October & November on Film | Zafira
Hi!
It’s been quite a while since I’ve done one of these monthly film posts but I haven’t been shooting as much film as I would like to. With lockdown it’s been difficult to get my film developed at my regular spots and also, I don’t have anything exciting to shoot anymore. My life is officially boring.
However these photographs were shot in the little period of time during the beginning of October. When things were slowly on the path to feeling normal again and we were reuniting with friends and family. Little did we know we’d be in yet another lockdown just a few weeks after.
Anyway, enough with the doom and gloom. I hope you’re all taking care of yourselves and staying safe. Here’s a few photographs that will hopefully brighten your day.
I think growing up I never realised how exceptionally lucky I was to grow up around so many people who used to sew. I used to watch my grandma sew, my aunts and of course, my Amma. Now that I’m older I’ve found a little soft spot for sewing. Everyone knows I love clothes but the effort and time that goes into making them is an art in itself that many people don’t appreciate.
This past year I’ve made the time to teach myself how to sew, mainly from random Youtubers and just doing whatever feels right and what I’ve seen my Amma do. I’m not exactly what you’d call an organised sewer lol but there’s nothing more satisfying than wearing something you’ve made with your own two hands.
I’ve made a few things this year but recently I worked on this green dress. It’s not completely finished yet but I adore it so much. These past few months I keep seeing pictures of Gwyneth Paltrow in various shades of green and all it’s done is make me fall in love with the colour. I’ll try and make a post about this dress when I finish it completely over on my Instagram.
And just like that, eating out is once again a myth. A distant memory of something we once did so freely.
Earlier this October, I did manage to eat out once with my favourite cousin (sorry 2 the rest of my cousins) who I hadn’t seen since before the first lockdown earlier this March. It was so nice catching up with her.
We grabbed some lunch at one of our favourite places to eat, Comptoir Libanis. This is the one in Spinningfields and it’s so pretty inside as you can see from my poorly shot blurry photograph of the place. It’s literally one of the most stunning places to lunch. The food is amazing too.
What would these monthly film posts be without some shots of the city?
Here’s my friend Matt and his sleeping puppy Bear.
This is my favourite autumn outfit at the minute. The skirt is from Cow and my cardigan with the little birdies is from Zara! I don’t think it’s available anymore sadly but Zara has such a cute collection of cardigans this season.
And of course, uni was in full swing in October so I loved being reunited with my uni pals again!
And lastly, here’s some more pictures of Manchester looking gloomy and unusually quiet on a cold and breezy Monday afternoon.
I hope you enjoyed these pictures. Thanks for reading!
February on Film | Zafira
Hi!
I have probably one of the most exciting and adventurous ‘On Film’ posts for you today because February has been a roller coaster of a month and I’ve adored it.
It’s been a pretty amazing month and here it all is photographed on a roll (or two) of Kodak Ultramax.
We begin this month miserably living my life at uni which I don’t know how, but was extra boring this semester.
Here’s Victoria looking very happy at the Whitworth Art Gallery which if you saw last month’s ‘On Film’, then you’d know that it’s become of my favourite places to hang out.
Me, Victoria and Divine were all ‘coincidentally’ matching in our funky boiler suits one lovely Media Law & Regulation 2 hour lecture.
Then we roll around to 14th February, the day of lurrrrrve and also, the first day of London Fashion Week! It was truly one of the best things I’ve ever been to, even though most of it was spent hanging out in the rain. The man is the funky 70’s esque blazer is my fashion icon, he’s called Hassani and you can follow him here.
You can also see all my non-film fashion week pictures here.
I loved seeing all these different and unique looks, it gave me a looot of inspo for my wardrobe and also an idea of what a lot of people are into wearing.
That girl’s eyelashes were stunning and I loved her bright blue beanie!
Red for spring is well and truly in. It’s never a colour I ever think to wear because it’s quite bold but seeing people in full-on red outfits such as this lovely lady or with little hints of red has made me question the lack of it in my own wardrobe.
This outfit gives me big Twin Peaks vibes.
You can follow the guy in the two red hats (iconic) here.
Told you, red is in.
The headband gives me 80’s workout vibes and I’m living for it.
You might see this photographer in the green coat a lot in these pictures, his name is Alex Amoros who very kindly photographed me in the rain. You can see the very surprisingly pretty portrait of me over on my Instagram.
Here’s another kind man in a red hat as well as a little old me in front of Somerset House with my yellow umbrella.
I read somewhere that Somerset Home was once the home to most London Fashion Week shows so I thought I’d pay a little visit since the building is so incredibly beautiful.
These shots are a little shaky if you couldn’t tell lol since my hands were frozen due to Storm Ciara or Dennis or Jorge or whoever was blowing vast gusts of winds right in my face.
One of my favourite things to do in general but especially in London is to go to museums and art galleries. This is the National Portrait Gallery which I think I’ve been to quite a couple of times now but the building itself is so stunning.
I love seeing different types of art, especially paintings of portraits of people and the way they had been captured oh so many years ago.
I’m also quite partial to a bit of people watching in places like this lol.
I also spent this month sewing quite a bit. I successfully made this top which was the biggest pain the butt, mainly because the last time I had really used a sewing machine was during textiles in Year 9.
I’ll have to do a separate blog post featuring a few things I’ve made recently but this top is made out of a scarf for one of my older Asian dresses. I’ve loved up-cycling loads of my older clothes to make more trendy or modern pieces.
Thanks for checking this post out!
Lots of love,
September on Film | Zafira
Hey!
