Wiltshire Photography in the Autumn - Pets, Craft Markets and More!

Can someone please tell me where summer went? Did it fly by for you too? Despite being a sun-loving, hot weather person, I’m quite entranced by these glorious golden mornings right now, and lighting the log burner more for the atmosphere than for the temperature (the narrowboat is instantly hot, out come the shorts and tshirts again!) is a lovely, cosy thing to be doing as the nights start drawing in.

Before I look back at that glorious summer, here’s what I’m going to be doing, and where I’m going to be doing it, over the next 6 weeks or so…

I’m still very much a regular in the Shambles, Devizes Market Place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Bay 20 - unless commitments elsewhere take me away. Find me there in October on:

  • Thursday 2 Friday 3 Saturday 4

  • Thursday 9 Friday 10 Saturday 11

  • Thursday 16

  • Thursday 23 Friday 24

  • Thursday 30

if you don’t see what you’re looking for, please ask!

Philippa Huber Photography in the Shambles, Devizes

I’ve a few other ‘happenings’ in October. First up, and I’m thrilled about this, is my exhibition at the Woodborough Club, Pewsey SN9 5PL - the Open Day is on Saturday 4 from 10 til 12 (with coffee and cake too, if that’s an incentive!) and runs through the month with Open Evenings every Wednesday as well. (I’ll be back in the Shambles for the afternoon, for those of you paying attention to dates…)

I’m also going to be at a new craft market at Honeystreet Mill (Pewsey SN9 5PS) on Saturday and Sunday 25-26 October 10 til 4 both days; you can find me in the shed called Fred (I love that!) Expect a great variety of traders and the chilled out, friendly vibe that goes with Honeystreet - don’t forget the cafe there too, it’s seriously good (and gets busy, maybe book ahead).


OK, that’s the forward looking bits, now let’s have a look back…

Birthday Sunrise, Le Crotoy - Nikon Z8 with z14-24mm f2.8

In August I was the incredibly lucky winner of 2 weeks’ free hire of the lens of my choice, from Lenses for Hire . I chose a fast 14-24mm to go with my Nikon Z8 and took it away to France. Oh la la, c’etait magnifique! Not my usual ‘embrace the blur’ bokeh-tastic style of shooting, I absolutely loved going wide and crisp. There were even moments where it didn’t seem wide enough - but that was just me getting carried away with those big beaches and enormous skies of the Normandy coast. Getting and sending back the lens was an absolute doddle and I’m definitely going to be renting more lenses from Lenses for Hire in the future.

 

In other personal photography news, I had a really great photowalk around Devizes with a few members of SheClicks, my favourite photography group ever…we went along the canal and through the market place, popped our noses (and cameras) into St John’s Alley and St John’s church grounds then called in to Brew and Vine to revive ourselves. Quoting directly from the website, “SheClicks is a friendly, supportive online community for women photographers of all levels. We offer meet-ups, a podcast, webinars, workshops, product reviews of photographic gear and more, creating opportunities to learn, connect and be inspired” If you’d like to know more, have a look on the website, on the FB page, or drop me a message.

 

I was also asked to be a guest judge for the SheClicks August challenge - the theme was Pets and I was obviously delighted to be invited. The problem of judging became clear very quickly - it’s so difficult to choose just 25 when at least a hundred seem worthy. After a lot of thought, I made and submitted my final choices and you can see them in the Gallery.

For my own personal/professional Pet Photography, I’ve been busy and having a fabulous time here there and everywhere! I did a beautiful shoot in the grounds of the Elvetham Hotel in Hampshire; I was up on Redhorn Hill, Wiltshire in the most wonderful late afternoon sunshine; I was crawling along woodland paths in Wickham Heath, Berkshire - I did similar in the Savernake forest close to Marlborough. I went to a lake close to Swindon; to a secure dog field at Granby House Bradford on Avon. Each shoot is different, each shoot (famous last words!) has been absolutely brilliant - here are a few images to give you an idea of just how much fun we have…

Well, that’s all for now, folks…I’ve had a great morning going over the recent past; it’s certainly been a fun-filled few months and if I didn’t have so much other work to be getting on with (website shop, for example) I’d be here all day.

