5fives with Michelle (aka mizhenka)

Have you met Michelle? I think she’s really very cool – a travelling soul who’s currently based in London with a thing for bears – she takes wonderful photos and even has a camera that meows!

Website | Flickr | Twitter | Tumblr

Where are your top 5 local spots you like to take photos?

1. Alexandra Palace. There’s a great view of London from the front of the palace, and I enjoy photographing the deer in the park there.
2. Freightliner’s City Farm. My landlord doesn’t allow me to keep pets, so I like to nip down there to pester the cats with my camera.
3. The Parkland Walk. It’s an old railway line and I feel the old platforms, graffiti and Spriggan photograph well.
4. Strolling along the Southbank reminds me why I moved to London in the first place. It’s especially nice on a Sunday, and there’s usually something interesting to snap along the way.
5. I also enjoy taking photographs of the rain through any window. I personally think London looks better when it’s wet.

St Pancras in the rain

What would be your top 5 purchases after winning the lottery?

1. A Fuji FinePix x100. The current camera of my dreams!
2. I like the idea of funding a bear sanctuary somewhere.
3. Maybe another camera: an LC-A. They look like great little cameras.
4. A first class ticket for the Trans-Siberian.
5. Lots and lots of film for said Trans-Siberian journey!

Bear in Berlin – taken with Canon G9

Which are your top 5 photography websites?

1. Flickr is great, I tend to go there first to look up places I’ve read about in books. One of my favourites there is Dmitry Savin.
2. Corbis is my favourite stock photography website. Most of the images I post on Tumblr come from there, and I’ve discovered so many amazing photographers through it.
3. I love Gerd Ludwig’s photographs.
4. The Lomography website is, of course, great. If not just for lusting over cameras.
5. Sue Flood takes photographs of places I dream of visiting.

Kyiv, Ukraine taken with Diana+ and 120 film

What are the top 5 cameras you own?

1. Diana+
2. Canon G9
3. Diana Mini – it’s my most reliable film camera and always delivers.
4. Robot 3
5. Holga Cat Camera – it miaows, what’s not to love!

photo taken with Robot 3 and 35mm film

What are your top 5 drinks?

1. Cranberry juice
2. Black coffee
3. Coca Cola
4. Blue Powerade
5. Yogi “Bright Mood” Tea – it smells like Christmas.

View from “Suicide Bridge”, North London – taken with Diana+ and 120 film

The power of lists