After an abundance of requests asking for my monthly film blog posts, I’ve decided to bring back what seems like everybody’s favourite series over on here. The roll I shot on this month has actually been in my camera since the end of July/beginning of August and it might just be the longest I’ve ever had a film roll in my camera.
This summer was a little chaotic to say the least and shooting on film felt like a massive inconvenience. I was shooting frequently on digital so to carry around my DSLR, the lenses for that and then my film camera with all it’s accessories would have been quite the struggle. It’s a shame because there were so many moments this summer that could have been beautifully captured on film. I’m hoping to get a little film camera soon, something like Contax T3 (maybe something a little cheaper jesus i had no idea that these were that expensive) so I can take it everywhere hassle free.
I don’t know how this month is already over, I don’t remember feeling like it ever began. It’s been just as busy as this summer with me starting my second year of uni. I actually love September, it’s so lovely seeing everything transition into autumn and there’s just something about Manchester during this time of year that I completely adore.
Here a few snaps from late July, August and of course, September.
I think I took this in August when I was walking through Piccadilly Gardens to probably go shop or something but I ended up bumping into this huge marching band. It was pretty cool and very random but I love their hats.
This roll has more photographs of me than I’m used to but here’s a shot of me in the COW changing rooms because they’re so cute. I can’t remember if I bought anything from there but this is a very rare shot of me in a printed white t-shirt.
My mum hates all animals, especially this little daredevil of a cat. This is our neighbour’s cat that might as well belong to us. If you’ve followed these monthly film posts for a while, she’s made quite a few appearances and loves her time in-front the camera. What a pretty girl.
Moose Coffee looking pretty in the sunlight.
I picked up this amazing jumper this month at Thrift Shop Manchester for £7 and I can’t stop wearing it. It’s super 80/90s style and it’s one of my favourite things in my wardrobe at the minute. I also got these lovely Chanel button looking earrings from my friend Vicky as a late birthday present which was very sweet of her and my clip is from Primark!
Also how insane is it that this time last year, I had a bob and now my hair is sooo long? I think this the longest I’ve had it in a while, I usually get it cut into a bob every summer but this year I thought I’d let it grow out and go wild.
I finally updated my photo walls in my room with some newer shots. I also upgraded to 5x7 prints too and I loove how they look. I love being surrounded with photographs of my family and friends and most importantly, shots of me.
When I say I’ve lived in my boiler suit this summer, I’m not even exaggerating. It was my go to outfit and was so easy to wear and style. Anytime I’d leave the house to run some errands or even to come into the city, I’d throw this on with a pair of boots or my Vans. This is the best £35 I’ve ever spent. Here I am in TK Maxx in my 5 hour quest to find some jeans that actually fit me (no luck unfortunately but I got a cute pair from Topshop).
I remember when I first started shooting on film, I’d always take these mirror pictures cos I thought they were so cool. I still love them so they’re slowly making a comeback.
I had lunch at Mackie Mayor a week or so ago and it’s one of the coolest places to eat in Manchester. Maybe one day I’ll have to do a post about my favourite places to eat in Manchester because there’s sooo many. Mackie Mayor is filled with different food stalls so there’s so much to pick from. From pizza to tacos to all sorts. It’s the perfect place to eat if you’re with a lot of people because they have such a good range of food to pick from so there’s something for everyone.
Here are a few of my favourite things this month:
Pearl Clips - Primark
Burt’s Bees Lip Balm in Pomegranate (hands down best lip balm ever made by anyone)
Hugo Boss Watch
The Ordinary - Alpha Arbutin Serum (so so so good for dark spots)
All necklaces are from Lovisa
Bangle - from some little cheap stall on Green Street in London
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Rome (i’ve been wearing this everyday since i was 16 it’s my favourite lipstick of all time)
Gold Hoops - & Other Stories (i also wear these almost everyday)
Her'e’s me and my friend Divine in our matching outfits for our first day back at uni! (you don’t even need to ask both of these shirts are obviously from Zara)
When I was around 8/9 years old, I had a dress so similar to this. Me and my cousin Zahrah would wear matching outfits and we both had this dress so when I saw this in Oliver Bonas the other day it immediately took me back to our childhood. Over this dress, I’m wearing a puffy sleeved shirt from Zara that I’ve tied at the front and my new Converse.
Can you believe this dress was on sale for £20 down from £68? I love a good bargain.
That’s all I have for this month! I’ll try and make this into a regular thing since it’s in high demand. To see more of my film pics and photographs in general, follow me over on my Instagram and other social medias (everything is linked at the bottom of each post!)
Thanks for reading!
Lots of love,
My Current Favourite Outfits | Lookbook | Zafira
Hey!
I love clothes a lot. Maybe a little too much. Considering all of this, I don’t talk about fashion and style on here enough which is wild because it’s such a massive part of my life. So I’ve decided to make a lot more fashion related posts starting with this one!
I feel like this is such a weird time of year because it’s kind of summer but it’s also kind of autumn. It’s so hard finding and putting together good transitional outfits for this time of year that are a good balance of keeping you warm but also keeping you cool but also fit into both seasons really well. It’s a tiny bit of struggle.
However, after a lot of trial and error, I’ve concocted some pretty outfits that I love wearing at the minute!
OUTFIT NO.1
There’s a little bit of cowboy craze going on in the fashion world at the minute and these jeans from River Island that I found for £10 in TK Maxx fit into the whole cowboy thing so well! They’re amazing. I love the button detailing up the leg so much. They’re such a unique find and my favourite thing to do is pair them with this white organza plumetis shirt from Zara. I have to admit, at first this shirt was a little too fashion blogger-y, even for me, but I love pairing this shirt with some blue jeans to make it a little more casual. When it gets a little more chillier I’m so excited to pair this shirt with a black turtleneck underneath. It’s such an amazing piece that adds a little dressier tone to whatever you’re wearing.