If you’ve any comments, questions, requests - drop me a message whichever way works best for you (links below), and I’ll get back to you.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you somewhere soon…

Phil x

Wiltshire Photography in the Spring - pets, bluebells and more! April/May 2025

For a 30 day month, I seemed to cram a lot into April – and May is going to be equally busy with Pet Portrait Sessions and markets galore (go to the bottom of this newsletter to see where I’m going to be and when in May)

The whole of April seems to have been a Good Weather month; my very first event away from the Shambles took place under a beautiful blue sky at Ramsbury Brewery - their artisan makers market was bustling and fun, especially for me in my ‘teepee’ by the music stage - followed by another gorgeous day at the historic Shaw House in Newbury, Berkshire. It was my second event there and I loved it - friendly volunteers, great organisation and a stunning location all make a great day out for me and the many visitors.

April was also the month of blossom and bluebells - I remember clearly being told about West Woods when I was still quite new to the area. I asked for directions, and then for more precise directions because I was worried I wouldn’t find the bluebells. They gave me a smile tinged with something bordering on pity, I felt, and wondered about their reaction…the first time you go to West Woods, nothing can prepare you. I now understand their reaction - in fact, earlier this week I was asked, in the West Woods carpark, which way a couple should walk to find the bluebells…I smiled broadly, gave a general wave all around me. It’s marvellous, it’s amazing, the smell’s extraordinary and the flowers go on forever and ever. If you can, visit. In late April, early May. I’ve had the most wonderful Pet Portrait Sessions there this year and in my next newsletter I can’t wait to share some of the photos. In the meantime, here are a few of the Woods to whet the appetite.

Apart from West Woods, I’ve been out and about with my Pet Photography - Erlestoke for more bluebells in a gorgeous woodland setting; a lovely stroll by the river in Calne, a new location that I really enjoyed; a few of my fabulous circular walks around Drew’s Pond Woods and a great late afternoon shoot on the edge of Salisbury Plain. This month I photographed 15 dogs in total, all gorgeous, all different and all making me so very happy to do my job.

I gave myself an hour to explore the area around the Salisbury Plain location - I always get to a new location early to have a look-around, see what angles and interesting shots there are, get a general feel for a place. On this day, I lost 55 minutes of that precious hour going up a clearly impassable chalk track (is it just me who loses all power of independent thought when that google maps voice tells me where to go?) getting stuck, abandoning my car, going back to my car, slip-sliding backwards in the car to a place I could turn around….it was mildly terrifying…but look at this amazing field I paused to enjoy when I was safe. Without that terror, I’d never have seen this. I’m a positive kind of person, you know. (photos from that shoot next month, also)

I didn’t roll the car and I did see an amazing field of yellow

My brother and his family visited us in Devizes for the first time - I took a day out from the Shambles and did the tourist thing with them. We had a ride on a narrowboat (cleverly moving our home from the countryside into the centre of town for a few days); they stayed at the the Bear hotel and weren’t disturbed by a ghost (that was very good news for Catherine, my sister-in-law) and on Thursday we visited the Church, the museum (definitely worth a visit), the market (gin tasting at 10h30 is a great thing to try) and I strolled through the Shambles thinking, isn’t this a fabulous market in a fabulous town, I should come here more often! And then we went to the Fun Fair - where my youngest nephew found, to his absolute delight, that he’s finally tall enough to go on fairground rides. We took him on the Waltzers - surely everybody’s favourite, nostalgia-driven ride - and he couldn’t get enough. Though to me it seemed to go on longer, and faster, and whizzier than when I was 15…anyway, onwards and upwards for my little nephew - right up to the Wall of Death where the safety cord over his face (he’s little, after all!) did finally make him feel slightly afraid! And then, they were gone, and so were all those paddlers heading from Devizes to Westminster - I got a snap of one as I walked to the Shambles on Good Friday - where a lovely Easter Bunny was handing out chocolates…

I had a new card order arrive - over 300 this time, and the ‘kingfisher among the berries’ have almost sold out already - I’m putting in a new order very soon. Get in touch if you’ve any card requests and I’ll see what I can do.

