About Zoë Power
Hello, I’m Zoë - a hobbyist photographer with a love for simplicity and space. I’m passionate about creating dreamy, light-filled images with gentle pastel tones.
Photography for me is about capturing a feeling: joy - lightness - peace - space to breathe and be - a moment of beautiful simplicity.
I like to think my photography helps to uplift and soothe and calm and take us away from our busy world and all the darkness. A friend once described it as “a breath of fresh air”, which I absolutely love.
It is a way to capture and share the beauty I see - dancing light, the colours and wonders of nature, big blue skies, empty beaches stretching for miles and endless open seas.
I love to look back through all those glistening, light-filled sunny photos, bursting with colour and hope, in the depths of winter. I hope they will bring you some pleasure too.
Have a browse…
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Photo Gallery
I have arranged some of my favourite photos into themed collections for you to browse. Each gallery has links to more photo albums on Flickr, for those who want a deeper dive.
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Print Shop
You can buy my photographs as prints (in a range of formats and styles), greeting cards, postcards, notebooks, stickers, phone cases, and lots more via my Redbubble Shop.
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Read my blog
I write (occasionally) about photography, creativity and my favourite places to visit, especially in Sussex, Cornwall and Devon.
How it all began…
I’ve had a camera in my hand for as long as I can remember. My Dad was a professional photographer, so there were always cameras lying around and I used to go out on jobs with him in the holidays. I think I got my first (film) camera around age 7. I still remember the great excitement of getting your prints back after you sent them off to be developed (rapidly followed by huge disappointment that they weren’t how you had imagined!). With only 24 or 36 shots on a roll of film, you had to be a lot more considered and selective before pressing the shutter.
I think I got my first digital camera around the year 2000 and was instantly hooked. I loved the freedom of shooting as much as I wanted and the instant gratification of being able to download and look at your photos straight away. I now shoot with a rather old Canon 6d and a small range of lenses, including my trusty 24-105mm f4 zoom for landscapes and my 100mm f2.8 macro and 50mm f1.4 for floral and nature shots.
A love of the sea
I was born and grew up in Jersey, Channel Islands, and have always been drawn to the coast and the sea. Whilst living in land-locked Oxford, I spent every available opportunity travelling to Cornwall, Devon and Dorset for a sea fix, and the chance to photograph the sea and beautiful beaches.
Happily, I made the move to live near the sea in East Sussex several years ago with my husband and small dog, and am so grateful to now have this close by. The sea continues to be a big influence in my life and work - there is something so special about the energy and power of the ocean….
Life in the slow lane
Chronic illness (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) has shaped my life over the last 10 years and changed my priorities and perspectives, as well as my speed of living. I have needed quiet, calm and complete rest (mental and physical) in order to survive and heal.
I have also found great solace and healing in nature - from eating plants and herbs, to spending time by the energy of the pounding ocean or wandering through a dappled forest listening to the birds. All these things flow through to my imagery and writing.
“Illness has taught me to live in the moment more and find contentment in small joys, to slow down and savour, to nurture and nourish myself, and notice more.”
Career and Creativity
I have worked in many different areas over the years, before chronic illness hit, from journals publishing to IT and project management, to systems and information management. Analysing, reviewing, clarifying, strategising, asking difficult questions, trouble-shooting, establishing and improving processes and procedures, writing, training, organising and presenting information in the clearest and most helpful way possible, have been common threads.
But my roles lacked the creative element that I craved and found in photography, and in creating and designing content for my website. Here my love of colour, space and simplicity can happily meld with my love of typefaces and design, my love for blending words and images, and my love of writing clearly and organisation. It’s my happy place.
I’m delighted to say that I am now working towards offering my services as a Squarespace Web Designer, as I enter the next phase of my life and career. Watch this space!
A few of my favourite things…..
Walking barefoot in the sand and paddling in the gentle waves
Feeling the warmth of the sun on my face after a long, cold winter
Blissful quiet and space to myself to recharge - I’m a BIG introvert :)
Pottering in the garden with no big agenda
Wandering along the shoreline looking for shells (I have far too many at home, but can never resist!)
Lovely walks and mini-adventures with my husband, camera and little dog - can’t beat fresh air and a good dose of nature, no matter what the weather
Dappled light and birdsong in the forest - this soothes me instantly
Watching the waves crash and roll on repeat
Hunting out the prettiest autumn leaves to capture with my camera (or take home with me to photograph - I’m such a magpie!)
Tucking up with a cup of Chaga tea to sort and edit a big bunch of photos and whittling them down to my favourite highlights
Curling up with a good book under a blanket, and losing myself for hours