Also a massive plus, these pants make me look like I’m 6ft tall (I’m like 5ft tall irl).
I’ve accessorised this outfit with my usual go to Zara boots that are featured in every lookbook as well as a chunky pearl clip from Primark! I love that clips have become a trend because as a kid, my mum used to never let me leave the house without a couple of clips finishing off whatever brightly coloured ensemble she had picked out for me that day. This pearly clip is definitely a lot more grown up and looks a lot more expensive than it was. I’m also wearing my forever favourite gold hoop earrings from & Other Stories.
BUY WHAT I’M WEARING:
Shirt - https://www.zara.com/uk/en/organza-puff-sleeve-blouse
Jeans - I had the hardest time finding a dupe for these jeans because they’re a little (very) out of season at the minute but if I find a decent pair I’ll come back and add a link in the future. My best bet is to check some thrift stores or even TK Maxx but like I said, they’re a very unique pair of jeans.
Gold Hoops -https://www.stories.com/en_gbp/jewellery/earrings/hoops/product.glossy-trumpet-mini-hoops-gold
OUTFIT NO.2
This outfit is a little more casual than I’m used to but I’ve had a very calm and chill end to my summer and my outfits reflect that a lot.
This is something I’d wear if I was just out in town, running errands or maybe even meeting up with some friends. This shirt is actually thrifted and it’s an amazing slouchy shirt that’s so easy to throw on. I’ve never really been a fan of very tight fitting clothes so this shirt is great. A red stripy shirt is definitely a must in everyone’s wardrobe. So so so easy to style and it looks good on everybody.
I’ve paired the shirt with the same jeans I always wear from H&M. These are a pair of straight leg jeans that I got in a size too big and they are the comfiest. I’ve been madly in love with denim this summer and have been finding literally any excuse to incorporate it into every outfit.
I don’t think I’ve featured my Kanken over on here yet but it’s the best bag ever. I use it for uni pretty much everyday but also when I’m out and about. It fits everything I need such as my laptop and cameras and matches my outfits which is a massive plus.
BUY WHAT I’M WEARING:
Shirt - I had no idea how difficult it was to find a decent red striped button up shirt for women online, I only found one result like the one I’m wearing which you can get here: https://www.hawesandcurtis.co.uk/womens-red-and-white-bengal-stripe-fitted-shirt but thrift shops are usually filled with the best red striped shirts!
Jeans - I don’t think this exact style is available anymore but these are pretty much the same https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.0400285006.html
Bag - https://www.fjallraven.co.uk/fjallraven-unisex-kanken-black
OUTFIT NO.3
I have no idea why this outfit was so difficult to photograph but it really was. Anyway, this skirt is beautiful. I usually avoid wearing browns and beige tones because I always feel like they wash me out a little but this is the perfect balance between orange and brown. I found this suede skirt in We Are Cow earlier this summer and immediately imagined myself wearing this on a autumn day with a black turtleneck and like leaves falling from trees behind me. It is such an amazing transitional piece too because of the colour and material. Amazing. This might be one of my favourite purchases this year.
I’ve paired this skirt with a basic button up top from Monki which has done me dirty in these pictures and not sat well on me at all lol but it’s fine. These tops are such a staple in my wardrobe at the minute because they’re the most exemplary basic tops ever. I’m also wearing another clip from Primark, this time it’s a plain brown vintage-y looking one and of course, my gold hoops.
BUY WHAT I’M WEARING:
Top - https://www.monki.com/en_gbp/clothing/tops/product.cropped-button-up-top-white
Skirt - like I said this skirt is from We Are Cow so unfortunately they don’t have loads of these skirts lying around but here’s a two great dupes: https://www.marksandspencer.com/suede-a-line-midi-skirt/ & https://www.stories.com/en_gbp/clothing/skirts/midi-skirts/product.pleated-suede-midi-skirt
OUTFIT NO.4
Nothing screams summer more than a white cotton dress. I wore the crap out of this dress this summer. Any time I’d be going anywhere, I used to throw it on because it is the easiest thing to wear. This dress is from Zara and I think I’ll be wearing this in every season because I love it so much.
I love pairing this dress with this very fancy shmancy looking cardigan which is also from Zara. It reminds me a lot of this Gucci cardigan and I adore it. I love the pearl buttons and the contrast between the black and white pipe lining on the edges. It’s also pretty thick so it will definitely keep you warm when it starts to get a little chillier.
I’ve accessorised this dress with the most popular headband on Instagram ever which is from Topshop and once again, my beloved gold hoops.
BUY WHAT I’M WEARING:
Dress - I bought this quite a while ago but here’s a cute alternative to it: https://www.prettylittlething.com/white-broderie-analgise-smock-dress
Cardigan - This is no longer available at Zara and I can’t find any dupes (minus the Gucci one) but if I do find one, I’ll come back and link it here.
Thanks for reading! I’ll be posting looooooads of outfit pictures over on my Instagram since I’m back at uni and have a reason to get dressed everyday. Also, if you want to see more fashion/style based posts like this then let me know!
Lots of love,
New Years Resolutions 2019 | Zafira
Hey!
So here we are, another year gushed down the drain quicker than anyone expected. But I guess that happens every year, time flies when you're having fun (or you're just used to the same old boring, repetitive routine everyday).