Kingfisher among the berries - popular as a card as well as a framed and unframed print (and mug, bag, keyring)

And here is one photo from one fun Pet Portrait Session at Drew’s Pond Woods - this is one drenched spaniel!

May is here and I’m still busy with exciting Photoshoots, and Craft Fairs and Markets in new places and old…here’s where you can find me:

The Shambles, Devizes, bay 20 - Thursday 8 May, Thursday 15 May

Folk and Bespoke Craft Fair, Phoenix Centre, Exeter - Saturday 17 May, 10 til 3, Gandy Street

The Bath Independent Spring Market - Sunday 18 May, 10 til 3, Green Park Station

The Shambles, Devizes bay 20 - Thursday 22, Friday 23, Saturday 24 May

Avebury Garden Celebration Weekend Sunday 25, Monday 26 May, Manor House Garden - I’ll be there with my gazebo, can’t wait!

The Shambles, Devizes bay 20 - Thursday 29 May, Friday 30 May

The Old Potato Yard, Lydeway - Saturday 30 May - I’ll be outdoors with my gazebo on the last Saturday of the month

And in between all of the above, I’ll be photographing lots of pets, and showing lots of pet owners beautiful, unique photos of their amazing animals - it’s going to be a great month.

Right, it’s time for me to share this, look through some great photos from tonight’s photoshoot at Foxley Paddock there was running, jumping, splashing, backlit beauty…it’s such a great place for a safe Pet Portrait Session…then I’ll wander back along the towpath to my lovely floating home and relax before a busy day in the Shambles tomorrow.

Happy May folks, may it be full and busy and fun for us all

Phil x



 



Latest News from Philippa Huber Photography

Well, that’s another month flown by - here’s my February recap!

I’ve enjoyed being back in the Shambles, seeing faces old and new and catching up on the local news…I was supposed to be slimming down my table and wall display but somehow I’ve got over-excited again about printing and have more small squares out there than ever before (they’re really cute, don’t take up a lot of space and can be displayed in different ways, that’s my reasoning anyway!) not forgetting my mugs, bags and keyrings that I print myself…

Spontaneous decisions tend to be the best, and M and I decided to go to Wales - it was extremely spur of the moment, we found a great little place just on the edge of the Brecon Beacons and, happily oblivious to weather warnings raging through the region, we set off for 3 nights.

Isn’t it wonderful how just a couple of days away can feel like so much longer? Exploring the woodland paths was fabulous and made me remember that I want to do more tree/woodland photography this year - with my favourite Wiltshire tree knolls so close, as well as the ancient forests, I just need to get planning for some shoots there.

Don’t forget that you can click on all the photos here to see them bigger and better (recommended!)

The 4 Waterfalls walk had a couple of non-waterfall surprises - the first robin was singing its little heart out (I am SO happy to be hearing all the birdsong again); the frogs were guarding their frogspawn and also seemed to be enjoying the sunlight reaching through the trees; and that final robin seemed to be telling me to get a move on, it was not my patch!

and the waterfalls themselves, well, they were in full flow after the previous day’s storm, and I felt slightly nervous approaching the edge of the paths or river bank. And then some canoeists appeared and were happy riding the waves off the top of the fall…I mean, what???

The next day, we went off looking at reservoirs, gasping at the landscape and amazing views, and then got back to ‘our place’. M went off to the pub (oh what a choice there was!) while I got set up for PermaJet’s online panel discussion to Celebrate Women in Print - it was a really lovely free-flowing chat about photography, about print (I was particularly eloquent on this subject!) and about opportunities and support (or not) for women within the industry. I recommend it, and not just because I’m in it!

