Welcome to Le Chic Photography!
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I'm Karen, and I have always held a fascination with photography, and how it brings a sense of enjoyment when I browse through old albums. There's nothing quite like looking back at our old photos reliving past memories.Â
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I've had quite a career from working in the city as a PA Secretary. I was responsible for two partners and seven managers in the audit department just around the back of Fleet Street. Our delightful block of concrete housed more than 3,000 staff, minus one when I fell pregnant with my first child. I'm a mother going through a semi retirement stage with my grown adult children! Yes even though they're all fully grown adults, I'm still there for them especially when they have a burst water pipe, or they need something fixing!!! Yes one may say being a tiler for 30 years has been useful. I've produced bespoke Health & Safety manuals with COSHH for commercial contracts to becoming a Coastguard Officer for approximately 3 years! During this time, my camera was never far from my side! This particular photo caught everyone's eye including the Area Commander!Â
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The 163 Coastguard helicopter gracefully glided toward the helipad in a masterclass of aviation choreography, only to have its thunder stolen by a piece of high cooperative fabric! It was a cinematic descent, all heavy industrial machinery, swirling rotor wash, and calculated poise. The massive chopper was sinking through the air with practiced ease when it cleared the final obstacle. Just as it passed the flagpole, the flag effortlessly billowed out into the frame, perfectly nesting itself just above the aircraft.Â
What makes this capture incredibly special is the sheer unrepeatable luck of the timing. The accidental spotlight. It looks less like a routine landing and more like the flag was personally rolling out the red carpet, providing an official, patriotic underline to a multi-ton flying machine. The wind's perfect cue; if the wind had taken a breath a second earlier, the flag would have been a sad, limp rag; a second later, and it would have masked the landing gear. Instead, it behaved like a seasoned Hollywood extra who knew exactly when its close up was. It is a rare moment where mechanical precision and an unpredictable breeze decided to collaborate perfectly, turning a standard touchdown into an elite framed masterpiece.
I cannot express enough the pleasure I receive from producing great photography, and when I see you expressing your thrill from my work, that makes it all the more worth while. Sometimes we can take hundreds of photos, and some may not work very well. When I take a photo, I look at the entire frame, and I will take the time to capture that one image that will pop right out and make you smile!Â
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This is my portfolio, all images have been taken by me using my own equipment, and my goodness, it's a wonderful craft to have.Â