Anyway, I've been contemplating whether I even wanted to post a New Year's Resolution this year because let's be honest, no one really sticks to them. But, since reflecting on the year has become sort of tradition on here for me, I thought that I would stick to it and tell you all about everything I failed at doing in 2018 (literally everything) and what I intend to improve on in 2019.
A new year is just like a brand new notebook, I'm bursting with ideas to jot down and things to do. It's a new slate, an opportunity for you to do all those things you said that you'd do later. Now is the time.
do you ever just want to punch yourself really hard in the face
Oh my god. I cause myself so much stress and anxiety just by naming files really stupid things. It's something I've wanted to improve on for a while so let's see if I finally get a grip in 2019 so I can actually find the files I'm looking for without causing premature ageing.
I'd say I have a very varied and wide wardrobe which is kind of great because I don't have a set style and I love that I can push and alter boundaries to fit the style and look of whatever I'm feeling. However, saying that I have an extensive wardrobe would be great if I actually wore stuff from it and not the same pair of jeans 3 days in a row.
Getting dressed used to be the highlight of my day but now I feel like it's become boring because I don't excite myself by picking new and challenging outfits. I always have that little voice in my head saying
'What will people think?'
but I think it's time we get rid of that voice because I probably look a solid 11/10 in whatever I'm wearing :)
Also, sustainability is something that has recently become a very important factor in my life. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world and I'd really like to not play a big part in ruining world.
Well this one is going to difficult. I spend a lot of time complaining and overthinking and just seeing the negative in things. I guess I see it as being 'realistic' but being realistic doesn't always mean being the biggest b*tch and buzz kill ever. In 2019, I'm becoming positive Penny.
I have a week till I get back to uni and if I'm being 100% honest with you, I've done close to nothing which is stressing me out a tiny bit since I have 2 deadlines when I get back. I would like to not die of a heart attack at 19 so I think I should start doing things ahead of time and be organised. Maybe I'll start planning things in advance and just really get my sh*t together.
There was once a time where I would read a book a day and maybe even paint, draw even spend time outside (shocking i know) but it seems like these days, I don't do any of that. I've been collecting books that I've wanted to read this entire year. I love books so I think it's time they make a comeback into my life.
Also, there's a reason I suffered through fine art in my first year of college, I adore art. I have always loved creating whether it's drawing or painting or even doodling. I'd draw on literally everything but I don't even do that anymore. I feel like I need to get back in touch with my inner child because that's when I remember having so much fun and really enjoying life because I was doing what I loved.
I feel like every Instagrammer falls into this mindset where they start off posting the stuff they like and the work they enjoyed creating and then somewhere within that, this fear develops that their followers are not enjoying what they are posting so they starting posting stuff that their followers want to see or the stuff that gets the most attention.
I have definitely felt this way and it's affected my photography work a lot. The way in which I work and create my best work happens when don't overthink it and don't think about the outcome of the photograph but the present. The moment in which the photograph was taken.
In 2018, the first thing on my mind was ' is this good enough for Instagram? ' and I found this altering and even ruining some of my work. The only work I have really loved this year is my film shots of Wales.
I hope that in 2019, my photography work gets better and I start posting more things that I like. Maybe even some cool projects.
*wink wink*
I want to finish this post off with the biggest thank you. I started this blog in 2015 not thinking that anything would come of it but it has become such a big part of my life. I feel like this year things are taking off in a direction I didn't really expect my blog to go in but I am so happy nonetheless.
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my blog. It truly means a lot. I hope everyone's 2019 is the best year of their lives.
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
Why I Stopped Reading My Horoscope | Zafira
Hi!
I hate to do this but disclaimer:
I know a lot of people will take what I have to say the wrong way and may not agree with everything I have to say. I have and will always respect and listen to what you have to say and value your opinions as I would like you to value my own. Everything in this post is about my own personal experience. This is not me telling you to stop reading your horoscope. I wanted to share this because when I've spoken to people about this before, it has risen an interesting topic of discussion.
As a cancer, my personality is said to be often ruled by my feelings and emotions which is very true. It's how my relationship with horoscopes blossomed.
I remember seeing horoscopes in those cringey teen magazines that I would always die to buy just to get the 'free' makeup but other than that, horoscopes didn't really impact or show up in my life at all for a while. I guess you could say my horoscope 'journey' began about a year ago in my second year of college.
I think it happens with a lot of second year college students but life just hits you out of nowhere. It becomes stressful and somewhat unbearable. I was applying for unis and attempting to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. This was such a quick changing period of my life and I didn't know how to handle it whatsoever. Things were changing everyday and I couldn't deal with it. I felt overwhelmed and the idea of an unpredictable and near future made me wanna poop my pants quite a bit.
It started off with occasionally checking my horoscope on Snapchat but I was shocked at how accurate it was and ended up downloading an app specifically for it and thus began my very unhealthy relationship with horoscopes. I felt comforted by my horoscope. It was like someone was whispering to me in my ear and telling me how my day was going to be. In a time of uncertainty, this is certainly what I thought I needed.
I didn't realise how infatuated I became with my horoscope until exam season. I think I forgot to read my horoscope for like a week because I was so busy. It eventually hit me that I forgot and I immediately began to think that my week was terrible because I felt unprepared for it. I remember someone asking me how my week was and I told them it was terrible and when they asked why I replied with 'I didn't check my horoscope this week'. I got into bed that day and I felt extremely stupid for saying that.