 

So that’s kind of brought me up to the present, and here’s what I’m doing in the near future:

The Photography Show starts this weekend and hopefully next month’s blog will be full of photos from the 3 days I’ll be there.

Excitingly, I’m going to be on the Fundamentals Stage on Saturday at 12h00, part of the Turning Pro panel. I’m so pleased to be able to share my knowledge and experiences of the past few years - what’s worked well, what less so:

Turning pro: What you need to know - The Photography Show 2025

If you’re going to be at the Show, do get in touch, or come and say hello at the SheClicks stand where I’ll also be, listening to inspiring photographers share their insights and journeys. I’m also going to be hanging out at PermaJet’s stand with lots of questions about printing, and I’m going to be playing in the Creator Playground (last year it was amazing fun, I’m hoping for more of the same).

You may be wondering what I’m doing for the rtest of the month…well, here’s the plan:

I’m getting really busy again with my Pet Portraits; I had a brilliant shoot at Foxleys Paddock last weekend (sorry, no photos to share until those who were there have seen them) - the sun was shining, the dogs were running, the humans were smiling…it really was excellent and I recommend it as a location close to Devizes for those of you unsure about having a photoshoot in a public space or with a nervous dog.

So, more Pet Portrait Sessions next week in some of my favourite places…I will be packing my wellies!

Next Thursday (13th) I’m doing a talk for the Photography for Fun group, part of Devizes U3A - I’m really enjoying putting some of my favourite photos together and forming a hopefully interesting and cohesive talk!

The Craft Fair season doesn’t start early and I’m excited to be at Lacock (in the village hall) for the first event of the year there, on February 22 & 23, nicely planned for the weekend before Mother’s Day - if you can make it, I and many other quality, talented makers would love to see you there.

Other new and exciting news is that I’m going to be a regular at Plank's Farm Shop - I’m going to be setting up there on the final Saturday of each month, starting on March 29. I would really love people to come over and say hello (please thankyou!)

And looking further ahead, I’m going to be at The Bath Independent (@thebathindependent) • that’s very exciting even if it isn’t until May!

I think you’re all up to date, and now I need to get ready for tomorrow in the Shambles, Devizes - do come and say hello if you’re local and if you’re not and would like to comment on anything from this month’s blog, please do!

 

Thanks for reading, wishing everyone a happy and productive March,

Phil x

Hello 2025!

Hello and Happy New Year – I’ve been back in my favourite spot in the Shambles, Devizes this week saying the very same words to so many people who called in to welcome me back and have a look at my work…I’m willing the change of season along with some cute spring chicks, but then, since there was a rather half-hearted effort at snow on Friday, I also put out a quite surreal aerial photo of Silbury Hill under a white blanket.

Silbury Hill in the Snow

 

But before I head forward, let’s look back for a moment at why I have been absent for January….

After a great but hectic 2024 that left me feeling in need of a proper break, I headed off to Cornwall and Devon for some refreshing sea air, big hills and coastal walks and a rather enjoyable selection of pubs!

Staying right on the beach in Downderry was amazing – and late sunrises meant I was able to enjoy an early morning of solitary photography, just me and some oystercatchers and gulls along with the swishing of the waves as the sun rose behind them.

Oystercatchers at sunrise, Downderry beach

A Gull riding the waves…

After a quick trip back to Devizes for a change of clothes, I was off on a train to catch a plane to get on a ship in Norway, heading for the Arctic Circle – an adventure indeed!

We saw the northern lights, heard the crunch of ice as the ship made its way ever northwards and eastwards, walked out in -19 and I, personally, marvelled at the expanses of snow, ice and rock. What a place! I obviously took lots of photos and haven’t been back long enough to spend much time with them, but below are some of my current favourites that sum up the essence of the trip…watch this space, there will no doubt be more shared as I uncover them…(and don’t forget to click on the individual photos to see them in more and better detail)

And now, I’m back in Devizes and my workshop and gearing up for lots of lovely Pet Portrait Sessions - I did my first of the year at the fabulous Dawlish Warren in Devon. The weather and tide were with us, and so was the marvellous Pierre, who ran as fast and as far as his legs would take him for a good hour. He even went for a paddle which is quite a brave thing to do in January! And then, I’ve been told, he had the most enormous afternoon sleep while I was emptying pockets and boots of sand!

