My Instagram photos for the YHA.

 

I’ve been working for the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) for just over a couple of months now - one of my roles is looking after their Instagram account.

Here are some of my fave snaps that I’ve taken for them so far. With all sincerity, lucky me!

(Before you think I've magically got very good at taking pictures, obviously the best/pro looking ones on their account are not my photography)

Amazing nature at Renishaw Hall and Gardens!

 

The amazing woods near Renishaw Hall.

The amazing lake near Renishaw Hall.

The amazing garden near Renishaw Hall.

I could have walked around here all day, such a beautiful place! Very ‘The Secret Garden’ and one of my favourite Derbyshire stately home haunts.

It was also a fun surprise finding Watership Down under a tree. You can’t see it (you gotta have faith), but they’re gazing at a suspended wooden sun (Lord Frith I assume). Except for atheist bunny on the left there.

 

 

The amazing flowers near Renishaw Hall.

The amazing statue near Renishaw Hall.

Digitally tweaked in Photoshop for added drama/contrast/really cool things.

The cellist is Amaryllis Fleming and she was sculpted by Fiore de Henriquez. My knowledge of cellists extends to ‘Hilary and Jackie’, so I always reckoned this was a dead ringer for Jacqueline du Pré!

I took my camera to the Eden Project.

The Eden Project, we loved it there!

It is where small impaled wooden cats spin on spikes and frogs and flowers are ripe for macro photography.

Pop tarts are triangular.

Madonna, showing how triangles should be worn. It appears that Rihanna’s fond of them too, are you a Freemason, or perhaps one of the Illuminati Rihanna? Do you live in a pyramid? Are you dating Horus?

Also, please museum can I have these please.

Michael Powell film appreciation.

Stills from director Michael Powell. Black Narcissus, The Thief of Bagdad and The Red Shoes respectively. 

I'm a sucker for camp technicolour, but these are all worth checking out for sheer beauty. They will make your eyeballs tingle! One is about nuns, one is about Bagdad and one is about a pair of magical ballet shoes. But don't let that put you off.

Cinematographer Jack Cardiff needs a mention here, seeing as it's his input that makes Narcissus and Shoes such incredible eye-candy. For some reason the horror film Suspiria comes to mind? All the colours, shadows and mad angles mmm.

Powell has a wide selection of films under his belt (still need to watch Peeping Tom at some point) but these three appeal to me most I guess.

Thief of Bagdad used to be my one of my faves when I was little, mostly down to the horrifying giant spider bit.