I was trying to understand why I felt so crappy when my week my was pretty good. I was just annoyed that I could have been more ready for the week if I had just checked my horoscope. Maybe I could have dealt with people better, maybe I could have been more motivated, maybe I could have found the love of my life, maybe I could have been happier? I was so used to knowing what was going to happen and how I was going to feel and deal with situations that in someways, I forgot how to well, really deal with them. I wasn't allowing myself to deal with these things on the spot and on the go that when something would happen that wasn't in my horoscope, I didn't know how to react.
I ended up deleting my horoscope after that week and gave into the unexpected because that is what makes life so great and also not. But I've realised that you need a balance of good things and bad things in life to learn from. I needed that element of surprise in a way to have a healthy mindset rather than being like 'my horoscope says my moods are low today so I'm gonna sit and mope around all day'.
If you're someone like me, the element of surprise is pretty scary and it's completely fine to be scared. Life can be a bit frightening sometimes. I don't like feeling unprepared for the day which is why me and my horoscope became such good bffs. But you have to learn to let the reins loose bit by bit and truly let yourself go and live life not listening to someone or something telling you how your day is going to be, but telling yourself that today is going to be a good day.
Thanks for reading!
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
October (and a bit of November) on Film | Zafira
Hi!
I'm back with my film series! This is probably my favourite thing to post on here just because I love looking back at everything I've done at the end of each month.
October was a bit of a weird one, I feel like it was so eventful but I only remember picking up my camera a handful of times. I was feeling a bit meh towards my photography work recently so this roll of film was a bit of a struggle to get through. It ended up being in my camera for over a month which is completely unlike me. Anyway, I had a good mope about it and now I feel a lot better. I'm also looking forward to doing so many new projects very very very soon! I switched up my film this month so if things are looking slightly different than usual then it's because I used the famous Kodak Porta 400 which I bought for waaay too much.
(also how weird is it that in literally 2 months, it will 2019. wtf.)
I started off October with a shoot with my favourite model Hannah. I stupidly started a new roll right towards the end of our shoot so I had to wait until I had filled up my roll which like I mentioned earlier, took forever.
Since I not only live in Manchester but go to uni here too, it's impossible for me not to snap a pic here and there of the pretty city scenes it has to offer. It's so amazing seeing it how it changes through the seasons.
This is my friend Vicky. We had a bit of a flashback Mary moment but it's okay, she's still cute.
My outfit was inspired by Rachel Berry from Glee lol.
Sorry for taking bad pics of you Vicky.
I walk past this everyday and I've never realised how beautiful it is, especially in autumn.
I'm trying so much more to photograph strangers because despite being told to stay away and never speak to them, they're actually quite interesting people.
This is Manny, he's my favourite barista at Krispy Kreme where I go twice a day to over caffienate myself.
And what would my monthly film series be without these losers? I'm looking a bit rough in this I had the worst cough and cold ever.
This was taken at Leaf when I went out for lunch with my friend Matt.
This is Matt in an overpriced white t-shirt.
I look so grown up in these I do
not
like it whatsoever.
This is Rianna who's always disappointed in me.
Thanks for reading!
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
Exploring London: Old Spitalfields Market, Kensington Gardens & Kyoto Gardens | Zafira
Hi!
A few blog posts ago, I did a post all about the National Gallery & Tate Britain as a part of my 'Exploring London' series that have been reoccurring over on here for the past 3 years. I spend the majority of my holidays in London as it is the perfect the place to explore and photograph. Throughout the years I find myself falling more and more in love with it. In today's post, I'll be talking all about Old Spitalfields Market, Kensington Gardens & Holland Park. These are three of the most beautiful and amazing places I visited whilst I was in London.
We begin this post with one of the best markets I've ever been to. If you're quite into that whole hipster-y sort of thing then this is defo the place for you. It consists of a massive range of stalls fluctuating from food, clothes and all the way to home ware. It's perfect place for lunch and just somewhere to kill a few hours.
There's a bunch of designer shops around it too so if that's your sort of thing then Old Spitalfields Market is definitely for you!
There's so many cute places to eat.
The next place I visited was Kensington Gardens. This place wasn't really on my list but since a bunch of my younger cousins came with me, I thought it would nice for them to go somewhere where they can just run and play around. I'm so so so glad me and family came here because it is literally the most perfect place to take portraits. I ended up taking so many family pictures which were the cutest but unfortunately I can't show them since I'd like to respect my family's privacy. I ended up getting some photographs of myself and funnily enough some animals? You'll see further down lol.
It was so weird even seeing this Grey Heron. I felt as if I was in the middle of nowhere shooting for Nat Geo.
This is my favourite shot!
I came to Holland Park with intention of visiting Kyoto Gardens which is inside of it. Most of these photographs are taken in Kyoto Gardens which is so beautiful. It's filled with so much culture and is the perfect place to get some concentrated and highly saturated shots since it's filled to the brim with the most vibrant colours. However, the only downside to Kyoto Gardens was that it was so small. From what people had said to me and reading the reviews on Google, I thought it would be quite big. When I got there, I was slightly disappointed by the size but this was out weighed by the beauty of it.
I recommend that if you want to go see Kyoto Gardens then you should definitely spend a couple of hours walking around Holland Park and see everything it has to offer since it is extremely pretty.
Oh yeah I forgot to mention the peacocks. They really add to the 'je ne sais quoi' of the place.
My hair was doing that whole 'Mulan' thing and I was not happy about it when it came to editing.
The rest of the photographs are from around Holland Park.
There's so many pretty flowers around Holland Park. This would also be an amazing place to take some portraits or family pics.
