Beauty and the sphinx

I had photographed Janayah for the clothing website a while ago. She didn't feel completely comfortable in the supplied clothing. And despite us chatting and quickly relaxing some of the pictures were okay for displaying the clothes, but they didn't complement Janayah. We agreed to a second shoot for her. In clothes she was happy with. A prom dress, a business style dress were two items she mentioned.

Now to find a location.

I approached a location that would have been perfect. But they counted my enquiry as a professional shoot and asked a fee to match.

So I needed to be a bit creative. Crystal Palace park is local to us both. And the sports centre would provide a place to change. 

Crystal Palace park use to have what must have been an amazing building. Originally built to house the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park. When that closed the building was moved to Penge Park in 1854. Then in 1936 a fire destroyed the building.

Today all that remains are the terraces and staircases. And some sphinx. 

I knew they would be a varied background and prop.

Walking out of the sports centre with Janayah dressed in a bright red prom dress; she certainly drew some glances from the predominantly tracksuit wearing passersby.

A more business like dress was next. And a longer walk to sphinx.

Janayah had relaxed further and the shoot become more of a collaboration. Her ideas contributing to a successful couple of hours.

Finally a brightly coloured one piece outfit was chosen. Dark foliage with a speedlight lit Janayah did it justice.

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Life is like...

 Newly cut lawn. Glad I did this on Saturday.

As a philosopher once said. Life is like a box of chocolates. But it struck me this weekend you could also say it was like your garden lawn. Every day. No matter what happens to you it does what it did yesterday; in the lawn's case it grows. Every so often you need to do something to it. Weed it, feed it or just cut it. You can put off these tasks for a while. But eventually you have to go out there and get on with it.

I have found that the longer you put something off the harder it becomes to do. If I cut the grass every weekend during the summer it only takes twenty minutes. The lawn mower doesn't get clogged up so quickly and there are less trips to the compost heap to empty the grass hopper.

There is always the temptation to say I'll do it Sunday, instead of Saturday. So although I can then take it easy Saturday afternoon. I'll be thinking, I should have cut the grass, while I'm relaxing, I could have it done in twenty minutes. To compound my error Sunday will be wet. So I can't cut the grass. A whole weeks worth of growing will happen before I get the chance again. During the week I just don't have the time in the evening. So the weekend comes around. It's busy as usual but cutting the grass will now take longer. And what happens if it rains again?

I guess what I'm saying is.

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Yeah I know you will have heard that one a lot.

And secondly don't take for granted there will be another chance. Sorry that ones a bit dark.

Don't get to the Sunday evening of your life and realise it's too late.

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