Flight Of The Bumblebee - Beating The Winter Blues With Brightness

With all the fun of the festive period well and truly in the rear view mirror, it's so hard to not find yourself in a gloomy funk as we claw our way through January. Between the perpetual grey gloom, the infrequent work (#freelancelife) and the constant bombardment of "New Year New You" dirge, January just feels like one long struggle. Now that we're entering week 17 of the first month of the year, I'm attacking it with the only way I know how - dressing up in obnoxiously bright colours, painting myself in so much highlighter I can be seen from the ISS and generally living my best life as a chubby bumble bee.

Bags Of Style from House Of Fraser

More often than not, the perfect handbag can be the illusive holy grail of fashion. We want something which compliments our outfits, yet can also be filled to bursting with all of our daily essentials. From sunscreen to house keys to tablets, we often have different bags for different occasions - but just like shoes, a girl can never have too many handbags, right?

Va Va Boom! A Valentines Wishlist From A Camera Loving Nerd

With Valentines Day just around the corner, my thoughts have been turning to how thankful I am for the people in my life who I love dearly. Top of that list is obviously my partner in crime Lord Dicely, who aside from being my boyfriend has also turned into an unwitting patron of the arts and my biggest professional cheerleader over the past five years. As a freelance photographer, any utensils to help with the creative process are right up there in the "things I love unquestionably" category, so cameras and related paraphernalia all get a free pass. With that in mind, I thought it'd be fun to throw together a money is no object dream list with a Valentines Day slant. Forget about your red roses and chocolate boxes, this is all about cameras, cute and not-quite-couture.

I was very fortunate that my boyfriend did actually buy me a new camera for our anniversary a few years ago. It was an incredible gesture, because not only was it a huge investment in me, it was also a very strong showing that he really believed in me and my at times frustrating career path. If you're looking for something which is perfect for starting out with, have a look at the range of Panasonic Lumix Bridge Cameras which tick all the boxes.

(c) Panasonic Lumix

The range is designed to accommodate a large range of budgets, with the ability to shoot both photos and high quality video - perfect if you vlog as much as you blog! With large sensors and the options for wide angles, powerful zooms and 4k video recording capabilities depending on model, they rival the best entry level DSLRs if you're looking for something to simply point and shoot with incredible results.

(c) Asos

This Love Moschino Saddle Bag with Heart Detail (£145 via ASOS) gets a pass because it's a work of art. Made from a glossy faux leather, it's the perfect accessory for a red hot Valentine date. Or, you know... any occasion. The colour palette lends itself for jazzing up a LBD, with the heart detail giving a cute vibe to a very grown up purchase.

My final pick are these super cute camera necklaces from Ladybird Likes who I previously wrote about here. The necklaces cost £14 each, and are laser cut from wood. Perfect for anyone with a passing interest in photography or vintage kitsch, the designs range from sturdy Polaroids to Lubitels and everything in-between.

Until next time,

Diana xx

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)