazine world. I am still incredibly passionate about the food we eat and how it affects every part of our being - I decided not to practise as I find a one to one atmosphere difficult with ADHD but I am still very much connected in the nutrition world with my work and very much practise it on a personal basis.

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I’m The biggest misconception about me….

Is definitely my confidence. I come across outgoing and confident but I’m really not! With my ADHD I give EVERYTHING to social interactions (which is a bit too much for some folk!) so it absolutely exhausts me. I have to spend a lot of time in my own company to recover from social events. I do also get so much energy from others and thrive in collaboration so I’m always trying to find a balance!