Helsinki and holiday

As we are heading in to the Jubilee weekend and Bank Holiday I thought I would up date my blog a little earlier than usual. It’s been a busy week with a trip to Helsinki, World Design Capital 2012.

I set off on Monday morning and with a 3 hour flight and 2 hour time difference it felt as though I spent most of the day getting there. And at this time of year it is light most of the time so at 10pm Helsinki time I was trying to get my mind round going to bed in daylight and knowing that it was only 8pm in London, but we had an early start on Tuesday.

We were due to be at the location at 8am which meant getting up at 6.30am ( 4.30am UK time). The reason for this was that we were  shooting Alvar and Aino Aalto’s house and had to be done by 1pm. We managed not only to get some great images but also a good interview with two of  the Aalto’s grandsons. Photographer Ben Anders beavered away and when we got back to town we were both tired and hungry, but we  had a light lunch because we were invited to dine with the UK ambassador Matthew Lodge and his wife Alexia at the Residence that night.

The view en route to the hotel from dinner at the UK Embassy residence

On Wednesday we went to the home of architects Risto and Suvi Huttunen an interesting modern house part of a group of three designed by them – their neighbours were their clients..isn’t that every architect’s nightmare? Sadly it was a bit grey and overcast but Suvi plied us with coffee, berries, croissant and even a farewell glass of champagne!

Ben checking images at the Huttenen home

Lions and Luxury bathing

Who would have believed that when I set off to Leicester on Monday morning it would be under the last overcast sky of the week. We were framing up a shot of the back of Shauna Richardson‘s cottage when the clouds rolled away and the sun came out, and it has stayed. Shauna is a Crochetdermist who was selected to be part of the Cultural Olympiad and her epic lions will be in London for the start of the Olympic bun fight in July. Smaller scale lions lurk in her cottage and studio

A crocheted lion’s head

and another

Teeth and all

Photographer James Balston was very brave when it came to the ear-less rabbit

James with an array of unattached fangs, tongues and the unfinished rabbit

And on Tuesday evening I went to the official opening of the new Czech & Speake shop in Pimlico where owner Frank Sawkins gave me a sample of their hush hush new shower product to try ( and when I say sample it did seem to be decanted in to a specimen bottle!) and have lathered it on all over I can say from personal experience that it is delicious.

Test it and see

Clerkenwell and beyond

On my way to have coffee with Charlie Sharpley at The Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell I came across a pair of boots the summed up the way my feet feel at the end of a long day’s shoot

Even Louboutin would have to admit that these would make your feet hurt!

I met Charlie to discuss an interesting new project called Fermoie to be launched soon by the men behind Farrow & Ball. Hopefully we will be putting together a feature for The Times Magazine.

Clerkenwell was ablaze with signs for the up coming Design Week which starts on Tuesday, so I will be back in the area over the next few days.

And this week’s shoot was at the home of Richard Joseph one of the twins behind the Joseph Joseph design company well known for their colourful and functional kitchen ware. I did the shoot with Mr Main who was sporting a very fine new wedding ring!

Mr Main up against the wall