A Trip Into Autumn With Splento At Kynance Mews

As the leaves fall off the trees and disintegrate into mush underneath our feet, I still cling onto the remnants of autumn, where red’s and oranges dissipate into the woods, as the pumpkins crawl back into their patches and the toffee apples gather dust on the top shelf, waiting to be reclaimed once more. You see despite my claims of being a ‘summer child’, there is part of me that belongs to autumn, a country pumpkin reveling in the hidden nature spots that the big city has to offer. I adventure through the urban street art scene of East London, posing as my portrait is painted, before hopping on a train to Elizabeth Street, Belgravia, where a wondrous world of floral displays await: Peggy Porschen, Dominique Ansel, Les Senteurs too. There are dalliances in afternoon tea land at Grosvenor House Hotel, pumpkin pastries on the tip of my tongue, while a vegan feast awaits at Eat Genesis,an Instagrammable restaurant so pretty in pink. As my emotions heighten, I am overwhelmed by the beauty that London has to offer, a patchwork carpet of orange and green leaves, red floral vines entwined around stone cold arches. And who better to adventure back into autumn with than with the photo editing God’s themselves, Splento, who followed me into a magical world of make believe.

Our journey began on a train to Gloucester Road, bemused by the ‘giant fried egg’ that lay sizzling on the platform, an art installation curated by British Artist Heather Phillipson. We hopped past the cartoons that danced along the train track and into the open we went, skipping past the delightfully retro cafe and tearoom Richoux, beckoning you into its green and striped fantasy. Despite the autumn leaves that were falling, both I and the photographer couldn’t help noticing how Gloucester Road remained in the summer spirit, as we walked past floral wreaths at Fait Maison, the sun bathing us in a glorious golden light. But nothing could have prepared us for the beauty that awaited us next, Kynance Mews, a vision in green, red and white. Kynance Mews was everything that London stood for: natural beauty, architectural brilliance, quiet tranquility infused with urban spirit. There was the mews of course, the infamous red wisterias entwined enticingly around 19th century mews, built upon a design by Thomas Cundy III in 1860. But beyond the mews, lay a wisteria woven paradise, red and green leaves dancing together in autumnal harmony.

It was little wonder that The Evening Standard had named Kynance Mews  as one of the most “instagrammable” places to photograph, and even less of a surprise to learn that I, the self-acclaimed flower child had coaxed Splento into joining me on my wistful Wisteria journey, transported back into the countryside of a childhood past, where I would frolic in the meadows and feel the wet grass underneath my feet. Growing up there was nothing I loved more than exploring the world that I lived in, and not much has changed since, as together, I and the photographer, leapt back into autumn, red boots enshrouded in leaves, hands clutching onto whimsical wisterias. I came to realize that I had come to fall in love with a new part of London, that existed outside of the East London scene that I had so loved and adored. Here in Gloucester Road, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill, Belgravia and Mayfair, there is no street art, no derelict houses, no communal air. But what West and Central London does have is beautiful Instagrammable hotspots, where flowers and architecture meld into a portrait of culture. And it’s a beautiful sight to behold. After all, where else but London can you find secret gardens, floral displays all year round and street art, all waltzing through a world made out of magical surrealism?

Except this surrealism is real. Through Splento’s lens, I saw Kynance Mews through a photographers eye; the sharp divinity of the white mews, the soft blurring of the red wisterias that had faded into green, the small patchwork of summer houses, with crumbling facades and wonky windows, intertwined with palm fronds and leafy greens. In a bucket you could see a macro close up of squash and pumpkins spooning each other, while an ariel shot showed you a quiet residential neighborhood that was now swarming with tourists. Gloucester Road was never on my radar until I saw the ‘Instagram Hype’ but it was on a journey to Kynance Mews,  that I saw it’s true beauty shine through. And it was magical. The skies began to clear, and our time here was done, but still I remembered the mews in all its crowning glory, red, green, white.

What Are Your Thoughts On Autumn? Have You Ever Heard Of Splento?

Don’t Forget! You can use my code FadedSpring10 to get 10% off your next photoshoot with Splento for fabulous editing, photography and a location to match you. Whether you want to be photographed in a pumpkin patch or need a last minute photographer for an event you are planning, Splento can deliver in a matter of seconds. And the best bit is that all photos will be professionally retouched within 48 hours. In fact I am so impressed with their editing skills that I will be creating a ‘before and after’ slide show via my Instagram stories very soon, so that you can see the difference between photos after post-processing! Plus, I have opened a new Instagram account dedicated to all my floral meanderings which you can find here @themermaidadventurer

*Disclaimer

Please note I am a brand ambassador for Splento, but my opinions are not affected by complimentary services and all thoughts are my own. This is not a paid role but I am given a complimentary photoshoot each month.

Follow Splento on Instagram Here @splentoapp