February Blog Update, the orange dictator and turning the big six zero.

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Welcome back to my little corner of the web and apologies for the late delivery.

It is a short month this month with only the Model and flower pictures to offer you. I had hoped to go outside and do some architecture and landscape stuff, but it has been such poor weather every weekend. I need Amy's help getting around so we can only do it on Saturdays and Sundays.

I turned sixty earlier this month and had a wonderful time. I did not know what to expect, so expected nothing. I had long ago given up expecting too much, when as a young boy turning thirteen I thought everything would be different. When infact I felt down and disappointed because I felt no different than when I went to bed the night before as a twelve year old.

Still my sixtieth was a great day spending a dinnertime out at our local Pizza Hut on the all you can eat buffet with Amy. Thanks Mum and Dad. And as a bonus … a lot of people wished me happy birthday which I was not expecting. All in all it was a great day and one I shall cherish the memory. Thanks to everyone who wished me well.

On a serious note I am troubled by what is happening in America. The 'Make America Great Again' Gang of morons voted in a tyrant . One who is flexing his muscles like the school yard bully that he is. He has surrounded himself with toads like Elon Musk and others and the other oligarchs so that they can get even richer off the backs of the public … ironically on the backs of those who blindly voted for him in the first place. The sad things is that he told them all that he was going to do it and they cheered their support anyway. It is also dangerous not only to the now crumbling American democracy, but for the rest of the world as well. He is ...in my opinion ... the harbinger of death and will lead us all on a charge to the edge. Are you afraid? You should be …. time and history are not on our side …. 1930's Germany.

And after that, please try to enjoy the blog.

x

Ivory Flame Photoshoot

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We kicked of the year with our first shoot featuring Ivory Flame. A very highly sort after model with a very distinctive look. We got a lot done as well. Mainly portrait shots some were even taken using 35mm film and 120 medium format film. It created a different, more dreamy look to the pictures. Some images were shoot using a piece of perspex I purchased from Amazon and are amongst my favourites. They are the first ones in the gallery. Notice also the images with coffee paper over Ivory Flames right eye. That was just A4 sheet paper soaked in coffee and dried then cut to shape. I like the results. Thanks then To Ivory for modelling and we will defiantly be seeing her again. To Shadrine at Kavour for her brilliant makeup and hair. To Phil at the Boardroom Studio in Derby and of course to Amy for her help. See more of Ivory Flame at her website www.ivoryflame.co.uk

February Flower Updates

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Finishing off for this short month we have another great offering of plant and flowers from our friends at the florist. Including two freesias that are always good to photograph. They especially look great on the square black and white. So thanks again to our friends at the Bramblesrist and Flowers to yours To Chris and the ladies in the shop, as well as a thank you as always to Amy.

That is it for this month. Apologies for the delay and see you all next month.

x

January Blog Updates

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Welcome back to my little corner of the web

The new year kicked off with a visit to my parents to catch up and have a break. It was lovely to spend time with them again and wished we lived closer.

While away down there we were able to do an indulgence in landscape photography. So Dad took us driving around and about in the Northamptonshire countryside looking out for stuff to snap. We were lucky and found a few good things, so Amy and I could get out and do our thing. After all the excitement we ended up at a carvery in the Queens Head Pub where my niece works for a meal. It tasted great, especially the scampi and chips. My favourite. Everyone else had the carvery.

While away I also managed to do some portraits pictures of family and friends including Colin, my sisters fiance she is due to marry later this year in July. He takes a good picture. I am happy with the results. View the floating heads in the section below.

Of this month, January it was a quiet one on the shoot front. Remembering this time last year both Amy and I were do with Covid or something and were sick as a parrots. That put life on hold and so I never arranged a shoot at all this January. This coupled with the fact that its bloody cold and everyone is skint, makes shooting a non starter. That said the first shoot of 2025 will be on 5th February at the studio in Derby with a new model called Ivory Flame. It is going to be a portrait session-where she will have a chalky white make up on her skin and rose coloured cheeks and lips. It is to make her look a bit like a porcelain doll. So that's coming up soon.

On a wider picture I hope this year is a good one full of promise and hope, although its hard not to get cynical now our American cousins have elected the Dictator Trump and his side kick …. Little Adolf (Elon Musk) into office. As the old Chinese curse goes … 'May you be blessed to live in interesting times' applies here I think.

Its my birthday on Sunday 2nd February, I shall be …...... I shall tell you all about it next blog update.