So, don’t forget I’m in the Shambles every Thursday, Friday and Saturday - a new plan for this year is that I’m not going to be there physically on Fridays, though my display will be and you can see my great neighbours and colleagues Jo (All That Glitters silver) and Sara (Dragonglass by Sara) to pay for anything or for any information. Instead of being there, I’ll either be in my workshop in Devizes Marina Village (and you’re very welcome to pop in and see me there on Fridays) doing my admin, editing and working on so many behind-the-scenes tasks or I’ll be out on a photoshoot.

Any questions, drop me a message/email/text.

Here’s to 2025 and all the good things that are going to happen!

Phil xx

to the top of the Thames

Having gone as far as Teddington, the limit of the locked section of the Thames heading south, we decided we absolutely had to go as far as possible in the other direction; we joined the Thames at Oxford last year, vaguely aware of the meandering opportunites if we took a right turn but more interested in heading south towards friends in Henley and castles in Windsor - we weren’t disappointed; it was a fabulous sunny week at the close of summer and we had a long lazy evening on the river bank at Eton, shared an apple with a bank vole at Cookham and drinks and dinner with those friends in Henley before joining the Kennet and Avon at Reading.

This year, though, we’re taking more time, slowing down (yes, we’d begun to feel that even our 3 miles an hour average speed on That’s Amore was taking us through places a little too quickly) and so a slow-paced adventure to the navigable start of the Thames just had to be done.

Heading north and then west from Oxford, the river does more than meander - it almost goes round in circles in places; travel any faster and it would be like a dizzying merry-go-round. But at 3mph the main concern is what lays beyond the switchback bends; it could be an oncoming boat or a tree half-blocking the way, whichever, there’s not a lot of space for complete relaxation at the helm.

Navigational hazards aside, it’s a beautiful stretch of river. From Godstow Abbey (linked historically with The Fair Rosamund and currently with an inquisitve herd of cows) to Newbridge (originally built in the 13th century but not quite the oldest on the Thames) and on to Lechlade, their are snippets of quirky history and delightful names - who wouldn’t stop for the night at The Trout at Tadpole Bridge?

We finally, lazily, arrived at Lechlade - the furthest point possible in a narrowboat - and felt quite a sense of achievement - maybe not quite like reaching the source of the Nile, but a definite feeling of completion. We walked a little further along the river and had a wander round Lechlade, a Cotswoldy small town with a fair selection of pubs with a fair variety of rules and regulations to keep us safe from Covid 19 and a shop selling only Christmas things. This unfortunately will be my abiding memory of Lechlad.

We’ve now turned around and will soon be back on the Oxford canal. I would have written that the wildlife has been quite non-descript; a few swans and geese, one heron and the odd moorhen. Until, this morning, when that most frustrating of birds flew past me and disapperaed into a tree. It did a great impression of an autumnal leaf (but they don’t dive for fish) and then, finally, it settled on a bush straight opposite me and l grabbed a couple of shots. So we’re staying here for an extra day, in the hope that the lovely kingfisher will show itself again, when the light is perfect and I’m in position in the cratch, that it will land on a clear branch for a minute or two then dive and catch a fish…I’m still the eternal optimist…

and the best pub of this blog is…The Trout at Tadpole Bridge - mainly because of the name, but also because it’s a wonderful place to park up - don’t buy the peanuts (£3.50 a bag!!!) and don’t expect an internet signal on your boat (walk up to the beer garden for that) - grab a pint and enjoy watching the paddle-boarders, dog-walkers and swimmers scrambling up and down the bank on the opposite side of the river.

Click on any of the images above if you’d like to see them full size, comment or message me if you’d like and, above all, stay safe, well and happy.

Phil xx

The River Wey Navigation, 1st attempt

Bad weather certainly stopped play for us.

