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pauldebois

Photographer based in London. Work: Lifestyle, gardens, landscape and people.
Photos & features through: www.gapphotos.com
Alter ego: rowing coach.

From a previous life! I can't believe its 30 years

From a previous life! I can't believe its 30 years since these books were published. I shot photos for 10 books in this series, the last appearing in 1996.

MGA, Ferrari, Mini, VW Beetle, Jaguar, Austin Healey, Morgan, Triumph TR, Austin 7...

...And my favourite ever car, Citroen DS. I came so close to buying a 1973 Citroen DS Pallas as a result of this project. I still covet this car, silver with a pale peppermint green roof. But on inspection, a rusty chassis meant common sense prevailed!

#automotive_photography #carphotographer #carphotography

Of lilies and cats. Late last year we inherited

Of lilies and cats.

Late last year we inherited a second hand cat, Aria. Unfortunately this means our lovely lilies, which had star position by the back door, had to be moved to the end of the garden as they are very toxic to our feline pals.

Roselily 'Olympia' (pink) were planted in a container about 3 years ago, and have really come into their own this year. Roselily ‘Aisha’ (white) were planted a bit late last year, but have also matured with spectacular flowers. The bulbs were bought from @hartsnursery if you wanted to try growing them yourselves.

Both have the same beautiful scent as stargazers, so it's a shame they're so far from the back door.

And as for Aria, she sits by the door, rarely setting foot in the garden wondering what the fuss is about.

#flowerphotography #floral #gardenphotographer #plantingideas #bloom #roselilyolympia #roselilyaisha

Notes and ideas. Giant redwood - Sequoiadendron g

Notes and ideas.

Giant redwood - Sequoiadendron giganteum
Lime - Tilia tomentosa

#bnwlandscape #blackandwhitephotography #lightandshadows #tiliatomentosa #sequoiadendrongiganteum #digitalprints #lithprint

A beautiful morning for the new scullers on the @p

A beautiful morning for the new scullers on the @putneytownrc course. Making good progress with a 10km paddle today.

Just one capsize! Cold weather and fast water aren’t generally a problem this time of year. But after the sewage dump last week, E.coli levels have been measured at 60 times higher than considered safe for bathing. So straight into the shower afterwards for the unnamed rower!

#ptrc #coachinglife #rowinglife #kewbridge

Photographing a magnolia grandiflora….a great wa

Photographing a magnolia grandiflora….a great way to meet your new neighbours! First time in years that I’ve seen the tree in our garden flower.

So after explaining what I was trying to do, I was invited into their garden to get access whilst guiding my go pro on an extension pole through the tree. An ice breaker on many counts!

Really impressive flowers, the size of a dinner plate.

#urbangarden #magnoliagrandiflora #gardenphotography

Lots of early starts this week, beating the heat!

Lots of early starts this week, beating the heat!
Oliver’s Island, Barnes Bridge and boating at @putneytownrc and Putney Embankment.

#rowinglife #lowlight #putneytownrc #coachinglife

I think this little chap is a fledgling Robin. It

I think this little chap is a fledgling Robin. It has been hanging around in the trees in the garden for a couple of weeks. Very inquisitive and joins me when sitting outside.

A good year for small birds in our garden at least. With great tits and a wren family all occupying and nesting in different corners without too much fuss!

#wildbirds #urbangarden #fledglingrobin #londonwildlife

Summer solstice sunset. Beautiful row last night t

Summer solstice sunset. Beautiful row last night to watch the sun go down! With @erin.maury @alexandermarengo and Susan.

#summersolstice #richmondlock #lastlight #ptrc @putneytownrc

Cat therapy. My brother’s second hand British sh

Cat therapy. My brother’s second hand British shorthair.

A whole range of animals come through the care home, all part of helping with a sense of wellbeing. Including family pets!

#familyportrait

The judging panel at 2026 RHS Photography Portfoli

The judging panel at 2026 RHS Photography Portfolio Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, which runs from 19th June - 2nd August.

With 18 portfolio finalists, we awarded 8 gold medals, with an array of silver gilt and silver at this evening’s private view.

The best in show was awarded to Liubov Kartashova, along with best single image with her sunflowers in ultraviolet light. All portfolios come through judging stages anonymously, and it was lovely to find out this evening that she had travelled in a less than easy journey from Ukraine to be here.

It was also nice to see the first portfolio taken on an iPhone, which won judges choice!

There are three stages of voting. Horticultural content, with the plants correctly identified. Then photographic quality. And overall impression, which includes framing and display.