I'll be posting these photographs plus a lot more over on my Instagram!
Lots of love,
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
4 Self Care Tips for Uni | Zafira
Hey!
It's September and you know what that means, back to school season (ew). It's a sad season for most of us except from those of you who weirdly enjoy going back to school, college or uni. I start my very first year of uni soon and I'm absolutely not prepared for it whatsoever.
I thought the best place to start with all this uni prep stuff is to make a guide focusing on self care. I desperately need it and I'm guessing you will too since it's definitely one of those things we always forget. Self care plus the stress and chaos of school life can be quite tricky and sometimes it's pretty hard to remember to care of yourself when you're drowning in books and work but with these few tips I'm hoping to make the whole process a lot easier.
No.1: Make a Schedule & Make Sometime for Yourself
When you hear the word 'schedule' it doesn't sound relaxing at all but it's one of the key things you need in place to make sure you have time for yourself throughout the week. On a certain day throughout the week such as a Sunday, section off a couple of hours to do something you really enjoy or something calming. This could range from taking a bath and having a few hours to pamper yourself or letting yourself divulge into your fave show on Netflix. Whatever you like. This time is for you and what you like.
No.2: Take Care of your Health
I don't want to be a cliche and tell you to sign up for some lame gym membership to get your self into better shape and and only eat fruit and veg for the rest of your entire life because let's be real who wants to do that? The only things I can really make myself do is drinking enough water and just walking wherever and whenever is possible. I'm a pretty lazy person but even doing that is better than doing nothing at all. Try to take a water bottle (not plastic pls the turtles are dying) with you in your bag and drink it whenever you're feeling thirsty opposed to a sugary drink. It'll make such a difference with your skin and health.
I know we're talking about physical health here but mental health is also extremely important especially to those of you who are moving away for uni. It may seem a bit lonely and you may feel as if there's no one there for you talk to but your school/college/uni will offer a range of resources to help you if you need it.
This is also pretty useful to read.
No.3: Make Some Pals & Socialise
This is probably the part I'm dreading the most because I'm kind of shy when you first meet me and the whole introduction part of making new friends is always so so so scary. However, I'm trying to overlook that this year and at least attempt to try and say hello and hi to a few people to make some pals that will hopefully last a lifetime. If you're starting uni, they have so many different clubs and societies for you to join so it makes the process a little less difficult. I think it will be so cool to find friends with a lot of similar interests to me.
No.4: Sleep & Re-Fueling
I am the worst when it comes to sleeping during academic periods. I don't know whether it's just stress or what but my sleeping schedule goes flying out of the window. I think this is probably one thing I'm going to really try and get into order this year because lack of sleep has the biggest effect on everything. It effects your work, your health, your skin and so much more. Something really interesting to try would be a sleep tracker of some sort to figure out how much sleep you're getting every day and go from there. In tip no.1 I was saying to make time for yourself and this massively includes re-fueling and just getting enough rest.
I hope your academic year is amazing!
Lots of love,
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
Exploring London: National Gallery & Tate Britain | Zafira
Hi!
So I'm sort of back and settled into somewhat of a routine after what feels like the most eventful summer of my life which means it's time to show some pretty pics I took whilst I was out and about!
If you follow me over on my Instagram or even if you read my previous blog post, you would know I spent quite a lengthy time in London. Although my exploration days were quite limited due to having a lot of family to visit, I still made the most it and got to see nearly everything on my list.
We begin my little adventure over at the National Gallery and it was such a beautiful place to begin. I love art. I always have but unfortunately my skills within the artistic field aren't quite on Monet's level. Anyway, the National Gallery is the perfect place for an art-lover like myself and it's so stunning to walk around and spend hours admiring the paintings on the wall.
I love galleries and museums that have that sort of elegant, Palace of Versailles kind of vibe it's makes me fall in love with place instantly. The Victoria and Albert Museum (also in London) has the best 'Palace of Versailles' kind of interior and it's my all time fave place.
This pink-ish coloured dress reminds me so much of the latest Collina Strada collection.
I've always wanted something like this painted on my ceiling.
This painting stood out to me so much because my family village in Bangladesh looks the spitting image of this. It's so weird, especially because this painting is of somewhere in America in late 1800s.
She just looks like she's living her best in life in some sort of Dolce & Gabbana gown. This is exactly what I want to be doing in about 10 years.
Absolutely beautiful.
This is just outside the National Gallery.
I then headed off the Tate Britain which was just as wonderful as the National Gallery. I was in awe of the place as once again, it had that 'Palace of Versailles' kind of vibe but it also had a strange modern and minimalistic twist. It was weirdly cool. I guess it's quite hard to explain but once you look through my photographs you'll understand. As soon as you walk in you're hit with a bright, white, minimal environment but as you start walking through the place it transforms into an old and elegant place.
The most creepiest painting I've ever seen. I was immediately drawn in by this. Maybe it was the way they had lit the painting but it's so so so nightmarish. I think I had a good look at for about 2 minutes and decided to swiftly move away because I know I'd have some sort of unpleasant nightmare about it.
This is one of favourite paintings ever! I can't remember where I saw this first but I've been in love with it for years. This is 'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose' by John Singer-Sargent. It's beautiful. I even bought it in tote bag form.
I wish I had enough patience and skill to sit and draw in a museum or gallery.
I think I was in year 7 and we'd have these English lessons every other week or so which were so chill and we'd read poetry and just talk about stuff and I remember so vividly reading the poem behind this painting. This is 'The Lady of Shalott' and the poem is bit miserable but still quite good. I used to try and draw and painting this painting so much when I was younger.