Enjoy this months show.

x


Portraits – Floating Heads

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Something I would really like doing more of is portraits of normal people. I am not too fussed who, just as long as they are not family pictures of kids. 'Hey mister, can you take a picture or two of my little Charlie, he has such a sweet face ….' NO, NO, NO ! Been there, done that and hated every minute of it. Adult portraits please, the older the subject the better as the elderly have interesting faces that tell stories of their lives. These portraits were taken and edited in a 'Floating Heads; style where just their heads and not their clothing or surrounds are viewed to focus the eye on the subject matter. I know it might not be everyone's taste, especially in monochrome , but I think it looks good and would hope to do more.

Digital Art Updates … The lost files

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I don't know if you can recall a few months ago when I said I think I might have deleted some images, at least I have misplaced them on the computer? Well they turned up again and here they are. They are essentially re edits of older photographs given a very grainy textured look to them in Photoshop. Please enjoy.

Projects – Landscapes

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As I mentioned before, here are the landscape images we took while away in Northamptonshire. Amy and I took them (hers are in colour) on a good day. It was bright enough to get a good shot and no threats of rain anywhere. The sky was interesting as well. I did not need to enhance it in the edit stage. I really wish I could have done and do more of this. Its my fault as I could have done more when I was fit and young and owned a car. One of life's regrets I suppose.

Random Stuff - Dead Town

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This is some random stuff I took the other day of places long past their prime. Including Lucy's Cafe, a nice cafe but badly situated and closed down some time ago. A shop whose name was not on the signage with an empty room but for a door and a few things inside. And the Portland Arms Pub, all boarded up. While taking pictures of the pub two passers by stopped to tell us about the history of the pub. One man mentioned that he watched Prince Charles wedding to Lady Diana in that pub and how he missed it. Telling us also that someone set fire to it before this Christmas gone. The other traveller recounted how he crashed out inside the building after he was made homeless and it was abandoned.

They both had interesting stories and genuinely missed the place.

The Garden – The Garden In Winter

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Viewers will be aware that I have photographed my fathers garden a few times. And why not its a lovely place …. but never in Winter.

Rather than have beauty and vibrant colours to show, it is more about shape and texture/ Of light and shade dropping on the garden in decay. And there is beauty in decay. Thank you to my Dad for letting Amy and I shoot in his garden again and I hope you all enjoy it.

January Flower Updates

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Back on track again with the start of a new year of flower photography with thanks

to everyone at the Bramblesrist and Flowers to yours To Chris and the ladies in the shop.

We had a clematis in flower this month, which always looks good. Such and interesting shape and flowers. This month we have done some extra quirky images through the use of a prism to refract light. It was a heavy thing and awkward for Amy to hold in front of the lens, but it was worth the hassle. I am going to practice again with it sometime in February on another subject and see how it turns out … or .

That's it for this January. Please come back in February to see us again.

Thanks

x

December Blog Updates and a years round off.

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Well its been and gone, the Mariah Carey season again and with minimum fuss thankfully. Amy and I both had a quiet Christmas with one of Amy's Traditional, Untraditional Christmas dinners. No Turkey (its just a tough as old boots, fat bastard chicken!!!) for us. Pigs in blankets and Chinese spring rolls all around.

At the time of writing this blog we are now between Christmas and New Year with a time to reflect on what is coming up in 2025. I have already booked in with the studio for a series of dates in the new year up until May and hope to have some exciting shoots to do.

We are looking forward to travelling down to see my parents at this time of the year to see 2025 in. I hope also, weather permitting to be able to do a bit of landscape photography. We shall see …. fingers crossed.

The FIELD WORK vanity project book has been published and met with good approval thankfully. So on that basis I plan to do a few more in the new year. How about a Tyler Dyce retrospective special since I have done the bulk of my work (56 shoots) with her many moons ago?

So I shall be brief and wish you all seasons greetings I hope you enjoy this years ends round up and see you all soon in 2025.

Seasons gratings everyone.

X

Lujon Rael Portfolio 2024, A Year In Review Slideshow

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As its the end of the year its a chance to have a quick look back at what we have achieved this past year in shoots. Slightly less shoots than we did the year prior, but quantity never trumps quality so I hope I have hit the mark this year. Just as little foot note the music I have used for this slideshow for a track by The Patti Smith Group called 'Because The Night' and it was the first record I purchased as a young teen in Kettering many decades ago. It still sounds good even now. Enjoy.

