Conga Drums and Nostalgia

A few weeks ago I took some photos of musician Daniel Marruzzo at London’s Afro Cuban Music Night. He is about to play a conga drum and the lighting gives the whole image a red glow: The conga drum looks red but isn’t. From time to time I miss my old red conga drum. A … Read more

Woman at a dressing table

The images in this post have been selected around the themes of sitting at a dressing table, looking into a mirror and applying makeup. Firstly here are a couple of portraits I took of my mother from a project I did at college in the late 80s: In the next photo I appear in the … Read more

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair

I have been taking my time writing this post as it has been proving to be more complex than I thought. Originally it was a supposed go be a companion post to Gotta Photograph that hat! and to a future post focussing on head wraps and scarves. In many ways it still is; I just found … Read more

New images of behind the scenes with the London Lucumi Choir

Yesterday The London Lucumi Choir, of which I am a long-time member, went to Birmingham to sing at the Faiths in Tune finale at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Here are a few photos I took. On the way up on the train I sat next to Tamara, a relatively new member, and a … Read more

Photographs inspired by earrings

I’ve always loved earrings. I feel like I’ve forgotten something if I go out without earrings, as if I’m not fully dressed, so tend to wear some form of ear embellishment every day even if it is just tiny studs. I was only allowed to pierce my ears when I was well into my teens … Read more

Snow and taking indoor activities outdoors!

Like everyone else in North London I woke up to snow this morning – this was the scene outside my kitchen window in the early morning: The London Lucumi Choir were due to perform at Camden Lock today. Unfortunately due to road and transport chaos the gig eventually had to be cancelled. So the few … Read more

Gotta photograph that hat!

A few days ago I went for a walk to Swains Lane in Highgate to take take some pictures and try out my new camera lens. It was a lovely autumnal day. On the way back I saw  a woman leaning against a tree waiting for the bus. Her hat caught my eye, a warm … Read more

rhythm and clapping

Amongst the first words I ever uttered was the Farsi phrase “das das”.  It literally means “hand hand” and was accompanied by repeated simultaneous clapping movements – das das, das das  – an endless source of entertainment and distraction when Bibi, my paternal grandmother who I lived with, played with me in this way. Later on … Read more

Candles, incense and ceremonies

I was reminded today of a photograph I took this time seven years ago. It was on a trip to Cuba with The London Lucumi Choir, and we visited the Rincón Sanctuary 25 miles outside of Havana. On December 17th each year the larger annual pilgrimage takes place and thousands of people visit the former … Read more

Some pictures of the London Lucumi Choir open rehearsal

Today, The London Lucumi Choir (the fantastic Afro-Cuban Choir I sing with) had an open rehearsal at Premises Studio in Hackney. This was part of an international initiative of singing for peace and healing. Some of the participants were experienced members of the choir but there were also people who had never sung with us … Read more