The Cottage Smallholder

Photo: Flowers from our garden

“Have you got any slugs?”
“There should be some under here.” I lifted a large stone to reveal some dormant slugs.
“They are way too small. I want a great big chunky slug.”
We were searching for a slug model for Lynn’s shoot. Eventually we found one under a large pot. It wasn’t a great performer. Just hunched itself into a ball and looked like a nut. Later on we found a snail and tried working with that. But it clearly didn’t understand our instructions and raced away from the camera and tripod at alarming speed.

Lynn Keddie finally did get the shots that she wanted.
“It’s like the people who want to be photographed with their pets. Really difficult to do.”
No, I wasn’t being photographed with these slimy creatures – although I’d love a portrait with the Min Pins but after her remark kept schtum. There wasn’t time for frolicking with tiny dogs on the swing seat.

It was so good to meet up with Lynn again. She’s a real inspiration – focussed, direct and a joy to work with. It was too windy to shoot on Tuesday afternoon, so after a quick tour of the garden we settled indoors for tea and farmhouse cake and a long gossip.  Later we guzzled supper (Danny cooked his chicken thighs with roasted veggies – delicious).

After a great evening the photoshoot next morning went really well. Lynn arrived before 6 am and was piped on board by the Min Pins. She had a good couple of hours alone in the garden before I joined her.

The dogs (and perhaps the slug and snail) were frightened by the sturdy tripod and camera. Some sort of three legged long nosed dog perhaps? But suddenly, much to the joy of the Min Pins, the tripod lost a leg. Poor Lynn had to carry on with just the camera.  .

The session was all over by midday which was lucky as shortly after I waved goodbye to Lynn, the heavens opened and it poured with rain. Damp and fully dressed I crept upstairs and crawled under the duvet and slept for hours – the sweetest, soundest sleep that I’ve had for weeks.