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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.

Syon Reach this evening. All Friday afternoons s

Syon Reach this evening.

All Friday afternoons should involve rowing, chocolate brownies and good company!

#asl #coachinglife #sculling #riverthames #teamwork #syonreach

Stargazer lilies. The scent is amazing, though not

Stargazer lilies. The scent is amazing, though not for everyone!

#flowers #flower #flowerphotography #flowerphotographer #floral #nature #garden #gardenphotography #gardenphotographer #bloom #petals #nature #flowery #flower-portrait
#editorialphotography #featureshoot #magazinefeature #stargazer #stargazerlily

Night rowing. One of the @putneytownrc senior men’s crews training last night.

Being on the river at night is amazing, as you have a completely different perspective. Everything surrounding you is bigger, the sounds are different and you are very small! You just need to be super aware of safety and make sure your navigation lights are correctly used as these are your only reference points.

I think the last time I shot night action I used film! Some crazy moiré patterns or interference patterns going on with the high iso setting last night. Maybe something caused by flare too. Not sure. 🤷🏻‍♂️ But interesting graphics nonetheless.

#putneytownrc #ptrc #rowing #rowinglife #riverthames #thames #mortlake #racetraining #horr #riversport #hammersmithbridge #chiswickbridge #nightlights #riveratnight #putneyembankment #harrodsfurnituredepository

High tide exploring from last week. For about 30 m

High tide exploring from last week. For about 30 minutes or so on a spring tide, you can paddle over Brentford Ait before the water drops enough to leave you stranded.

1. The centre of the island is like a prehistoric film set which is completely hidden.
2. Views towards Brentford.
3. There are some animal boxes which have been located here. No idea what they are for as the area is frequently inundated with water.
4. Willow curtain. You have to paddle through this tree to get onto the island.
5. There are some impressive trees, some of which must be quite old.
6. One problem with the Thames at the moment is the increased levels of sewage, which is worrying. The static water here has trapped the discharge, which appears as a brown froth on the surface.
7. In the summer a lot of the area is covered by Himalayan balsam, an invasive species. Views like this wouldn't be possible then.
8. Last light.
9. The camera I use, a FujiFilm X100. I love this camera, which I bought specifically to use in the kayak. I have to operate the camera with one hand, the other needed to hold the paddle and keep me steady!

#brentfordait #londonislands #riverthames #urbanwaterways #urbanriver #citywaterways #brentford #kew #lastlight #goldenlight #treescape #viewsfromakayak #fujifilm100x

Prunus cerasifera or cherry plum. At the end of J

Prunus cerasifera or cherry plum.

At the end of January I had an MRI scan. On the ceiling of the scanner room there was a very large back projection of cherry blossom against a blue sky. That stuck in my mind and I have tried several times recently to capture that sense.

Not the same, but maybe an improvement on the original idea. An approach that doesn't always rinse with art directors..."But that's not what I asked for". 🙂

#flowers #flower #flowerphotography #flowerphotographer #floral #nature #garden #gardenphotography #gardenphotographer #bloom #petals #nature #flowery #flower-portrait #cherryplum #prunuscerasifera
#editorialphotography #featureshoot #magazinefeature #gunnersburypark #whiteblossom

Judging and moderation training - most judges from

Judging and moderation training - most judges from the 2025 judging panels for the RHS portfolio and botanical art competitions at the RHS Lindley Library this morning. First time we have gathered en masse!

Medals will be awarded on 12th June and the exhibition will run at the Saatchi Gallery from Friday 13th June until 27th July.

#flowers #flower #flowerphotography #flowerphotographer #floral #floralart #nature #garden #gardenphotography #gardenphotographer #gardeninglife #magazinefeature #exhibition #saatchigallery #rhs #rhsportfolio #competition #botanicalart

Wandering, Gunnersbury Park. Some wonderful colour

Wandering, Gunnersbury Park. Some wonderful colour over the last week.

1. Japanese quince flowers and hellebores.
2. Beech trees
3. Blackthorn
4. English oak, Quercus robur
5. Yellow blossom - not sure what this is.
6. Sweet chestnut

#gunnersburypark #nature #garden #gardenphotography #gardenphotographer #gardeninglife #treeshapes #london #beautifullondon #lostplaces #sweetchestnut #lastlight #oaktree #hellebores #japanesequince

Womens Eights Head of the River Race, or WeHorr 20

Womens Eights Head of the River Race, or WeHorr 2025. PTRC, TSS, ULBC and LEH crews, plus behind the scenes. A breezy couple of hours on Chiswick Bridge watching one of the biggest tideway races of the year. Bring on the summer season!

#putneytownrc #ptrc #rowing #rowinglife #watersport #tidewayscullers #tss #ulbc #leh #riverthames #thames #mortlake

Strand-on-the-Green and Kew Rail Bridge. #editori

Strand-on-the-Green and Kew Rail Bridge.

#editorialphotography #featureshoot #magazinefeature #strandonthegreen #landscapephotography #riverthames #thames #river #londonsriver #urbanriver #citywaterways #kewroadbridge #kewrailbridge

Kew Riverside - Cherry plum. #flowers #flower #fl

Kew Riverside - Cherry plum.