Also some of the frames around these paintings are just as stunning as the paintings themselves.
If you're wondering whether I took these on film or not then the answer is no. Preparing for uni has made my bank account a bit non existent alongside living the city life in London so shooting on film wasn't really something I could do. I took one roll of my usual Fujifilm Superia 200 and used that one 36 shot roll for the entire trip. I'll post those in a few weeks but these are all digital photographs that I've edited to make it look like they were shot on film.
I'll be posting these photographs plus a lot more over on my Instagram!
Lots of love,
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
A Long Hiatus, Summer, Prepping for Uni & an Update | Zafira
Hi guys!
It's been quite a while since I've posted anything here simply due to this summer being the busiest one I've had yet. We have 1 day left of August and I cannot believe how fast this summer has flown by but I have loved every minute of it. I took a bit of a break over on my Instagram too which is very much needed but I'll explain more about that later on throughout this post.
This summer began in the most exciting and breathtaking manner as me and family headed down to North Wales for a little holiday at the end of June and I have quite a few posts about that on here. You can check them out by clicking on the following links:
https://www.zaf-ira.co.uk/zafira-1/2018/06/staycation-lookbook-zafira-edit.html
https://www.zaf-ira.co.uk/zafira-1/2018/07/wales-on-film-zafira-edit.html
https://www.zaf-ira.co.uk/zafira-1/2018/07/wales-video-faq-zafira-edit.html
I loved our holiday and it was needed desperately since me and family had a wild, chaotic but amazing summer ahead of us.
July and August were mainly spent on preparing for my cousin's wedding which took up the majority of summer. It my eldest cousin's wedding so it was the first out of the kid's generation which is just so so so weird. I still think my cousin is about 15 and I'm 8 years old dying to borrow her Jacqueline Wilson books. Her wedding was beautiful, it was insanely busy but I loved it. I'm posting a little collage of photographs I took the wedding period over on my Instagram.
And then in the midst of that I've been doing all the boring University stuff like finances and bank accounts. All the stuff that adults usually do but since I'm now legally an adult it's my turn to take over which is very very sad. I start uni in about 3 weeks and I'm so excited but also 100% ready to poop my pants. I'm going to start doing a lot of student based posts very soon so make sure you stay tuned for that!
Lastly, for the past two weeks or so me, my mum and brother decided to take a break over in London after the wedding to just relax, explore and see some family. It was the perfect way to end my summer. However, my phone unexpectedly died the moment I got of the train and set my foot on overly polluted and busy grounds of London. It was quite the tragedy and I then found myself phone-less and disconnected from the online world for nearly 2 weeks. My phone was on it's last legs but it's been that way for a good year and it could have not picked a worse time to die. It's so weird being in one of busiest and liveliest cities without a phone. Anyway, this meant I couldn't really update on Instagram so I took this situation and turned it into a good thing. I think sometimes social media can all get a bit too much so having this break really helped me figure out where I'm going with all this stuff and figure out a path.
I think that's a good summary of everything I wanted to update you all on. I'm sorry I've been a bit M.I.A this summer but I'll be back to normal from this post onward.
Lots of love,
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
Wales Video FAQ | Zafira
Hi!
So if you've been following me on my social media, you'd know that a few weeks ago I made and posted a little video montage of my weekend away to Wales and ever since I've had so many questions about it so I thought I'd answer them all on here.
I've seen quite a few videos in the film and 'Super 8' style and I completely adore them. I love the grain and nostalgia feeling behind them. I wanted to replicate that with my montage of Wales because this was the very first time my entire family had gone away together and it was one of those things I know we'll look back at for the rest of our lives. It was most definitely a trip to remember. I wanted it to have that sort of home video-y feel to it but also still be something very visually appealing. I used the song 'Fear of the Water' by Syml because if you know me very well then you'd know I have this weird relation with water. I can't swim so large amounts of water are a big no no but I adore the sea and the ocean and everything that comes with it. I was listening to it on the way to Wales and it's what really spurted the idea of this video.
Okay so the most asked question is how did I get it looking like I shot on film or on a Super 8 camera? A lot of people have also asked what camera I used but my secret really is Adobe Premiere. I am a student so even affording something like Super 8 camera is ridiculous without even thinking about getting the film developed which is another huge dip in the bank so using Adobe Premiere and achieving something that looks pretty authentic was amazing. I just started off my filming with my DSLR and then imported it into Premiere, cropped it into a square shape, added a dash of grain, lowered the contrast, increased the saturation and added the film reel sound and I was good to go. You can even get away with filming with your phone and anything really, the quality of the video isn't really as important because when the overlays and grain and stuff are added on top, the overall quality lowers.
I used two videos I found on YouTube to overlay and help create a perfect and central square shape and to add effects and here they are:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZM9bcUYonY
This first one helped to create those orangey/pink hues that appeared spontaneously which is common when using film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1rCxzJnmiM
And then the second one is what I used to get the square shape. I wasn't sure on how to get the rounded corners so that's why I stuck with the square. I didn't really like the effects on this so I used as a stencil and guide of where to place each clip and then ended up only keeping the audio from this.
I watched quite a few YouTube tutorials to help which were really handy but when it comes to doing the little things like altering colours and such it's pretty much up to your personal preferance. I added a slight yellow tint to emphasize that nostalgic feel and then a handwritten title and subtitle. I got a lot of questions about that too, some people thought it was a font but it's just my crappy handwriting lol. I used a graphics tablet which is actually my little brothers but it's become very handy for me so we'll just say it's mine. I used Photoshop and started off with a black landscape A4 sized document and wrote in yellow. I used a black background because when you usually insert titles in Premiere the background is always black anyway.