This is the sixth year the exhibition has been held at The Saatchi Gallery @saatchi_gallery and they have made another brilliant job of all the displays, which includes the RHS Botanical Art exhibition.

Thanks to fellow judges @richardwilf @photoartitude @hevphoto and Arabella for making this such fun.

#flowers #flower #flowerphotography #saatchigallery #rhsportfolio

Day 2 of new @putneytownrc sculling course…wort

Day 2 of new @putneytownrc sculling course…worth getting up at 5am for such lovely water!

#scullinglife #putneytownrowingclub #scullingcourse

My mum with her sister - the lost art of the photo

My mum with her sister - the lost art of the photobooth! Looking through some old photos today and this fell onto the floor.

Probably from the 1970's. They used to make all their own clothes, so they were probably sporting their latest creations, hence the photo.

There used to be a photobooth in every station, post office and probably library too. I think you can still find them if you look.

Tempted to find one now!

#familyportrait #photobooth

End of another rowing coaching year with all coach

End of another rowing coaching year with all coaches gifted a splendid hydrangea last night! Always a privilege to see young folk you’ve known since they were 14 years old move on as young adults to universities in the UK and USA.

#asl #rowingcoaching #rowinglife #eagles

Finally finished putting the second of these books

Finally finished putting the second of these books together today. An edited selection of images of the River Thames taken since 1985.

A3+ prints on Simili Japon paper.

These are images taken whilst walking or out on the river. Or with earlier examples taken whilst working as a car photographer, looking for locations.

#sociallandscape #riverthames #hiddenlondon #secretlondon #grandunioncanal #londonwaterways

Dry garden - the front garden as it currently stan

Dry garden - the front garden as it currently stands. One or two overwinter casualties, but a couple of new appearances.

1. Mexican daisy and verbena bonariensis. The verbena was originally planted in clumps (which have disappeared) but I now let it pop up wherever it chooses. The Mexican daisy has really matured this year.
2. General view
3. Salvia macrophylla with bee. One of the original plants from 2022, it has lasted well. Maybe one more year before it gets too leggy, we’ll see.
4. Curry plant and cotton lavender. In the recent heat, you can really smell the spice scent in the evening.
5. Lychnis coronaria and Phlomis russeliana. The Phlomis was planted last year and has flowered well - though in this current dry spell, it does look a bit flaky in the evenings, but recovers overnight. Still resisting the temptation to water!
6. Cistus purpureus. Another from the original planting with an evening scent.
7 & 8. Nepeta or catmint. This seems bulletproof, though it does attract the attention of a local Siamese cat!
9. Phlomis, looking through to the Miscanthus grasses which will mature in late summer
10. General view, looking through the olive trees. Maybe due a top prune as one was hit by winter storms and was nearly uprooted. The soil isn’t that deep.

The Sea thrift has disappeared, which is a shame as that was very pretty. And the red Geum from the original planting has pretty much given up now. Just one flower this year.

#flowerphotography #flowerphotographer #droughttolerant #gravelgarden #frontgardenideas

Professor Nigel Dunnett, pioneer in natural planti

Professor Nigel Dunnett, pioneer in natural planting, who sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago. Taken outside the London Olympics stadium during its development in 2011.

Yesterday I was contacted by the Times, asking if they could use this photo in an obituary appearing in today's paper. As the deadline was 60 minutes, and the fact I was at another 2012 Olympic venue, Lake Dorney, I missed the window. But a nice reminder of a day spent wandering around the site with Nigel and @veronicapeerless, discussing the planning and ideas behind the planting for Which? Magazine.

#gardenphotography #naturalplanting #meadow #wildlifemeadow #nigeldunnett

Mum with her friend, who is 102 years old. Amazing

Mum with her friend, who is 102 years old. Amazing!

#familyportraits

Taking a footpath shortcut through Richmond and St

Taking a footpath shortcut through Richmond and St Mary Magdalene Church, I found this lovely rose. No idea of the variety. And also two large trees…I think Dawn redwoods. Wondering why they were planted so close to a building! And also if these might have been from the original seedlings propagated at Kew after the tree’s rediscovery after WWII.

#urbanplanting #publicspace #rose #dawnredwood #richmond

Urban flowers, Kensal Rise and Park Royal. Geran

Urban flowers, Kensal Rise and Park Royal.

Geranium robertianum, recycled planters on house boat and foxglove mural. Urban life.

#wildlings #graffiti #herbrobert #foundflowers #urbanlife

Two Taureans. #familyportrait

Two Taureans.

#familyportrait

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