#flowers #flower #flowerphotography #flowerphotographer #editorialphotography #featureshoot #magazinefeature #riverthames #thames #lostplaces #nature_takes_over #prunuscerasifera #cherryplum #springblossom #cloudgazing #lookingup #skywards #bluetheme #wandering #hiddenlondon #beautifullondon

Heading downstream through Kew Bridge yesterday.

Heading downstream through Kew Bridge yesterday.

Whilst checking out the names of the coats of arms on the bridge, I found out that the correct name apparently is Edward VII Bridge. A new one on me. I think common parlance prevails!

The coat of arms in image 2 is that of Middlesex. And the one on the far side (not included here) belongs to Surrey.

Whichever name you choose, it is an impressive bridge. And the third on this site.

#city #cityphotography #architecture #kewbridge #riverthames #thames #londonsriver #urbanriver #citywaterways #londonsbridges #viewsfromakayak #hiddenlondon #exploringlondon #secretlondon

Brentford Ait this afternoon on the high spring ti

Brentford Ait this afternoon on the high spring tide. With Brentford High Street on one side and Kew Gardens on the other, it is eerie. You can hear people and traffic but are completely isolated in an urban jungle.

#brentfordait #londonislands #riverthames #urbanwaterways #urbanriver #citywaterways #brentford #kew #lastlight #goldenlight #treescape #viewsfromakayak

A heavy fog greeted us at Lake Dorney today, which

A heavy fog greeted us at Lake Dorney today, which took nearly 3 hours to burn off. Some wandering before it finally cleared, allowing us on the water. I've not see it like this before.

#rowing #sculling #rowinglife #coaching #asl #watersport #dorney #lakedorney #lightandshadows #shadowandlight

We waited for nearly two weeks for the weather to

We waited for nearly two weeks for the weather to be in our favour! Great to be working with Sean and the team @innertemplegarden again this year.

Depending on which method you use, today can be considered the last day of winter.

Portraits - Narcissus bulbocodium, Salix 'Aso' (willow) and a tree fern. Along with some behind the scenes views.

#flowers #flower #flowerphotography #flowerphotographer #floral #nature #garden #gardenphotography #gardenphotographer #gardeninglife #perennialborder #perennialflowers #gardencolour #plantingideas
#editorialphotography #featureshoot #magazinefeature #salixaso #narcissusbulbocodium #innertemple

Snowdrops and hellebores. You only have a short wi

Snowdrops and hellebores. You only have a short window to capture these at their peak.

#flowers #flower #flowerphotography #flowerphotographer #floral #nature #garden #gardenphotography #gardenphotographer #gardeninglife #perennialborder #perennialflowers #gardencolour #plantingideas #instagarden #bloom #petals #nature #flowery #flower-portrait
#editorialphotography #featureshoot #magazinefeature #snowdrops #hellebores

Towards Chiswick Bridge and from Chiswick Bridge.

Towards Chiswick Bridge and from Chiswick Bridge.

#riverthames #thames #londonsriver #urbanriver #citywaterways #london #mortlake #ptrc #putneytownrowingclub #nightandday #chiswickbridge #lastlight #glassywater

Mortlake #riverthames #thames #londonsriver #urb

Mortlake

#riverthames #thames #londonsriver #urbanriver #citywaterways #london #mortlake #ptrc #putneytownrowingclub #chiswick #rowinglife #rainbows

Finally a race that wasn’t cancelled due to the

Finally a race that wasn’t cancelled due to the weather! There have been too many recently. The Hammersmith Head - fun to drive a launch for Umpire Clare Mac at the start. The best view in the house.

#racing #rowinglife #hammersmithhead #riverrace #london #riverthames #launchdriving

Wandering, Strand-on-the-Green. Wildling - "A see

Wandering, Strand-on-the-Green.

Wildling - "A seed sown by natural agency".

A lot of the plants along the river have appeared on their own accord. With some help, but they have chosen a spot they rather like. Wildlings.

1. The wooded area by Kew Rail Bridge and seed heads on the abutment.
2. Snowdrops and Winter Aconite, under Kew Rail Bridge. Nice to see these here. Though a sneaky suspicion they might be the result of guerilla planting, which have established and are beginning to spread.
3. Oak tree growing out of the abutment. A tough environment to grow in.
4. Various trees on the bank. Sometimes the Port of London Authority have to cut these back in general land management to prevent the banks breaking up. Others have become established enough to have been given ID tags, I'm assuming to preserve them.

#documentingspace #overlookedbeauty #treeshapes #wintertrees #naturalsculpture #seedheads #nature_takes_over #wildflowers #wildlings #kewriverside #urbanexploring #cityexplorer

Rhododendron 'Rosa Mundi' Spring is definitely s

Rhododendron 'Rosa Mundi'

Spring is definitely sneaking up on us.

#flowers #flower #flowerphotography #flowerphotographer #floral #nature #garden #gardenphotography #gardenphotographer #gardeninglife #perennialborder #perennialflowers #gardencolour #plantingideas #instagarden #bloom #petals #nature #flowery #flower-portrait
#editorialphotography #featureshoot #magazinefeature #shrub

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