Here's the most helpful YouTube tutorial that I found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrmmJK9QwPo
The last thing I had a loooot of questions about was where this was filmed and as you can probably tell from the title, it was filmed in Wales but more specifically in the small town on Pemaenmawr alongside Llandudno and Snowdonia. They are amazing places to photograph (click here to check out my 'Wales on Film' post) and film because it feels so calm and serene. It's so beautiful to be out in nature and be surrounded by beaches and hills and mountains which is something I tried to capture in my video.
I plan to do a lot more of these because I adore making them, it's so much fun to film and make so make sure you follow my social media to find out when and where I release my next video!
Lots of love,
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
London on Film | Zafira
Hi!
If you read my previous post, you'd know that I spent a week in London and it was so great. It was nice to have a week away from the chaos and craziness of college life and just take time to spend with my family. I didn't really get to out and explore as the main reason we were there was for wedding shopping but I managed to sneak away for a day and these are the film photographs that I took, enjoy!
I like to organise my photographs into categories when doing these posts but these two don't really fit into any because I took them on a different day.
Like I said earlier, the whole purpose of our family London trip was to shop and shop we did. We bought so much stuff and it was such a long process but most of the shopping is done and I can't wait for the wedding.
I can't remember where I took this but the sunlight is what really caught my eye, it just created such a calm and serene environment in a busy city like London.
The Tate Modern is quite a peculiar place but I love it nonetheless. It's definitely for the more artsy fartsy people but it's still such a cool place to walk around.
The two photographs above were actually taken in a pitch black room. In order to see the work on the walls you had to use flash which is usually not allowed. It was such a beautiful and moving collection of photographs.
Covent Garden is one of those days you'd go when it's sunny and warm. Thankfully, the day I went, the weather was so good even though the Beast from the East 3 had hit a couple of days before.
There's so many pretty flowers in Covent Garden and if the Sun decides to be your friend you can get some super cute shots.
The British Museum is just built in the most beautiful way possible. The outside looks quite historic and old but on the inside, it has the most stunning minimal yet breath taking interior. It's all white and when the sun shines through, it just creates such an amazing atmosphere.
I was running pretty low on film so I didn't get to get as many shots I initially wanted to but I completely adore these Greek sculptures.
I'll be posting these photographs plus a lot more over on my Instagram!
Lots of love,
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
February on Film | Zafira
This month, my eldest cousin Tahmina got engaged. In the Bengali culture, we have this thing called a 'Cinifan' which is basically an engagement party. It was so much fun and I'm still bewildered as to how old me and my cousins have gotten. It seems like only yesterday that I was like 8 and Tahmina was 13 and I was dying to borrow her Jacqueline Wilson books (still am).
I'd like to give a very big thanks to Jarred and Rachael for absolutely wrecking and making my Valentines day a very funny and eventful one, I appreciate it lots ❤
We went to the Jungle Jazz Cafe in Manchester during our very short one week holiday for breakfast and discovered such a beautiful place to just chill and hang out. It's so pretty inside and is definitely one of the most photogenic cafes you will find here in Manchester.
For my last ever photography project at my last ever year at college, I chose to explore composition. I'm looking at photographers such as William Eggleston who use composition in such a unique and eye catchy way. Me and a few friends ended up in the Manchester Art Gallery and spent some time walking around, admiring art and as shown in these pictures, watching people admire art.
I'll be posting these plus a lot more over on my Instagram!
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED:
OOTD: Leopard Print Coat | Zafira
Hello!
So, in the January sales, I wasn't really looking for anything (for the first time in my life). I went out into Manchester and had a browse around but nothing really caught my eye until my eyes latched onto the most beautiful item of clothing. A leopard print coat. I can't even remember how long I've wanted one and when I saw this on sale for the bargain price of £15 at Primark, I just couldn't help but it take it home with me.
I'm not 100% sure if this is still available in Primark but I found a semi similar one here:
I feel like it's such a staple in every fashion obsessed person's wardrobe. It's so so so easy to style and I just adore the way the coat looks. You can easily dress it up or down which is usually what I like to do. So far, my absolute favourite combo is this coat and blue jeans. I feel like I look quite casual chic. It's a pretty good way to make it look like you've put a little bit more thought and effort towards your outfit rather than picking it 5 minutes before you have to leave the house. (it's honestly a big struggle)
I've had these jeans forever, it's a nightmare trying to find pants that fit perfectly let alone jeans. These are actually a size too big but they're so comfy like this and have that 'mom' jean effect. Here's a pair like the ones I own:
I don't really go thrifting as much as I would like to but I found this velvet black t-shirt in Cow when I was having a very thorough browse. I wear it so often just because it's extremely comfy and especially on cold days like we've been having in the UK recently, it does an amazing job at keeping me warm opposed to wearing a normal cotton black t-shirt.
Here's some similar to this:
I've had these boots for almost two years now and I don't have the heart to throw them away. They've very quickly become such an essential in my wardrobe and were my very first pair of docs. They match everything I wear and I wear them pretty much everyday. They go amazingly with this outfit and enhance that casual chic look even more.
These are the Doc Marten Flora Boots, you can get them here:
http://www.drmartens.com/uk/p/14649001
These were all taken on film if you wondering! I hope you liked this style of post and let me know if you want to see more OOTDs or even a lookbook.
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UPDATED: