Boom, Pow, Etc.

Oh this post is so late. Whoops. There's me committing the cardinal blogging sin of Not Being Timely With Your Posts. (But at least I didn't also Apologise and Explain at Exhausting and Boring Length).

Please enjoy these pretty bokeh pictures of fireworks and of people oohing and aahing at them. 

This isn't fireworks. This is a towerblock. But still pretty.

Boom, fizz, wow, smoke.

Glee.

Ipswich sunset

I was in Ipswich last week for the Spill festival of performance where I experienced the brilliant work of my pal's company 11:18. Check them out won't you?

A baby shoot with Alexandros and Tiffany

As I posted recently, I've been expanding my photography out from the usual theatres, arts venues, and performers that I work for. I was very happy to meet Alexandros and his mum Tiffany a few weeks ago; he is one cheery chap! 

 

 

 If you're interested in having some photographs taken to document your pregnancy, to capture your new baby or your whole family, please get in touch via email info [at] katherineleedale.com (you know what to do with the bit in brackets!).

An exhibition of photography oh my!

Exciting news guys...I'm having a little exhibition of some recent photographs! See below for all that slightly-weird-third-person info. Would love to see you there.

Photographs by Katherine Leedale

Katherine Leedale, performance photographer for The Yard, will be exhibiting recent work at the theatre from 30 October - 11 November.

The Cabinet of Smash and Grab

A hive-like hum, marble veins running through the floor; a man sits in contemplation or to rest his bones; a girl stretches to lay her hand on an obelisk; a woman reaches her camera above her head to steal a shot. An ongoing series of photographs taken in museums.

Local Shift 

A new piece, created especially for this exhibition, exploring Hackney Wick and the surrounding area.

Opening 31 October 7.30-9.30pm. All welcome. 

The Yard Theatre
Queen’s Yard
Hackney Wick
London
E9 5EN 

A pregnancy shoot with Katya

I've been thinking lately about where I can take my photography next. My first and enduring love is to shoot portraits, and expanding (ha ha) into maternity and pregnancy photography seems a natural step for me since a fair few people in my circle of friends, colleagues and aquaintances are beginning to start families of their own. Gorgeous Katya modelled for me a couple of weeks ago at her home and in a very sunny London Fields and a few of my favourites are below. If you're in London and are looking for a lovely set of photographs to share with family or to preserve the memory of this unique time in your life please get in touch! Contact details can be found on my website katherineleedale.com.

Portrait shoot

This client needed a simple, striking portrait for use by the international company of which he's just become a partner. Once again I created a studio space in my home - and I think the results have come out very well.

In other client news, I was excited to see The Huffington Post UK's interview with Kate Tempest, with the shots I took of Kate in July featured sneakily in the background!

Evil Galaxy Parrot (homage to Cornell)

The first time I visited Venice* I took a rather tortuous route to the Guggenheim and saw two pieces of artwork that have lingered with me longer than almost any other I've seen. 

One was a coppery slash of metal by Lucio Fontana which flung reflections of that special milky canal light around the garden exhibition room and relieved the ache of muscles that had turned down too many blind alleys that day. The other was a painted box containing a mildly ridiculous fortune-telling bird crafted by Joseph Cornell. 

When I saw the parrot above lurking on a shadowy pub ledge I was instantly reminded of that box, that bird, that day; I had to create my own little photographic version.

*I do realise how DAAAAHHHLING that sounds

A girl dancing under trees and lights, wearing wellies

Another from the Woodland Wedding of Wonder, but that didn't really fit with the feel of the other images I previously posted... here's Kirstin, twirling...

It reminds me a little of this shot from almost a year ago. Red dresses, man, they're a photographic classic.

A Woodland Wedding of Wonder

At the weekend two very lovely people that I am delighted to call friends got themselves hitched. I snapped away throughout the day and saved some of the pictures to share with you here...

Self-penned vows under boughs

Gathering for group shots...

The bride and bridesmaids made all their own bouquets and the groom and best man made their own buttonholes!

Just lovely

The bride and groom

THERE WERE SOFA SWINGS IN THE WOODS

Bridesmaids of beauty (above and below)

More wonder and gorgeousness than you could shake a stick at.

Kate Tempest at Frank's

I try hard not to play favourites among photoshoots and to love them all equally. However there are those shoots where location, subject, lighting, (or maybe just the stars) align and I particularly like the results. A month or so ago I shot the poet, rapper, soon-to-be novelist and all round brilliant Kate Tempest for her forthcoming show Brand New Ancients (at Battersea Arts Centre in the autumn). We went to the top of the multistorey car park in Peckham, now reincarnated as the brilliant Frank's Cafe and shot at dusk, as the lights were beginning to spark and the twilight lay luminous violet across the city. After shooting there we scampered down onto the streets, surprising the good shopkeeps of Rye Lane with Kate's rhymes. Below, the top image is the one BAC chose, plus a few of my faves.

And here's one of me in action - I wasn't trying to match my trousers to her top, it's purely accidental!

Recent work

A small selection of shoots for various clients...

 

Production photography for Battersea Arts Centre (above, the company is Forced Ents), and The Yard in Hackney Wick (below).

Below: documenting the opening of the permanent installation of Peckham's Peace Wall, initiated and curated by Peckham Shed inclusive theatre company. (You'll see more of my shots on their website).

Below: Poet Michael Rattigan, shot for independent press Rufus Books.

Below: the brilliant Samantha Mann (this became publicity for creator Adrian Gillott's Edinburgh show).

Some of these shoots happened a ways back but I get quite behind on posting work images; many of them have a lead time of several months and I can't really upload them until they've been released by the client.