Models: Various

Music: 'Because The Night' - The Patti Smith Group

Mercybongo & Munira Model Shoot

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Mercybongo was the star of Novembers shoot and s once again the star of this Christmas shoot, but bringing with her the equally amazing Munira Model. This sensual pair of models work well together and compliment each other. They are also lovely to work with. The clothing supplied by TEMU online shop we did two sets with one being an urban feel, camouflaged type clothing and the other more classic in red hooded ,maxi dresses. Assistance on the day and thanks go to both Shadrine at Kavour Beauty and Phil at The Boardroom Studio, Derby. help was invaluable

It was all in all a great way to finish off the year on a high and as an extra bonus my old friend Monalisa Moyo dropped in to say Hi!. We will be seeing more of these models in the new year.

Until then ….

December Flower Updates

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This time of the year seems like one big procession of thankless, but none so more needed for our friends at The Bramblesrist and Flowers to yours who consistently through the year provided top quality and interesting flowers for us to snap. And this month has been no exception. We did get a gerbera again … this time a yellow one … but captured a bit darkly this month on the black and whites. The white images is more a dirty grey for some reason. I did not clean it up in Photoshop as I probably normally would, and just left it as it was. I like it. Thanks then to Amy who has also assisted me with all the flower shoots and made my life a lot easier.

Thats it for this year, so have a great New Years celebration. We will be off to watch a couple of DVDs on Sharks and a glimpse at the lovely Jools Holland with my Mum this years end. So see you all in 2025

Lujon Rael will return …. x

November Blog update, still no sight but who cares … Christmas is soon here !

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Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

Straight off let me apologies for again dishing up a short blog. Simple fact is that due to my diminished eye capacity its been a bit slow. Its getting seen to, but the Hospital is being a bit coy about if it will return? But look on the bright side …. I could be in Jail as the lyrics go to a Prefab Sprout track called 'Spinning Belinda' And besides I still have another eye so nothing stopping me just using that as I have been doing.

This month we said hello again to the lovely Mercybongo for her ninth shoot with me and Shadrine. We all went to The Boardroom Studio in Derby for its ambience and charm as we like to do. And I think we got some good stuff done that day. Oh and by the way, I am publishing a book of all the highlights I have done with Shadrine (not quite every picture), but one from each shoot. book is a vanity project and its called FIELD WORK

I hope you enjoy this months short blog and hope to show a bit more next month. I will see you all again in Mariah Carey season also known as Christmas. So be safe and enjoy the show

x

Mercybongo Shoot at the studio. 'GOLD'

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Its always a good shoot when Mercybongo rides into town. She is such a great model and genuinely happy person to work with. This is our ninth shot together and the theme this shoot was gold. Shadine was on hand to add a gold flaky texture to her face using Vaseline and gold makeup. I thought we might not get a lot done this shoot as it is very time consuming, but it turned out good timewise. It was also Mercybongos first time attending the shoot without Carl and driving herself. Well done … you can do it, nothing to worry about.

We will be seeing Mercy again in December when she does a two model fashion shoot with Munira Model. Needless to say I am looking forward to that. So thank you then to everyone there. To Mercy. To Shadrine at Kavour Beauty and Phil at The Boardroom Studio, Derby. Although Amy was not there she provided the food so another thanks to her.

November Flower Updates

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You can’t beat a gerbera …. they are such a photogenic flower. South Africas pride and joy, the gerbera never fails to impress … if a kittle over used sometimes.So thanks then to our friends at The Bramblesrist and Flowers to yours who have provided us with a wonderful selection of flowers to work with this month.They are getting the shop ready for the Christmas silly season, so thanks to Chris and the ladies at the Bramblesrist and Flowers to yours and Amy for her help.

This is a very short month again, but we will be back in December with all new stuff. Apologies once more for the shortness of it. Please don't let this put you off coming back next month.

Until then, take care and see you all again (all three of you!) soon x

October Updates and I lost a whole bunch of stiff as well as my eyesight in one eye

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Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

Its going to be a short blog this month as I had a bit of a month off. There was to be a shoot at the start of October, but due to circumstances beyond my control I had to move it to the 11th of November. On top of which I have lost some images I created for the digital art folder? Where they have gone I don't know, although I have a sneaky suspicion that I might have deleted them by mistake. Oh well. ….. And to add insult to injury to my left eyes is out of use because some blood vessels have exploded in them and covered my vision. I have been to my local A&E as well as spoke with my GP. They have done an emergency referral to Clinic 8 to have them do something about it. I am still waiting for them to contact me and now writing this blog is a little bit difficult. So maybe its a good thing its a quick one.

Just before I go I would like to say a warm thank you to my parents for traveling to see us both and take me to the Steve Hackett concert. Luv Ya x

Enjoy the blog and see you next month I hope x