40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#19

Eleanor Lisney

Cofounder of Sisters of Frida

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

This is Eleanor Lisney, co-founder of a wonderful organisation called Sisters of Frida.  They describe themselves as an experimental collective of disabled women with the sole aim of raising the voices of disabled women and non-binary people.  

They celebrate being from different ethnicities, cultures and nationalities, of different sexual orientations, of being mums, having partners and being single women.  They celebrate creativeness which they say is born from their identities which in turn is all wrapped up in their disabilities.  They hold meetings for disabled women to discuss ways to make real change for women just like them.

Elle contracted Polio when she was three and by the time she was in her twenties had started to use a wheelchair. She says her wheelchair is her lifeline and has afforded her her freedom.

Thank you Eleanor for being part of the 40 OVER 40 project.

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

How did Sisters of Frida come about?

We were invited to speak for Million Women Rise about domestic violence and disabled women and off the back of that we realised that whilst there were disabled organisations and women’s organisations there wasn’t anything in between. It seemed that disabled women as a group didn’t have a voice. 

We wanted our group to be intersectional and used Frida Khalo as our inspiration for the name.  She was Mexican, bisexual, a communist and feminist and kind of encapsulated everything we wanted to represent.

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

Eleanor joined other women organisations at CEDAW (The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) at the UN which spells out women's rights to equality and non-discrimination.  They also met with Ana Peláez Narváez, the only disabled woman on the committee and spoke on the needs of disabled women and the importance of being visible at spaces such as CEDAW. 

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

Sisters of Frida also contributed to The UN Committee on the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) report.  The report was to ensure that violations of disabled women’s rights were given attention.  A key theme to come out of the report was a call for government to recognise that disabled women and girls face multiple discrimination in access to healthcare and a recommendation for targeted, measurable and financed strategies to eliminate them. 

Eleanor says:

Disabled women face multiple barriers every day and these barriers have to be highlighted if anything is to be done. For example, smear testing is impossible for many disabled women simply because the beds are not accessible.  We need to make sure that the government are ready and able to help. We need every GP surgery and healthcare provider to recognise where the issues like this lie and address them head on.

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

What's on the agenda for Sisters of Frida right now?

Right now we have some funding and have set up a new steering group of wonderful women with different skillsets to help the organisation make a real difference at a grassroots level.  But we’re always looking for more women to get involved. The more disabled women we have on the roster the better we will be at understanding the array of different needs out there and how we can help.

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

How have things changed over the years in terms of accessibility for disabled people?

There’s still a long way to go and it depends where you are and what country you’re in. The UK is a leader in accessibility and yet disabled people in the UK would probably disagree.  Take public transport for example.  So much of it is still not fully accessible, especially on the tube and even if there’s a lift it’s often not been maintained.   And then there’s the issue of benefits. It doesn’t seem to matter what party is in government, benefits are always in danger of being cut. It's our job to make sure our specific needs as disabled women are constantly on the agenda, we need our voices heard.

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

Eleanor has been campaigning for disabled rights for decades. When she lived in Coventry she was part of an organisation who secured funding to mystery shop restaurants in the West Midlands for their accessibility ahead of the 2012 Olympics (for which Eleanor was a torch bearer). They singled out 10 of the best independent restaurants for disabled visitors and graded them not only on physical accessibility but on staff attitudes towards disabled people too.

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

Eleanor says:

Accessibility doesn't just mean you need a ramp to get into a building and an accessible toilet.  It also means having a positive attitude towards the people themselves. It was important to us that we judged the restaurants on this as much as their facilities. 

Eleanor Lisney by Jenny Smith

How have things changed for you since turning 40?

Each phase in life is totally different.  It was only after turning 40 that I moved to America and put myself through college and then moved to the UK to find work. I'd been a stay at home mum until then so I suddenly found myself looking for work and figuring out what kind of job I could do.  I had to negotiate barriers and attitudes as to how people saw me as a disabled person along with the intersectional barriers too.  It's hard to know if people reject you because you are a person of colour, or because you are disabled, or because you're a woman. I had to figure all that stuff out.  Being older helped with all of that, you have more confidence to tackle that kind of stuff, but also less energy!

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

If you could go back and give your younger self some advice, what would it be?

As a disabled woman I always had this idea that nobody would love me. I wish I had been able to see that I was an attractive woman.  The disability would often come first and cloud my judgement of myself. I wish people had told me that when I was younger, they would have really boosted my confidence and then who knows what adventures I might have had.

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

Eleanor Lisneyby Jenny Smith

Thank you Eleanor for being part of the 40 OVER 40 project.

Listen to my podcast, Dear Hormones here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#18

Caroline Jones

Fundraiser and Vintage Stylist

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

In lockdown 2020 I started a fundraising campaign called Front Door Photo raising money for Refuge by photographing people standing at their front doors.  I expected the project to last for a few days and hoped to raise £1000 if I was lucky.  It ended up going on for two months and in the end I raised £21,284.  It was such a rewarding thing to do, but boy was it hard work. Cue a phone call from someone called Caroline Jones, a woman who had embarked on her own fundraising project nearly 10 years prior. We bonded instantly and were able to chat about all of the behind the scenes admin that goes with running a charity campaign.  She wanted to start a podcast talking to fellow fundraisers and revealing everything that goes on to make it a success and she very kindly asked if I would be one of her guests.  Her What Have I Done? podcast has been a huge success and she's busy planning season two. 

Caroline has a life long passion for all things secondhand and her charity project, Knickers Models' Own (in memory of her mother) saw her donning a different second hand outfit every single day for an entire year.  She raised a fortune for Cancer Research UK and even published a book which features a photograph of Caroline taken by non other than photography legend, Rankin.

Caroline has been talking secondhand clothing long before it became trendy with the likes of Vinted and her instagram feed @knickers_models_own is a real inspiration if, like me, you find yourself in a bit of a fashion rut. During our session she took me to her local Cancer Research UK shop, where she has her own curated rail, and you could just feel her enthusiasm for the place radiating out of her.  Caroline has kindly answered some questions for me and I found her answers really inspiring. I hope you will too. 

Thank you Caroline for being one of my 40 inspiring women over the age of 40!

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

How did your passion for second-hand shopping start? 

As a child growing up in the 1970s hand-me-downs were a big thing, I would eagerly anticipate the moment my older cousins' outgrown clothes made their way down the line together with bundles of well thumbed Jackie magazines, this was the catalyst for wanting to wear other peoples' clothes and the roots of my love for styling. Second-hand has always felt 'new' to me and as a teenager in the 1980s - pre-charity shops and the designers of shopping apps probably not even born - I would regularly raid my mum's or grandmother's wardrobe for authentic '60s pieces, my love of the music from that era defining (and still defining) my style. Jumble sales were also rich pickings, diving into piles of knitwear on a church hall trestle table. Oh the joy! Shopping in an actual second-hand shop came thanks to my JustSeventeen magazine pull-out shopping guide and age 15 I took myself off to American vintage emporium FLIP on Long Acre, Covent Garden, London. Vintage fringed suede jackets, original Levi's 501s, Ivy League baseball jackets, flat-top haircuts, music blaring, a buzz like nothing I'd ever seen. I was hooked.... (Side style note: its now a flagship Hobbs store and whenever I'm in the area I'll always pop my head in, just to remember the magic).

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

Is there an art to charity shopping? What are your tips? 

Patience and curiosity are your friend. But, before you step one toe inside a charity shop or click 'buy' STOP right there and ask yourself honestly: "do I know what's already in my wardrobe?" and "what are my wardrobe 'gaps'?". Having that mental checklist will help you narrow down what it is you're looking for; it might take time - imagine that? - but when you step out of the fashion lane and into the styling lane you realise that there is no time pressure and that frees you up to shop slowly and with consideration. My number one tip is to shop in-store on your local high street, that way you are using all your senses to really decide if a purchase is right: try it on, hold it up to the light, look closely at the tailoring, examine the fabric, the trim, the buttons, the weight of the fabric, see how it hangs, walk around in it. Look on all the rails, including menswear and teens, you never know what you might discover. Oh and it's okay to leave a charity shop empty-handed, there really is no rush. 

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

What does fashion mean to you? 

I see fashion as the gateway to styling and styling is how I express myself, bringing me far more pleasure than the 'what's-in-fashion' lane. I'm 56 in August which means I've been around the fashion planet many times, so I see retailers and designers hitting the repeat button over and over and that means I can dismiss styles that I don't feel work for me and instead focus on gathering up pieces - velvet, tailoring, denim, tweed, t-shirts, lambswool knits, costume jewellery, rolled-edge silk scarves... that bring me joy. 

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

Is there anything in your life that you’ve done that you would only have done thanks to being older?

Without doubt, at the age of 46, my year-long 2015 fundraising campaign 'Knickers Model's Own' pushed me way out of my comfort zone, both creatively and from a public facing perspective. I found myself well and truly under the spotlight and I think had I been any younger I probably would've talked myself out of it. I discovered both my second-hand styling 'voice' and my fundraising 'voice', giving me huge confidence to stand up and speak publicly. Discovering a passion for a topic is a wonderful feeling and I try and use it to make a positive difference. 

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

What advice would you give to your teenage self? 

To see what I now see and to tell my teen self "My gosh Caroline, you have the most beautiful eyes, skin, hair, tummy, bottom, arms, teeth, knees, elbows, eyelashes...." 

Caroline JonesBy Jenny Smith

How’s the menopause been for you so far and what kind of impact has it had on your life, if any?

Joining up the dots has helped: the aches, the fog, the lethagy, the facial bloody hair, the lack of confidence spilling over into my life and an acceptance that my body has and is changing. I do my best to help myself, so I talk about it with my husband, my family, my close friends, I take HRT, I have days where I go slow, I have days where I'm full of energy, I walk, I love my yoga and I use styling as my armour of choice. 

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

Any words of wisdom for women over 40? 

From my teens through to my thirties I thought far more about my age, my capabilities and where I fitted in. Now I rarely stop to think about how old I am, I just do stuff, somethings work out, somethings don't quite happen, but I never use my age as a reason to think I can't do something. I also love to have friendships with older and younger people, conversations full of insight, observations and laughter. We've gotta find laughter! 

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#17

Sam McAlister

Author, Public Speaker and responsible for that Price Andrew Interview

Sam McAlisterby Jenny Smith

If you've watched the brilliant Netflix film 'Scoop' staring Gillian Anderson and Billie Piper, you will know all about Sam McAlister, the woman behind Newsnight's game changing interview with Prince Andrew.  The second I finished watching it I searched for Sam on instagram and messaged her to see if she would consider being in my 40 OVER 40 project.  When she replied with a yes I think I actually punched the air.

Now that I've met Sam in the flesh I can tell you how accurately Billie Piper's portrayal of her really is.  She's bold, confident and funny as well as being incredibly polite, kind and considerate. A woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid of taking chances in life. Everything this project is here to celebrate.  

Sam's life has taken an about-turn on more than one occasion.  Once a lawyer she soon realised this wasn't the job for her and set about looking for a new career. She tried a few things but landed on journalism and eventually a job as a producer at BBC's Newsnight.  It was Sam's skill at building trust that lead her to booking the biggest guest of her career, Prince Andrew, which in turn took her life in yet another direction. She ended up writing her book Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC's Most Shocking Interviews where she spills the beans on what it was like booking guests such as Sheryl Sandberg, President Clinton, Elon Musk, Julian Assange and of course, Prince Andrew.

Sam is such an inspiring woman and left me feeling more confident in my own career choices, confirming that it's OK to take calculated risks in life, even if those risks don't pay off.

Thank you Sam for being one of my 40 women over 40!

Sam McAlisterby Jenny Smith

1. You really stood your ground at the BBC which is not an easy thing to do as a woman in an institution like that.  Did you feel different to your colleagues and how do you think that helped or hindered you?

I was never bothered that I felt different to my colleagues — that feeling had accompanied me all my life, since I started law school, and through many years of employment. Being able to look at things differently, or work without worrying about what people think of you, is a superpower in a traditional institution. It sets you apart. So, while it may sometimes hinder progression, it’s the only way I know how to be. 

Sam McAlisterby Jenny Smith

2. This project celebrates strong and inspiring women. What women have inspired you over the years? 

The woman who most inspired me is my Mum. Sadly, sometimes that’s the only woman who you know has truly got your back.

Sam McAlisterby Jenny Smith

3. Being a single parent isn’t easy as a working woman but it's also an incredible motivator, how do you think motherhood impacted your career? 

Motherhood got me to Newsnight. When I returned to the BBC after having my son, my boss at Radio 4 wouldn’t let me return to my former full time job as a part time worker and put me in a very dull department called ‘development’ so I had to find something new to do. That ended up being Newsnight. All the hits I’ve taken over the years have always turned into a better opportunity. I had to leave the BBC to write my book 'Scoops' as they wouldn’t let me do it as staff and that turned into a Netflix movie, so BBC hurdles have been kind to me. 

Sam McAlisterby Jenny Smith

You are rightly proud of your working class roots, do you think your background informed your career choices?

Of course, I am resolutely middle class now, but having the peril of needing to pay the bills, and having to start from nothing, with no contacts or favours I could pull, has made me a grafter who knows that my success is based on merit, not privilege, and I feel proud of that.

Caroline Jonesby Jenny Smith

The Prince Andrew documentary changed everything at the very top of the royal family, and you made that happen.  What does that feel like and what advice would you give to other young women starting out and finding their own voices?

It felt amazing to work on something that ended up being a huge part of our country’s journalistic history — and obviously hugely important for the BBC and Newsnight also. Of course, if he had said 'no’ no one would have known about me or my work. I loved my job and believed that what I did mattered, so my advice would be to chase your dreams and enjoy them, even if they don’t come to something this momentous. Enjoying the work is the really important part. 
 

Sam McAlisterBy Jenny Smith

How has your life changed since the film came out?

It’s been an incredible experience and I’m hugely grateful for every second. The best part is being stopped by people, or contacted, with them saying how much they enjoyed the movie and how it reminded them of the importance of their work.
  

Sam McAlisterby Jenny Smith

What advice would you give to other women wanting a career change later on in life?

My advice is to plan. My past few years looks seamless — book agent, book deal, documentary for Channel 4, Netflix deal, but that's one in a billion. I had ensured I had enough funds to throw the dice for two years and I have worked every day, and weekend, without a break for the past thirty months. If you can’t afford to eat, the plan isn’t worth trying until you can.

Sam McAlisterby Jenny Smith

What a woman! Thank you Sam for being part of the 40 OVER 40 project.

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#16

Farah Ahamed

Author of Period Matters and Cofounder of Panties with Purpose

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

Voted one of the Financial Times' Women of 2022, Farah Ahamed is a former human rights lawyer and the author of Period Matters, a book about menstruation and how it is perceived across South Asia.  She was once stopped and asked if she was menstruating before entering a temple in India, and told to hide her sanitary pads in a brown paper bag when shopping in a supermarket in Pakistan.  It led her to investigate further the different experiences women have and the different viewpoints of menstruation across the region.

Farah and her sisters also set up a campaign called Panties with Purpose collecting new cotton underpants to send to schoolgirls in Kenya. They set out to collect 4000 pairs but to date has distributed over 70,000!

I spent a wonderful morning with Farah, getting to know her and taking some beautiful photographs. She was also very patient with me, standing in a chilly back ally as we attempted to get shots of her sari blowing in the wind! It was definitely worth it though.

Please read on to hear more from this incredible woman who is putting her time and talent into celebrating the power of femininity.

Thank you Farah for taking the time to answer these questions and for being part of my 40 OVER 40 project.

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

Tell me about your book Period Matters - can you explain the topics you cover and what spurred you on to compile it.  

The idea for this anthology came to me in the summer of 2019 when it occurred to me that the diversity of the experience of menstruation could best be reflected in a book which included art, fiction and non-fiction. 

I decided the book would move away from the conventional to a deeper and more honest cultivation of stories about menstruation. I asked myself: How could the different perspectives be best presented? Who would be the writers and artists to capture the diversity of representations? The answer lay in complete creative liberty. There would be no brief on genre or format, only an invitation to contributors to share their individual stories in their own way.  The book includes poetry, fiction, art and a specially commissioned dance which interprets the menstrual cycle through classical dance moves, which can be viewed through a QR code. The cover is also unusual; it carries a detail from a visual made with the artist’s menstrual blood. 

The anthology highlights over forty different intersectional perspectives to make conversation more inclusive by providing a glimpse into the way menstruation is viewed by people from different genders, backgrounds, religions, cultures and classes. It carries the stories of factory workers in Bangladesh, nuns in Bhutan, students in Afghanistan, policy makers entrepreneurs in India, artists in Pakistan, refugees in Sri Lanka, and activists in Nepal. It highlights the debate around period leave and how digital tracking apps impact users. It also illustrates how menstruation can be a time of creativity, rest and rejuvenation. It tries to be inclusive in depicting how menstruation is experienced by people with disabilities, the trans gender community, those who are homeless and incarcerated.

My decision to focus on South Asia was motivated by two events. The first is when I was stopped and asked if I was menstruating as I was about to enter a Jain temple in India. The second is when I picked up a packet of sanitary pads while shopping at a supermarket in Pakistan and a male shop attendant rushed over and told me to hide them in a brown bag to avoid being humiliated at the checkout counter. I found both incidents disturbing – being questioned about intimate details of my body by a stranger and having my behaviour in a public space controlled because menstruation was associated with shame. I realized once again how much I had taken for granted.

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

Tell us more about Panties with Purpose and how it all started.

In 2011, my two sisters and I started an informal campaign, Panties with Purpose. Our objective was to raise awareness and help 1000 schoolgirls with menstrual products. In those days, the phrase ‘period poverty,’ hadn’t been coined, no one was talking about periods openly. 

We kept our strategy simple: we would ask donors to give us new cotton underpants. We felt that if they had to go out and buy a pair of underpants instead of donating cash, they would be more likely to talk about the issue with friends. Also, as we were not a registered charity, this approach would make it easier for us to manage our operations.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Our plan worked. Within less than two months we had strangers writing to us from over sixty  cities including Mumbai, Copenhagen, Hong Kong and Vancouver saying they were moved by the issue and wanted to support us. We also partnered with local Kenyan artists including Iddi Achieng, and hosted a ‘menstruation awareness’ concert where the entry ticket was a packet of pads or underpants. Our target had been to collect 4,000 pairs of underpants, but we ended up receiving over 40,000.  

Thanks to a donation from Virgin Atlantic and many friends, the underpants were then transported to Kenya. Later, in a school in Kibera, Google sponsored our first-ever event on International Women’s Day in 2011, which included a menstrual health workshop.

Since then, Panties with Purpose has distributed over 70,000 pairs of pants to more than 17,000 girls, and sponsored health education and skills-training workshops across 200 locations in Kenya. We have lobbied for period-friendly schools, workplaces and places of worship. Our advocacy work has extended to the distribution of free period products in schools, supported innovation around developing pads using local materials, as well as the removal of the tampon tax. 

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

What cultural differences are there when it comes to women’s health in South Asia compared to where you live now?  How do you think things can improve?

While compiling Period Matters,  I was intrigued to find how diverse the experience was; in some places there were restrictions, in others it was a time of healing and rest, and in still others, a celebration. I saw how it depended the on context and the identity of the menstruator. While there were political, religious, social, and cultural factors impacting the experience, class, caste, gender and occupation also played a role. 

Some factors are common to all parts of the world: access to a choice of affordable menstrual products, and the continued shame and stigma around the experience. 

I have been thinking about how menstruators navigate different spaces. Do they maintain their menstrual practices when they leave home and move to another country? How does interacting with another context affect their understanding of menstruation? Does it help them shed their shame or heighten it? What is it like for them at home and how is it different at school or work? 

And what about boys and men? When and where do they learn about menstruation? How do they feel about it? How can they be helped to understand it better? How can men help to break the stigma around periods? I wrote an essay for LARB, ‘Men Explain Periods to Me,’ where I shared the different reactions to Period Matters, which I received from men which included: disgust, confusion, anger, fear and death threats. This tells you how limited their understanding is of menstruation, and how alien it feels to them.

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

Through Panties with Purpose and compiling Period Matters, a common theme became apparent. At the core of every narrative about menstruation is a call for a greater dignity and freedom. This means the choice to speak openly or remain silent; to stay in a room or leave; to be admitted to a place of worship and family events. It means choice relating to education, marriage and what to eat. And symbolic of all basic human needs, the right to choice of menstrual products, instead of a soiled rag. 

I am optimistic the book will instigate more menstruation discussions. I hope the radical cover of Period Mattters and other art in the book will motivate other artists to use their creativity for menstrual activism. Environmentally sustainable solutions for menstrual products are much needed today and possibly the efforts made in South Asia, highlighted in Period Matters, will prompt young entrepreneurs. For those who do not menstruate, I hope they become more compassionate. 

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

Are you aware of how women deal with menopause in South Asia?  Things are only really being talked about openly in this country in the last few years - what’s the situation there and do you see if changing? 

Since compiling Period Matters I’ve become more aware of the words and phrases used to describe menstruation and menopause in different languages. Often these are euphemisms, and if they exist at all are loaded with implications. 

For instance, in Bengali, menstruation is referred to as ‘shorir kharap,’ or being unwell. But in Jharkhand, the Santals call it ‘hormo baha,’ or flower of the body.  It is interesting to think about how language alters our experience and perception of menstruation. 

While growing up in Kenya, I don’t recall periods having a specific name. One time I heard my aunt telling my mother, in half-Kiswahili and half-Gujarati, ‘Mgeni aiva che,’ meaning; ‘The visitors are here.’ For many years, I never understood the phrase. It was a coded language shared by women in a world where the word ‘menstruation’ was not acceptable. Similarly, there is no word for menopause in Gujrati, or I haven’t come across it yet. These erasures and silences signal that the subject is still taboo or shameful and there is still widespread ignorance.

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

In the digital world of period tracking apps, we find something sinister going on in relation to language. The words used there, including the persuasive marketing references to managing, controlling, cleanliness, hygiene, and health all point to there being a normative idea of a period, but in fact there is none, because each person has a different body. What eventually happens is that through continuous interactions and engagement with the app, users’ subjectivity is impacted. 

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

cont.. The reactions to the art work in Period Matters have ranged from awe and confusion to shock and rage. Some have vowed never to touch the book – a book with a visual of artwork made of menstrual blood was a step too far. It is telling how the ‘ick’ factor around menstrual blood, even for those who consider themselves broad-minded, is generally a given. Menstrual blood is stigmatised, and this has been accepted as the rule. Women’s reproductive health is woefully understudied and underfunded.  One of the best sources of biological material for studying women’s reproductive health is menstrual blood, but because of its stigma, menstrual blood has rarely been studied in detail. 

The only way to take away the shame around menstruation and menstrual blood is to make the conversations around it commonplace, in the home, at schools, and at workplaces.

Farah AhamedBy Jenny Smith

This project celebrates women over 40 - how have you found this stage in your life so far?  

I suppose you could say it was only in my forties that I found the courage to experiment with new ideas and explore my creativity and decided to try and write full-time. I signed up for courses, joined a writing group and was lucky enough to find a mentor. Since then, I’ve been on a journey with many highs and lows. But the best part is I’m continually learning, and always challenging myself. 

I think if I had not made that shift in my early forties, during my menopause I would have been really, really miserable. With the brain fog and sleeplessness, the thing that kept me going was writing- on many days the blank page was where I felt I had some sort of space and freedom, even though on others, it was torture.

In your fifties, sometimes you imagine you have a slightly better sense of who you are, your place in the world, and what you want to do. On other days, it feels like nothing is clear. But I suppose, hopefully, that means one is evolving, and searching for ways to experience oneself more fully.   

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

If you could go back and give you teenage self some advice what would you say?

My mother died when she was 54, which is how old I will be this year, and so I’ve been thinking a lot about her, and what it must have been like for her to die so young, and how it affected me and the decisions I made because of that. She had a deep faith in a God who was compassionate, and she constantly reminded me of this.  

So, to my younger self, I would give the same reminders, but add, have as much fun as you can, be more daring. Throw caution to the wind. Don’t worry about perfection or failure, because they are meaningless. And be as kind as you can to yourself and others. Because at fifty, it feels like that’s really the only thing that matters.

Farah Ahamedby Jenny Smith

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#15

Emma Kennedy

Author and Screenwriter

Emma Kennedyby Jenny Smith

Author and screen writer Emma Kennedy first came onto my radar many years ago when my sister suggested I read a book called The Tent The Bucket and Me. I couldn't put it down and have read it three times since. Each time I've ended up crying with laughter. It's a story of Emma's disastrous family camping trips growing up in the 70s and I can't recommend it enough.  She has of course written many books since, including a touching tribute to her mum after Emma found years worth of letters in the attic after she passed away. 

Recently Emma has joined an ever increasing list of women, myself included, talking openly and honestly about the menopause and has become a patron of Menopause Mandate, a group of women from all walks of life who are dedicated in revolutionising the help and support that women receive from both the medical world and wider society. Menopause Mandate is chaired by the formidable Mariella Frostrup and other patrons include the likes of Davina McCall, Gabby Logan, and Penny Lancaster to name but a few.

She's taken up LEGO in the last few years (as you do in your 50s) and has a dedicated LEGO den in the garden where she films her YouTube channel Relax With Bricks.  We got some great shots in there surrounded by her numerous builds!  I was especially taken with the Death Star which Emma has customised to include toilets, a creche, and an HR department. I love the way her brain works!

Thank you Emma for agreeing to take part in my 40 OVER 40 project, it was an absolute delight to photograph you.

Emma Kennedyby Jenny Smith

1. Can you tell us about your work with Menopause Mandate and how important that is to you.  Any significant menopausal moments you could share?

I became involved with MM after I went public about the raging heart palpitations and anxiety I had suddenly begun to experience. I was post menopausal - my peri menopause symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats were long gone so it didn’t even occur to me that the palpitations and anxiety had anything to do with menopause. I thought I was out of it. If anything I was a bit smug about it - I’d done it, it was over and I hadn’t needed HRT. After extensive heart investigations, my GP thought to try me on HRT and within 48 hours, the palpitations and anxiety had stopped. I was back to being me. It’s so important that women understand that you can have symptoms beyond peri menopause and that symptoms can make themselves known years after your last period. The work of MM is all about awareness and I’m proud to be a part of that. 

Emma Kennedyby Jenny Smith

2. How did the lego obsession start and how has it helped you personally?

I never played with LEGO as a child. Then one Christmas, about five years ago, my then 7 year old nephew came to me with a LEGO set he’d been given and asked me to help him build it. As I did, something weird happened to my brain and I went into a state of extreme zen. My brain goes at a hundred miles an hour and afterwards, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I’d felt when I built the LEGO. But LEGO is for kids right? And I haven’t got any. But then I saw another author post a picture of a LEGO camper van she’d made. And I thought, oh, adults are allowed to build LEGO so I bought the same set and that was it. It was a gateway drug set. So I started posting super short films on Twitter of builds I was working on and someone asked me to start filming the build in their entirety so that’s when Relax With Bricks began. I love it. It’s such a lovely community of people. 

Emma Kennedyby Jenny Smith

3. This project celebrates women over 40 - any positive key moments for you since turning 40?

I think for me it was realising that I wasn’t that into acting but loved writing. Everyone should pursue a career in an area that brings them the most joy. Your job is probably the most important relationship with yourself that you will have in your lifetime. It’s the thing that provides self worth and purpose. So don’t waste your life in a job you hate. It’s never too late to change. 

Emma Kennedyby Jenny Smith

4. What advice would you give to your teenage self?

You’re gay. And don’t go out with Claudia. 

5. Have you ever come across any hurdles in your career that you can put down to being a woman? 

Yes. I was once told by a BBC radio producer to “shut up, you’re just the girl”. I’ve never forgotten it. 

Emma Kennedyby Jenny Smith

6. Any positive words of wisdom for girls about getting older?

Stop worrying about your weight and concentrate on being healthy and happy. You don’t need to do anything other than walking and weights. Eat plenty of fibre, balance carbs with healthy fats and veg and you can’t go wrong. Consume nuts. Do things you want to do. Go places you want to visit. Life is short. Enjoy it.

Emma Kennedyby Jenny Smit

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#14

Zoe Lyons

Comedian

Zoe Lyonsby Jenny Smith

In an attempt to make my teenage son crack a smile or two, my husband and I booked tickets to see Micky Flanagan at Wembley Arena.  I'd been really busy leading up to this and hadn't realised that there would be a support act on, so when Zoe Lyons appeared on stage we settled in for a bonus half hour or so of comedy.  None of us were familiar with Zoe's work and I didn't hold out much hope of the teenager getting on board, but a few seconds into her routine and all three of us were cracking up.  In fact, at one point the teenager actually wiped tears away from his eyes.  She is hilarious!

She spoke about all kinds of things including her struggles with alopecia (she's an ambassador for Alopecia UK) her midlife crisis and her experience with the menopause.  And as she launched into her final joke (which had my son and I doubled over in hysterics) all I remember thinking was, I need this woman in my project!

I googled her the next day and liked everything I read about her.  Her willingness to speak about her alopecia has helped so many other people going through the same thing and her hilarious take on the menopause and midlife in general is keeping a lot of women in the same boat laughing!

I couldn't believe she answered my instagram message saying she'd love to take part in the 40 Over 40 project. We had a brilliant session down in Hove where she lives, and she was generous enough to allow me to take photographs of her with her wig (Wiggy Stardust) which thankfully she no longer needs to wear. 

Thank you Zoe for being part of this, and for not batting an eyelid when I asked you to squeeze in sideways between two beach huts and strike a post. You're the best.

Zoe Lyonsby Jenny Smith

You’ve been very open talking about your alopecia which will have helped loads of people, do you mind sharing with us the events leading up to it?  Do you have any words of wisdom for other people going through it?

I first had alopecia when I was a kid at about 10 years old. That was triggered by my parents separation and moving away from where we lived in Surrey to Scotland. I found the whole thing really stressful and my hair loss has always been linked to stress. My hair grew back and I only had occasional small patches through my adulthood until this most recent episode where I ended up losing 80% of my hair. Again it was triggered by stress, lots of things, the pandemic and its impact on work, menopause and things that I had been struggling with mentally for years.It was a really tricky few years and I could feel the stress in my body like electricity and I just knew I was going to lose most if not all of my hair. I watched it disappear down the plug hole over the course of about 10 months. I have to admit it was totally devastating at the time. To feel crippled by the depression and then to look in the mirror and to see that I no longer even looked like myself was quite the challenge. Everything felt out of control and so the only thing I could do was attempt to take back some control, to own it and to talk about it. Sharing my experience with alopecia helped me as much as anyone else who felt less alone by my talking about it. Alopecia is an unpredictable condition, it can be very different for everyone so my advice would be to firstly to get a proper diagnosis. I am now an ambassador for Alopecia UK and they are a brilliant charity who have lots of information. It’s more common than most people know so don’t sit in silence, reach out and get some help.

Zoe Lyonsby Jenny Smith

The menopause took me completely by surprise with symptoms I had no idea were anything to do with the menopause.  What was your experience like?  

I joke that my menopause arrived one weekend unexpectedly. I went from being fine to having 30 hot flushes a day. I genuinely thought the heater in my car was broken. I went straight on HRT, I had a big telly job coming up and I thought I cant be bursting into a sweat every few minutes. I take a low dose and it helped right away with the flushes. There are of course all the other symptoms that come along, the brain fog has been pretty bad and then there is the itchy skin and those days of absolutely no energy or motivation. At least we talk about it now, my mothers generation really did have to grin and bare.

Zoe Lyonsby Jenny Smith

Thankfully we see way more female stand-ups now, certainly compared to what I saw growing up.  What’s your experience been like being a woman on the comedy circuit?  Has it changed much since you started in terms of women in comedy?   

It was quite hard when I first started on the circuit. There was still very much the mentality that women couldn’t do stand up, that women weren’t funny. I was often introduced on stage as if I was a speciality act. What made the experience more difficult was that promotors only ever put one woman on the bill. You were always the odd one out and as a result the audience saw you like that too. Thankfully the circuit is a very different place these days. There are so many fantastic women on the circuit and there is so much more diversity in comedy.

Zoe Lyonsby Jenny Smith

This project is celebrating women in midlife and beyond - what positives are there for you being the age we are now compared to when we were younger?

I’m 51 now and I am only just beginning to feel like I properly fit my skin. I see my break down during the pandemic as a bit of a gift now. It has allowed me to reconnect with myself and change behaviours/ thought patterns that I had carried through the first part of my life that just weren’t doing me any good. I am very happy to be this age, I am very happy to be here and I am very happy with my new, now curly, hair! I’m excited for the future may hold.

Zoe Lyonsby Jenny Smith

My podcast welcomes hormonal anecdotes from women (menopausal meltdowns, hot flushes, PMT, etc), do you have anything you’d like to share? 

Women need to keep exercising into menopause to stay strong and there is now lots of research that shows that lifting weights is good for us as we age. I started doing CrossFit a few years ago and I really love it. I have found though that my hormonal clumsiness can get quite bad. My coordination is all over the place so this week at the gym I managed to smack myself in the face while attempting a clean and jerk. It made a proper clanking sound, I was so embarrassed and I woke the next day with a real shiner. I am weirdly proud of it. I’m keeping fit but you need to give me a wide berth as my movements are largely unpredictable. 

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Don’t sweat the small stuff and it's mostly small stuff. 

Zoe Lyonsby Jenny Smit

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#13

Kate Muir

Journalist and TV Producer

Kate Muir 29 copy 2

I am so excited to introduce you to the next woman in my 40 OVER 40 project.  This is Kate Muir.  She's a journalist, documentary maker and author and is on a mission to educate anyone who will listen about women's health.  

If you watched the ground breaking documentaries with Davina McCall about the menopause and contraceptive pill then this is the woman you have to thank for it.  She'd never even made a documentary before but was so spurred on by the complete lack of reliable information out there that she decided to take matters into her own hands.  She and Davina have played a significant role in the huge increase in women taking HRT, medication that has personally saved my sanity and quite possibly my marriage.  What a woman.

Her book, Everything You Need to Know About the Menopause (but were too afraid to ask) is out now in paperback and she has a new book all about the contraceptive pill coming soon. 

Read on to find out more about Kate and see the photographs I took during our wonderful session together, including one of her gorgeous dog, Skye!

Thank you Kate for being part of this project.

Kate Muir by Jenny Smith

Can you tell me how the menopause documentary came about?  What was your own experience like?

The documentary came out of my own peri/menopause disaster eight years ago, which was not just a car crash but a full Thelma and Louise off-the-cliff experience. In particular, I had no idea that 1) not remembering ordinary nouns and 2) having heart palpitations and anxiety attacks at 4am could be cured almost instantly by taking hormone replacement therapy. There was very little information out there then, and nothing on the safer profile of body-identical transdermal HRT, plus the mental health aspect of menopause just wasn’t talked about enough. So I decided to make a documentary, never having made one before. We got turned down twice by broadcasters and third time lucky, Channel 4 came on board. After the production crashed in lockdown, I asked Davina McCall if she wanted to present. We had an hour-long conversation about both our menopause experiences while she was driving home, and by the time she parked, she said: “Yes. I’ll do it!”. We made two documentaries, and since the first one came out in 2021, a million more women have gone on HRT in the UK, not just due to us, but a massive, rising menopause movement.

Kate Muirby Jenny Smith

Are there any stories from other women that stand out in your mind since researching the menopause?

The first story I heard, which made me make the documentary, was from Dr Louise Newson – who was sorting out my HRT – and she told me about one of her patients, a nursery school teacher, who was diagnosed with “treatment-resistant” depression in her forties. The teacher also had symptoms like vaginal dryness and urinary tract infections, but those weren’t picked up. She was given various anti-depressants for a year, and when that failed she was diagnosed by a locum as bi-polar and sent as an outpatient to a mental hospital where she was given 12 sessions of Electroconvulsive Therapy, ECT, on her brain. Afterwards, she became completely agraphobic and couldn’t leave the house. After seven years of struggling, she Googled hormones and depression, bought a motorhome so her husband could drive her safely to see Dr Newson, and got HRT. A week later, her hormonal depression started to lift and she walked her dog for the first time in years. I was horrified at the lack of knowledge around hormonal depression, and I decided to write a book too.

Kate Muirby Jenny Smith

What menopause myths have you heard?

That “menopause is a transition that goes away”, when in fact your hormones never come back and your body remains depleted forever, unless you use HRT. Even if you don’t want to use HRT or can’t because of an underlying condition, this massive change needs some extra care, with improved nutrition and exercise. Herbs will never take the place of hormones. 

“HRT causes breast cancer” – there is a small increase in breast cancer risk on the old oral HRT made with synthetic progestins, but NO increased risk of breast cancer has been shown with the new body-identical estrogen and micronised progesterone. 

What words of wisdom do you have for other women entering their menopausal years?

Get wise. Don’t trust the headlines. Go to trusted sources backed by the latest science like the free Balance menopause app or website. And once you’re sorted, remember that menopause is about metamorphosis, not misery. I used to feel like a clapped-out banger when I was in perimenopause, and now I’m on body-identical HRT (estrogen, progesterone and the hormone women make most of, testosterone) I feel like a Tesla – level every day and full of energy. 

The new documentary and book focuses on the pill - what surprised you the most when researching this topic?  What advice do you have for women and girls thinking about going on the pill.

Again, the mental health aspect around the contraceptive pill – so many women just putting up with “feeling a bit flat” or real depression. We did a poll of 4,000 women and non-binary people which showed that 57% were worried about their mental health on hormonal contraception. What women need to know is that each pill type affects every woman very differently, and each synthetic progestin in the pill has different effects, so swapping over is really worthwhile – or trying a coil if the pill doesn’t agree with you. I’ll be explaining that in detail in the book. Don’t just keep calm and carry on. Also, The Lowdown is a brilliant contraceptive review website.

Kate Muir by Jenny Smith

During our session you told me about a injection for men’s contraception that is being trialed, can you tell us more about that?

It’s basically a temporary, reversible vasectomy. They inject some “Vasalgel” gel into your vas deferens – the tube from the testes – and it hardens and blocks sperm but not liquid. When you want to be fertile again, the gel can be dissolved. It’s in human trials in Australia and going before the Food and Drugs Administration for further trials in America. It will be a chance to share the contraceptive burden.

What more do you think needs to be done in terms of menopause awareness?

Doctors and medical students need better education, and women need to be aware that body-identical HRT has a long-term protective effect on their bodies, far beyond just stopping menopause symptoms. It helps prevent osteoporosis, which one in two women get over 50. It lowers the risk of cardio-vascular disease, colon cancer, joint pain, Type 2 diabetes and dementia. A recent study in the British Medical Journal linking HRT and dementia in Denmark was mis-reported in the press – the study was on the old oral HRT with synthetic progestins and not the new, safer body-identical kind. Such an important distinction.

Kate Muirby Jenny Smith

Personally I’ve never felt better since turning 50, what positives are there for you in terms of mid-life?

I don’t care what anyone thinks of me, and I’m on a crusade to change women’s knowledge around their own bodies and hormones, be they on HRT or the contraceptive pill. Also, I’m having a fantastic time with a new partner and a new career. 

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

Be honest, not polite, when it really matters.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Get a dog

Kate Muir by Jenny Smith

Thank you so much Kate for being part of my 40 OVER 40 project.

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#12

Dr Shahzadi Harper

Menopause and Women's Health Doctor

Dr Shahzadi Harperby Jenny Smith

This project is all about celebrating women from all walks of life doing wonderful things in mid-life and beyond.  After experiencing quite a rough time when my perimenopausal symptoms started, I am naturally drawn to the women out there who are banging the drum for greater menopause awareness, and Dr Shahzadi Harper is one such women. In fact, she's probably been on the campaign trail longer than anyone and has helped countless women navigate their way through what can be a really frightening time.  

Shahzadi is from working class Pakistani heritage and is passionate about making sure women from all cultures are getting the right information.  Studies on the menopause have predominantly been done on white women but it's important to note that women from certain cultures can present with different symptoms.  She explained to me that women from the Indian subcontinent, for example, tend to present with vaginal dryness, body pain and fatigue.  Japanese and Chinese women tend to present with shoulder stiffness and chills rather than hot flushes.  The menopause is much more of a sensitive subject in these cultures too which means less women coming forward to seek help.  Shahzadi says it's absolutely vital that doctors understand this too.  

When I arrived to take her photographs, Shahzadi was still in her (rather beautiful) robe. She looked so stunning in fact, that I asked if she'd consider leaving it on for the session. I'm so pleased she said yes as I feel these photos show a wonderful relaxed side to her character.  What a beautiful woman on the inside and out.

Thank you Shahzadi for being one of my 40 and fo answering these questions.

In your experience, what are some of the biggest differences/challenges ethnically and culturally when it comes to the menopause?

The biggest challenge is firstly the awareness or lack of awareness around it and then the stigma. The hush hushness especially in some cultures where the value of a woman is based on her fertility. 

The word menopause needs to just be normalised so when women of whatever social class and ethnic heritage hear it they know what it is and know they can seek help. I worry so many women are suffering unnecessarily because they don’t understand what’s happening to their bodies and are fearful of asking or seeking help.

Dr Shahzadi Harperby Jenny Smith

You must hear all kinds of horror stories form women suffering the affects of menopause and not feeling supported or understood - any that you can share that might help other women reading this?

The number of stories I have of women who have just been putting up with symptoms and then finally come and see me and start treatment is huge. They are always so pleasantly surprised at how much better they feel once they're on the right treatment.  They so often regret wasting the last few years; I hear women saying I must’ve been miserable for the last five years, I think I must’ve been angry for the last five years, I feel like I’ve missed out and lost years with my children, my children used to say I’m not fun anymore.

I’ve had a situation whereby one woman was fired, because she could not remember the information that she was meant to present, and as she was in her probationary period she was let go. I’ve had another woman say I wish I’d come to you five years ago, because then I wouldn’t have left my job and currently I’m working for the woman that I trained.

Dr Shahzadi Harperby Jenny Smith

In your capacity as a women’s health doctor you are helping so many women get through the often debilitating symptoms of the menopause. But what has your own menopause been like and how has it been being a single mum through this time?

My own personal perimenopause journey, has been up and down - filled with loss of my father and a break up - I have experienced fatigue, which I mistook for depression alongside anxiety and brain fog. The brain fog frightens me as my mother develop dementia under the age of 60. I was really keen to start HRT sooner rather than later. Also, I couldn’t afford to lose my memory, literally as I am the breadwinner in my family because it’s only me and my daughter. So if I can’t work then, I lose financial freedom so managing my payment for sooner rather than later before falling off the cliff of menopause was really important to me. Also being single, I didn’t want to fade into the background. I felt I had a lot more living to do, which I do now.

What more still needs to be done to support women in the menopause?

Menopause Needs to be part of everyday language.  Start from school so it’s normalised. At school we get taught about puberty, pregnancy but also we should be taught about menopause. It is a natural stage of life and also something every woman will go through, and everyone of us will know one woman or another, so we should have an understanding.

Once we have children growing up, normalising menopause then hopefully we will lose some of the negative narratives of itchy, bitchy, sweaty women who are past it! 

Dr Shahzadi Harperby Jenny Smith

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Believe in yourself!

The Me Too campaign rocked every industry. What has your experience been of this as a woman in medicine?  How if at all have things changed since you first started out?

It’s helped to highlight and call out the sexism and harassment women get day in day out including in the medical profession. I think it’s been a really positive movement and made men stop and think - we women are equals! 

Dr Shahzadi Harperby Jenny Smith Photography

So many women worry about looking older - far more than men do.  What are your thoughts on the ageing process?

I think it’s natural for women to feel fearful- society is still very much looks based. I’m not anti ageing, but it can be hard - seeing the physical changes. Women are still very much judged on how they look - we live in a very visual society and ageing women are seen very differently to ageing men.  Personally what I’m afraid of is loss of health and mobility and mental capacity. 

Anything else you would like to share

Don’t let age or stereotypes hold you back!

Thank you so much Shahzadi for being part of my 40 OVER 40 project.

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#11

Ngozi Fulani

Founder and CEO of Sistah Space

Ngozi Fulaniby Jenny Smith

Introducing the wonderful change maker Ngozi Fulani.

Back in 2020 in the midst of lockdown I launched a project called Front Door Photo to raise money for victims of domestic violence.  The topic has always been close to my heart ever since a friend took her own life following years of domestic abuse.  As a result I have always kept a keen eye on the charities out there doing their bit to help women and children escape such horrors.  This is where I first came across Ngozi Fulani and her charity Sistah Space who support victims of domestic abuse in the African and Caribbean community in the UK.

A shocking 86% of African and/or Caribbean heritage women living in the UK have either been a victim of domestic abuse or know a family member who has been assaulted. And yet there is no dedicated refuge for these women to go where their cultural differences will be recognised. Ngozi and Sistah Space are fundraising to correct this and you can donate to that campaign HERE. 

I am so delighted that Ngozi agreed to be part of my 40 OVER 40 project. Please read what she has to say about her charity and what more needs to be done to support these women fleeing terrifying situations in their own homes. 

Thank you Ngozi.

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#10

Sue Kent

TV Presenter, Gardener and Public Speaker

Sue Kentby Jenny Smith

Introducing the formidable, joyous and all round amazing human, Sue Kent.  Sue is a recent addition to the Gardeners World line up having made her debut during the pandemic when viewers were asked to send in footage of their garden. She was an instant hit and has been a regular ever since.  

Sue has an upper limb disability due to the Thalidomide scandal in the 1950s and 60s where hundreds of babies were born with limb defects after their mothers were prescribed the drug to help with morning sickness.  However, her disability has not prevented Sue from absolutely thriving both in her career and personal life.  She worked as a massage therapist for many years after devising a  unique treatment using her feet, is a passionate gardener and is now enjoying a brand new career on the telly.  She's happily married and has four beautiful grandchildren. I hope I look this good when I'm a grandma!

She was recently asked to design a garden for Hampton Court Palace where she won a silver-gilt medal for her beautiful and accessible design, using planting that could be touched and tended to with her feet and one that didn't require any heavy gardening tools.  She is passionate about making gardening accessible to all and is a firm believer in the health benefits of the great outdoors.  You'll find her most days swimming in the sea near her home in South Wales. 

I'm so pleased that Sue agreed to being part of my 40 OVER 40 project.  Her zest for life is contagious and her can-do attitude is a lesson to us all.  

Sue Kent by Jenny Smith

How does it feel now that your career has taken off in an unexpected direction with Gardeners World? How did that job come about?

I’ve got my job at BBC Gardeners World when, during the lockdown, the program asked for viewers to send in a film of their own garden. I sent in a short video about my vegetable garden and it went from there.

I am hugely enjoying learning new skills, meeting new people and broadening my gardening knowledge.  

You were kind enough to share a poem that you’ve written about your mother and your disability - can you tell me more about the background to that poem? What is your relationship like now with your disability compared to growing up?

The tragedy of Thalidomide affected well over 500 children in the UK. I was born with 8 inch arms and seven fingers.  Our physical differences were a shock to society and people shied away from us. Going out in public, our parents often had to deal with negative personal comments about the children they loved.. The general attitude among those trying to guide and support at that time was to try and hide the disability and make us look as normal as possible to fit in. My mother loved shopping for clothes with me and always encouraged me to wear sleeves as my arms were unattractive. She wanted me to make the best impression and thereby increase my opportunities.

I still feel my arms are the least attractive part of me but when it gets hot,  practicality wins out, and I now will wear a sleeveless dress.

Sue's Poem:

New Dress

My mum would always tell me

to hide my arms

their ugly charms

they would offend

the world would end

She is dead now

I bought a new dress

completely sleeveless

No one's confessed

they are under impressed

I don't care if they are

it's cooler by far

Sue Kent by Jenny Smith

What do you know now that you wish you could tell your younger self?

The good people in the world have open minds and true hearts.

Has being a grandma changed you or your outlook on life in any way?

Becoming a grandma has been quite difficult. I am able to give very little practical help when my grandchildren are at the baby stage. I feel inadequate, something I hate. It’s the same feeling when I could not nurse my parents at the end of their lives. It’s the one thing that makes me feel a victim; it’s the one thing that makes me feel sorry for myself.   The men who made and marketed Thalidomide, when they knew it was dangerous, are dead and were not held to account. The recent Sackler opioid scandal illustrates again the true cost of medical corruption. 

How have public perceptions changed in your lifetime towards people with disabilities?  

It’s a slow process. The Disability Discrimination Act had to force people to change. Finally the media is starting to reflect the diverse society we live in. This does help to educate and promote understanding and change attitudes.  

What more can be done to help in this area?

More needs to be done in education, planning and design to enable the fostering and promotion of talent and ability for people with disabilities. Being allowed to make a contribution to public life may further alter public perceptions. There is still a long way to go.

Sue Kentby Jenny Smith

How do you feel about the ageing process?  

I do hate looking in the mirror and seeing my skin falling off my face and gathering at the bottom around my jawline. Apart from that visual, the lack of energy sometimes, and the insomnia,  I like the changes that age brings.  At around 50 I watched a film called Advanced Style, it made me realise I have a choice as to how I live,  there is a lot of potential in life after 50 and  I am open to the possibilities that it has to offer, it’s all very exciting.

What’s the best thing about being older?  

Nowadays the news presents everything as a crisis, it's a very blame culture. This is not for me and I realise I can disengage and life still goes on.

My podcast allows women to share stories about things they may have said or done when their hormones have been in play, such as the menopause. How did you find this time in your life? Any stories you can share?

None. Menopause is another phase of life. I’m not interested in putting it off with drugs. I changed my diet and my exercise routine and worked my way through it. Not having to deal with periods was such a plus everything else was comparatively a walk in the park, as long as I can remember where I put my glasses...

  Sue Kentby Jenny Smith

Tell us about the therapy you devised using your feet.

I wanted to work practically and 15 years ago I developed a technique massaging with feet, I became the first person in the country if not the world to get a sports massage diploma using feet and I really enjoyed my 15 year career being able to help people. One of the highlights was working as a volunteer at the medical centre in the Paralympics village in 2012.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Helping people to reach their potential is the way forward.

A great friend of mine with similar disabilities once told me, as I was moaning that I couldn’t surf with my son, “concentrate on what you can do not on what you can’t”.  The best advice.

Sue Kentby Jenny Smith

Thank you Sue for being part of this project, you're an inspiration!

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#9

Tracy Brabin

Mayor of West Yorkshire

Tracy BrabinBy Jenny Smith

This is Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire.  And what a woman she is too.

I've had the pleasure of knowing Tracy for many years now and she was one of the first women I considered when I had the idea for this project - she was also the first one that I photographed.  She's been the Mayor of West Yorkshire since 2021 but before she that was elected Labour MP for Batley and Spen following the harrowing murder of her predecessor, Jo Cox. One of the things I especially admire is that the safety of women and girls is high on Tracy's political agenda.  She's spoken openly and honestly about an attempted rape by a complete stranger that she endured at university and this has been the driving force behind her commitment to improve the safety of all women and girls.  

Before entering politics Tracy was a TV writer and actress, staring as Tricia Armstrong in Coronation Street for many years. But like so many women featured in this project, Tracy had a complete career change later in life and has never looked back.  She was 55 when she became an MP and 60 when she won the race for mayor (I know, it's impossible to believe that she's anywhere near that age) and is one of the most positive and inspiring humans on the planet.

I happened to be in Leeds one day for work and asked if I could pop in and take some shots of her whilst I was there. As you can imagine, being the Mayor of West Yorkshire keeps you pretty busy and Tracy could only spare a matter of minutes for the photos. I'm so delighted with what we managed to get in such a short amount of time, she's a complete natural in front of the camera.

Thanks Tracy for being part of this campaign and for proving to us all that anything is possible at any time in our lives.

Tell us why you decided to make the leap from acting to politics.

It wasn’t a decision I was expecting to take. I’d been campaigning with the brilliant Labour candidate Jo Cox and got to know her. After she was killed we were all in shock and at the funeral I said to one of her friends ‘what can I do?’ and she said ‘ do you want to be an MP?’ and it suddenly fell into place that this was something I should do. Batley and Spen is where I was born and raised and this outrageous act could not be allowed to divide us. Her killer took so much; we needed to stand tall to call it out 

Tracy Brabin by Jenny SmithTracy Brabin by Jenny Smith

As a women who changed careers after the age of 40, can you give any advice to others wanting to do the same? 

The things you regret in life are the things you don’t do. If the door is open walk through it.

In lockdown I raised over £21,000 for for domestic violence charity, Refuge, by photographing people at their front doors. You very kindly took part in that.  I know that the safety of women and girls is a big issue for you having spoken openly about a harrowing attack you suffered in your 20s. What can you tell us about your plans in this area?

We've brought in significant levels of extra funding and have launched new campaigns and initiatives. I pledged to put ‘keeping women and girls safe’ at the heart of my police and crime plan and I have done so. It features as a cross cutting theme in everything we do.  Since becoming Mayor I have directed significant resources towards this issue with millions in additional funding coming into West Yorkshire to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence. Significantly, I have worked with West Yorkshire Police to recognise misogyny within hate crime reporting. Although it is not yet legally classed as a crime, this approach enables us to monitor trends and inform our response.  

We were also successful with a bid for £655,000 in funding from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund to promote the safety and use of parks by women and girls. Likewise, we have worked with Higher Education / Further Education establishments to support women’s safety and generate behaviour change in men. I also launched a stalking awareness campaign with West Yorkshire Police and local safeguarding partners. This aims to raise awareness of what stalking is, that it is a crime, and how those affected can seek help and support.  Many grant bids to my ‘Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund’ have also focused upon Safety for Women and Girls. This takes ill-gotten gains from criminals and diverts it to our local communities, on focused themes.  In recent weeks, I’ve hosted an event to progress the West Yorkshire Safety of Women and Girls Strategy. This follows substantial consultation with members of the public and partners.

Tracy Brabin by Jenny SmithTracy with her family taking part in the Front Door Photo project which raised money for domestic violence charity, Refuge.

You made the headlines after the strap of your dress fell over your shoulder in the House of Commons.  How did that make you feel? 

I received a barrage of tweets calling me a slag, hungover, a tart, about to breastfeed, a slapper, a drunk and that it looked like I'd been taken from behind over a wheelie bin.  The fact is I leaned on the dispatch box due to a broken ankle and the strap slipped off my shoulder.  I was proud that I was able to turn around an horrific situation to do good. We auctioned that dress and raised £20,000 which benefitted the Girl Guides and the work they do giving young women confidence in their bodies.  

Tracy Brabinby Jenny Smith

What has been your greatest achievement at work?

There is more to come but reducing bus fares to £2 was a recent highlight.

As a woman how have you found the political arena and has your age helped in this?  

Yes. I'm wiser and less hung up about what people think about me.

The menopause is a huge issue for so many women who struggle with symptoms and most companies still don’t acknowledge this.  Is there more that politicians should be doing to address this?

No doubt about it and I celebrate all the recent campaigning on this. We are still capable people as we go through the menopause and companies must acknowledge the challenges we face.

I do a podcast where women fess up to some of the things they might have said or done whilst feeling hormonal. Anything you’d like to share?

I was furious for about two years and didn’t care less what people thought!

Tracy BrabinBy Jenny Smith

I bumped into you one day during covid and you were sitting with your daughter making a list of things to be thankful for. It’s really stuck with me. Do you do this often and what other things do you find helps to put things into perspective?

Not that often but I’ve always said a moment for gratitude before bed is helpful for wellbeing. With so much pain across the world we have so much to be grateful for.

What piece of advice would you give your younger self?

Your class and lived experience is your super power.

So many women are worried about the ageing process. How do you feel about it? 

I’ve grown into my skin and I'm just grateful my body works as well as it does because I know it won't always be like this. 

What empowers you?

A sense of fairness. 

Thank you Tracy for being one of my 40!

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#8

Liz O'Riordan

Liz O'Riordan 09

Just look at this woman! As a photographer, when someone pulls an outfit like this out of the wardrobe, you just know you're in for a good session.  Oh, and she makes her own clothes too!

I first came across Liz O'Riordan when my friend, a breast cancer thriver, told me how much Liz's instagram feed had helped her through her diagnosis and treatment.  When I started reading more about Liz, I realised that she represents everything this project all about. Women over 40 absolutely smashing it no matter what. 

Liz was a breast cancer surgeon who, in 2015, was diagnosed with breast cancer herself.  Gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed as well as a mastectomy and implant reconstruction.  The treatment plunged her into an instant menopause. For the next 3 years, whilst still working as a breast cancer surgeon, Liz threw herself into exercise and even did a small triathlon half way through chemo!  

During this time she did a Tedx talk about what it's like being on the other side of the operating table and has since then has dedicated her life to improving the quality of cancer care.  

In 2018 her cancer came back forcing her to leave the job that she loved. But this hasn't stopped her banging the drum for better cancer care, speaking openly and honestly about everything she's faced helping thousands of other women along the way. Her instagram feed is full of honest conversation and advice about breast cancer, the menopause and her struggles with depression.  

She is an avid cyclist, has done a half ironman, fundraised for Breast Cancer Care and is an ambassador for Working with Cancer.  Oh and she's just written a book which you can pre-order here.  She's a machine and I'm over the moon that she agreed to be part of this project.

Thank you Liz.

You are an inspiration to so many women with your open and honest approach and I know your instagram feed helps so many others going through cancer treatment. But where do YOU get your strength from? Who or what helps you?

That’s a tough one! I have no idea where the inner strength has come from that has enabled me to cope with everything life has thrown at me. Looking back, I had no choice but to cope, but now, talking and writing about it – I can see that I’m a much stronger person than I ever was. I guess it all comes down to my desire to help people. I couldn’t do what I do without my husband behind me. He’s been with me every step of the way, and although we still drive each other mad at times, that love and support gives me the courage to do what I do. 

Liz O'Riordan 43

Age is a privilege of course and this is never more true than to someone who has undergone cancer treatment, but have you ever had any anxiety over the ageing process and pressure to look a certain way as a woman?  

Definitely. I think it started back in school when I was one of the last in the class to develop breasts. That fear of being left behind and looking different from your peers was awful. I spent most of my twenties with my head in a glossy magazine, beating myself up because I didn’t look like the models on the page – forgetting that I was working 100 hour weeks training to be a surgeon. After finishing treatment for breast cancer I had to reinvent myself in my 40s. My long hair was now a grey frizzy crop, I had a hard implant for a breast, my eyebrows had forgotten where they were meant to grow and I had no idea what to wear without looking like my niece or my mum. I also had to find a new colour palette as the grey hair changed my complexion and all my dark red lipsticks looked awful. Now I think that style is something that grows on you. I buy (and make) what I want and ignore what the latest fashion trends are. 

We often get asked through our podcast about menopausal treatment for women who have had breast cancer.  Can you give any advice on what has worked for you?

The menopause is worse after cancer treatment as it’s instant, and often many years before the natural time. I woke up thinking I’d wet myself when in fact it was a night sweat. His and Hers duvets are essential, especially in the summer, so I can throw the covers off without freezing my husband. Preservative free lubricants like Yes and Sutil are a must, along with vaginal oestrogen – which does not increase the risk of recurrence. I use an antidepressant called Citalopram which works to reduce hot flushes. And the basics – exercise and getting a good night’s sleep.

Liz O'Riordan 50

If you could go back and give your teenage self some advice, what would you say?

I don’t think I would listen to anything I’d have to say – but it would be this – You are stronger than you know. Keep believing in your dreams.

Your diagnosis took you in a totally unexpected direction, forcing you to change your life and career.  What advice would you give to other women who are suddenly faced with life changing situations outside of their control?

Give yourself time for the reality to sink in, and grieve for what you have lost. 

Be practical – write down all your responsibilities  - financial, family etc. That helped me to see how much money I needed to earn when deciding what to do next. Try not to make any rash decisions in the impulse of the moment. I have a notebook I write all my thoughts and ideas down in so I can come back to them later when I’m feeling more rational. 

It may feel like the end of the world, but it’s not. I read a great book that said – think of any stressful situation as a plot twist in the story of your life. No-one knows what the ending is yet. It’s up to you. 

Liz O'Riordan 18

So many women seem to dread turning 40, dread the menopause and dread looking old (thanks to a lifetime of being told we need to look and act a certain way).  What are your thoughts on that?

Turning forty was mentally hard – especially as my brother sent me a card congratulating me for being halfway to eighty… But I actually  had a great year. I was the fittest I’d ever been after cycling up the Stelvio in Italy. I’d worked out what my work uniform was (maxi dresses and heels), I had a few very close friends and thought I was finally ready to be an adult. 

And then I got cancer and my life was thrown upside down. Now I find it hard to believe I’m nearly fifty. What does fifty look like in the mirror anyway? It’s so refreshing to see social media filling up with photos and articles of stylish, older women who are having fun with how they look and enjoying getting older (dis)gracefully. And now I’m grateful for every year that I have. 

Liz O'Riordan 37

Final words of advice?

Wear the shoes. Wear the jewellery. Don’t save your clothes for special occasions.  Make every day special. 

Thank you Liz!

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#7

Diane Danzebrink

Diane Danzebrinkby Jenny Smith

Let me introduce you to Diane Danzebrink, a woman on a mission to help women understand and manage their menopause in an affordable and accessible way after suffering a terrible time with it herself.  

I spent a lovely morning with Diane, chatting about her wonderful business and the Make Menopause Matter campaign, which she spearheaded, and has helped to get the menopause on the political agenda. She's an absolute powerhouse and I drove home feeling utterly inspired.  When I first had the idea to do the 40 OVER 40 project, I scribbled down a few key names that I wanted to feature and Diane was of course one of them.  

Whilst this project is celebrating incredible women from all walks of life who have done all kinds of wonderful things, menopause awareness is going to feature quite heavily and this is largely down to my own horrendous experience when the menopause hit.  I really want to do my own bit in raising awareness so that other women don't suffer like I did (it's also the reason for starting my podcast) and in this way Diane and I share the same goal. It's just that she's managed to do it on a national scale!  

As if that wasn't reason enough to love her, she also rescues dogs and currently looks after two adorable Jack Russells by the names of Kevin and Poppy.  I know it's not nice to have favourites, but if there had been a way to sneak Kevin out in my bag then I would have done so.

Here Diane answers a few questions and offers up some words of wisdom. Thanks again Diane for being part of my 40 OVER 40 campaign. 

What led you to setting up your community interest company Menopause Support and can you explain a bit more about the Make Menopause Matter campaign?

Surgical menopause hit me like a ton of bricks and had a significant effect on my mental health which led me to a very dark place in my life. That happened because I wasn’t given the right information about menopause before or after my surgery. I was very fortunate to have a supportive husband, who got me the help that I needed at crisis point, and the ability to seek private medical care when I needed it. Once I started to feel better, initially I was relieved, but that was replaced by anger and frustration when I realised just how many other women were suffering in silence due to a lack of menopause education and information for healthcare professionals and the public. What happened to those who didn't have support or the option to seek private care? I remember telling my husband how ridiculous the situation was and promised myself that if I ever felt like me again I would make damn sure that I did something to change it. 

I set up Menopause Support to offer free support and guidance via our online community group, which now supports around 27,000 women and free information resources via our website. We offer a more affordable private 1-1 consultation option with concessions for anyone experiencing financial hardship. These can include a letter to the doctor to support the patient's choice if required. We now also offer educational presentations and webinars for the workplace too. 

The #MakeMenopauseMatter campaign was started out of frustration. I was so frustrated hearing about awful experiences from women who were struggling due to a lack of information, education, care and support that I decided we needed a national campaign. The campaign has 3 very clear aims. 

1. To have mandatory menopause education for all GPs and medical students. 

2. To have menopause guidance and support in every workplace.

3. For menopause to be included in the RSE curriculum in schools. 

I am delighted to say that we now have over 170,000 signatures on the petition and menopause is the focus of a government taskforce. We have already acheived having menopause added to the school curriculum in England but there is still so much work to do.  

Diane Danzebrinkby Jenny Smith

Many women are sceptical/wary about taking HRT still, what more can be done to change perceptions?

One of the things that I have called for many times is a government funded public health campaign dedicated to menopause which would include awareness being raised via the media, on the sides of buses and on tubes and trains plus information being sent to everybody who will expereince menopause before it comes along. There would also be information booklets in GP practices and other healthcare settings. Having up to date factual, evidence based information would help to address the misinformation and myths that have grown up about menopause and HRT. 

What has the menopause meant to you?

Menopause has meant a complete transformation of my life, from the pits of despair to becoming a passionate activist, campaigner, speaker and educator who will not be satisfied until good quality menopause care is available to all at the point of need without having to pay privately for it. My menopause expereince has prompted me to use my voice to call for much needed change where it is so obviously needed and to encourage others to do the same. 

How do you feel about getting older?

It might sound trite but I think it's a privilege to get older as it is denied to many. Getting older has made me value my time and be more selective about what I do with it and who I spend it with. I am now the most confident that I have ever been, I could never have imagined standing up in front of a room full of people or speaking publicly on TV but I have developed new found courage of my own convictions and value the wisdom of my experiences more than I ever have. Getting older has also taught me the very valuable power of the word no, often accompanied by thankyou, as a complete sentence.  

Diane Danzebrinkby Jenny Smith

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

It's ok to be you, don't compare yourself to others, we are all unique, celebrate that. You can make a difference in the world.         

What menopause myths have you heard?

Probably too many to mention but the most common are; 

You are too young for menopause, if under the age of about 50 

It can't be menopause, you are still having periods

It can't be menopause if you are not having hot flushes 

You can't have HRT until your periods have stopped

All incorrect.

Any words of wisdom for other women our age nervous about entering their menopausal years?

Do your homework, learn as much as you can about menopause before it comes along. This will help to demystify menopause and will allow you to make informed decisions about your own menopause transition and long term health and wellbeing. 

Talk about it with anyone who will listen. Educate your family, friends, colleagues etc, the more we share the more understanding we help to create.  

Be kind to yourself. We often spend our lives focusing on others at the detriment of our own wellbeing, menopause is a time when your body is calling you to be kinder to yourself, don't ignore the call, it will only get louder.    

Anything else you would like to say about the joys of being over 40?

Absolutely, menopause has been, and to some extent continues to be, surrounded by a negative narative. When you are struggling to get the right help and support that is completely understandable however, it can also be a time of opportunity. If somebody had used the word opportunity to me at the bottom of my menopausal pit I would probably have punched them, if I could have found the energy, but I promise that with the right education, information, guidance and support an opportunity is exactly what it is. There is an opportunity to pause and reflect, to consider how we are looking after ourselves and to consider the future and what you want it to be. It might be a time to reconnect with things you used to love to do but have not had time for or it might be a time for new passions and purpose, you might even find yourself leading a national campaign!  

My podcast, Dear Hormones, shares stories from women fessing up to things they may have said or done in the name of hormones. Anything you’d like to share??

As an example of just how wildly my mood could swing I clearly remember asking my husband if he would like a slice of the birthday cake that I had proudly baked for him (I am not a regular cook) As I took the cake out of the fridge the plate slipped out of my hand and crashed to the floor smashing it and the beautiful birthday cake into many pieces. I am not proud to say that I screamed the house down. Completely out of character for me and a clear indication of just how irrational I could be at the flick of a switch. I am pleased to say that normal service has since resumed!  

Thank you Diane for everything you're doing to support women in perimenopause and menopause, and for doing it all with a sense of humour.  You are an inspiration, proof that being 'of a certain age' is a privilege and an opportunity.  My kind of woman!  Please check out her website here.

Diane Danzebrinkby Jenny Smith

I think it's fair to say that our hormones have affected us all at some time in our lives be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  If that's you then check out my podcast, Dear Hormones, hopefully it'll make you smile. You can listen to it here.
 

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#6

Jennifer Kennedy - Menopause Blogger

JPS_1077

It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to one of the nicest, game for a laugh women I've ever met.  This is Jennifer Kennedy who writes a hugely popular and hilarious blog all about midlife and the menopause.  But why is she ready for a bracing swim I hear you cry?  

Well, I first stumbled across Jennifer when one of her blog posts about the trials and tribulations of open water swimming popped up on my Facebook feed and I couldn't stop laughing.  The post has since been shared thousands of times.  It was so funny in fact, that I messaged Jennifer and asked if I could feature it on my Dear Hormones podcast and also to see if she'd be willing to be one of my 40.    SHE SAID YES TO  BOTH!  I then tentatively asked if she'd consider posing in a vintage swimming hat down at the lake in my local park fully expecting her to tell me to eff off.  But of course she didn't because, as previously stated, she's one of the nicest women ever.

So here she is!  Jen actually talks at length about the benefits of a DryRobe in the original blog post (well, the benefits of wearing one in a beer garden at any rate) and my original plan was to photograph her wearing that. We did actually start off with the DryRobe as you'll see below but when she volunteered to strip down to just the towel, well, I couldn't have been more delighted.  

Jen has very kindly answered a few questions for me, and boy does she have some words of wisdom for you all. 

This project is all about celebrating women over 40 - what would you say are the best things about being the age you are now?

Well - in a nutshell - it is better than the alternative!  I am 52 now and getting to this age is a privilege that has been denied to several of my friends and family.  People talk of a mid-life crisis but to me it is a mid-life celebration.  It's like life has taken me by the hand, looked me in the eye and said 'ok - we aren't messing about any more - time to enjoy every minute and stop caring about doing the 'right' thing.

JPS_1024

If you could go back and give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?

Don't fear failure. And don't keep waiting for the 'perfect time' to do something you want to do.  It is better to fail at something you are passionate about (I had three rejections for my first book) than succeed at something you don't give a stuff about.  It means you are on the right path even if it is a bit rough just now.  

Your blog is hilarious and resonates with so many women, what prompted you to start writing it and what kind of feedback have you had?

I just started writing it for some friends - more as a bit of a laugh than anything.  There was so much doom and gloom about the menopause - I wanted to read something funny.  There has been a lot of research done recently that combining humour with taboo topics can make them easier to talk about.  I remember getting to 100 followers and thinking WOW.  I now have 42 thousand followers and love reading all their comments and feedback.  The personal messages are great - I get loads from family members who say they read it together and laugh and roll their eyes.  I get feedback that it is relateable and readable and therefore helps all the significant others of menopausal women understand what is going on. 

Here's Jen in the infamous DryRobe made famous in her blog about open water swimming.

Menopausal symptoms can be pretty scary at first, what kind of symptoms have you been having and did you know what was going on when it all began?

I initially thought I had tourrettes - I was telling so many people to F*** off.  I really had the rage inside me - it was like the incredible hulk  going from 0-60 in about 3 seconds.  The emotional turmoil really was the worst.  Crying one minute.  Raging the next.  Despondent the next.  In Scotland we often have four seasons in one day - it wasn't unusual to have four extreme emotions in just one hour! I was described as Snarky (mix of sarky and narky) on many occasions..  I had no idea what was happening as I just thought menopause was stopping your periods - I did a fist pump when the doctor told me what it was - I was so relieved. 

So many women still seem to shy away from the idea of being menopausal (perhaps in denial), why do you think this is and what can we do to change it?

I think many women don't fully understand the menopause and if they do they don't want to address the fact they are getting older.  High profile celebrities such as Davina and Mariella Frostrup speaking out makes such a difference for menopausal women everywhere. We can change it by being honest - with family/with friends/with colleagues - the more we talk about it and make it normal - the easier it will be for future generations.

Funniest menopause related moment?

When I was stopped in work by a polite woman telling me I had a pair of tweezers stuck to my crotch! I was wearing a lady magnet (an expensive magnet you attach to your pants that supposedly alleveiates the symptoms).  I had been tweezing my chin in a traffic jam and dropped the tweezers as I drove on! Those magnets are strong!

Sum yourself up in 3 words

Quirky; Complex; Positive

Jen says to develop a 'f*ck-it list' and start working through it.

What’s the key to surviving midlife?

Enjoy it - develop a 'f***it list and start working through it.  Maybe you always wanted a fancy sports car but settled for a sensible family car.  Maybe you want your belly button pierced.  Maybe a tattoo.  Maybe you want to head to Greece and write poetry on the beach.  This time is yours so see it as the next fabulous chapter of life.  We only live once - but if we do it right - once is enough!

You wrote a brilliant post about open water swimming and the menopause - did it help with the symptoms?  Will you be going again?

Well.... I live in Scotland and it is totally freezing all year round.  So I will do it again - but possibly in warmer waters.  Anyone want to buy a wetsuit?

You can hear Jen's open water swimming post on my Dear Hormones podcast, she's featured in S2: Ep2.

You can follow Jennifer's blog on www.facebook.com/menopausalwoman - or search 'Is It Just Me' in the app.  Her book, Martha Gets the Menopause, is hilarious and available here - Martha Gets the Menopause | Etsy - the perfect stocking filler!

JPS_1113

#5

Elizabeth Day

Elizabeth Dayby Jenny Smith

If you're a fan of Elizabeth's chart topping podcast How to Fail (and why wouldn't you be) you'll know she writes the most amazing introductions for her guests, but writing one for Elizabeth that will do her justice is nigh on impossible. Where to start?  

Elizabeth is a journalist, author, podcaster and TV presenter who, by speaking openly and honestly about her own life and 'failures' has helped so many other people come to terms with theirs.  With nearly 25 million downloads, her podcast has shone a light on all the things that haven't gone right in someone's life and how those so-called failures have been integral to their later successes.  Each episode is an uplifting and empowering listen and has drummed the message home to millions of people that failure is actually just the start of something else.

As if all of that wasn't reason enough for me to want her as one of my 40, Elizabeth's choice to speak out about fertility and miscarriage makes her all the more inspiring. Having been through fertility treatment myself, I remember how much of a comfort it was to read anything and everything about other women's experiences.  Elizabeth's decision to share her fertility story and speak openly about her heartbreaking miscarriages will in turn make so many other women feel seen and less alone.

I feel incredibly lucky to call Liz a friend and am so thankful to her for agreeing to be part of my project, thank God she's over 40...just.  Keep scrolling to see more images and to read some inspiring words of wisdom.  

Elizabeth Dayby Jenny Smith

How did you feel about turning 40?

I felt really good about it once I was actually there. It does feel like a particularly important age for women specifically because it’s at a time when you are confronting a future that will change biologically.  For me it carried an extra sense of import because I hadn’t had children by then and I had desperately wanted to.  I had tried and failed to do that so there was a sadness that came along with it because so much of the media narrative around procreation is really negative and critical and quite harmful after you turn forty.  It’s seen as this great cut off point for women where your fertility falls off a cliff edge, that’s literally the terminology that they use, and so it feels quite scary.  At the same time you’re also being fed a cultural narrative of 'age empowers you', 'age is wisdom' and we should 'embrace it', all of which is absolutely true and I completely stand one hundred per cent behind it, but that’s quite a lot to have in your head in the run up to a birthday celebration. 

Once I got there and once I had the existential moment of thinking 'what is my life’s purpose, am I doing what I want to be doing, am I giving as much as I can be giving, yes I’m not yet a parent but what has that taught me?' it really made me look in the face of how I was living my life and I’m actually very grateful for that now and I think it’s a necessary part of progression and evolution.  Once I’d got through that stage I felt great about the act of turning forty because suddenly this thing that I'd been worried about had actually happened and suddenly I felt really liberated by not having to worry about it anymore.  I have to say that my forties have been my best decade yet. I feel that I know myself so much better than I ever have before, I truly do feel the benefit of all those decades of wisdom that I’ve accrued.  I think your twenties are a time when you’re still unsure of who you are; you’re scrabbling ferociously to make it on the career ladder and to find your person romantically and to maintain your friendships and to show that you’re having a good time and it’s just exhausting, and then your thirties are a time of consolidation and making some big decisions and your forties are when hopefully you reap the benefit of some of that work on yourself.

Elizabeth Day by Jenny Smith

My forties are absolutely brilliant.  I count myself very lucky to live in an era where I see so many incredible women owning their age and experience and I feel that forty is no longer the marker that it was for my mother’s generation. I feel full of hope. A lot of women in their twenties listen to my podcast and feel really lost, and I always say just because your twenties aren’t necessarily your decade doesn’t mean your thirties might not be, or in my case my forties. We are so encouraged to think of life as a race where we have to be the first or the youngest to do things but it’s often much more impressive to achieve something with the full wealth of yourself and knowledge behind that achievement.

You launched your podcast in the year you turned forty. Do you have any advice to women wanting a change in direction later in life?

Go for it!  There is no such thing as 'too late' there is only ever the right time.  The benefit of doing something when you're older is that you know yourself more and you have so much more wisdom to impart. It is no accident that most of my favourite ever interviewees are seventy plus. There’s a sense of perspective and context and hard won knowledge that you have the older you get that is an absolute blessing to share with anyone.  Women have had millennia of having their voices silenced or marginalised and it is time on a collective basis to step into our power and to start raising our voices higher. The people that I really want to hear from are marginalised women and that includes women of a certain age, women of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, women who live with a disability or a chronic illness, women who are child free by choice and women who have not become parents although not through want of trying. There are so many different kinds of us and I think we all need to be encouraged to speak our truth.
 

I launched the podcast around six months before my fortieth when I was going through a mild existential crisis and I don’t think age is any coincidence. The whole thing about failure is that if you can survive it, you can learn from it and that turns it into a kind of success.  I had realised at that point in my life that every time I had experienced something that was world shattering, deeply upsetting, heartbreaking or difficult, I had survived every single one them and I realised that I had been taught something that I probably needed to know and that all went into the podcast.  I needed to be that age to be at that stage.  

Elizabeth Dayby Jenny Smith

What's your take on the ageing process?

It’s a privilege and an honour.  I think the key to getting comfortable with ageing is to see more and more women in projects like this brilliant one that you’re doing being represented in the public eye, ageing in whatever way feels appropriate to them. That’s how we as a society get more accepting, get more comfortable, get more supportive of the ageing process in whatever way it chooses to manifest itself.  So I like to think that instead of wrinkles I’ve got wisdom lines and I genuinely feel that true beauty comes from accepting yourself and projecting that authenticity into every space that you find yourself in.  

What advice would you give to 20 year-old you?

It’s impossible advice to follow but I would tell myself to worry less because most of the time things really work out, and even if something doesn’t feel like it’s working out at the time I promise you that given the fullness of the years you will be grateful for that thing that didn’t work out. Either because it would have taught you something or because it wasn’t the right thing for you or because you'll be closer to the thing that was meant for you.

Any wise words that you've garnered from speaking to so many people about their failures?

We should try to view failure as data acquisition.  So instead of spending your life feeling fearful of it and not taking the risk in the first place, what if you approach life like a scientist coming up for a cure for a terrible disease or a vaccine for a global pandemic? Any time an experiment doesn’t work, that scientist would be able to eliminate the thing that isn’t providing the solution.  So with every failed experiment they actually get closer, through a process of ruling out, to the successful one and I think that is how we should view failure. Every time we fail or we make a mistake it’s giving us invaluable data for the next time that we try. You can use it in any area of life.  I went through a spurt of online dating in my late thirties and if I’d know that then, any time I had a failed date I would have said 'thank you for eliminating yourself from my enquiries because you are bringing me one step closer to the person who is right for me'.  It helps you understand what you actually need and it strips back any pretence. Failure is an incredible teacher if you let it be that role for you.

Elizabeth Dayby Jenny Smith

You have been so brave in speaking out about fertility and miscarriage.  I remember when I was going through my own fertility issues how helpful it was to find other women speaking out about it.  What kind of response have you had after sharing your own story?

I’ve had an incredible response and I have to say Jenny, you are an incredibly important person for me along this path because when I was going through IVF you were the only other person I knew in real life who had gone through it. You provided me with such wonderful compassionate support and knowledge and I think many women are denied that. I have made it a bit of a mission to ensure that no woman feels lonely if they are going through it, that they can go somewhere where I would have written about it, or someone else will have written about it or someone else will have come on the podcast and talked about it and we gradually demystify  the stigma, the inappropriate stigma, and the completely unwarranted sense of failure that so many of us feel.  

In speaking up I found it tremendously cathartic because I felt less alone and more connected and I feel I belong to this community of incredible female warriors.  I get messages from mostly women and sometimes men, on a daily basis saying how much it means to them and how they feel seen so I feel that it's part of my life’s purpose. I feel really overwhelmed with gratitude for that and I won’t ever stop speaking about it.  I have definitely found their comments a comfort.  When I wrote Magpie, which has a fertility theme, I acknowledge all those people who have shared their stories with me because it means so much to me on a personal level and I believe, as a collective unit, we are making a powerful change.  

Thank you SO much for taking part in the 40 OVER 40 project Elizabeth.  Don't forget to check out Elizabeth's website which has links to all of her incredible books, links to her podcast and a shop to buy some very cool How to Fail merch - perfect for Christmas pressies!

My podcast Dear Hormones is available to download here.  Kate Bauss and I read letters from women sharing stories about all things hormone related.  Hopefully it will put a smile on your face and make you feel a lot less alone at the same time.
Dear Hormones

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#4

Michelle Griffith Robinson

Michelle Griffith Robinsonby Jenny Smith

Let me introduce you all to the fabulous Michelle Griffith Robinson.  A former triple jump Olympian turned life coach, Michelle is now an ambassador for The Menopause Charity and has repeatedly spoken up about her own menopausal journey.  In fact, I first discovered Michelle whilst idly googling the menopause and came across a really open and honest account about her relationship with her husband and the affect the menopause has had on her libido.  It struck me that many people won't even discuss this with their partners, let alone go public in a national newspaper with the details and for this I hugely admire her. Without women like Michelle speaking up about the various issues we face, many of us would feel isolated and alone.

The Menopause Charity is working tirelessly to improve the lives of women.  Its mission statement is to bust myths, overcome ignorance, and make menopause symptoms history and Michelle works closely with the charity to make these things a reality.

There are some people you meet in life who you wish you'd known forever, and Michelle is one of those.  The welcome I felt when I turned up at her house was so warm and inviting, like she'd known me all my life.  I love people like that!  We had such a great chat during our session and being a life coach she imparted a few words of wisdom too.  In fact everything she said I wanted to write down and turn into my own personal mantra.

Michelle Griffith Robinsonby Jenny Smith

Michelle was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about this time in her life.

There is still such a stigma among many women about getting older.  What are your thoughts on the matter?  

The stigma around ageing in women is slowly changing as we are more visible across the board in life. There is still much needed work to be done to depict this across TV! 

What lessons did you learn from being an Olympian that serve you well now?

Some of the key lessons I have learnt as an Olympian are ‘you never give up’ and ‘whatever work you put in, you are able to draw on it at a later stage, trust the process’.

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Appreciate everything about your body.

Michelle Griffith Robinsonby Jenny Smith

Has there been any particular highlight since turning 40?

The highlight since turning 40 was having my son when I was 13 days shy of 42 years old! Our bodies are definitely impressive.

How has your peri/menopausal journey been so far? 

My perimenopausal journey has been a journey of learning! As an ambassador for The Menopause Charity I am determined to keep learning and sharing to help others to navigate this journey. My words of wisdom are keep a journal of your journey!!

Sum yourself up in three words

Bold, authentic and kind.

Michelle Griffith Robinsonby Jenny Smith

You're an ambassador for The Menopause Charity, how did this come about and what has it taught you about the menopause? 
 

Lorraine Candy who hosts the Postcards from Midlife podcast put my name forward which I am grateful for as I feel I can bring my own personal experience through the lens of a black woman to encourage others to share their experiences. 

Do you think being a life coach is helping you navigate your older years?  What words of wisdom do you have for women over 40?

It has been surprising how many myths are out there and how these myths act as barriers for women during this transition. Being a life coach has definitely allowed me to look into how I manage myself and found ways to circumnavigate this journey. My advice to women over 40 is to own who you are, remember your greatness and love YOU. Your experience should be championed!

If you are passionate about something go and get it and don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way, remember it’s one life enjoy it to the maximum. We are all a work in progress.

Huge thanks to Michelle for taking part in the 40 OVER 40 project.  Please check out my podcast Dear Hormones if you want to listen to other women sharing tales of when their hormones have got the better of them.  You'll laugh but you'll learn something too.  And keep your eyes peeled here for when I announce my next fabulous lady to take part.

Dear Hormones PodcastClick to listen

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#3

Carolyn Harris MP

Carolyn Harris MPby Jenny Smith

It's not possible to talk about the menopause these days without mentioning the incredible work of Carolyn Harris MP who has finally managed to get the subject on the political agenda.  A bill has just been passed in parliament making HRT affordable for all by allowing women to only have to pay for one prescription over the course of a year rather than several payments each time they need a repeat prescription.  But the bigger picture of what this bill means is that a taskforce has been set up, co-chaired by Carolyn, where the menopause will get the attention it deserves.  

It was an absolute delight to meet and photograph Carolyn for this project.  She's is thoroughly down to earth and really has her finger on the pulse of what we, as a public, want from our politicians.  By her own admission, she is living proof that anyone can become a politician having once been a barmaid and dinner lady.  She's a great believer that politicians should have real life experience before moving into the field; she was 55 when she became an MP.

My aim for this project was to shine a light on inspiring women over the age of 40, especially those who are speaking up for menopause awareness.  Well, I don't think I could have wished for a better person to take part.  Thank you Carolyn and thank you for wearing that awesome fur coat too!

Carolyn Harris MPby Jenny Smith

Thanks for taking part on the 40 OVER 40 project and for all your hard work for menopause awareness.  Can you tell me how the HRT Bill came about?

We'd been looking at what we could do to improve the whole agenda around the menopause including workplace practices, doctor's training, women’s lack of knowledge about it and the fact that we’re sending kids out of school and they know nothing about what to expect.  Everything comes back to that really, if we were prepared at school age then we probably wouldn’t be as disadvantaged as we are now. I focused on HRT after talking to an English colleague who was paying for her HRT prescriptions, where as I’m welsh and I don’t pay for prescriptions at all.  It was a bit like putting the lightbulb on. The HRT Bill is only a tiny tiny bit about the menopause revolution but it was the bit that we could use to get the government to do something. It’s done what I wanted it to do which is to give the attention to the menopause full stop, so every time I’m asked about the HRT Bill I say it was never ever about free HRT it was about the political agenda and the social agenda and the economic agenda and everyone’s awareness about the menopause. 

What are the next steps?

We need to keep the momentum going and that will happen in two ways. One is that the government has put a task force in place which they’ve asked me to co-chair.  The way I see that working is that when government are making policy the menopause will be taken into consideration in any future policies going forward.  The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) will be looking at the bones of it if you like, we’re going to be looking at good workplace practices, looking at why medical schools don’t put it on the curriculum, we’re going to be looking at what kinds of things are we are telling our kids in schools about what to expect, we’re going to be talking about relationships and what happens to relationships when a partner appears to lose interest when in reality it’s the menopause. I want to talk to women who, like me, have been experiencing the menopause but not realising it and maybe like me who’ve been on antidepressants or they’ve been on medication for fibromyalgia but still not feeling any better and they go back to the doctor and get sent for more tests and then have medication for something else and nobody is saying hang on let's join the dots here, this may be the menopause. I want every workplace to recognises it, every woman to understand what she’s going through, every doctor and nurse in general practice and in private practice to have a knowledge of it and be able to diagnose and prescribe and have kids who, when they leave school, understand that there will come a time in their life when somebody close to them will experience this and what they need to do to deal with it.

Carolyn Harris MPby Jenny Smith

My mother never ever ever spoke to me about the menopause, I’ve said this umpteen times but I can remember her having a conversation with her sisters and I was told to leave the room and I was 36! They didn’t want to be talking about that kind of thing in front of me but that was what it was like then. Les Dawson taught me more about the menopause than anyone else when he was making fun of it saying he was on the change.  It was like something nobody spoke about and if you did speak about it you spoke about it in hushed tones.  Why do we pretend it’s not happening? Of course we’ve now had the private members bill and started the APPG, and then Davina McCall did her documentary and Penny Lancaster did her stuff and all of a sudden these women, who are actually in the spotlight who historically would be terrified to talk about the fact they were getting older because they’re in a business which doesn’t allow you to get old, are speaking up.  The reaction has been phenomenal.

What's your take on the ageing process?

I feel a lot better about it now.  I go through this whole thing where I think, what have you done with your life?  I think what’s going to be on my tombstone? And sometimes and think oh God I’ve never really done anything. I’ve got an interesting job but I’m not special in any way, it’s just that I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve been in the right place at the right time. I worry that there are women out there who, like me, have got the basic skills but are not actually getting to use them because they feel 'I’m too old for this'.  I was a dinner lady and a barmaid, that’s how I started out, and I just think that there are loads of dinner ladies and barmaids and people who work in shops and factories who have got a fantastic story to tell, a fantastic ability who are really in touch with reality and we need more of those women to come forward and to actually start thinking about what it is that they can do to make life better for other people, and then age doesn’t matter, does it? It’s about using your experience. Life experience is the best university of life. So many people who are really well qualified academically have got no common sense at all so life experience is so important in making the right decisions in life and to treating life as a way of using your experience to make somebody else's life better.  That’s what I think about age, it’s the experience it gives you that gives you the skills to do wonderful things.  

Carolyn Harris MPby Jenny Smith

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I‘ve got terrible imposter syndrome, terrible, and even now I keep expecting someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say you shouldn’t be here. I didn’t go to university until I was 34 and I think if I had my time over again I would be saying to myself you can do this and you are no worse than anyone else, you are just as good as everyone else. I’m brilliant at telling other people that but I’ve never been very good at telling myself that, I think I would be giving myself a talking to about how I can do these things because I’m as good as anyone else.

What advice do you have for young women who are considering a career in politics?

It can be a bloody horrible place, let’s make no mistake about it. Social media and the way people talk to politicians, especially women politicians is an absolute nightmare, it’s horrendous, but go out there and do something else first. Cut your teeth on working in a shop, working in a factory, working just a normal job.  You haven’t got to be from a section of society which is privileged and has all singing all dancing education and opportunities.  I think the best politicians are those who represent the people because they are OF the people. I know my constituency because I was born there, I was brought up there, I know the history of it because I’ve lived it and I would never have wanted to come into politics any earlier than I did because I think I brought with me a deeper understanding of what it’s like to live in Swansea East, I know all the problems that people experience. I’ve gone through times when I’ve worried about how I was going to pay the electricity bill and worried about when the phone bill is due and how are we going to pay for xmas, and it’s only then that you understand that you can really help the people you’re meant to be representing. Not telling people how to live, helping them. Never be afraid to do something else on the way to getting to your dreams. There’s nothing wrong with being a waitress, if you want to be a doctor and being a waitress is going to get you there, brilliant.  Or you can be a waitress all your life and still be wonderful. 

Carolyn Harris MPby Jenny Smith

What are your thoughts on getting older?

Age doesn’t mean a thing when you’re aiming for the stars. If you get there when you’re 15 or you get there when you’re 105. If you’re meant to get there you will get there. Just use all the experience you were given.  

Thank you Carolyn for taking part in the 40 OVER 40 project.  To hear more about Carolyn's own experience of the menopause download my podcast, Dear Hormones, out on 23 November 2021.  

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#2

Dr Naomi Potter

Naomi Potter09

This is Dr Naomi Potter who founded the private menopause clinic Menopause Care.  It is a service which offers an empathic, bespoke, holistic approach to treating women in perimenopause, menopause and POI within the UK. 

During lockdown, Naomi started doing weekly instagram lives with Lisa Snowdon, where they chat openly and honestly about all things menopause.  

They have rapidly built a huge following of women, just like me, looking for answers and validation about this crazy time in our lives.  Thanks in no small part to these phenomenal chats, Naomi has quickly become one of the go to experts in this field and has certainly helped me make sense of what's been happening to me over the last few years. I really can't thank her enough.  

Thank goodness for women like Naomi and Lisa for shouting loudly and proudly about women's issues! If you don't follow them already, I highly recommend you do - @drmenopausecare and @lisa_snowdon

It is of course no surprise that Naomi was one of the first women I thought about when planning the 40 OVER 40 project and I'm absolutely over the mood that she has agreed to take part.  

The photo above was the vision I had for her session, I wanted to capture a really relaxed, happy image and I couldn't have been more delighted with how it came out. This was one of many beautiful images of Naomi as you'll see from the selection below.

Naomi Potter02

Naomi has been kind enough to offer up a few words of wisdom about getting older and of course the menopause.

How do you feel about getting older?

Getting older is a privilege.  I feel better, more confident and more settled in my own skin in my 40s than I ever did in my 20s or 30s.  Life experience gives you wisdom, insight and grounding and I really appreciate that.  

What advise would you give 20 year old you?

Live in the moment.  Appreciate every second of every day, time DOES move on but you don't realise it when you're 20 and take youth for granted. The Robbie Williams quote 'youth is wasted on the young' is a very apt saying.

What are the biggest menopause myths you've heard?

There are thousands of them but the HRT ones (such as it being a cause of breast cancer) are the most destructive because they prevent women from accessing very easy, safe treatment to relieve their menopausal symptoms. 

Naomi Potter24

Some women I've met have implied that taking HRT is somehow cheating, that we should be able to get through this time without it, what would you say to that? 

It's nonsense.  I would never think that any medical care is cheating whether you're providing hormone replacement therapy, antibiotics, blood transfusions or chemo therapy.  We are privileged that we have access to modern medicine and if you can take something that makes you feel well again, it could never be cheating in my eyes.

Naomi Potter28

What can we do to make the menopause less of a taboo?

Talk about it!  Which is what we're starting to do and you can feel the change!  Ten years ago there was no way women would be standing up talking about their symptoms and experiences in the way that they are now.  It's going to snowball from now on and I'm really excited about that. 

What advice do you have for women approaching their menopausal years?

I think it's having a menopause radar and seeing that the symptoms are real, even if they come and go, and if you want to take action then empowering them to make those decisions based on what they feel is right for them. 

Thank you Namoi for taking part in the the 40 OVER 40 project.

Don't forget to check out my podcast Dear Hormones if you fancy a bit of a laugh about all the things our hormones do to us.  'Blame it on the hormones' has become my new mantra!

WhatsApp Image 2021-09-23 at 14.10.58

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

#1

EMMA SKEATES

MENOPAUSAL MAYHEM MOTHER

The first woman I'd like to introduce you to as part of my 40 OVER 40 project is very wonderful Emma Skeates, AKA the Menopausal Mayhem Mother whose blog, all about life as a woman of a certain age, is keeping other women sane! With October being the month of World Menopause Day, I thought Emma would be the perfect person to kick start the project. 

I stumbled across Emma by accident one day whilst scrolling mindlessly through Facebook and found myself cracking up at her tales of menopausal misfortune. It was just what I needed having recently worked out that I too was in the throes of this very weird time!  

I photographed Emma at her house and we hit it off straight away, laughing the whole time I was there!  She was also generous enough to appear as a guest on my podcast Dear Hormones sharing some of her madder menopausal moments with myself and co-host Kate Bauss. 

Emma has been generous enough to answer a few questions for me about the joys of growing older and I think when you read her answers you'll see why I decided that her photo had to be a montage like this - so many sides to this one!  

The second photograph below this montage is one of my favourites.  Sitting on the sofa (which will be so familiar to her thousands of followers) where she does so many of her Facebook and Instagram lives, talking openly and honestly about life as a menopausal woman.  

Emma has paved the way for many more women to share stories about the menopause and for that I can't thank her enough.  The more we talk about it, the better it's going to be for everyone. 

BeFunky-collage  

40 0ver 40 logo copy 2

Women are amazing. Women over 40 are amazing and then some.  

I'm so excited to announce my new photography project which will showcase 40 incredible women all over the age of 40 who are doing incredible things for womankind.

I will photograph women who inspire me, many of whom are speaking up for the issues we face.  There will be a focus on those who are shining a light on midlife and the menopause, making this word less of a taboo and guiding other women through this turbulent time.  But there will be many more equally amazing women featured too.

I want people to see a set of beautiful, strong women and feel inspired.  I want young girls to see the photos and get excited about their futures, but mostly I want to say thank you to these women who are showing the world every single day that being over 40 really is just the beginning of something incredible. 

I'll be sharing the photographs I take here on my blog and my dedicated headshot website but also on my instagram pages @jennysmithphoto and @dearhormones as well as on Facebook (Jenny Smith Photography).  Please keep your eye open for the posts and feel free to comment and share.

The Back Story

Jenny Birthday

I'm 49 years old (this is me on my birthday this year) and for the last 9 years I've been perimenopausal.   The fact that my computer puts a red wiggly spelling line underneath that word with ‘no guesses’ as to what I could actually mean is telling. 

The red wiggly line was how I felt for many of those years, wondering what the hell was happening to me as I started getting daily headaches, burning up like a furnace, waking up at 3am, forgetting why I’d walked into rooms, trailing off at the end of sentences, and worse of all getting so angry at my young son who did absolutely nothing to deserve it.  And all of this time I was running my own business, helping to care for my terminally ill father-in-law, running a household and keeping up with the toing and froing that comes with having a child in primary school. 

It was only after I stumbled across a women's health podcast that I realised what was going on and took myself off to the doctors for HRT. And I only got prescribed that HRT because the GP in question acknowledged that I knew more about the subject than she did. 

Knowing what I know now about the effects of the menopause and the daily challenges that women in their mid-life experience, I have decided to shine a light on 40 incredible women in the only way I feel qualified to do so. And that is by taking their photograph. 

Dear Hormones Podcast

WhatsApp Image 2021-09-23 at 14.10.58

Earlier this year I launched a podcast called Dear Hormones with my friend Kate Bauss where women write in telling us about the times their hormones have got the better of them, be it puberty, PMT, pregnancy or the menopause.  It’s light hearted but with a serious message. 

I am passionate about women speaking up about their issues, to make topics such as periods and the menopause less of a taboo and wanted to do my bit in allowing women to talk openly about the things they may have said or done under the influence of their hormones.  It has certainly helped me to share some of the shameful things I said and did before I started taking HRT.

I felt lost at sea when my perimenopausal symptoms struck until I found a podcast explaining what was happening to me. Dear Hormones is my way of helping other women feel less alone on their hormonal journey and hopefully help them to recognise their menopausal symptoms sooner than I did and get help.

I have made a promise to myself to get better at this blogging lark, starting with this gorgeous family I photographed over the summer.  The little baby girl was simply adorable and her big sister was one of the happiest children I have ever photographed.

Again, I was blessed with a beautiful house to photograph in and who can forget that long hot summer we had?  This meant that I had lovely light bouncing around the already light and bright home. Perfect for photography.  

The shot of the two sisters together was something of a surprise capture.  It was a race against time as Baby A was ready for a nap and was getting a little bit fidgety, but we managed to get a very calm and serene image in the end and I love it!

May absolutely favourite photo from the session is this first shot where little baby A stared directly into the lens, and just look at those eyes!

Alice & Amelia012

This photo of her big sister makes me smile so much!  She was cracking up practically the whole time, a complete dream to photograph!

Alice & Amelia002 Alice & Amelia087

Alice & Amelia173

Alice & Amelia101 Alice & Amelia108

Alice & Amelia058 Alice & Amelia075

2017's theme was all about feeling the vibe so we decided to pose the kids with headphones and  had music blaring out during the shoot.  As you can imagine, the kids loved it.

This is the fourth year of working with the schools so the children are getting very used to seeing me around and posing in front of my camera.  In fact, many of them don't need any encouragement whatsoever, as soon as they come up to the backdrop they adopt the most incredible poses which makes me a very happy photographer indeed.  Not to mention that these children are among the coolest kids around - and incredibly polite to go with it.

I absolutely love working with them alongside the uber friendly and enthusiastic staff members.  It's easy to see why both schools have outstanding ofsted reports.

The thing I love most about this project is the way it gives the children such a boost to their self esteem.  Not only by having fun in front of the camera and making them feel special, but by seeing their image displayed at the end of year exhibition and showing them to their parents and carers.  It's a very proud moment for them.

A special shout out goes to headteacher Mr Flathers for his commitment to giving the children such varied creative experiences and the brainchild behind the whole project, to Stephanie Moritz who contacted me in the first place all those years ago, and to Michelle McDonald and Deputy Head Vicky Dawes for somehow managing to get 1400 primary school kids to turn up to their photography session on time.  Walkie Talkies are the best.

Here's a snap shot of what we managed to achieve last summer and here's to the next project in a few months time.

Other projects with this school can be found here.

He was such an angel throughout the session, and has the most engaging eyes and expressions.  I absolutely loved photographing him. 

He's at that ideal age to photograph when they are easily entertained, can sit up on their own but crucially can't crawl off anywhere :]  The perfect combination.

Arthur_040 Arthur_046 Arthur_053 Arthur_069 Arthur_058 Arthur_044

Newborn

They live in a gorgeous house not far from me, and with both parents working in the design industry there were plenty of photogenic locations to use around their home.

As you can see, both girls are absolutely stunning and were so good in front of the camera that it really didn't feel like work at all.

Rosie and Flora_092 7x5 Rosie and Flora_110 7x5 Rosie and Flora_126 10x8 Rosie and Flora_150 Rosie and Flora_102 Rosie and Flora_078 6x4 Rosie and Flora_046 12x8

This is Nick Wallis, a journalist for ITV news and One Show reporter, who needed new photographs for his agent.  We wanted to capture slightly edgy images of Nick so I suggested we head up to Alexandra Palace where there are lots of interesting nooks and crannies to use.

It was a very sunny but freezing cold morning and we were a bit worried that Nick may end up looking a bit like Rudolph, but we needn't have worried and the images turned out great in the end. 

I must say, it really helps when your subject is used to being in front of a camera!

Nick Wallis_3 Nick Wallis_6 Nick Wallis_8

Joanne's business is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and she wanted to mark the occasion by getting her girls (and boy) all dressed up courtesy of Coast and treating them to a fashion shoot to show off their new figures. And don't they look fabulous!

As readers to my blog will know I love to work with natural light, and thankfully we had some good weather that weekend, which meant I could take the girls into the street behind the department store where we were based to get some lovely images. I was also able to take some lovely shots just inside De Grouchy department store in front of the large glass doors.

Even though I've only worked with Joanne on two occasions, I feel like I've known her all my life.  She's one of the warmest, most welcoming people I've ever met and along with her husband Zak, goes out of her way to make me feel at home and at ease.  It's no wonder that her business is such a success and why her clients absolutely adore her.

Her energy and enthusiasm is infectious and as you can see from these photographs, that energy shines through in her clients as well.  Calling them clients actually doesn't seem quite right, Joanne considers them all her friends (and vice versa) and when that happens in business you know you're onto a good thing.

DAY_4074 copy DAY_2761 copy DAY_3165 copy DAY_3585 copy DAY_3607 copy DAY_3714 DAY_3735 copy

And here is the gorgeous Joanne herself, such an inspiration.

DAY_3186 copy DAY_4418 copy

This is Joanne with her devoted husband Zak on the beautiful island of Jersey. 

Joanne runs a successful business called Slimming Together helping women and men to lose weight and in turn feel amazing about themselves.  A few weeks ago she flew me over to Jersey to photograph some of her incredible success stories.  She also needed some updated headshots of herself, and whilst I was there we managed to get some beautiful images of her with Zak.

I will share some photos of her clients later, but for now I just wanted to post a few shots which I think sum up Joanne's energy, her love of life and her unbreakable bond with the lovely Zak.

DAY_4299 DAY_4310 DAY_4336 DAY_4360

This little girl was so cute, with the most gorgeous smile.

I remember the day was a little bit gloomy so we set up really close to the window for most of the session.  That's not a problem with this age group as they're not crawling around yet so you can place them right in the good light.  I was also really lucky with this little thing as she was full of smiles and laughter watching her mum and dad goof around behind me.

Luckily the post had just arrived when I got there with some cute little headbands that her mum had ordered especially for the day.  Being the mother of one 9 year old boy, the opportunity to dress up a baby in pretty little accessories is a dream come true (I remember once putting a princess dress on my son when he was two and I still don't think he's forgiven me).

This is one of my favourite ages to photograph when the babies are able to lie on their tummies and hold themselves up - plus they're easily entertained.  The perfect photography session.

Lily_021 Lily_050 Lily_063 Lily_128 Lily_001

In fact, I'd love to photograph them all again but without the model agency 'happy and smiley' brief as I just know that we'd get the most amazing set of images.

These boys actually go to the same school as my son and this is the third family from the school that I've photographed for their respective talent agencies, there are a lot of creative types floating around north London that's for sure.

Anyway, here's a selection of some of my favourite shots from the session which are also up on the Scallywags website.

Lyndi_28 Lyndi_04 Lyndi_14 Lyndi_26

Usually the more children there are, the harder the session can be, but because they get on so well that wasn't the case here.  They were all really excited about the photo shoot and really sparked off each other which made for some lovely shots.

Such a cool bunch of kids with amazing personalities and an infectious sense of fun.  We had a great time running around the garden and posing in the newly decorated kitchen with that gorgeous grey wall.   A ready made natural light photography studio - perfect!

BB118 Hazy Skies Designs copy

BB110 Hazy Skies Designs copy

BB117 Hazy Skies Designs copy

Bernie_03 Bernie_12 Bernie_14 Bernie_16 Bernie_19 Bernie_21 Bernie_23

3G_22

You may remember in 2014 that I was booked by a fantastic school to photograph ALL of their pupils across two schools, for a special project they were doing to give the children confidence in their appearance. 

Well, over the summer last year I had the privilege to be invited back to do it all over again, but this time with a brand new theme. 

The school had the idea that they wanted the photographs to resemble album covers which got me really excited.

I suggested I photograph all the children on different coloured backdrops and incorporate their slogan for that year 'I Shine, We Shine' onto the photo to look like the album title. I would then have them all printed up in a square format to really finish the whole look off.  Thankfully they loved the idea and I couldn't wait to get started.

The children were all asked to bring in their own clothes to give the images some personality, and as each child came up I asked them to strike their best pop star pose. 

Comets_18

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, these kids are incredible.  Fun, energetic and busting with personality, not to mention incredibly polite to go with it.  As I was setting up each morning I was inundated with children offering to help - which was a good job really as setting up this equipment really needed more than one pair of hands.  So many of the children thanked me for taking their photo and whenever I thanked them for helping me out I would always get a 'you're welcome' in reply.

Photographing around 1000 children in 4 days is no mean feat, especially when you're trying to get the children to pose in their own unique way so that all the photos look completely different.  Dealing with lots of different personalities, some outgoing, some shy, some jokers really keeps you on your toes, but it's the bit of my job that I really love.

2A_28

When the four days were over, and all the photos had been edited and printed, the schools held an exhibition in their halls for all the parents to come and see.  And best of all, the parents all got to take their child's photograph home with them.  Free of charge.

I'd like to say a big thank you to head teacher Mr Flathers, his project manager Stephanie Moritz and his phenomenal staff for yet again making me feel so welcome and for letting me be a part of such an incredible initiative.

My own school photographs from the 1970s look nothing like this by the way, since when did kids get so cool?

PM Nursery_11 1B_15 1D_04 1D_29 4M_20 5M_14

goldie exhibition

Orion Exhibition

I had such a good time chasing this little guy around Alexandra Palace a few weeks ago.  We started off at The Grove for a few woodland style photographs and then headed off to the palace itself for a bit more of an urban vibe. 

I couldn't be happier with how these images turned out, but to be fair it would be quite difficult to take a bad photograph of this little boy!  He was full of energy, smiles and laughter for the whole session and his mum and dad were just as much fun!  it really helps when the parents are relaxed and don't mind getting stuck in, the energy really rubs off on the kids and we end up with a set of images where everyone's personality really shine through.

George_096 copy

George_032 George_008 George_012 George_082 George_102 George_043 George_098 George_132

So when they booked me again during the summer last year,  I already knew that I wanted to try and recreate that image with the same girl, three years on.  As it turned out, the parents had the same idea too.  And here it is, the before and after shot, isn't she stunning?

Prints_12 AbiFamily_146

This time there was a new addition to the family, another little sister and just as gorgeous as her two older siblings. 

The two older girls and I headed off upstairs when I arrived and spent a lot of time having fun running from one bedroom to another, singing songs, playing musical statues and generally being silly.  Then I spent some time with their baby sister who has the most gorgeous blue eyes that I've ever seen, before heading out into the garden for some more portraits.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable photography session and I couldn't be happier with how the images turned out.  

AbiFamily_120 AbiFamily_092 AbiFamily_070 AbiFamily_080 AbiFamily_003 AbiFamily_096 AbiFamily_131

Most of the time it was bits of litter that he'd picked up in the school playground, sometimes it was remnants of fabric from a school art class, and one time it was a couple of leaflets found in the cinema foyer with sketches of naked ladies on the cover.  Other times I turned out what seemed like an entire beach worth of pebbles and wondered how on earth he'd managed to cram them all in.

But it's probably the very first image, the one that started this whole project off that's my favourite.  A one stop shop into the mind of a 7 year old boy.  A few twigs, an empty packet of raisins, a piece of bark, a football card, a safety pin and the end of an old screw.

It's funny.  You wouldn't think that by looking at, what is essentially a load of litter, could provoke such lovely memories.  But they do. 

The BBC visitor pass reminds me of the day his dad took us on a tour of Radio 1 and of the pizza we had afterwards.  The old tag with the royal crest on was the day my mum and I took him on a brilliant tour of Buckingham Palace, the tags he saved were from a toy Corgie that his grandma bought for him which has had pride of place on his bed ever since.  The collection of autumn leaves were from a walk in the park, and of course those naked lady leaflets from a cinema party in East Finchley. 

Then there's the selection of Christmas present tags, one of which is from his grandad.  Little did we know back then that it would be our last Christmas together.  The punctured balloon reminds me of the hours spent playing tennis with it across the sofa in the living room and the selection of Match Attax cards takes me back to his oh-so-brief love affair with football. 

The packet of Smarties is a sad reminder of his grandad again who passed away a few weeks ago and who always had a stash of Smarties in his kitchen cupboard for him.  The Minion keyring was won for him by his cousin Sam during another fun holiday with the whole family at Centre Parcs.  The pink ticket is from a brilliant holiday to Lanzarote as are the red stones which he picked up during our tour of the volcano.  There's a small yellowy/brown stone towards the end which Lucas told me is a dragon's eye.  I love that stone.

So here it is, a year in the life of a 7 going on 8 year old's pockets, and a whole world of memories to go with it. 

I've been photographing them since the big sister was born and it's been so lovely watching them grow up and change.  It's quite a privilege actually to be asked to document someone's children growing up and it's the bit about my job that I love the most.

It's hard to believe that this is the same girl as the newborn baby lying in her daddy's arms on my homepage - from brunette to blonde in a matter of months.

They're both full of energy and confidence which makes my job easy - it doesn't feel like work at all.  I especially love this first image, jumping on the bed. I think her face says it all.  I also love the expression on her brother's face in the following photo, such a little character.

You can see some of the other photo sessions I've done with these two HERE and HERE.  You can also see a few more from this shoot if you head to my Facebook page.

ClaudiaCharlie_096 ClaudiaCharlie_042 ClaudiaCharlie_104 ClaudiaCharlie_124 ClaudiaCharlie_018 ClaudiaCharlie_002

I met them over the summer but it's taken me a little while to get up to date with all my blogging.  When we booked the job we'd been having a run of very wet weather and it was touch and go as to whether this session would go ahead or not, but thankfully the rain gods were on our side that day and we ended up getting a really fantastic set of photographs.

We met at Waterlow Park in Highgate which is one of my favourite places in North London, and managed to get a really good variety of images using all the different places around the park. 

This adorable little boy was in a brilliant mood all morning, smiling, laughing and running around all over the place. This age group can sometimes be a bit tricky to sit still so I often ask the parents to bring along some kind of prop such as a ride-along toy, or scooter which acts as a great distraction for the kids and they remain still just about long enough for me to grab a few shots. 

These guys brought along his favourite teddy, a little chair and this FANTASTIC little rocking horse.  I just knew that it would make a great photo so I switched to my long lens and headed straight to the tall grass to capture this adorable image (which is part of a set of images with his horse).

His parents have very kindly let me share one picture from our session together and although it was really hard to choose just one, I think this has to be among my favourites.

Marco_004

I've still been photographing lots of lovely families but the extra things that go with running a business, the social media updates, the blog posts, and all the boring paperwork have very much been neglected.

At the beginning of this year my father-in-law, Adrian, was diagnosed with cancer.  Bile duct cancer to be precise, one of the rarest and most aggressive forms of cancer out there.  And so began a relentless cycle of doctors appointments, hospital visits, scans and tests in the hopes of delaying the spread of this hideous disease.

Adrian was a private man who suddenly found himself surrounded by doctors prodding, poking, examining and telling him all kinds of medical things that left us all feeling scared and confused.  But he always managed to remain positive and often talked about how much he was looking forward to feeling better again so he could tuck into one of my mum's Sunday roasts.

But sadly on the 24th September, a few short months after his diagnosis, Adrian passed away peacefully at Cransley Hospice in Kettering.

Adrian lived in a beautiful house in Northamptonshire surrounded by a stunning garden full of apple trees. Every year Adrian wanted us to take bags full of apples home with us (usually the slightly dodgy looking windfalls - he was a war baby after all) and I have so many lovely memories of playing in that garden with my son Lucas and husband Chris, and picking those apples together.

During this October half term, Lucas and I spent the morning picking apples in the garden and made lots of jars of apple chutney in his grandad's kitchen.  For the last few years my mum and I have run a Christmas craft market stall, and this year we're going to give the chutney away in return for donations to Cransley Hospice, which is full of the most caring and understanding staff you could possibly wish for. 

Adrian Smith, 1939 - 2015

Better late than never and hopefully worth waiting for.

This is the baby brother of a little boy who I have photographed three times previously.  In fact, one of the photos from his brother's newborn session two years ago has got to be one of my favourite photos that I've ever taken.  So, no pressure to deliver on this shoot then :)

Thankfully, his baby brother takes after him on the photogenic, well behaved baby front and we managed to get a lot of absolutely adorable images.

K&K_018 K&K_042 K&K_032 K&K_006 K&K_100 K&K_119 K&K_065

And this little beauty is his big brother.  If you click HERE you will see some shots that we did last year including that favourite newborn photograph of mine that I mentioned earlier. 

I have now decided that it's impossible to take a bad photo of this family!

K&K_028 K&K_072

This building was very different from The Orion in that it's an older more traditional school, but it was just as photogenic with loads of different places, colours and textures to pose the kids in front of. 

I can't say how much I enjoyed photographing these children and relished the opportunity to take school photographs that, as a mum, I would want to have myself.

Goldies 1 montage goldies 2 montage Goldies 3 montage

Aliya_091

Untitled-1 copy 3

Sometimes a job comes along that at first feels a little daunting, but ends up being one of the best things you've ever done.  This was one of those jobs.

Last summer I received an email from a school asking if I would consider photographing all of their pupils (650) for a special project they were doing called 'I Am Somebody'.  The idea behind the project was to photograph the kids wearing their own clothes and perhaps holding something that they felt represented them.  The head teacher spoke to me about how children are bombarded with beautiful and often false images of people in magazines, and he wanted to show his kids that they are beautiful and amazing just the way they are.  The photos were to be displayed in an exhibition at the end of term, and then all the parents were to be given the photograph as a gift from the school.  Amazing!

Untitled-1 copy 2

The school initially asked me to take the photos in front of a plain backdrop, but this just isn't my style. So, I suggested that I photograph the kids around the school: in their classrooms, outside on the playing fields, in the corridors, anywhere and everywhere around the building that would make each photo feel totally unique.  Yes it may take a little longer, but I was convinced that the end result would be worth it.

The school (being very forward thinking and creative, not to mention their recent Outstanding Ofsted report) loved the idea and booked me up, and then asked me to photograph their sister school too. That's over 1000 children (that's where the daunting bit comes in).

And so, over the course of 6 days I photographed each and every child at The Orion Primary School, and Goldbeaters Primary school in Edgware and I have to say, I loved every minute of it. 

As I'm sure you remember, we had one of the best summers ever so we were able to get outside for lots of the shots, but I also photographed the children inside in their classrooms, standing on tables, jumping in the air and basically just having a really lovely time.  Being a mum, I simply took school photographs that I would love to have myself and I'm now considering offering my style of photography to other schools as an alternative to the standard white backdrop school portrait.

Both schools were very different which gave each one a different 'look' to their images. Orion is brand spanking new with white walls, large open spaces and a minimalistic feel in the classrooms, perfect for a natural light photographer like me!  Goldbeaters is the opposite but totally charming and bursting with character. They even had an old fashioned blackboard in one classroom which gave me the idea to get the kids to think of a word that represented them and we'd photograph them standing in front of it written on the board.  We did this with the year 6 students and it worked brilliantly.

Untitled-1 copy 5

6 days later and I'd finished the job, over 1000 children had been photographed and all that was left was to get them printed and mounted ready for the exhibitions.

One of the proudest moments I've had as a photographer was walking into the two school halls and seeing hundreds of my photographs all displayed beautifully for the parents and children to see.  Watching the children run in and search for their photo, and then seeing their face light up when they'd found it was the best feeling in the world.

Orion Exhibition (Faces have been obscured due to privacy)

To work with a school who will commission a photographer to produce a project like this and not charge their parents a single penny for the photographs is pretty unheard of, and one that I'd love to see other schools consider doing too.  The object was to boost the children's self esteem, to make them feel special and worthwhile and I'm very proud to say, mission accomplished.

So, thank you Orion Primary School and Goldbeaters Primary School for giving me this fantastic opportunity and allowing me to photograph some of the sparkiest, funniest and brightest children I've ever met. 

I have since been in to The Orion on a number of occasions to photograph various different events for them and it's been so nice to build this relationship with them.  They've now asked me to do this project all over again this year but with a brand new theme and quite frankly I can't wait to get started.

The images on this post are from The Orion Primary School.  Photographs from Goldbeaters Primary School can now be seen HERE.

You can see a lot more photos from The Orion HERE.

Untitled-1 copy

This shot, one of my favourites, was used last weekend in the Sunday Times magazine, and can also be seen HERE on Red Online.  Another image will be used in the Evening Standard next week to promote her new project called Letters Live, a live show at the Freemason's Hall in Central London which will see her team up with Benedict Cumberbatch to read a series of letters alongside an array of other actors, musicians and public figures.

Loo and I have just completed a second shoot together which thankfully were all done inside, as yet again, it was a freezing cold day!

Louise Brealey_02 Credit Jenny Smith Screen Shot 2015-03-26 at 15.46.04

I've photographed hundreds of children over the years, all with their own amazing and unique personalities.  Some are shy, some can't stop laughing, some won't sit still, some refuse to smile (at first) and some are just born to pose.  But until now, I'd never actually photographed a child who was terrified of my camera.  But that's exactly what happened with the younger of these two brothers.

When I first arrived at their beautiful north London home he was full of beans, excited to see me and smiling from ear to ear.  The kind of dream reaction that any family photographer would want to get. 

When I arrive at any house for the first time I like to have a good look around to determine the best rooms to take the photographs in depending on the light.  I quite often get one of the children to show me around as they enjoy having a job to do and it gives me a chance to get to know them.  I did this with the older son, leaving the gorgeous, happy and excited younger brother downstairs for a short time.  Son number 1 was very keen to give me a tour and was in such a great mood himself that I actually ended up taking most of his portraits first.  He was a dream to photograph, laughing and joking all the time but also a great listener and really patient.  I absolutely love the photographs I captured of him, I think his personality really shines through.

It was now time to head downstairs to take his brother's individual shots, but the second he saw my camera he burst into tears.  He hated it.  In fact, he was terrified of it.  I've had children who have been a bit dubious about my camera in the past, and in those cases I just bide my time, show them pictures on the back of the camera, let them press a few buttons and it quickly calms them down.  But nothing was working here, he quite clearly never wanted to see my camera again.

But with the help of Mum and Dad, and using the the art of distraction, song and silly noises, I managed to whip my camera out in 2 second bursts to grab a cute expression here and there before rapidly hiding the camera again to prevent him getting upset.  It was probably quite comical to watch. 

The best thing of all is that he looks as cute as can be in the photographs.  To be honest, with a face like that it's hard to look anything but. He's simply stunning with those beautiful blue eyes and that gorgeous blonde curly hair.  I'm sure if I photograph them again he'll be fine, it was just one of those days and kids are always unpredictable.  It's one of the reasons I love my job so much.

Henry & George_001 Henry & George_046 Henry & George_104 Henry & George_047 Henry & George_091 Henry & George_020 Henry & George_058

Henry & George_025 Henry & George_110

You can read more about his new venture HERE and HERE both of which have used one of the photographs from this session.

Robert is a thoroughly charming man and lives in one of the most amazing houses I've ever set foot in, a photographer's dream.

Robert Newmark - Credit Jenny Smith_65 Robert Newmark - Credit Jenny Smith_67 Robert Newmark - Credit Jenny Smith_75

This toddler photography session in north London was booked just before Christmas as a surprise for this little girl's daddy, and what a perfect shoot it was too.  Such adorable expressions plus she had a wardrobe to die for! 

We had quite a laugh taking these first few shots on the bed because she really didn't want to wear the flower headband!  I think these were the only two photographs I got before she pulled it off her head. 

One of my favourite shots is the one outside in her pink coat.  I just love her expression and utter joy at being swung around by her mummy.  I also particularly love the cheeky little smile she's giving in the last photograph on the chair. 

Annabelle_14

Annabelle_18 Annabelle_22 Annabelle_26 Annabelle_43 Annabelle_41 Annabelle_50

They live in a stunning barn conversion in Berkshire with ample options for photography locations and even though it was quite a dull day this time, there was still sufficient light to get some lovely images.

Mum and Dad have a very cool looking bath in their bedroom, the perfect place to put little people who like to run off at any given moment.  I'm usually on the lookout for places where I can contain toddlers but that look photogenic at the same time.  This was the perfect solution and the kids loved being in there too.  

This first photograph is among my favourites purely because she is having the time of her life falling off the back of the sofa.  It almost makes me want to have a go at this myself.

C&C_102

C&C_116

Bath time!

C&C_058

C&C_030

C&C_068

C&C_099

C&C_126

Can you see the Gruffalo out of the window?

C&C_014

I've photographed this family a few times now and the photos are always a pleasure to edit because they're all just SO photogenic.  They're also a family who make me feel ever so slightly guilty because they always get the photos in frames and up on the wall almost straight away which I need to get much better at.  You'd think doing the job that I do that my house would be full of framed images, but I sometimes get so carried away with other people's photos that I forget to take the time to do my own.  I'm getting better though, I've managed to do three frames recently and I have more plans this year.

Anyway, back to this delightful family.  We started off at their home where I got some gorgeous pics of the kids laughing and joking around in the living room.  Because it was a lovely sunny day the giant mirror in the living room really bounced the light around beautifully and created a gorgeous backdrop.  We then headed out to Coldfall Woods in Muswell Hill which is when the crisp winter's day really came into its own.  There's nothing better than a sunny wood in the winter for photography.  I love the shapes the branches on the trees make in the background and as I said before, the low sun gives such a richness to the shots.

Here's a selection of some of my faves from the day.

Zac&Isla_154

Zac&Isla_200

Zac&Isla_174

Zac&Isla_210

The way the light is bouncing off the mirror is just gorgeous!

Zac&Isla_184 Zac&Isla_218

Below is the reaction you get when you tell a child that a bird once pooed on your head.

Z&A_132

A few weeks ago I received an email that made me smile.  A family, who it turns out only live a few doors away, wanted to book me for a family photography session... with a twist.  They wanted to be cooking and they wanted to be messy.  Really messy.

It's the first time a family have asked for such a thing, but I'm wondering when people see these photos if I might start getting a few more requests.  Before the shoot I visited the house for a quick recce to make sure it would work for the shots I had in mind, and, with a bit of furniture removal it was perfect!  We positioned the large kitchen table in front of the french doors to maximise on the light and let the mayhem commence.

I'm a bit of a clean freak at home, so when the Dad started dusting the kids with icing sugar from a great height I started having mild palpitations imagining what the cleaning up process would be like, but from a photography point of view I was delighted because I knew the photos would be amazing. 

As you'll see from the images below, this session oozes personality.  The kids were absolutely loving making the cookies, they were excited about sitting on the kitchen table and they loved getting messy.  And the photos demonstrate this in spades!

The icing on the cake for me though (excuse the pun) was how the family have decided to display the images.  They have bought a multi aperture frame along with one of my print packages and have be displayed 28 images in one frame, grouped together.  I am SO pleased!  This shoot really needs to be displayed as a montage as the photos really tell a story when viewed together.

So, if you want to turn your house upside down and get messy too then give me a call!

tytherleigh montage1

And this is what the frame looks like on the wall - perfect!

framed tytherleigh

I'm quite excited however that her mum has booked me for a bonus session in January to do a much more girly shoot which I'm really looking forward to.  I have a little boy, so the chance to spend an hour or two dressing up a little girl in pretty little things is quite an exciting prospect.

The first photo here is my favourite I think.  I just love the simplicity of it, and the gorgeous expression on her face.

MillieNov_070 MillieNov_006 MillieNov_014 MillieNov_042 MillieNov_074 MillieNov_086

The mum contacted me to see if I could fit them in for a session ASAP before her little girl's first tooth fell out. Well, being a mum I know how important this is, and how you want to cherish those gorgeous little baby teeth, so I managed to fit her in before I went off on holiday. 

Luckily they live in Muswell Hill too so I didn't have far to travel and as it turned out, her sister-in-law was going to be at the house that day too with her little 4 year old daughter and also decided to book me, so we actually did two shoots in one day. 

Again, it was a great house for photography plus it was a lovely sunny day so we got lots of different shots both inside and outside.  Here are a few of my favourites although it was hard to narrow it down because she's just so photogenic.  I've just realised that most of my favourites happen to be with her mouth closed, but rest assured there were actually some shots in there with the precious baby teeth on show!

Niah_36 Niah_38 Niah_48 Niah_52 Niah_68 Niah_76

I love this shot of her sitting on the dining room table. Niah_80 Niah_90

I can't say thank you enough to all of my amazing clients who have made the last 12 months so enjoyable. 

I left my job in radio 7 years ago with a brand new baby and a dream of becoming a photographer.  When my maternity leave came to an end I had to make a choice, go back to my job in PR, earn a safe salary and hire someone else to look after my son, or try to turn my photography dream into a reality whilst remaining a full time mum.

Well, here I am and I have to say it was the easiest decision I have ever made.

Thank you and have a fantastic 2015! 

2014 Blog Thanks 2

2014 Blog Thanks

I absolutely love it when newborn clients decide to book me for the 12 months package because to me this is the year that their child will change the most!  They really do look like three different children and never again in their lives will such a transformation happen in a year.

I love all my clients, and I love all children but I have to say I have a real soft spot for this adorable little boy and the photos from all three sessions are among my favourites that I've ever taken.  At the end of this post I've included two photos from his first two sessions so you can see that the cuteness has been there from day one! 

Kiarash One_008 Kiarash One_012

Kiarash One_090

Kiarash One_042

Kiarash One_058

Kiarash One_048

Kiarash One_030

6 months ago he looked like this:

JPS_2531 copy

And here he is when he was just a few days old - one of my all time favourite newborn photographs:

Kiarash_118

We needed to take photographs of Dan to reflect his career but still maintain a cool vibe and my first thought was to find a good looking spectator stand at a sporting venue. 

Well, this was harder than it sounds but we eventually stumbled upon the Linford Christie Stadium in West London which had just the thing.  Not only that, but we were able to make use of the running track which made for some very stylish looking shots with all the cool track markings in the background.

I particularly enjoy doing business headshots - I always talk to my clients beforehand to work out exactly what they need to convey in the images and then I taylor-make the session to fit.  It really keeps me on my toes and thinking creatively.

Dan Henderson_03

Dan Henderson_15

Dan Henderson_27

Dan Henderson_11

Parents like this deserve a medal in my opinion and should be awarded one, like, every day!  I absolutely love photographing large families because each and every child is so different.  It really keeps me on my toes and I love getting to know them and working out what kind of approach to take with each child.  What will make one kid laugh their heads off will make another look at you with a completely blank expression - I love the challenge.

This family were an utter joy to work with and yet again I had the pleasure of photographing such polite children who listened carefully to my gentle instructions and did everything I asked with ease.  It's so lovely when I meet kids like that, and I can't tell you how much easier it makes my job.  I really couldn't be happier with this series of photos. 

Friedman_70

Friedman_56

Friedman_08

Friedman_30

Friedman_46

Friedman_12

I was told that a photographer used to live in this house and he used one of the rooms as his studio - I'm not surprised. It was one of the best houses that I've ever been to for a session with natural light flooding in from the huge windows in almost every room. Perfect conditions for a natural light photographer like myself.

Often when I arrive at a session the kids are very excited about getting their photos taken, and when this happens I like to get my camera out almost straight away before the novelty wears off.  This was one of those sessions and I couldn't be happier with the images we got - so relaxed and full of personality.

Harriet_008

Harriet_044

Harriet_064

Harriet_024

Harriet_058

Harriet_072

Harriet_102

Harriet_116

Harriet_122

Harriet_152

This little chap was so well behaved for the whole session so we were able to move him around into different positions and locations without too much trouble.  Plus, it was another stunning property with lovely window light and gorgeous furniture which always makes for a great set of photographs.

I'm always alarmed at how amazing (and awake) the mummies look when I turn up to photograph newborn babies.  I came across a photo of myself the other day when my own son was a few days old, and let me tell you, my image was a far cry from this glamourous mum.  Elasticated waistbands were my new best friend for several months after the birth. 

But anyway, back to this gorgeous family. I really was spoilt for choice as to where to photograph him;  every room was decorated to perfection with gorgeous colours and textures which I always look out for when I turn up for a home session.  I particularly loved the muted tones of the master bedroom where we did the majority of the photographs, this colour palette really suits a sleepy newborn image.

Donal_020

Donal_024

Donal_058

Donal_071

Donal_048

Donal_054

Donal_083

Donal_088

The difference with this age group is simply that they are generally much harder to settle down and get into lovely curled up positions.  However, I'm happy to take them on as long as the parents know that the end result will be a bit different to my usual newborn images.  And by different, I don't mean worse.  In fact, the joy of photographing this age is that you get some lovely little smiles and a lot more character in their faces.

Anyway, with this session, we managed to get a few sleepy shots of her curled up on her own but my absolute favourite images were a series we took snuggled up with her mummy, skin to skin, one of which you can see here, so quiet and intimate.

These clients have booked me to document her first year, so the next time I'll meet her will be around the 6 month mark when she will be sitting up on her own. Then our last shoot together will be when she's running around and keeping me on my toes!  I can't wait.  

Millie_017 Millie_030 Millie_033 Millie_042 Millie_052 Millie_062 Millie_104 Millie_090

Their little boy is in the same class as my own son so we've known each other for the last three years.  I must say, this was one of the most enjoyable shoots I've ever done. These kids are incredible, not only are they super photogenic, but they have such great senses of humour that had me laughing practically the whole way through.

Ask any portrait photographer and I'm sure they'll tell you that photographing kids together can be something of a nightmare.  You can only prepare yourself so much, but if one child doesn't want to play ball then there's very little you can do.  Even if they DO play ball, it can still be hard to make sure both (or more) kids are looking at the camera, look reasonably happy and perhaps more importantly, look natural.  But I didn't have any trouble with this pair.  Just look at the first shot of them together.  They were born to do it!

E&H_040

E&H_006

E&H_026

E&H_062

E&H_016

E&H_030

E&H_066

E&H_054

E&H_081

E&H_138

E&H_096

E&H_108

Honestly, he was amazing to photograph and with a face like that it was impossible to get a bad shot of him.  While I was there we had a very light hearted chat about child model agencies, but I seriously think this little man would get a lot of bookings.  Such a cute face and a really lovely nature, which I can only credit to his Mum and Dad who were such great company and created a lovely calm and chilled out atmosphere.

In fact his Mum and I had right good natter during the session as she works in PR, an industry I spent 10 years in before becoming a photographer.  It turned out we knew some of the same people and definitely shared the same kind of outlook in life.  It's so great when that happens.

Dexter_012 Dexter_020 Dexter_024 Dexter_042 Dexter_053 Dexter_074 Dexter_094 Dexter_110 Dexter_104

It took me a long time to decide on exactly which USB to buy, which box, the right kind of ribbon etc but to a packaging freak like me it was all part of the fun.

Many of my clients choose one of my digital file packages (which also include at least one enlargement photograph) and up until quite recently I used to present them on a CD, but times have changed, and many computers and laptops don't even have a CD drive anymore so it was time to move on and I'm thrilled with the results.

USB

USB

I've worked with the mother of this handsome young chap before, when she and her business partner (also a client) booked me to photograph six dogs wearing their gorgeous handmade dog tags.  Well, talk about a funny shoot, I don't think I've ever laughed so hard on a job.

So I knew this Barmitzvah would be a good laugh, especially when she phoned me up to say she was coming to the party dressed as the mad hatter.  Dad is a self confessed serial poser too, absolutely hilarious and together with his wife made for some seriously good (and different) portraits. 

Here's a selection of photographs I took of the family prior to the party.  I think you'll see why I didn't mind being persuaded to take this job on!

Daniel Portrait_04

It's not every family who would agree to burst through a fire escape!

Daniel Portrait_46

Daniel Portrait_56

Daniel Portrait_29

Daniel Portrait_02

Daniel Portrait_15  

This little boy was a bundle of happy smiles and adorable 'serious' faces from the moment he woke up to the moment I left!  A complete dream to photograph. 

I took these photographs just as the World Cup was starting and excitement for England's first match was brewing.  Dad, who had treated his wife to the session for her birthday wasn't there that day, but being a football fan his wife wanted to get a funny shot of their son wearing England deely boppers. 

Hilariously their son had other ideas and no sooner had we put them on his head, he'd knocked them straight off again.  We finally got the shot thanks to a lot of distraction techniques and a loud rendition of Baa Baa Black Sheep (or what is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star... I can't quite remember now). 

Needless to say, a few days later England were knocked out of the World Cup so maybe he knew something we didn't!

Alexander_037

Alexander_026

Alexander_046

Alexander_054

Alexander_065

Alexander_071

Alexander_084

Alexander_099  

Their mum wanted to get shots of her girls whilst they were still small babies as she'd missed out on getting some when they were newborns.  Babies who are a couple of months old can be a little bit tricky sometimes, they've come out of that newborn, flexible, sleepy stage and are much harder to pose without looking slumped plus these two hadn't quite managed the art of lying on their tummies.  But, by lying them on their backs close together we managed to get some beautiful photographs as the first image shows. 

However, the girls weren't in the very best of health the day I arrived so I suggested coming back a few weeks later to photograph them again.  This time they could hold their heads up on their tummies and so we managed to get a great set of shots of the two of them together.

Their brother was a different kettle of fish altogether.  Being a toddler, and a gorgeous one at that, he was a breeze to photograph.  So much fun, full of energy and just check out those beautiful blue eyes!  I just love the photo of him inside the toy bag, he found this absolutely hilarious which was good news for me as we got some brilliant and natural shots of him.

MEE_095
MEE_018

  MEE_109

MEE_158

MEE_002

MEE_205

MEE_013

MEE_106

MEE_083

MEE_199

MEE_125

MEE_164

As you can see, Elizabeth is completely stunning with very soft features and hair to die for, so I had the idea of photographing her against an urban backdrop to bring a little bit of edge to the images.  Step forward the South Bank, one of my all time favourite locations for photography sessions.  It's bursting with colour and texture and was absolutely perfect for the type of shots I wanted to get.

There are more of her on my Facebook page so please do check it out via the link at the top of the page.

Elizabeth_20

Elizabeth_54

Elizabeth_01

Elizabeth_12

Elizabeth_72

Elizabeth_46

Elizabeth_59

This age group can vary so much mood wise. Some are really shy, some can be a bit grumpy, some are over excited, some are stubborn and refuse to acknowledge you (all part of the fun) but these twins were nothing but willing and happy the entire time.  I always feel so lucky when this happens as, being a mum myself, I'm more than used to all the previous adjectives!

This family live in a beautiful house with white washed walls and a lovely big garden, so I had plenty of gorgeous locations to use as I followed the little ones around.

One of the biggest challenges in my job is photographing children together.  Getting two or more children to not only sit together, but look at the camera at the same time whilst all smiling or looking cute (or rather, not pulling a silly face, blinking or crying) can be difficult to say the least.  But no such trouble with this pair, they were literally a dream come true from start to finish!

Siena and James_003

Siena and James_033

Siena and James_059

Siena and James_034

Siena and James_105

Siena and James_055

Siena and James_021

May 25 Torie Campbell Fave Hol copy

Now, I have to confess that I'm not a car person, at all.  But this place was incredible and I'm actually thinking of going back with my son so that I can have an even better look around. It's an absolutely stunning building across three floors with some really beautiful cars to look at, and that's from someone who isn't interested in cars! The most exciting of which was a beautiful 1960s white convertible that belonged to Peter Sellers.

And even better than that, we were allowed to get in it! A huge thank you goes out to the lovely people at Mercedes Benz World for allowing that to happen.

The first photograph is my favourite. Torie's styling really suits the car and thanks to her natural ability in front of the camera we got this gorgeous, relaxed image.  Plus, thanks to a bit of cropping, you wouldn't know we were sitting in a car showroom.

My individual headshot packages include 8 high resolution images, so I thought I'd post 8 images on here to demonstrate the variety of shots that come with the package.  It's also worth noting that each headshot is completely bespoke to that particular client.  We'll have a chat beforehand to discuss what you need to convey in the photos and come up with a location to reflect that.  We usually do 2 or 3 outfit changes too to give some variety to the final images.

Torie_29 Torie_13 Torie_24 Torie_12 Torie_15 Torie_07 Torie_21 Torie_27  

What I also love is that they decided to book me to photograph him on his own, without his big brother.  The reason I say that is, being a younger sibling myself, it's so often the case that there are hundreds of photos of the older brothers and sisters, and practically none of the subsequent children by themselves.  Well, not so with this little chap.

This family are NCT friends of mine and when I photographed their eldest son I'd literally just started out on my photography journey.  In fact, when I photographed him I think I still had every intention of going back to my PR job at Capital Radio, but the more little jobs I did during my maternity leave (I practiced on A LOT of friends), the more I thought I could turn it into a business.

The rest, as they say, is history.  I didn't go back to that job and slowly but surely I built my photography business and managed to be a full time mum at the same time.  The best decision I've ever made.  

James_001

James_004

James_039

James_054

James_116

James_058

Clare won't mind me telling you that she was very nervous before our shoot.  She told me that she always feels uncomfortable in front of a camera and was unsure how to pose and look natural.  This is why, when I photograph headshots, I always show my clients their images on the back of the camera as we go along.  That way they can shout DELETE at anything they don't like, but also see what kind of pose works and why.

We started off in the very cool Owen's Food Store in Muswell Hill, North London which is a lovely bright cafe with some very photogenic tables and chairs.  A prop such as a good looking chair not only adds interest to a photograph but is great for a nervous client who is unsure what to do with their hands and may feel a bit awkward standing up at first.  It creates a lovely relaxed shot and can ease people into a session.

When we'd exhausted all possible locations inside the cafe (thank you Owen's for putting up with us), we popped outside to a little road just behind the cafe where there was a lovely brick wall to use as a backdrop. The light was perfect back there and because Clare had really started to relax and enjoy the shoot, we were getting some very natural looking images. 

Finally we walked up to Alexandra Palace because I wanted to take a few photographs with a completely different background.  When I take headshots I always try to give my clients a variety of looks to choose from, and the stunning green grass and row of trees at the park were the perfect contrast to the cafe and brick wall.

Clare_14

Clare_20

Clare_33

Clare_26

Clare_72

Clare_43

Clare_51

Clare_68

You may recognise the mummy as I posted photographs from her maternity session on here a few weeks ago. She had the most perfect pregnancy bump, and now she has the most perfect little baby too.

One of my biggest regrets is not booking a newborn session for my own baby. They only stay tiny and delicate like this for 2 or 3 weeks and it's such a shame not to capture it on camera to remind yourself of this fleeting moment. Of course I did actually take photos of him (through a bleary, sleep deprived haze), but I really should have booked another, more awake, photographer to freeze this moment in time for us.

Anyway, back to this little bundle.  This house is great for a photo shoot, beautiful light with stunning original windows, and the decor has a lovely peaceful vibe which works so well with newborns. 

Veronica_010

What can I say? I love photographing teeny tiny feet!

Veronica_012

There's nothing posed about this next shot, I walked in the room and spotted this reflection and snapped away, I love intimate moments like this one between mother and child. 

Veronica_013

This next shot is a favourite pose of mine.  Take a look at any of my newborn sessions and you'll see a photograph like this one.  I just love how tiny they look snuggled up in their Dad's hand and usually I take quite a few shots from different angles while they're there.  However, this is the ONLY 'hand shot' we got during this shoot due to a very wriggly baby, but I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out - she actually looks like she's smiling.  What a result!

Veronica_050

Veronica_063

Veronica_111

Veronica_080

And here is a little before and after for you.  Altogether now...ahhhh.

Rache Before After

One of the most exciting things about this particular shoot was that the mum works at the South Bank Centre so we had access to a beautiful and very cool looking rooftop room with views over the Thames and the London Eye.  Absolutely stunning!

If you've never been, then I highly recommend a trip to the South Bank, it makes a great day out for the whole family with loads of fun and interesting activities to do.  The day I photographed these kids, there were giant snow globes which only snowed when you hopped on a bike and gave it some serious pedal power.  I used the bikes for some of the photos, which made a great prop for the kids to sit on.

Here's a selection of some of my favourite shots from the day.

Check out this gorgeous floor, this room was full of amazing spots for photographs!

One of the bikes that were part of a fantastic Christmas Snow Globe installation.

This lovely family have booked me several times before, once to take maternity photographs, then I've photographed his big sister a couple of times and now this little bundle, can you see why I love my job?  They live in a stunning barn conversion in Berkshire so we always have lots of options as to where to take the photos, not to mention it just being a great place to hang out for a few hours!

This little baby weighed nearly 10 pounds when he was born which, if you don't know much about newborns, is big.  But so called 'big babies' still seem tiny to me.  All newborns regardless of their weight are so fragile and innocent with the most beautiful soft skin and delicate limbs.  Just adorable.

The next photo is one of my favourites, just look at his little smile. Plus, I took a similar one of his sister (although she was wide awake for hers) when she was born and it's so nice when you can replicate a shot like that.

And here is the photo of his sister (who, by the way, is completely blonde now).

Newborn and BabiesBeautiful and contemporary newborn and baby photography taken in the comfort of your own home. My photographs are all taken using natural light so as not to disturb your little one.
Author: Jenny Smith

I get loads of people asking me for advice on how to photograph their children, some even asking if I would consider doing one-to-one training sessions. Well, I'm not sure how good a teacher I would make (ask my sister about the time I had to step in to teach English to some foreign exchange students), but what I can do is offer a few tricks of the trade to help you take better photos of your little ones. 

And the first tip I'm offering up to you is this.  Get in close.  And then get closer. So often I see snap shots of children and the photo was taken from such a distance that it's hard to even make out who they are, not to mention all the clutter that's surrounding them.  

You don't have to put your camera right into their faces, that may scare them a bit, but most point and shoot cameras have a zoom so use it to get a lovely tight shot of their beautiful little face.

JPS_9796 copy

Every photo you take needn't be like this of course, you'd have a pretty monotonous photo album if you did, but getting in close really can make all the difference to a shot.

ChildrenBeautiful and contemporary child photography taken either in the comfort of your own home or out and about on location. My photographs are all taken with natural light which is not only flattering but means there's no imposing studio lighting to frighten your little one.
Author: Jenny Smith

Another great little tip for you that will really enhance your photo album is to take shots of the little everyday details. A photo doesn't always have to show a face as this picture of a little girl's first birthday party proves. Daisy Bday_236

And don't forget their adorable little feet and hands too...so precious!

Oscar_11 But whether you're taking photos of their faces, feet or the little day to day details, try getting in close and see what a difference this makes to your photographs.

These particular clients have booked me to document their little boy's first year - which means three shoots during the first twelve months or so.  I've just done shoot number two at seven months old, and the first shot was when he was just a few days old (incidentally it's one of my all time favourite photos that I've taken). I'll next see them all again when he's walking. 

Isn't he one of the cutest babies you've ever seen?  Around the six month mark is probably my favourite age to photograph - they're usually full of smiles and with the most scrumptious little chubby arms and legs.

I'll post more photos from this session shortly.

Kiarash Now and Then

This is a friend of mine who is due to give birth in just a few days time and I'm SO happy she decided to book me for these shots, doesn't she look amazing?  She used to be a model which certainly helped in terms of posing, but model or not, I think all pregnant women look absolutely incredible. 

Having been pregnant myself I have such a huge amount of respect and admiration for pregnant women, it's certainly a tough 9 months let me tell you!  But rest assured that all the heartburn (I drank my way through a giant bottle of Gaviscon a week), swollen ankles, sickness, excessive weight gain, pelvic pain, sleepless nights, utter exhaustion and back ache, pales into insignificance when you hold your little baby in your arms for the very first time. I'm welling up just thinking about it.

I was going for a natural and relaxed vibe with this shoot which I think has come across perfectly, plus I'm delighted that lovely Lauren the dog makes an appearance too.  The house was a great location for a photography session with beautiful light and interesting textures.  One of my favourite shots is the silhouette by the beautiful Edwardian front door, stunning.

I'm gradually building my maternity portfolio and will be launching a new gallery on my website shortly, so watch this space.

Rache 3 Blog

Rache 3 blogs

IMG_3068

And as more and more people are posting selfies on Facebook and Instagram and the like, I feel it's my duty as a photographer and fellow selfie lover to pass on some words of wisdom to elevate this humble art form to a whole new, more professional level.

This week I bring to your attention unexpected selfie fan, Snoop 'Doggy' Dogg.  As a young boy, the K9 monickered rapper dreamed of becoming a fireman and so couldn't believe his luck when he spotted some real life firefighters in his Melbourne hotel who had been called out on a false alarm.  

Quick as a flash, out came the camera phone and before they knew it two young firemen found themselves in the selfie of a lifetime, standing next to an international rap sensation and being posted online for over 2.5 million Instagram fans to see.  But imagine their crashing disappointment when they hastily checked Snoop's feed and found THIS waiting for them. Nothing to celebrate here Snoop, time to turn those thumbs upside down.

So here we go with selfie tip number one; look for the light.  And where is the light in this photo my selfie loving lovelies?  That's right, as we all grew up saying in panto, IT'S BEHIND YOU. If Snoop had simply turned around so that the natural light from the window was shining on their excited little faces instead of the hideous 'you've been Tangoed' orange hotel down-lights, we'd have ourselves a beautiful, internet worthy selfie which Craig's wife (or whatever his name is on the right) could justifiably show off to the girls without having to endure cries of 'rubbish, that's not Craig, as if Snoop would take a selfie with Craig, do you think we were born yesterday?'  

And with that, I leave you with this second disappointing Snoop selfie.  I know what you're thinking, poor old 'Craig' gets the raw end of the deal again, but perhaps more worrying is that, considering it's a selfie, said 'self' isn't actually visible.  

Altogether now...it's behind you!

No complaints on the muscles though Snoop!

We needed to make sure that her specialism, property, was referenced in the photographs and so we started off in her mum's super stylish house in North London for some classy interior shots.  Then, after a quick outfit change, we took some by the front door much to the delight of the local builders!  Finally we headed off to another gorgeous looking street in Islington where I photograph Natasha with a row of houses sweeping off in the distance. 

Whilst we were there I spotted a very beautiful looking powder blue door which I knew would complement Natasha's outfit.  So, a quick knock on the door to get the all clear with the owner and we took a few shots there too.  The weather was on our side thankfully as it had been tipping down the day before, and I think the sun even peeped out for a very short time too.  I will be adding some of these photos to my Business Portrait gallery too. 

Natasha_02

Natasha_10

Natasha_15

Natasha_19

Chloe_10

Chloe_22

The shoot couldn't have gone any better.  The weather was beautiful so we managed to get out to Alexandra Palace where I've done many a photography session before.  I love it up there, especially at this time of year when the leaves are on the ground and you get such beautiful winter sun. 

But the best thing about the photo shoot was the kids, of course.  They were GORGEOUS!  This age combination can sometimes prove to be a bit tricky especially when trying to get shots together, but not these two.  I just LOVE the first photo of big sister giving such a loving hug, and just look at his little face.  There are more of them on my Facebook page too.

I'm reliably informed that their Daddy loved the photos too!

C&T_010

C&T_036

C&T_074

C&T_062

C&T_104

C&T_170

C&T_148

C&T_038

These children are adorable, very well behaved and loads of fun.  It's impossible not to take a good photograph of them.  The same goes for mum and dad come to think of it!

AliceHugo_075

AliceHugo_028

AliceHugo_041

AliceHugo_149

AliceHugo_057

AliceHugo_083

AliceHugo_089

AliceHugo_127

AliceHugo_135

Beth&Lucinda_020

Beth&Lucinda_036

Beth&Lucinda_058

Beth&Lucinda_108

Beth&Lucinda_120

Beth&Lucinda_156

Beth&Lucinda_168

Caytons_230

Caytons_186

Caytons_181

Caytons_258

Caytons_189

Caytons_250

Caytons_194

Dublin_029

Dublin_030

Dublin_033

Dublin_060

Dublin_046

Charles_13

Charles_07

e817-blog size copy

e817-blog size copy 3

Gillian_16

Gillian_05

Gillian_13

Author: Jenny Smith

Author: Jenny Smith

postcar portrait

The first set of postcards offering 50% off the price of a photography session have been distributed in Muswell Hill today.  You can find them at the beautiful organic baby clothing shop O Baby, Fagins toy shop and you will also find a few on the notice board in JoJo Maman Bebe.

Author: Jenny Smith

postcard landscape

If you live in Muswell Hill, North London or close by keep your eyes peeled for my special offer postcards which will give you 50% off a photography session fee.  I will be distributing them in shops and playgroups in the area next week and will update my blog with some of the locations as I go along.  They are all numbered on  the back and one postcard entitles you to one half price photography session only.  A photography session covers my time taking and editing your photographs and an online viewing gallery.  It does not include any products or prints, but please do contact me if you would like a comprehensive price list.

Author: Jenny Smith

JPS_6223 copy

Author: Jenny Smith

We started off at their lovely home in Muswell Hill, and then headed up to Alexandra Palace also in Muswell Hill for some summery photographs in the park. Looking out of my window at the driving rain it's hard to imagine that these photographs were only take a couple of weeks ago, come back summer...please!

Dicker_001

Dicker_012

Dicker_036

Dicker_058

Dicker_086

Dicker_098

Dicker_112

Dicker_151

Author: Jenny Smith

Lisa_04

This is my most recent business portrait for the lovely Lisa Marley from The Cocoa Box who runs workshops in chocolate making and cupcake decorating!  Yum!  The shoot went really well and we got a lovely set of shots and had fun with a few baking based props, some of which I will post on my Facebook page later.  Lisa is also based in Muswell Hill, North London and because my kitchen is white and bright we decided to do the photography session there, so it really couldn't have been easier. 

Author: Jenny Smith

Savannah_03

Savannah_09

Savannah_06

Savannah_19

Savannah_04

Author: Jenny Smith

Dylan_03

Dylan_11

Dylan_05 I love these next two shots of Mummy and Daddy - so much love radiating from the photographs!

Dylan_19

Dylan_08

Author: Jenny Smith

Aidan2013_015

Aidan2013_108

Author: Jenny Smith

P&R_031

P&R_042 P&R_045

P&R_062 P&R_083

P&R_076 P&R_098

Author: Jenny Smith