24 hours into our 3 week exploration of the River Wey Navigation 17 trees crashed down - they narrowly missed a holiday boat (who knew a narrowboat break could be so exciting?), blocked the canal and towpath and thereby stopped us where we were, which was one lock on the right side of not being totally stuck.

The River Wey Navigation (I do like its full title) is a little-known section of the British waterways that joins the Thames at Shepperton and starts (or ends) in Godalming, Surrey - it was opened in 1653, allowing goods to be transported in both directions on horse-drawn barges built to carry 30 tons. Oak was carried downstream to the Thames for use in shipbuilding and corn brought back upstream for the mills along the waterway (thanks National Trust for the historic details).

After 72 hours the canal was still unpassable, so we turned around and moved back onto the Thames where we’re waiting to see if we’ll have time to get back on the Wey before the weather becomes too unpredictable for us and our little boat.

So, 72 hours, 4 miles and 4 locks…that’s not a lot of time or distance and yet, it was quite magical in parts, and quite drearily wet and sandy in others.

Magical smoking nettles puffing gently into the late morning air. I swear they smoke more if you don’t look at them directly.

The Navigation is part man-made canal and part river; the lock gates are ancient and heavy, the locks are deep and the water flow when filling is jaw-droppingly powerful - and the 1653 heritage plaques made me stop and think.

After Coxes Lock it’s very much like pootling gently down a country stream wth ancient oaks lining the towpath on one side and lilypads crowding the water’s edges. Ratty, Toad, Badger and Mole would fit in very well here although the wildlife was actually pretty scarce - an unexpected cormorant, some coots and ducks by the millpond at Coxes Lock and one family of swans. Maybe the rest are stuck on the other side of the fallen trees.

To interrupt this pastoral idyll, let me introduce the M25 that roars overhead and below it, the official toilet-emptying station - a perfect match, you could say.

Sand, sand and rain…I’d not realised how sandy this part of the country is and as everyone who’s ever set foot on a sandy beach knows, sand gets everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. The towpath is basically one long sandy way, albeit slightly less sandy now as so much of it made its way inside the boat, trapped in the mooring lines, on the roof, in the cratch…

Hopefully the trees will be cleared soon and we can continue right to the end of the River Wey Navigation - I am keen to see what other wildlife there is on it, keen to see if the sand runs out at any point, and above all keen to see family that are so close and still so far.

This week’s pub recommendation is from the river Thames (not enough time for proper research yet on the Wey!) - the Red Lion on the river at Shepperton was a gem of a find. They have private moorings, excellent service, extremely fine food (there’s a great chef with a deft but light touch in the kitchen) and the best house wine I’ve had in a long time. www.redlionshepperton.com

Take care everyone, and stay dry!

Phil xx

my 'itinerant photographer' website is launched!

As an itinerant photographer (or simply someone working on yachts overseas with a camera ever to hand), there never seemed to be the time to stay still, take stock and, for example, build a website to showcase my work. Around this time last year, when my husband and I realised what everyone does sooner or later, namely that life’s too short to live to someone else’s demands, we bought a narrowboat, moved back to England and started travelling on our own terms.

When the towpaths muddied over and ice started creeping into the puddles, we came back to our house in south Somerset to tidy it up, pack it up, and sell up. Before part 3 of this master plan was complete, the world and England’s canals had closed down.

I’m by nature an irrepressibly optimistic person and can’t help but find good in amongst the bad. So one result of my enforced lockdown and isolation is this website, the building of which has fried my brain in the most pleasurable way. My solitary walks along the ancient footpaths and rarely-visited woodlands on my doorstep let me experience my first British spring in decades - who knew it could be so green and lush and inspiring? Many of the intimate flora photographs on the website were taken on these walks.

You’ll get to know more about me, my photography, where I’ve been and where I’m going, in other blog posts - in the meantime, thanks for your time, I hope you like the photos and the stories, and I hope you’re staying safe

Phil xx

ps

I’m female and Philippa, but most people except my husband call me Phil