Introducing Cat at Take Courage, the blogger that's taking us on a never-ending adventure… read more
With the lighter evenings and milder mornings, we are delighted to welcome the arrival of April. As the seasons change, we are taking full advantage of the sunny skies and planning adventure filled weekends. A lady that has most certainly inspired us to do so, is our latest blogger crush. Let us warmly introduce you to the wonderful Cat, blogger at Take Courage.
Out of the many bookmarked blogs we have on our reading list, Take Courage is a blog that instantly transports us to an exciting adventure in every post. Take Courage is penned by Cat, a twenty-something, hard-working solicitor living in the capital. She fills her weekends dutifully taking her readers on a tour of her many favourite hidden spots of London – with a few city breaks thrown in for good measure. A tourist in her very own city, we follow Cat’s life through the lens of her beautiful photography. Which may we add is shot by her talented boyfriend, who goes by the name of The Texan.
With a passion for treasure hunting, a love of the ukuele, and not forgetting her trusty feline side-kick Lily, it’s about time we stepped into the wonderful world of Take Courage…
How did ‘Take Courage’ come about?
My boyfriend, the Texan, and I have always enjoyed taking photos and discovering new corners of London. However, we didn’t really have a channel through which to share our adventures with our friends and family back in Texas – so, we started Take Courage as a way to keep in touch. Over time, however, lots of incredible ladies (and some fellas too!) in the blogging community also started to read and support my little blog, and in the space of three years it has grown beyond anything I could have ever imagined.
What do you enjoy most about blogging?
Take Courage is very much a collaborative project with the Texan – although I may be the one in front of the camera, the Texan is an integral part of the process and blogging
has become “our thing” that we do together. I don’t think this is unique -I follow dozens of amazing blogs which couldn’t exist without a patient and long-suffering partner behind the lens. I think that’s what I enjoy most about blogging – doing something I love, with someone I love. Blogging has certainly brought us closer together, even if we do occasionally argue about the best way to take a photo!
What inspires you?
I’ve tried really hard to set Take Courage apart from other blogs by focusing heavily on the quality of our photography. This is certainly not something that came naturally to me – you just have to look back through Take Courage’s archives to see how far we’ve come! I’ve found that studying the work of other photographers has definitely improved my ability to capture a moment in time, in a sensitive and not-so-obvious way. You’ll
often find me in The Photographer’s Gallery behind Oxford Circus, taking inspiration from those who really know what they’re doing. I keep a running list on my iPhone of photographers that inspire me, and try to
emulate what they did many decades ago. At the top of my list are Cecil Beaton and Jacques Henri Lartigue – their dream-like images take you to another place; that’s what I’m constantly trying to achieve and sometimes, just sometimes, it actually happens!
What are your top bookmarked blogs?
I have lots of favourite blogs so this is a very hard question to answer! If I had to pick only three, I’d say:
– Rosaspina Vintage – Ale is so incredibly talented. Not only does she have an amazing blog, but she is also an artist, animator, illustrator and designer – there’s nothing this girl can’t do! Her photos and vintage-inspired outfits are just perfection.
– Messyla – Another amazingly talented lady, La’s blog is one of the prettiest and most creative out there. If the Texan didn’t protest, I’d have her beautiful pastel-coloured crochet garlands hung all over my little flat!
– Human Sea – A London-based blog like mine, I have followed Human Sea for years. Dulcie’s collection of vintage clothes makes me green with envy.
What is your must-have item from Laura Ashley?
My first ever vintage purchase (many, many years ago now) was a yellow floral Laura Ashley dress – I wore it to death! And it’s clear that Laura Ashley hasn’t lost its floral roots – this floral stripe linen dress
is just perfect for spring and would look gorgeous teamed with a vintage cardigan and strappy clogs. The ideal outfit for an April picnic in the sunshine!
Be sure to bookmark Cat’s blog Take Courage, to ensure you never miss her latest adventure!