I simply love taking photos with my mobile phone. The handy little gadget is always with me, so whatever I see that catches my eye, I can take a photo of it!

Last few years I’ve been really enjoying making double images with a mobile phone app called Diana. A lot of the time I make images with photos that have a personal meaning to me and aren’t necessarily that “pretty” in other people’s eyes. Like this following one which is a combination of Brighton Royal Pavilion and the front door to my home. I love living in Brighton And Hove, and of course my home is very important to me.

I keep posting these photos in a photo album in my personal Facebook account every now and then. Largely they have been unnoticed since I started it, but lately – for whatever reason – I have received more positive feedback for some of the images. For example this double-exposure of the Royal Pavilion and leafy trees has been quite popular.

Same with this lovely purple pink composite of woods and leaves.

I do often combine more than two photos into one image, by combining a double exposed with a single one, or a double exposure image with another double one. This one is at least three, maybe four images.

I go for a long walk in the woods every day with my dogs, so Stanmer Park Woods with its trees is very close to my heart. Any photos I’ve taken there have a special meaning to me; I’ve spent many a happy hour amongst the trees with my two enthusiastic, bouncy springer spaniels.

Puppy Rocket is so fast that I can only get photos of him as a blur, or when he’s paused for a few seconds to have a poo.

Sometimes things get a bit darker – especially when there’s been a bit of personal turmoil in my life (like there was last year!).

Even the Pavilion got a goth treatment around that time…

As did my selfie! Smiling through all dark obstacles, and life-changing revelations from my past and present. The last year has taught me more about myself and my family than all my life before it, it feels. It’s never too late to face your demons and unravel the experiences you went through as a child – and come out the other side a better, bolder version of you! It’s been a revelation; an awakening. But it’s so good to reconnect with your true nature, when you finally get there.

I also experimented with some Christian passion imagery. :D If you can’t see what it is, it’s Jesus carrying his cross, with some dudes. No, hang on, I think two of them are dudettes. Did Mary Magdalene come and talk to him on his way to Golgatha? I can’t remember the story anymore.

But let’s get back to more joyful experiences… like a cute little robin with flowers…

Rottingdean windmill combined with leaves…

And my lovely little Zebedee who has been my constant companion for 11 years. Love him to bits. This is a flowery version of him on one of our beautiful sunset walks at Brighton’s Devil’s Dyke.

I’ve made other flowery versions of Zebedee…

I haven’t made any good ones yet of the new addition to my family: Rocket The Puppy. He only has this rather extreme flower power puppy portrait. :-)

Some double exposures have no other meaning than just aligning perfectly in a slightly surreal way that pleases me.

Combining indoor spaces or constructions with leaves has fascinated me – in fact, one of the first images I made with Diana App was this one of Brighton Station back in 2015.

Brighton Royal Pavilion is an infinite source of imagery for me. You simply can’t go wrong. I kind of like this one that makes it look like skyscrapers (with the help of some trees of Stanmer Park Woods). If you can’t see the skyscrapers, squint your eyes.

Yes yes, cherry blossoms… anything goes! Plus you will see some blossoms inside the pavilion as it’s decorated in the style of chinoiserie on the inside. India on the outside, China on the inside. Makes complete sense in Brighton.

Here’s the last one… my ode to Brighton, with the colours of the rainbow.