Our last house was all light and very little shadow. The front room was originally a sunroom so sash windows made their way across the entire frontage and halfway down both sides. No matter how grey the day was, it was always bright and white and, thanks to the fine linen curtains, easy to control.

Our new house has glorious big windows but they definitely don’t stretch as far and wide as our previous abode. I never thought I’d say this but getting to know a new home is, for me, very much about getting to know the light. On the first morning that we woke up here I was boiling the kettle only to look outside and see the sun streaming through the fence and the plants; all dappled and bright – beautiful bokeh. It made my day! Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed how the clear autumn light makes its way from the side to the front of the house thanks to a desirable north-facing aspect, bright and vivid and, at times, creating bold shadows.

Habit can hinder your creativity and it definitely did mine since we moved. I was struggling to capture the same airy and light mood in my photos – impossible because the light is so very different. Once I let go of those expectations I rekindled my love of moody shadow, apt considering the season, too.

My photos are always reflective of my home; it’s here that I spend most of my days – mothering, homemaking, working. Creative lessons have been profound these past few weeks and I’ve learned that regardless of where I live or where I travel to, it’s best to capture the light as it is and not how I want it to be.